HHPAY S1E03: Ami's Secret, Taffy Trouble & Dance a Go-Go

Well, I'm definitely up for another Puffy review. Now that I'm done with the first 2 episodes, let's go onto the 3rd.

7. Ami's Secret.

Written by: David Slack.

Aired: 26 November 2004.

When Ami starts behaving strangely, Yumi and Kaz conclude that she’s embarking on a secret solo career.

Yeah, Gi--oh, sorry, Ami sure is secretive when it comes to earning some wads of cash.

Notice when Ami is dressed like a clown, she bears a resemblance to McDonald's' best known icon, Ronald McDonald.

She sure can juggle, can't she!

I will admit, Kazzy did look silly in Kaz's imagination.

Oh, so Ami wanted to celebrate the band's 8th Bandiversary! (at the time this aired)

Balloon Realistic Lion! Poor gullible Kaz.

This was quite a start to a full episode! Yeah, if I were to earn some money nobody else knows about, I'd keep it a secret, just to surprise people. "Bandiversary". Definitely a pun on Anniversary. Anyway, hilarious episode this!

My rating: 10/10.

8. Taffy Trouble.

Written by: Robert and Michelle Lamoreaux.

Aired: 26 November 2004.

The girls are evicted out of the bus and work at a lolly factory where (at first) are offered a lot of lollies. Thinking their job is to eat as many as they can, Ami and Yumi do so and get fairly fat. When their job manager walks in, he explains their real job, making toffee. Without knowledge of how to work the toffee machine, they create a giant toffee ball that destroys anything in its path, and they soon race to stop it from wrecking the bus.

Yep, we get the only appearance of Wacky Wally. Hmm...Willy Wonka, anyone?

Yep, these 2 girls sure thought lounging around in lollies was the job. Hmm...Pacman, anyone?

Yeah, these girls caused serious damage, didn't they?

Yeah, this episode was a bit surreal, but somewhat hilarious too, especially at the end. Hmm, could go for all that sweet sweet toffee!

My rating: 9.5/10.

9. Dance a Go-Go.

Written by: Robert and Michelle Lamoreaux.

Aired: 26 November 2004.

Ami convinces Yumi to be her partner in a TV dance contest. Unfortunately, during the contest, Ami is tripped by a competitor and stubs her toe.

Yep, Dance Party Hysteria. All kinds of dancing, huh? And look at the brand of TV the girls have. Panashiha. Panasonic, anyone?

Good Yumi. Stopping Ami from falling for her trick.



Ami and Yumi sure know how to dance worldwide! Especially Hula, Cossack and their Sco'esh Dancin'.

Oh boy! Mandy--er, sorry, Yumi, wanted her motor scooter, didn't she! If she did get it, they'd be something similar to a promo pic before the series even debuted, as well as the front cover for the Let's Go! DVD that contains this episode.

This ep sure was something! It shows these girls sure have got the moves and can do all kinds of dance. Good thing they did it to beat those who were doing that Square-Dancing, that Tango and that Lindy Hop. Their Cossack, their Hip Dance and their Scottesh Dance beat them, even with Ami's broken toe by one of their opponents. Too bad the girls didn't get their scooter, but hey! Just shows that you can't always get what you want, huh?

My rating: 9.5/10.

Final thoughts:

Okay, before I give away my final thoughts on this full episode, I just want to talk about a complaint some people have with this show. That is the background characters looking ugly. Well, I'm going to say that making the background characters ugly is a genius move. Making the background characters ugly makes the main characters more appealing. Seriously, to those of you who complain about the background characters, what were you expecting? Supermodels? Lots of cartoons have background characters designed like this, like The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter's Laboratory, Courage the Cowardly Dog and Codename Kids Next Door.

Also, onto this episode. This was a well done episode! 3 great eps in a row! We get to see Ami perform in a circus, the girls working in a confectionary factory and 'eck, even see them outdance other dancers in a dance show! Great series so far.

Episode rating: 9.5/10.

Season 1 scorecard:

1. Dis-Harmony: 9/10.

2. Collect All 5: 10/10.

3. Ninjcompoop: 9.5/10.

4. Talent Suckers: 9/10.

5. Ole: 9/10.

6. Mini Puffs: 9.5/10.

7. Ami's Secret: 10/10.

8. Taffy Trouble: 9.5/10.

9. Dance a Go-Go: 9.5/10.

Season 1 so far: 9.4/10. 



HHPAY S1E02: Talent Suckers, Ole & Mini Puffs

Time to get back to reviewing Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi. This time, it's the episode that premiered the same day as the series premiere.

4. Talent Suckers

Written by: Robert and Michelle Lamoreaux.

Aired: 19 November 2004.

Ami and Yumi meet a bunch of overzealous goths who turn out to be vampires. The vampires strip the girls of their rock talents so that they can start their own band.

Yes, folks. This episode, as the title implies, is the first episode to star the Talent Suckers.

Also, check out Slovakia.

Also, Yumi does look knocked out when plunging herself.

Oh boy, doesn't Numbuh 3's dad--er, I mean Kaz, look like an angel here!

Yep. Kaz definitely knows that vampires despise garlic!

Oh boy. A drum wheel to fix the tyre.

 

Well, we did get an interesting episode. The first to star our devious vampires who, like Count Spankulot, don't suck blood. Instead, these vampires suck talent out of musicians who are actually good at music. A nice way to continue. And Kaz sure was clever to order garlic pizza.

My rating: 9/10.

5. Ole.

Written by: Mitch Watson.

Aired: 19 November 2004.

When Ami and Yumi inadvertently best a bull while attending a bullfight in Latin America, they’re regarded as heroes. Now the town expects them to fight El Diablo, the toughest bull in the country.

One thing that puzzles me about this episode is how it says bullfighting exists in Mexico, yet they only do such a thing in Spain. Maybe the cartoonists did this because both Spain and Mexico speak the same language.

Yep, it was all Kaz's doing, getting Ami and Yumi into bull fighting.



Now, we've come to some bullfighting. And the first and only appearance of Mayor Mikaso.

LMAO! "Do Not Disturbas!" 

Boy was that piñata unpredictable!

Boy is El Diablo such a tough looking bull!

Heh! Whack-a-Puffy! Clever!

Gotta love how Ami and Yumi hypnotised El Diablo and everything to defeat him.

Yep. Kaz is definitely Mexico's champion. He did this just by turning the tour bus into a bull.

I will admit, this episode just was funny over the top. It kind of reminds me of The Lion King episode, The Pain in Spain, when Timon and Pumbaa fought a bull named El Toro. By the way, this ep shows another instance of Kaz being the hero. Just shows he's not always a cheapskate.

My rating: 9/10.

6. Mini-Puffs.

Written by: Steven Banks and Dave Pruiksma.

Aired: 19 November 2004.

Kaz creates a new band called The Mini-Puffs – composed of 2 babies. The toddlers soon become popular, even more popular than the girls. Ami and Yumi soon plot to get their jobs back.

Yep, we get the only appearance of the drooling bald wrinkly monsters. By the way, bald and wrinkly isn't true for all babies, I'll kind of disagree with Yumi on this. Well, the wrinkly part, for the most part, is mainly true for premature babies, babies who were born at least 3 weeks before they were supposed to be. Bald isn't true for all babies. Of course, some babies are born with little hair to no hair at all, while others are born with lots of hair. But yeah, Yumi Yoshimura was right about these drooling little monsters.

That Mini Puff band sure was quiet and adawable.

Boy, did Kaz make so much merchandise with these bald wrinkly monsters.

 

Gee, this episode shows how much hassle being a babysitter or parent of a baby or toddler can be!

Remind me to dress like this if I ever have kids of my own.

Yep, the first time we see Kaz without his glasses. Yep, his vision is dreadful, but not as bad as that of Miss Whoops.

Aww, getting the babies to sleep. Well done, girls!



Well, this sure is some episode. Of course, what the babies were doing were in a few parts, disgusting, like not wanting to eat baby food as well as pooping nappies that are so smelly, the girls have to wear biohazard suits, it just shows how much of a chore it is to look after babies, whether they be the baby of your aunt and uncle (i.e. your cousin), your baby brother or sister, your baby nephew or niece, a baby of your friend, or even your own baby. It just shows how disgusting it can be. A funny episode and those babies may be bald and wrinkly, but they are cute.

My rating: 9.5/10.

Final thoughts:

Another great episode! It introduced the talentless Talent Suckers, the sole appearance of El Diablo, and the cute, disgusting, and naughty Mini-Puffs. A nice way to finish the premiere date of the series.

Episode rating: 9/10.



Season 1 scorecard:

1. Dis-Harmony: 9/10.

2. Collect All 5: 10/10.

3. Ninjcompoop: 9.5/10.

4. Talent Suckers: 9/10.

5. Ole: 9/10.

6. Mini Puffs: 9.5/10.

Season 1 so far: 9.3/10. 





















TTTE: S17E16: Too Many Fire Engines

Time for me to review a Thomas episode from the current era, one that's written by the current headwriter of the TV series.

404. Too Many Fire Engines.

Written by: Andrew Brenner.

Aired: US: 8 October 2013. AUS: 14 October 2013. UK: 5 November 2013.

One day, Thomas is taking the Fat Controller, along with a team of railway inspectors around Sodor. The inspectors are pleased with what they have seen so far, and the Fat Controller tells Thomas to go to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. Thomas quickly sets off.
At the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre, Belle and Flynn are trying to see who can shoot water further as they wait for the railway inspectors to arrive. Flynn is just about to shoot water out of his cannons, when Thomas arrives with the railway inspectors. The Fat Controller explains how Belle has water cannons fitted to her boiler to fight fires. The inspectors are impressed, so the Fat Controller continues, saying how Flynn can run on both rails and roads. The railway inspectors are even more impressed, but wonder if there really needs to be two fire engines, which makes Belle and Flynn worry. But the Fat Controller suggests otherwise, which makes the pair of fire engines feel relieved just as the emergency bell rings. Butch arrives and explains that there is a fire in a shed near Wellsworth. Belle races off to put out the fire on the rails, but Flynn uses his road wheels instead, due to the road route being faster.
As Flynn reaches the shed, one of his tyres flattens and he has to stop, out of action. Flynn watches helplessly as Belle puts the fire out by herself. Thomas, Annie, Clarabel, and the railway inspectors all congratulate Belle for her excellent skills, but Flynn is very disappointed. Butch arrives to tow him back to the Rescue Centre, and tries to encourage him, which makes the fire engine feel better.
A few days later, the alarm sounds again. Rocky tells Flynn that Harold has spotted a forest fire near Arlesdale End. Flynn is unsure at first, until Rocky reminds him that he is the only fire engine available. Flynn sets off on the rails to prevent another flat tyre. He races by Wellsworth, passing Thomas with his coaches. Unknown to Flynn, Belle had already gone to the scene of the fire. As Flynn nears Arlesdale End, he sees the smoke, but it seems to turn into steam. As he rounds a bend, he sees that Belle had already put it out. Flynn is disappointed again and starts to believe that the railway inspectors were right.
A few days later, Thomas arrives at Flynn's shed and tells him that the Fat Controller wants him to go to the Ulfstead Castle Fireworks display, to watch out for fire, but Flynn refuses to go, saying Belle can go instead. Thomas goes off and tells Belle to go instead. That night, Thomas arrives with visitors at Ulfstead Castle to watch the fireworks. Belle is there too, watching in case of a fire.
Meanwhile, Flynn is sulking in his shed, just as Butch arrives and warns him of a fire. At first, Flynn is reluctant, until Butch tells him that the fire is at Brendam Docks and that Belle cannot go because she has to stay at the castle. Now, Flynn is motivated to go and leaves at once.
At the Docks, the dock workers are desperately trying to put out the fire, just as Flynn arrives and quickly puts it out. Flynn feels proud and realises that the Fat Controller does need two fire engines after all.


Yep, the first episode where Flynn the Fire Truck doesn't act like an idiot. There are some quotes I like.

Thomas the Tank Engine: Cinders and Ashes!

Stephen the Rocket: You mean Gunpowder and Chemicals! That's what fireworks are made of!

This episode is also not without a minor flaw. How did Rocky the Breakdown Train know the emergency? Is he psychic or something? Looks like the current team took care of that as of Wild Water Rescue from Season 19.

Andrew did wonders making a Thomas episode about fire safety, considering his scripts when he was headwriter of the early CGi seasons of Fireman Sam, another children's show that's owned by HiT and is in CGi now.

A great episode that teaches kids about fire safety, and that you can never have too many fire trucks. Because who knows? There may be a fire somewhere while another fire burns elsewhere.

Here's hoping someone does a rip off of this episode in a good way, say replace Belle and Flynn with Rocky and Jerome and Judy respectively. Why? To teach kids who want to work on railways when they grow up that you can never have too many breakdown trains.

My rating: 9.5/10.

Season 17 scorecard:

16. Too Many Fire Engines: 9.5/10.
Season 17 so far: 9.5/10.

RWS No. 24. Oliver the Western Engine

Also decided to get my Railway Series reviews continuing too. This time, the follow up to Enterprising Engines.

24. Oliver the Western Engine.

Written by: Reverend Awdry.

Illustrated by: Peter and Gunvor Edwards.

Published: 15 November 1969.

1969 was the turn of pop culture. The Beatles made their last announced public concert, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon, Richard Nixon's Head became America's 37th president, Monty Python first appeared, where is Scooby-Doo? Can you tell us how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?


Also, the very same year, Oliver got a book dedicated to him, especially since steam was abolished from British Railways.

Dear M.,
We both wanted to call this book Little Western Engines; but Publishers are stern men. They did not approve.

They, of course, don't know the trouble we've had with Oliver. We hope he has learnt sense, but goodness knows what will happen when he finds he has a book all to himself....

I know! If Oliver gets uppish, we'll set Messrs. Kaye & Ward on to him. That'll teach him!
W.

57. Donald's Duck.

Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.

Aired: US: 23 December 1991. UK: 31 March 1992. AUS: 19 February 1993.

The Fat Controller re-opens the Arlesburgh branch and asks Duck to run it for him. Duck is proud, and one night talks so much about his responsibility that Donald, at the end of his tether, makes quacking noises and says Duck's laid an egg. Duck, furious, makes a plan to get revenge, and his crew put a duckling in Donald's watertank. She pops out the next day at the water tower, and Donald realises it was Duck's pay-back. The duck is tame, and rides with Donald for a fair while, until she gets off at Haultraugh. Donald and his crew, plotting a last ploy, place a nestbox with an egg in it behind Duck's bunker. Duck acknowledges defeat, and nowadays the duck lives happily at Haultraugh.

The adaptation is faithful, but why make this before Escape? It's too bad the Small Engines weren't mentioned, but it makes sense since they weren't in the TV series at the time. Then again, it does make some sense since Oliver wasn't mentioned in the original story, but then again, even though some of this adaptation takes place on Thomas' branch line, it's still a well done adaptation. Also, clever pun, Wilbert! Donald's Duck: Donald Duck.

RWS/TV rating: 9.5/10.


74. Resource and Sagacity/Oliver Owns Up.

Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.

Aired: UK: 16 June 1992. AUS: 16 March 1993. US: 9 July 1993.

After Oliver was rescued, he and Isabel were repainted in Great Western colours, joined by another coach called Dulcie, who was also rescued, and started working on the Arlesburgh branch. The big engines are amazed at Oliver's adventures, and say approving things to him, making him proud and over-confident, but Oliver meets his match after a load of disgruntled ballast trucks push him into the turntable well. After Duck, Donald, Douglas, and the Fat Controller speak to him sternly, he is left feeling very silly.

Okay, the adaptation is not without its faults. Because the Arlesdale engines weren't made for TV at the time, it does affect the adaptation greatly. Also, the other problem is that the trucks weren't filled with ballast. In the adaptation, they're filled with coal. The only thing that overlaps these flaws is the ace accident.

RWS rating: 9/10.

TV rating: 8/10.

98. Toad Stands By.

Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.

Aired: US: 23 September 1995. UK: 10 November 1995. AUS: 17 May 1996.

When Oliver returns, the trucks, led by a wagon named S. C. Ruffey, make rude songs about him. The others try to get them to shut up, but no avail. Toad makes a plan and asks Douglas if he can share it with Oliver. Duck is apprehensive at first, but Oliver feels he must make things right, and so it is arranged. Oliver lines the worst trucks up, with guidance from Toad, and starts. Scruffey, who is at the front, tells the others to hold back, and they do, but Oliver is so determined he simply pulls Scruffey to pieces. Although the Fat Controller attributes it to Scruffey's poor design, he whispers to Oliver to keep it quiet. It's for a good reason, too, because the trucks are so afraid Oliver will pull them apart that they never trouble him again.

This episode should have been kept for Season 3. Because this story takes place after Oliver Owns Up. And there is another problem with this episode. When S.C.Ruffey was pulled apart, why was he repaired? The Spiteful Break Van was broken to pieces and stayed dead afterwards. Coming from an arrogant businesswoman who said The Missing Coach would confuse little kids. But all in all, this story does have the moral of bullies getting what's coming to them. Also, that ripping apart of S.C.Ruffey was well filmed.

RWS rating: 9/10.

TV rating: 8.5/10.

75. Bulgy.

Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.

Aired: UK: 23 June 1992. AUS: 17 March 1993. US: 9 April 1993.

It's Bank Holiday, and Duck meets a left-wing doubledecker bus who is determined to scrap all railways. Oliver tells Duck that he should not be taken seriously and nicknames him Bulgy, but is worried when Bulgy's friend arrives, leaving Bulgy to take their passengers with the promise of a faster way home and the lie that he accepts railway tickets. Duck is crossly puffing home when he is stopped by a bridge where Bulgy has wedged underneath. Duck carefully makes it across, and takes the passengers home. In the end, Bulgy stayed under the bridge until it was mended, but continued to lie, and eventually was turned into a henhouse.

Of all the adaptations of this book, this one is the least loose of them all. And let me tell you all why the homeward rush time being broad daylight isn't a problem. In springtime, especially in May for the Northern Hemisphere and November in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun doesn't go down until like 7:15 pm. Also, this episode is set during Bank Holiday. It's funny to see Bulgy the Double Decker Bus get stuck under the bridge, getting his comeuppance. Solid adaptation indeed.

RWS/TV rating: 9.5/10.

Final thoughts:

Indeed a superb book. It gives Oliver some character development, has a remix of Pop Goes the Diesel, and it gives us details on Duck's branch line. You know, since the Arlesdale engines are in CGi now, let's just hope one of the follow ups to The Adventure Begins is a readaptation of this book to get right a few things Britt didn't in the 1990s.

My rating: 9.3/10.





RWS scorecard:

8. Gordon the Big Engine: 9.2/10.

13. Duck and the Diesel Engine: 9.2/10.

18. Stepney the Bluebell Engine: 9/10.

21. Main Line Engines: 9.3/10.

23. Enterprising Engines: 9.9/10.

24. Oliver the Western Engine: 9.3/10.

25. Duke the Lost Engine: 9.8/10.

26. Tramway Engines: 9.8/10.

30. More About Thomas the Tank Engine: 8.8/10.

40. New Little Engine: 5.7/10.

Season 3 scorecard:

4. Gordon and the Famous Visitor: 9.5/10.

5. Donald's Duck: 9.5/10.

6. Thomas Gets Bumped: 10/10.

7. Thomas, Percy and the Dragon: 9.5/10.

8. Diesel Does it Again: 7/10.

9. Henry's Forest: 9.5/10.

10. The Trouble with Mud: 6/10.

13. Trust Thomas: 10/10.

14. Mavis: 9/10.

15. Toby's Tightrope: 9/10.

16. Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party: 8.5/10.

17. Buzz, Buzz: 9/10.

20. Tender Engines: 6/10.

21. Escape: 10/10.

22. Oliver Owns Up: 8/10.

23. Bulgy: 9.5/10.

26. Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure: 8.5/10*

Season 3 rating so far: 9.1/10.

Season 4 scorecard:

1. Granpuff: 8/10.

2. Sleeping Beauty: 6/10.

3. Bulldog: 8.5/10.

4. You Can't Win: 9/10.

15. Rusty to the Rescue: 5/10.

16. Thomas and Stepney: 5.5/10.

17. Bowled Out: 9.5/10.

18. Train Stops Play: 9/10.

20. Toad Stands By: 8.5/10.

23. Paint Pots and Queens: 9/10.

Season 4 rating so far: 8.1/10.