Nu, pogodi!

legendary series for many children from East Europe, it was a phenomenon, than, a lovely memories source. a wolf and a hair. adventures, humor, wise lessons and same promise. it is difficult to define it today because it was one of rare entertainment pillars in that period. but, after so many time, it seems be one of remarkable success of Soviet animation school. sure, not very high but seductive for simplicity of stories, not remarkable for drawing but useful for its moralistic humor. a series who remains, for many of its viewers, more than interesting. because, like Tom and Jerry, it has the rare gift to be answer to basic questions of an age. and because it is an admirable work.

As a child I saw this cartoon, together with Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry etc. Some would say that it is a copy of other cartoons but I say, watch it and you'll change your opinion. A different context, together with funny setting offer an insight in the recent history of the Soviet Union. It has nothing to do with politics but just with pure fun.

I highly recommend it to everyone; I recently saw some of the 18 episodes. They are all top notch with a heavy cultural background ranging from folklore to contemporary 70s to 80s music.

A counterpart of American cartoons, it offers a most interesting point of view in the history of animation.

it is the only word who could, in decent way, define it. because, for generations of children, it was the event. the confrontation between hare and wolf. the adventures. the humor. the classic "Nu , pogodi" as ingredient of backyard games. and this ball of memories did it unique. not the best, maybe, not the great series. but unique. because it has charm and beautiful gags and innocence of its public from yesterday. because the wolf is more than the bad guy but a sort of classmate, rude, not very smart but, in its essence, an misunderstood. and the hare - it is the hero with subtle and convincing traits. so, a legendary series.

Cartoon IS funny. One comment said that the "Roadrunner" was the "Nu pogodi!" creators aim. It was not. And anyone who thinks that unnoying loud bird blowing someone up again and again and agonizingly again in exactly the same manner until you have a kneejeark reaction is funny, should simply go back to kindergarten. I presume that the commenter was from Moscow, which makes the comment even more bizzarre. "Nu pogodi!" is meant for children. And made in Soviet times, when children were allowed to have their childhood. Trey were not required at the youngest age to watch swashbuckling and syrupy soap-opera kissing in cartoons and films made for kids by people who don`t know how to make films for kids and make just watered-down versions of adult products "with all the good stuff cut out". In "Nu pogodi!" the wolf is not actually a predator, but a hooligan, a schoolyard bully, an older and stronger type that likes to push around younger and the weaker. The use of the music is very appropriate and makes the cartoon sometimes histerically funny. The idea is to make fun, not to glare with sadistic anticipation how someone gets hurt endlessly, and when someone do get hurt in "Nu pogodi!" it is noted and calls for sympathy. People who made the cartoon are professionals at working for children audience, and their natural kindness and talent was put into this cartoon, even if inspired by some other Western work, but entirely capable of standing by itself and to get the highest points for being a good, non-aggressive comedy with kind humor.

Probably inspired by the American "Tom and Jerry" and "Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote" cartoons, the Russian animated series "Nu, pogodi!" features the smoking, beer-gutted, rebellious Volk (wolf) and his futile attempts to capture and eat the innocent young Zayats (hare). The first cartoon of the series was released in 1969, the second in 1970 and the series continued for sixteen episodes until the death of Anatoli Papanov, the voice of the wolf, in 1987. In 1993, two more episodes were produced featuring archived samples of Papanov's voice.

Though the cartoons are in Russian, dialogue within the films is scarce, rarely stretching beyond the wolf's trademark "Nu, zayats, nu pogodi! / Hare, just you wait!", which he utters every time his plans fail, and which you'll pick up on very quickly. Each ten-minute episode takes place in a different setting, and the wolf attempts to utilise the current situation to capture the hare (voiced by Klara Rumyanova) and presumably make a good meal out of her. Alas, these attempts are almost always in vain, with the hare constantly outsmarting the desperate wolf, either deliberately or inadvertently. Just like in your typical 'Roadrunner' cartoon, our sympathies are split between the characters – we certainly don't want the young innocent hare to be devoured, but we do feel sorry for the wolf as his endeavors fail miserably time after time.

I'm yet to see all the episodes in the series (I've really just started, in fact), but I'm enjoying it immensely, and each adventure brings forth something different and exciting. Somewhat uniquely, 'Nu, pogodi!' often sets its story to the tune of popular pop hits from the era in which it was made, so approximate dates of release can be pinpointed for any given episode based purely on the music selection. I also uncovered an interesting piece of trivia about the series. Initially, Russian singer/actor Vladimir Vysotsky was cast as the voice of the wolf, but Soviet cinema authorities did not give the studio their approval to use him, as he was not popular amongst the Communist party elite. As we know, Anatoli Papanov went on to become the voice of the wolf, though the cartoon's producers possibly included a slight tribute to Vysotsky by playing a sample of his well-known "Song about a Friend" ("Pesnya o Druge" in Russian) at the very beginning of the first episode.