Mio Mao - the 1974 stop motion animated series

My Mao , Also known as Mio and Mao , is an animated series with the stop motion technique shaping plasticine, aimed at preschool children. The cartoons were conceived and created by Francesco Misseri in 1970 and produced using Claymation animation.

The first series of My Mao it was produced in 1974 in Florence by the PMBB company of which Francesco Misseri was one of the founding members. The series consisted of 26 episodes of 5 minutes each and had as protagonists two curious kittens, one red and one white, who playing in the garden each time met different animals with which to make friends. The animations were devoid of dialogue, but were commented by sounds and vocalizations that made the story understandable.

The original series was produced by PMBB and broadcast on the National Program in 1974. After Francesco Misseri's production company, Misseri Studio, acquired Mio Mao in 2000 and remastered series 1 in 2003, Misseri Studio and Associati Audiovisivi have made two more series for Channel 5's Milkshake! block in 2005 and 2007. In the UK the episodes are narrated and the characters are voiced by Derek Griffiths. Today Mio Mao airs on BabyFirst in the United States.

History

Each episode lasts about five minutes and focuses on the kittens Mio and Mao. As the episode progresses, the two curious protagonists discover a variety of mysterious animals and objects. The garden changes its appearance according to the theme of the episode, the animal or the object present.

The kittens go to investigate on their own, sometimes they forget about the animal or object and go away to look at the landscape. After a while, they arrive but come back frightened, before looking from afar and discovering that the scary object was a friendly animal or a funny object.

Often, towards the end of the episode, the animal or object will need help and Mio and Mao will come to his aid, so they invite the animal or object to play with them. The animal or object follows them as they crush and bounce to the other side of the toy store, posing together and watching the viewers as the episode draws to a close, with the words "THE END".

Episodes

Series 1 (1974)

1. Peacock
2. The little lamb
3. Ants
4. The Chameleon
5. The hive
6. The spider
7. The Tortoise
8. The caterpillar
9. The Cicada
10. The egg
11. The snake
12. The dog
13. The Dormouse
14. The octopus
15. The hippo
16. The squirrel
17. The monkey
18. The Hedgehog
19. The shell
20. The tadpole
21. The snail
22. The owl
23. The mole
24. The Beaver
25. The pig
26. The hare

Series 2 (2005-06) 

1. The Fox
2. He verme
3. The Anteater
4. The seed
5. The cricket
6. The Swan
7. The turkey
8. The crocodile
9. The raccoon
10. The crab
11. The Penguin
12. The little bear
13. Christmas tree
14. The Snowman
15. The seal
16. The parrot
17. The mushroom
18. The dragonfly
19. The bat
20. The chestnut
21. The hornet
22. The kangaroo
23. The cow
24. Ladybug
25. The donkey
26. The Koala

Series 3 (2006-07) 

1. The deer
2. The elephant
3. The mouse
4. The ostrich
5. The pelican
6. The Dove
7. The Kingfisher
8. The television
9. The lie
10. The dolphin
11. the ghost
12. The Red fish
13. The zebra
14. The vacuum cleaner
15. The Sky Terrier
16. The sloth
17. The Gorilla
18. The Jinn
19. Il Toro
20. The train
21. The Little Theater
22. The tap
23. The UFO
24. The Vulture
25. Plan
26. The dinosaur

Technical data

Original language onomatopoeic
Country Italy
Author Francis Misseri
Regia Francis Misseri
Artistic direction Lanfranco Baldi (series 1), Monica Fibbi (series 2-3)
Music Peter Barbetti
Studio PMBB (series 1), Audiovisual Associates / Five (series 2-3)
Network Rai 1 (series 1), Rai YoYo (series 2-3)
Date 1st TV 1974
Episodes 78 (complete)
Relationship 4:3
Duration episode 5 min

Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mio_Mao_(serie_animata)