# Moominvalley (TV series)

Moominvalley (Finnish: Muumilaakso, Swedish: Mumindalen, also known as just Moomin) is a British-Finnish animated family drama television series. An adaptation of the Moomin books and comics by writer-illustrator Tove Jansson and her brother Lars Jansson, it is created using new techniques in 3D CGI.
Finnish production company Gutsy Animations ran a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo from 8 March to 21 April 2017. The campaign was organised in order to raise funds towards visual development of the series. Animation company Anima Vitae was appointed as the lead animation company for the first two seasons of the series. The series attracted over 2.1 million Finns and has become the most watched show ever on Yle Areena streaming platform and the most watched television series of 2019 in the whole of Finland. The series has 16 million streams on Yle Areena.
The series is Finland's most expensive television show with a €20 million budget. In 2019, the series' first episode was the most watched program on Finnish national broadcaster Yle's streaming service Yle Areena.

## Synopsis

The protagonist of the series is Moomintroll, who is curious, kind, sensitive, and idealistic. He is a typical hero in a coming-of-age story: he tries to tackle the puzzle of growing up to his true, individualistic self while remaining a beloved part of the family. He lives with his caring Moominmamma and nostalgic Moominpappa. Moomintroll is joined by his best friend, the free-spirited wanderer Snufkin, the chaotic Little My, daydreamer Snorkmaiden, cowardly Sniff, and many other friends.

## Cast and characters

| Character | English actor | Finnish actor | Finland Swedish actor | Japanese actor | Northern-Sami actor | Inari Sami Actor | Skolt Sami actor |
| Moomintroll | Taron Egerton (S1–2) Jack Rowan (S3–4) | Joonas Nordman | Christoffer Strandberg [fi; sv] | Junta Terashima | Áilu Valle | Mikkâl Morottaja | Teemu Titola |
| Moominmamma | Rosamund Pike | Satu Silvo | Maria Sid | Kikuko Inoue | Siri Broch Johansen | Anna Morottaja | Tiina Sanila-Aikio |
| Moominpappa | Matt Berry | Ville Haapasalo | Carl-Kristian Rundman [fi; sv] | Yasunori Matsumoto | Mikkel Gaup | Aimo Aikio | Tauno Ljetoff |
| Snufkin | Edvin Endre | Olavi Uusivirta | Paavo Kerosuo [fi] | Issey Takahashi | Niko Valkeapää | Tomi Koivunen | Tuomas Kiprianoff |
| Little My | Bel Powley | Kiti Kokkonen (S1–3) Aksa Korttila (S4) | Saga Sarkola [fi; sv] | Ikue Otani | Irene Länsman | Auri Ahola | Neeta Jääskö |
| Snorkmaiden | Akiya Henry | Alina Tomnikov | Edith Holmström | Minami Tsuda | Linda Tammela | Heli Huovinen | Heidi Gauriloff |
| Sniff | Warwick Davis | Markku Haussila [fi] | Andreas af Enehielm [fi; sv] | Koji Ochiai | Aslak Paltto | Marko Tervaniemi | Pavlo Heikkinen |
| Muskrat | Will Self | Heikki Harma | Max Bremer (S1, S2 eps 1–5, 13) Sixten Lundberg (S2 eps 6–9) | Nobuaki Kanemitsu | Pentti Pieski | Yrjö Musta | Erkki Lumisalmi |
| Hemulens (male) | Joe Wilkinson | Taisto Oksanen [fi] | Pekka Strang | Tetsuharu Ōta | Tuomas Huusko | Tuomas Huusko | Jouko Moshnikoff |
| Hemulens (female) | Susie Brann | Ella Pyhältö [fi] | Cecilia Paul | Yoko Matsuoka | Inger-Mari Aikio | N/A | N/A |
| Fillyjonk | Kate Winslet (S1–2) Teresa Gallagher (S3–4) | Kristiina Halttu | Nina Hukkinen | Shiho Hisajima | Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman | Suvi King | Tiina Sanila-Aikio |
| Mymble | Jennifer Saunders | Lotta Lindroos | Hellen Willberg | Yuriko Ishigane | Annukka Hirvasvuopio-Laiti | Marke Laaksonen | Heini Wesslin |
| Too-ticky | Katie Leung (S1–2) Teresa Gallagher (S3–4) | Elina Knihtilä | Nina Palmgren | Momoko Yamafuji | Anne Olli | N/A | N/A |
| Emma The Stage Rat | Alison Steadman | Arja Saijonmaa | Arja Saijonmaa | Yuko Kobayashi | Suvi West | N/A | N/A |
| Misabel | Rebecca Root | Miiko Toiviainen | Kaj Korkea-Aho | Kozue Harashima | Aslak Paltto | N/A | N/A |
| Ninny | Mayumi Kawai | Yasmine Yamajako | Jenna Hukkinen | Yui Fukuo | Iŋgá Ravna-Pieski | N/A | N/A |
| Teety-Woo | Matt Lucas | Lauri Ketonen | Olli Liljeström | Kunihiro Kawamoto | Pekka Aikio | N/A | N/A |
| The Ghost | Richard Ayoade | Ali Jahangiri | André Wickström | Kyousei Tsukui | Pekka Aikio | N/A | N/A |
| Mr Brisk | Julian Barratt | Riku Nieminen | Kristofer Gummerus | Yukito Soma | N/A | N/A | Juha Feodoroff |
| The Hobgoblin | Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje | Jorma Uotinen | Nicke Lignell | Hidenari Ugaki | N/A | Veikko Aikio | N/A |
| Thingumy | Jon Monie | Anna Puu | Iida Kuningas | Kōsuke Echigoya | N/A | Niina Aikio-Siltala | N/A |
| Bob | Susie Brann | Paula Vesala | Sara Soulié | Mitsuhiro Inose | N/A | Sari Sarre | N/A |
| The Fisherman | Rhys Darby | Kari Ketonen | Oskar Pöysti | Hiroyuki Shibamoto | N/A | N/A | Markus Juutinen |
| Seahorse 1 | Miriam-Teak Lee | Saara Aalto | Emma Klingenberg | Mariko Munakata | N/A | N/A | Anna Lumikivi |
| Seahorse 2 | Shalom Brune-Franklin | Anna-Maija Tuokko | Jennie Storbacka | Sayaka Narita | N/A | N/A | Sonja Hovslagare |
| Toffle | Iina Kuustonen | Iina Kuustonen | Nina Palmgren | Sachiko Honma | N/A | N/A | Mariann Bernhardt |
| The Groke | Susie Brann | Susie Brann | Susie Brann | Susie Brann | Susie Brann | Susie Brann | Susie Brann |
| Snork | Chance Perdomo | Deogracias Masomi | Tom Rejstörm | | | | |
| Stinky | Mike Wilmot | Santeri Kinnunen | Elmer Bäck | | | | |
| Aunt Jane | Ellen Thomas | | | | | | |
| Joxter | Joonas Saartamo [fi] | Joonas Saartamo [fi] | Joonas Saartamo [fi] | | | | |
| Artist | | | | | | | |

## Music
### Original music score

The original music score for the series is composed by world-renowned Finnish musicians, classical violinist Pekka Kuusisto and percussionist Samuli Kosminen, with Jarmo Saari joining them in season 2. The music supervisor for the series is Virpi Immonen. Kuusisto's father, Ilkka Kuusisto, had previously composed an opera for the Moomins with Tove Jansson in 1974.

### Official soundtrack, season 1

The Moominvalley TV series also includes episodic songs which are produced in collaboration with Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment. The official soundtrack for the series was released on 19 April 2019. It includes 16 original recordings from a line-up of artists including Tom Odell, First Aid Kit, Alma, dodie, Delilah Montagu, Declan McKenna, MØ, SOAK and many more.
A limited edition 12" picture disc on clear vinyl was made available in four colourways, each featuring a different Moomin character. It was also released on 19 April 2019.

### Official soundtrack, season 2

The second season includes nine original songs from up-and-coming artists such as Cavetown, girl in red, Jesse Markin and jens. The official soundtrack album, created in collaboration with Sony Music Finland, was released on 10 April 2020 globally on the major streaming platforms (Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music, Google Play and Tidal).

## Episodes
### Series overview

| Season | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released |
| Season | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released |
| 1 | 13 | 13 | 25 February 2019 (2019-02-25) 19 April 2019 (2019-04-19) | 28 April 2019 (2019-04-28) 20 May 2019 (2019-05-20) |
| 2 | 13 | 13 | 21 December 2019 (2019-12-21) 2 March 2020 (2020-03-02) | 13 April 2020 (2020-04-13) 27 April 2020 (2020-04-27) |
| 3 | 13 | 13 | 1 April 2022 (2022-04-01) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-03) | 1 April 2022 (2022-04-01) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-03) |
| 4 | 13 | 13 | 26 October 2024 (2024-10-26) 6 January 2025 (2025-01-06) | 26 October 2024 (2024-10-26) 6 January 2025 (2025-01-06) |

### Season 1 (2019)

| No. overall | No. in season | English title | Finnish title | Finland Swedish title | Original release date |
| 1 | 1 | "Little My Moves In" | "Pikku Myy tuli taloon" | "Lilla My flyttar in" | 25 February 2019 (2019-2-25) 19 April 2019 (2019-4-19) |
| 2 | 2 | "The Spring Tune" | "Kevätlaulu" | "Vårvisan" | 4 March 2019 (2019-3-4) 19 April 2019 (2019-4-19) |
| 3 | 3 | "The Last Dragon In The World" | "Maailman viimeinen lohikäärme" | "Den sista draken i världen" | 11 March 2019 (2019-3-11) 19 April 2019 (2019-4-19) |
| 4 | 4 | "Moominsummer Madness" | "Kelluva teatteri" | "Den flytande teatern" | 18 March 2019 (2019-3-18) 19 April 2019 (2019-4-19) |
| 5 | 5 | "The Golden Tale" | "Kultainen häntä" | "Den gyllene svansen" | 25 March 2019 (2019-3-25) 19 April 2019 (2019-4-19) |
| 6 | 6 | "The Secret Of The Hattifatteners" | "Hattivattien saari" | "Hattifnattarnas ö" | 1 April 2019 (2019-4-1) 19 April 2019 (2019-4-19) |
| 7 | 7 | "Snufkin And The Park Keeper" | "Nuuskamuikkunen ja puistonvartija" | "Snusmumriken och parkvakten" | 8 April 2019 (2019-4-8) 19 April 2019 (2019-4-19) |
| 8 | 8 | "Monster Fish" | "Muumipapan kalajuttu" | "Monsterfisken" | 15 April 2019 (2019-4-15) 19 April 2019 (2019-4-19) |
| 9 | 9 | "Night Of The Groke" | "Yksin kotona" | "Ensam hemma" | 22 April 2019 (2019-4-22) 27 April 2019 (2019-4-27) |
| 10 | 10 | "Moominmamma's Maid" | "Muumimamman apulainen" | "Muminmammans hembiträde" | 27 April 2019 (2019-4-27) 29 April 2019 (2019-4-29) |
| 11 | 11 | "Ghost Story" | "Kummitustarina" | "Spökhistorien" | 27 April 2019 (2019-4-27) 6 May 2019 (2019-5-6) |
| 12 | 12 | "The Invisible Child" | "Näkymätön lapsi" | "Det osynliga barnet" | 28 April 2019 (2019-4-28) 13 May 2019 (2019-5-13) |
| 13 | 13 | "Midwinter Ancestor" | "Taikatalvi" | "Trollvinter" | 28 April 2019 (2019-4-28) 20 May 2019 (2019-5-20) |

### Season 2 (2019–2020)

The first two episodes of season two were screened at Finnkino cinemas in Finland on 2 February 2020, exactly a month before these episodes premiered on Yle TV2 and Yle Areena on 2 March 2020.
| No. overall | No. in season | English title | Finnish title | Finland Swedish title | Original release date |
| 14 | 1 | "Moomin's Winter Follies" | "Latua, herra Virkkunen!" | "Vintervansinne" | 21 December 2019 (2019-12-21) 2 March 2020 (2020-3-2) |
| 15 | 2 | "The Fire Spirit" | "Nuuskamuikkunen ja tulenhenki" | "Snusmumriken och eldanden" | 21 December 2019 (2019-12-21) 2 March 2020 (2020-3-2) |
| 16 | 3 | "Moominpappa & Son" | "Muumipapan uusi yritys" | "Muminpappan och plikten" | 21 December 2019 (2019-12-21) 2 March 2020 (2020-3-2) |
| 17 | 4 | "Little My Moves Out" | "Kohtalokas pulloposti" | "Hjärta rimmar med smärta" | 21 December 2019 (2019-12-21) 2 March 2020 (2020-3-2) |
| 18 | 5 | "The Strange Case Of Mrs Fillyjonk" | "Rouva Vilijonkan katoamismysteeri" | "Fru Filifjonks mystiska försvinnande" | 21 December 2019 (2019-12-21) 30 March 2020 (2020-3-30) |
| 19 | 6 | "The Hobgoblin's Hat" | "Taikahattu" | "Den magiska hatten" | 30 March 2020 (2020-3-30) 10 April 2020 (2020-4-10) |
| 20 | 7 | "Thingumy and Bob" | "Tiuhti ja Viuhti" | "Tofslan och Vifslan" | 30 March 2020 (2020-3-30) 10 April 2020 (2020-4-10) |
| 21 | 8 | "The Trial" | "Omituinen oikeudenkäynti" | "Den rysande rättegången" | 30 March 2020 (2020-3-30) 11 April 2020 (2020-4-11) |
| 22 | 9 | "Farewell, Snorkmaiden" | "Jäähyväiset Niiskuneidille" | "Farväl Snorkfröken" | 11 April 2020 (2020-4-11) 27 April 2020 (2020-4-27) |
| 23 | 10 | "Moominpappa's Island" | "Muumipapan saari" | "Muminpappans ö" | 12 April 2020 (2020-4-12) 27 April 2020 (2020-4-27) |
| 24 | 11 | "Moominmamma's Mural" | "Muumimamman muraali" | "Muminmamman längtar hem" | 12 April 2020 (2020-4-12) 27 April 2020 (2020-4-27) |
| 25 | 12 | "Moomintroll and the Seahorses" | "Muumipeikko ja merihevoset" | "Mumintrollet och sjöhästarna" | 13 April 2020 (2020-4-13) 27 April 2020 (2020-4-27) |
| 26 | 13 | "November" | "Muumilaakson marraskuu" | "November" | 13 April 2020 (2020-4-13) 27 April 2020 (2020-4-27) |

### Season 3 (2022)

| No. overall | No. in season | English title | Finnish title | Finland Swedish title | Original release date |
| 27 | 1 | "Homecoming" | "Kotona jälleen!" | "Hemkomsten" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 28 | 2 | "Moomintroll's Grand Adventure" | "Muumipeikon suuri seikkailu" | "Mumintrollets stora äventyr" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 29 | 3 | "Brisk and Breezy" | "Leirinjohtaja Virkkunen" | "Herr Brisk sätts på prov" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 30 | 4 | "Inventing Snork" | "Niisku löytää ystävän" | "Snorken får en vän" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 31 | 5 | "The Stinky Caper" | "Haisulin kopla" | "Stinky och Muminligan" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 32 | 6 | "Toffle's Tall Tales" | "Tuhton hurjat tarinat" | "Tofts hisnande historiet" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 33 | 7 | "Winter Secrets" | "Talvisia salaisuuksia" | "Vinterhemligheter" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 34 | 8 | "Lonely Mountain" | "Yksinäisten vuorten seikkailu" | "Äventyr i Ensliga Bergen" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 35 | 9 | "Mrs Fillyjonk's Last Hurrah" | "Vilijonkan viimeiset villitykset" | "Fru Filifjonk släpper loss" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 36 | 10 | "Snufkin and the Fairground" | "Nuuskamuikkunen ja huvipuisto" | "Snusmumriken och nöjesfältet" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 37 | 11 | "Call of the Hattifatteners" | "Hattivattien kutsu" | "På jakt efter hattifnattens gnista" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 38 | 12 | "Moominmamma's Flying Dream" | "Muumimamman lentävä unelma" | "Muminmammans flygande dröm" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |
| 39 | 13 | "Midsummer Magic" | "Juhannuksen taikaa" | "Midsommarmagi" | 1 April 2022 (2022-4-1) 3 October 2022 (2022-10-3) |

### Season 4 (2024)

Gutsy Animations announced in early 2023 that anchor broadcasters Sky (UK) and Yle (Finland) have recommissioned the Moominvalley series for a fourth season. For Season 4 the Viaplay Group has partnered as co-producer and will air all four seasons on its streaming platform in multiple territories including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, and the Netherlands. Season 4 will have 13 22-minute episodes, along with a 45-minute series finale coming early 2025.
| No. overall | No. in season | English title | Finnish title | Finland Swedish title | Original release date |
| 40 | 1 | "Ringmaster Brisk" | "Sirkustirehtööri Virkkunen" | "Cirkusdirektör Brisk" | 26 October 2024 (2024-10-26) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 41 | 2 | "Moomins and the Railway" | "Muumit ja rautatie" | "Mumin och järnvägen" | 29 October 2024 (2024-10-29) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 42 | 3 | "Sniff's Cave" | "Nipsun luola" | "Sniff och skatterna" | 30 October 2024 (2024-10-30) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 43 | 4 | "Seamaiden" | "Merineito" | "Sjöfröken" | 31 October 2024 (2024-10-31) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 44 | 5 | "Inspector Stinky" | "Poliisimestari Haisuli" | "Polismästare Stinky" | 1 November 2024 (2024-11-1) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 45 | 6 | "Midsummer Meddling" | "Kesäyön kommelluksia" | "Midsommarsvärmeri" | 4 November 2024 (2024-11-4) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 46 | 7 | "Moominmamma the Artist" | "Taiteilija Muumimamma" | "Muminmamman och konsten" | 5 November 2024 (2024-11-5) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 47 | 8 | "The Great Cold" | "Hyytävä kylmyys" | "Den stora kölden" | 6 November 2024 (2024-11-6) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 48 | 9 | "Moominpappa The Great Explorer" | "Muumipappa, suuri seikkailija" | "Muminpappan och hjältedåden" | 7 November 2024 (2024-11-7) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 49 | 10 | "Song of the Groke" | "Mörön laulu" | "Mårrans sång" | 8 November 2024 (2024-11-8) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 50 | 11 | "Moominpappa and Aunt Jane" | "Muumipappa ja Hemulitäti" | "Muminpappan och Tant Hemulen" | 11 November 2024 (2024-11-11) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 51 | 12 | "Starstruck" | "Lumoava tähti" | "Skrivet i stjärnorna" | 12 November 2024 (2024-11-12) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |
| 52 | 13 | "The Comet" | "Pyrstötähti" | "Kometen" | 13 November 2024 (2024-11-13) 6 January 2025 (2025-1-6) |

## Film

A Moominvalley film is in the works at the moment.

## International broadcast

Moominvalley has been sold to more than 60 countries. Moominvalley first aired on Yle TV2 in Finland on 25 February 2019, and a day after in Swedish on Yle Teema & Fem. It began airing in the United Kingdom on Sky One, Sky Kids and NOW TV on 19 April 2019. The first eight episodes aired overnight between 2:00 and 6:00 am, and were then repeated in pairs between 5:30 and 6:30 pm over the Easter weekend from 19 to 22 April. Episodes 9–11 followed on the afternoon of 27 April, and 12–13 on 28 April. The first five episodes of season 2 aired over the weekend before Christmas 2019, with the remainder broadcast over the following Easter weekend, 10–13 April 2020. Japan's national broadcaster NHK premiered Moominvalley on its BS4K channel on 4 April 2019. The series has also been sold to China. On 9 August 2019 it launched on WildBrain's YouTube channel. In November 2020 it was announced that Moominvalley had been recommissioned for a third season by anchor broadcasters Yle in Finland and Sky in the UK. The first eight episodes aired on Sky Showcase in pairs from Good Friday 2022 (15 April) until Easter Monday (18 April), with the remainder scheduled, also in pairs until the final episode, for subsequent Sundays.
On 1 May 2019 PGS Entertainment acquired the distribution rights to Moominvalley. On 5 October 2023, it was announced that Zodiak Kids & Family Distribution had acquired the distribution rights to Moominvalley.
In the United Kingdom, the series also airs on BBC Alba and S4C as part of their CBBC Alba and Stwnsh blocks, where it is dubbed in Scottish Gaelic and Welsh respectively.

## Reception
### Ratings

The series has been extremely successful in its reviews and ratings worldwide. The first episode of Moominvalley was viewed by 600,000 viewers when it premiered in Finland's Yle TV2 in February 2019. It also became the most watched television series episode of all time in Yle's streaming service, Yle Areena, bringing the total viewership of the first episode in Finland to over two million. Moominvalley was the most watched TV series and the fourth most watched TV programme in Finland in 2019, across all channels.

### Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Result |
| 2019 | Shanghai TV Festival Magnolia Awards | Best Animation & Best Storytelling | Nomination |
| 2019 | TBI Content Innovation Awards | Best animated kids programme | Winner |
| 2019 | Golden Venla | Best Children and Youth Programme | Winner |
| 2020 | British Animation Awards | Best Children's Series | Winner |
| 2020 | BANFF Rockie Awards | Children and Youth: Animation | Nomination |
| 2020 | International Emmy® Kids Awards | Kids: Animation | Nomination |
| 2020 | Cyber Sousa -Xiamen International Animation Festival | Best Animated Series | Nomination |
| 2020 | JIFF | Animation Short | Nomination |
| 2020 | Golden Venla | Best Children and Youth Programme | Winner |
| 2021 | Annecy | TV Films in Competition | Nomination |
| 2022 | British Animation Awards | Best voice performance (Bel Powley) | Nomination |
| 2022 | New York International Children's Film Festival | Audience Episodic Award | Winner |
| 2022 | RTS West of England Awards | Best Sound | Winner |
| 2022 | TBI Content Innovation Awards | Best Children's Programme | Winner |
| 2022 | Golden Venla | Best Children and Youth Programme | Nomination |
| 2023 | Annie Awards | Best Media/TV - Children | Nomination |
| 2023 | Shanghai TV Festival Magnolia Awards | Best Animation | Winner |
| 2023 | Golden Panda | Best Animated Image | Winner |
| 2023 | International Emmy® Kids Awards | Kids: Animation | Nomination |
In 2019 Moominvalley was awarded the Best Animated Kid's Programme at TBI's Content Innovation Awards. The series also won a Golden Venla award for 2019 Best Children's Program and won Best Children's Series at 2020 British Animation Awards. Moominvalley was nominated for Best Animation and Best Storytelling at 2019 Shanghai Television Festival. In 2020 Moominvalley was a New York International Children's Film Festival nominee and additionally, nominated for the best Children's animation at Banff Rockie Awards. Moominvalley was shortlisted for Broadcast Digital Awards in 2020 and selected for Encounters' Film Festival's competition programme in the same year. It was nominated for an International Emmy Kids Award. In 2020 Moominvalley was nominated for Best Children's Program in Golden Venla Awards for the second year around.