Russians’ favorite cartoon is the Soviet-era cult favorite “Nu, Pogodi!”according to a new state-run poll published Thursday.
“Nu, pogodi!” — which translates into English as “Well, just you wait!” — debuted in 1969 and centers on Wolf’s neverending, futile pursuit of Hare. The wolf resembles a typical Soviet ruffian: He has a low voice, wears a Soviet naval undershirt and smokes constantly. The hare, on the other hand, is a paragon of respectability, always dressed in a clean white collar.
Sixty-five percent of Russians named “Nu, pogodi!” as one of their top three favorite cartoon series, according to the survey conducted by the VTsIOM pollster.
Nearly every respondent (98 percent) said they have watched “Nu, pogodi!” before. When asked if they would show the program to their children, 97 percent said “yes,” despite the fact that children in Russia are more likely to watch modern cartoons.
The second-most popular Soviet cartoon among Russians is “Prostokvashino,” with 31 percent of respondents naming it as one of their three favorites.
“Masha and the Bear,” the computer-animated television show based on a Russian folk tale of the same name, was the third-most popular choice with 16% of responses.
The Soviet version of the popular American cartoon “Winnie the Pooh” came in at fourth place with 13% of responses.
In fifth place, with 10 percent of responses, was the 1969 stop-motion film “Crocodile Gena,” which introduced the iconic Russian character of Cheburashka, a small, mouse-like creature with big fluffy ears.
VTsIOM conducted the poll among 1,600 respondents on June 9.
