Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Children's television |
| Founded | September 3, 2001 |
| Founder | Amy Tan (original book author) |
| Defunct | October 5, 2002 |
| Fate | Ended after one season |
Area served | Canada, United States |
Key people | George Daugherty (executive producer), Michel Lemire (executive producer), David Ka Lik Wong (producer), Leon G. Arcand (producer) |
| Products | Animated television series |
Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat, often simply called Sagwa, is a children's animated television series adapted from Amy Tan's book The Chinese Siamese Cat. The show was broadcast on PBS Kids and produced through a collaboration between the Canadian company CinéGroupe and Sesame Workshop.
Set in the period around 1895 to 1912 during the closing years of the Qing dynasty, the narrative centers on Sagwa's everyday escapades while emphasizing themes of familial duty and loyalty. The series adopts a bicultural approach, featuring its theme song in both English and Chinese.
The development was spearheaded by executive producers George Daugherty and Michel Lemire, with production managed by David Ka Lik Wong and Leon G. Arcand. The program aired from September 3, 2001, until October 5, 2002, completing a single season comprising 40 episodes. It continued in reruns until February 2009, when it was removed from the schedule along with other children's shows.
Sagwa earned several accolades within the industry, including the Silver Plaque for Children's Film at the 2001 Chicago International Film Festival, an Outstanding Individual in Animation Daytime Emmy awarded to background artist Valery Mihalkov, and a "TV Series - Family/Children" honor at WorldFest Houston in 2002.
Premise
Set within a magistrate’s residence during the late Qing dynasty—likely situated in what is now Fujian province—the story follows Sagwa, a member of a royal feline family capable of writing with their tails. Along with her siblings, fellow cats, and Fu-Fu the bat, Sagwa embarks on various adventures that often deliver ethical teachings. The series is distinguished by its incorporation of authentic Chinese cultural elements, setting it apart from conventional children’s programming.
Miao family
- Sagwa Miao (傻瓜 shǎguā, meaning "silly melon") (voiced by Holly Gauthier-Frankel) serves as the central character and middle child. She is characterized by kindness, curiosity, quick wit, and creativity. Originally all white, Sagwa acquired Siamese markings after an accidental ink spill. Renowned for her calligraphy skills, she is regarded as the most artistically gifted among her family. Her collar features golden-yellow and salmon-red hues.
- Dongwa Miao (冬瓜 dōngguā, or winter melon) (voiced by Oliver Grainger) is the eldest sibling and only male child. Intelligent and competitive by nature, Dongwa often prefers practicing martial arts alone or spending time with Alley Cats rather than engaging with his sisters. He sports traditional Siamese markings and wears a purple collar.
- Sheegwa Miao (西瓜 xīguā, meaning watermelon) (voiced by Jesse Vinet) is the youngest sibling. She is cheerful, optimistic, and lively, mostly white with a pink blush on her cheeks and a folded right ear. Her collar is pink adorned with a purple flower emblem.
- Baba Wim Bao Miao (爸爸寶寶 bàba bǎobǎo, translating to "father darling") (voiced by Arthur Holden) is the strict yet playful patriarch. Despite being deaf to music beats, he is an avid fan of Chinese Opera. Together with Mama, he acts as an official calligrapher for the Foolish Magistrate. Baba shares Dongwa’s cream coloration with Siamese markings.
- Mama Shao Faing Miao (媽媽小風 māma xiǎo fēng, or "mother small wind") (voiced by Ellen David) exhibits a loving but firm demeanor and tends to be more lenient than Baba. Her coloring resembles that of Sagwa.
- Nai-Nai Miao (奶奶 nǎinai) (voiced by Sonja Ball) is the grandmother with grey hair known for her wisdom and storytelling abilities; she holds respect as an ancestral figure.
- Yeh-Yeh Miao (爺爺 yéyé) (voiced by Neil Shee) serves as the grandfather who shares stories and wisdom cherished by the young kittens.
- Uncle Miao (voiced by Neil Shee) is Baba’s brother who has an interest in ancient regional history.
- Mae-Mae Miao is an aunt who adopts Cha-Siu the dog along with her husband, welcoming him into the family as a cousin.
- Cha-Siu Miao (叉烧 chāshāo) (voiced by Daniel Brochu) is the canine cousin adopted into the family. Initially met with suspicion from Dongwa due to species differences, he eventually forms a close bond after overcoming teasing from Sleeve Dogs.
- Chi-Chi Miao (voiced by Susan Glover) is Mama’s sister who works as an acrobat and instructs Sagwa and Sheegwa in acrobatic skills.
- Uncle Catfish (voiced by Richard Newman) is a half-cat, half-fish relative residing underwater who shares ancestral tales connected to Sagwa’s lineage.
Humans
- Shoo-Jee-Deh-Shan-Taiyeh Suen, known as the Foolish Magistrate (xū jī de xiàn tàiyé, meaning "county high master of strain spirit ground-bowing") (voiced by Hiro Kanagawa), presides over the province. He is a large, absent-minded individual who occasionally makes poorly thought-out choices, often influenced by his wife, Tai-Tai. Despite this, he generally rules with fairness. He holds his cats in high regard for their calligraphy talents and ability to control pests, as he harbors a strong fear of rodents. His catchphrase "No rules, no race." gained popularity as a rhythmic drumbeat.
- Tai-Tai Suen (tàitài, "wife") (voiced by Khaira Ledeyo) is the Magistrate’s irritable and status-conscious spouse who constantly seeks to assert dominance over the villagers. Nevertheless, she sometimes displays compassion and sound judgment, offering apologies when warranted. She adores the Sleeve Dogs nestled in her robe and appreciates cats primarily when they bring honor to the family. She has a niece named Angwan.
- The Three Daughters—Ba-Do (bái dòu, "white bean") (voiced by Kathy Tsoi), Luk-Do (lǜ dòu, "green bean") (voiced by Leanne Adachi), and Huang-Do (huáng dòu, "yellow bean") (voiced by Rosa Yee)—are recognized by their distinct robe colors: pink, yellow, and blue respectively. Ba-Do, the eldest sister, features most prominently with storylines centered around her. The siblings are pampered and playful but maintain a strong familial connection.
- Chef Cook (voiced by Raugi Yu) oversees the palace’s culinary needs and handles medical situations. He shares a close bond with both the Miao cats and the Reader.
- Seeyeh Suen, the Advising Reader of the Rules (shīyé, "division master") (voiced by Russell Yuen), is the Magistrate’s brother who reads regulations aloud to villagers. Alongside Cook, he counsels the Magistrate and tutors the daughters. He is also revealed to be a gifted poet but frequently encounters misfortunes.
- Jun (voiced by Annette Bening), introduced in later episodes, serves as the daughters’ new tutor from another village and is distinguished by her purple clothing.
- Sir Richard (voiced by Simon Peacock) is an awkward English archaeologist assisting at the palace. He brings along Sagwa as his lucky kitten on various adventures such as cave explorations and hot air balloon rides, uncovering ancestral poetry scrolls and ancient fossils.
Best friends / allies
- Fu-Fu (福蝠 fú fú, "lucky bat") (voiced by Rick Jones) is Sagwa’s closest companion and sidekick. This cave-dwelling bat has poor vision and frequently collides with objects. Fu-Fu serves as Sagwa’s moral compass, cautioning her against dangers and helping her out of difficult situations.
- The Mice (all voiced by Jaclyn Linetsky) form a large group living hidden behind the Palace walls. They are close friends with the three kittens and cause no harm, although their existence remains secret due to the Magistrate’s fear of mice.
- Tung (voiced by Thor Bishopric) is a cricket formerly kept by the magistrate. After being removed, Tung returned to the palace with Sagwa’s assistance and continues to sing despite annoying others.
- Hai-Yo (voiced by Thor Bishopric) is a bluebird whose injured wing was tended to by Dongwa. Despite initial disputes, they reconciled. Hai-Yo enjoys flying and searching for worms, appearing also in "Sagwa's Lucky Bat."
- Ping Wing (voiced by Sonja Ball) is a pigeon kept by the magistrate. Both Sagwa and Fu-Fu vied for her attention, but she preferred tranquility and demonstrated talents in flying and music.
Additional Characters
- Residing beyond the palace precincts are the Alley Cats. Characters like Wing Wing (Michael Yarmush), Jet Jet (Mitchell Rothpan), and Lik Lik (Terrence Scammell) often mock the Miao kittens for their sheltered upbringing. Conversely, Sagwa and her siblings count among their allies Hun-Hun (Kathy Tsoi), Ling (Kamiko Taka), Wong Ton (Ian James Corlett), Shao-Pao (Jesse Camacho), and Fam (Kyle Fairlie).
- The Sleeve Dogs—Ping (Dean Hagopian), Pong (Michel Perron), and Pang (Sonja Ball)—are three Pekingese siblings living within Tai-Tai’s robe sleeves. They frequently provoke the cats, though their plans frequently end in failure.
- Gunji (Ricky Mabe) is a sizable red feline belonging to Tai-Tai’s aunt. After an incident involving Sagwa, Gunji was initially held responsible but was eventually pardoned, resulting in a reward granted to Sagwa.
- Fi-Fu (Dean Hagopian) and Fo-Fu (Michel Perron) are bat bullies who harassed Fu-Fu before his full moon flight; Sagwa once erroneously accused them of causing her unfortunate haircut.
- The Rat (Michael O’Reilly) is a cunning rodent who pilfers food from the kittens but is chased away by the cats.
- Oogway (Howard Ryshpan) is an aged tortoise who serves as Sagwa’s mentor in the garden, appearing across multiple episodes.
- Bei-Hu (Eleanor Noble) is a tribal cat owned by traveling performers. He imparts knowledge to Sagwa about navigation and locust catching, highlighting diverse cultural traditions.
Many character names derive from various Chinese romanization systems, ranging from standard Pinyin to regional dialect forms.
Series Summary
Canada
Between 2002 and 2003, CinéGroupe Star issued six volumes of the series across Canada. VHS editions were released separately in English and French, whereas DVDs contained both language options.
United States
In 2003, PBS Home Video together with Warner Home Video distributed the series on both VHS and DVD formats. VHS releases consisted of eight volumes, each containing three episodes; DVD sets combined episodes from paired VHS volumes into four releases, occasionally retitled for thematic consistency. Additionally, a six-disc DVD collection was made available, each disc featuring five to six episodes grouped by theme.
In 2006, Paramount Home Entertainment included sixteen episodes on one disc as part of a PBS Kids anthology collection alongside episodes from Zoboomafoo and George Shrinks.
VHS
July 30, 2002
- Cat Nights, Flights and Delights – "Firefly Nights", "Fu-Fu's Full Moon Flight", "Shei-Hu's Secret"
- Feline Frenzy – "Explorer's Club", "Treasure Hunters", "Sick Day"
January 28, 2003
- Cat Tales – "How Sagwa Got Her Colors", "Fur Cut", "Stinky Tofu"
- Feline Festivities – "The New Year's Clean-Up", "Ba-Do and the Lantern Festival", "By the Light of the Moon"
April 1, 2003
- Best Friends – "Sagwa's Lucky Bat", "Cat and Mouse", "Dongwa's Best Friend"
- Family Fun – "Royal Cats", "The Cat and the Wind", "Ciao, Meow!"
July 29, 2003
- Kitty Concerto – "Alley Night Opera", "Comic Opera", "Tung, the Singing Cricket"
- Sagwa's Petting Zoo – "The Birds, the Bees and the Silkworms", "Panda-monium", "Sagwa, Fu-Fu, and the Whistling Pigeon"
DVD
January 28, 2003
- Sagwa's Storybook World (a compilation of Cat Nights, Flights and Delights and Feline Frenzy)
- Cat Tales and Celebrations (includes episodes from Cat Tales and Feline Festivities)
July 29, 2003
- Great Purr-formances (features combined content from Kitty Concerto and Sagwa's Petting Zoo)
- Feline Friends and Family (merges episodes from Best Friends and Family Fun)
Online streaming
Starting in 2018, TFO's MiniMation channel on YouTube began releasing episodes from the French-language version. Additionally, the series was briefly accessible via Google Play.