The pink blob that changed everything began as a fleeting moment of confusion in the Luxembourg Garden in Paris on the 1st of May 1970. Talus Taylor, an American writer, was walking with his wife Annette Tison when he heard a child asking for something called Baa baa baa baa. Not speaking French, Taylor asked his wife what the words meant, and she explained that the child was asking for Barbe à papa, which literally translates to Daddy's beard but refers to cotton candy. This simple misunderstanding sparked a creative fire that would lead to the creation of a global franchise. The couple, who lived in Paris, began drawing on a restaurant tablecloth, sketching a pink and round character inspired by the candy. When it came time to name the character, Barbapapa came naturally, marking the beginning of a journey that would span decades and continents.
A Family Of Shapeshifting Wonders
A family of shapeshifting wonders emerged from the pages of the first book, introducing a unique species of creatures who could transform into any form they chose. Barbapapa himself was a papaya-shaped, pink shapeshifting blob-like creature who grew from the ground and tried to fit in the human world. The shapeshifting was usually accompanied by the saying Clickety Click, Barba Trick, or in the 1970s British dub All Change! The family included Barbamama, a female of his species who was more shapely and black-coloured, and their seven children. The four sons were Barbabravo, a sports fan in red; Barbabright, a scientist in blue; Barbazoo, a nature enthusiast in yellow; and Barbabeau, a painter in black and furry. The three daughters were Barbalala, a musician in green; Barbabelle, a narcissistic beauty queen in purple; and Barbalib, an intellectual in orange. Each Barbapapa retained their faces and distinctive colour, making them easily identifiable despite their transformations.From Page To Screen In A Flash
From page to screen in a flash, the Barbapapa story expanded into a television phenomenon that captivated audiences across the globe. A few years after the book's initial publication, Frank Fehmers, a Dutch publisher, set up a co-production with Joop Visch of Polyscope-PolyGram and the Japanese animation studio Topcraft Limited Company. The storyboards were designed by Taylor, and after twelve years, Fehmers and Tison/Taylor discontinued their business relationship. The first animated series, simply titled Barbapapa, aired on French, British, and Dutch TV in 1974, and premiered in Japan three years later, in 1977. One hundred five-minute-long episodes, spanning two seasons, were produced and aired on television. In 1999, another animated series called Barbapapa Around The World was produced and aired in Japan, animated by Studio Pierrot and produced by Kodansha. The series depicted the family travelling to different countries around the world and aired over 50 episodes. In 2019, a new animated series, called Barbapapa: One Big Happy Family!, was produced by Normaal Animation, written by Alice Taylor and Thomas Taylor, the children of Tison and Taylor.