Hanazuki: Full of Treasures

***Hanazuki: Full of Treasures*** (also known as ***Hanazuki***) is an American animated children's series produced by Titmouse Inc. for Allspark Animation, a division of Hasbro, with Stephen Davis of Allspark and Chris Prynoski of Titmouse serving as executive producers. Made in conjunction with a line of toys of the same name, the show initially aired as a web series on YouTube in 2017, it later made its television debut on Discovery Family on December 1, 2018, where it was eventually renewed for a second season in 2019.

## Premise

The series is set in a fictional galaxy of moons beset by the "Big Bad," a black inky miasma that drains the life and color of anything it touches. Each moon is protected by a Moonflower, a plantlike humanoid who uses their moods to activate magical "treasures" that are supplied by an infantile being named Little Dreamer, which can be planted to grow trees that ward off the Big Bad. Hanazuki, a newly born Moonflower, arrives on a moon populated by numerous denizens, including colorful rabbit-like creatures called Hemka. Several episodes focus on Hanazuki and her friends' escapades as she learns about her responsibilities and emotions, ending with her growing a colored Treasure Tree that corresponds with her mood in that episode. As the series progresses, Hanazuki encounters other Moonflowers that have failed at saving their own moons and seek to learn from her in order to properly harness their powers against the Big Bad.

## Characters

### Moonflowers

Moonflowers are childlike beings who guard the galaxy's moons. Created by Little Dreamer, they have white flowers on their heads and highlights that change color depending on their moods, enabling them to grow Treasure Trees that protect their moons from the Big Bad.

* **Hanazuki** (Jessica DiCicco) - The show's titular protagonist and a newly born Moonflower. She is a kind, friendly, and optimistic girl who always offers help to those who need it. She is a kind, friendly, and optimistic girl who always offers help to those who need it. She is quick to adapt to her role as her moon's guardian, allowing her to understand and control her own emotions more successfully than the other Moonflowers.
* **Kiazuki** (Cassandra Lee Morris) - An older, cynical Moonflower who lives on a moon ravaged by the Big Bad. Although claiming to be more experienced than Hanazuki, she has failed to grow a colored Treasure Tree of her own and envies Hanazuki's success. She thus manipulates Hanazuki, who admires her as her "Moonflower sister," into helping her acquire treasures to restore her moon. She is later revealed to be the founder of a failed emergency response team known as the Garlandians.
* **Kiyoshi** (Vargus Mason) - A male Moonflower who protects a moon inhabited by unicorns. Because of his pessimistic nature, he is only known to grow black Treasure Trees, which are ineffective in warding off the Big Bad. Deposed and exiled for his failures, he receives guidance from Hanazuki to properly harness his emotional powers, eventually regaining authority of his moon.
* **Maroshi** (Marcus Toji) - A Moonflower from an ocean-covered moon world frozen and shattered by the Big Bad. He maintains a positive and laidback attitude at all times in spite of losing his home, which makes him easy for others to get along with, but also appearing somewhat irresponsible. He is talented at flying through space on a surfboard-like device.
* **Miyumi** (Elise Dubois) - An outgoing and confident Moonflower who is always sure about herself despite not being mean. She can be irresponsible and self-centered since she prefers to enjoy herself. In the end, she realizes that she can be responsible since learning her lesson.

### Hemka

The Hemkas are small, rabbit-like creatures that inhabit Hanazuki's moon. They speak in gibberish that others except Hanazuki can fully understand, and they have malleable bodies that allow them to merge and change into different objects. Each one is a different color and represents a specific personality trait that Hanazuki reflects.

* **Red Hemka** (Colleen Villard) - A feisty Hemka prone to picking fights and pulling pranks on others. Red often acts as the leader of the Hemkas.
* **Orange Hemka** (Michael Sinterniklaas) - A wacky Hemka who often jumps around and makes silly faces.
* **Yellow Hemka** (Collenn Villard) - A happy Hemka who enjoys playing and remains optimistic in dangerous situations.
* **Lime Green Hemka** (Jessica DiCicco) - A scared Hemka who is easily startled by anything.
* **Green Hemka** (Michael Sinterniklaas) - A mellow Hemka who speaks with a laid-back tone.
* **Teal Hemka** (Michael Sinterniklaas in season 1, Cassandra Lee Morris in the shorts) - A glamorous Hemka.
* **Blue Hemka** (Jessica DiCicco) - A sad Hemka who is constantly crying or on the verge of tears.
* **Lavender Hemka** (Michael Sinterniklaas) - An inspired Hemka who has creative ideas but is too shy to act on them.
* **Purple Hemka** (Michael Sinterniklaas) - A courageous Hemka who performs feats of daring-do.
* **Pink Hemka** (Michael Sinterniklaas) - A loving Hemka who shows affection for everything.
* **Raspberry Hemka** (Cassandra Lee Morris) - A Hemka that is supposed to represent hope.
* **Emerald Hemka** (Avery Weddell) - A Hemka that represents jealousy.

### Unicorns

Creatures native to Kiyoshi's moon and possess the same colors and personality traits of the Hemka, with the additional ability to perform of using their horns to perform magic.

* **Sleepy Unicorn** (Avery Waddell) - A unicorn who lives on Hanazuki's moon and, as his name suggests, spends most of his time sleeping. Despite being relaxed and lazy, he harbors a troubled past. Originally named Noble Unicorn, he lives in exile from his home moon after failing to stop the revolt of his brother Twisted Unicorn against Kiyoshi. Convinced that he is unfit to wield magic because of his failure, Sleepy regains his confidence to use his powers again to help Hanazuki.
* **Twisted Unicorn** (Avery Waddell) - Sleepy Unicorn's brother and the leader of the unicorns, and a tyrant responsible for overthrowing Kiyoshi, forcing his fellow unicorns to maintain a force field he professes will protect their moon from the Big Bad. He is eventually deposed by Hanazuki, Kiyoshi, and their allies, and begins hunting them across the galaxy for revenge.

### Other

* **Little Dreamer** (Colleen Villard) - Hanazuki's infant-like creator who delivers treasures to the Moonflowers.
* **Dazzlessence Jones** (Avery Waddell) - The self-appointed sheriff of Hanazuki's moon who resembles a diamond.
* **Zikoro** (Avery Waddell) - Kiazuki's sole companion on her moon, a black creature who behaves like a restless dog. He is regularly mistreated by Kiazuki, but remains loyal to her and enjoys tormenting the Hemka.
* **Chicken Plant** (Alison Martin) - A grouchy plant with the resemblance of a chicken that constantly tries eating the Hemka. She is prone to laying eggs that hatch into destructive monsters.
* **Doughy Bunington** (Pat Fraley) - A friendly gourmand hot dog who lives on the dark side of the moon, exiled there after thoughtlessly devouring Chicken Plant's wings.

## Episodes

 1
 2

## Reception

*Hanazuki: Full of Treasures* was met with critical praise, drawing favorable comparisons to other animated series such as Hasbro's own *My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic* and Cartoon Network's *Steven Universe* for its storytelling, visual aesthetic, and methodical storytelling, and darker undertones. Lauren Orsini of *Forbes* commented on the involvement of *Friendship Is Magic* writer Dave Polsky as a story editor, considering *Friendship Is Magic* to be lucrative to Hasbro's success and concluding that the series was an attempt by the company to incite similar success with *Hanazuki*. Mercedes Milligan of *Animation Magazine* said of the series, "*Hanazuki* puts a modern, cross-platform spin on a premise that will be familiar to '80s kids who grew up with *Rainbow Brite*, et al." Ella Anders of BSC Kids praised the opening episode for its setting, lore, characters, and overarching storytelling. She additionally interpreted the series as a Western magical girl series that "doesn't play on the traditional magical girl path or tropes." Nathalie Medina of *iDigitalTimes* gave the series a score of 4 out of 5, complimenting the characters and hints of a more complex underlying story, and comparing its visual style to "a Lisa Frank folder with a 2000s aesthetic."