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{{For|the Italian saint|Calimerius}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox character
| series = Calimero
| name = Calimero
| image   = Calimero.jpg
| image_size      =
| caption = Calimero poster showing two of the main characters.
| creator = Nino Pagot<br />[[Toni Pagot]]<br />[[Ignazio Colnaghi]]
| first = ''[[Carosello]]'' 
|voice= [[Ignazio Colnaghi]]<br />[[Davide Garbolino]] (2013–present)
| last  =
| occupation = 
|species            = Chick
| gender             = Male
| family             = 
| lbl21            = Origin
| data21           = [[Italy]]
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| name = Calimero
| ja_kanji = カリメロ
| ja_romaji = Karimero
| genre = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Video
| type            = TV series
| director        = Yugo Serikawa
| producer        = 
| writer          = 
| music           = 
| studio          = Organizzazione Pagot<br />[[Toei Animation]]
| network         = [[All-Nippon News Network|ANN]] ([[TV Asahi|NET]]) 
| first           = July 14, 1963
| last            = September 30, 1975
| episodes        = 47
| episode_list    = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Video
| type            = TV series
| director        = Tsuneo Tominaga<br>[[Shigeru Ueda]]
| producer        = 
| writer          = 
| music           = Junnosuke Yamamoto
| studio          = [[Telescreen (company)|Telescreen]]
| network         =[[TX Network|TXN]] ([[TV Tokyo]])
| first           = October 15, 1992
| last            = September 9, 1993
| episodes        = 52
| episode_list    = 
}}
{{Infobox animanga/Video
| type            = TV series
| director        = 
| producer        = 
| writer          = 
| music           = 
| studio          = [[Gaumont Animation]]<br>Studio Campedelli<ref>{{cite web|title=Gaumont Leads Co-Production Reboot of ‘Calimero’|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2013/06/gaumont-leads-co-production-reboot-of-calimero/|website=Animation Magazine|date=June 13, 2013}}</ref>
| network         = [[TF1]] (France)<br>[[Rai 2]] (Italy)<br>TXN (TV Tokyo) (Japan)
| first           = October 7, 2013
| last            = September 25, 2016
| episodes        = 104

| episode_list    = 
|network_en={{English anime network|[[United Kingdom|UK]]/[[Australia|AUS]]|[[Disney Junior]]}}}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}

'''''Calimero''''' is an animated television series about a charming but hapless anthropomorphized chicken; the only black one in a family of yellow chickens.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crump |first1=William D. |title=Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film |date=2019 |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=9781476672939 |page=38}}</ref> He wears half of his egg shell still on his head. Calimero originally appeared on the Italian television show ''[[Carosello]]'' on July 14, 1963, and soon became a popular icon in Italy.

The characters were created by the animation studio Organizzazione Pagot and originated as a series of animated advertisements for Miralanza AVA soap products shown throughout Italy. The creators of the main character were Nino Pagot, [[Toni Pagot]] and [[Ignazio Colnaghi]].<ref name=AM1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/new-calimero-series-premiere-frances-tf1/|title=New 'Calimero' Series to Premiere on France's TF1|first=Tom|last=McLean|date=January 27, 2014}}</ref> At the end of each episode, it turns out that Calimero is not actually black, but only very dirty, and becomes white after being washed by the advertised soap products.

The characters were later licensed in Japan as an [[anime]] series twice, titled {{nihongo|''Calimero''|カリメロ|Karimero}}. The first was produced by K&S and animated by [[Toei Animation]] and ran from October 15, 1972, to September 30, 1975; the second, with new settings and characters, was made by [[Telescreen (company)|Telescreen]] in 1992. Altogether, 99 Japanese episodes were made (47 in the 1972 Toei series, and 52 in the 1992 Telescreen series). The series mostly consists of the many adventures of Calimero and his friends as they solve mysteries and make documentaries. However, their adventures usually get them into quite a bit of trouble. The second series was never renewed for a second season. English dubbed versions for the first two anime series were never officially released, though dubbed pilot episodes do exist. However, the series did come out in other languages. The original 1970s shorts and the third CGI series were released in English, however. The first series was also broadcast on European networks such as [[TROS]] (The Netherlands), [[ZDF]] and [[RTL II]] (Germany) or [[Televisión Española|TVE]] (Spain).

A third animation series about the character in [[computer animation]] premiered in [[TF1]] in 2013. The production team includes France’s [[Gaumont Animation]], rights owner Calidra, Italy’s Studio Campedelli and Japanese partners [[TV Tokyo]] and [[Kodansha]]. The series also aired on several other TV channels, including on [[Disney Junior]] in the United Kingdom and Australia.<ref name=AM1 />

==Characters==

===1974 series===
*{{nihongo|'''Calimero'''|カリメロ}} – The titular protagonist of the show. {{anime voices2|Calimero|[[Katsue Miwa]]|Uti Hof}}<ref name="Cast">{{cite web | url = http://www.charapit.com/calimero/anim.htm | script-title=ja:カリメロアニメ紹介 | publisher = Chara Pit | language = ja | access-date = December 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.goffmortuary.com/obituaries/uti-blanchard | title=Uti Hof Blanchard Obituary 2022 | publisher = Goff Mortuary | language = en | access-date = March 25, 2024}}</ref>
*{{nihongo|'''Priscilla'''|プリシラ}} – Calimero's girlfriend, a shy bird with common sense. {{anime voices2|Priscilla|[[Michiko Nomura]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Peter Jobatta'''|ピーター ジョバッタ|Papero Piero in the Italian original spot}} – {{anime voices2|Peter|[[Kaneta Kimotsuki]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Buta'''|ブータ}} – {{anime voices2|Buta|[[Masako Nozawa]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Deppa'''|デッパ}} – {{anime voices2|Deppa|[[Sachiko Chijimatsu]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Calimero's mother'''|カリメロの母|Cesira in the Italian original spot}} – {{anime voices2|Calimero's mother|[[Masako Nozawa]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Calimero's father'''|カリメロの父|Gallettoni in the Italian original spot}} – {{anime voices2|Calimero's father|[[Kenichi Ogata (voice actor)|Ken'ichi Ogata]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Mr. Owl'''|フクロウ先生}} – {{anime voices2|Mr. Owl|[[Jōji Yanami]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>

===1992 series===
*'''Calimero''' – {{anime voices2|Calimero|[[Shinobu Adachi]]|Liz MacRae}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*'''Priscilla''' – {{anime voices2|Priscilla|[[Akemi Okamura]]|[[Aimée Castle]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Peter'''|ピーター}} – {{anime voices2|Peter|Akirasa Ōmori|[[Rick Jones (voice actor)|Rick Jones]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Giuliano (Peanut in English dub pilot)'''|ジュリアーノ}} – {{anime voices2|Giuliano|[[Yūji Ueda]]}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Susie'''|スージー}} – a wealthy girl duck. {{anime voices2|Susie|Natsumi Sasaki}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Roshita'''|ロシータ}} – {{anime voices2|Roshita|Hiroko Kasahara}}<ref name="Cast"/>
*{{nihongo|'''Pepe'''|ペペ}} – {{anime voices2|Pepe|Masashi Ebara}}<ref name="Cast"/>

===2013 series===
*'''Calimero''' - Voiced by: [[Rachel Berger]] (English) / Fanny Bloc (French) / [[Ayaka Asai]] (Japanese)
*'''Priscilla''' -Voiced by: Naïke Fauveau (French) / [[Rumi Ōkubo]] (Japanese)
*'''Giuliano (Valeriano in UK English dub)'''- Voiced by Georges de Vitis (French) / [[Kokoro Kikuchi]] (Japanese)
*'''Peter (Pierrot in UK English dub)''' - Voiced by: Pascal Sellem (French) / Tōru Sakurai (Japanese)
*'''Susie''' - Voiced by: Ren Kato (Japanese)
*'''Pepe''' - Voiced by: Tōmoyuki Maruyama (Japanese)

== Legacy ==

=== Mobile game ===
A mobile game titled ''Calimero's Village'' was released for [[IOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] on May 7, 2015, developed by [[BulkyPix]] in partnership with Gaumont Animation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Gaumont Launches 'Calimero' Mobile App |url=https://www.awn.com/news/gaumont-launches-calimero-mobile-app |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=Animation World Network |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 April 2018 |title=Gaumont Launches First 'Calimero' App |url=https://www.licenseglobal.com/character/gaumont-launches-first-calimero-app |website=License Global}}</ref> Set in the village of Hatchington, the game follows Calimero as he builds a new life and reunites with friends such as Priscilla, Valeriano, and Pierrot.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gaumont Launches ‘Calimero’ Mobile App |url=https://www.awn.com/news/gaumont-launches-calimero-mobile-app |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=Animation World Network |language=en}}</ref> Players begin by constructing Calimero’s house and a mill, and can later expand the town with houses, roads, crops, gardens, and other buildings.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Coquis |first=Christophe |date=2015-05-08 |title=Le village de Calimero se construit sur ton mobile (Android, iOS) |url=https://www.geekjunior.fr/le-village-de-calimero-se-construit-mobile-android-ios-2204/ |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=Geek Junior - |language=fr-FR}}</ref> The app also includes five mini-games where you can earn coins and experience.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Contarino |first=Emiliano |date=2015-05-08 |title=Il villaggio di Calimero, il manageriale Bulkypix che rievoca il carosello anni '60 |url=https://www.macitynet.it/il-villaggio-di-calimero-manageriale-ios/ |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=macitynet.it |language=it-IT}}</ref> At release, the game was sold for €2.99.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siciliani |first=Francesco |date=2015-05-07 |title=Il villaggio di Calimero: arriva un gestionale per i più piccoli |url=https://www.iphoneitalia.com/575517/il-villaggio-di-calimero-arriva-un-gestionale-per-i-piu-piccoli |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=iPhone Italia |language=it-IT}}</ref>

==Impact in popular culture==
The main character in the anime series has had a lasting impact in the vocabulary of some countries, either because of his looks, with an egg shell on his head, or because of his frequent complaining about being unfairly treated by others:

* ''Calimero'' is the name and subject of a [[Hermann Hearts Pauline#Track listing|Welsh language song]] by the band [[Super Furry Animals]]<ref>The lyrics in Welsh say "Calimero wyt ti'n gwisgo wy ar dy ben" (''Calimero you're wearing an egg on your head'')</ref>
* French singer [[Brigitte Fontaine]] collaborated with the band [[Stereolab]] on a [[Stereolab discography#Discography|song of the same name]]<ref>The lyrics in French say "Je suis Caliméro, le vilain poussin noir" ("I'm Calimero, the naughty black chicken").</ref>
* In the Netherlands and Belgium, the term "Calimerocomplex" is used to denote people who are staunchly convinced that their position as an underdog is due to their smaller size, either literally or symbolically, which covers up for their own shortcomings. Often the character's lines from the show are cited, "They are big and I is {{sic}} small and that is not fair, oh no!" (translated back from Dutch, with intentional error).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.flanderstoday.eu/politics/calimero|title=Calimero|last=Otte|first=Anja|date=May 5, 2009|work=Flanders Today|access-date=June 6, 2012|archive-date=September 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917182933/http://www.flanderstoday.eu/politics/calimero|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The [[slang]] nickname during the 1970s and 1980s for [[military policemen]] in the [[Israeli Army]] was ''Calimero'', due to their egg-shaped white [[helmet]]; the same was the case in Spain,<ref>[http://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/198194.pdf Juan Gómez Capuz: El argot de los soldados de reemplazo: aspectos lexico-semánticos, lexicogenésicos y fraseológicos.] (In Spanish)</ref> where ''calimero'' was also a name for a type of helmet for motorbikers.<ref>[http://sevilla.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-28-05-2009/sevilla/Nacional/adios-al-casco-calimero_921310760992.html ABC newspaper: ''Adiós al «casco calimero»''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226044653/http://sevilla.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-28-05-2009/sevilla/Nacional/adios-al-casco-calimero_921310760992.html |date=December 26, 2015 }} (In Spanish)</ref>
* In parts of [[Yugoslavia]], the [[Polski Fiat 126p]] was nicknamed ''Kalimero'' in reference to the character.
* Italian luxury fashion house [[Bottega Veneta]] introduced the "Kalimero" bucket bag in 2022, taking inspiration from the bindle that the character carries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-23 |title=Bottega Veneta's Matthieu Blazy Is Taking Artisanal Craft in a New Direction |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/matthieu-blazy-bottega-veneta-interview-september-2022 |access-date=2023-03-08 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.calimero.com/ Official website]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlM--m-AELY Calimero's first commercial (1963)]
* {{anime News Network|anime|1234}}
* {{anime News Network|anime|1235|Calimero 1992}}
* {{anime News Network|anime|16139|Calimero 2013}}

{{Toei Animation|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:1972 anime television series debuts]]
[[Category:1992 anime television series debuts]]
[[Category:2013 anime television series debuts]]
[[Category:Television series about chickens]]
[[Category:Italian children's animated television series]]
[[Category:Dutch children's animated television series]]
[[Category:British children's animated television shows]]
[[Category:Japanese children's animated television series]]
[[Category:French children's animated television series]]
[[Category:Fictional Italian people]]
[[Category:Toei Animation television]]
[[Category:TV Asahi original programming]]
[[Category:TV Tokyo original programming]]
[[Category:YTV (Canadian TV channel) original programming]]
[[Category:BBC children's television shows]]
[[Category:ITV children's television shows]]
[[Category:RTVE shows]]
[[Category:Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming]]
[[Category:Eggs in culture]]
[[Category:Gaumont Animation]]
[[Category:Anthropomorphic chickens]]
[[Category:Children's television series about talking animals]]
[[Category:Cel-shaded animation]]