My Big Big Friend (Portuguese: Meu Amigãozão) is an animated children's television series created by Andrés Lieban and Claudia Koogan Breitman, co-produced by Brazilian studio 2DLab and the Canadian company Breakthrough Animation.
It had its first showing on July 19, 2010 on Discovery Kids Latin America in Spanish as Amigazazo or Mi amigazazo and on May 15, 2011 on TV Brasil. It also premiered in Canada on Treehouse TV on September 1, 2008. It was financed with the laws of federal tax incentives, the Procult (BNDES) and the Audiovisual Sector Fund – FSA.
The show centers around the friendships of three children, Yuri, Lili and Matt, each of whom has a "Big Big Friend" who is invisible to adults and other children but seen by all three friends.
The show was animated using Toon Boom Harmony. A feature-length film based on the series titled Meu AmigãoZão - O Filme was released on May 12, 2022 in Brazilian theaters, while an English version has yet to be released.
Contents
Characters
Main
Yuri is a 5-year-old boy, very smart, independent and happy, and has a very fertile imagination. He is an only child, and as a result is sometimes lonely, and can be a little selfish, yet shy at times.
Lili is a 6-year-old girl, very determined and loyal, and often speaks before she thinks. She often tries to help take care of her three baby brothers; this has given her a tendency towards bossiness, which her friends do not always like, especially when she attempts to assign control of their games.
Matt is a 7-year-old boy who loves to play sports, and is very energetic in everything he does. He is the oldest of the three children and is very curious, full of ideas and opinions, and very mischievous, which means he is often getting into trouble. He has an older sister named Nina who often teases and bullies him.
Big Big Friends
Golias (Known as Goliat in Spanish) is Yuri's Big Big Friend, a large, round, blue elephant. He is affectionate, likes to act, dress up, try new things and play outdoors. He is also very timid, and gnashes his teeth in fear if the lights are out. He loves to give Yuri trunk rides, and is quite sad if he ever feels left out.
Nessa is Lili's Big Big Friend, a pink giraffe. She can make friends with anyone, and is optimistic and cheerful. She also lets Lili ride on her neck. She is agreeable and mediates conflicts.
Bongo is Matt's Big Big Friend, a green kangaroo. Like Matt, he is athletic, energetic and constantly jumping. He has a great sense of humor and an infectious, uncontrollable laugh. Bongo is afraid of being ignored and likes attention. Bongo is also very fearful. He has a pouch that Matt rides in despite the fact he is a male kangaroo (in real life, only female kangaroos have pouches). His pouch is apparently in more than one spot, since Bongo can be seen pulling things out or putting things into different pouches in various locations, such as, up by his neck, down at his sides (almost like pockets).
Cast
Canada
Yuri – Nissae Isen
Matt – Gage Munroe
Lili – Addison Holley
Golias (Goliat) – Scott McCord
Bongo – Rick Miller
Nessa – Tajja Isen
Lobster (Beach Blast!) - Stacey DePass
Rose (Flower Power!) - Catherine Disher
Daisy (Flower Power!) - Stephanie Anne Mills
Pansy (Flower Power!) - Hannah Endicott-Douglas
Yuri's Dad - Neil Crone
Yuri's Mom / Bushy the Dog - Susan Roman
Lili's Mom - Linda Ballantyne
Lili's Dad - Martin Roach
Matt's Mom / Otto the Penguin - Julie Lemieux
Matt's Dad - Richard Waugh
Oyster (Beach Blast!) / S Magnet ("Everyone's a Critic") - Seán Cullen
Ms. Carrol - Julie Pinto
Ms. Martin - Athena Karkanis
Grandmother - Corinne Conley
Mother Hen - Ellen-Ray Hennessey
Lisa - Alyson Court
Soccer Ball - Bruce Dow
Brazil
Yuri – Fernanda Ribeiro
Matt – Eduardo Drummond (Season 1) and João Victor Granja (Season 2)
Lili – Anna Rita Cerqueira
Golias (Goliat) – Márcio Simões
Bongo – Sérgio Stern
Nessa – Lina Mendes (Season 1) and Christiane Monteiro (Season 2)
Episodes
Season 1 (2008–09)
Season 1 premiered in Canada on September 1, 2008 and in Brazil on August 9, 2010.
Reception
My Big Big Friend got a three out of five from Common Sense Media.
