"Crocodile Gena" - a cartoon about kindness and friendship

A multi-part cartoon about an amusing toy by Cheburashka and his friend Crocodile Gen appeared in the late sixties and immediately won an army of admirers in the person of small movie lovers. Friendship, mutual help, mutual assistance - this is what this cartoon teaches. Crocodile Gena, a zoo worker, long suffered from anguish and loneliness. But then he met Cheburashka.

The cartoon is based on the book by Edward Uspensky "Crocodile Gena and his friends." In the book Uspensky in plain language describes vivid pictures from the life of his heroes. Gene in the book (and in the cartoon) wears a hat, picks up a cane. And in the zoo he works as a crocodile. Cheburashka also lived in the rainforest until he went to the people. He did not even know what his name was. This name was given to him by the store manager, in which Cheburashka got in a box with oranges. Then he lived in a discount store, until one day he met an announcement that "a young krakodil of fifty years old wants to envy his friends", which was written by Crocodile Gena. All cartoon series are full of action. Each of them teaches the child something good. And what can we say about the masterly created songs. Each of them is still singing on children's matinees or singing lessons. These include "Let them run awkwardly", "Now I'm Cheburashka", "The Blue Car". As the heroes-antagonists are the evil old woman Shapoklyak and her faithful servant rat Larissa. The motto of Shapoklyak: "You can not become famous for good deeds!" That's why she tries in every possible way to harm people, arranges dirty rallies. A girl Galya, dog Tobic, Cheburashka and Crocodile Gena try to resist it. They are looking for friends and helping people. By the way, Ouspensky in one of the interviews said that, creating the image of Shapoklyak, he relied on the look of his first wife. But the artist-animator Shvartsman sketched the old woman from his mother-in-law. In each of the series, Shapoklyak, when confronted with friends, begins to correct. But then she again and again messes with people. And this is not surprising, because if she had become kind, the cartoon would have ended.

Thanks to the artist Shvartsman, we have in mind the image of the mysterious creature Cheburashka. It's not a bear cub or a puppy, it's a fluffy animal with big ears and a short tail. So he describes Uspensky. In the cartoon this image is embodied ideally. Cheburashka, undoubtedly, attracts the sympathy of the small spectators. The same can be said of the respectable Crocodile in a suit, hat and accordion. The main characters were brilliantly voiced by Vasily Livanov and Clara Rumyanova.

It should be noted that the first cartoons were adopted in the Soviet Union without much enthusiasm. Cheburashka, who does not have a homeland, and the Crocodile of Gene, who is looking for friends on the announcement, did not inspire confidence from the party authorities. Whatever it was, but a few years later the cartoon became one of the most popular. The proof of success is that Cheburashka is well known in Sweden, Lithuania, and other European countries.

Since 2006, it has become a symbol of the Russian Olympic team. He was changed three times into furs of different colors, symbolizing the Russian flag-tricolor. And when will the turn of the Crocodile Genes come as a symbol of the country?