Pucca (뿌까 ['pˤukˤa] in Korean) is a media franchise from the South Korean company Vooz Co., Ltd.. The main character Pucca is the 11-year old niece of three Chinesenoodle house owners. The Noodle House is located in Sooga Village, a small village in the mountains. Pucca is in love with the 12-year-old ninja, "Garu" (가루 ['garoo]). Pucca always seems to beat him in combat and unintentional competition, simply by sheer wit. The characters are quite popular in Europe and Asia, with TV animation in cartoon channels in Europe, Central and South America. These animations were compiled into a DVD, available in Germany. A UK children's book publisher (Hodder's) has also published a series of Pucca children's books. Pucca has also attained a small, but dedicated, cult following in the U.S. after its release on television through Disney and products featured in "Morning Glory" stationary stores across America, mainly in large malls. The UK also has pencil cases/tins, which have become quite popular, stationery items, and notebooks/diaries. In Israel, a Pucca-branded snack was launched on May, 2006.
There is also an ongoing manhwa series in Korea, which has been translated into Chinese, Spanish and German, of Pucca and Garu traveling around the world through an enchanted board game. Their fellow travelers include friends Abyo, Ching, Mio, Yani and Ssoso. Ching, Pucca's best friend, is in love with Abyo, who is Garu's best friend. Pucca has a cat named Yani who likes to flirt with other cats, especially with Garu's cat Mio, but does not like any of them. Ching, Abyo, and Ssoso are all Kung Fu fighters, unlike Garu who practices ninjitsu. Abyo wants to learn ninjitsu like Garu to beat him in a sparring match.
Many of its greeting cards and flash episodes center around Pucca's comical attempts to steal a kiss from Garu and the competition at times between the two characters. There is little to no dialogue in these flash cartoons so that fans all over the world can enjoy them. The most popular places for westerners to access the Pucca Funny Love cartoon series are Puccaclub.com and its French counterpart Puccaclub.fr. But most episodes of "Pucca Funny Love" can be found on mostly www.youtube.com. The episodes are usually very crude and plain with a red background and the characters are not very detailed. Similar to the show, their voices are rather masculine, mostly Garu who grunts a lot. Progressively more characters and details have been added. Now it has a more realistic animation with a dimensional background.
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. It can also be seen in the UK on Jetix. The Jetix Pucca microsite with games, mini-movies and clips is [1]. The Pucca series website is [2].
In the series, Pucca and Garu are the only human characters who very rarely speak (It is stated that Garu has taken a vow of silence). Instead, they communicate with giggles, grunts, and other various sounds (much like the online Flash cartoons). However, there are occasional instances in which Pucca can be heard to say one to three syllable phrases, and it is said by Ching that she is a good singer. This was shown in an episode where Pucca sang an opera song in a karaoke club and also an episode where Garu and she sing together. Garu has said the word "Pucca" in one episode.
Many Pucca episodes feature recurring themes. Some episodes take place in Alternate Reality versions of Soogaville (for example, space stations or jungles), with alternate versions of the characters. Episode names are frequently plays-on-words: Puccahontas (Pocahontas), Romancing the Clone (Romancing the Stone), etc. Many episodes also focus on Tobe trying to get rid of Garu in which Pucca usually intervenes. In Woolen Warrior, it is revealed that "Fire Wasp Ninja" is the highest level in ninjitsu. The Fire Wasps are a line-up: an unknown man, Master Soo, Turtle, Master Heil Kikyu and Garu.
In Chef-Napped, there is a reference to the classic James Bond films with Abyo as a secret agent.
In Tame That Toon, There are four references to old cartoons. Old-Time Ring Ring resembles Betty Boop, Old-Time Abyo resembles Popeye, Old-Time Garu resembles Mickey Mouse and Old-Time Pucca resembles Minnie Mouse.
In Garu Hood, there are three allusions to fairy tales.
