Mio Mao

Lore & Background

Mio Mao was conceived when two abandoned kittens were found on the doorstep of Misseri Studio in Florence, Italy. These kittens became the studio's mascots. Francesco Misseri, the creative mind behind the studio, was captivated by their playful discovery of the world. Moved by their pure and innocent attitudes, he decided to feature them in the show. Francesco did not distinguish which kitten was Mio and which was Mao, as they were inseparable friends; to him, they were both Mio and Mao.

The original series was produced by PMBB and aired on Programma Nazionale in 1974. After Francesco Misseri's production company Misseri Studio acquired Mio Mao in 2000 and remastered series 1 in 2003, Misseri Studio and Associati Audiovisivi created two more series for Five's Milkshake! block in 2005 and 2007. In the United Kingdom, the episodes are narrated and the characters are voiced by Derek Griffiths.

Reader's Guide

Mio Mao represents a notable example of European claymation children's programming from the 1970s, later revived and expanded for international audiences. Its simple, gentle narrative structure—where kittens investigate a mysterious animal or object, become scared, then discover it is friendly—offered a reassuring model for preschool viewers. The series' production history illustrates how a small studio's mascot-inspired concept could be remastered and continued decades later, reaching new audiences on channels like BabyFirst in the United States and Milkshake! in the United Kingdom. The show's enduring appeal lies in its tactile animation style and the universal theme of curiosity overcoming fear.

Did You Know?

• Francesco Misseri did not distinguish which kitten was Mio and which was Mao, considering them both Mio and Mao.
• The original series aired on Programma Nazionale in 1974.
• In the United Kingdom, episodes are narrated and characters voiced by Derek Griffiths.

A Pair of Kittens on a Studio Doorstep

The story of Mio Mao begins not with a script or a storyboard, but with two small, abandoned kittens left on the doorstep of a production studio in Florence, Italy. The kittens quickly became the mascots of Misseri Studio, and their owner, Francesco Misseri, found himself deeply moved by the way they explored their surroundings with unguarded curiosity and pure, innocent wonder. Watching them discover the world around them sparked a creative idea: what if their playful, fearless exploration could be translated into a children's television series? What made the concept particularly tender was that Misseri never once separated the two kittens into distinct roles. To him, they were inseparable companions, and each one was simultaneously Mio and Mao. That refusal to assign individuality to either kitten became the emotional foundation of the entire show, a celebration of friendship that transcends labels and individual identity.

The Rhythm of a Five-Minute Adventure

Every episode of Mio Mao follows a carefully paced narrative arc designed for very young viewers. The two kittens, Mio in red and Mao in white, set out to investigate something mysterious they have spotted on the far side of their ever-changing garden. The backdrop shifts with each episode's theme, transforming to match the animal or object at the center of the story. The kittens venture out on their own, and in true exploratory fashion, they sometimes lose track of their original goal and wander off to take in the scenery. When they finally reach the source of their curiosity, their first reaction is fear, and they retreat to a safe distance. From there, they observe more carefully and realize the frightening thing is actually a friendly creature or an enjoyable object. In the closing moments, the animal or object often needs a small act of help, and the kittens step in to rescue it. They then extend an invitation to play, and the new friend follows them as they squish and bounce back across the garden, all three pausing to pose and gaze directly at the audience before the episode fades.

From Italian Broadcast to International Shelves

The original Mio Mao series was produced by PMBB and first broadcast on Italy's Programma Nazionale channel in 1974, crafted in the stop-motion claymation style that gave the characters their distinctive tactile, hand-shaped look. The show lay relatively dormant for decades until Francesco Misseri's own production company, Misseri Studio, acquired the rights to the property in 2000. A remastered version of the first series was released in 2003, breathing new life into the original clay animation. Building on that momentum, Misseri Studio partnered with Associati Audiovisivi to produce two additional series, which were commissioned for the Milkshake! programming block on the British channel Five, airing in 2005 and 2007. In the United Kingdom, a single voice, that of narrator and voice actor Derek Griffiths, handles both the narration and the vocal work for both kittens, giving the show a unified storytelling voice. Stateside, the series found a home on the BabyFirst channel, introducing the squishy clay kittens to American preschool audiences.

Two Kittens, One Friendship

At the heart of Mio Mao are two clay kittens whose bond is the show's true protagonist. Mio, the red one, and Mao, the white one, are presented not as separate characters with distinct personalities but as a single unit of curiosity and courage. This creative choice traces directly back to their real-life inspiration: the two abandoned kittens that Misseri found on his studio doorstep in Florence. Because those kittens were inseparable, Misseri refused to sort them into the red one and the white one. In the finished series, that philosophy translates into every interaction. The kittens explore together, get scared together, rescue their new friends together, and squish and bounce back to the garden as a pair. They end each episode side by side, posing and gazing at the viewer as one team. The show never asks the audience to pick a favorite; it asks them to appreciate the idea that two small creatures, bound by friendship, can face the unknown and turn every frightening discovery into an invitation to play.