DreamWorks Animation is unwrapping a jolly slate of new holiday specials and more seasons of beloved series, rolling out through the end of the year across multiple streamers. Families can indulge in the festiva adventures of the Rescue Riders, Captain Underpants, PALs and more!
November 24
[Netflix] Dragons Rescue Riders Huttsgalor Holiday | When unpredictable winter storms threaten to ruin Odinyule, the Viking holiday of giving, and Elbone’s ship filled with presents goes missing, the Rescue Riders must work together to get behind the cause of the storms and save the beloved holiday! Executive produced by Jack Thomas (Regular Show, Dragons: Race to the Edge) & co-executive produced by Brian Roberts (VeggieTales).
December 4
[Netflix] Captain Underpants: Mega Blissmas | Nobody is a bigger fan of Christmas than George and Harold, but this year the boys are convinced they can take the holiday to the next level with something called Mega Blissmas! Laser shows instead of red bows, ugly sweaters are cast aside for cool capes, and Christmas trees are rebooted as robots! But when the kids find that Blissmas isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, they join forces with Captain Underpants to save Christmas before it’s gone forever! Executive produced by Peter Hastings (Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain).
December 8
[Netflix] Spirit Riding Free Ride Along Adventure (Interactive) | When Maricela’s horse, Mystery, is stolen by a gang of bandits Lucky, Pru and Abigail set out on their most daring adventure yet to get her back. It’s a race against the clock and the PALs will do just about anything to succeed, even if that means recruiting the help of the notorious Butch LePray. Saddle up and take the reins in this interactive special where it’s all up to you to help the PALs save Mystery! Executive produced by Jim Schumann (Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness) and co-executive produced by May Chan (Fast & Furious: Spy Racers).
December 11
[Hulu / Peacock] Madagascar: A Little Wild(Part 2) | Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria continue their big adventures in New York City. The foursome become babysitters for a new litter of tiny hedgehogs, Melman gets stuck in a firetruck, and Alex is accidentally mistaken for a large house cat. While their shenanigans may lead to sticky situations, the little pals always work together and make the best of whatever life throws their way. Executive produced by Johanna Stein (Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny) and co-executive produced by Dana Starfield (Monster High: Welcome to Monster High.)
Lighthouse Studios — the joint venture formed in February 2017 by Mercury Filmworks, one of Canada’s most recognized independent animation studios, and acclaimed Kilkenny-based animation studio Cartoon Saloon — has announced that managing director Claire Finn has been appointed to the Board of Directors. Finn joins Clint Eland, Gerry Shirren and Nicole St.Pierre on the Board.
As the Managing Director for Lighthouse Studios, Finn is responsible for growing the studio’s development commitments and expanding production projects, focusing on high-quality children’s and family animated content as well as increasing the studios’ global production services clients.
Since joining the studio in September 2018, Finn has grown the company from 75 employees to 200 with a mandate to employ people from around the world of all nationalities, class, color and gender and ability. Currently the studio is 54% female. Under Finn’s leadership, the studio has also begun to develop its own intellectual property with one new, and as yet unannounced series, based on a book written by a Maurice Sendak Fellowship Award Winner.
“Claire has applied her wealth of experience in content development, production, design and the management of artists to growing Lighthouse Studios and its content pipeline,” commented Clint Eland. Lighthouse Studio’s Board Director. “It’s Claire’s acumen for strategic planning that has led to our growth, and she has implemented hiring policies that draws talent with diverse backgrounds from all over the world that make the studio a center of excellence.”
“Since joining Lighthouse Studio in September 2018, I’ve truly enjoyed getting to understand the art and artistry behind animation and am impressed by the creativity and dedication of our team of artists,” added Finn. “We seem to be in a platinum age of animation right now and despite the hurdles in 2020, with a global pandemic and a national lockdown, work is continuing on all of our projects as our team has come together to find new ways of working that are both productive while retaining the culture we have developed within the studio. I’m honored to join the Board at Lighthouse as we continue to grow the company and further develop its own unique identity.”
Lighthouse Studios utilizes the latest technologies in the production of 2D animation, and offers end-to-end production services, encompassing everything from script to post including design, storyboard and animation. As a service provider, the company has brought to life animated projects for such prestigious entertainment companies as Netflix, Warner Bros. and Amazon.
Currently, the studio is in production on three series and part of a feature. These include Little Ellen for WarnerMedia, a 40 x 11’animated children’s series featuring Ellen DeGeneres as an inquisitive seven-year-old. Set in the TV host’s hometown of New Orleans, Little Ellen shows kids that it’s okay to take risks and make mistakes in life. And The Cuphead Show, with Netflix, is a 2D series based on the hugely popular video game by Studio MDHR, known for its stunning visuals – based on 1920s style animations – and its notoriously difficult gameplay.
Past productions include the second season of the award-winning If You Give a Mouse a Cookie for Amazon, based on the classic children’s book written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond; and Bug Diaries, also for Amazon, based on the books written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Harry Bliss.
Finn brought nearly two decades of media experience to Lighthouse including four years as head of content and executive producer of branded entertainment for London-based Firecracker Films. Finn also previously served as Head of Content Production for Channel 4’s award-winning agency 4Creative.
Leading portfolio hosting platform ArtStation is putting the focus on animators and animation projects in a seven-day online Animation Week, taking place December 6-12 on artstation.com.
Animators, studios, schools, software developers, etc. around the world are invited to showcase their portfolios, products, job openings and more — and the site is hoping to use this showcase week to encourage more women and minority creators to upload their work and gain visibility for their work with ArtStation’s 1.9 million users and 4 million unique monthly visitors.
During Animation Week, the top row of ArtStation will be dedicated to featuring inspiring and educational articles about animation, such as artist interviews, studio spotlights, career tips and more. The site’s Animation Channels will be highlighted, and ArtStation will be curating social media blasts and a dedicated newsletter for the animation community.
Bilibili announced that it will launch 33 new animation titles in 2021 at Made By Bilibili 2020 – 2021, an annual event showcasing the online entertainment brand’s new developments and past achievements in Chinese anime.
A total of 106 Chinese anime titles have been launched on Bilibili since the beginning of the year, while the overall viewing hours of Chinese anime on Bilibili has increased by 98% year-over-year.
Li Ni, Vice Chairwoman and Chief Operation Officer of Bilibili, announced the company’s progress in theatrical animated feature films. This includes a strategic cooperation with Light Chaser Animation Studios, a Chinese CG animation film studio based in Beijing, to co-produce New Investiture of the Gods: Ne Zha’s Rebirth (新神榜：哪吒重生). The film will be released in theaters during the 2021 Lunar New Year holiday.
Bilibili is also planning to theatrically release Manual of Hundred Demons（百妖谱，or Bai Yao Pu). The anime series of the same name has achieved over 100 million video views on Bilibili since its launch in April this year. The third animated film slated for theatrical release in 2021 is Shadow Diver (龙心少女).
Pinta Studio, a Bilibili-backed award-winning animation studio, is also working on an animated feature Shennong: Taste of Illusion (烈山氏) for a theatrical release.
“Bilibili’s 10-year ambition between 2014 and 2024 is that we hope to become a Chinese anime hub that drives the Asian animation industry and leads the way in terms of both animation output and audience scale in the next decade,” Li said, “After 2024, we hope that Bilibili will be able to support and witness the birth of new Chinese anime superheroes and blockbuster animation hits. Only this way can we have the ability to continuously export excellent animation works to the global market.”
During Made By Bilibili 2020 – 2021, the company further announced that it had reached a strategic agreement to produce an anime series based on Detective Chinatown, a Chinese action-comedy franchise written and directed by Chen Sicheng.
“The Detective Chinatown IP and Bilibili have established an official cooperation agreement. We will jointly create more Detective Chinatown stories by developing new animated works based on the Detective Chinatown IP,” said Chen.
Bilibili announces The Longest Day in Chang’an adaptation.
An adaptation of Ma Boyong’s hit novel The Longest Day in Chang’an is also expected to be released in 2021. The animated series, The Longest Day in Chang’an, Night Walkers (长安十二时辰之白夜行者), will continue the 24-hour storyline of the novel’s protagonists as they try to foil a terrorist attack on Chang’an, the capital of the Tang dynasty.
Bilibili is also planning to release 13 original anime titles, including those from Bilibili’s joint venture with Haoliners Animation, the co-producer behind Heaven Official’s Blessing. Titles will also be sourced from Bilibili’s “Little Universe” program, first launched in 2016 to identify and train young animation talents from across China.
Little Universe Awards
The rapid growth of Chinese anime will further expand Bilibili’s audience. According to iResearch, a third-party research company, the total output value of China’s animation industry reached 194.1 billion yuan (almost $30 billion USD) in 2019, while the number of ACG-related consumers is expected to exceed 400 million in 2020.
With such rapid growth, animation adaptations have become an important way to expand and upgrade existing IPs including films, drama series, novels and comics. In the same light, Bilibili and famous cartoonist Xia Da have forged an in-depth cooperation agreement with the animation adaptation of two of his comics, The Long Ballad (长歌行) and Zi Bu Yu (子不语).
Thanks to Bilibili’s commitment, the platform is now home to one of China’s largest anime libraries. With the company’s strong hold in this genre, 2020 has been a fruitful year for Bilibili’s animation investments. Titles like Carp Reborn(元龙), which generated 260 million video views since its launch in July, have not only attracted new users to the platform, but also became the most effective way to convert them to premium members. Several other new titles also achieved over 100 million video views soon after their launch, including Manual of Hundred Demons (百妖谱, or Bai Yao Pu) and The Daily Life of the Immortal King (仙王的日常生活).
Carp Reborn – Season 2, Manual of Hundred Demons – Season 2, and Daily Life of the Immortal King – Season 2
To satisfy fans, all three titles will see their second season to be released in 2021.
The extremely popular Heaven Official’s Blessing (天官赐福) will launch a new special episode next February. The serieswent online on October 31 and has already exceeded the milestone of 100 million views. Funimation, the leading global anime content provider, announced in October that Heaven Official’s Blessing would become the first-ever Chinese anime series to stream on the company’s platform across the world. The anime is based on the wildly popular series of Chinese fantasy novels first published online by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (墨香铜臭) in 2017.
A Mortal’s Journey（凡人修仙传), which achieved over 140 million video views since its launch on Bilibili in July, will become the first Chinese anime on Bilibili to be continuously updated throughout the year of 2021.
“Chinese anime is no longer a niche but has already become mainstream. Bilibili is committed to supporting the development of more excellent Chinese anime works,” Li added.
Legendary Japanese animation powerhouse Studio Ghibli is continuing to roll out creative content for fans to create some happiness during the global pandemic. The studio has just released an additional 250 pieces of final film still artwork for five of its beloved feature-length titles, which Ghibli is offering up for free use “within the bounds of common sense.”
Pom Poko (1994) | Written and directed by Isao Takahata, planning by Hayao Miyazaki.
Ocean Waves
Ocean Waves (1993; TV special) | Directed by Mochizuki Tomomi, written by Kaori Nakamura, original story by Himuro Saeko.
Porco Rosso
Porco Rosso (1992) | Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, produced by Toshio Suzuki.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) | Written, directed and produced by Hayao Miyazaki; original story by Eiko Kadono.
Fans can also find official still imagery for Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, The Cat Returns, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Whisper of the Heart, When Marnie Was There, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, When the Wind Rises, From Up on Poppy Hill, The Secret World of Arrietty, Ponyo and Ghiblies Episode 2 on the studio blog.
a
Fox animation anchor series Family Guy has introduced many memorable gag characters over the last two decades. This weekend, Quahog’s mustachioed jack-of-all-trades Bruce (voiced by Mike Henry), known for popping in with a timely “Oh, no!”, took the spotlight and officially came out as gay in the season 19 episode “Meg’s Wedding.”
The story sees Meg Griffin (Mila Kunis) desperate to find a date for the school dance, and starts dating Bruce, despite her family saying that he is “obviously gay.” With Bruce’s homophobic family pressuring him to be straight, the two get engaged, but Meg calls off the wedding and encourages Bruce to come out. Bruce ends up having a dream wedding in a parking lot to the love of his life, Jeffrey — another recurring character (also played by Mike Henry) who has often appeared with Bruce to add his catch phrase “I know!” — officiated by Peter (Seth MacFarlane), of course.
And then the Kool-aid man crashes through the wall, sees Bruce and Jeffrey embracing, and backs away clutching a Bible while muttering “Oh no no no.”
Back in January 2019, the episode “Trump Guy” saw Peter tell a cartoon version of Donald Trump that the show was trying to “phase out” jokes at the expense of the LGBTQ+ community. The shift was confirmed by exec producers Alec Sulkin and Rich Appel as well as series creator MacFarlane. “Some of the things we felt comfortable saying and joking about back then, we now understand is not acceptable,” Sulkin told TV Line in January 2019. “The climate is different, the culture is different and our views are different.”
In an October 2019 episode, “Disney’s the Reboot,” a focus group member asks after a scene where characters joke about Peter’s sexuality, “I thought I read you guys were phasing out gay jokes?” To which Peter replies, “That quote was taken out of context and widely misunderstood.”
The adult-targeted sitcom’s sense of humor has drawn criticism and stirred its share of controversy in the past 21 years. In 2010, LGBTQ+ media watchdog organization GLAAD released a statement about the episode “Quagmire’s Dad,” citing the predominant community opinion that it was “incredibly offensive to transgender people.”
Bruce made rare appearances in the first few seasons of Family Guy, but became a more prominent recurring character over the years. Jeffrey was introduced in the season 6 episode “Lois Kills Stewie,” and Bruce has made allusions to wanting to get hitched before — notably in S17’s “Married … with Cancer”: While officiating Brian’s ceremony, he sighs, “Yet another wedding I’m on this side of, Jeffrey,” adding, “We’re just waiting for his mama to die.”
Is there anything Phil Lord and Chris Miller can’t do? The Oscar-winning animation veterans, best known for acclaimed hits such as as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The LEGO Movie, and the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ movies are reteaming with their 21 Jump Street star Channing Tatum for an “Untitled Monster Comedy” for Universal, per Deadline. The live-action movie will be “a modern-day, tongue-in-cheek thriller inspired by Universal’s classic monster legacy with Tatum set to star.” The film is billed as a “bold reinvention of one of the studio’s most believed characters from the Monsters Universe!” Since Universal has already tried its hand at bringing back The Invisible Man, The Mummy, and Dracula, the good money is on The Wolf Man or Creature from the Black Lagoon!
Chris Miller and Phil Lord
The Scoop on Ariana Grande’s Animated Adventure
Since its release last week, the new animated spot for Ariana Grande’s fragrance R.E.M. has already been seen by more than 2.1 million viewers on YouTube. Directed by Olivier Lescot and produced by Eddy, the beautifully animated 2D spot was commissioned by Collaborate and animated at Paris-based Brunch Studio. Lescot created a space odyssey following Ariana rushing to the rescue of her pet friend Toulouse from one side of the universe to the other.
“I was very excited to work with an artist as talented as Ariana Grande for this animated tribute to sci-fi from the 70’s to the present,” says the director. “The teaser is both dreamy and epic, featuring a strong, fun and sophisticated heroine fighting to save the universe in a far, far away galaxy… I’m very inspired by science-fiction in my visual work, so I’m delighted to have the chance to draw upon its rich iconography to bring to life the irresistible pop world of Ariana Grande.” The ad was produced by Camille Principiano, exec produced by Emilie Walmsley, with character designs Jonathan Djob Nkondo, Olivier Lescot and Simon Duong-Van-Huyen. Lead animator was Léo Schweitzer. You can see more of Olivier Lescot’s exciting animated work here.
Toei Launches One Piece Livestream Watch Party
Fans of Toei Animation’s popular One Piece pirates will set sail on a new voyage thanks to the upcoming digital release of new English dub episodes of Season 11, Voyage 1 (episodes 629-641 of the Dressrosa Arc). To celebrate this release, Toei and Funimation are hosting a special two-hour One Piece livestream watch party for U.S. and Canadian fans on Saturday, December 5. This watch party kicks-off Toei Animation’s new virtual event series for fans. The two-hour event starts at 5:00 pm Pacific / 8:00 pm Eastern and will be simulcast on the Toei Animation and Funimation YouTube channels. The watch party will be hosted by Justin Rojas (HomeCon / Envy Gaming) and Josellie Rios (One Piece at a Time Podcast) who will provide an introduction as well as lead the discussions with special guests Colleen Clinkenbeard (English voice of Luffy) and Michael McFarland (ADR director and English voice of Buggy the Clown). Featured are two full episodes, Ep. 634 – “A Pirate Noble! Cavendish!” and Ep. 635 – “The Fateful Reunion! Bellamy the Hyena!” followed by guest commentary along with cool pirate-y giveaways.
This past September, mo-cap creator Rokoko introduced its highly efficient and responsive Smartgloves, a hand- and finger-tracking solution that’s billed as a very affordable tool that captures every nuance of a hand. Artists can slip on the Smartgloves and use a variety of 3D packages available on the market to track movement and generate data that can be exported, processed and edited directly with the free-to-use Rokoko Studio software, and livestreamed into other platforms, including Unity, Unreal Engine, MotionBuilder, Maya and Blender, to name a few. The gloves, which are priced under $1,000, are made of a premium textile and leather material, with seven embedded sensors placed to avoid restricting movement in performance capture. We recently caught up with company’s founder Jakob Balslev to find out a bit more about these Smartgloves and how they can help artists working in VFX and animation.
Jakob Balslev
Animation Magazine: Can you tell us a little bit about the origins of Rokoko?
Jakob Balslev: In film school, I got the chance to see how powerful a tool motion capture could be. The ability to capture all the subtleties of human motion, from intentions to emotions, and then translate that into an animated universe in real time just gave me a thousand ideas of what I wanted to create. However, the hardware and software tools you needed to do this were completely inaccessible and suffering from the same core issues: Too expensive, too hard to work with, and too time consuming and cumbersome to implement into a fast-moving creative flow. So that’s what we set out to change. Rokoko was founded in 2014 with the mission of making high-end motion capture and 3D character animation tools accessible to all creators.
As a company, we began by focusing on the hardware side. We created the Smartsuit Pro, an inertial motion-capture suit that solved the three main issues of motion capture: It’s affordable ($2,495 for a full system), you can operate it single-handedly without extensive technical expertise and training, and you can use it anywhere.
Since then, we have launched our Smartgloves for finger tracking, and with our facial motion-capture solution for iPhone X (a solution for Android is coming soon), we have an entire full performance-capture product line that is affordable and intuitive to all creators. The next step is bringing this same level of accessibility to the software tools. That’s what will happen with Rokoko Studio 2.0.
Rokoko Smartgloves kit
What would you say is your company’s key achievement?
Hardware is hard, and in hindsight, the decision to start by solving that problem before the software side of things was risky for a young startup with limited resources and experience.
The fact that today we offer a full performance-capture toolset that is being used by thousands of creators across 75 countries with body capture (Smartsuit Pro), hand/finger tracking (Smartgloves) and face capture (Facecap) is, in my mind, our biggest achievement so far.
We’ve solved the issue we faced back at film school and made the solution we wish existed back when we initially had a creative vision, but no access to the tools. In a few years, I hope to say that we’ve done the same to replace the expensive and inaccessible software tools that are standing in the way of creators today.
Rokoko Smartgloves
Can you give us a sneak peek of Rokoko Studio 2.0?
Studio was born as a visualization tool for our own hardware tools, but with 2.0 we will turn it into something entirely different. It can be broken down into the following points:
Input/output agnostic: We’ve built a whole new file format tailored for animation assets and will open up Studio so that you can use any hardware input device you’d like to create assets, not just our own solutions. We have also bult real-time native plugins for all major 3D tools, so you can stream your data directly onto your custom characters in Unreal, Unity, Maya, MotionBuilder, Blender, Houdini, Cinema 4D, iClone and Cartoon Animator.
Animation tools: We’ll be adding a bunch of animation tools that previously have been restricted to the big and expensive engines. Like a retargeting tool, an animation graph editor, an IK solver and much more. That means that you can edit and adjust your recordings in Studio, but you can also create keyframe animations from scratch.
Team collaboration and asset management: The last and maybe most transformative piece of this puzzle is that we will start cloud hosting all the assets you create and the work you do in real time. That means that teams in different locations will be able to be in a scene at the same time and work collaboratively there — like you do in Google Docs or a tool like Figma. You will be able to access all your assets from any device, as long as you log into Studio. You’ll also be able to upload all your previous assets (regardless of how they were created) and save and manage them there, like an advanced Google Drive. Our Motion Library tools are also available to help search and organize them.
Rokoko Motion Library
New and improved gloves: Another milestone coming in 2021 will be a major upgrade to our Smartgloves technology. For five years, we’ve been researching the optimal way to combine the freedom you get with sensor-based solutions (i.e., you don’t need line of sight from a camera, can track fingers in your pockets, etc.) with the absolute position of optical systems (i.e., no drift over time). What no one knows is that this technology is already in the Smartgloves; we just haven’t activated it yet. When our software upgrade is ready, we’ll turn it on and there will no longer be any drift or limit on how and when you can use them. This is exactly what the interactive (XR) world has been waiting for. An affordable, precise way to interact with virtual worlds. It should be pretty transformative.
How do we see the 3D/CG landscape evolving over the next few years and what role do we want to play in it?
Like we’ve seen with text editing, 2D design and a bunch of other areas over the last years, the trend is that it’s all becoming cloud driven and collaborative. You need to be able to work together and access your files from anywhere, either at the same time or asynchronously. It’s about time the same thing happens in 3D content creation. We hope Rokoko Studio will be the place creative teams can animate together.
Award-winning film and immersive indie Nexus Studios has launched a new, all-female produced and animated short to support the launch of Boobs, an art book to honor all women (and all boobs) around the world, with 100% of profits going to breast cancer charities. Commissioned by publisher Happyluja and produced in collaboration with She Drew That, the bold and uplifting film is part of the book’s Kickstarter campaign.
The campaign points out that breast cancer is still the most common cancer among women worldwide, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of women each year. Featuring original ‘boob artwork’ donated from women illustrators around the world, the book and film aim to offer a modern take on breast cancer awareness. To catch the attention of women of all ages and backgrounds, the team have used playfulness and humor to encourage women to recognize the importance of boob health.
Boobs (Nexus Studios)
Under the supervision of director Hannah Lau-Walker and Nexus EP Julia Parfitt, each artist crafted their own unique interpretation of what boobs symbolize, creating a collection of vibrant vignettes all animated by members of the female artist community, She Drew That. The illustrators were carefully paired together with animators based on their style and approach and the final piece was constructed and pieced together by Lau-Walker.
The result is an epic collaboration of over 28 female illustrators and animators, with music delivered by female music composers Neighbourhood Jukebox at Sister Music, and production by an all-female team at Nexus Studios.
Original illustration from Boobs – Art for Breast Cancer (Happyluja / She Drew That)Original illustration from Boobs – Art for Breast Cancer (Happyluja / She Drew That)
“This collaboration is so exciting on so many fronts. Not only does it bring together some of the brightest and most talented female artists working in our community but it does so for a cause close to so many people’s hearts,” explains Parfitt. “This project relied on dozens of female creatives, taking this on around other work commitments and in their spare time. To have a film we can all be proud of at the end of it is incredibly rewarding.”
Boobs (Nexus Studios)
Lau-Walker notes, “Being able to bring the She Drew That community together to work on an uplifting, joyful project, during this period when we were so far apart has been incredible. Having not been able to meet up since March, it’s been a great way to continue collaborating with amazing female animators for such an important cause.”
Boobs – Art for Breast Cancer is due to launch in March 2021. Proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) and National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) in the U.S., as well as Breast Cancer Now and Breast Cancer UK in the United Kingdom.
Hana Kukal, a Canadian animator, story artist and director who worked on beloved children’s series and feature film classics, has died after battling cancer. The 30-plus year industry veteran passed on Thursday, November 5, with her spouse Marc Beutreaux at her side. The news was shared with Animation Magazine by Kukal’s colleagues.
Kukal had worked in the animation industry since 1985, working on full-length theatrical features and animated series, traditional 2D and CG. A seasoned character designer, storyboard artist and director admired within the international animation community, she graduated from Carleton University with a geology degree and studied art at Algonquin College.
Over the course of her career, Kukal led teams as a studio director and animation director on syndicated series including Katie & Orbie and Dirtgirlworld. She also worked on hits like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, The Raccoons and PAW Patrol. Her feature animation credits include ’90s and early aughts fan favorites FernGully: The Last Rainforest, Anastasia, Space Jam, The King and I, Joseph: King of Dreams and Osmosis Jones.
“Hana was an incredible talented asset to our animation industry. She set high quality standards and led teams with her creative passion and positivity,” said Toronto-based animation producer Janice Walker (Luna Petunia, Dirtgirlworld, Super Why!). “I am grateful to have had multiple opportunities to work with Hana on both feature and series productions. She truly contributed so much love and energy to creating great content.”
Kukal’s friends and colleagues remember her as an inspiration and example to all women in the animation industry with its majority of male directors. The dedicated artist is also described as “an adventurous globetrotter … a passionate gardener, chicken wrangler and lover of border collies, who found time to create mosaic art with ceramic tiles whilst maintaining a natural ecosystem on her farm. Her contagious smile and laughter was a welcomed joy in every studio.”
Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, there are no immediate plans for a memorial. Donations can be made in Kukal’s memory to the Cancer Research Society.
***This article was originally written for the January ’21 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 306)***
We can’t think of a better way to end this crazy year than taking in the zany charms of the Chiodo Brothers’ new holiday special Alien Xmas. The 40-minute stop-motion special, which premiered on Netflix this Friday, November 20, centers on a special alien who decides to help protect Santa Claus and Christmas from some troublemaking extra-terrestrials. Based on a book of the same name by the Chiodos, the special is directed by Stephen Chiodo and produced by Edward Chiodo, who also exec produced with Charles Chiodo and Jon Favreau.
The L.A.-based Chiodos, who are well known for their stop-motion and puppetry work for a wide range of features and TV shows, including Tim Burton’s Vincent, Critters, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Theodore Rex, Team America: World Police, The Thundermans and the 1988 sci-fi horror comedy classic Killer Klowns From Outer Space, were perfectly suited for this offbeat adventure.
On-set for Alien Xmas
“We always wanted to create a holiday-themed special,” recalls Stephen Chiodo during a recent interview. “We were big fans of the classic stop-motion Rankin/Bass holiday specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town. We were working on some interstitial spots for ABC Family/Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas programs, and thought it would be great if we could come up with something of our own that mixes Christmas with sci-fi elements. We weren’t able to set up the project at the time, although there was a lot of interest. But we had all the characters designed and the artwork was ready, so thanks to our friend Mark Van Eaton who introduced us to Bob Self and his publishing company Baby Tattoo, we were able to publish Alien Xmas as a book about five years ago.”
Alien Xmas
From Book to Stream
Chiodo points out that having Alien Xmas published as a book first gave it more bankability. Of course, when his friend actor/director Jon Favreau (who worked with the Chiodos on Elf) found out about the project, he knew he had to champion it and took it to Netflix. Finally in October of 2018, things really begin to move forward. The script by Kealan O’Rourke, Dan Clark and Noah Kloor was in place, and directors of photography Helder K. Sun and Aaron Wise, production designer Ean McNamara, art director Jeff Bartlett White, VFX supervisor Cameron Carson and animation director Cameron Baity all joined the production’s stellar creative team soon after.
Alien Xmas
“We started animating in early June of 2019 and finished before Christmas of 2010 and finished the post this year,” says Ed Chiodo. “Including everyone who worked in post, we had about 300 people working on the show.”
About 150 silicone-based puppets were used to bring to life the special’s eclectic cast of aliens, elves, arctic critters, robots and Santa Claus! “Our head of puppets, Becky Van Cleve, did such a beautiful job of creating these puppets which ranged from five-inches to 10-inches tall,” says Stephen Chiodo. “The characters’ mouths were 2D-animated and added later in post. The more sophisticated alien ‘Swiss Army’ robot named Sam 2 that could transform to different apparatuses required more sophisticated replacement animation, involving lights and appendages.”
Alien Xmas
The challenging project involved a lot of different moving parts. Twelve animators worked on 16 stages and 20 physical sets throughout the production. Each animator was tasked with producing about eight seconds of animation each day. “We had to make sure our puppets weren’t any bigger than 12- to 13-inches tall because we wanted to maintain the size of the sets,” says Stephen. “Anything bigger than that would be unwieldy for the animators. Our main character X was only five inches tall, and we also had puppies that were about an inch long!”
As Ed Chiodo further explains, “From the get-go we wanted to embrace the traditional stop-motion animation that we grew up with, those Rankin/Bass holiday specials. We did use digital technology for sculpting and digital printing of puppets, but our goal was to have puppets on miniature sets. We didn’t want to lose the handprints of the makers by refining it too much. That was the kind of throw-back charm we were going for.”
Alien Xmas puppet and set.
Dragonframe to the Rescue
“We started hand-sculpting with clay, but we realized that all the changes and tweaks we needed to do could be done much faster using [the digital sculpting tool] ZBrush,” says Edward. “So, we created the models and made molds and cranked out quite a lot of puppets. We also relied on the 3D printers and Dragonframe software to bring the puppets to life.”
Stephen admits that it was challenging to have to produce so much footage quickly. “About 95 percent of the shots are the first takes,” he notes. “The direction had to be very specific and our first efforts had to be successful. Our talented animators really hit it out of the park and were able to deliver such nuanced performances. We owe a lot to our fantastic production manager Eileen Kohlhepp, who stepped in and organized everything.”
Alien Xmas
For the director, it was quite important to make sure Alien Xmas would not be your typical run-of-the-mill holiday special. “I mean, this is about mean aliens trying to steal gravity and then dealing with Santa and his elves, so we wanted to put a unique spin on the annual holiday fare,” says Stephen. “The story is about aliens battling Santa Claus, but we also wanted the message to be about the importance of giving and sharing at Christmas. We also tried to incorporate a little bit of that Chiodo subversive humor. For example, when Santa gets this idea of having a super sleigh which travels at the speed of light, you know that someone is going to be out of a job. So, that’s why the reindeer have this undercurrent of animosity about the whole thing! But in the end they come together to save Christmas and planet Earth!”
Alien Xmas
Thanks to Favreau’s participation in the production, eagle-eyed viewers will also get a fun throwback to another holiday favorite: Elf. “We wanted to pay homage to the arctic critter friends from the movie. So, we included a fun little bit of a wink by including a scene with Jon’s baby walrus and arctic puffin. It’s a little clip to make people smile and remember that movie. In addition to that, Jon was such a wonderful creative sounding board. He is a natural storyteller and he knew exactly what the charm of the book was and how to translate it to a longer stop-motion project. He helped me a lot as a director and kept us all on track with the heart of the story.”
“We associate stop-motion animation with those classic holiday specials, so we hope that Alien Xmas will also find a place in people’s hearts along those favorites,” concludes Edward Chiodo. His brother chimes in, “We hope audiences will enjoy X’s discovery of the real spirit of Christmas, which is about giving, and that they will revive their warm memories of holidays past when they were younger and more innocent.”
Alien Xmas is currently available for streaming on Netflix around the world.
Everyone’s favorite bubblegum-hued big cat is ready to pounce onto the big screen in a live-action/animation hybrid Pink Panther feature. MGM is preparing for the toon’s return with the help of Sonic the Hedgehog director Jeff Fowler (creator of the Oscar-winning animated short Gopher Broke) and writer Chris Bremner (Bad Boys for Life).
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project will reunite Inspector Clouseau of the original 1963 movie — in which the bumbling Peter Sellers character trails a jewel thief on the hunt for the “Pink Panther” diamond — and the breakout feline star of the its animated opening sequence, created by DePatie-Freleng. This time, however, the two characters’ worlds will collide as Clouseau begins seeing the cat as his imaginary friend after a traumatic event, and relies on the non-speaking toon’s help to crack the case.
Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich’s Rideback (Aladdin) is producing, along with Lawrence Mirisch and screen icon Julie Andrews, who was married to original Pink Panther director/co-writer Blake Edwards. Walter Mirisch (Lawrence’s father), who executive produced the 1963 film, is exec producing as well as Ryan Halprin of Rideback.
While the first live-action movie inspired a Sellers franchise (most with a Pink Panther opening) and 2006/2009 reboot and sequel starring Steve Martin, the Pink Panther himself featured in his own series of theatrical shorts, starting with The Pink Phink (1964), followed by popular Saturday morning cartoon The Pink Panther Show (1969), syndicated series The Pink Panther (1993) and MGM/Rubicon prequel toon Pink Panther and Pals (2010). The character also starred in several primetime TV specials for ABC: A Pink Christmas (1978), Olym-Pinks (1980), Pink at First Sight (1981) and A Very Pink Christmas (2011).
Kanaka Pakipika with Pacific Islanders in Communications, with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, present the powerful animated short Kapaemahu, available on The Criterion Channel on December 1.
Kapaemahu, tells the long forgotten story of four mahu, extraordinary beings of dual male and female spirit who brought the healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii. Beloved by the people for their gentle ways and miraculous cures, they imbued four giant boulders with their powers. Although the stones still stand on what is now Waikiki Beach, the true story behind them has been hidden – until now.
Narrated in an ancient Hawaiian dialect, and seen through the eyes of a curious child, the story of Kapaemahu brings to life this powerful legend in richly hand-drawn and 2D animation.
The film is written, directed and produced by Native Hawaiian teacher and filmmaker Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Joe Wilson and Dean Hamer, and Academy Award-nominated animation director Daniel Sousa (Feral). A winner at numerous international film festivals including the Tribeca Film Festival, Animayo International Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, Hiroshima International Animation Festival and Outfest Film Festival, Kapaemahu is a reminder of the rich cultures and diverse identities that deserve recognition and representation through storytelling.
The gods are at war for the future of humanity, and an Aztec boy named Izel finds himself caught in the middle of their dangerous game. In order to save humankind, he must complete an impossible task — closing the five gates to the underworld. Izel reluctantly agrees, but only after learning his quest will also correct a terrible tragedy.
His journey to become humanity’s champion will be one of hope and despair, of trust and betrayal, where Izel must confront his own darkness and decide if the human race — with all its flaws and contradictions — is worth saving.
The incredible, mythological anime adventure of Crunchyroll Original Onyx Equinox begins on Saturday, November 21 at 1 p.m. PT! To celebrate the debut of Sofía Alexander’s highly anticipated series, our friends at Crunchyroll were kind enough to share some exclusive development art for Animation Magazine‘s readers.
The god Quetzalcoatl (“Plumed Serpent”), voiced by Zeus Mendoza in Onyx Equinox. [art courtesy Crunchyroll]The god Tezcatlipoca (“Smoking Mirror”), voiced by Arin Hanson in Onyx Equinox. [art courtesy Crunchyroll]
“For anime fans, I want them to view Onyx Equinox the way they experienced some of their first anime, like for example, Naruto or Inu-Yasha. Both those series are deeply connected with Japanese culture, history and mythology. Even if you know nothing about Japanese culture, you connect with the characters and their emotions and struggles, and you become more familiar as you watch, and become more interested in learning about those things. I hope that you have the same draw to Mesoamerican culture as well,” Alexander shared ahead of the premiere.
“For fans of Western animation, I hope they see the appeal of action-drama animation for adults. For Mexican fans, I hope they feel at home watching this series and recognize some of the locations we visit. Lots of Latin Americans grew up on anime, so I hope they feel seen in some way by this series, and feel inspired to tell their own stories from their own experiences.”
Read more about Alexander’s inspirations and the creation of Onyx Equinox in this interview from the December issue of Animation Magazine.
Amazon Studios is developing Oaklandia, a new animated comedy to voice star Snoop Dogg, who is also executive producing with his manager and business partner Ted Chung; and Vince Vaughn (F Is for Family), Victoria Vaughn and Peter Billingsley of Wild West Picture Show. The project is written/exec produced by Daniel Dominguez (gen:LOCK Season 2, Seis Manos) and Chris “Comedian CP” Powell (creator, Ole Bud’s ANUFootball Weekly).
Story details of the project were not revealed.
Dominguez’s animation writing credits also include The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, SpongeBob SquarePants and Camp WWE. Powell played Ned in Detroters and L’il Prince in Empire; he also wrote for Detroiters and Black Jesus.
Rapper, actor and Emmy-nominated host (Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party) Snoop Dogg is very comfortable in the recording booth, and has voiced roles and performed cameos for numerous animated series and features. Recent credits include The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, The Addams Family, F Is for Family, American Dad!, New Looney Tunes, The Simpsons, Mike Tyson Mysteries and Sanjay and Craig, as well as the animated video for Lil Dicky’s big collab project “Earth”. He will reprise the role of Cousin Itt in The Addams Family 2 next year.
Amazon has received a lot of critical buzz and accolades for original rotoscope sci-fi series Undone, renewed for S2, and (like many broadcasters and streaming platforms) is building up its animation slate with an order for L.A. hypebeast culture comedy Fairfax (Titmouse, Serious Business) and development on intergalactic medical adventure The Hospital (Animal Pictures) announced in January; Mexican-American cricket caper Ricky & Cricketannounced in May; Robert Kirkman’s Invinciblecoming in 2021; and on the kids and family side, hybrid Ryan’s World special Super Spy Ryanjust revealed.
Premier Canadian animation studio Mercury Filmworks has optioned Hello, My Name Is Octicorn, an Amazon Book of the Year from debut authors Justin Lowe and Kevin Diller, which teaches kids about acceptance of themselves and others. Hello, My Name Is Octicorn is published by Balzer & Bray (Harper-Collins). The news was announced today by Heath Kenny, Chief Content Officer, Mercury Filmworks.
Octicorn is a funny, sweet, and disarming character who is half octopus and half unicorn! And while he is a fun, friendly fellow who likes the same kinds of things everyone does — like cupcakes, jet skiing and making friends — Octi has trouble finding friends because he is so unusual. So, Octi spends his time figuring out how his many talents make him feel unique and someone who would be appreciated by others. At parties, he can juggle with his tentacles. And at campfires, he can toast marshmallows on his horn.
Octicorn addresses feelings about being different and feeling like an outsider in a way that younger kids can relate to. School Library Journal stated, “For anyone who has felt like an outsider-and who hasn’t? Octicorn is a welcome friend. A fun choice for story time.”
Emmy Award-winning Josh Fisher (I Got a Rocket), who has deep experience creating and producing TV and successful content for young audiences, is on board as executive producer. Fisher was VP of Creative Affairs for Wildbrain/DHX; Senior Manager/Executive Producer at Spin Master overseeing development; and, following a two year stint at Netflix, he has been developing a slate of original IP with artists, writers and studios.
“We feel that in a time of emotional upheaval and unprecedented uncertainty, it is important to provide kids with content that helps them untangle their feelings associated with anxiety, celebrate their differences and laugh out loud,” commented Kenny. “Octicorn fits this goal perfectly, and we are excited to have Josh help us bring Octi’s story to life. We can’t wait to get started to bring Justin and Kevin’s clever stories to kids TV, and confident that kids everywhere will immediately fall in love with Octicorn.”
“We are excited to collaborate with Mercury Filmworks and Josh Fisher to bring Octicorn off the page and out into the world,” added Lowe and Diller.
“I immediately loved Justin and Kevin’s first book. The honesty of the character, who just feels a little awkward and uncomfortable, totally resonated with me. It made uncomfortable moments feel comfortable, warm, and funny,” said Fisher. “Mercury is a fantastic partner, they are taking the book from the page to the screen in a way that is perfectly Octicorn. I’m excited to share this adorable project that is all about acknowledging and accepting feelings and treating people how they want to be treated, with the world.”
A half-dozen actors have been added to the cast list for Netflix’s upcoming Cowboy Bebop series — a live-action adaptation of the smash-hit Space Western anime directed by Shinichiro Watanabe (who serves as a consultant on the new series), based on the manga by Hajime Yatate.
Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong), Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising, Dietland), Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch National Broadway Tour), Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok, Soul), Ann Truong (Strikeback!, Hard Target 2) and Hoa Xuande (Ronny Chieng: International Student, Top of the Lake) join previousy announced stars John Cho as Spike Spiegel, Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black, Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine and Alex Hassell as Vicious.
Cowboy Bebop is the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts, as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.
The new cast will take on the following roles:
Geoff Stults plays Chalmers, the epitome of a Western lawman and Jet Black’s former co-detective at the ISSP’s Homicide Division. He wears a chronic smile that makes you want to punch him square in the face… especially Jet. And that’s only partly because Chalmers is dating his ex-wife these days.
Tamara Tunie plays Ana, the proprietor of the hottest underground bluesy jazz club on Mars. And while she acts as a surrogate mom to Spike, there is nothing warm and cuddly about her. Cool and intense, Ana is definitely not a woman to be trifled with.
Mason Alexander Park plays Gren, Ana’s right-hand person. They run the front of the house for Ana’s jazz club. As capable with their wit as a glock, as confident in a dress as a suit, they are a Bowie-esque embodiment of 22nd century handsome and seductive beauty.
Rachel House plays Mao, the Capo of the Syndicate’s “White Tigers” family. Despite, or perhaps because of, her blue collar background, Mao is more cunning, adept, crafty and deadly than her counterparts.
Ann Truong and Hoa Xuande play Shin and Lin. Dressed to kill (because they do), Shin and Lin serve as Vicious’ twin Syndicate henchman. Despite being fearful of their volatile boss, they are fiercely loyal to Vicious in his quest (for reasons we have yet to understand) to take down Spike Spiegel.
Rachel HouseAnn TruongHoa Xuande
André Nemec and Jeff Pinkner of Midnight Radio are executive producers and showrunners. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio executive produce with Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios, Yasuo Miyakawa, Masayuki Ozaki and Shin Sasaki of original anime studio Sunrise Inc; along with Tim Coddington, Tetsu Fujimura, Michael Katleman and Matthew Weinberg. Christopher Yost (Thor: The Dark World and Ragnarok, Star Wars Rebels) will write the first episode and executive produce. Cowboy Bebop is a co-production between Netflix and Tomorrow Studios; with Netflix handling physical production.
To celebrate their five-year anniversary, Baobab Studios are proud to announce that for the first time, they are publishing a compilation of over 230 pieces of never-before-seen art that went into the making of their award-winning projects.
Entitled The Art of Baobab: The Beginning and written by Jacob Johnston with a foreword by Baobab co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Eric Darnell, the book features 200 pages of production designs, visual development artwork and character designs from such award-winning titles as Invasion!, Asteroids!, Crow: The Legend, Jack and Bonfire, as well as the upcoming Baba Yaga and some additional yet-to-be announced future projects.
Announced as part of their “BAOBAB STUDIOS AT 5: Pioneering Interactive Storytelling in Animation” panel at CTN Live on Tuesday, November 17, studio co-founders Maureen Fan and Eric Darnell, along with Animation Supervisor Ken Fountain and Art Director Glenn Hernandez, shared their insights on the studio’s first five years of creating a new generation of fully interactive animated stories. Moderated by Tonko House’s Robert Kondo, they discussed the challenges and achievements of developing new ways of animated storytelling and how it applies to the future of animation including new insights into the latest VR experience, Baba Yaga.
During the panel, the team shared a preview of some images from the book:
Invasion! concept art from The Art of Baobab (courtesy Baobab Studios)Crow: The Legend concept art from The Art of Baobab (courtesy Baobab Studios)Crow: The Legend concept art from The Art of Baobab (courtesy Baobab Studios)Baba Yaga concept art from The Art of Baobab (courtesy Baobab Studios)
The digital version of the book is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Both the digital and hardcover versions The Art of Baobab: The Beginning will be available in December.
Renowned animation producer Bruce Timm takes the Dark Knight back to the 1970s for a supernatural-laden martial arts extravaganza in Batman: Soul of the Dragon, the next entry in the popular series of the DC Universe Movies.
Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the feature-length animated film will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital starting January 12, 2021, and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Combo Pack and Blu-ray (SRP $39.99 U.S., $44.98 Canada) on January 26, 2021. The title will also be available on Movies Anywhere.
Set in the midst of the swinging 1970s, this Elseworlds adventure finds Bruce Wayne training under a master sensei. It is here that Bruce, along with other elite students, is forged in the fire of the martial arts discipline. The lifelong bonds they form will be put to the test when a deadly menace arises from their past. It will take the combined efforts of Batman, world-renowned martial artists Richard Dragon, Ben Turner and Lady Shiva, and their mentor O-Sensei to battle the monsters of this world and beyond! The film is rated R for some violence.
The ensemble cast features a core group of actors playing martial arts students-turned-heroes in David Giuntoli (Grimm, A Million Little Things) as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Mark Dacascos (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Iron Chef America, Hawaii Five-0) as Richard Dragon, Kelly Hu (Arrow, X2: X-Men United) as Lady Shiva and Michael Jai White (Spawn, reprising his role from Arrow) as Ben Turner/Bronze Tiger. Their mentor O-Sensei is voiced by James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China, Blade Runner). Josh Keaton (Voltron: Legendary Defender; Green Lantern: The Animated Series) is featured as Jeffrey Burr, and additional voices are provided by veteran voiceover actors Grey Griffin, Chris Cox, Erica Luttrell, Robin Atkin Downes, Patrick Seitz, Jamie Chung and Eric Bauza.
Sam Liu (Reign of the Supermen, Batman: The Killing Joke) is producer and director of Batman: Soul of the Dragon, utilizing a script by Jeremy Adams (Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge). Producers are Jim Krieg (Batman: Gotham by Gaslight) and Kimberly S. Moreau (Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Bruce Timm (Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: Red Son) and Sam Register are executive producers. Michael Uslan is executive producer.
The film is dedicated to legendary DC writer Dennis O’Neil, who co-created the characters Richard Dragon, O-Sensei, Bronze Tiger and Lady Shiva. O’Neil passed away on June 11, 2020.
Special Features (4K UHD, Blu-ray & Digital):
Batman – Raw Groove (New Featurette) – From the explosion of gritty cinema and kung fu to the cultural changes spreading across the U.S., we explore the early ’70s and how they inspired Batman: Soul of the Dragon.
Producer Jim Krieg’s Far Out Highlights (New Featurette) – It’s an off-the-hook and out-of- sight supercut of one of Producer Jim Krieg’s funniest in-character appearances.
A Sneak Peek at the next DC Universe Movie – An advance look at the next animated film in the popular DC Universe Movies collection, Justice Society: World War II.
Look Back: Superman: Red Son (Featurette) – Kal-El’s rocket fleeing Krypton never reaches Smallville, but instead lands in the Soviet Union, single-handedly shifting the new world order. This is the epic re-imagining of Superman’s origin story.
Look Back: Batman: Gotham By Gaslight (Featurette) – Set against the backdrop of turn of the century Gotham, Batman is involved in a hunt for a criminal who has committed the most heinous acts of murder. This is Batman versus Jack the Ripper!
From the DC Vault: Batman: The Animated Series, “Day of the Samurai”
From the DC Vault:Batman: The Animated Series, “Night of the Ninja”
Sunlight Entertainment and pocket.watch, the exclusive studio partner for the Ryan’s World franchise, announced a new collaboration with Amazon Kids+ – Amazon’s all-in-one service that gives kids access to thousands of kid-friendly books, educational apps, TV shows and more – to distribute its new original special Super Spy Ryan. This is the first time Amazon Kids+ is working with a creator to launch an original long-form show.
The super-sized special, a hybrid live-action and animation series that stars YouTube sensation Ryan Kaji, was created by Sunlight Entertainment, the Kaji family’s production company, to further expand the Ryan’s World universe into the premium animated space. The special will be available exclusively on Amazon Kids+ starting Nov. 27 in the U.S., U.K. and Canada; and in Germany and Japan in December.
“The appetite for great kids and family entertainment continues to build momentum, as evidenced by the demand we’ve seen on a global scale around our franchises featuring YouTube creators like Ryan. We’re focused now, more than ever before, on finding the best partners to bring these beloved stars to kids and families amid these challenging times,” said Chris Williams, Founder and CEO of pocket.watch. “In just three years, we’ve been able to deliver Ryan’s World everywhere kids are – in stores, on tablets and television screens, within games, even at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade – so we’re thrilled to cap off another incredible year with Amazon Kids+ for their first-ever original.”
“Bringing Super Spy Ryan as the first original on Amazon Kids+ is a dream come true for us. The time and effort that went into production from our team was extensive and highly rewarding at the same time,” said Shion Kaji, Ryan’s father and founder of the family’s production company, Sunlight Entertainment. “We’re so grateful for the support we’ve received from Ryan’s fans around the world, and are excited for kids to follow Ryan on this brand-new adventure, Super Spy Ryan.”
In Super Spy Ryan, Ryan is transported into an animated virtual reality world where he and his friends must become the ultimate super spies. Their mission is to recover the precious Golden Console from the clutches of a new character to the Ryan’s World universe: a nefarious hamster named The Packrat, following a glitch in the Virtual World that turns all of Ryan’s friends into babies. The show toggles between live-action, featuring scenes with Ryan and his family; and animation, featuring Ryan’s signature avatar and characters in his animated world.
“We’re excited to collaborate with pocket.watch and Ryan Kaji to introduce Super Spy Ryan, an original long-form show with one of the most beloved kid creators,” said Kurt Beidler, GM of Amazon Kids. “We hope families will have fun watching his latest adventure together over the holiday.”
As part of the original content collaboration, Amazon has also introduced two exclusive Ryan’s World Secret Spy toys: the Secret Agent Mystery Mission Case ($59.99) and Super Spy Figures ($19.99).
Pocket.watch executive produced Super Spy Ryan, alongside producers and show creators Shion and Loann Kaji of Sunlight Entertainment. The animation was produced by Shin-Ei Animation, the Japanese animation studio behind popular anime series Doraemon and Crayon Shin-chan. The special also marks the first time Ryan has ever voiced-over animated content.
Since its 2015 launch, Ryan’s World has grown to become one of the world’s largest kids’ franchises. The YouTube channel features fun and easy science experiments, educational content, animated adventures, imaginative toy play, and videos that document daily life for the family of five, which includes Ryan’s younger twin sisters. Ryan videos and content are also distributed via the Ryan and Friends OTT channel which launched in September. Ryan’s World consumer products generated over $200 Million in retail stores in 24 countries in 2019 and is poised to grow even bigger this year. For more info, visit ryans.world.
![The god Quetzalcoatl ("Plumed Serpent"), voiced by Zeus Mendoza in Onyx Equinox. [art courtesy Crunchyroll]](https://www.dev.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Onyx-Equinox2-1.jpg)
![The god Tezcatlipoca ("Smoking Mirror"), voiced by Arin Hanson in Onyx Equinox. [art courtesy Crunchyroll]](https://www.dev.animationmagazine.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Onyx-Equinox3-1.jpg)
