Animalia (TV series)

Animalia Productions
Industry	Animation
Founded	2007
Headquarters	Queensland, Australia
Products	Animated television series

Animalia is a children's animated television series adapted from the 1986 picture book created by illustrator Graeme Base. The show debuted on Australia's Network Ten on 11 November 2007 and aired for two seasons, concluding on 7 November 2008.

Premise

The storyline centers on two children, Alex and Zoe, who discover a magical library that transports them into Animalia, a realm inhabited entirely by animals. Together with G'Bubu the gorilla and Iggy the iguana, they confront various antagonists threatening the peace of Animalian society and work to restore harmony.

Humans

Alex (voiced by Brooke Mikey Anderson) is a 12-year-old with an artistic flair, often seen with his sketchbook. Calm yet adventurous, he possesses the rare ability to perceive hidden portals that enable travel throughout Animalia.
Zoe (voiced by Katie Leigh) is a clever and spirited 12-year-old girl who stumbles upon Animalia while following Alex. She quickly becomes his close companion and is gifted in storytelling.
Stanley serves as the Librarian of the Metro Library and acts as Livingstone’s human counterpart.
Emma is Zoe’s friend who remains off-screen and frequently doubts the existence of Animalia.

Animalians

Note: Each Animalian character’s name begins with the initial letter of their species.

G'Bubu (voiced by Chris Hobbs) is a playful Western lowland gorilla residing in a treehouse alongside his close friend Iggy. Despite his jovial demeanor, he offers valuable insights into Animalia’s history and his own lineage.
Iggy (voiced by Robert Mark Klein) is an iguana with a Mexican accent, known for his energetic personality and affection for Zoe. Thanks to his chameleon heritage, he can blend into surroundings and often supports Alex and Zoe in their adventures.
Livingstone T. Lion (voiced by Chris Hobbs) governs Animalia and protects the Core. He is wise and amiable but faces challenges in preserving balance within Animalian society.
Reenie (voiced by Peta Johnson) is a black rhinoceros with a Scottish accent who works at Animalia’s Great Library. She assists Livingstone in maintaining the Core’s stability and exhibits a nurturing disposition.
Allegra (voiced by Kate Higgins) is an American teenage alligator from the swamp regions, fiercely protective of her territory and aspiring to become a singer. Her vocal skills improve with Zoe’s guidance.
Tyrannicus (voiced by Dean O'Gorman) is a Bengal tiger antagonist scheming to dominate Animalia. He harbors animosity toward Alex and Zoe, seeking their removal, but eventually joins forces with them against larger threats.
Fuchsia (voiced by Katie Leigh) is a red fox with a French accent who serves as Tyrannicus’ intelligent yet sometimes reluctant assistant, demonstrating loyalty despite reservations.
Elni and Erno are African forest elephants managing the Elephants Eatery, cherished for their warmth and culinary skills despite occasional moments of panic.
Herry & Horble ("Horrible Hogs") (voiced by Dean O'Gorman and Robert Mark Klein) are Cockney-accented warthog criminals frequently involved in petty crimes or working under Allegra or Tyrannicus.
Melba & Melford report for Fluttervision News; Melba maintains calm professionalism while Melford tends toward nervousness.
Zee and Zed are zebras piloting a zeppelin to provide aerial coverage of Animalia; Zee is enthusiastic whereas Zed remains composed.
Bitsy & Snitzy are faithful friends of Allegra who admire her singing prior to Zoe’s coaching efforts.
Victor & Verbal form a vulture comedy duo known for their vegetarian lifestyle and stand-up performances.
Rombolt is a black rhinoceros overseeing operations at the Fluttervision Office.
The Creeper (voiced by Joey Lotsko) is a villainous long-tailed weasel who exploited portals to rob Animalians. Formerly allied with Tyrannicus, he aimed to seize control of the Core but was ultimately thwarted by Livingstone.
The Toucans (both voiced by Robert Mark Klein) communicate using one word per sentence, often blending terms humorously.
Butterflies serve as living screens for Fluttervision broadcasts but tire rapidly; they were briefly captured by Tyrannicus.
Peter Applebottom (voiced by Chris Hobbs) is an eccentric gorilla scientist from Animalia’s past appearing in select episodes.
Whim (voiced by Peta Johnson) is a unicorn who assists in returning Zoe and Iggy to Animalia.
Carmine Chameleon is Iggy’s grandfather.
Echo Elephant is the daughter of Elni and Erno.
Hope and Harmony Hogs are refined warthog sisters contrasting with their male relatives and serve as romantic interests for Herry and Horble.
Mail Snail acts as Animalia’s slow-moving mail carrier, humorously emphasizing delays typical of "snail mail."

Types of Corespores

The series features multiple kinds of Corespores, each producing distinct harmful impacts on Animalia and its residents upon release from the Core, with the exception of the Superspore.

Memory spore: Induces memory loss in Animalians. Featured in Forget Me Not. Represented by a compass.
Rhyme spore: Compels Animalians to communicate exclusively in rhyme; failure to do so results in being immobilized. Seen in Catcher in the Rhyme. Represented by a ring that provides hints for locating rhyming plants.
Time spore: Causes phenomena such as time loops, deceleration, or complete halts. Appears in The Mist of Time. Symbolized by a pocket watch.
Nature spore: Leads to the desiccation of natural elements, resulting in extinction. Present in Iggy's Quest. Symbolized by a shell. It traps Mother Nature within a portal, affecting the Nature Spirits.
Cooperation spore: Promotes discord and uncooperativeness among Animalians. Found in The Call to Action. Represented by gears.
Generosity spore: Despite its name, it incites materialistic greed. Featured in Alex's Treasure Island. Symbolized by a rainbow.
Truth spore: Encourages dishonesty and causes the erasure of written truths. Seen in Nothing But The Truth. Represented by a snowflake.
Writing spore: Removes all forms of writing within Animalia. Appears in Righting The Writing. Symbolized by a book resembling a bill of rights.
Deep thought spore: Disrupts clear cognitive processes. Featured in The Ballad of the Creeper. Represented by an orange light bulb; when corrupted by the Creeper’s Contaminator, it results in erratic conduct.
Hope spore: Leads to despair and loss of hope. Appears in Whistling in the Dark. Symbolized by seeds of hope; its effects are reversed following Echo's birth.
Portal spore: Makes portals visible to all Animalians. Mentioned in Tunnel Vision.
Word spore: Causes Animalians to forget descriptive vocabulary. Featured in From A-Z. Represented by sounds of words.
Origin spore: Allows communication in original animal languages. Seen in Alex's Secret Code. Symbolized by a chain.
Speech spore: Removes the ability to speak. Appears in Speechless In Animalia. Represented by a mouth with changing voices.
Stability spore: Triggers seismic activity such as earthquakes. Present in Being Peter Applebottom. Symbolized by measuring scales.
Peace spore: Generates conflict among Animalians. Featured in What's The Good Word. Its effects are uniquely reversed through Zoe’s apology letter written with a pen found inside the spore.
Agreement spore: Instigates disagreements among Animalians. Seen in The Dragon and The Night. Represented by an agreement contract.
Intelligence spore: Causes an intelligence exchange between Livingston and Allegra. Appears in Brain Drain. Symbolized by small orbs.
Superspore: Known as the miraculous Corespore; it fully restores the Core.

Episodes

Note: Every episode was directed by David Scott.

Season 1 (2007–08)

|
AltDate       	=22 March 2008 
|
WrittenBy    	=Deanna Oliver & Tom Ruegger 
|
ShortSummary ="G'Bubu adopts the persona of an arrogant scientist who claims to repair the Core but struggles with his attitude." 
|
LineColor    	=#FF5F5F 
}}

|
AltDate       	=29 March 2008 
|
WrittenBy    	=Deanna Oliver 
|
ShortSummary ="Allegra confesses her inability to read; Zoe assists her in composing a song for the talent show where Iggy and G'Bubu also perform." 
|
LineColor    	=#FF5F5F 
}}
	 	 	 |
AltDate 	 	 	 =

5 July 2008 |

WrittenBy 	 	 	 =

John P. McCann |

ShortSummary 	 	 	 =

After exposure to a Corespore blast, Livingstone and Allegra exchange intellects, leading to reversed roles though their personalities remain intact as they collaborate to save Animalia. |

LineColor 	 	 	 =

FF5F5F

}}

|

AltDate

= 12 July 2008 |

WrittenBy

= John P. McCann |

ShortSummary

= Zoe allies with Tyrannicus against Alex and Allegra over swamp drainage; when Alex becomes ill, Zoe conquers her fears to seek out a cure deep within the swamp. |

LineColor

=

FF5F5F

}}

|

AltDate  	 =

19 July 2008 |

WrittenBy  	 =

Sherri Stoner |

ShortSummary  	 =

Alex becomes trapped inside Animalia's tunnels alongside T.C., who is unveiled as The Creeper, Livingstone's adversary. |

LineColor  	 =

FF5F5F

}}

|

AltDate  	 =

26 July 2008 |

WrittenBy  	 =

Deanna Oliver |

ShortSummary  	 =

Iggy discovers his Chameleon heritage and overcomes his fears with assistance from his grandfather Carmine. |

LineColor  	 =

FF5F5F

}}

|

AltDate

= 2 August 2008 |

WrittenBy

= Tom Ruegger & Deanna Oliver |

ShortSummary

= Tyrannicus establishes Tyrannia and joins forces with The Creeper to wage war on Animalia; resolution comes when the children demonstrate that "the pen is mightier than the sword." |

LineColor

=

FF5F5F

}} }}

Production

This series utilizes computer-generated animation, comprising 40 episodes of 30 minutes each. Production was carried out by Animalia Productions at Village Roadshow Studios in Queensland, in collaboration with visual effects firms Photon VFX and Iloura Digital Pictures. The animation process employed Autodesk Maya software.

Development

The concept originated in 1999 through Australian producer Ewan Burnett, who obtained adaptation rights from Base. However, the project experienced postponements due to modifications in UK tax legislation that mandated projects with special tax status to be completed within the corresponding financial year. After undergoing three years of financial restructuring, production finally commenced in 2005.

While the original picture book showcased intricate alphabet-themed artwork without a unifying storyline, the television adaptation introduced a fantasy realm inhabited by interacting animal characters as its central premise. The alphabetical motif was removed for international audiences because of its language-specific nature.

Broadcast

BBC Worldwide initially oversaw global distribution outside North America, where PorchLight Entertainment held the rights. In December 2009, Cyber Group Studios took over worldwide distribution and licensing responsibilities.

The series debuted on Australia's Network Ten in November 2007 and subsequently aired on Nickelodeon. In the United Kingdom, CBBC began broadcasting it from November 2007, while in the United States it premiered on PBS Kids Go! in January 2008. Other international broadcasts included NRK in Norway, Animal Planet and Tves across Latin America and Venezuela, as well as Cartoon Network India.

Additional production collaborators encompassed BBC (UK), CBC (Canada), SABC 2 (South Africa), Al Jazeera Media Network, and broadcasters based in Israel. Some airing schedules have yet to be disclosed.

Home media releases

On 30 June 2008, 2Entertain issued the first seven episodes on DVD in the United Kingdom under the title Animalia: Where Animals Rule!.
PorchLight Home Entertainment released four season one episodes on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on 23 September 2008.
The complete first season became available on DVD in Canada through Imavision on 8 September 2009.

Critical response

A reviewer from The New York Times characterized the series as "peculiar" and "occasionally engaging," remarking that the credit "based on the book by" was somewhat stretched in its adaptation.

Awards

In 2008, Animalia earned a nomination for the BAFTA Children's Kids Vote Award.

Composer Christopher Elves received a Daytime Emmy Award in 2009 for Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for his work on Animalia's soundtrack.

APRA-AGSC Awards

At the annual Screen Music Awards, jointly presented by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC), Animalia won:

The 2008 Best Music for Children's Television award for "Butterfly Winter," composed by Christopher Elves.

Merchandise

PorchLight Entertainment held global licensing and merchandising rights, while BBC Worldwide managed these aspects within the UK, Australia, and New Zealand territories.

In 2008, BBC Children's Books partnered with the Penguin Group to publish four books authored by Mandy Archer inspired by the series: two narrative storybooks—Animalia: Hello, we must be going and Animalia: Goodbye, we must be staying—adapted from scripts by Tom Ruegger; along with an Animalia Colouring Book and an Animalia Sticker Activity Book. All publications were designed and texted by Children's Character Books, with storybooks and sticker book richly illustrated using images captured from the series.

External links