Pingu in the City (Japanese: ピングー in ザ・シティ, Hepburn: Pingū in za Shiti) is an animated children's television series produced by Mattel Creations, NHK, NHK Enterprises, and Polygon Pictures. It is a spin-off/continuation based on the stop-motion television series Pingu by HIT Entertainment. The series first aired on NHK Educational TV in Japan from October 7, 2017 to March 30, 2019.

Pingu in the City
English logo
GenreComedy
Based onPingu by Otmar Gutmann and Erika Brueggemann
Written byShigenori Tanabe
Kimeno Ueno
Directed byNaomi Iwata
Voices ofRyota Iwasaki
Fumiya Tanaka
ComposerKen Arai
Country of originUnited States
Japan
Original languagesEnglish
Japanese
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes52
Production
Executive producersChristopher Keenan
Keisuke Tsuchibashi
Yukiko Yaki
Hideki Moriya
Producers
  • Sayako Uchida
  • Animation producer:
    Ryo Nakaoka
Running time7 minutes
Production companiesMattel Creations
NHK Enterprises
Polygon Pictures
Original release
NetworkNHK Educational TV
ReleaseOctober 7, 2017 (2017-10-07) –
March 30, 2019 (2019-03-30)

Premise

edit

The series was adapted from the famous stop-motion animated series Pingu, which was created in 1986 by Otmar Gutmann and Erika Brueggemann for the SRF in Switzerland. In this series, Pingu and his family move from their home in the Antarctic to a large city, where the inhabitants are all very different. The mischievous and curious Pingu makes a big effort to help the citizens with their jobs, but his attempts to do so often result in trouble.

Production

edit

The series is co-produced by American company Mattel Creations (who acquired HIT Entertainment in 2011) and Japanese companies NHK, NHK Enterprises and Polygon Pictures, with animation produced by DandeLion Animation Studios in the same style as the original stop-motion series through computer-animation.[1] It was directed by Naomi Iwata and written by both Kimeno Ueno and Shigenori Tanabe, with music by Ken Arai.[2] It features voices by Ryota Iwasaki and Fumiya Tanaka, in a similar style to Carlo Bonomi, David Sant, and Marcello Magni, who voiced characters in the original series.[citation needed]

International airings

edit

The series was first screened outside of Japan at the MIPJunior 2017 event at Cannes.[3] In Australia, the show premiered on June 4, 2018 on ABC Kids. In the United States, the show was first screened at the Chicago International Television Festival[4] and the 2018 Animation Block Party.[5]

A second season premiered from October 6, 2018 (which was the day before the 1st anniversary of the show) to March 30, 2019.[6]

In the United Kingdom, the show premiered on February 25, 2019 on ITVBe's preschool block LittleBe. In Brazil, the show premiered in April 2019 through the preschool channel Gloobinho.[7] On Hop! Channel in Israel, the show premiered in summer 2019.

Episodes

edit

Season 1 (2017–18)

edit
No. Title Original airdate
1"Pingu Cooks Up a Treat!"
Transliteration: "Pingū, Sutāshefu ni Naru" (Japanese: ピングー、スターシェフになる)
October 7, 2017 (2017-10-07)
2"Watch Your Step, Pingu!"
Transliteration: "Tadaima Kōji-chū!" (Japanese: ただいま工事中!)
October 14, 2017 (2017-10-14)
3"Pingu's Rules of Babysitting"
Transliteration: "Komori wa Tsurai yo" (Japanese: 子守はつらいよ)
October 21, 2017 (2017-10-21)
4"Pingu the Baker"
Transliteration: "Pingū, Pandzukuri Meijin ni Naru" (Japanese: ピングー、パン作り名人になる)
October 28, 2017 (2017-10-28)
5"Pingu the Super Substitute"
Transliteration: "Sūpā Sabu Tōjō" (Japanese: スーパーサブ登場)
November 4, 2017 (2017-11-04)
6"Pingu at your Service"
Transliteration: "O Ryōri Todokemasu!" (Japanese: お料理届けます!)
November 11, 2017 (2017-11-11)
7"Power Up Pingu"
Transliteration: "Tadaima Hatsuden-chū!" (Japanese: ただいま発電中!)
November 18, 2017 (2017-11-18)
8"Buzz Off!"
Transliteration: "Chīsana Shin'nyū-sha" (Japanese: 小さな侵入者)
November 25, 2017 (2017-11-25)
9"Pingu the Hero!"
Transliteration: "Pengin no Hon'nō" (Japanese: ペンギンの本能)
December 2, 2017 (2017-12-02)
10"Flower Power"
Transliteration: "Hanataba o Okurou!" (Japanese: 花束を贈ろう!)
December 9, 2017 (2017-12-09)
11"Let's Build an Igloo!"
Transliteration: "Igurū o Tsukurou!" (Japanese: イグルーを作ろう!)
December 16, 2017 (2017-12-16)
12"Pingu Saves Christmas"
Transliteration: "Santa Kurōsu no Otoshimono!?" (Japanese: サンタクロースの落とし物!?)
December 23, 2017 (2017-12-23)
13"Pingu's Magnet Muddle"
Transliteration: "Raku-chin Mashin" (Japanese: らくちんマシン)
December 30, 2017 (2017-12-30)
14"The Art of Baking"
Transliteration: "Pan de Āto!?" (Japanese: パンでアート!?)
January 13, 2018 (2018-01-13)
15"Mama's Birthday Surprise"
Transliteration: "Mama no Bāsudē" (Japanese: ママのバースデー)
January 20, 2018 (2018-01-20)
16"Pingu Takes Flight"
Transliteration: "Soratobu Pengin" (Japanese: 空飛ぶペンギン)
January 27, 2018 (2018-01-27)
17"Pingu Glides to Fame"
Transliteration: "Boku-tachi Figyua Sukētā" (Japanese: 僕たちフィギュアスケーター)
February 3, 2018 (2018-02-03)
18"Pingu Plugs a Leak"
Transliteration: "Mizu-more Chūi!" (Japanese: 水もれ注意!)
February 10, 2018 (2018-02-10)
19"Pingu and Pinga Fashionista's"
Transliteration: "Osharena Pinga" (Japanese: オシャレなピンガ)
February 17, 2018 (2018-02-17)
20"Keep It Up Pingu!"
Transliteration: "Rifutingu de Gō!" (Japanese: リフティングでゴー!)
February 24, 2018 (2018-02-24)
21"Pingu's Catch of the Day"
Transliteration: "Sakanatsuri wa Tanoshī!?" (Japanese: 魚つりは楽しい!?)
March 3, 2018 (2018-03-03)
22"Stop that Mail!"
Transliteration: "Yūbin Haitatsu wa Ōsawagi!" (Japanese: 郵便配達は大騒ぎ!)
March 10, 2018 (2018-03-10)
23"Sticking Together"
Transliteration: "Hittsuki Panikku" (Japanese: ひっつきパニック)
March 17, 2018 (2018-03-17)
24"Special Delivery for Pingu"
Transliteration: "O Tegami Todokemasu!" (Japanese: お手紙届けます!)
March 21, 2018 (2018-03-21)
25"Everyone's a Winner!"
Transliteration: "Shōri wa Dare no te ni!?" (Japanese: 勝利は誰の手に!?)
March 24, 2018 (2018-03-24)
26"Growing Pains"
Transliteration: "Hana o Sakaseyou!" (Japanese: 花を咲かせよう!)
March 31, 2018 (2018-03-31)

Season 2 (2018–19)

edit
No. Title Original airdate
27"Fire Fighter Training is Tough"
October 6, 2018 (2018-10-06)
28"A Mysterious Helper"
October 13, 2018 (2018-10-13)
29"Grandfather's Here"
October 20, 2018 (2018-10-20)
30"The Naughty Tram Passenger"
October 27, 2018 (2018-10-27)
31"A Mysterious Creature Appears"
November 3, 2018 (2018-11-03)
32"Pingu's Jam Session"
November 10, 2018 (2018-11-10)
33"Say Cheese"
November 17, 2018 (2018-11-17)
34"What's Inside"
November 24, 2018 (2018-11-24)
35"The Big Blue Chase"
December 1, 2018 (2018-12-01)
36"Pingu's Space Adventures"
December 8, 2018 (2018-12-08)
37"Helping a New Friend"
December 15, 2018 (2018-12-15)
38"Pingu and the Egg"
December 22, 2018 (2018-12-22)
39"Pingu Makes the Movie"
December 29, 2018 (2018-12-29)
40"Pingu is a Rock Star"
January 5, 2019 (2019-01-05)
41"Household Helping Hands"
January 12, 2019 (2019-01-12)
42"Pingu the Wigmaker"
January 19, 2019 (2019-01-19)
43"Pingu on Patrol"
January 26, 2019 (2019-01-26)
44"Pingu's Frozen Discovery"
February 2, 2019 (2019-02-02)
45"Pingu's Treasure Hunt"
February 9, 2019 (2019-02-09)
46"Voyage to the Moon"
February 16, 2019 (2019-02-16)
47"Pingu's Traffic Dance"
February 23, 2019 (2019-02-23)
48"I Want to Be on TV"
March 2, 2019 (2019-03-02)
49"Flea Market"
March 9, 2019 (2019-03-09)
50"Pingu the Living Statue"
March 16, 2019 (2019-03-16)
51"Pingu's Snack Attack"
March 23, 2019 (2019-03-23)
52"Pingu the Conductor"
March 30, 2019 (2019-03-30)

Home media releases

edit
Format Title Release Date
DVD"Pingu Becomes a Star Chef"March 7, 2018 (2018-03-07)
DVD"Give Flower Bouquests!"June 6, 2018 (2018-06-06)
DVD"Mail Delivery is a Big Fuss!"June 6, 2018 (2018-06-06)
DVD"Chasing the Blue Penguin!"March 6, 2019 (2019-03-06)
DVD"We are Patrolling Now!"June 5, 2019 (2019-06-05)
DVD"I Want to Be on TV"June 5, 2019 (2019-06-05)

References

edit
  1. ^ "ピングー:新作テレビアニメは初のオールCG ポリゴン・ピクチュアズ制作" [Pingu: new TV show is the first all-CG Polygon Pictures production]. Mantanweb (in Japanese). 4 September 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  2. ^ Ressler, Karen (4 September 2017). "Polygon Pictures Makes New Anime for Swiss Character Pingu". Anime News Network. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  3. ^ "Pingu moves to the big city". MIPJunior Preview. September 2017. p. 14. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  4. ^ Corporation), NHK(Japan Broadcasting. "AWARD-WINNING PROGRAMS". www6.nhk.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  5. ^ "Animation Block Party Full 2018 Lineup Revealed". www.animationmagazine.net. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  6. ^ Ressler, Karen (3 September 2018). "New Pingu in the City Episodes Premiere on October 6". Anime News Network. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Pingu na Cidade: Anime estreia no Gloobinho" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2019-05-01.
edit