History Animation / SquirrelAndHedgehog

* AnAesop: Your enemy does not deserve mercy or humane treatment. Your enemy is a liar, a bully, and a kidnapper. You cannot reason with your enemy -- trying to make peace is a waste of time. You must train, and you must always be ready to kill them to protect your beautiful, perfect country, any way you can.

It is about the inhabitants of a place called Flower Hill, which is made up of squirrels, hedgehogs, and ducks. The squirrels are the leadership, the hedgehogs are the soldiers, and the ducks are the navy. There are plenty of other factions as well, such as friendly bears, while the antagonists are made up of weasels, rats and wolves.

* FallenHero: In the very first episode, the residents of Flower Hill are in the middle of building shelters when Bear shows up, clearly showing with his unsteady posture that he has seen better days and thus causing them to worry if he's becoming unreliable since Bear has been helping to protect Flower Hill for a long time. Bear helps himself to an entire bottle of alcohol, provided in-secret by the mice, and drinks himself into a deep sleep, forcing the squirrels, hedgehogs, and ducks to fight the rats and weasels without him.[[note]]Bear symbolizes Soviet Russia which North Korea decided that they could no longer rely upon as a military ally in the event of war.[[/note]]

* ImpairmentShot: In the first episode, the world spins from Bear's perspective--the rats got him drunk so he couldn't protect Flower Hill from attack.

* YouDirtyRat: The Rats are spies who serve the bullying Weasels mostly out of fear. You can feel sorry for them, but you can't trust them an inch.

* TheHero: Geumsaegi is the gallant savior of Flower Hill.

* TearsOfJoy: The show is infamous for this.

Not to be confused with [[WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle Moose and Squirrel]]. Or [[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM Sally Acorn and Sonic the Hedgehog]].

* WickedWeasel: The main antagonists of the original series (they work alongside the wolves in the later episodes) are the weasel army, so this obviously applies. The Weasels are sneaky and while they present a picture of being tough, are really cowards.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The way the squirrels and hedgehogs fight can seem ruthless, even cruel to Western audiences. The weasels and mice are subject to backstabbing, drowning, and even impalement at the hands of the protagonists.

* MsFanservice: [[FoxyVixen Lt. Yeou "Fox"]] has a lot of fans for this reason. Of course she symbolises that American women are sly and overly sexual.

* FoxyVixen: Lt. Yeou "Fox", the commander of American armies, is a [[CunningLikeAFox cunning]], [[MsFanservice overly sexualized]] female fox.

* ChildSoldiers: In the later chapters, Geumsaegi's younger brother Bamsaegi and Goseumdochi's younger brother Undochi, make their appearance and the story reveals to us that they're training to be scouts as their older brothers. But then just a few chapters later, they're both sent on a mission to help Geumsaegi right into enemy territory, even doing stuff like firing guns and throwing grenades against the wolves. Both of them look '''too young''', no more than fifteen years old. [[MoralDissonance And he seems to be all fine with that!]]

* PlanetOfSteves: The name of the Hedgehog Commander is Goseumdochi. But then, there's a Scout Goseumdochi who gives his life to destroy an enemy base and near the end of Part One, another hedgehog soldier is named Goseumdochi, but it's not explained if he's the Commander or another hedgehog with that name.

''Squirrel and Hedgehog'' (original Korean title: 다람이와 고슴도치, Taramiwa Kosŭmdoch'i) is a {{UsefulNotes/North Korea}}n animated series by SEK Studios.

''Squirrel and Hedgehog'' (original Korean title: 다람이와 고슴도치, Taramiwa Kosŭmdoch’i) is a {{UsefulNotes/North Korea}}n animated series by SEK Studios.

For a cartoon program purportedly made for children, it's filled with graphic (but awesome) violence and doesn't shy away from depicting the horrors of war including death. It reeks of anti-American propaganda from every hole. ''The Daily Dot'' [[https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/squirrel-and-hedgehog-north-korea-youtube/ sums its tone compared to other animated series up as]] "imagine ''Series/BreakingBad'' as a cartoon."

Very surprisingly, it has [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-6jVU2Xd3NTGtNvkZNbf45xQEP06op-y an English dub]] made by Creator/MondoTV with the title changed to ''Brave Soldiers''. Even more surprisingly, the voice cast has a pair of recognizable names; '''Creator/{{DAN GREEN}}''' is the narrator, and Creator/MikePollock is Sensorso Bear. [[note]]It should be noted, however, that way before the ''Brave Soldiers'' English dub was made, Creator/MondoTV has previously worked with the North Korean SEK Studio (the animation company behind ''Squirrel and Hedgehog'') on other Italian produced ventures before, most notably ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfTheTitanic'', its sequel ''Tentacolino'', and the animated TV series ''[[WesternAnimation/SimbaENatoUnRe Simba The King Lion]]'', so Mondo's ties with SEK go way deeper than just a mere English dub of ''Squirrel and Hedgehog''.[[/note]]

* AnAesop: Your enemy does not deserve mercy or humane treatment. Your enemy is a liar, a bully, and a kidnapper. You cannot reason with your enemy - trying to make peace is a waste of time. You must train, and you must always be ready to kill them to protect your beautiful, perfect country, any way you can.

For a cartoon program purportedly made for children, it's filled with graphic (but awesome) violence and doesn't shy away from depicting the horrors of war including death. ''The Daily Dot'' [[https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/squirrel-and-hedgehog-north-korea-youtube/ sums it up as]] "imagine ''Series/BreakingBad'' as a cartoon." It reeks of anti-American propaganda from every hole.

* AnAesop: Your enemy does not deserve mercy or humane treatment. Your enemy is a liar, a bully, and a kidnapper. You cannot reason with your enemy - trying to make peace is a waste of time. You must train, you must always be ready to kill them to protect your beautiful, perfect country, any way you can. [[DontTryThisAtHome Obviously not an Aesop that you should actually practice in real life.]]

* AnAesop: Your enemy does not deserve mercy or humane treatment. Your enemy is a liar, a bully, and a kidnapper. You cannot reason with your enemy - trying to make peace is a waste of time. You must train, you must always be ready to kill them to protect your beautiful, perfect country, any way you can.

Very surprisingly, it has [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-6jVU2Xd3NTGtNvkZNbf45xQEP06op-y an English dub]] made by Creator/MondoTV with the title changed to ''Brave Soldiers''. Even more surprisingly, the voice cast has a pair of recognizable names; Creator/DanGreen is the narrator, and Creator/MikePollock is Sensorso Bear. [[note]]It should be noted, however, that way before the ''Brave Soldiers'' English dub was made, Creator/MondoTV has previously worked with the North Korean SEK Studio (the animation company behind ''Squirrel and Hedgehog'') on other Italian produced ventures before, most notably ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfTheTitanic'', its sequel ''Tentacolino'', and the animated TV series ''[[WesternAnimation/SimbaENatoUnRe Simba The King Lion]]'', so Mondo's ties with SEK go way deeper than just a mere English dub of ''Squirrel and Hedgehog''.[[/note]]

* AnAesop: A ''North Korean'' Aesop - your enemy does not deserve mercy or humane treatment. Your enemy is a liar, a bully, and a kidnapper. You cannot reason with your enemy - trying to make peace is a waste of time. You must train, you must always be ready! Kill them to protect your beautiful, perfect country, any way you can. You know, for kids!

* ChildSoldiers: In the later chapters, Geumsaegi's younger brother Bamsaegi and Goseumdochi's younger brother Undochi, make their appearance and the story reveals to us that they're training to be scouts as their older brothers. But then just a few chapters later, they're both sent on a mission to help Geumsaegi right into enemy territory, even doing stuff like firing guns and throwing grenades against the wolves. Both of them look TOO YOUNG. They cannot be more than fifteen years old. [[WhatTheHellHero And he seems to be all fine with that!]]

* NoEnding: The last episode ends on a CliffHanger, and there's so sign of any more being made.

* ChildSoldiers: In the most recent chapters, Geumsaegi's younger brother Bamsaegi and Goseumdochi's younger brother Undochi, make their appearance and the story reveals to us that they're training to be scouts as their older brothers. But then just a few chapters later, they're both sent on a mission to help Geumsaegi right into enemy territory, even doing stuff like firing guns and throwing grenades against the wolves. Both of them look TOO YOUNG. They cannot be more than fifteen years old. [[WhatTheHellHero And he seems to be all fine with that!]]

* ArtShift: [[https://cdn.namuwikiusercontent.com/storage/4d030d1d2217ecad2c2b2b014957033248c59ba7ed29d76adf1e402a7cda41e5040cf869c9bac9226b3a622bc476cfeba5e3516951539d48fb788b2042e8c4ceee1f9991dcf6b52d833035481922d0a4?e=1514052634&k=P-8ML8WrsNsRnHaOFFPjNA Is a given]] the series' status as a long runner, the first couple of incarnations especially look widely different than their more recognizable forms.

* FoxyVixen: Lt. Fox, the commander of American armies, is a [[CunningLikeAFox cunning]], [[MsFanservice overly sexualized]] female fox.

* MsFanservice: [[FoxyVixen Lt. Vixen]] has a lot of fans for this reason. Of course she symbolises that American women are sly and overly sexual.

* NationalAnimalStereotypes: Squirrels, hedgehogs and other [[WoodlandCreatures cute animals]] represent North Koreans, whereas mice and [[WickedWeasel weasels]] (i.e. small, but less cute animals) represent South Koreans. Americans, North Korea's enemies are depicted as [[SavageWolves wolves]] and [[CunningLikeAFox foxes]]. Bear, naturally, represents Russians.

Not to be confused with [[WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle Moose and Squirrel]]. Or [[WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM Sally Acorn and Sonic]].

* {{Acrofatic}}: The fat weasels Aekku "One-Eyed" and his brother Geomeunjogjebi "Black Weasel". They both look pretty overweighted but they can still give a fight.

* Acrofatic: The fat weasels Aekku "One-Eyed" and his brother Geomeunjogjebi "Black Weasel". They both look pretty overweighted but they can still give a fight.

%%* FoxyVixen: Lt. Fox, the commander of American armies.

* NationalAnimalStereotypes: Squirrels, hedgehogs and other [[WoodlandCreatures cute animals]] represent North Koreans. Americans, North Korea's enemies are depicted as [[SavageWolves wolves]] and [[CunningLikeAFox foxes]]. Bear, naturally, represents Russians.