History WesternAnimation / MinaAndTheCount

Created in 1995 by [[WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot Rob Renzetti]] as one of many shorts for Creator/CartoonNetwork's WesternAnimation/WhatACartoonShow, ''Mina and the Count'' tells the story of, well, [[AGirlAndHerX Mina and the Count]].

The original short, ''Interlude With a Vampire'', features [[OurVampiresAreDifferent the titular Count]] accidentally stumbling into the bedroom of one Mina Harper, age 7, when looking for his next vampiric meal. (He was looking for ''Nina Parker'', age 17.) Mina quickly proves to be a formidable opponent when she decides he'll make the perfect playmate, gleefully turning herself into his brand-new leg accessory. And despite being dragged into every manner of childish game by Mina, the Count quickly finds himself enjoying the experience and becomes her friend. The following shorts detailed their various goofy and spooky adventures.

* SpiritualSuccessor: According to Wiki/TheOtherWiki, these shorts inspired ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy''. It shows.

Among the other shorts on the various Creator/FrederatorStudios anthology shows, ''Mina and The Count'' is an interesting case. For one, it aired on two of them; while the original 'toon was made for ''What a Cartoon!'', it ended up airing on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}'s ''WesternAnimation/OhYeahCartoons'' as well, where it proceed to become a {{mini series}} (airing five additional shorts from 1998 to 1999). Secondly, unlike the other ''OYC'' shorts that got the mini series treatment (i.e., ''WesternAnimation/ChalkZone'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents''), ''Mina and the Count'' was never greenlit as a full series. Despite this, ''Mina'' managed to built up a small fanbase throughout the years that persists to this day. Don't expect a full-length series to ever happen, however, and [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes good luck finding the shorts on DVD]].

Compare and contrast with ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', which has a similar premise but turns it into a cynical, over-the-top SadistShow.

* VeinOVision: The Count sees Lucy like this in "The Vampire Who Came to Dinner".

* DinnerAndAShow: The fourth episode, where the Count comes to dinner at Mina's house. And her sister Lucy becomes his InstantFanClub.

* FreeTheFrogs: Done in quite possibly the ''weirdest fashion ever'' in "Frankenfrog." The frog's already dead; Mina just brings it back with MadScience!

* LethalChef: Mina's culinary prowess in the fourth episode is surprising for a little girl, but still, [[spoiler: garlic souffle]] is probably not one of her better ideas.

** Earlier in the same episode, he had one upon discovering that Mina has an older sister.

** From Episode 4, "[[Film/GhostbustersII There's always room for gelatin]]".

* DoubleTake: The Count does this in “The Vampire Who Came to Dinner” upon meeting Mina’s family.
-->'''Vlad:''' It is a pleasure to be invited to dine with Mina, her older sister, and her father. …''[[OhCrap OLDER SISTER?!]]''

The original short, ''Interlude With a Vampire'', features [[OurVampiresAreDifferent the titular Count]] accidentally stumbling into the bedroom of one Mina Harper, age 7, when looking for his next vampiric meal. (He was looking for ''Nina'' Parker, age 17.) Mina quickly proves to be a formidable opponent when she decides he'll make the perfect playmate, gleefully turning herself into his brand-new leg accessory. And despite being dragged into every manner of childish game by Mina, the Count quickly finds himself enjoying the experience and becomes her friend. The following shorts detailed their various goofy and spooky adventures.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: The Count's first attempt to... ahem... "seduce" Mina. To be fair, [[CrossingTheLineTwice he thought she was 17 years old at first]].

[[caption-width-right:350: The series' title card]]

Compare and contrast with ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', which has a similar premise but goes in a far less heartwarming and ''much'' more cynical direction.

Created in 1995 by [[WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot Rob Renzetti]] as one of many shorts for Creator/CartoonNetwork's WesternAnimation/WhatACartoonShow, ''Mina and the Count'' tells the story of, well, [[AGirlAndHerX Mina and the Count]]. In the original short, ''Interlude With a Vampire'', features [[OurVampiresAreDifferent the titular Count]] accidentally stumbling into the bedroom of one Mina Harper, age 7, when looking for his next vampiric meal. (He was looking for ''Nina'' Parker, age 17.) Mina quickly proves to be a formidable opponent when she decides he'll make the perfect playmate, gleefully turning herself into his brand-new leg accessory. And despite being dragged into every manner of childish game by Mina, the Count quickly finds himself enjoying the experience and becomes her friend. The following shorts detailed their various goofy and spooky adventures.

Compare and contrast with ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', which has a similar premise but goes in a ''much'' more cynical direction.

* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Nick's twin cronies, who look identically, dress identically, and even ''move'' directly in-step at all times.

A student film entitled [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeV6YBRc7WQ "My Best Friend"]], which served as the inspiration for the series, was released on [=YouTube=] in 2016 by Renzetti himself.

An unfinished student film entitled [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeV6YBRc7WQ "My Best Friend"]], which serves as the inspiration for the series, was released on [=YouTube=] in 2016 by Renzetti himself.

Straddling the line between "short" and "TV series" lies ''Mina and The Count''.

Originally created in 1995 by [[WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot Rob Renzetti]] with Creator/FrederatorStudios (the same people behind toons such as ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' and ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime''), it was originally created as part of Creator/CartoonNetwork's WesternAnimation/WhatACartoonShow. In the original short, ''Interlude With a Vampire'', the titular Count, a vampire, accidentally stumbles into the room of one Mina Harper, age 7. (He was looking for Nina Parker, age 17.) Mina quickly proves her formidity when she abruptly [[ClingyJealousGirl turns herself into his leg accessory]], and despite being dragged into every manner of girly game by Mina, the Count quickly finds himself enjoying it and becomes her friend. The following shorts detailed their various goofy and spooky adventures. During its run of shorts, it migrated from Cartoon Network to Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}'s ''WesternAnimation/OhYeahCartoons''.

Among the other shorts on the various Frederator shorts shows, ''Mina and The Count'' was highly unusual. While most cartoons only saw either one or two episodes and then [[PoorlyDisguisedPilot a full series]], or one episode and then vanishing obscurity, ''Mina'' saw a full six shorts released throughout its run, making it a kind of cartoon MiniSeries. It even built up a small fanbase throughout the years. But despite fans' vocal interest, it never has been--[[WordOfGod and probably never will be]]--expanded to a full show. Not to mention, [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes good luck finding the shorts on DVD]].

The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeV6YBRc7WQ unfinished student film ''My Best Friend'']], which was essentially the pilot to the series (and is not in continuity with the finished product), was also released on [=YouTube=] in 2016 by Renzetti himself.