Noozles
A girl awakens a koala from magic sleepytime with a noozle.
Noozles, also known as The Wondrous Koala Blinky, is a 26-episode Japanese anime produced by Nippon Animation Company in 1984. The series follows 12-year-old Sandy and her koala companions from the extra-dimensional Koalawalla Land. It gained international attention through an English dub by Saban Entertainment that aired on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Coming of age
- Adventure
- Comedy-Drama
- Executive producers
- Koichi Motohashi
- Producer
- Shigeo Endo; Eiko Tanaka
- Music
- Reijirō Koroku
- Company
- Nippon Animation, Fuji Television
- Network
- FNS (Fuji TV)
- First aired
- 7 July 1984
- Last aired
- 28 December 1984
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Sandy Brown, a 12-year-old girl, receives a package from her long-lost grandfather containing a stuffed koala that was lost in a shipwreck 38 years earlier. When she gives the koala a noozle, it revives from magic sleepytime and speaks its name, Blinky. Soon after, Blinky's sister Pinky appears out of thin air and demands he return with her to KoalaWalla Land, but Blinky refuses. The trio then embark on various adventures together. Blinky can survive on Earth because Sandy's grandmother planted eucalyptus trees 38 years ago, after Sandy's grandfather—an archaeologist who disappeared on an expedition to Ayers Rock—sent word that he was sending a koala as a gift. Sandy initially struggles to realize that the noozle is what revives Blinky each time he falls asleep, appearing as an ordinary stuffed toy until she repeats the action. She introduces Blinky and Pinky to her grandmother but keeps them secret from everyone else. About halfway through the series, Blinky and Pinky take Sandy to KoalaWalla Land, a parallel dimension inhabited by anthropomorphic koalas, kangaroos, platypuses, cassowaries, kiwi, and frill-necked lizards, ruled by the High Dingy Doo. Humans are not allowed there and are arrested on sight, so Sandy wears a koala mask during visits, though some see through her disguise. A portal to KoalaWalla Land exists at Ayers Rock, and Pinky can create instant portals using the red lipstick in her magic cosmetic kit to draw interdimensional holes in time and space.
Historical background
Noozles was produced during a koala frenzy in Japan, alongside another koala-themed anime titled Koala Boy Kokki, which later aired on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block as Adventures of the Little Koala. According to The Anime Encyclopedia by Jonathan Clements and Helen McCarthy, the frenzy began when the Tama Zoo received its first koala after the Australian government sent six koalas to Japan as a goodwill gesture, though Japanese zoos had been eager to acquire them. Noozles originally aired on Fuji TV in the Kanto region Saturday nights at 8pm from July through September 1984, then moved to Fridays at 7pm for the rest of its run. Several other Fuji network stations aired it in the same time slots, while others broadcast it on a delayed basis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which network aired Noozles?
Noozles aired on FNS (Fuji TV).
When did Noozles end?
Noozles last aired on 28 December 1984.
More in Japanese Children's Animated Fantasy Television Series
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced