RUSSIA: OLEG KUVAYEV TALKS ABOUT HIS RUSSIAN "PUNK" INTERNET CARTOON CHARACTER "MASYANA"

Record ID: 548638

  • Title: RUSSIA: OLEG KUVAYEV TALKS ABOUT HIS RUSSIAN "PUNK" INTERNET CARTOON CHARACTER "MASYANA"
  • Date: 13th April 2002
  • Summary: ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA (RECENT - APRIL 13, 2002) (REUTERS) WIDE OF PEOPLE IN INTERNET CAFE LOOKING AT CARTOON SCU MASYANYA CARTOON ON INTERNET
  • Embargoed: 28th April 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: REUTERS / WWW.MULT.RU - EDIT S924, SHOWBIZ,
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVADIST24TTKJZK3V8BX2BEKHDRC
  • Story Text: She's the hottest thing on the Russian internet, but all the fame hasn't gone to Masyanya's (MASS-YANEE-YAH) head -- she just goes on being her foul-mouthed, dope-smoking, lazy self. A cheeky cartoon heroine who epitomises the new wave of hedonistic, apolitical young Russians, she has swept aside American comic strip heroes in what is said to be the biggest new youth craze of the Putin era.
    She has become the talk of the town in Russia; but the girl everybody wants to hang out with is a cartoon character with an elliptic face, bulging eyes, one lone tooth and a few strands of hair.
    A round-faced teenager, her philosophy on life borrows more from the Spice Girls than from the strident Soviet poster girls of the past - she's the Russian Lara Croft and Bart Simpson rolled into one.
    Her name is Masyanya (MASS-YANEE-YAH) and whether she is on a beach or in a beer-soaked drinking hole, she's the thing to watch on the Russian internet.
    Masyanya's been labelled as Russia's version of "Beavis and Butthead", but she's a creation unique to her time - a frumpy-dressed hipster who swears like a rogue. She's got the sense to watch out for number one, but she's also got a heart of gold. She's a failure in Russia's post communist, and neo-capitalist world, but she doesn't even seem to know it.
    Negotations are underway for Masyanya to start appearing on Russian MTV, which up to now has only shown American cartoons.
    The cartoon character is the creation of Oleg Kuvayev, a 35-year-old former internet web site designer.
    Kuvyaev says he thinks people love her because she reflects their own life and the modern Russian soul that tries to fit into being part of the world, but doesn't really want to.
    "People just recognise themselves, their phrases, the situations, and their friends [in Masyanya cartoons]. This is a very recognisable hero because she is from real life."
    Kuvyaev, once an unknown designer, has now quit his job to devote all his time to Masyanya and her growing legion of fans.
    He says that what was once a parody of one of his friends, has now seemed to take on a life of her own.
    "Of course there is a real person who inspired [Masyanya].
    It is a parody on some of my friends, but I will never say who it is or was because Masyanya has now taken on her own life, she is now living her own life."
    Masyanya is literally flooded by fan e-mails and her jokes are seeping into modern speech.
    Not only is she the most popular person on the net, Kuvyaev and Masyanya won their nation's prestigious internet competition for the best web debut of the year.
    She gets over 30,000 hits each day and internet cafe owners say that she is the most widely-watched entertainment site.
    She isn't for everyone. And the 35-year-old artist and father sometimes worries that his adult cartoon character has gained a following of child fans.
    Kuvyaev continues to put out new cartoons and explore television deals for one-toothed halter-topped Masyanya.
    And even despite herself, the counter-culture girl has worked her way into the more respectable parts of modern Russia.
    Her highest number of hits come immediately at the end of the working day, presumably as the nation's young white-collar work force turns away from exchange quotes and onto Masyanya.
    It's a big city, bright lights--but you can be sure that Masyanya and green cat won't let the fame go their heads-- not as long as there is another beer to drink and some good music to hear.
    -ENDS-
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