Puka Puka Juju

Mika is a young girl who wishes to go to the beach with her father on the weekend, but is unable due to his work and his fear of the ocean. Bummed out once again, she is cheered up by Juju, her inflatable manatee.

---

Puka Puka Juju is one of the four anime works that each received 38 million yen (about US$470,000) from the “2011 Young Animator Training Project.” Just like in 2010, the animation labor group received 214.5 million yen (US$2.65 million) from the Japanese government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, and it distributed most of those funds to studios who train young animators on-the-job.

---

Little Mika has been waiting to go to the beach with her father all summer, but every time they’re about to head out the door he receives an important call from work and has to reschedule. This time though, they’re definitely going – Mika even picks out an inflatable dugong floatie for her dad because he can’t swim. But right when they’re getting into the car, the usual occurs. Disappointed, Mika is now forced to play in a kiddie pool in the backyard instead of the ocean, but it’s not so bad – especially when the plastic dugong comes to life!