Yoko Season 1, Episode 5: It's Mai Castle

First day

Vik remembers the day he met Oto, Mai and Yoko. It's the park opening, and, being shy, Vik is avoiding all the other kids. Oto and Mai invite him to play trains with them. At first, they're just three kids playing trains, but something strange starts to happen; all at once, the three kids find themselves inside a "real" train zooming through the park, and taking off into outer space. How can this be happening? They reach a planet where, finally, they meet Yoko, the magical author of their adventure but they believe that Yoko is an alien who wants to attack them; this hurts Yoko's feelings. In the end, they see that the furry giant only Wants to play with them. It's the start of a beautiful friendship.

12 min

The Monster Of Lake Wawa

When Mai loses her badminton racquet in the Lake, Ranger Loops tells the children the legend of the Monster of Lake Wawa. "Don't worry, it's just a story," she tells them. But Together with Yoko they go on an underwater quest in order to find out what the monster looks like. After several close calls, and some mysterious they finally find the monster, and discover it's not a monster at all - it's the "monster" that's been helping them on their journey. And in the end, they've made a great new (orange, many-armed) friend.

Patty Loops

"Ranger Loops brings her niece, Patty, to spend the day in the park. The kids, of course, are excited to spend the day with her, but Patty doesn't seem so sure. And the harder they try to get Patty to play with them, the less sure she seems. They're determined, however, and with Yoko's magical help, they do their best to impress the new kid, only to find that Patty's not being difficult - she's simply shy, a feeling that Yoko can certainly understand."

Camp out!

Today the kids decide to pretend that they're camping. It all seems like fun at first, until Mai's very specific ideas about that begin to get in the way. Oto, Vik and specially Yoko seem unable to follow her "rules." Finally, after things seem to fall apart, Mai begins to see that when you're playing together, it's more fun if everyone has a say in how you play.

Don't Touch

Vik brings his brand new ball to the park. The friends are excited to play with it, but it's so beautiful that he doesn't want anyone touching it. Oto and Mai think that if they can just somehow get Vik to kick the ball with them, Vik will realize that he also wants to play. But Vik takes his friends' attempts as an attack on his ball, and he asks Yoko to help protect his shiny prize. Both sides start a game in which Yoko uses his magic to build sophisticate security systems, and Mai and Oto use their inventiveness and "super-spy Skills" to finally get Vik to let them play with his new ball.

Rocket to the Moon

Oto decides the gang will play Tag today. And why not; He never loses. Game on. Oto corners Mai on the climbing tower. She tries to talk her way out. "You can't tag me. I'm on a rocket...in space!" Oto just shakes his head. Yoko feels for the underdog Mai. He magically turns the climbing tower into a spaceship and Mai does indeed fly into space. Oto's not happy. He gets Yoko to turn a tree into a super-fast rocket. With Vik and Yoko aboard, Oto's pursues Mai's at high speeds in and out of clouds and to the moon. Then, the ships zoom into a hale of asteroids. They're both hit. Facing each other as their ships plummet to earth, Oto and Mai recover their perspective and friendship and Yoko STOPS the ships, just before crashing.

The Treasure of Yoko Park

Oto, Vik and Mai are playing pirates today. Oto is ever the swashbuckler, Vik is into the ships, while Mai thinks it's all about the eye patches. When Yoko produces an interactive, magical map - there's one thing they can all agree on. Being a pirate is all about The TREASURE!. And there are treasures all around you - you just have to look .

Red Litter Day

The kids head to the beautiful Meadow Gigantico to play tag - when they discover the meadow isn't all that beautiful anymore. Overnight somebody has completely trashed the place - literally - and now the park's most pristine corner is covered with garbage. Poor Ranger Loops will never have a chance to clean it up all by herself. With Yoko's help the clean up turns into a game that leads to something Different from their initial expectations, including finding out who caused that mess in the first place.

Broken

Ranger Loops is preparing a box of old items for recycling. Mai suggests playing with some of the broken toys in the box before they are delivered, but Oto thinks that it is silly playing with broken toys. Yoko feels badly for the broken toys, so he makes his magic and turns the three friends into the broken toys themselves, while he takes the shape of the old box. Ranger Loops appears in the meadows and takes the box, leaving the three broken toys in the ground at the other side of the lake. The three friends have to work together to reach the cabin and get Yoko to change them back before the truck Comes to collect the box.

Hiding in Plain Sight

"Mr. Tuttle, a special zoologist, visits Yoko Park. He believes there are strange and unusual creatures in the world that have yet to be discovered. "And one of them might live in this park!" The kids are quite concerned that Tuttle will discover Yoko and take him to a special zoo. It will take some doing to keep the carefree Yoko from the dogged and ever-curious Tuttle. But, with some clever games, Oto, Vik and Mai keep their friend occupied and out of Mr. Tuttle's trap."

Vik on Ice

Vik doesn't seem to enjoy playing in the snow quite as much as Mai, Oto and Yoko. He doesn't know how to play any winter sports. Everyone thinks ice-skating will be the right winter sport for Vik. At the lake, they try to get him to ice dance and play hockey but Vik just keeps falling down. Vik is about to give up hope when Ranger Loops discovers that Mai and Oto forgot to teach Vik the basics of skating. This changes everything.

Vik Plays with Others

Oto and Mai walk to the meadow, where they are supposed to meet Vik. But from the distance they see that their friend is playing blind-man's bluff with - can it be? -- other kids. Mai and Oto get jealous, thinking that Vik prefers his new friends. Yoko appears and the three friends play an incredible Red Light Green Light game to attract Vik. One by one they attract all the kids that are playing with Vik, except Vik, who keeps waiting in the meadows. Oto and Mai decide to talk with Vik and he explains them that he is there because he had a rendezvous with his best friends: Mai and Oto. The three kids go to play Red Light Green Light with their new friends.

Winner Wonderland

It's the summer and very, very hot. Too hot to play, it seems. But Yoko's not having it; he creates a Winter Wonderland and the "Race to the Pole" begins. It's Yoko and the children against a team of squirrels. Who will be the first to reach the Pole? One, two, three, go-o-o. It's all about winter sports. But in the end, the winner is not anyone they're expecting.

The Perfect Pet

Mai, Oto, and Vik are talking about pets. They would all really like one, but Ranger Loops warns them that pets are "a big responsibility," which is, of course, exactly what their parents are always saying. The ranger suggests they try drawing some pets instead. They each draw their "perfect pet" - a cat, a parrot and a unicorn. And Yoko, inspired, turns a nearby sparrow into a wild and wonderful hybrid of all three. The kids are thrilled at first, but they quickly learn, however, that having a pet really is a big responsibility.

The Best Dinosaur

Mai, Vik and Oto are playing with little plastic dinosaur toys in the park's sandbox. When Yoko joins the game, he makes the toys real dinosaur size animals and transforms the whole park into Jurassic land. But the children get competitive, determined to figure out whose dinosaur is the best. After a series of games, competitions and funny moments, they lose their dinosaurs - only to find them having a very nice time together - away from all the disagreements. The children realize that they haven't been as nice to one another as they should have been. And agree that it's time to stop.

Paper Planes

Oto, Vik and Mai are all having a great time making and flying paper airplanes in the park today. Vik's does tricks, Oto's goes fast. Mai is insecure about the plane she's made, but they all quickly recognize that her plane is the only one that can truly do it all. The only problem is that it flies so well, it starts flying away. It's the best plane ever, and they simply can't lose it. With Yoko's help, the chase is on. The kids zoom after the plane dodging trees and flocks of geese. It's quite the odyssey, but when all is said and done, Mai realizes that if she was able to make one great plane, she can always make another.

A World of Colors

Ranger Loops has given the children a task - paint a birdhouse she's just finished making. The kids are excited, but soon run into a problem. They can't agree which colour to paint it. One wants yellow, one red, and one blue. When Yoko joins them, they decide on a contest to see which color they'll paint it. Whoever finds the most examples in the park of their colour wins. The game gets out of the control. The children end up dividing the park into their favourite colour zones. Luckily there is always room to compromise.

Yoko 500

Vik, Oto and Mai determine that today, they're going to have a race in the park. Sounds like fun. Each of them brags that they're sure to be the winner. But when Yoko takes their race to a whole new level with vehicles that mirror each of their points of view on the race, they're put to a serious test, and they have to choose between winning at any cost and helping their friends.

The Rainy Day Adventure

It's a rainy day in the Yoko park, and the children find themselves sheltering in Ranger Loops cabin without anything to do. They find some old board games, and Vik, excited, tries to convince them to join him in playing them. The kids are sure they'll be unbearably boring...until Yoko comes and turns the games into a real adventure. When the rain finally stops, the kids are so into the games, they don't even notice.

The Pyramid Adventure

Oto and Vik are playing heroes, and they're continually casting Mai in the role of "damsel in distress." But Mai wants to be a hero as well. And when Yoko brings their adventure to life with a huge Pyramid complete with Indiana Jones-like booby traps and mummies, the boys quickly find out that Mai can be a hero as well.

The Robot

The children promised Ranger Loops they would create a flowerbed for the upcoming flower festival and, just fooling around, Vik invents a robot to "help" them. Unfortunately it's made of cardboard, and isn't much help at all - Until Yoko comes and makes it the best "Helpbot" in the whole universe ever. At first, it's all good; Helpbot creates a very orderly (but not terribly imaginative) flowerbed for the festival. Things go awry as Helpbot's "programming" makes him do absolutely everything for the kids - including play. In the end, they decide to redo the flowerbed for themselves...it's much more fun that way.

Small Safari

Mai brought her camera to the park, and she wants to play Safari today. Ranger Loops thinks this is a great idea, and encourages them to find all the different types of wildlife in the park. The three friends set out together, but to their dismay, they seem to run out of animals to observe very quickly. There are squirrels, ravens, a few ducks...and not much else. The Ranger is surprised at them. "Look closer," she counsels. Oto, sensing that she means "creepy-crawlies," is none too excited. He's doesn't like bugs so much. But Yoko, inspired by this, decides to "help" the kids to look closer - by shrinking them all to tiny size. Instantly, they can see the park is teeming with wildlife.

The Little Things

Mai, Oto and Vik think they've played everything there is to play in the park. They get bored, idly pushing toys around in the sandbox. But when they lose their toy, Yoko arrives to help. He scales the children down and off they go to find their little toy car. But Yoko gets distracted and loses sight of them. Uh-oh. The children and Yoko end up on a crazy adventure with huge squirrels, races in the desert, and being lost in a jungle of grass. Will they find each other before it's time to go home?

Big Dress Up

Oto, Vik, and Mai are playing a game of climbing the swing to retrieve a ball. Marisol decides to lend them some costumes to play with, but first they'll have to learn that clothes don't make a person.

Circus, Circus

Vik comes up with the idea to play circus. Mai, Oto, and Yoko are very keen on it, and each of them finds a perfect role...except Vik. He tries and tries to find something he can do, but he just keeps failing. Luckily, when things start to go wrong in the performance, Vik discovers the circus thing he is good at. After all, as Ranger Loops says, "everyone is good at something!"

Cowboys in Yoko Park

Ranger Loops has a big surprise in the park today: a petting zoo. When the truck arrives with the animals, Loops asks the children to look after things for a moment while she goes to the shed to gather some necessary supplies, as a busload of children is about to come for a visit. Vik, Oto and Mai are sure they can handle this, no problem. But as soon as Loops is gone, Yoko allows the animals to escape. The kids are in a panic, and Yoko, fun-loving as ever, uses his magic to turn the whole situation into a full-on cowboy and cowgirl

Roll with IT

The three kids play house with Yoko. As soon as they start playing the three boys start changing everything around, putting the house in crazy places and mixing everything up: at first they propose playing cowboy house, then it is space house; later, they want to play pirate house. Each time, Mai objects; she wants to play house the right way. She gets a little bossy about it, and soon, nobody's having any fun. Finally, she realizes that forcing the others to play her way isn't right, and she tries to loosen up a little - She'll show those boys a thing or two about finding imaginative new ways to play house.

Happy Birthday, Yoko

The kids realize that Yoko has never celebrated his Birthday. Mai, Oto and Vik decide to throw him a proper party but keeping it as a secret. The problem is that they are not sure that the present will be good enough, because it is something made by them. Finally when the surprise is revealed and Yoko's Birthday is in full swing, Yoko opens his present.

My Craft

Everybody's making "sandcastles" in the sandbox. Oto tries to make a building but he goes so quickly that the building collapses again and again. Vik and Mai are more patient and they build beautiful buildings, going step by step. Yoko uses his magic, providing the kids with a magic spade that can build gigantic buildings. Oto has the same problem with the magic spade: he goes too fast and his building collapses again. Finally, with the help of his friends, he understands that he has to go a bit more slowly, taking things step by step.

Storybook ending

Mai arrives in the park carrying a brand new storybook, filled with" the most wonderful tales." She asks Vik, who's the best reader, to read them all a tale. Vik and Yoko are mesmerized by the book, but Oto can't believe they're wasting their time in the park reading instead of playing. Vik tries to convince him that reading together is a kind of game, too, but Oto mocks the story because "it has princesses" or "it doesn't have enough action", or whatever he can find to complain about. Yoko uses his magic so that each time one of the kids proposes a change to the story, it instantly becomes a part of it. Oto begins to think that maybe there's something to this whole reading thing after all.

The Biggest Kite

Oto goes to the park with his little cousin Tom. As the older cousin, Oto is put in charge. But Oto takes this too seriously and doesn't allow Tom do just about anything because, as he keeps saying, 'you're too little!' Since it's a rather windy day, they decide to build and fly some kites. Oto, Mai and Vik build some big ones because they think "bigger is better," but Tom, who has to use whatever is leftover, builds a tiny kite of his own. Once Yoko's magic is triggered, the kites become gliders and the kids spend their afternoon flying on the sky. Somehow, the big kites get into big trouble - maybe they're actually too big. Yoko thinks Tom's glider can save them, but Oto doesn't see it. It is too small. But, sometimes, the best thing is to be littler after all.

A Big Fat Mistery

Lately, the Ravens are acting funny: they are so fat they can't even fly. It seems like somebody has been feeding them - but who? Oto, Vik and Mai decide to investigate this mystery helped by Yoko, who makes them look like real detectives. After questioning some suspects and witnesses and examining some clues, they discover the culprit was Oto. The Ravens were eating the popcorn he couldn't finish - every single day.

Mai's Wagon

Mai has to leave for a little bit, because she has some things to do with her parents, so leaves her wagon with Vik, Oto and Yoko. She tells them to be careful with it, but as soon as the kids are left alone, they start to play with the wagon - Of course, somehow they break it. Using Yoko's magic, they go from fantasy to fantasy trying to keep the truth from Mai. Meanwhile the wagon is falling apart more and more. Finally they decide to tell her the truth and - guess what? She's not mad at them at all. The thing she had to do earlier was getting a brand new wagon because the other one was already a bit damaged. The boys Are relieved - and they learn that it is better to be honest with your friends.

Tree of Life

When a tree in the park is threatened, Yoko helps the kids to see that multiple animals would be affected by it's loss. The kids "play" squirrels, birds and fish, and learn the value of each and every tree in the park, and a lesson about how we are connected to the natural world.

Castaway

Oto finds himself frustrated with his friends. It seems to him that they all have conflicting ideas about every single game they play with Yoko. Oto stomps off, determined to do what he wants to do, all by himself. He heads off on an imaginative sea adventure, but he ends up stuck on a desert island all by himself. At first it seems like fun, but very quickly he discovers that he misses his friends. Even the company of a funny coconut can't replace them. It's much more fun to play together.

Happy next Birthday!

For Vik's sixth birthday Oto and Mai surprise him with a basketball-themed party -- a game Vik thinks he knows a lot about. They form a team: The Yoko Park Cows. The first time they play they don't do so well. Oto and Mai suggest they play more basketball to improve. But, Vik embarrassed by his first failure, doesn't want to join them. He clings to the idea that he will simply get better as he grows bigger and bigger. With his magic, Yoko takes Vik into the future to show Vik what happens when he grows up. Vik learns that the more you play at something, the better you get.

Yoko's Computer Game

Yoko appears in the park, ready to play - only to find the kids playing a game on Oto's computer tablet called PLAY IN THE PARK. Sitting and looking at a computer is not what Yoko had in mind for today. When the computer starts to act up, Yoko volunteers to "fix it". But what he really does is make the kids believe he's magically put them INSIDE the computer game. As the play progresses the kids are amazed at how real everything seems for a computer game and how exciting the activities are. Only when a very real Ranger Loops drives up in her cart do they realize Yoko has tricked them. Who needs a computer game about a park, when you can actually have fun in a real park.

Grownups

The three kids want to play grown ups but Yoko doesn't understand what a grown up is. Just then, an executive is walking through the park and Oto points at him. The kids think that Yoko has understood what a grownup is, but while they start to play, Yoko watches the businessman at work using the park's telescope, and he misunderstands what being a grownup means. Yoko's magic transports the three kids to an office, where they find themselves trapped in a bureaucratic loop with Yoko as a crazy boss. In the end, they must reconnect Yoko with his more playful self to return things in the park to "normal."

The Cool Spies

Oto and Mai are determined to play an exciting, high-energy game today. Though he has an idea about what he wants to play, Vik feels his idea is not as good, and he goes off without telling his friend what his idea was. Oto and Mai, curious as always, think of another game. They'll be spies. They'll secretly follow Vik to figure out what "not exciting" thing he is up to. When the spies discover that Vik is going bird watching, they aren't too excited. But, later, they discover that the quiet activity of watching, colorful and interesting birds, from a secret place, is one of the most exciting activities one could be part of.

All together now

When Ranger Loops gives Vik and Mai some musical instruments, the two are soon having a blast making music and dreaming forming a soon-to-be-famous band. But they can't do this without Oto. Oto, however, has no interest, claiming to not like music until he finally admits that he loves music, but it music doesn't like him. He has no music talent at ALL. Will the music (and a little Yoko magic) help Oto see that music is all around him?

All for One, and One for All

Each kid wants to play a different game, and as they just can't come to an agreement, each one plays by his or her own game. Each one tries to attract Yoko and, as a result, make his/her game bigger and more fun. But the competition among them is so fierce that they lose control of the games and the three games collide. At the beginning the collision is a disaster but soon, the kids realize that they can create a great game that combines all three. It's always much more fun when you find a way to play together.

Cloudy Day

It's a very hot day and the kids are lying in the field, looking for shapes in the clouds. Of course, everyone sees something different in each cloud. An exhausted Ranger Loops joins them for a moment, and quickly dozes off. Yoko, meanwhile, arrives and gets a little too into the game, bringing the cloud animals to life in the park. Of course, the kids are afraid that all the ruckus will wake the Ranger, and they try to solve the problem by bringing more animals down to help control the creatures they've already set loose.This doesn't work out too well, and soon chaos reigns in the park. In the end, they realize that they have to come up with a plan together to return things in Yoko Park to "normal."

Snowball

Winter is winding down, which is great...but Mai and Oto dearly wish for one last snowfall before springtime arrives in earnest. With a little Yoko magic, they get their wish. The only problem is, Vik, thinking that spring is finally here, is all revved up to show his pals his new favorite game: baseball. He's a little put out when the snow starts to fall in earnest. Though a little insensitive to their friend's disappointment initially, Oto and Mai eventually catch on. And with Yoko's help fielding a team of magical snowmen, the group manages to combine the day's play into one big game that includes everyone.

Perfect Picnic

It's a miracle. Oto, Mai and Vik all agree on the day's chosen activity: they're going to have a picnic. But they soon find that there's still one thing about the picnic that they can't seem to agree upon: where to have it. Yoko takes them on a magical trip exploring picnic sites - both on Earth and off - until they realize that each of them has to bend a bit on their own idea of a "perfect" picnic before that they can have a picnic that all of them can enjoy.

The Yoko Workout

There is a new Obstacle Course in Yoko Park -- a fun way to stay active and be healthy. For the opening, Ranger Loops will hold a race to see who can go through the obstacles fastest. Oto wants to be in tip-top shape for it, so he chooses a traditional workout with the Ranger and Ronnie the Workout guy. Vik and Mai think that doesn't sound like fun. Instead they have a very active adventure with Yoko as they searching for the imaginary Jewel of the Jungle. When race time comes, Oto feels he will win. But, Vik and Mai have a surprise for him. By playing really hard with Yoko they are in good enough shape to win, too.

An A-Mazing Winter Adventure

It's a wintry day in the park, and Oto, Vik and Mai are having great fun making a snow fort. Ranger Loops comes along with exciting news: she's planning to have a puppet show in a bit in the cabin. It'll be fun, and a great opportunity to warm up. She hands them a flyer, which gives a hint at the story. Two knights and a snow princess must find their way through a Snow Beast's labyrinth of ice and snow. The flyer blows away, and the kids, always mindful of keeping the park clean, chase after it. Yoko gets ahold of it before they do, however, and inspired, he creates a snow labyrinth of his own. Will our heroes find their way out of the maze before it's time for the puppet show?

Hello Nature

After observing how hard Ranger Loops works, the kids decide that they'll be Rangers for one day. They focus on keeping people from doing things that may harm the park, but somehow they get a little power-mad, and people in the park, not too fond of their bossiness, start leaving in droves. When the kids see the park so lonely and sad, they realize they need to rethink their methods. With Yoko's magic, they go back in time and start from scratch.

Vik saves the day

Vik wants to play superheroes. He comes charging into the park with a towel pinned around his neck, ready to play. His friends, however, have other things going on: Mai is helping Ranger Loops to "save" some sunflowers by transplanting them to an area with more sun, and Oto is reliving his heroics in his championship soccer win. It seems to Vik that his friends are really heroic, while he's just the same old Vik, running around with a towel around his neck. Yoko responds by making both of them real superheroes. Vik goes around, "looking for trouble," without much success. In the end, he finds that the best way to be a hero is doing what he does best - being a good friend.

Doppelgangers

The kids are playing soccer, but it's not going all that well. Mai is acting very bossy, Oto is kind of a ball hog and Vik is taking the brunt of his friends' bad behavior. Suddenly Oto decides that what they need is to play another team - so that they can play together. Yoko responds by magically creating doubles of our three kids: another Mai, another Oto and another Vik. They're very excited, but once they start playing, the real Mai, Vik and Oto see their own behavior mirrored by their doppelgangers.

What's That Smell?

Ranger Loops is so proud of her flowers - it's spring, and everything is in bloom. People have come from far and wide to look at her marvelous work, and, of course, to breath in the heavenly scent. Soon, however, they realize that there's something that smells horrible somewhere, overpowering the sweet scent of her blossoms. When the kids discover that the stink is coming from Yoko, who, as it turns out, has NEVER taken a bath in his life, they're determined to give him a good scrub. But Yoko just wants to play. The chase is on. Before long, the kids work out that they need to make bathing a game in order to get Yoko clean. In the end, he's so clean his fur shines - for now, at least.

Outer Space Rocks

Oto wants to play with his Frisbee and Vik wants to play rock collecting. They are adamant and neither of them will even try the other one's game. Mai wishes there was some game that would satisfy everyone - This triggers Yoko's magic and he turns the Frisbee into a flying saucer, sending the kids up into outer space. Oto's happy because the thinks he's won, but clever Yoko lands them on a rocky planet. Now Vik thinks his choice has won out. The kids have lots of adventures in the space until Oto and Yoko get in trouble with some rocks creatures. Thanks to Vik's knowledge about rocks, he saves them. Later, when they're ready to head back to the park, they find that their flying saucer is broken. Thanks to Oto's knowledge about Frisbee, however, they find their way home. At the end of the day, both Oto and Vik have learned to appreciate what the other likes doing.