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Back in 1975, one gloomy afternoon in Milan (ok, we don’t know what the weather was like, but that’s how we’d like to imagine it!), a girl asked her dad to draw her something. The dad did as he was told: he picked up a blank sheet of paper, and scribbled down a couple of things – a boat and a sun – followed by a wild-eyed, polka-dot dog. The dad in question was none other than Italian cartoonist Francesco Tullio-Altan (better known simply as Altan) and, although he didn’t yet know it, his little dog had a bright future: it would become known all over the world as Pimpa.
Fifty years on from this home inception, Pimpa is famous in numerous countries, loved by children and adults alike, and even used as an ambassador for Italy overseas.
Today, we’d like to celebrate this major milestone by paying homage to this lively and original character: we’ll tell you the story of how the comic came to be published, investigate its unique features that won readers’ hearts, and look at the various ways people are celebrating Pimpa’s birthday in 2025!
Who is Pimpa, and how was she created?
Image: libringioco.blog
If you’ve never come across Pimpa before, it’s about time you were introduced: she’s a (fictional!) white dog with a slightly dazed expression and characteristic red spots. She’s extremely likeable, has an unbridled imagination, and talks to everyone and everything… including the sun, the sea, bread, chairs and bedside lamps. And in Pimpa’s fantasy world, all these items respond: even inanimate objects are able to speak.
As we said in the introduction, Pimpa – who is the epitome of playfulness – originated from a joke between father and daughter. It was the cartoonist Altan’s agent, however, who had the idea of pitching the comic to the Corriere dei Piccoli, the first and leading weekly Italian comics magazine, which remained in print until 1995.
Pimpa’s first appearance in the Corriere dei Piccoli, on 13 July 1975. Image: fumettologica.it
Pimpa made her debut in the Corriere dei Piccoli on 13 July 1975 with the story Pimpa e la Luna [Pimpa and the Moon]. Although she has remained essentially unchanged for 50 years, the original drawings were a little different: they were done in a slightly trippy, underground style, as Altan himself described it, taking inspiration from American countercultural cartoonists like Robert Crumb. Over time, Altan’s drawing style for the dog became softer and sweeter.
Here’s an interesting fact to end this section. Have you ever wondered how Pimpa got her name? Apparently, Altan was inspired by a friend of his, who said the Italian word bimba [baby] with a German accent, so it came out as ‘pimpa’!
Pimpa’s main features and characters
Pimpa is now a hugely successful franchise. The Pimpa universe includes comics, books, tourist guides, TV series, video games, theatre performances and much more. And that’s not all: Pimpa also seems to have bridged the generational divide, becoming an online star in some highly unlikely memes.
Pimpa’s official logo. Image: it.wikipedia.org
What people love about Pimpa is her innocent character and the unrestricted fantasy world in which the adventures take place, where you can always expect the unexpected… probably similar to how children experience the real world. Another feature of the Pimpa stories, as we mentioned before, is that any object can talk: Altan’s daughter provided the inspiration for this too, as at the age of two she would talk to all the things in their house.
Pimpa and her master Armando. Image: incartweb.net
The Pimpa stories often end with Pimpa returning home to her master Armando, who listens – with a mixture of amusement and scepticism (although without letting anything slip) – to his pet’s summary of her adventures. Altan once said in an interview that Armando represents how he thinks a parent should treat their children: ‘he lets Pimpa do whatever she wants, watching her from afar without interfering and then pretending to believe the things she tells him. Which, however, might actually be true’.
Other characters that crop up again and again in the Pimpa stories are the blue dog Tito, Rosita the cat, Colombino the pigeon, Olivia the duckling, Coniglietto the rabbit, Signora Gallina the hen and Paloma the butterfly.
Many happy returns, Pimpa: the myriad ways people are celebrating Altan’s character’s 50th birthday
Even before this major milestone, Pimpa was riding the crest of a wave of popularity. For instance, in 2023, Altan’s character became one of Italy’s global ambassadors in a project launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A special book was created for the occasion, along with a touring exhibition hosted by Italian cultural institutes across the world. To date, Pimpa has travelled to 20 cities in 16 different countries, taking her good humour and wanderlust with her!
The stamp issued to celebrate 50 years of Pimpa. Image: filatelia.poste.it
But in 2025, the year Pimpa turns 50, the number of initiatives in honour of the polka-dot dog has grown exponentially. In March 2025, for instance, the Italian post office issued a special stamp celebrating the milestone, part of a series entitled ‘Italian Cultural Heritage Excellence’.
In July 2025 – exactly 50 years after the first story was published – Franco Cosimo Panini, the publisher that currently produces the monthly Pimpa comic, brought out a special edition dedicated to the major anniversary. An exhibition celebrating Pimpa was also held in Bologna and Aquileia, where children could explore Pimpa’s house and adults could discover the history of Altan’s fictional character.
The Pimpa exhibition in Salaborsa library, Bologna. Image: francopanini.it
The great Italian animator and director Enzo D’Alò was also involved in the celebrations. The creator of numerous children’s cartoons directed a special musical celebrating 50 years of Pimpa called Pimpa. Il Musical a Pois [Pimpa. The Polka-Dot Musical]. The Italian public broadcaster Rai also launched a special section of its RaiPlay platform containing all the Pimpa episodes, along with four specials.
Other small events – workshops, readings and screenings – have also been held across Italy in bookshops and schools and at festivals. The official Pimpa website mapped them all out!
Perhaps it is her cute spots or the curious, fun way she looks at the world… either way, it seems that Pimpa will be entertaining kids and grown-ups worldwide for a good while yet!
Do you have any special memories linked to Pimpa? Did you celebrate her 50th birthday? Or perhaps you will take inspiration from the story of her creation?