Strawberry Shortcake (2003 TV series)
Strawberry Shortcake is an American direct-to-video animated series produced by DIC Entertainment based on the franchise of the same name that debuted in March 2003. The series consists 44 episodes, plus one short and one movie. Part of the series was broadcast on television including by HBO and HBO Family, and in broadcast syndication. None of the voice actors from the 1980s Strawberry Shortcake animated specials returned to reprise their roles, with producers instead opting for younger and lesser known voice actors.
To coincide with the series' reboot in 2009, the 2003 series was succeeded by Strawberry Shortcake's Berry Bitty Adventures in 2010.
Release information
Home Video
began releasing the series direct-to-video beginning in March 2003. The first few episodes were released on both DVD and VHS, and bundled with certain toys; later episodes are DVD-only. They are also available on VideoCD through various fourth party licensees in South-East Asia and in certain other markets. The first four videos contain only one story but run for twice the length of subsequent episodes.From Season 2 onwards, the DVDs and VHS's are presented as "compilations" in which Strawberry recounts the featured adventures using her "remembering book" or for Season 4, showcases the featured stories as simple flashbacks.
22 Volumes have been released for the series overall.
Television
In the United States, although promoted as a Direct-to-Video series in the country, the series did air on television as well. Season 1 gained one-off airings on HBO and HBO Family in late 2003, with shortened Season 1 and Season 2 episodes airing on selected syndicated TV channels, mostly on The CW affiliates. It would then gain a slot on the KEWLopolis block on CBS in September 2007.In international markets, DIC pre-sold the series to GMTV in the United Kingdom and Fox Kids Europe in some European territories in 2004. In 2008, DIC pre-sold the series to more broadcasters including M6, Canal J and Tiji in France, Tiny Pop in the United Kingdom and Mediaset in Italy. Season 1 episodes are broadcast as two parts instead of being shortened, doubling the episode count to eight.
From Season 2 onwards, the episodes are presented individually on the TV broadcasts rather than being compilations, although this depended on the broadcaster,.
Some networks, like GMTV and Minimax in CEE aired Season 1 uninterrupted as one, full-length part akin to the DVD releases, while Season 2 onwards are broadcast exactly like on the DVDs with the compilation format.
Shorts and PSAs
A five-minute Strawberry Shortcake short, "Growing Better All the Time", is available exclusively in the Care Bears: Daydreams DVD as a bonus feature. Numerous scenes from the short were used in the 2000s series' second opening sequence, and the song from the short was released on the "Strawberry Jams" CD.Apart from that, a Public Service Announcement for the ASPCA was produced and aired in the US. The PSA features Strawberry Shortcake talking about the basics of pet ownership.
Cast
- Sarah Heinke as Strawberry Shortcake
- Rachel Ware as Angel Cake
- Anna Jordan/Sarah Kolosky as Custard the Cat
- Samantha Triba as Ginger Snap
- Daniel Canfield/James Street as Huckleberry Pie
- Dejare Barfield as Orange Blossom
- Nils Haaland as Pupcake, additional pet sounds
- Pam Carter as Sea Beast
- Susan Collins as Papaya Parrot
- Melissa Deni as Coco Calypso
- Laura Grimm as Rainbow Sherbet
- Bianca Heyward as Blueberry Muffin
- Hannah Koslosky as Honey Pie Pony
- Katie Labosky as Apple Dumplin'
- Abbey Leib as Seaberry Delight
- Rebecca Noddle as Peppermint Fizz
Episodes
Throughout the series, the theme song has been changed a total of three times, the voice of Custard the Cat was changed from Sarah Koslosky to Anna Jordan and the voice of Huckleberry Pie was changed to Daniel Canfield from James Street due to the latter's death in a skateboard accident. In most cases, the word "very" in the show is pronounced as "berry", but this rule is not always followed.
Beginning of Year 4 episode Big Country Fun, the artwork style of the characters was changed. The design style of the artwork leaves an impression that the characters have aged into teenagers. This illusion of the aging of the characters was further backed by the fact that Strawberry Shortcake was seen applying for a job and later driving a car in Big Country Fun. Honey Pie and the other fillies were relegated to the role of background characters, with the character of Honey Pie Pony not having spoken since the Meet Apricot/Let's Dance episode. She was implied to have moved to Ice Cream Island permanently in the book The Friendship Trip, which featured the Year 4 characters, logically explaining why she appeared less in the series for the season.
| # | Episode | Year/ Series | Release date | Songs | Notes |
| 1/2 | Meet Strawberry Shortcake | 1 | 3/11/2003 | The Cookie Song, Friendship Grows Like a Flower, A Berry Happy Birthday, Strawberry Girl in a Strawberry World | 45 minutes length, broadcast version either edited to 22 minutes, or presented as a two-part series. |
| 3/4 | Spring for Strawberry Shortcake | 1 | 3/11/2003 | Springtime, Work Together, Jammin', I Put the Zing in Spring | 45 minutes length, broadcast version either edited to 22 minutes, or presented as a two-part series. |
| 5/6 | Get Well Adventure | 1 | 10/14/2003 | Have a Good Trip, That's Imagination, Gettin' Better Boogie Woogie, It's All How You Look At It | 45 minutes length, broadcast version either edited to 22 minutes, or presented as a two-part series. Released in the UK as Horse Tales. |
| 7/8 | Berry Merry Christmas | 1 | 10/14/2003 | Call Me Santa, Call Me Clause, Holiday Land, Hello Ho Ho, Gift of Friendship | 45 minutes length, broadcast version either edited to 22 minutes, or presented as a two-part series. |
| P1 | Growing Better All the Time | 1/2 | 10/14/2003 | Growing Better song | 5 minute promo released with the Care Bears: Daydreams DVD. Appears to be produced sometime between season 1/2 as the song from the promo appears on the first CD, Strawberry Jams, while scenes from the promo was used in the opening credits of the Second series of the show. |
| 9 | Horse of a Different Color | 2 | 8/31/2004 | Prancing Paradise, Back Together | New opening sequence from previous 4/8 episodes, shorter credit sequence. The voice of Custard the Cat has changed from Sarah Koslosky to Anna Jordan for the rest of the series. |
| 10 | Festival of the Fillies | 2 | 8/31/2004 | My Gift Horse Gift, Festival of the Fillies | |
| 11 | Here Comes Pupcake | 2 | 8/31/2004 | I Love Custard, That Doggone Dog | |
| 12 | Peppermint's Pet Peeve | 2 | 8/31/2004 | The Best Pet Yet, You're My Berry Best Friend | |
| 13 | The Mystery of Seaberry Beach | 2 | 2/15/2005 | Seaberry Shore, Seaberry Shore & More | |
| 14 | Legend of the Lost Treasure | 2 | 2/15/2005 | Wonder Time, I'll Treasure You | |
| 15 | Angel Cake in the Outfield | 2 | 2/15/2005 | Be a Good Sport, Fun for Fun's Sake | |
| 16 | Win Some, Lose Some | 2 | 2/15/2005 | Waiting for the Fun to Start, Giving It Your All | |
| 17 | Ginger Snap's No-Light Night of Fright | 2 | 8/30/2005 | An Itty Bitty Scare, Scaredy Little Me | |
| 18 | The Blueberry Beast | 2 | 8/30/2005 | Chasin' the Boos Away, Never Be Afraid to Make Friends | |
| 19 | The Play's the Thing | 2 | 10/18/2005 | If I Glittered, Beautiful You | |
| 20 | The Costume Party | 2 | 10/18/2005 | I Can Be, Not Like Me | |
| 21 | The Friendship Club | 3 | 2/7/2006 | Join the club, My Friend, Mon Amie | New opening sequence from previous episodes, credit sequence no longer includes a thumbnail version of the opening theme sequence. |
| 22 | A Festival of Friends | 3 | 2/7/2006 | The Friendship Tour, How Do You Make a Friendship Cake? | |
| 23 | When the Berry Fairy Came to Stay | 3 | 8/22/2006 | Merry Berry Fairy, That Makes You Beautiful | |
| 24 | The Legend of Sherry Bobbleberry | 3 | 8/22/2006 | Everything I Touch, The Legend of Sherry Bobbleberry | |
| 25 | Baby Takes the Cake | 3 | 11/14/2006 | I'm Not Too Little, Big Like Me | |
| 26 | Piece of Cake | 3 | 11/14/2006 | Recipe for Fame, The Right Ingredients | |
| 27 | Mind Your Manners | 3 | 5/1/2007 | Man Oh Man Oh Manners, Pass the Fun | |
| 28 | Queen for a Day | 3 | 5/1/2007 | The Berry Blossom Festival, Make Some Noise | |
| 29 | Everybody Dance | 3, released as 4 | 10/2/2007 | Get the Moves, Let's Dance | Released as part of Season 4. The voice of Huckleberry Pie is changed from James Street to Daniel Canfield for the remainder of the series. |
| 30 | Let's Dance | 3, released as 4 | 10/2/2007 | Shortcake Swing, A True Friend | Released as part of Season 4. |
| 31 | It Takes Talent | 4 | 1/7/2008 | Why Can't I, All Together Now | Aired on Disney Channel Asia on the same date. It was released in cinemas in the U.S. under the collective title Rockaberry Roll with "Playing to Beat the Band" in October 2008. Beginning with this episode, the series features yet another opening theme sequence change, the fourth opening theme since the series' beginning in 2003. However it received an advance release on DVD on August 12, 2008. |
| 32 | Playing to Beat the Band | 4 | 1/8/2008 | You Can't Not Try, Hope You Like It | Aired on Disney Channel Asia on the same date. It was released in cinemas in the U.S. under the collective title Rockaberry Roll with "It Takes Talent" in October 2008. However it received an advance release on DVD on August 12, 2008. |
| 33 | Strawberry's Big Journey | 4 | 3/14/2008 | A Little Bump in the Road, Getting There is All the Fun | Aired on Disney Channel Asia on the same date. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Berry Big Journeys, was released in the US on March 31, 2009, having been available in South Africa since 2008. |
| 34 | Around the Berry Big World | 4 | 4/30/2008 | Sailing Toward Tomorrow, Home is Love | Aired on Disney Channel Asia on the same date. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Berry Big Journeys, was released in the US on March 31, 2009, having been available in South Africa since 2008. This episode is a loose adaptation of, and directly references the classic novel Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. |
| 35 | Back in the Saddle | 4 | 3/4/2008 | Down on the Ranch, Giddy Up | Released on the DVD Big Country Fun |
| 36 | Down on the Farm | 4 | 3/4/2008 | The Best Place Ever, Welcome to the Country Fair | Released on the DVD Big Country Fun |
| 37 | One Small Step | 4 | 5/1/2008 | A Step at a Time, Don't Stop Now | Aired on Disney Channel Asia on the same date. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Growing Up Dreams, was released in the US on August 30, 2011, having been available in South Africa since 2008. |
| 38 | The Good Mayor | 4 | 5/2/2008 | The Thing You Want to Be, When We're All Grown Up | Aired on Disney Channel Asia on the same date. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Growing Up Dreams, was released in the US on August 30, 2011, having been available in South Africa since 2008. |
| 39 | Toto's Tale | 4 | 9/6/2008 | It's In There, Now's the Time | Aired on Playhouse Disney Channel Asia on the said date, although it has aired on UK children's TV channel Tiny Pop a month earlier. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Berry Brick Road, was released in the US on October 6, 2012, having been available in South Africa since 2008. Pupcake speaks in this episode. In both this episode and the episode after this, Where the Gem Berries Glow, Sour Grapes appears without the Purple Pieman. A slightly aged version of Plum Puddin' portrays the role of Glinda, the Good Witch. |
| 40 | Where the Gem Berries Glow | 4 | 9/7/2008 | Let's Keep the Green World Green, That One Little Word | Aired on Playhouse Disney Channel Asia on the said date, although it has aired on UK children's TV channel Tiny Pop a month earlier. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Berry Brick Road, was released in the US on October 6, 2012, having been available in South Africa since 2008. In both this episode and the episode prior to this, Toto's Tale, Sour Grapes appears without the Purple Pieman. A slightly aged version of Plum Puddin' portrays the role of Glinda, the Good Witch. Both this episode and Toto's Tale were loosely inspired by the classic book The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. |
| 41 | Sleeping Beauty | 4 | 9/8/2008 | Pretty on the Inside, If We Take the Time to Listen | Aired on Playhouse Disney Channel Asia on the said date, although it has aired on UK children's TV channel Tiny Pop a month earlier. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Happily Ever After, was released in the US on February 3, 2009, having been available in South Africa since 2008. |
| 42 | A Princess Named Rap | 4 | 9/9/2008 | The Real Me, A Princess Like That | Aired on Playhouse Disney Channel Asia on the said date, although it has aired on UK children's TV channel Tiny Pop a month earlier. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Happily Ever After, was released in the US on February 3, 2009, having been available in South Africa since 2008. This episode is based on the classic fairy tale Rapunzel. |
| 43 | Hooray for Berrywood! | 4 | 9/10/2008 | Me, Me, Me!, Everyone's a Star | Aired on Playhouse Disney Channel Asia on the said date, although it has aired on UK children's TV channel Tiny Pop a month earlier. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Berrywood Here We Come, was released in the US on August 31, 2010, having been available in South Africa since 2008. This episode reintroduces Lime Chiffon, but is referred to here as "Lime Light". |
| 44 | Lights... Camera... | 4 | 9/11/2008 | Let's Talk it Out, How Could I Ever Forget | Aired on Playhouse Disney Channel Asia on the said date, although it has aired on UK children's TV channel Tiny Pop a month earlier. The DVD compilation containing this episode, Berrywood Here We Come, was released in the US on August 31, 2010, having been available in South Africa since 2008. Broadcast order-wise, "Lights... Camera..." is the finale of the 2003 series. It features the reformation of the Purple Pieman and thus seals the reformation of his loyal sister, Sour Grapes. |
Video releases
Below are a list of videos released to date. In the US, up until World of Friends, the videos were released on both VHS and DVD. However, subsequent video releases after World of Friends were DVD only.These videos are released on DVD by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
| # | Video | Release Date | Stories | Notes |
| 1 | Meet Strawberry Shortcake | March 11, 2003 | Meet Strawberry Shortcake | 45-minute story |
| 2 | Spring for Strawberry Shortcake | March 11, 2003 | Spring for Strawberry Shortcake | 45-minute story |
| 3 | Berry Merry Christmas | October 14, 2003 | Berry Merry Christmas | 45-minute story |
| 4 | Get Well Adventure | October 14, 2003 | Get Well Adventure | 45-minute story, released in the UK as Horse Tales. |
| 5 | Adventures on Ice Cream Island | August 31, 2004 | Horse of a Different Color Festival of the Fillies | Villains: Licorice Whip and Raven |
| 6 | Best Pets Yet | August 31, 2004 | Here Comes Pupcake Peppermint's Pet Peeve | Villains: Peppermint Fizz and Cola |
| 7 | Seaberry Beach Party | February 15, 2005 | The Mystery of Seaberry Shore Legend of the Hidden Treasure | |
| 8 | Play Day Surprise | February 15, 2005 | Angel Cake in the Outfield Win Some, Lose Some | Villains: Peppermint Fizz and Cola |
| 9 | Moonlight Mysteries | August 30, 2005 | Ginger Snap's No-Light Night of Fright The Blueberry Beast | |
| 10 | Dress-up Days | October 18, 2005 | The Play's the Thing The Costume Party | |
| 11 | World of Friends | February 7, 2006 | The Friendship Club A Festival for Friends | |
| 12 | Berry Fairy Tales | August 22, 2006 | When the Berry Fairy Came to Stay The Legend of Sherry Bobbleberry | |
| 13 | Cooking Up Fun | November 14, 2006 | Baby Takes the Cake Piece of Cake | |
| 14 | February 6, 2007 | The Sweet Dreams Movie | Villains: The Purple Pieman and Sour Grapes | |
| 15 | May 1, 2007 | Mind Your Manners Queen for a Day | Like the theatrical release of The Sweet Dreams Movie before it, this was shown at select cineplexes across the US prior to its DVD release. It was released in VideoCD format in Singapore and Malaysia in late April, but not in cinemas. The Purple Pieman and Sour Grapes appear only in the episode "Queen for a Day", while Raspberry Torte is featured in a Peppermint Fizz like role in "Mind Your Manners". | |
| 16 | October 2, 2007 | Dancin' in Disguise Everybody Dance | Like Berry Blossom Festival before it, this was screened at select cineplexes across the US one month prior to the DVD release. It was then released on October 2, 2007. "Everybody Dance", also known as "Dancin' in Disguise" or "Dance, and Know the Steps", features Sour Grapes reforming from her role as villain. Presumably out of having a loyal nature, she remains her brother's partner in crime for episodes to come. However, it can be argued that she clearly had a greater conscience and desire to do right throughout the remainder of this series, despite her so-called reversion. Let's Dance is also called Everybody's Dancin'. | |
| 17 | Big Country Fun | April 4, 2008 | Back on the Saddle Down on the Farm | Beginning with this release, the characters are now aged into teenagers, with their "All-New Look", to be more consistent with that of the current official artwork by American Greetings, as well as the "World of Friends" toyline by Playmates Toys. |
| 18 | July 2, 2008 | It Takes Talent Playing to Beat the Band | Announced to be released to cinemas by October 2008. It received an advance DVD release on August 12, 2008. Prior to the announcement of the official title of the movie/DVD, many fans who have seen Disney Channel Asia's airing of the episodes have taken to calling the DVD Berry Blossom Festival II due to the said festival being mentioned in the series. Some fans still addresses the pair under the fan-coined title despite the official announcement. | |
| 19 | Happily Ever After | February 3, 2009 | Sleeping Beauty A Princess Named Rap | Title has already been released in South Africa and episodes apparently already aired in the UK, and was released in the US on February 3, 2009. |
| 20 | Berry Big Journeys | March 31, 2009 | Strawberry's Big Journey Around the Berry Big World | Announced to be an upcoming DVD released by Koch Records, music is already available on the Let's Dance CD. The release date for the DVD in the US was March 31, 2009, and it was already released in South Africa. Both parts of the DVD have already aired on Disney Channel Asia. |
| 21 | Berrywood, Here We Come! | August 31, 2010 | Hooray for Berrywood! Lights... Camera... | Title has already been released in South Africa and episodes apparently already aired in the UK. It was released in the US on August 31, 2010. "Hooray for Berrywood" features the reintroduction of Lime Chiffon, now named Lime Light. |
| 22 | Growing Up Dreams | August 30, 2011 | The Good Mayor One Small Step | Title has already been released in South Africa, and was released in the US on August 30, 2011. Both parts have already aired on Disney Channel Asia. |
| 23 | Berry Brick Road | March 6, 2012 | Toto's Tale Where the Gem Berries Glow | Title has already been released in South Africa and episodes apparently already aired in the UK. Finally released in the US on March 6, 2012. |