A communist-era cartoon character who survived the fall of the Soviet Union and has delighted generations of Russian children is to get a makeover for a growing global audience.
Cheburashka, a small furry “animal unknown to science” who arrives in Moscow in a box of oranges will be the computer-generated star of a new film.
The feature will be targeted primarily at a Russian audience but is likely to attract interest in Japan, where Cheburashka has a cult following. Cheburashka is considered a national treasure in Russia. He has been a symbol of the Olympic team four times, and a ditty performed by his friend Gena the Crocodile is the song most often sung at children’s birthday parties.
The character was first seen in a