The Adventures of Hijitus
The Adventures of Hijitus is an Argentine animated series created in 1967 by Spanish cartoonist Manuel García Ferré. It was the first animated series in Latin America intended for television, and has been considered the most successful series in the history of Latin American cartoons.
| The Adventures of Hijitus | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Hijitus, Super Hijitus |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Manuel García Ferré |
| Written by |
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| Directed by | Manuel García Ferré |
| Voices of |
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| Narrated by | Pedro Aníbal Mansilla |
| Theme music composer |
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| Country of origin | Argentina |
| Original language | Spanish |
| No. of seasons | 8 |
| No. of episodes | 74 (262 segments) (+ pilot) List of episodes |
| Production | |
| Producer | Manuel García Ferré |
| Running time |
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| Production company | Producciones García Ferré |
| Release | |
| Original network | Canal 13 |
| Picture format |
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| Audio format | Monaural (1967-1972) Stereophonic (1995-1996) |
| Original release | August 7, 1967 – March 1, 1996 |
The series was first broadcast on August 7, 1967, on Canal 13, and was repeated throughout the day at different times and later came to the cinema in film format.
The main character of the series is Hijitus, a street child who lives in the sewers of the city of Trulalá. Trulalá is ravaged by the evil actions of villains such as Professor Neurus, Pucho, Granhampa, Dedo Negro, among others. To defend Trulalá and his friends (Oaky, Pichichus, Anteojito and Larguirucho) Thanks to the magical powers of his famous hat 'sombreritus' Hijitus transforms himself into Super Hijitus, a strong superhero that is capable of flying.
Origins
Hijitus was born as a minor character in the comic strip The Adventures of Pi-Pio, published in September 1955 in Billiken magazine, a publication in which García Ferré collaborated weekly. In that version, Hijitus was presented as an "imported boy in observation", descendant of pharaohs and one of the inhabitants of the populous Villa Leoncia, imaginary city in which the adventures of Pi-Pío happened. This was the first serial comic strip conceived by García Ferré.
Plot
Hijitus is a street kid who lives in a sewer pipe in the city of Trulalá (the "cannitus"). His friends are Pichichus (his dog) and Oaky (spoiled son of the richest and most powerful man in town, Gold Silver).
The city of Trulalá is ravaged by the evil Professor Neurus, against whom the law, embodied by the "Council of Elders" and the figure of the local Commissar, is manifestly impotent and can not stop him. Hijitus' "amiguitus" group is also composed of Larguirucho, a naughty and naive young man who shares his time between participating in the evil plans of Neurus, playing with Oaky and asking for help to Hijitus, without becoming aware of the distinction between good and evil.
In order to fight evil and more importantly to defend his friends, Hijitus becomes Super Hijitus, an indestructible superhero with incredible abilities, thanks to the power granted by his "Magic Sombreritus". The dream of his nemesis 'Professor Neurus' is to seize the wonderful hat, and through this, to control Trulalá, and Hijitus does everything in his power to prevent this from happening.
Main characters
Protagonists
- Hijitus / Super Hijitus: Hijitus is a poor boy who lives on the street, within a sanitary sewer, with his dog Pichichus. He has a gang of friends, composed by Oaky, Pichichus and Larguirucho. He is characterized by a sense of friendship, justice and solidarity, and always wears a hat and a blue bottomless galley. Hijitus can become "Super Hijitus" by passing through the hat and saying "Hat, sombreritus, make me a Super Hijitus!". As Super Hijitus, he is indestructible and can fly, abilities he uses to face the villain of the series, Professor Neurus. His favorite expression is Ojalita, ojalata, chuculita, chuculata, fufu... and choo, choo, choo, choo.
- Pichichus: Hijitus' dog and friend. He can also become Super Pichichus if he passes through Hijitus' hat. Hijitus adopted him in the adventure called "An UFO Trulalá", where he defends Hijitus from wild stray dogs, becoming Hijitus' mascot and his faithful sidekick. He doesn't talk, his dialogues consist of barking.
- Oaky: The son of the richest man in Trulalá, Gold Silver. He is a baby, and is Hijitus' main friend. He wears diapers and two pistols. His favorite motto is "shoot, mess and cosha golda". He is a very spoiled and pampered child, which has led him to ally with Neurus on more than one occasion. Despite this antagonistic tendency, Oaky is a good-hearted boy, and very brave for his age.
- Anteojito: A boy about 8 years old who wears big glasses (hence his name) and is cheerful and positive. He lives with his uncle Antifaz. Both Anteojito and Antifaz had a separate development within the Hijitus Universe, living in another city (Villa Trompeta), besides having their own magazine (Anteojito Magazine). However, he began to appear on Hijitus' adventures eventually.
- Larguirucho: A tall, ungainly and stupid mouse who is friends with Hijitus and is part of his gang, but also occasionally participates on the side of the evil Professor Neurus without being fully aware of the evil of their deeds. Larguirucho is known for being a good friend with good feelings, but little intelligence to distinguish right from wrong. His favorite phrase when he is called is to respond to the caller with Blá má fuete, que no te ecucho (Peak mo' lodly, I can't 'ear you). He is the only character who has appeared in every Manuel García Ferré movie.
Antagonists
- Professor Neurus: The main antagonist of the series. He is an evil scientist, whose aim is to take power in Trulalá with the help of his inventions. He is aided by his henchmen Pucho and Serrucho, sometimes also adding Larguirucho to his gang. His favorite phrase is "Shut up, dumber!". Professor Neurus is also memorable for his way of distributing the spoils after a criminal act: "One for you, two for me, one for you, ten for me, another for you, everything for me." On one occasion, Professor Neurus used a monstrous contraption called The Marañaza to steal Gold Silver's fortune, with the help of Oaky, who wanted to "have more money than his daddy."
- Pucho: A mouse henchman under the orders of Professor Neurus. He is a typical "inmate" of Buenos Aires' slums, talking in slang and constantly having a "fag" (cigarette) in the mouth, which can transform into any object. Pucho is a tango aficionado and permanently uses the words "This that..." to start a sentence.
- Serrucho: The other of Professor Neurus' henchmen. He is a mouse with a similar aspect to Largirucho and Pucho, but being much shorter in height, with a hat that entirely covers his eyes, and also sporting enormous front teeth. He doesn't talk; instead, he vigorously grinds his teeth with a hand as if it was a serrucho ("saw"), hence his name.
- Witch Cachavacha: She acts alone, with the help of her faithful Owl Pajarraco. She lives in the countryside, in a gaucho ranch style she calls "hovel". It seeks permanently to harm the inhabitants of Trulalá and flies in broomstick.
- Pajarraco: Cachavacha pet owl, he can speak and is frequently beaten by the witch.
Secondary characters
- The Commissioner of Trulalá: It is the police authority of Trulalá, portrayed like a man of the Argentine coast, with typical correntino accent.
- Gold Silver: Father of Oaky. Millionaire of English or American origin, he is the richest man in Trulalá, good-natured though naive. His favorite phrase is "Oaky, my son."
- Antifaz: Good-uncle of Anteojito, who, as his name indicates, always wears a mask on his face. Both characters belong to the magazine Anteojito, intervening only in the adventures of Hijitus.
- The Director of the Museum: He is a gracious old man of vast knowledge, director of the Trulalá museum, who speaks with an English or American accent. Every time Hijitus has a question, they check his encyclopaedias.
- Cape Lopecito: Assistant and executing arm of the orders of Trulalá commissioner.
- The Neighbor from Across the Road: It is a little girl who lives in front of the mansion of Oaky, of whom this one is in love, without being corresponded; she is polite, well educated, plays the piano and receives serenades from Oaky on her balcony. She is in love with Hijitus.
- Kechum: Cousin of Pucho who, when angry, vibrates and causes earthquakes. Is from Rosario.
- Gutiérrez: The treacherous butler of Gold Silver, who sometimes tries to steal his boss's fortune. He does not hesitate, every so often, to ally himself with Professor Neurus.
- Bodega and Rapiño: They are two delinquents often associated with Professor Neurus.
- Raimundo: The most mischievous orphan of Trulalá's orphanage, he is a problematic and impolite child, who ends up being adopted by Larguirucho. Both characters would have their own development in the magazine (Misfortune of Larguirucho).
Episodic characters
- The Boxitracio: A strange animal believed to be extinct, similar to a kangaroo, with boxing gloves, and with a tendency to box at the slightest threat. Although it appeared in very few episodes, is one of the most popular and remembered characters of the series. His only form of expression was the onomatopoeia Tere quete tere quete ua ua ua.
- Trucu: A robot created by Neurus to steal banks, knocks down walls and iron gates.
- The Great Hampa: Enigmatic head of Professor Neurus (although finally it is discovered that it is none other than Serrucho).
- Black Finger: Delinquent who can disguise himself from anyone, but without being able to hide his black thumb.
- The Aguilotros: Enemy birds of the Boxitracians, since both thought that they had conquered first the Island of the Sun, Super Hijitus solved the problem, and managed that they were not more at war.
- The Singing Dragon: It' s a dragon that when it sings expels fire of its mouth, causing chaos in Trulalá and goes for the border.
- The Hippie Penguin: It is a penguin that with its melodies with the guitar caused great damages.
- The Chimney Cat: He is a bad and cunning cat. It manages to take the hat from Hijitus, and become "Super Chimney".
Diffusion
TV
The Hijitus series was originally broadcast by Channel 13 of Buenos Aires, between 1967 and 1974, in the format of a microprogram of one minute of duration, between the advertising batches from Monday to Friday, and with daily repetitions. On weekends, the full weekly emission summary was broadcast on the show La Feria de la Alegría, and later on El Club de Hijitus.
Precisely El Club de Hijitus was a program created in 1968, and broadcast on Sundays at 11:00 am, also by Channel 13, emerged as a result of the success of the series, and led by animators Guillermo Lázzaro and Amalia Scaliter. The program featured the full weekly summary of the series, with the presence of Hada Patricia, the clowns Firulete, Cañito and Carlitos Scazziotta, and disguised actors representing the characters of the series, such as Hijitus, Cachavacha, Larguirucho, Neurus, The Commissioner, etc.
Film adaptations
On September 12, 1973, the 82 minute long feature film The Adventures of Hijitus was made.
DVD
In December 2008 the first box set composed of 5 DVDs was released, which compiles 53 episodes of the original series, including extras such as trailers, trivia, gallery of characters, wallpapers, music clips and synopsis. Later came another series of 5 DVD that completes the series. All DVDs bring Spanish 2.0 audio and 4: 3 picture.