10 December 2018 (2018-12-10) – 31 October 2019 (2019-10-31)
Pucca (Korean: 짜장소녀 뿌까; RR: Jjajang Sonyeo Ppukka) is an animated comedy television series based on a series of shorts created by the South Korean company VOOZ Character System. The series revolves around Pucca, a young girl who is in love and infatuated with a ninja named Garu. The series has aired on Champ TV and MBC TV in Korea. The series has also aired on Toon Disney'sJetix block in the U.S., and on the international Jetix channels throughout Europe and Latin America.[1][2][3] In Canada, the show had aired on Family Channel.
Pucca premiered in 2006, with a set of 26 episodes (78 segments). The second season of the show, consisting of 13 episodes (39 segments), began airing in 2008 after it was ordered to be created by Jetix Europe. In October 2018, a third season was announced by Planeta Junior, a company within Planeta Group.[4] The third season aired in South Korea on 10 December 2018 on MBC TV, and 19 December 2018 on Tooniverse.[5] It consists of 26 episodes (76 segments).[6] The third season of Pucca, titled "Pucca: Love Recipe" in English, released on Netflix on 31 December 2019 before being removed on 29 June 2023.
In total, not including the past online aired episodes of the show, this brought the number of created segments to 191. The main theme song is also sung in Korean.
Summary
The series focuses on the adventures of an 11-year-old noodle delivery girl named Pucca, who typically does not speak. She works in a local restaurant called the Goh-Rong in her town called Sooga Village, owned by her three uncles where their main dish is Jajangmyeon noodles. Her love interest is a 13-year-old ninja named Garu, who also does not speak. Garu is a committed ninja in training that has a serious demeanour, valuing his own company and silence, often seeing moments in which Pucca chases Garu and tries to kiss him. Pucca has a best friend named Ching, an 11-year-old that practices Jian swordsmanship. Ching has a pet chicken named Won who always sits on her head, and is in love with a boy named Abyo, a 14-year-old who pays no attention to her and only has interests in Kung-Fu and impressing other girls.
In the third season, there is an overarching plot surrounding the rivalry between Goh-Rong and a new local restaurant titled Dong King Restaurant (which was originally titled to be BonaSera in the trailer[7]). Ring Ring, a local 12-year-old fashion star, who appeared previously in the show and also grows a love interest to Garu, is also revealed to be the daughter of Dong King and works alongside him and his servants against Pucca and Dong King.
Pucca has aired on Champ TV and MBC TV in Korea. The series has also aired on Toon Disney'sJetix block in the U.S., and on the international Jetix channels throughout Europe and Latin America.[8][9][10] In Canada, the show had aired on Family Channel.
At the 2006 Annecy International Animated Film Festival, the Pucca episode "A Force of Won" was "nominated for two awards, including the Prix Jeunesse in the Animation category." During the same year, Pucca won the Leo Awards for best screenwriting, along with "best overall in an animation program".[11][12][13]
Music tour
A musical show for the series was held in Lima on 8 October 2009. This location was chosen because of Pucca being "one of the most beloved programs on Jetix's Latin American channel". The show repeated itself eight times from 8 to 11 October 2009.[14]
