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By Simon Applebaum
Two Tokyo pop stars are two weeks away from becoming 'toon celebrities in the U.S. At least that's the plan. Cartoon Network is betting that Ami Onuki and Yumi Yoshimura--better known as Puffy AmiYumi in Japan--will catch on as megastars here.
The duo joins the Beatles and the Jackson 5 in the pantheon of pop stars immortalized as animated TV characters on Nov. 19, when Cartoon Network premieres Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, a half-hour series fictionalizing their touring exploits.
"We love Cartoon, and we get that on [cable operator Sky Perfect TV], said Ami, in New York with Yumi last month promoting the series. "We enjoy AMX, which shows anime 24 hours a day. There's a few music channels we watch a lot, plus Animal Planet. They [also] have these educational channels teaching you how to take college exams and such--it's the worst."
Their first U.S. TV series is bound to be more lighthearted than the college exam channel in Japan. "The main thing is that kids and adults have fun with the show and get introduced to our music," Yumi said. "That would make us happy."
Each episode of Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi features a mix of live-action and animated segments, and shows them engaging in favorite pastimes, such as pachinko, a cross between a slot machine and a pinball game. Who knows? If the series takes off, Cartoon Network might program a whole "ToonAmiYumi" block.
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