Rabbit Seitaro Usagi, squirrel Risu, bear Kuma and penguin Penguin are four young animals whose names together make U-Ri-Ku-Pen. They serve on a rescue squad of courageous youngsters who help creatures caught in danger. Other members of the group include a lion, a seagull, a mouse, a koala, a deer, a boar and a dog. Each mission stretches over a whole week of episodes, and completing it earns the animals a prize. Audiences at home had a chance at prizes as well, mailing in guesses about which animal would rescue the world by Friday. Mitsuru Kaneko created this short-format adventure comedy, which also saw limited airing on some local American stations for Japanese viewers.