Smeshariki. The History of the Cult Universe

- Millions of fans around the world, - over 600 episodes filmed, - 6 spin-offs and 3 full-length films. All this is about them, the Smeshariki, whom several generations of children have grown up with. Yet, in the early 2000s, when everything was just beginning, no one could have imagined that two guys - Ilya Popov and Salavat Shaikhinurov - would achieve the impossible: from scratch, without experience in animation, create the first animated series in Russia that would surpass foreign franchises in popularity. This book is a heartfelt story about how the Smeshariki Universe was born, grew, was on the verge of collapse, and regained strength. Written by a witness to the events, the script editor of the project Maria Kornilova, the book reveals what has long remained behind the scenes: - why no one believed in the project's success at the start; - what Soviet, Nyusha, Losyash, Pin, and Yozhik would have been like if things had turned out a little differently; - who the Spirits of the Chamomile Valley are and why you shouldn't quarrel with them.