Baby Smurfs

Baby Smurfs (also known as Bébé Schtroumpfs in French, Baby Smurfen in Dutch and ベビースマーフ in Japan) is a Belgian-Japanese animated television series loosely based on Peyo's The Smurfs, taking place in an alternate universe depicting the Smurfs characters as toddler and preschool versions of themselves, with Papa Smurf and Dreamy Smurf as their caretakers.

The show was produced by Dupuis Audiovisuel, in conjunction with Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS Entertainment). It premiered only on Belgium, France, Dutch and Japanese television in June 2001. But for so far, the show was never dubbed in English and has never gotten an American and Canadian release, much to the disappointment of English-speaking fans. The series is currently distributed by Sony Pictures Television in Europe and Asia.

Main characters

 * Papa Smurf (voiced by Gérard Hernandez)
 * Dreamy Smurf (voiced by Serge Lhorca)
 * Tailor Smurf (voiced by Jacques Ferrière)
 * Farmer Smurf (also voiced by Jacques Ferrière)
 * Baker Smurf (voiced by Albert Augier)
 * Chef Smurf (also voiced by Albert Augier)
 * Baby Brainy (voiced by Francis Lax)
 * Baby Clumsy (also voiced by Francis Lax)
 * Baby Hefty (voiced by Albert Augier)
 * Baby Handy (also voiced by Serge Lhorca)
 * Baby Greedy (also voiced by Albert Augier)
 * Baby Grouchy (also voiced by Gérard Hernandez)
 * Baby Painter (also voiced by Gérard Hernandez)
 * Baby Smurfette (voiced by Céline Monsarrat)
 * Baby Jokey (also voiced by Jacques Ferrière)
 * Baby Nosey (also voiced by Jacques Ferrière)
 * Baby Poet (also voiced by Serge Lhorca)

Other characters
Most of the other The Smurfs characters except the cast of Johan and Peewit, The Smurflings and Baby Smurf have made cameos over the course of the show's run, mainly as guest spots or during songs.

Music
Underscoring for the series was written by veteran animation composers Michel Legrand and Akira Miyagawa.

Production
In 1997, Dupuis Audiovisuel announced a new show. It was originally under the name The Lil' Smurf Rascals, but in April 1999, they changed the name to Baby Smurfs to avoid copyright. Five months later in September, it was announced that TMS Entertainment is going to do the animation for the series. In January 2001, they ended production and the pilot aired in Belgium on June 3, 2001. They restarted production 5 days later and re-ended production; and the show started as a full series on July 28, 2001.

Trivia

 * The animation style that TMS used for the series is similar to that of their work on Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. They previously worked on commercial ads for The Smurfs in Belgium during the mid-90s.
 * The series is non-canon to the rest of the The Smurfs franchise.
 * Glenn Leopold, the writer of the original Smurfs cartoon stated that the show will never catch on and that it will never be dubbed for an American audience. Surprising enough, the show was cancelled after its first season, much to his surprise.
 * The show was criticized by critics in America for being a blatant rip-off to Muppet Babies.