Titeuf (known sometimes as Tootuff in English) is a Swiss comic series created by the Swiss comic-book creator Zep in 1992. In 2001 it was adapted into an animated TV series and in 2011 into a film with the same title. The series also appears in the Franco-Belgian comics magazine Tchô!.
Contents
Publication history
Titeuf was initially published in the fanzine Sauve qui peut ("Run for your lives") and noticed by Glénat executive Jean-Claude Camano. Zep joined Glénat in 1992 and Titeuf eventually became one of France's most popular comics. The first Titeuf album, Dieu, le sexe et les bretelles (God, Sex, and Suspenders), appeared in 1993 and sold a few thousand copies, but the subsequent books gradually attracted a colossal readership. The series is now considered the highest grossing in the French comics market. Titeuf was adapted into an Italian-French animated TV series in 2001, initially broadcast on Canal J. By 2008, Titeuf was the comic series with by far the largest circulation in France (over 1.8 million copies per year), three times the size of the second most popular series, with it being translated into various languages, such as Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Chinese, among others.
Characters
Main
Titeuf: The main character. He is a 10-year-old boy with a blonde cowlick. His best friends are Manu, Hugo, Jean Claude and Vomito. Voiced by Dan Russell.
Roger: Titeuf and Zizie's father and Anne-Mathilde's husband. He is 49 years old. He often scolds Titeuf and hits him with a branch, club, broom, mallet, hammer or carpet beater. Voiced by Bob Saker.
Anne-Mathilde: Titeuf and Zizie's mother and Roger's wife. She is 47 years old. She wears a black turtleneck and a pair of tan pants. Voiced by Megg Nicol.
Zizie: Titeuf's little sister. She first appears in the 7th book. She always cries. She is 1 year old. Voiced by Jules de Jongh.
Aunt Monique: Titeuf and Zizie's ugly, depressed aunt and Anne Mathilde's sister. She is a blonde-haired woman, and she first appears in the second book. Voiced by Dian Perry.
Julie: Titeuf and Zizie's cousin, introduced in the fourth book, is a cheerful and fun-loving 9-year-old girl. Initially upset with Titeuf, they soon laugh together, and she affectionately kisses him on the cheek, showcasing their deep bond, and as a running gag. She is usually seen wearing a pink hoodie (purple in her initial appearance), lilac pants (tan initially), green and black striped socks (indigo and purple in her first appearance), and dark pink shoes, all complementing her vibrant red hair. In one episode of Season 1 she goes to the mall with Titeuf and in another she sleeps with him. In Season 3 she cries because Big Nearsighted stole her phone and punched her in the back, and Titeuf defends her. She is smarter than Titeuf and is a bit tomboyish, but they still care for each other. Voiced by Jules de Jongh.
Pépé: Titeuf and Zizie's grandfather and Roger's father. Voiced by Bob Saker.
Glaïeul: Titeuf and zizie's great uncle and Roger's uncle who uses a wheelchair and tells tall tales. Voiced by Bob Saker.
Recurring
Manu: Titeuf's funny best friend from school, he has funny black hair, a big funny, almost unnoticeable nose, and wears glasses. Voiced by Dan Russell.
Jean-Claude: A boy with a lisp because of his front teeth with braces. He has black hair and big eyebrows. Voiced by Megg Nicol.
Nadia: Titeuf's crush, but she doesn't like him. She has a ponytail, and has big lips. Voiced by Jules de Jongh.
Hugo: A stupid bully-idiot and a friend at the same time, he is big, bouncy, and has red hair. He is usually scolded by his father, who is an Italian truck driver. Voiced by Dan Russell.
François: A boy who also wears glasses, and has a long, pointy nose, reminiscent of Phineas Flynn. He is Titeuf's smart friend. Voiced by Dan Russell.
Vomito: A redhead who vomits a lot, that's why his name is Vomito. He has a pet hamster named Moulinus. Voiced by Dian Perry.
Dumbo: Nadia's best friend with pigtails. Voiced by Dian Perry.
Tim: A black boy who wears a green hoodie. Voiced by Dian Perry.
Ramatou: A tall and lanky black girl who is Titeuf's new girlfriend, she wears a green cap, and a light blue tank top. Voiced by Jules de Jongh.
The Mistress: Titeuf’s unnamed elderly teacher, who is very strict. Voiced by Megg Nicol.
Morvax: A character who always sneezes (morve is French for snot). Voiced by Dan Russell
Maxime: Titeuf's Muslim friend who is discriminated against by anti-Muslims. He first appears in the eleventh book. He is not allowed to eat pork. His favorite sport is soccer. In a season 4 episode, we learn that his grandfather died. Voiced by Dan Russell.
English history
Translated as Tootuff, it appeared for a short while during 2005 in The Dandy comic in the UK, with the books being translated as well (though they retained the original "Titeuf" title). The animated series was dubbed into English and aired on GMTV's Toonattik in the UK, Kabillion in the US, KBC Channel 1 in Kenya, TVB Pearl in Hong Kong and Cartoon Network in the United Kingdom and ABC in Australia.
