Japanese Children Shows: Knyakki (Animation)

I'm pretty sure that this was a one off, as I've only seen it today.

Knyakki is a short animation mixed with clay and photos. It follows a little green worm, his little green lady-worm-friend and a stink bug as they traverse the wonderful world of the city. As it happens, Knyakki loves to whistle, and is amazing at it!

One day, while falling asleep in a flower in a flower shop, the flower is bought by an entertainer who accidently discovers this little worm and his talents while on stage performing. His whistling is an instant hit, leading to the entertainer kidnapping the little worm, shoving him into a tank where he's starved and beaten and forced to be on a TV show - The Whistle Worm Show.

Of course, being beaten and starved as he is, little Knyakki is soon unable to perform, reversing all of the public adulation they had been receiving while scores of other animal acts vie to take his place. Angered, the entertainer tosses Knyakki and his tank out the window allowing him to be rescued by his two buggy friends!

As a watched, I thought that, in it's way, was quite a bold story for Japanese mini-kids. I really liked it. If I can find it on YouTube in a while, I'll throw it up, though it just aired today, as I've said.