Usavich

Usavich (ウサビッチ?) (from Japanese うさぎ "usagi", rabbit, with "vich" giving it faux Russian flavor) is a series of animated short films being produced for MTV Japan by Kanaban Graphics since 2006. It's about an odd couple of rabbits imprisoned in a Soviet prison. While the first season shows the absurd everyday occurrences of the two rabbits' prison life, the second season tells the adventures of their escape and life on the run. Season 3 is currently running.

Setting

The episodes are quite musical. Most every action has a sound associated with it and most episodes in the first season begin with a quiet jazzy beat accompanied by the rhythmic squeaking noises of Putin dancing Kozachok on his bed. Episode usually ends with punchline accompanied by chorale Jesu bleibet meine Freude from J.S. Bach's cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (BWV 147). The animation style is a clean rather sparse linear style with broad swatches of color. There is no speaking. There may be incomprehensible whispers, but usually no intelligible speech is heard (though in the second season some Russian phrases can be heard quite clearly). Everything is communicated through either incidental sound or by a character's stereotypical expressions of rage, fear, etc.

Characters

Kirenenko
Kirenenko wears a prison uniform with red stripes, number 04. He has a safety pin stuck through his left ear. Originally a mafia boss, he was sentenced to death. He once had a twin brother. Generally quiet, but very dangerous when he becomes angry and goes berserk. He likes order and does not forgive anyone who crosses his path or otherwise "meddles" in his life. He collects sneakers (shoes) and is generally oblivious (apathetic) to the world around him while he reads his magazine advertising sneakers. He cares for nothing but his sneakers.

Putin
Putin wears a prison uniform with green stripes, number 541. Has his ears tied together and is good-natured. He likes to dance kazachok on his bed (episode 12 shows him dancing kazachok in his sleep). Although generally dim-witted, when the door gave him a test he was passing with flying colors until he failed to correctly identify the gender of all the chicks when he placed the transvestite chick into the female slot instead of the male slot. Likes fun but often gets in trouble. An honest laborer who once missed a day of work due to hangover and was sentenced to 3 years in jail as a capitalist agent. However, he enjoys life in prison with its free food. He was only one day from being released when he followed Kirenenko out of the cell.

Leningrad
Leningrad is a frog living in the toilet in Putin and Kirenenko's cell. He does little more than croak, eat Komanech, and defecate her out again.

Komanech
Komanech is a transvestite ("okama") chick found by Putin while sorting chicks by gender in Episode 2. Her mother visited during episode 6 and was eaten by Kirenenko.

Prison workers
Several guards and other prison workers visit Putin and Kirenenko in their cell. They are never fully visible, and the character on the other side of the door is indicated by one of several door designs that slide into place. Episode 3 briefly reveals that they too are rabbits.

* Kanshukov - various guards (from kanshu, Japanese for prison guard)
* Rodov - work boss (from rodou, labor)
* Zenirov - paymaster (from zeni, cash)
* Shokeshi - executioner (from shokei, execution)

Boris and Copuchief
Boris and Copuchief (or Koptsev) are militsiya (police) officers, who chase Kirenenko. Copuchief is a driver while Boris a rifleman.