Bugsted
A bug cloned on the Moon, stranded on Earth.
Bugsted is a transmedia brand from Vodka Capital, Televisa Consumer Products, and Ánima Estudios. It consists of a 13-episode mini-series, video games, and toys. The story follows a bug that hitched a ride to the Moon on the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969 and was left behind. Stuck on the near side (Mare Tranquillitatis), it developed a way to survive: whenever it faced a new problem, it would spontaneously clone itself. Soon, the Moon was full of these clones. In September 2012, a space probe collecting lunar samples accidentally brought one Bugsted back to Earth. The stressful trip triggered its cloning again, unleashing hundreds of Bugsteds on the planet. Now stranded, they all try to get back to the Moon.
The mini-series is a comedy aimed at kids aged 8 to 12. Each of the 13 episodes runs 60 to 90 seconds, using both 2D and 3D CGI. The main characters are unnamed bug clones; they cannot live without each other but are constantly selfish and play pranks. The Moon’s phases change their personalities for better or worse. They don’t speak, communicating only through noises, gestures, and actions.
- Field
- Entertainment
- Known for
- Transmedia brand with mini-series, video games, and toys
- Format
- 13 episodes of 60–90 seconds each
- Genre
- Comedy
- Target audience
- 8–12 years
- Technique
- 2D and 3D CGI
Lore & Background
Bugsted was an ordinary bug accidentally taken to the Moon with the July 1969 Apollo 11 mission and left behind. Hidden on the near side of the Moon, it developed spontaneous cloning as a survival mechanism, creating a community of Bugsteds. In September 2012, a space probe collecting Moon samples accidentally brought a Bugsted back to Earth, triggering its cloning and resulting in hundreds of Bugsteds on Earth, now seeking to return to the Moon.
Reader's Guide
The Bugsted brand represents a cross-platform entertainment property combining short-form animated episodes, video games, and toys. The mini-series consists of 13 episodes, each 60–90 seconds long, in 2D and 3D CGI, targeting children aged 8–12. The main characters include Uab, Skills Vertigo, Montana, Emo, Jummpa, Panzer, Bommba, Juanito, Mole, Bubble, Missile, Tornado, Sharky, and Quaka. They communicate through noises, gestures, and actions, and their personalities shift with the phases of the Moon. A feature film spin-off was announced at MipTV as reportedly in development.
Did You Know?
- Bugsted was created by Vodka Capital, Televisa Consumer Products, and Ánima Estudios.
- The bug was accidentally taken to the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969.
- The mini-series has 13 episodes, each 60–90 seconds long.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bugsted?
Bugsted is a comedy transmedia franchise produced by Ánima Estudios alongside Televisa Consumer Products and Vodka Capital. It follows a tiny insect that was accidentally left behind on the Moon during the Apollo 11 landing in July 1969 and must figure out how to survive in an alien environment.
How does Bugsted survive on the Moon?
Every time the bug encounters a new challenge, it spontaneously produces a clone of itself as a coping mechanism. Over the decades it was stranded on the Mare Tranquillitatis, this reflexive process filled the lunar surface with countless Bugsted copies.
How did Bugsted end up back on Earth?
In September 2012, a lunar sample-collection probe accidentally scooped up one of the clones and carried it back to the planet. The stressful journey triggered further cloning, leaving the character stranded in a world it has never known.
What format and animation style does the Bugsted series use?
The mini-series consists of 13 short episodes, each running between 60 and 90 seconds, aimed at children aged 8 to 12. The animation blends 2D and 3D CGI techniques to give the comedy a distinctive visual look.
What else is part of the Bugsted franchise besides the show?
Beyond the 13-episode animated series, the brand extends into video games and a line of toys. Together these products form a transmedia experience built around the same cloned-bug-stranded-on-Earth premise.
More in Computer-animated television series 1-24
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