Champions. A detailed version.

Pyotr "Petya" Khitryuk, the Red Meteors defenseman number 13, is one of the most eccentric and unpredictable characters in the Soyuzmultfilm animated series "Champions." His appearance is deliberately grotesque: a slight build, perpetually disheveled hair, a signature grin with a noticeable gap where his front tooth should be (according to legend, he loosened it himself to appear "cooler"), and a habit of sticking out his tongue when particularly focused or mischievous. His Meteors uniform seems to have a life of its own—the sleeves are always rolled up, the laces are untied, and his helmet is adorned with homemade stickers that emphasize his rebellious spirit.

Petya's personality is a blend of ingenuity, mischief, and impulsiveness. He sincerely believes that victory justifies any means, and therefore constantly comes up with clever, and sometimes downright questionable, tactics: from confetti-filled diversions to "tactical" trips disguised as accidents. His signature phrase, "Who'll notice?", perfectly captures his approach to the game. At the same time, Petya isn't a malicious bully: he's genuinely devoted to the team and is willing to commit the most insane acts for the Meteors, even if they backfire on him.

His key episode is "Plan 13," in which Petya devises a multi-step plan to disable the opposing team's best striker. The plan involves disguises, false signals, and even a fake injury—and at first, everything works perfectly. But at the episode's climax, his cunning backfires: the opponents see through the ruse, and Petya, trying to salvage the situation, accidentally helps the Blue Pennants launch a counterattack. In the finale, he isn't angry at the failure, but rather admires how skillfully he was outplayed—and it's at this moment that his sportsmanship is revealed: for him, it's not just the result that matters, but also the wit of the game.

Petya's relationship with his teammates is a drama in itself. Taras Taranov tolerates his antics because he knows that in a critical moment, Khitryuk is capable of unconventional solutions.

Lev "Lyova" Glebov is the goalkeeper for the Red Meteors team, number 1, in the animated series "Champions" from Soyuzmultfilm. His character is built around contrast: the name "Lyova" promises strength and fearlessness, but Lyova himself is a timid, awkward teenager who must prove himself worthy of being a goalkeeper every day. On camera, he almost always wears a goalie mask—it becomes his "armor": behind it, he hides his insecurity, and the mask itself seems to convey emotions—from panic to the rare but intense joy after a successful save.

Lyova is a chronic worrier: he's afraid not so much of the puck as of disappointing the team and the coach. His fears manifest in disturbing dreams and obsessive thoughts: in the episode "I Don't Care," he dreams that the net disappears during a game, and he watches helplessly as the opponents score goals into empty space. This hypersensitivity makes him vulnerable to ridicule from teammates—especially from more confident players like Taras Taranov—but also incredibly diligent: if Lyova decides to improve something, he practices to the point of exhaustion, practicing the same shot hundreds of times.

The character's key episode is "Glebolization," where Lyova, tired of constant pressure and ridicule, tries to find an unconventional solution: he creates "clones" of himself to play in his place. At first, this idea seems like an escape, but it quickly spirals out of control: the clones begin to behave aggressively and wreak havoc on the stadium. This absurd plot reveals Lyova's internal conflict: he doesn't want to be weak, but he's also not ready to break himself for the sake of others' expectations. In the finale, he abandons the clones and returns to goal himself—and it's at this moment that he catches his first truly difficult shot, because he finally stops being afraid of his own mistakes.

Off the ice, Lyova is a quiet observer: he loves to draw, often making quick sketches of players and moments during a match in a tattered notebook that he always carries with him.

Roman "Roma" Siyakin, number 77 for the Red Meteors team, is one of the most charismatic and controversial characters in the animated series "Champions" from Soyuzmultfilm. He is easily recognizable by his stylish hairstyle: his black hair is slicked back, as if he just stepped out of the barbershop, and his confident dark eyes emphasize his habit of being the center of attention. The Meteors' uniform—red and black with yellow accents—seems designed to make Roma stand out on the field, and he takes full advantage of it: even in the heat of a match, he seems to be posing for an imaginary poster.

Roma's character is a cocktail of vanity, flamboyant charisma, and unexpected vulnerability. He sincerely believes that hockey is a stage, and he is the star actor: he loves flashy tricks, catchy lines, and the applause of the crowd. His ego is so enormous that it sometimes hinders his team: in the episode "Solo for One," Roma ignores passes in an attempt to score a goal on his own, ultimately leaving the Meteors shorthanded. But he's not malicious—rather, he's blinded by his own self-image as a "star," which he painstakingly cultivates.

One of the character's key arcs is his journey from egocentrism to an appreciation of the value of the team. In the episode "Without Spectators," the stands suddenly empty, and Roma realizes for the first time that his spectacular shots are of no use without his teammates ready to back him up. It's then that he consciously makes the winning pass to Petya Khytryuk for the first time—and that pass becomes more important to him than any personal goal.

Off the ice, Roma is a typical teenager hungry for recognition: he makes short videos for social media, dreams of athletic glory, and reacts sensitively to any criticism. At the same time, he also has touching qualities: he genuinely worries when he lets his team down and tries to correct it, albeit clumsily. His relationship with Taras Taranov is a perpetual conflict of ambitions: Taras demands discipline, Roma craves freedom, but in critical moments, they still have each other's backs.

Taras Taranov is the number 15 player and captain of the Red Meteors team in the animated series "Champions" from Soyuzmultfilm. The largest and most physically powerful athlete in the Multisport School League, he towers over the other players so much that he could easily pass for an adult, although, according to a football podcast, he is only fifteen. His last name is telling: it comes from the word "taran" (battering ram), which aptly describes his style of play—Taras doesn't avoid obstacles, he smashes them. On camera, he stands out not only for his height but also for his appearance: a white bandage on his nose, long, well-groomed shoulder-length hair, and, during football season, a pink headband and pink football boots, creating an unexpected contrast to his brutal nature.

Taras's main trait is brute force, which he values ​​above strategy. His powerful shot is a terror to any defense, and his intimidating style of play baffles not only opponents but sometimes even his own teammates. When irritated, Taras flies into uncontrollable rage: he shouts, punches, and sends opponents flying with a single jab. In "Duel" (Episode 5), he deliberately trains his fists before a match, hoping to intimidate the Blue Pennants—a tactic that only works initially, until Pennants captain Ivan Barashkin challenges him to a fair fight.

Taras isn't just a bully, he's the captain, and the football season makes that role especially challenging. Strategic thinking is his weak point: statistics show his intelligence is at its lowest, while his strength is at its highest. In the episode "Two Captains," his authoritarian style leads to unexpected consequences: the team turns against him, and Taras is left alone on the field.

Stepan "Styopa" Prygunkov is the goalkeeper for the Blue Pennants team, number 1, and one of the most charming characters in the animated series "Champions" from Soyuzmultfilm. His last name is telling: it comes from the word "jump," which accurately describes not only his playing style but also his very nature—Styopa is physically unable to sit still. He is perhaps the smallest and youngest player in the entire Multisport School League, but it is precisely this contrast between his plain appearance and his goaltending acumen that makes him one of the show's most memorable characters.

During the hockey season, Styopa is rarely seen without a mask—his face is hidden behind a goalie helmet, and only his eyes, lively and curious, peer through the slits. During the football season, the mask comes off, and viewers finally see him for who he really is: round-faced, with an open, almost childlike expression. He's charming, "cute as a button," but behind that exterior lies a true goaltender—Prygunkov can stop a Taras Taranov shot with one hand without breaking a sweat. His agility and reflexes compensate for his lack of height, and his fidgeting in goal keeps opposing forwards on their toes.

However, this same restlessness also becomes his weakness. Styopa craves attention, he wants to be the center of the action, and goalkeeper is a position that, by definition, requires patience. When the game is played in the opponent's half and the ball doesn't reach him, Prygunkov gets bored, loses concentration, and sometimes abandons the goal and goes into the field—which immediately results in missed goals. He's easily distracted.
Off the ice, Styopa is a kid among teenagers: sincere, emotional, easily upset when he misses goals, but just as quick to rave about the slightest success. His vulnerability and openness make him the most human of the Vympel players—a hero whose strength stems not from his size, but from his determination to never give up, even when he's the smallest on the ice.

Georgy "Gosha" Yolkin is a Blue Pennants player and one of the most colorful characters in the animated series "Champions" from Soyuzmultfilm. He's easily recognizable by his rounded, stocky build: Gosha is short and stocky, a deliberate contrast to his best friend, the lanky and shy Gena Palkin. The classic "fat guy versus skinny guy" dynamic works both on and off the ice: Gena is sensible and cautious, while Gosha is "like a hurricane," as he admits. But it's precisely this difference that makes their partnership one of the team's strongest: Palkin cools Yolkin down when he's on a roll, and Yolkin shakes Palkin up when he's drowning in doubt.

Gosha's main weapon is speed. He's not the biggest player on the ice, but he makes up for it with the speed of his movements and reflexes: while the Red Meteors' opponents are trying to pin him down, Yolkin is already past them and putting the puck in scoring position. In a blitz interview, he honestly admits that the adrenaline rush on the ice is off the charts, and sometimes his emotions run high—his temper leads to penalty minutes and clashes with the referees. But this same passion makes him fearless: Gosha doesn't back down from bigger opponents, even Taras Taranov, who can send him flying with a single punch.

The central episode of Yolkin is "Ultimate Disgrace" (episode 9). After an accidental victory at the "Test Your Strength" attraction, Gosha develops a complex about being mocked for his figure and decides to remake himself: he dons a gladiator helmet and a jersey several sizes too big, and begins playing not hockey but "muscles"—posing, hesitating, and doing things that are not what the situation calls for. The climax comes when, in a fit of bravado, he accidentally gives his own captain, Vanya Barashkin, a black eye.

Gennady "Gena" Palkin, number 17, is a forward for the Blue Pennants team and a key character in the animated series "Champions" from Soyuzmultfilm. His last name is telling: it comes from the word "stick," and indeed, Gena stands out among his teammates with his tall, lanky build. He's easily recognizable on camera by his height, the slight awkwardness of his movements, and his freckles—he's the only character in the series with this distinctive appearance, which emphasizes his softness and vulnerability. The Blue Pennants uniform fits him slightly baggy, as if he hasn't yet fully grown into his full frame, and this detail perfectly conveys the essence: Gena is a teenager just learning to manage both his body and his place on the team.

Palkin's main trait is shyness, bordering on timidity. He is perhaps the quietest and most nervous player on the Vympel team: he's easily frightened, prone to anxious fantasies, and before big games, he can become so nervous that fear literally paralyzes him on the ice or field. This is especially evident in the "Meteorophobia" episode, where Gena goes into a game consumed by fantasies about the Red Meteors' superpowers—he loses the game in his head beforehand, picturing his opponent as invincible. But it's precisely by overcoming this fear, with the help of his teammates, that Palkin finds the strength to play at his full potential.
Despite his insecurities, Gena possesses an iron determination. Even when he falls and knocks everything in his path, he never gives up. His determination, contrasting with his outward clumsiness, becomes a source of inspiration for the team: Palkin proves that victory comes not from talent, but from stubbornness and a willingness to get up after every fall.

Ivan Barashkin is the central character in the animated series "Champions" from Soyuzmultfilm, captain of the Blue Pennants hockey team. He is a teenager with a distinct athletic charisma: he doesn't just lead the team on the ice, but also sets its moral tone, turning hockey into a school of character. His image is meticulously crafted: on camera, he always wears the Blue Pennants uniform—blue and white kit, a captain's patch, and a helmet with a simple pattern. His casual hairstyle emphasizes his constant rhythm of training and matches.

Ivan's character is built on a balance of strength and sensitivity. He's a natural leader who knows how to take responsibility: if a game isn't going according to plan, Barashkin is the first to analyze the error and offer a solution. He doesn't bully, however, but rather tries to listen to every player, whether they're a star forward or a rookie on the bench. His honesty is evident even in small matters: he won't hide a teammate's mistake, but he also won't let them get hurt in front of opponents. This integrity makes him a pillar of support for the Vympel team, but it also attracts conflicts—especially with the Red Meteors captain, Taras Taranov, for whom winning at any cost is the norm.

Ivan regularly faces internal contradictions in his stories. For example, in the episode "The Cherished Stick," his vulnerability is revealed: after receiving an autograph from a hockey legend, he becomes so attached to the stick that it becomes a talisman, and then a weakness. His opponents quickly detect this dependence and exploit it for psychological pressure. However, it is precisely overcoming this weakness that makes the Blue Pennants' victory especially valuable: Vanya realizes that strength lies not in the stick, but in the team and one's own choices.

Off the ice, Ivan is an ordinary schoolboy: he goes to class, worries about tests, argues with his parents, and tries to live up to the expectations of his loved ones. This "ordinariness" makes him relatable to viewers: he's not a superhero, but a teenager learning to be an adult through sport.