Combo Niños

Combo Niños
Left: Serio, right: Pilar, up: Azul, down: Paco
GenreAction
Created by
  • Carlo de Boutiny
  • Caroline Pierce
  • Fabienne Gambrelle
Directed byJean-Jacques Lasarte
Composers
Country of originFrance
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producers
  • Stéphanie Kirchmayer
  • Jacqueline Tordjman
  • Marc Buhaj
Producers
Running time22 minutes
Production companySIP Animation
Original release
Network
ReleaseAugust 2008 (2008-08)

Combo Niños is a French animated television series created by SIP Animation in collaboration with Jetix Europe and TF1, aimed towards the 6–10 years old audience. The series is about the adventures of 4 juvenile capoeira practitioners with the mission to protect the city of Nova Nizza from attack by mystical creatures from another dimension called "Divinos".

The Combo Niños have the ability to transform into mystical beings in anthropomorphic animal form by touching one of the totems that appear on the creatures. This form gives them unique skills that serve them in the battle against the Divinos and to perform special attacks called Big Blastico, used to return a Divino back to its own dimension.

Setting

The series takes place in an environment similar to Latin American countries, but especially Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico. This is evidenced by clothing, architecture, food, and names, as well as the use of the Capoeira style of fighting. In addition, some characters play a sport called Novanoc that parodies the ancient game of the Mayans, the pok-ta-pok.

Characters

The children

The children are the Combo 4, each of them being 11 years old: Serio, Paco, Azul and Pilar.

The Masters

The children are mentored in their activities by "The Masters".

Villains

Divinos

The mystical creatures from another world that previously have been in the world of humans but caused chaos and disaster, until they were returned to their own world. Most of them seek conquest of the world of humans but are trapped in their world. Unfortunately, Diadoro's ambition has led them back to return to the world of humans, and although Diadoro wants them to follow his orders, they ignore him, though some are interested in helping him until it's time to break free and try again to conquer the world by themselves. The Divinos each display one of the four totem symbols on their body that, when touched by the child with the corresponding animal, allows them to transform into their Animal Forms.

Recurring Characters

Episodes

No.Title Written byStoryboarded byDivino(s)Original release date
1"Double Niños"Michael RyanLaurent Bru & Daniel DubuisDuplicoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
An all singing, all dancing Divino named Duplico causes trouble by turning into anyone he touches.
2"Insecto Gigante"Mark HoffmeierDaniel Dubuis & Laurent BruInsecto GiganteAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Azul has to deal with a Divino who can control all the bugs in town, which is her worst fear!
3"Big Bad Buffbullo"Chris BrownJordi Valbuena Hernandez & Laurent SalouBuffbullo/ParasitoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
A talent show is held in Nova Nitza which the kids attend. Serio thinks the only talent he has is to train a Divino - Buffbullo to be more specific.
4"Masks"Michael RyanDaniel Dubuis & Laurent BruCalamar
Perro Cerebro
August 2008 (2008-08)
Diadoro and Gomez are bound to find out who the Combo Niños are, so with the help of a Dog Divino, they attempt to take them.
5"Dream Divino"Ernie AltbakerJordi Valbuena HernandezSenor SuenoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Senor Sueno, the master of sleep is released and causes the Nova Nitza citizens to fall into a deep sleep themselves!
6"Merry Merry Mariachis"Mark HoffmeierDaniel Dubuis & Laurent BruThe Merry Merry MiriachisAugust 2008 (2008-08)
A trio of music-playing Divinos cause everyone in town to dance non-stop to their endless music!
7"El Gaseoso"Michael RyanJordi Valbuena Hernandez & Laurent SalouEl GaseosoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
A very stinky Divino causes a huge stinkbomb in town, while Pilar solves the problem of green gelatin.
8"Gah Gah Boom Boom"Chris BrownJordi Valbuena Hernandez & Laurent SalouBaby Dragon and its MotherAugust 2008 (2008-08)
The School's classroom takes a look at a baby Ocelot. As that is going on, a wild baby Dragon Divino wreaks havoc, threatening to destroy the dam. Its mother proves to be even worse, wanting to use Nova Nitza as a playground for her baby.
9"Kissy Kissy Love Love"Simon JowettDaniel Dubuis & Laurent BruKissy Kissy Love LoveAugust 2008 (2008-08)
A Divino named Kissy Kissy Love Love captivates everyone in Nova Nitza, but is really hiding a big secret behind it...
10"Viva Selvasa"Ernie AltbakerStéphane AnnetteSelvasaAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Selvasa rules the plants in different areas, but is waiting to rule a city with its powers.
11"Nizza Knights"Mark Hoffmeier & Ernie AltbakerJordi Valbuena Hernandez & Daniel DubuisThe Undefeatable SportivoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Diadoro releases an almost undefeatable Divino in order to win over his team.
12"Super Agua Señor"Ian CarneyMatthieu CordierSuper Agua SenorAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Old Head takes hold of training when Grinto feels sick. Meanwhile, Diadoro and Gomez release a Divino who can help put the Nova Nitza Park back to them.
13"El Gecko"Art YoungDaniel Dubuis & Laurent BruEl GeckoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Diadoro releases a Divino who can vandalise an entire town after being infuriated by a campaign held by the Combo Niños to keep Nova Nitza tidy.
14"Bickering Birdateers"Simon JowettFranck Leguay & Roland Boschi & Nicolas ViegeolatLoro and AveAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Diadoro and Gomez release 2 bird Divinos who do nothing but argue with each other!
15"The Fantastico Super Niños"Ernie AltbakerJordi Valbuena Hernandez & Marc CrévisyGizmoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Diadoro attempts to make a TV show based on the Combo Niños, only to release a robotic Divino for the recording.
16"Attack of the Combo Divinos"Mark HoffmeierMarc Crévisy & Franck LeguayDuplico, Insecto Gigante and Buffbullo/Parasito
The Combo Divino (Combination of Duplico, Insecto Gigante and Buffbullo)
August 2008 (2008-08)
The Niños accidentally sell the items where Duplico, Insecto Gigante and Buffbullo were placed in on Nizzabay to Gomez and Diadoro, who release them back to Nova Nitza through the help of a device created by Gomez. When the Niños accidentally touch Grinto's "Monkey" totem which ends up combining the 3 Divinos into a giant Divino with 3 heads, Master Grinto and Old Head are sent out to help the Niños with this situation.
17"Mama Conda"Agnès Bidaud & Pierre MonjamelLaurent Bru & Mizuho Sato ZanovelloMama Conda and her ChildrenAugust 2008 (2008-08)
A mistake causes a huge snake Divino to be released to the world. Azul goes ahead to conquer her fear of snakes with an unlikely friend by her side...
18"Monkey Madness"Ian CarneyJordi Valbuena Hernandez & Daniel DubuisMono and his Monkey ArmyAugust 2008 (2008-08)
A Monkey Divino attempts to turn Nova Nitza into a town full of primates!
19"Night of the Zotz"Erika StéhliJordi Valbuena HernandezZotzAugust 2008 (2008-08)
The Divino Zotz wants to get what he wants - turning everyone into creatures like him!
20"Into the Divino World"Erika StéhliLaurent Bru & Mizuho Sato ZanovelloElefanto
Deceptiva
August 2008 (2008-08)
Pilar accidentally heads into the world where the Divinos live due to the lies spread by Deceptiva. The other Combo Niños must save her.
21"Kid Grinto"Art YoungJordi Valbuena Hernandez & Marc CrévisyElefanto
Chiquito
August 2008 (2008-08)
The wild kid Divino Chiquito, turns Mestre Grinto into a kid again, and not any old kid - a really wild one!
22"The Ol'Switcheroo"Chris BrownLaurent BruCambiadorAugust 2008 (2008-08)
A pixie-like Divino threatens to switch Nova Nitza with the Divino World!
23"The Luckiest Luck"Erika StéhliMarc Crévisy & Franck LeguayLady LuckAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Serio loses a lucky charm, and he's up against a Divino of luck!
24"The Divino Code"Ian CarneyJordi Valbuena HernandezCerebrinoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Cerebrino, a very brainy Divino gets revenge on Grinto by challenging him to a game of intelligence.
25"Paco Strikes it Rich"Art YoungJordi Valbuena Hernandez & Marc CrévisyAvariciosoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
Avaricioso gets released by Diadoro and Gomez, allowing the latter to gain the fame he wants at becoming mayor of Nova Nitza.
26"Divino Doro"Simon JowettLaurent Bru & Mizuho Sato ZanovelloMagníficoAugust 2008 (2008-08)
The most handsome Divino, Magnífico takes control of Diadoro's body to make him look more handsome than before.

Production

Combo Niños was produced by French animation studio SIP Animation, with animation work done by the Malaysian studio Inspidea [ms].

The series was originally announced in October 2004, with delivery planned for the first quarter of 2006, and an expected budget of approximately US$370,000 per episode. At the time, the character of Diadoro was envisioned as a "down-on-his-luck e-trader".

Broadcast

Besides Jetix in Europe and Latin America, the series has also been broadcast on several other networks.

Reception

The series has been appraised as part of a well-needed fresh wave of television programming at the time. The concept of introducing young viewers to capoeira via an animated medium has been viewed positively, though some aspects were criticized as not ideal.

References

  1. 1 2 "Jetix Europe, SIP Animation & TF1 to Co-Produce Combo Ninos". Animation World Network.
  2. ↑ "Combo Niños". Le Monde.fr. August 29, 2008 – via Le Monde.
  3. 1 2 "TV Tonight". TV Tonight.
  4. ↑ "All Seasons - Combo Ninos". digiguide.tv.
  5. ↑ "WORKS". Inspidea Animation.
  6. ↑ "Cool New Shows!".
  7. ↑ "Combo Niños llega a México, cortesía de Jetix". November 26, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Les Combo Niños débarquent !". www.capoeira-france.com.