These Offbeat Titles Will Make You a Hit With Kids

Every December, singles, childless couples and many grandparents face a minor crisis: holiday visits to family members and friends with children who expect--and, in some cases, deserve--presents. Choosing a gift for a child the giver doesn’t know well is a risky proposition.

A gift that’s perceived as too young or passe will be regarded as an insult and/or an indication that the giver is just hopeless. A friend’s son recently dismissed a “Pokemon” tape as “so 1999.” Conversely, a gift that’s too old for the intended recipient will be ignored or require lengthy explanations.

A number of excellent animated films have been released on DVD and/or videotape recently that are unusual enough that the kids aren’t likely to have them (someone’s probably gotten them “The Iron Giant,” “Toy Story 2” and “Chicken Run” already). They are readily available in stores, or from Amazon.com or the Whole Toon Catalog at https://www.facets.org and (800) 331-6197.

For younger children:

“Catnapped!” (Pioneer: DVD and VHS)--Three talking cats take 10-year-old Toriyasu and his little sister Meeko to the feline world of Banipal Witt. Their dog, Papadoll, was brought there by the evil Princess Buburina, and the magical sunlight has turned the pooch into a monster resembling a balloon in the Macy’s parade. The little world of Banipal Witt resembles an amusement park modeled on “Yellow Submarine,” replete with brilliantly colored, cat-shaped buildings. Although the animation is limited, “Catnapped!” brims with visual imagination.

“Kiki’s Delivery Service” (Disney: VHS only)--In this delightful coming-of-age story from Hayao Miyazaki, an adolescent witch must discover her true talent and make herself a part of a new community. In contrast to the one-note characters in many American cartoons, Kiki is a believable girl who expresses real, often contradictory feelings. The new English dub features the late Phil Hartman as Kiki’s sardonic black cat, Gigi.

“Linnea in Monet’s Garden” (First Run Features: DVD and VHS)--Lena Anderson and Christina Bjork have turned their children’s book into a charming introduction to the work of Claude Monet. Linnea, a lively little Swedish girl, visits her family’s friend Mr. Bloom and is intrigued by the paintings of gardens she sees in his books. He takes her to Paris to see the Monet canvases in museums, then to the artist’s home at Giverny. Linnea learns that the paintings are just “blobs and smears” up close, but become recognizable flowers and gardens when viewed from the correct distance.

“My Neighbor Totoro” (20th Century Fox: VHS only)--Probably the most highly acclaimed Japanese animated film of all time, this charming fantasy by Miyazaki follows two young sisters, Satsuke and Mei, whose father takes them to live in the country while their mother convalesces. Beneath an enormous camphor tree, Mei meets Totoro, an enormous, benevolent nature spirit who shares their adventures and watches over them.

“Panda! Go Panda!” (Pioneer: DVD and VHS)--Written by Miyazaki and directed by Isao Takahata (“Grave of the Fireflies”), “Panda” focuses on Mimiko, a cheerfully energetic little girl. While her grandmother is away, Mimiko adopts a baby panda and is in turn adopted by its father to form an unconventional but affectionate family. Miyazaki introduces just enough mischief into the characters to prevent them from becoming saccharine or smarmy. Like Totoro, Papa Panda represents the warm, magical friend children dream of having.

For older children, including teenagers (and some adults):

“Animation Greats” (E-Realbiz.com: DVD only)--These unusual shorts were made at the National Film Board of Canada, where artists experimented with new styles, mediums, techniques and content. The results are original, challenging and often very funny. “The Big Snit” (1985), Richard Condie’s wonderfully absurd spoof of nuclear disaster, may well rank as the funniest short of the ‘80s. It concerns a husband who delights in sawing the furniture, and his wife, who has the annoying habit of taking off her eyes and shaking them. The adorable but destructive kitten in Cordell Barker’s madcap “The Cat Came Back” (1988) offers a hilarious antidote to the saccharine little animals that blight children’s entertainment.

“Art and Jazz in Animation: The Cosmic Eye” (Image Entertainment: DVD and VHS)--The husband-and-wife team of John and Faith Hubley were the first independent animators to win the Oscar for animated short for their innovative explorations of complex ideas, modern art and jazz. Rather than depict the literal movements of two lovers, the Hubleys suggest their emotions through the use of translucent, semi-abstract figures in “The Tender Game” (1958). Mother Nature and Death debate the future of humanity in “Eggs” (1970); “Adventures of an *” (1956) and “Everyone Rides the Carousel” (1976) explore human growth. The Hubley films offer imaginative reflections on serious ideas.

“Cowboy Bebop” (Bandai: six DVDs, 13 VHS cassettes; boxed sets available)--The most popular animated series in Japan last year, “Cowboy Bebop” chronicles the adventures of Spike Spiegel, bounty hunter and space cowboy in a not-too-distant future. Director Shinichiro Watanabe’s approach to storytelling is often fragmented, but his cold, moody collages of gritty cities and melancholy saxophone riffs suggest the alienated urban world of noir detective fiction more effectively than many live-action films.

“Roujin Z” (CPM/US Manga Corps: DVD and VHS)--An official in a mysterious government ministry wants to solve the problems of caring for the aged with the Z-001, a high-tech bed that attends to an invalid’s needs. But the Z-001 is really a prototype battle robot. A group of aging hackers gain control of the machine, wreaking havoc on the surrounding city but fulfilling a test patient’s last request. Although it contains some robot battles and risque jokes, “Roujin Z” displays a rare, humane warmth. Anime fans may be surprised to learn it written and designed by Katsuhiro Otomo, the director of the much darker “Akira.”

“The World’s Greatest Animation” (Image Entertainment: DVD)--Many of the films in this collection of Academy Award winners and nominees truly merit the title of “world’s greatest.” In addition to the nonstop hilarity of Nick Park’s “Creature Comforts,” Barker’s “The Cat Came Back” and Condie’s “The Big Snit,” the anthology includes “Anna & Bella,” Borge Ring’s touching portrait of the difficult but loving relationship between two sisters, and Frederic Back’s “Crac!,” a lovely, poetic overview of rural life in 20th century Quebec. “Every Child,” by Derek Lamb and Eugene Federenko, offers a pointed satire of the unwillingness of people to care for the children they claim they adore.