Quest for Zhu

Quest for Zhu
Directed by	Bob Douchette
Written by	Sean Derek
Based on	Zhu Zhu Pets
Produced by	Laura Kurzu Bob Douchette Ashley Hornsby Meghan Hornsby
Starring	Mariah Wilkerson Shannon Chan-Kent Ian Corlett Sean Campbell Erin Mathews Jillian Michaels Jan Rabson Kathleen Barr
Edited by	Richard Finn
Music by	Michael Tavera
Production companies	MoonScoop Cepia LLC The Dream Garden Company Prana Studios
Distributed by	Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release date	September 27, 2011 (2011-09-27)
Running time	73 minutes
Countries	United States Canada
Language	English

Quest for Zhu is a 2011 direct-to-DVD animated action/adventure film and the first full-length feature film based on the ZhuZhu Pets franchise. It stars Canadian voice actors Mariah Wilkerson, Shannon Chan-Kent, Ian James Corlett, Sean Campbell, Erin Mathews, Jillian Michaels, Jan Rabson, and Kathleen Barr. The film was released on DVD on September 27, 2011.

Synopsis

After an argument with her owner Katie, Pipsqueak (Shannon Chan-Kent) is transported to the Zhuniverse and meets Mr. Squiggles (Ian Corlett), Chunk (Sean Campbell), and Num Nums (Erin Mathews). Together with them, she sets out to find Zhu Fu (Jan Rabson), the ruler of Zhu, and return home. To do so, they must defeat Mazhula (Kathleen Barr), an evil snake sorceress who has captured Zhu Fu.

Plot

At the beginning of the movie, Katie is in her room, making a best friend card for her friend Chris. She then gets a call on her phone from Chris, who is reminding her about her soccer game. Katie then says goodbye to her pet yellow hamster Pipsqueak, and leaves the room. After she has left, Pipsqueak then starts making a best friend card for Katie. When Katie comes back in the room, saying she forgot her cleats, she sees Pipsqueak on her desk. Thinking she is making a mess, Katie yells, which startles Pipsqueak, and she ends up making a real mess. Katie then gets mad and starts scolding Pipsqueak, then angrily leaves the room. Pipsqueak then gets sad, and sings. A shooting star then appears above Katie's house, which sucks Pipsqueak in and takes her to the Zhuniverse.

After Pipsqueak arrives at the Zhuniverse, all the hamsters welcome her, and sing "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang. She then meets a brown hamster named Mr. Squiggles, a grey hamster named Num Nums, and a white hamster named Chunk, whom Pipsqueak tells about her problem. Stinker then drops by and introduces himself. He starts telling everyone about the great wizard, ZhuFu, and stating to Pipsqueak that he can help her get back home. Stinker then tells the four how to get to the Palace of Zhu, where ZhuFu resides. The four then start their journey across the land.

The first place they visit is the carrot fields, where there are lots of carrots growing. Num Nums acknowledges this, and starts eating away. Chunk then asks about Pipsqueak's shoes, which she replies that she keeps her favorite stuff in them and she doesn't want them to smell like feet. Chunk then proceeds to smell his feet, and faints following the process. Chunk gets up, and then tells his backstory:

Chunk had used to have his own boy owner, with whom he used to travel and find the best beaches for surfing. One day, Chunk had gone out surfing by himself, with which his off-screen owner replies to not be late. Chunk keeps surfing, until he sees his owner forgetting him and riding away in the car. Chunk then wipes out.

The four then continue their journey into the Amazhu Jungle. Stinker then appears, telling the four that the palace is on the other side of the snowy mountain. Pipsqueak then gets angry at Stinker for not telling her earlier, but she still decides to continue the journey. They are walking through the jungle, until a plant hits Mr. Squiggles. They come back to get him but find that he is watching a bunch of sleeping zebra hamsters. They gaze at the herd of zebra hamsters, until they wake up and see the four. The herd of zebra hamsters then stampede towards the Zhus, who run from them. Chunk then blocks most of the zebra hamsters with his surfboard, then they continue walking through the jungle.

Still in the jungle at night, the Zhus are roasting carrots around a fire. Num Nums states that she used to roast marshmallows with her owner where she lived. Mr. Squiggles then states that he had never had a home, which surprises everyone. Squiggles then tells his backstory:

Mr. Squiggles had no real home, and lived in a pet store, which he had dubbed as a "pet prison". But, using the objects around him, Mr. Squiggles set up and tried an escape plan, which worked. Mr. Squiggles then made his way out of the pet store, riding on his skateboard.

In the morning, the Zhus are still sleeping. All of a sudden, a Tarzan-like Zhu swings down from a vine, and catches Pipsqueak, who then wakes up and calls for help. The three other Zhus wake up and run to get her. In the trees, Pip is swinging from vines, trying to avoid the hamster trying to get her. She jumps onto another tree, but a small jaguar hamster is walking towards her on the tree. The Tarzan-like Zhu jumps on and roars, scaring the jaguar hamster and making it run away. The hamster introduces himself as Mangawanga, king of the jungle, and licks Pipsqueak, saying "Me like you!" This grosses out Pipsqueak, which causes her to run away from Mangawanga, chasing her once again. Mangawanga gets trapped in a web of vines, while Pip is hanging under. Mangawanga starts chewing on the vine Pip is hanging on, in an attempt to make her fall. The attempt succeeds, and Pip starts falling, until Mr. Squiggles catches her. The four then make their way out of the jungle, into the snowy mountain.

At the snowy mountain, Num Nums asks Pipsqueak how she ended up in the Zhu-niverse, which Pip then stated that she tried to do something special for her owner, but it didn't work out, so she ditched Katie. Num Nums does not approve of this, which causes the two to get into an argument, which Mr. Squiggles is able to stop before it gets worse. Squiggles tells Pipsqueak the reason why Num Nums was so mad was because she used to have an owner she was crazy about, who unfortunately moved to an apartment complex that allowed no pets. This made Num Nums so sad even her heart birthmark changed to an image of a broken heart.

Pipsqueak expresses sympathy for Num Nums, and reflects that she herself was luckier in her previous home than she realized. Soon the four hamsters reach a flimsy-looking rope bridge across a deep ravine. They are dubious about crossing it, until Mr. Squiggles' birthmark lights up at the same time as a similar "squiggle" mark on a nearby rock. Taking this as a sign that the bridge is safe, the hamsters start across. However, Num Nums is still on the bridge when it suddenly breaks. She manages to cling to the end as it falls into the ravine, and the others climb down to save her. After the rescue, Pipsqueak and Num Nums quickly resolve their argument.

Presently, Stinker shows up again, and receives more complaints from the annoyed hamsters. Suddenly, the group is attacked by three hungry Zhu-rassics, large creatures that look like saber-toothed tiger hamsters. Pipsqueak, Num Nums, Chunk, and Mr. Squiggles flee, but Mr. Squiggles tears his beloved cape while escaping.

Having escaped the Zhu-rassics, the four hamsters promptly run into an enormous Yeti-like hamster named Zhusquashya, whose jumping starts an avalanche, so the four hamsters jump on Chunk's surfboard and snow-surf to safety. Meanwhile Zhusquashya gets caught in the avalanche, but is unharmed, to Num Num's relief.

Now at the bottom of the mountain, the four hamsters realize they have reached the Palace of Zhu. As they approach, Num Nums hesitates. She tells Pipsqueak that she already had her wish (when she was with her owner) and then lost it. Pipsqueak comforts her and says it's time to move on to a new wish.

When they reach the Palace, Stinker is there again. The hamsters are still annoyed with him, and ask where all the "happy hams" he promised are. The yard around the Palace is entirely empty. Stinker, saying that the happy hams are all inside, promises a guided tour. However, even Chunk cannot open the enormous doors of the Palace. The doors are covered with carved birthmark symbols, which suddenly begin to glow and blink. The four symbols belonging to Pipsqueak, Num Nums, Chunk, and Mr. Squiggles remain lit, and the doors open on their own.

As soon as the hamsters step inside, Stinker disappears and the doors close on their own. The hamsters are very impressed by the Palace, and think they have found the great wizard Zhu Fu. However, when the wizard floats towards them, he suddenly transforms into a huge lizard-like hybrid creature called Mazhula. She has disguised herself as Zhu Fu, after capturing him and many other hamsters and forcing them to work as slaves for her. Pipsqueak, Num Nums, Chunk, and Mr. Squiggles see a huge contraption made of many hamster wheels and similar devices. Zhu Fu and the other captive hamsters are forced to run endlessly on these wheels to create magical energy for Mazhula. With this energy, she plans to take over the Zhuniverse.

Meanwhile, Stinker shows up again from a secret passage, cackling. He has been working for Mazhula all this time, luring the hamsters to the palace to be new slaves. The four hamsters are furious. Zhusquashya is there too; like all of Mazhula's slaves, he has been forced to wear a collar that zaps him with magical energy if he does not obey. Num Nums feels horrible about the creature's plight.

When Stinker tries to put collars on the four new hamsters, they instead use Chunk's surfboard to catapault him at Mazhula. A furious Mazhula orders Zhusquashya to catch them, but he misses on purpose. Fleeing for their lives, the hamsters remember the secret passage under Mazhula's throne, and dive through it to safety.

Resurfacing outside the palace, the four hamsters realize they have to save all the trapped hamsters back inside. Mr. Squiggles and Chunk want to go alone, but Num Nums and Pipsqueak insist they will come along too.

While Mazhula is sleeping on her throne, the four hamsters sneak back into the Palace and go to see Zhu Fu. He and all the other trapped hamsters are being kept in a cage. He commends the foursome on their adventure, and they realize that they have learned a lot and become closer friends while trying to get to the Palace of Zhu.

Zhu Fu also explains that Mazhula draws her power through her tail. When the hamsters run on the wheels and create power, it goes to a large urn, into which Mazhula places her tail when she wants to charge up. Thanks to Chunk's wandering mind, the hamsters get the idea to fill the urn with a sticky substance so that Mazhula cannot draw power from it.

The hamsters get to work. Chunk wakes up Mazhula, and he, Pipsqueak, and Mr. Squiggles begin to run all over the palace, baiting Mazhula and keeping her chasing them. They hope to both distract her and drain her power, since she keeps firing beams of energy from her hands.

Meanwhile, Num Nums has emptied her supply of carrots into the urn, and is trying to crush them into a paste. She is a little frightened when Zhusquashya appears, but he only wants to help. While the other three hamsters continue to run all over the Palace with Mazhula, Num Nums and Zhusquashya are discovered by Stinker. An unamused Num Nums karate-fights the skunk and puts one of Mazhula's collars on him.

Back with the other hamsters, the battle with Mazhula has moved outside. The lizard-like creature succeeds in cornering the hamsters and is about to destroy them, but runs out of power at that exact moment. Furious, she goes back to her throne and tries to recharge, but finds her charging urn full of carrot paste. Zhusquashya has taken the hamsters' side, and Stinker is incapacitated. Also, all the captive hamsters have been released. Together they succeed in quickly overpowering Mazhula.

Despite Mazhula's protests that she meant no harm, the hamsters are determined to punish her. Mr. Squiggles whispers to Zhu Fu, and the wizard magically sends Mazhula to the same pet store where Mr. Squiggles was once kept.

Back in the Zhu-niverse, Pipsqueak has realized that she misses Katie very much, and asks to go home. Zhu Fu explains that all Pipsqueak ever had to do was call on the star that brought her there, and it would bring her home. After quickly saying goodbye to Num Nums, Mr. Squiggles, and Chunk, Pipsqueak is taken back home.

Back at home, Katie is worried sick about Pipsqueak's disappearance, and is busily searching and making lost posters. When Pipsqueak reappears, Katie is overjoyed. In the middle of Katie and Pipsqueak's reunion, her friends, Num Nums, Mr. Squiggles, and Chunk show up on the windowsill, having been sent after Pipsqueak by Zhu Fu. Katie is delighted to have three new pets, and goes to the kitchen to make them a snack.

While Katie is downstairs, Pipsqueak begins telling her friends how they'll love their new home. Num Nums is a little anxious about taking Katie's affections from Pipsqueak, but Pipsqueak promises there will be plenty enough love to go around. Content at last, Num Nums finds that her broken-heart birthmark has changed back into a full, unbroken heart.

Also, Mr. Squiggles realizes that he has finally found a home for good. The realization causes his torn cape to magically grow back. A delighted Pipsqueak sings the refrain, realizing that the happy day she had hoped for is actually here.

Cast

• Mariah Wilkerson as Katie
• Shannon Chan-Kent as Pipsqueak
• Ian Corlett as Mr. Squiggles, Stinker, and Zhuquasha
• Sean Campbell as Chunk
• Erin Mathews as Num Nums and Surfer
• Jillian Michaels as Jilly
• Jan Rabson as Zhu Fu
• Kathleen Barr as Mazhula

Production

Before this movie, Sega Toys attempted to adapt Zhu Zhu Pets with a manga and animated project in Japan. Cepia LLC partnered with Dream Gardens to develop movies based upon the brand with distribution by Universal Pictures.

Marketing

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack was released on November 21, 2011.

Video game

Coinciding with the film's release, a video game adaptation for the Nintendo DS was released.

Awards

In 2011, Quest for Zhu was nominated for a Golden Reel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Non-Theatrical Animation Long Form, but lost to Megamind: The Button of Doom.

Sequels

There was a 4 part miniseries that was a sequel to the movie called "Royal Trouble" as well as a series of animated music videos featuring the characters.

There were supposed to be three Zhu Zhu Pets films; a second full-length feature film, The Power of Zhu, was slated for a 2012 direct-to-DVD release, and a third, Secret of Zhu, was also planned. Sometime between 2011–2012, the second film, retitled The Amazing Adventures of Zhu, was completed and "secretly distributed" to TV stations in France and Brazil. Secret of Zhu has since been distributed through Kabillion's streaming partners.

See also

• The ZhuZhus, a 2016 television series also starring Pipsqueak, Num Nums, Mr. Squiggles, and Chunk

External links

• Official website
• Quest for Zhu at IMDb
• Quest for Zhu on Rotten Tomatoes
• Official Quest for Zhu Press Release 2011
• Secret of Zhu film at Spectrum On Demand
• Trailer for the cancelled The Power of Zhu film
• Zhu Zhu pets, Kung Zhu : Amazing Adventures of Zhu “Power of Zhu” imdb page Amazing Adventures of Zhu on https://www.imdb.com/