Squirrel and Hedgehog (Chosonqui 다람이와 고슴도치) is a North Korean animated series made by SEK Studio (조선4.26만화영화촬영소) from 1977 to the 2000s. Squirrel and Hedgehog is one of the most popular animated series in North Korea. The show was discontinued in 2013 for reasons unknown. The last time the show reruns was April 25, 2013.
In the late 2000s, it was dubbed into English by Mondo TV
The
first series follows Geumsaegi and Juldarami, two Flower Hill squirrels
that infiltrate the ranks of the weasels and mice to act as a secret
agent by pretending to be field mice. They initially wear white masks as
a disguise, but by episode 5 it becomes a permanent part of the
squirrel design.
Episode 1 is an early old-style pilot episode with a number of differences both in style and plot. The episode is about Squirrel Village relying on Uncle Bear who vows to protect Flower Hill from the weasels and mice. However, when Bear doesn't show up to protect them when the weasels and mice invade due to drinking poisoned liquor given to him by the weasels, the squirrels, hedgehogs and ducks unite to form one army and defend their home. This is the foundation of the series and introduces some characters that will remain prominent as the series progresses.
Episodes 2 and 3 focus primarily on developing a squirrel named Juldarami who, in episode one, was initially held captive by the weasels and saved by the Wild Ducks from an execution site. Juldarami acts and disguises as one of the field mice to get information from Commander Weasel. He fights alongside a hedgehog named Goseumdochi, and together they infiltrate the Weasel Base to gather information on special weapons they're keeping hidden. Episode 4 then introduces who will remain the main protagonist of the series: Geumsaegi. He goes together with Juldarami to "save" the commander of Mt. Rock and earn his trust so they can spy among their ranks. Geumsaegi is the one who goes to General Commander disguised as the liaison officer from Mt. Rock and, after saving the commander's life from a bomb placed in the magazine by the Mt. Rock commander, is appointed as Guard Commander.
Episode 5 implies that some time has passed in the
show and Geumsaegi beginning his ascend among their ranks from Guard
Commander. Later on, we learn that Juldarami is now the commander of a
regiment of the secret "Mole Gun" from episodes 2 and 3. There's a major
style change in this episode and stays primarily the same into 26 while
improving along the way. A lot commences in this block of episodes and
really formulates the plot and lore.
The new series, produced
probably from the 2000's, show an improved style of animation and use of
CGI. It first is animated in ToonBoom and switches to Flash by episode
29.
After the defeat of the weasel army, the characters have to face the new threat of the wolves, led by Commander Seungnyangi (Commander Wolf), as remnants of weasels and mice keep making trouble. Observing the destruction left over from the Toadstool bombs being turned on the Weasel Army, the wolves make it their mission to capture someone who knows the underground of Flower Hill well to obtain information.
Since the defeat of the weasels, Flower Hill has
been enjoying peace, but it doesn't last long when Mulmangcho shows up
and steals the information of Flower Hill's underground from Dr. Mole.
Juldarami and Geumsaegi come to Dr. Mole and Bamsaegi's (Geumsaegi's
little brother) rescue, but Juldarami is shot and wounded taking a
bullet for Bamsaegi. Geumsaegi offers to go undercover as Special Aide
and try to get among the Wolf Army's ranks, similarly to series 1 with
the weasels, to save his friends and baffle their scheme.
In Central European folklore, Krampus
is a horned, anthropomorphic figure described as "half-goat,
half-demon", who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who
have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the
well-behaved with gifts. Krampus is one of the companions of Saint
Nicholas in several regions including Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Hungary, Northern Italy including South Tyrol and the Province
of Trento, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The origin of the figure is unclear;
some folklorists and anthropologists have postulated it as having
pre-Christian origins.
The history of the Krampus figure has been theorized as stretching back to pre-Christian Alpin traditions. In a brief article discussing the figure, published in 1958, Maurice Bruce wrote:
Discussing his observations in 1975 while in Irdning, a small town in Styria, anthropologist John J. Honigmann wrote that:
The
Saint Nicholas festival we are describing incorporates cultural
elements widely distributed in Europe, in some cases going back to
pre-Christian times. Nicholas himself became popular in Germany around
the eleventh century. The feast dedicated to this patron of children is
only one winter occasion in which children are the objects of special
attention, others being Martinmas, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and
New Year's Day. Masked devils acting boisterously and making nuisances
of themselves are known in Germany since at least the sixteenth century
while animal masked devils combining dreadful-comic (schauriglustig)
antics appeared in Medieval church plays. A large literature, much of
it by European folklorists, bears on these subjects. ... Austrians in
the community we studied are quite aware of "heathen" elements being
blended with Christian elements in the Saint Nicholas customs and in
other traditional winter ceremonies. They believe Krampus derives from a
pagan supernatural who was assimilated to the Christian devil.
The Krampus figures persisted, and by the 17th century Krampus had been incorporated into Christian winter celebrations by pairing Krampus with St. Nicholas.
Countries of the former Hasburg Empire have largely borrowed the tradition of Krampus accompanying St. Nicholas on 5 December from Austria.
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