Hey. I know, a bit special interest and maybe not the right place for this but i was thinking about animated characters from europe as part of its cultural DNA and then startet to research them for all the countries including where to buy merch (to also support that industry). I will hopefully be able to comlete the list over time but i would be happy about help and feedback. So here is what i got so far:

European animation characters (sometimes with merch) in no particular order:

Finland - Moomins, Angry Birds adaptations: https://shop.moomin.com/collections/all

France - Asterix, TinTin, edit: + les Shadoks, OuiOui, W.i.t.c.h., Barbapapas, Yugo https://boutique.asterix.com/de/ https://thetintinshop.uk.com/

Belgium - lucky luke, edit: also TinTin, Spirou & Fantasio, The Smurfs, Marsupilami

Poland - Lolek and Bolek, edit: +Reksio, Koziołek matołek, Plastuś, Miś uszatek

Netherlands - Alfred j. Kwak, nijntje, edit: + Miffy: https://www.dewinkelvannijntje.nl/en/

Czech republic - krtek, edit: + Pat and Mat, Rumcajs: https://czechmovie.com/collections/little-mole-krtek?page=2 https://www.czech-stuff.com/krtek-little-mole/

Spain - Mortadelo and Filemón, Superlópez, Pocoyó, The Telerín Family

Switzerland - globi, pingu, edit: + Titeuf: https://globi.ch/ https://www.pingu-store.jp/ (can’t find a european one)

Portugal - tic tac tales

Italy - calimero, edit: + Corto Maltese, mio mao, La Linea, The Seagul and the Cat/Lucky and Zorbq (La Gabbianella e il Cato), Dylan Dog, Winx

Greece - Pandora and Plato

Sweden - Bamse, petterson and findus, the little ghost laban, editv + Lippi Longstocking, Arne Anka

Norway - Elias the little rescue boat, Ella Bella Bingo

Iceland - some lazy town characters

Denmark - Rita & Crocodile, Valiant Prince Ivandoe, edit: + The Child Who Wanted to Be a Bear (Drengen der ville gøre det umulige), John Dillermand

Germany - the mouse, bernd the bread, cptn. Blaubär, edit: + the sandman, Werner, the little Asshole: https://www.logoshirt-shop.de/en/COLLECTION/The-Show-with-the-Mouse/ https://mausundmehr.com/ https://www.spreadshirt.de/shop/bernd+das+brot/

UK - wallace and gromit, paddington bear, danger mouse edit: + postman pat, rupert bear, family ness, bananaman, bob the builder, the hurricanes, thomas the tank engine, captain pugwash, Dennis the Menace (the superior one): https://wallaceandgromitvmf.shop/ https://store.paddington.com/ https://www.truffleshuffle.co.uk/cartoons/dangermouse

Ireland - puffin rock, Kiva can do, edit: + the book of kells, song of the sea, and wolfwalkers

Luxembourg - ?

Malta - ?

Cyprus - ?

Lithuania - ?

Latvia - Flow

Estonia - ?

Slovakia - ?

Slovenia - Medved Bojan

Croatia - Profesor Baltazar, Little Flying Bears (Leteći Medvjedići)

Bulgaria - The Three Fools, The Blue Eyed Moon, The Little Girl, The Cat and the Clock, Anna Blume

Serbia - ?

North macedonia - ?

Montenegro - ?

Bosnia Herzegowina - ?

Albania - Nine Years, Nine Days

Romania - ?

Moldova - The Stairway (Letnistsa)

Austria - ?

Hungary - The rabbit with checkered ears, Frakk, pom pom, Mézga family, Szaffi, King Matthias, Magyar Népmesék, Ludas Matyi

Also nice read: animationineurope.eu

  • tetris11@feddit.ukEnglish
    5·
    1 month ago

    UK- postman pat, rupert bear, family ness, bananaman, bob the builder, the hurricanes, thomas the tank engine, captain pugwash

  • manicdave@feddit.uk
    3·
    1 month ago

    It should be noted that in the UK we have the superior Dennis the Menace

    I can’t say for certain, but the US one is probably a Christo-fascist.

  • systemshock@lemmy.world
    2·
    1 month ago

    Croatia: Little Flying Bears (Leteći Medvjedići) which is a combined effort of Croatian and Canadian animators.

  • Underfreyja@lemmy.caEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    Belgium has also Tintin. I would argue its better overall and represents better Belgium than the cowboy.

    • espentan@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 month ago

      Tintin is fantastic. Lacking comic books, where I am now, I’m giving the 2011 movie a rewatch…

    • Tartufo@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 month ago

      Tintin is listed under France for some reason. Definitely should be swapped imo because the author was Belgian.

  • loaExMachina@sh.itjust.works
    0·
    1 month ago

    I know France already has a lot, but maybe Yugo from Wakfu, just to also have something a bit more recent ?

    For Italy, there’s also La Linea , a good old classic. Also, La Gabbianella e il Cato (“The Seagul and the Cat”, or “Lucky and Zorba” in tbe English version) was a great Italian animated movie.

    Then there’s also “L’enfant qui Voulait Être in Ours”/“Drengen der ville gøre det umulige”, a great Franco-Danish animated movie. But as a French, I think we can let the Dans take this w, we already have a lot. It wasn’t distributed in any country but these two as far as I know, but in English the name would be " The Child Who Wanted to Be a Bear".

    [Edit: I remembered I had a book about the history of animation somewhere and figured it might have something to fill the blanks. Bulgaria had a few influenial animation artists like Donio Donev with “The Three Fools” PenchoKoutchnevv witg “The Blue Eyed Moon” and “The Little Girl, The Cat and the Clock”.Vesselaa Dancheva with " Anna Blume" Moldovahads Natalia Bodiul with “Letnistsa” (“The Stairway”)

    Belarus had “Posledny” (“The Last”) by Alexandre Cheoetov

    Albania had “Nine Years, Nine Days” by Artur Dauti. I haven’t seen any of these movies yet tho, I might whenever I get the time. ]

  • ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    For Hungary there is also the Mézga family, Szaffi, the King Matthias series and Magyar Népmesék, also Ludas Matyi

      • ℍ𝕂-𝟞𝟝@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        2·
        1 month ago

        A Mézga család / The Mézga Family is actually three separate series, the original one is about an ordinary 80s Hungarian family with a genius son who invents a time-telephone that they use to talk to their great-great-great-son. They ask him to send things back in time to help with their problems, but they inevitably use them wrong, and chaos ensues.

        There are two spinoffs, one which is about the same genius son making an inflatable spaceship and going on adventures in space with the family dog, and one where the whole family goes on a trip around the world.

        Szaffi / The Treasure of Swamp Castle is an animated movie set in 18th century Hungary, the story based on a novel The Gypsy Baron. It’s a cute and charming romance story. There is an English dub since it was made as a Canadian collab.

        Mesék Mátyás királyról / Tales of King Matthias is a series about King Matthias (1458-1490), revered in Hungary as the “just king”, going incognito in his kingdom and righting wrongs.

        Magyar népmesék / Hungarian Folk Tales is another series, with each episode being an adaptation of a Hungarian folk tale. Fun fact, the series does not shy away from animated female full frontal nudity despite being from the 80s.

        Ludas Matyi - the title being the name of the protagonist - is the adaptation of a popular story about a young shepherd vowing revenge being caned by the local landlord for insubordination - the landlord stole his geese. He says he will return the favour threefold, and accomplishes his goal with guile, beating up the landlord three times.

  • Miha23@lemmy.mlEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    Croatia - Profesor Baltazar (eng. Professor Balthazar)

    It aired from 1967 until 1978.