Pingu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pingu |
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| Original language(s) | German Grammelot |
| No. of series | 6 |
| No. of episodes | 156 (+1 special) (list of episodes) |
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| Original network | SF DRS (Switzerland) ZDF (Germany) |
| Original release | 7 March 1990 – 9 April 2000 |
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Pingu is a beloved stop motion animated TV show for children. It first came from Switzerland. The show was created by Otmar Gutmann and Erika Brueggemann. It tells the stories of a charming emperor penguin named Pingu and his family. They live in the snowy South Pole.
The series became very popular around the world. One reason is that the characters don't speak a real language. Instead, they use an invented "penguin language" called 'Penguinese'. This language is made of funny sounds, babbling, and Pingu's famous "Noot noot!" honk. This means everyone, no matter what language they speak, can understand the stories. In the early series, Carlo Bonomi, an Italian voice actor, made all the character sounds. He used a special sound language he had created before.
Later, a British company called HIT Entertainment bought the rights to Pingu in 2001. They made two more series in the United Kingdom. These new episodes aired on CBeebies from 2003 to 2006. David Sant and Marcello Magni provided the voices for these newer episodes. A different computer-animated series, Pingu in the City, was made in Japan. It aired from 2017 to 2019. A new stop-motion series, like the original, was announced on October 21, 2024. It is being developed by Mattel Studios and Aardman Animations.
Contents
Discovering Pingu's World
Pingu's adventures take place in Antarctica. This icy land is home to many penguin families. They live and work in cozy igloos. Pingu is the main character in one of these families.
Who is Pingu?
Pingu is a playful and curious young penguin. He often goes on exciting trips with his little sister, Pinga. He also gets into fun trouble with his best friend, Robby. Pingu also has a special friend named Pingi.
The Unique "Penguinese" Language
The characters in Pingu communicate using a special sound language. This language is called 'Penguinese' or 'Pinguish'. It's a type of grammelot, which means it uses sounds and gestures instead of real words. This makes the show easy to understand for children everywhere. Pingu's signature sound, "Noot noot!", is known by many fans.
How Pingu Was Created
The idea for Pingu began in Switzerland in the 1980s. Erika Brueggemann, who worked at a TV station, met animator Otmar Gutmann. Gutmann had an idea for a show with sea lions made of clay.
From Idea to Igloo
Erika Brueggemann liked the idea of a clay cartoon. But she was more interested in the clay penguins Gutmann had made. She suggested that the main character should be a penguin who walked upright, like a human. Gutmann eventually agreed, and they worked together to create Pingu. They made a short pilot episode in 1986. This pilot won an award at the 1987 Berlin Film Festival. This success led to a full series being made.
Bringing Pingu to Life
Production for the Pingu series started in 1988. It first aired from 1990 to 2000. The early stories were written by Erika Brueggemann and Guido Steiger. Later, Silvio Mazzola also wrote some stories. The animation was done in Russikon, Switzerland. Carlo Bonomi created all the voices using his unique sound language. This helped people from different countries enjoy the show.
In 1993, singer David Hasselhoff released a song called "Pingu Dance". It was a rap song based on the show. Parts of this song were later used as the theme music for Pingu in some series. A special 25-minute episode, Pingu at the Wedding Party, was also made in 1997. This episode introduced a family of green penguins.
Pingu's Journey Around the World
Pingu has traveled far beyond Switzerland. It has been loved by children and families in many countries.
New Adventures with HIT Entertainment
In 2001, HIT Entertainment, a British children's company, bought the rights to Pingu. They decided to make new episodes. From 2003 to 2006, 52 new episodes were produced. These new episodes still used the stop motion style. However, instead of the original clay puppets, they used resin copies. This was because the original clay puppets had started to wear out.
A new team at HOT Animation made these episodes. But Erika Brueggemann, one of the original creators, still visited the studio. She made sure the new episodes kept the spirit of Pingu. Marcello Magni and David Sant became the new voices for the characters. They were both actors with experience in mime and clowning. This helped them create the familiar 'Penguinese' sounds.
In February 2012, Mattel bought HIT Entertainment. This meant Pingu became part of the Mattel family.
Pingu's Popularity in Japan
Pingu became very popular in Japan after it first aired there in 1992. Many people, including high-school students, loved the show. In 2020, an exhibition was held in Tokyo to celebrate Pingu's history. Today, Pingu still airs on Japanese TV channels like NHK and Cartoon Network Japan. There are also many special Pingu toys and items made just for Japan.
A new Japanese version of the series, called Pingu in the City, started in 2017. It was different because it used computer-animated graphics instead of stop motion. In this series, Pingu and his family move to a big city. Pingu tries to help people with their jobs, but he often causes funny mix-ups!
A New Stop-Motion Series
A remake of the original stop-motion series was announced on October 21, 2024. This new series is being developed by Aardman Animations and Mattel Television. Fans are excited to see Pingu's new adventures in the classic style.
More About Pingu
In Spanish: Pingu para niños
