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American-Japanese animated web series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bee and PuppyCat is an American animated television series created and written by Natasha Allegri.[2][3][4] The series revolves around Bee (voiced by Allyn Rachel), an unemployed woman in her early twenties, who encounters a mysterious creature named PuppyCat (voiced by the Vocaloid program Oliver). She adopts this apparent cat-dog hybrid, and together they go on a series of temporary jobs to pay off her monthly rent. These bizarre jobs take the duo across strange worlds out in space. The original series was produced by Frederator Studios with the animation initially outsourced to South Korean studio Dong Woo Animation.
Bee and PuppyCat | |
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Genre | |
Created by | Natasha Allegri |
Written by |
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Directed by |
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Voices of | |
Composer | Will Wiesenfeld |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of episodes | 10 + pilot |
Production | |
Executive producer | Fred Seibert |
Producers |
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Animator | Dong Woo Animation |
Editor | Ray Valenzuela |
Running time | 6–11 minutes |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | |
Release | July 11, 2013 – November 28, 2016 |
Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy in Space | |
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Genre |
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Created by | Natasha Allegri |
Screenplay by |
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Story by | Natasha Allegri |
Directed by | Joji Shimura (chief) |
Voices of |
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Composer | Will Wiesenfeld |
Country of origin |
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Original languages |
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No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 16 |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Editor | Ray Valenzuela |
Running time | 22–25 minutes |
Production companies | |
Original release | |
Network | Netflix |
Release | September 6, 2022 |
The series originated with a web pilot in 2013, followed by a Kickstarter-supported first season which was released on YouTube from 2014 to 2016.
A second series titled Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy in Space was produced and billed for a 2019 release on VRV, but it was delayed and leaked online in 2020.
Netflix later commissioned three additional episodes re-adapting the pilot and first season, and then packaged these along with the Lazy in Space episodes. The complete rebooted series was released on Netflix in 2022.[4][5][6] KaBoom! Studios also published a comic book adaptation from 2014 to 2016.
On January 4, 2023, Genius Brands announced that they would sell a 50% stake in the series to Toho International, the US-based division of Japanese film studio Toho.[7]
Bee is a cheerful, eccentric young woman in her early twenties who is habitually fired from menial, low-paying jobs. On her way home from a failed job opportunity, PuppyCat, a strange, mysterious creature, falls from the sky. She takes him in and, when he sees that she is broke and unemployed, PuppyCat teleports himself and Bee to an alternate dimension where they are given a job by TempBot, a gigantic, intelligent television screen. Despite the dangers that this line of temporary jobs would pose, Bee finds that she has a talent for the work and that it pays well enough for her to disregard the dangers.
An ongoing plot element of the series is PuppyCat's past: he is revealed to be a space outlaw whose love for a space princess ended with him being cursed into his current state by a group of warlocks who constantly attempt to capture him wherever he goes. Other plot elements include Bee being revealed to be a robot, her relationship with the Wizard family and their youngest Deckard, a talented chef with a crush on her who eventually attends cooking school at her behest, and Bee's curiously young landlord Cardamon struggling with his work while caring for his comatose mother Violet. In the second-season finale, the island on which the story takes place is revealed to be Puppycat and Violet's spaceship, which is finally repaired as the group leaves Earth when the Warlocks attack their planet.
Bee and PuppyCat originated as a two-part eleven minute pilot, which was uploaded to Frederator Studios' YouTube channel Cartoon Hangover as part of Too Cool! Cartoons, a project Frederator referred to as a "big idea cartoon incubator".[9] Part one went online on July 11, 2013, while part two went online on August 6, 2013, followed by a video with both parts together on August 7, 2013. The shorts also aired on Nintendo Video on November 1, 2013, and had a rerun on January 14, 2014.[10] While Part 2 aired on January 20, 2014, as a supposed rerun.[11] 4 episodes from season 1 also released on the platform.
After gaining popularity online, Cartoon Hangover started its first Kickstarter project to fund additional episodes. The Kickstarter started on October 15, 2013, and achieved its US$600,000 goal with six days left; by the end, it had raised $872,133, funding ten 6-minute episodes, the first of which would air in the summer of 2014.[12] At that time, Bee and PuppyCat became the most successful animation Kickstarter in history, #4 in the film/video category (behind only three Hollywood-based projects), and the #1 Kickstarter based on a YouTube video.[13] Bee and PuppyCat: The Series premiered November 6, 2014, with a second two-part episode.[14] While a few episodes were released early to Kickstarter backers in 2015, the majority of the season was released through 2016, with production concluding in March that year.[15] The second half of the season was planned for a YouTube release in late Spring/early Summer 2016 but were released November 11, 2016, on VRV instead.[16][17] The complete first series was eventually uploaded in full to the Cartoon Hangover YouTube channel on December 1, 2018.[18]
In March 2017, Frederator announced that new episodes of Bee and PuppyCat were being written, initially earmarked for release on VRV. VRV at the time included Cartoon Hangover.[19] In June 2018, the trailer for the continuation was released under the title Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy in Space, which would have aired sometime in 2019.[20] An episode was screened in September 2019 at the Ottawa International Animation Festival,[21] but did not release on VRV as planned. By 2019 VRV was suffering from several departing channels, and parent AT&T was more focused on HBO Max than VRV.[22] In 2020, the 13 then-produced episodes were leaked onto Fred Seibert's Vimeo channel.[23][4] The episodes were later removed from the platform, but not before several streaming websites managed to obtain copies. Seibert stepped down from his position as CEO of Frederator in August, though the company indicated that he would remain executive producer for current projects, including Bee and PuppyCat.[24][25]
In October 2020, it was announced that Netflix would be distributing the season in 2022.[4] Described as a reboot,[26] three new episodes were commissioned that retell the story of the original YouTube series, and these were presented along with the 13 episodes produced in 2019 as Lazy in Space. The episodes were renumbered accordingly.[27] The series launched on September 6, 2022.[28]
Bee and PuppyCat: Lazy in Space is a joint production between Frederator Studios and Japanese anime studio OLM.[1] OLM's Los Angeles-based subsidiary Sprite Animation Studios also contributed to the project.
Series | Episodes | Original run | Original network | |||
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First | Last | |||||
1 | Pilot | 1 (2 parts) | July 11, 2013 | August 6, 2013 | Nintendo Video | |
Original series | 10 | November 6, 2014 | November 28, 2016 | YouTube / VRV | ||
2 | Lazy in Space | 16 | September 6, 2022 | Netflix | ||
No. | Title | Written, directed and storyboarded by | Original release date | Prod. code |
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0 | "Pilot" | Natasha Allegri | July 11, 2013 August 6, 2013 | TC106[29] TC107[29] |
Part 1: After getting fired from her job, Bee finds PuppyCat and takes him in. With no luck in finding a new job, PuppyCat offers Bee some temp work if they report to Fishbowl Space. The pair then disappear from Bee's apartment. Part 2: Bee and PuppyCat are assigned to babysit Wallace in Fishbowl Space. After PuppyCat sings him a lullaby about a cursed Space Outlaw, Wallace transforms into a monster. Bee and PuppyCat defeat him and return home. |
No. | Title | Storyboards by | Original release date | Prod. code |
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1 | "Food" | Natasha Allegri | November 6, 2014 | BPC101[32] |
Bee invites Deckard to spend the day together and cook from a recipe. PuppyCat is infuriated at being called cute and sabotages their cooking, only to be interrupted by Cas. When Deckard admits that they are missing an ingredient, Bee and PuppyCat turn to TempBot to assign them a new job to afford them enough money to buy it. | ||||
2 | "Farmer" | Natasha Allegri | November 6, 2014 | BPC102[33] |
Bee and PuppyCat are assigned to retrieve a cherry for a farmer on Jelly Cube Planet for his animals. They discover that the cherry is created from souls from people fed to it. In horror, Bee spits her gum into the cherry and gives the rest to the farmer, leaving him and his animals to devour each other. Bee brings the missing ingredient home without being paid for the job, discovering in the process that Deckard has been accepted into culinary school. | ||||
3 | "Beach" | Natasha Allegri | December 4, 2014 | BPC103[34] |
Bee and PuppyCat are forced out of their apartment while their landlord, Cardamon, fixes their toilet. At the beach, the two try to find a television to watch Pretty Patrick Lunchtime and decide on going to TempBot to use her as a television screen. | ||||
4 | "Cats" | Luke Weber and Natasha Allegri | December 18, 2014 | BPC104[35] |
TempBot sends Bee and PuppyCat to Cat-Head Planet, an onsen filled with cats. While PuppyCat is shunned, Bee is favored by the cats and is doted upon. However, when the cats try to bathe Bee, PuppyCat rescues her by disgusting them with his appearance. They return home to find that Cardamon has taped and unknowingly spoiled the episode for them. | ||||
5 | "Birthday" | Lamar Abrams and Natasha Allegri | August 27, 2015 (Kickstarter backers) November 11, 2016 (general release) | BPC105[36] |
Bee celebrates her birthday with her "Dad Box", a creation by her father to help her feel less lonely. PuppyCat offers to spend time with her, and she takes him to an abandoned arcade with games constructed by her father. After playing games, PuppyCat offers her to take a job from TempBot. | ||||
6 | "Game" | Natasha Allegri, Marius Winter, and Efrain Farias | August 27, 2015 (Kickstarter backers) November 11, 2016 (general release) | BPC106[37] |
TempBot sends Bee and PuppyCat to Cloud World, where they are tasked with destroying an evil eye looming over the kingdom. Reluctant, Bee accepts side quests instead. After a while, PuppyCat uses an old save file to allow them enough experience and weaponry to defeat the evil eye. They return home and spend the rest of Bee's birthday together. | ||||
7 | "Toast" | Vera Brosgol, Natasha Allegri, and Efrain Farias | November 28, 2016 | BPC107[38] |
Deckard remains conflicted about attending culinary school, while Cas is challenged by Toast, a member from her former wrestling team. | ||||
8 | "Dogs" | Vera Brosgol, Natasha Allegri, and Efrain Farias | November 28, 2016 | BPC108[39] |
A sick Cardamon takes care of his comatose mother and recalls a fairytale from her about jellyfish. Once Bee and Deckard deliver their rent money, Cardamon asks for PuppyCat to spend time with him to stage a wedding with his dog, Sticky. | ||||
9 | "Wedding" | Vera Brosgol, Natasha Allegri, and Efrain Farias | November 28, 2016 | BPC109[40] |
Bee finds Deckard's school acceptance letter and feels guilty over him not enrolling. Meanwhile, PuppyCat is forced to play along with Cardamon's wedding, which Cardamon hopes will help wake his mother. While trying to escape, he becomes stuck in a window. Bee tries to free him by activating TempBot's letter, but she is transported along with Deckard instead. Note: "Wedding" was Joan Koplan's final acting role as she died on March 31, 2016 which was seven months before the episode was released on VRV.[41] | ||||
10 | "Donut" | Vera Brosgol, Natasha Allegri, and Efrain Farias | November 28, 2016 | BPC110[42] |
TempBot assigns Bee and Deckard to help a doughboy bake donuts embedded with wish-granting baking crystals and deliver them through the Black Hole while his boss (Tommy Wiseau)[43] is away. The Black Hole drags the doughboy in, revealing Bee's robotic nature in the process. Bee manages to rescue the bakery and Deckard, overcoming the Black Hole. Afterwards, Deckard leaves for culinary school. Cardamon feeds a wish-granting donut left by Bee to his mother but fails to awaken her. PuppyCat returns home to find Bee repairing her arm with her Dad Box. The two take their time to get to know each other better. |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Episode Director | Written by | Storyboards by | Original release date | Prod. code |
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1 | 1 | "Again for the First Time" | Jon Bennett & Joji Shimura | Natasha Allegri, Efrain Farias & Hans Tseng | Natasha Allegri Efrain Farias Hans Tseng Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC201 |
Remake of the original pilot and "Food". | |||||||
2 | 2 | "Who Would Want This?" | Jon Bennett & Joji Shimura | Natasha Allegri, Efrain Farias & Hans Tseng | Natasha Allegri Efrain Farias Hans Tseng Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC202 |
Bee and Puppycat do a bunch of jobs to pay their rent while Cardamon tends to the power outage in their house as well as their toilet. Incorporates elements of "Farmer", "Beach", "Cats", "Toast", and "Dogs" | |||||||
3 | 3 | "What Do You Want to Be?" | Jon Bennett & Joji Shimura | Natasha Allegri, Efrain Farias & Hans Tseng | Natasha Allegri Efrain Farias Hans Tseng Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC203 |
Incorporates elements of "Birthday", "Game", "Wedding", and "Donut" | |||||||
4 | 4 | "Gentle Touch" | Syuntaro Tozawa | Etta Devine & Gabriel Diani | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC204 |
Bee and Puppycat visit Bee's old job at the Wizards' cat cafe and find the amount of bills the family is unable to pay ever since Deckard left for school. Bee attempts to help by eating as much on the menu she could order and by paying the family back with money earned from a temp job. While working, Bee is warned of strange magical hands causing issues on temp jobs. | |||||||
5 | 5 | "Little Fingers" | Hideaki Oba | Natasha Allegri & Pendleton Ward | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC205 |
Bee and PuppyCat must take on a new temporary job after PuppyCat overspends on a mobile app game. It was first screened at the Ottawa International Animation Festival on September 25, 2019, and was released on YouTube on September 1, 2022.[21] | |||||||
6 | 6 | "Day Off Work" | Takahiro Otsuka | Natasha Allegri | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC206 |
Puppycat is annoyed with Bee after leaving him home alone to run errands. Meanwhile, the rest of the Wizard family annoys Cas on her day off. | |||||||
7 | 7 | "Snow and Violets" | Hideaki Oba | Jack Pendarvis | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC207 |
After wrecking their bike in the woods, Bee and Puppycat take up a job helping an old racer beat his cheating younger self in a race. Meanwhile, Deckard is struggling in culinary school. | |||||||
8 | 8 | "Funny Lying" | Hideaki Oba | Efrain Farias, Hans Tseng, Natasha Allegri & Pendleton Ward | Efrain Farias Hans Tseng Natasha Allegri Kōyū Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC208 |
Bee and Puppycat help Cardamom get rid of the tears by dumping them into the ocean. Puppycat accidentally get under water and dreams about his previous life. | |||||||
9 | 9 | "My Favorite" | Yūichirō Aoki | Natasha Allegri | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC209 |
Pretty Patrick gets back from vacation with a baby and Puppycat wants to meet Patrick in person. | |||||||
10 | 10 | "Did You Remember" | Yoh Miura | Etta Devine & Gabriel Diani | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC210 |
Puppycat surprises Bee on her birthday with tons of cakes all over the island. | |||||||
11 | 11 | "Bird Friend" | Yoshitaka Makino | Jack Pendarvis | Yoh Miura | September 6, 2022 | BPC211 |
Bee tries to stop Puppycat from eating food off the floor. | |||||||
12 | 12 | "Two Clown Noses" | Hisaya Takabayashi | Jack Pendarvis | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC212 |
Bee takes Crispin to see a clown planet on his birthday. | |||||||
13 | 13 | "Golden Eyes" | Yoh Miura | Etta Devine & Gabriel Diani | Yoh Miura | September 6, 2022 | BPC213 |
While Howell is away, Wesley meets a rare fish with golden eyes. | |||||||
14 | 14 | "Why Don't You Help Me" | Kenichi Nishida | Etta Devine & Gabriel Diani | Yoh Miura | September 6, 2022 | BPC214 |
Bee tries to clear overgrowing plants while Cardamon is on a school trip to the beach. | |||||||
15 | 15 | "Now I'm Really Alone" | Yoh Miura | Jack Pendarvis & Natasha Allegri | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC215 |
Moully visits Bee while Puppycat must attend temp job retraining. | |||||||
16 | 16 | "I Won't Leave You Alone" | Joji Shimura | Natasha Allegri | Joji Shimura | September 6, 2022 | BPC216 |
The island is attacked by magical hands while Puppycat tries to restart his ship. |
Critical reception for the series has been mainly positive, though some fans have criticized the art and tone changes between the pilot and the Kickstarter-backed full series.[44][45][failed verification] In December 2014, critic Robert Lloyd of The L.A. Times listed it as one of the best TV shows of the year.[46] The A.V. Club favorably rated the episode "Food Farmer", which they felt did a good job expanding Bee's character.[47] The episode Little Fingers, then intended as the second episode of Lazy in Space, won best animated series at Ottawa International Animation Festival in 2019.[48]
Boom! Studios published a tie-in comic book through its KaBOOM! imprint. The comic was canceled after #11 in 2016 despite issues #12–#16 having already been solicited.[50] Preview catalogues that year listed issues #12–#16, along with cover art and synopses.[51]
Issue | Release Date | Story | Art | Collection | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | May 14, 2014 | Natasha Allegri Garrett Jackson |
Natasha Allegri | Bee and Puppycat – Volume One | 978-1-60886-487-4 |
#2 | June 11, 2014 | Natasha Allegri Frank Gibson Garrett Jackson |
Becky Dreistadt | ||
#3 | August 27, 2014 | Natasha Allegri Anissa Espinoza Madeline Flores Tait Howard Ian McGinty |
Anissa Espinoza Madeline Flores Tait Howard Ian McGinty Fred C. Stresing | ||
#4 | September 24, 2014 | Natasha Allegri Coleman Engle Anissa Espinoza Aimee Fleck Pranas Naujokaitis Mad Rupert Theresa Zysk |
Coleman Engle Anissa Espinoza Aimee Fleck Pranas Naujokaitis Mad Rupert Theresa Zysk | ||
#5 | October 22, 2014 | Chrystin Garland Meredith McClaren Flynn Nicholls Theresa Zysk |
Bee and Puppycat – Volume Two | 978-1-60886-776-9 | |
#6 | November 26, 2014 | Natasha Allegri Joy Ang Andrew Lorenzi Meredith McClaren Carey Pietsch |
Joy Ang Andrew Lorenzi Meredith McClaren Carey Pietsch | ||
#7 | December 24, 2014 | Natasha Allegri Megan Brennan Andrew Lorenzi Zachary Sterling |
Megan Brennan Andrew Lorenzi Zachary Sterling | ||
#8 | April 8, 2015 | David Calderon Coleman Engle Liz Fleming Reimena Yee Theresa Zysk |
Natasha Allegri David Calderon Coleman Engle Liz Fleming Reimena Yee Theresa Zysk | ||
#9 | August 26, 2015 | Natasha Allegri Patrick Seery |
Ji In Kim | Bee and Puppycat – Volume Three | 978-1-60886-911-4 |
#10 | February 17, 2016 | Natasha Allegri Patrick Seery Ko Takeuchi |
Ji In Kim Ko Takeuchi | ||
#11 | April 20, 2016 | Natasha Allegri Patrick Seery |
Ji In Kim |
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