Pucca

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left is Garu and the right is Pucca

Pucca / Pucca Funny Love [Hangul:뿌까] is an online Macromedia Flash/computer-generated imagery animated series from the South Korean company Vooz Character Systems and Jetix.

The main character Pucca (Poo-Ka) is the youngest daughter of a Chinese noodle house owner. Pucca is in love with the traveling ninja whose name is "Garu" (Gaa-roo) , who tries desperately to avoid Pucca's advances, and (usually) does not return her affection. It has been suggested that Pucca and Garu are actually in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, but Pucca is a bit too amorous for Garu's taste, and therefore tries to avoid any "unnecessary" affection from her, often resulting in failure.

Many greeting cards and flash episodes center around comical antics by Pucca to steal a kiss from Garu and the competition at times between the two characters. While Garu is a skilled ninja, Pucca always seems to best him in combat, unintentional competition, and simply by sheer wit. There is little to no dialogue in these flash cartoons so that fans all over the world can enjoy them. The most popular place for westerners to access the Pucca Funny Love cartoon series is Puccaclub.com.

The characters are quite popular in Europe and Asia, with TV animation in cartoon channels in Europe and South America. These animations are compiled into a DVD, available in Germany. A UK children's book publisher (Hodder's) has also published a series of Pucca children books. In Israel, a Pucca branded snack was launched on May, 2006.

There is also an on-going manhwa series in Korea, and translated into Chinese and German, of Pucca and Garu travelling around the world through an enchanted board game.

The Canadian-produced animated series by Studio B Productions can be seen in the United States on Toon Disney's Jetix line-up on Monday and Friday nights.

[edit] Voice Acting Cast

Actor	Character
Shannon Chan-Kent	Chief(Jing Jing)
Louis Chirillo	Clown
Michael Daingerfield	Chang
Brian Dobson	Uncle Dumpling
Michael Dobson	Ho
Brian Drummond	Garu
Bill Mondy	Clown
Richard Newman	Master Soo
Tabitha St. Germain	Pucca
Chantal Strand	Ching
Nancy Cartwright	Ring Ring
French Tickner	Santa
Lee Tockar	Dada/Tobe
Dave 'Squatch' Ward	Muji
Dale Wilson	Linguini
Issam Arif	Abyo

[edit] Episodes

See List of Pucca Episodes

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main Characters

[edit] Pucca

Pucca

Pucca is the daughter of the Guh-Ryong Chinese restaurant owner. She's 10 years old and her birthday is July 7th. A rebel tomboy, she has mastered Kung-fu and created the lovely chopstick dance. Pucca is incredibly strong like Garu (or maybe even surpasses his strength), but she is very friendly and playful, and in some peoples' point of view, cute. She loves jjazzangmyun noodles and pickled radish, but most of all she loves Garu. In the TV series, she does not talk at all, but rather continues to use the sounds from her Flash cartoons (giggles, cooing, and kissing) and is never seen with open eyes. During the show Pucca has displayed superhuman feats such as kicking a rickcart several miles, beating a monster bass several times her size into sushi, or transforming into a Sailor Senshi when she was fighting a gigantic sumo wrestler in Japan. She also exibits incredible speed on par and exceeding Garu's. Whenever there is an epidemic in Sooga, Pucca is mysteriously immune. She is commonly used as a deus ex machina.

[edit] Garu

Garu

Age 12, birthday December 2nd, he is the descendant of ancient and selfish Ninja, and aims to restore his family to their rightful crown position. But since the realization of Pucca's love for him, Garu is torn between family and his relationship with Pucca (even though he mostly does not show any affection at all). Like Pucca, he does not talk at all in the TV series, continuing to only use the sounds from the Flash cartoons. It's explained in the TV series that he's taken a vow of silence, but in the show , we hear the voice of Garu, played by one of his clones. He will immediately accept a quest if told it will bring him "great honour". In the episode "And the Band Played Rong", he played the erhu that caused the chefs to sleep.

[edit] Uncle Dumpling, Ho and Linguini

The owners/chefs of the Guh-Ryong Chinese restaurant, and Pucca's guardians. They cook noodles as a team, with Linguini or Woo Wuh twisting the noodles, Uncle Dumpling or Jang Toong chopping up the vegetables, and Ho or Ho Oh igniting the dishes with his bare hands. They hold their noodles in very high regard, and possess a culinary honor system.

[edit] Abyo

Image:Abyo.JPG

Abyo

A friendly and sadis rival of Garu, whose appearance resembles that of Bruce Lee. A running gag with Abyo is he rips off his own shirt when doing a move. Abyo is the son of Bruce, the police chief of Sooga. In an episode, he is unintentionally kissed by Pucca when she was really supposed to kiss Garu. In a few episodes he is kissed intentionally by Ching. He practices with his Nunchuks. He is unaware of Ching's love for him. Although he may return the same feelings.

[edit] Ching

Ching is Pucca's best friend. In the t.v series she is a ninja, but in the Flash animation she is not. Her pet chicken named Won sits on her head. When Won is scared, she will lay magical eggs. Ching is also in love with Abyo (one-sided). She would like him to be her husband, as he may one day be an action star.

[edit] Santa Claus

First appeared in a Christmas story, but later began to appear frequently, showing what he does while it is not Christmas. He is mainly used for comic relief. He is usually an unwitting victim of Pucca when she is after Garu, for example when he dressed up like Garu to get chocolates from Pucca, (and was beaten with a tree afterwards...)

[edit] Villains

[edit] Tobe

A ninja, a few years older than Garu, who wants to defeat Garu at all costs. Tobe usually uses strange phrases like 'Drink up Garu, drink from the fountain of vengance!', he uses two swords with a variety of ninja skills he has learned. He has a league of ninja at his beck and call, but their intelligence is quite lacking. Tobe is barely able to defeat Garu however, much less Pucca. He is also unaware of Jing-Jing's love for him. He thinks Pucca is Garu's girlfriend.

[edit] The Vagabond Ninja Clan

A trio of gypsy crooks. They don't get up to much evil, mostly performing petty crimes. They are Binggure or Clown (kicked out of circus for not being able to laugh, left-hand man to Jing-Jing), Jumong or Shaman (a bungling magician, right-hand man to Jing-Jing), and Jing-Jing or Chief (the female boss of the Vagabond Ninja Clan). Jing-Jing is in love with Tobe (one-sided), and is in fact married to him as of the episode "Evil Love".

[edit] Muji

Another of Sooga's resident villains. He is obsessed with grooming his (apparently sentient) moustache, and uses genetic mutants known as Xombies as minions.

[edit] Ring Ring

A very pretty, yet narcissistic and selfish girl, who sees Pucca as a rival to her beauty. When she loses her temper she transforms into a robed, red-faced screaming warrior, who uses her bright blue hair as a weapon. In this form, she is a match for even Pucca's fighting skills, once even undoing Pucca's hair during a fight. She is an opera singer. She is loved by Da-da, who tried in vain to ask her out. She has a pet Shi-tzu named Yuni. Much to Pucca's distaste, Ring Ring also has feelings for Garu.

[edit] Cat Clan

They are rivals to Mio for Yani's love. The Cat Clan are always commiting crimes and causing trouble. There is a chance that they may be The Vagabonds' pet cats.

[edit] Allies

[edit] Dada

A luckless dishwasher at the restaurant. He is nervous and highstrung, often to the point where he wets himself. He has an unreciprocated crush on Ring-Ring.

[edit] Master Soo

A deity-like man who is always surrounded by beautiful handmaidens. He acts as a being of all knowledge, and is often seen riding on a cloud. Garu admires him.

[edit] Soso

A young buddhist monk who is very calm and collected, often speaking in proverbs and wise sayings. He practiced martial arts many years in a Shaolin temple, but left there to seek better martial art skills. He is a martial art rival to Abyo. His name can also be spelt Ssoso.

[edit] Mio

Garu's beloved black cat. He is often seen with his master, usually on his head or helping in his training/meditation. It is said the time can be told by looking at Mio's eyes. He seems capable of a feline form of martial arts and is in love with Yani.

[edit] Yani

Pucca's pink cat, Yani is the most popular cat in Sooga village. She always gives the paw, being a snob cat.

[edit] Policeman Bruce

Abyo's father, he usually chases after Abyo when he is being 'Antisocial' (or destructive). He finishes his sentences with the word 'over', or if he is the last one to speak at the end of an episode he says 'over and out'.

[edit] Chang

Chang is Ching's father. He is the master of the gym, he usually teaches Ching, Garu and Abyo martial arts. His best friend is Policeman Bruce.

[edit] Awards

^[1]

Episode #	Title	Airdate

1	"Funny Love Eruption / Noodle Around The World / Ping Pong Pucca"	September 18, 2006
2	"A Force of Won / Chef Slump / House of Doom"	September 25, 2006
3	"The Cursed Tie / Chicken Spots / Flower Power"	October 2, 2006
4	"Cat Toy / let's Go Fly a Ninja / Gone With The Noodles"	October 9, 2006
5	"Them Bones / Ghost of a Kiss / The Usual Ching"	October 16, 2006
6	"Treasure of the Comfy Sofa / Snow Ninjas / Slam, Bam Birthday Bash"	October 30, 2006
7	"The Sooga Showdown / Scenes From a Maul / Up From the Depths"	November 13, 2006
8	"Dream On / Armour Plated Love / Catnapped"	November 20, 2006
9	"Invisible Trouble / High Voltage Ninjas / Ninjail Bird"	November 27, 2006
10	"Tis the Season for Revenge / Northern Lights Out / Secret Santa"	December 2, 2006
11	"Rootin' Tootin' Ninjas / Special Delivery / Ninjitsu for Dummies"	December 11, 2006
12	"Misplaced Face / Swiss Kiss / Big Top Bang Bang"	December 18, 2006
13	"No New Year's Eve / Noodle to the Stars / Ring Ring's Party Favours"	December 31, 2006
14	"Ninjasaurus / Unfortunate Cookies / On Thin Ice"	January 15, 2007
15	"Matinee Mayhem / Feud Fight / Dance, Pucca, Dance"	February 5, 2007
16	"Evil Love / A Better Boyfriend / Prince Not-So Charming"	February 14, 2007
17	"A Leg Up / Surf Ninjas / The Shirtless Avenger"	February 26, 2007
18	"And the Band Played Rong / Tobe's Nighttime Troubles / Datin' and Dumplins"	March 5, 2007
19	"Oh the Bells! / Lumberjacked / Autograph this!"	March 19, 2007
20	"Man of the Tree House / Spainful / Romancing the Clone"	March 26, 2007

Year	Result	Award	Category / Recipient(s)
2006	Nominated	Leo	Best Overall Sound in an Animation Program or Series: Marcel, Duperreault, Todd Araki, Jason Frederickson, Kirk Furniss
2006	Nominated	Leo	Best Screenwriting in an Animation Program or Series: Colin Yardley, Larry Raskin
2006	Nominated	Leo	Best Direction/Story Boarding in an Animation Program or Series: Greg Sullivan, Jayson Thiessen, Dallas Parker

[edit] Books

Title	Publisher	First Released
Pucca's Most Wanted	Vooz	18 November 2004
Pucca and Garu: First Meeting	Vooz	18 November 2004
Pucca: Hands Off My Dumplings!	Vooz	19 May 2005
Pucca's Fishy Tail	Vooz	19 May 2005

[edit] German Books

Title	Written By	First Released	Translation
Pucca und Garu: Wir gehören zusammen	Martin Stabno	31 October 2005	Pucca and Garu: We belong together
Pucca: Das bin ich	Martin Stabno	31 October 2005	Pucca: That is me

[edit] Photo Frame Books

Title	Publisher	First Released
Pucca Photo Frame Book 1: Various Kissing Ways	Vooz	13 January 2005
Pucca Photo Frame Book 2: Making Sweet Music	Vooz	13 January 2005

[edit] Key Chain Books

Title	Publisher	First Released
Chopstick Dance with Pucca	Vooz	17 March 2005
Ninja Training with Garu	Vooz	17 March 2005

[edit] Trivia

The UK also has pencil cases/tins, stationary and notebooks/diaries.
Many of the episodes are play-on-words:
- Puccahontas - Pocahontas
- Sooga Size Me - Super Size Me
- Catnapped! - Kidnapped!
- Unfortunate Cookies - Fortune Cookies
Many episodes take place in Alternate Reality versions of Soogaville, with alternate versions of the characters (Space stations, jungle, ETC.)
In the episode 'Tobe's Nighttime Troubles', Pucca contacts aliens using her odango atama hairstyle.
In the episode 'Datin' & Dumplings', a character who appears to be an obvious reference to Tomb Raider heroine Lara Croft visits the restaurant, and, encouraged by Pucca, ends up going on a date with the three chefs.
Ho's nickname Ho-Oh is also a species of Pokémon
In the episode 'Slam Bam Birthday Bash', Garu out of pity blows Pucca a kiss in which he didn't seem happy about. He appears disgusted by the idea of doing so ( He nearly vomited ).
It is revealed that Master Soo can control the weather.
Pucca has been used as a mascot for the online shop Opane since 2000.
In the TV Series, Pucca and Garu are the only human characters who was never given the opportunity to speak, but instead gave them giggles, grunts, and other various sounds, much like their online Flash cartoons.
In a few episodes, Abyo temporarily dons the signature yellow with black stripes track suit that Bruce Lee wore in the Game of Death.
"Puccalove" mobile content subscription services and a suppoting online site were available in Japan from 2004 through 2006.
In the episode "And the Band Played Rong," it is mentioned by Ching that Pucca has a wonderful voice. In reply, Pucca just stared at Ching quietly.
In one episode, Abyo tells Garu to (not exact qoute) "beware of my fists of fury," "Fist of Fury" being the title of a Bruce Lee movie.
Garu doesn't seem to scare easily, what from his ninja upbringing, but he freaked out when he saw Pucca in a wedding dress costume in "Them Bones".
In "And the Band Played Rong", Garu plays an erhu solo that causes the chefs to fall asleep.