7 Russian and Soviet cartoons that are loved in other countries

1. Masha and the Bear

• Russia, 2009 - present.
• Comedy, family, children.
• Duration: 5 seasons.
• KinoPoisk: 7.2.
• IMDb: 7.5.

Restless Masha always gets into different stories and curiosities. She is guarded by a large sensible Bear, who has to cope with the consequences of the chaos caused by the girl. He tries to educate the ward, but without much success.

The Russian animated series has gained international fame and even not so long ago became“Masha and the Bear” became the most popular children’s animated series in the world / The News 24 the most watched children's show in the world.

And this is not surprising, because "Masha and the Bear" is suitable for absolutely all generations of viewers. Children simply adore the cartoon for its specific humor built on gags and buffoonery, but adults are pleased with funny pop-cultural references.

But the secret of the success of the hit is not only in its versatility. For example, for the creators themselves

became"Masha and the Bear": How a Russian series conquered the world in 10 years / KinoPoisk unexpectedly, the cartoon turned out to be very popular in the Middle East: the audience was probably attracted by the fact that Masha wears a headscarf.

2. The Snow Queen

• USSR, 1957.
• Musical, children's, fantasy, adventure, family.
• Duration: 64 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 8.0.
• IMDb: 7.6.

Little Kai and Gerda live in neighboring houses and are very attached to each other. One day, a fragment of the Snow Queen's mirror gets into the boy's eye, after which his character changes for the worse. After some time, the villainess herself appears and takes Kai to her palace, and the brave Gerda sets off on a journey to return her comrade.

The picture based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen was developed by the best Soviet animators, and the main image of the cartoon - the Snow Queen - was created by artist Leonid Shvartsman. The regal antagonist in his performance came out frightening and at the same time bewitchingly beautiful.

The cartoon is also widely known abroad: on the Reddit website, you can findHayao Miyazaki has stated that Lev Atamanov’s The Snow Queen is one of his inspirations to work in animation / Reddit many rave reviews about it.

In the West about the "Snow Queen" writeForget ‘Frozen’ – meet Russia’s original ice queen / Russia Beyond entire articles, and she renderedPrincess Mononoke Understanding Studio Ghibli's Monster Princess by Rayna Denison / Bloomsbury Publishing influenced young Hayao Miyazaki and inspired him to become a cartoonist.

3. Smeshariki

• Russia, 2003 - present.
• Comedy, adventure.
• Duration: 2 seasons.
• KinoPoisk: 7.3.
• IMDb: 7.7.

Krosh, Hedgehog, Nyusha, Barash, Losyash, Sovunya, Kar-Karych, Kopatych and Pin get along well with each other, despite the difference in characters. Heroes constantly find themselves in funny situations and solve ordinary everyday problems together.

Originally "Smesharikov”was launched as a children's educational project, but the cartoon soon turned into a full-fledged cultural phenomenon. A lot of quotes and references, well-developed characters, controversial topics - all this makes the series interesting even for adult viewers.

Smeshariki also became an international hit. In the USA, for example, they knowShout! Factory Picks Up Russian Animated Feature Franchise ‘Kikoriki’ / The Hollywood Reporter under the names KikoRiki, GoGoRiki or simply BalloonToons ("round cartoons"). And in China, the brand is becoming more and more popular every year. Together with Russian animators, the Chinese even removed own animated series featuring Krosh.

True, the cartoon was not so easy to adapt to the requirements of other countries. The fact is that in Smeshariki there is too much colloquial humor built on a play on words, as well as references to Russian culture. Therefore, screenwriters in New York and Hong Kong account forHow Smeshariki spoke English and Chinese / Executive.ru rewrite individual scenes to make them more understandable for foreign audiences.

4. Crocodile Gena

• USSR, 1969.
• Children's, short film, family.
• Duration: 20 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 8.0.
• IMDb: 7.9.

Crocodile Gena is very lonely, so he decides to put up ads around the city to find friends. They are answered by the girl Galya with a homeless puppy Tobik, as well as a strange animal with big ears - Cheburashka. The company decides to build a house to have fun together. But the old woman Shapoklyak, known for her dirty tricks, interferes with them.

A series of cartoons about Crocodile Gena and Cheburashka, which were invented by the writer Eduard Uspensky and voiced by Vasily Livanov and Klara Rumyanova with their wonderful voices, has long become a classic. They are loved both by those who were born and lived in the USSR, and by new generations of viewers.

Cheburashka is respected far beyond the borders of our country. Interestingly, back in the 1970s, the eared beast and his friend became popular heroes of the Swedish program for children “Drutten and Gena». But in appearance, all the similarities were limited: in the foreign version, they had completely different characters, and the audience was unaware of the Soviet origin of the heroes.

And in modern Japan, Cheburashka has so many fans, what about his adventures with Gena removedWhat the Japanese did to Cheburashka and why Soyuzmultfilm wanted to return the rights to the hero / Lenta.ru your series. AND looks the Japanese version is quite cute, although it lacks the soulfulness of the original.

5. The Old Man and the Sea

The Old Man and the Sea

• Russia, Canada, Japan, 1999.
• Drama, adventure.
• Duration: 20 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 8.1.
• IMDb: 8.1.

The fisherman Santiago is no longer young and more and more often returns home without a catch. Desperate, he decides to go very far into the sea. There, a giant fish gets into his net, but the hero does not have enough strength to drag it into the boat, and a struggle begins between them.

It's hard to believe, but in Russia there is a director who nominatedAlexander Petrov: “I didn’t want to go to the Oscars” / Novye Izvestia four Oscars. And few people know that we are talking about Alexander Petrov, a student of Yuri Norshtein. His cartoons, created in a rare technique of painting on glass, have captivated many viewers abroad, but criminally little known at home.

By the way, forThe old man and the sea» Petrov still received the main award of the Academy. But they put forward a short film on behalf of a non-native country for the artist - Canada, since there were no funds in Russia to finance the project.

6. Hedgehog in the fog

• USSR, 1975.
• Animation, fantasy, short film, drama.
• Duration: 10 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 8.2.
• IMDb: 8.2.

Late in the evening, the Hedgehog goes to visit the Bear Cub to drink tea and count the stars. But along the way, getting lost in a dense fog, he finds himself in a mysterious world full of strange creatures.

The creation of Yuri Norshtein is considered not only a national, but also an international treasure. It is even difficult to list all the awards of the cartoon. Moreover, the meaning of the picture seems to elude the viewer, which gives rise to a variety of interpretations and interpretations. This note1. Short Film: Hedgehog In The Fog. It resonated with me, and I'd like to hear if it does with you, too / Reddit
2. User Reviews/IMDb and in numerous discussions on foreign resources.

We have already mentioned Hayao Miyazaki and his love for the Snow Queen above. Legendary cartoonist many times saidRenowned Soviet Animator Yuri Norstein Turns 80 / The Moscow Timesthat admires Norstein and his work. And "Hedgehog in the Fog" occupies another important place in the heart of the Japanese.

7. Once upon a time there was a dog

• USSR, 1982.
• Comedy, short film, family.
• Duration: 10 minutes.
• KinoPoisk: 9.2.
• IMDb: 8.6.

An old but smart watchdog lives on a Ukrainian farm. For another oversight, the owners kick him out into the forest. There he has to seek help from a former enemy - the Wolf.

Together, they put on a whole performance in front of people to show the Dog in the best light, and in the end he is allowed to return home. After some time, the hero remembers his friend and decides to thank him.

A short cartoon directed by Eduard Nazarov captivated the audience with its lamp-like character and sold quotes. And the main guarantee of the popularity of the cartoon is, of course, the Wolf, superbly voiced by Armen Dzhigarkhanyan. Almost every single phrase of this hero (“God help me... Are you climbing trees?”, “Sho?! Again?!”, “I’ll sing right now…”, “You… come in, if anything…”) turned into winged ones, because each of them causes a fit of laughter.

It may seem that the humor in "Once upon a time there was a dog" is too specific and is available only to native speakers of the Russian language and culture. But if you read comments1. User Reviews/IMDb
2. There Once Was a Dog / YouTube on IMDb and YouTube, you can make sure that foreign viewers enjoy watching the cartoon without subtitles and understand everything. It's just that the story itself, the visuals and the music are so good that the meaning of the work is clear anyway.