New Usagi Yujimbo Series

[ZariusTwo]

Miyamoto Usagi, an anthropomorphic samurai rabbit, has spent more than 30 years trekking across the pages of Usagi Yojimbo comic books, battling various adversaries and solving mysteries. And now, the cast of fictional comic characters created by Stan Sakai is getting its own TV series, courtesy of France-based Gaumont, which acquired the property in October 2017 from Sakai.

The untitled upcoming action-comedy series targeting six- to 11-year-olds is produced by Gaumont’s US TV division alongside Dark Horse Comics, Sakai and Atomic Monster Productions. The series follows Usagi and his pet dinosaur as the embark on adventures in 17th-century Japan.

“It’s a universe comprised of animals, which is a little bit different from other comic worlds,” says Terry Kalagian, VP of creative for animation at Gaumont. “And that appeals to kids, especially when a lot of other superhero IPs focus on grownups. Every child can see themselves as a hero like these animals.”

Kalagian says the CGI series will begin production in 2018, and Gaumont is currently seeking a broadcaster that will lend creative input to the toon’s development process. “Our goal is to take the brand global,” says Kalagian. To date, the Usagi character has been featured in more than 230 of Sakai’s comic books (which are published almost monthly in 21 countries), and has made cameos in Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But the brand has never had a TV series or movie of its own.

“This is something that I’ve had in the back of my mind for years. I’ve always wanted to have Usagi animated, but my concentration has always been on the comic books,” says Sakai, adding that his comics are most popular in the US, France, Spain and Poland.

On the consumer products front, Hong Kong-based Playmates currently works with Sakai on a line of toys based on the Usagi comics. For example, Playmates’ boxed collectible action figure of Usagi, featuring three interchangeable heads, sold out at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con within minutes. The toy was then put online for a short while, but Sakai eventually took it off the market because he couldn’t keep up with the demand. To that end, Gaumont is currently looking for a toy partner for the upcoming TV series that will be able to capture the feel of the brand and keep fan momentum alive.

http://kidscreen.com/2018/02/06/unleashing-usagi/

[ProphetofGanja]

A pet dinosaur, huh? :lol: Granted I'm not really familiar with Usagi outside of some of his crossovers with the TMNT but this seems like a cool project.

Ironic that they're making a CGI Usagi Yojimbo show right after the CGI TMNT show ends :roll:

[biganimefan]

Hmm...I've been interested in something like this for awhile. Definitely going to be checking it out! Honestly, I think I'm more excited about this than a new TMNT show. It'll probably be better anyway.

[funatic]

woahwoahwoah, this is BIG. People have been clamoring for an Usagi animated series for decades.

It's a French company though, does that mean it will be exclusive to France? (en français?) Or will it be internationally distributed? EDIT: just saw it's Gaumont's US Division, so that answers that. :)

The pet dinosaur and 6-11 demo sound a little too little for my liking, but the past Turtles series had silly pets and a similar target audience and still appealed to adult fans so I'll keep my hopes up.

[neatoman]

In case you don't know, it seems that the people who made this:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9b/Annabelle-poster.jpg
Are coming together with the people who made this:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a8/George_of_the_Jungle_%282007_TV_series%29.png

To make this show. Or at least that's what my minimal googling would lead me to believe.

[funatic]

lol well if it falls right in the middle of those two tonally it just might work. :tlol:

disclaimer: I haven't seen either of those.

[plastroncafe]

I'm going to go out on a limb, and assume that the "pet dinosaur" is his tokage lizard companion named Spot.

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gg33BrEeW98/T4ImyT6bJbI/AAAAAAAABFE/3kMKJ9iyPKI/s1600/spot.gif

[inaheap]

I sure hope this becomes a thing.

[Powder]

I am very excited about this. I hope it's decent.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I think the TMNT and Usagi Yojimbo can make each other popular with two series running at the same time.

[Wesley]

Sounds good.

[TheMasterTurtle]

I’m definitely thrilled. This will be what I watch over Turtles.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

The dinosaurs probably never went extinct on Usagi's Earth.

[Prowler]

Well perhaps this is finally the time for me to get into Usagi Yojimbo. Although I suppose I should first start with the comics. Occasionally I see omnibuses of it for sale in bookstores in the comic/manga section. Perhaps I oughta pick one up one day,

[CyberCubed]

Well perhaps this is finally the time for me to get into Usagi Yojimbo. Although I suppose I should first start with the comics. Occasionally I see omnibuses of it for sale in bookstores in the comic/manga section. Perhaps I oughta pick one up one day,

I have all the Usagi collections but the smaller trades they released, but for a newcomer the big omnibuses are perfect. They collect like 15-20 comics in a single book.

[Prowler]

Didn't Usagi have a cartoon series a long time ago but it was cancelled pretty quickly? What happened?

[CyberCubed]

Didn't Usagi have a cartoon series a long time ago but it was cancelled pretty quickly? What happened?

No it never had its own show. There was a 5 minute animated pitch for Space Usagi that you've probably seen online.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Maybe we can soon hope for a Mutanimals series too.

[Prowler]

No it never had its own show. There was a 5 minute animated pitch for Space Usagi that you've probably seen online.
Why the hell was it set in space? It's set in feudal Japan. Does he ever go to space in the comics even?

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Why the hell was it set in space? It's set in feudal Japan. Does he ever go to space in the comics even?

It was a descendant of Miyamoto Usagi.

[plastroncafe]

Why the hell was it set in space? It's set in feudal Japan. Does he ever go to space in the comics even?

Yup:
http://turtlepedia.wikia.com/wiki/Space_Usagi

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I guess it would have been easier to first produce an ordinary feudal-Japan Usagi Yojimbo series, then Space Usagi.

[Shark_Blade]

The title is bugging me. :tlol:

It's Yojimbo not Yujimbo.

[dragonside]

looks promising.

Although, cross over with rise? .... probably not

since its CG? maybe the TMNT 2012 can come back for a cross over.

Probably won't be the same one we saw in the TMNT 2012 series, but a different one.

[Powder]

You can be sure this series won't have a TMNT crossover. No freakin' way. It''ll be handled on a much smaller scale than your average toon, let alone something as huge as TMNT or any other Viacom monster property, so there'd be no budget for renting them out, so to speak. I don't see them doing Stan & the respective airing network any favors, I'm sure he was properly compensated for the use of his character, after all.

We might see a version of Usagi in Rise, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. & in the event it happened, it wouldn't be this particular version, but one made specifically for Rise, like in Ciro's series.

[marcelangelo]

You can be sure this series won't have a TMNT crossover. No freakin' way. It''ll be handled on a much smaller scale than your average toon, let alone something as huge as TMNT or any other Viacom monster property, so there'd be no budget for renting them out, so to speak. I don't see them doing Stan & the respective airing network any favors, I'm sure he was properly compensated for the use of his character, after all.

We might see a version of Usagi in Rise, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. & in the event it happened, it wouldn't be this particular version, but one made specifically for Rise, like in Ciro's series.

I wouldn't abandon hope so soon, Stan postet some more information at the usagi yojimbo dojo (that's the official fan site).. he said gaumont is the oldest movie company in the world. And the production company so far involved is the One behind the saw movie series es well as the director of the new aquaman theatrical feature film..so there seems to more than enough Money involved i guess. They need stations buying and running their product I think..oh, forgot to mention DARK HORSE ENTERTAINMENT is also co-producing the series...

[Powder]

I'm aware of all that. I think you're grossly undervaluing the TMNT brand.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

since its CG? maybe the TMNT 2012 can come back for a cross over.

The first Nickelodeon series did crossovers with the MWS series without any problems.

[marcelangelo]

I'm aware of all that. I think you're grossly undervaluing the TMNT brand.

I don't known.. i just thought you meant that there perhaps was Not enough financial power behind this new effort to make this usagi show beautiful or exciting...i m aware that the tmnt is an exceptional property.
However if done right you can achieve more with less sometimes...
Lets hope for the best

[Powder]

Never said that, yo. Only that I suspect they wouldn't have the excess cash to get a TMNT license.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

This will at least make it more famous, beyond "Usagi? Is it that samurai rabbit who appears at TMNT sometimes"?

[sdp]

And worst of all is if it happened they'd make them use the Rise version of the turtles :lol:

I'm most excited for a toyline, the Usagi toy from the 2012 line never made it to where I live, I think they stopped in the wave after the second movie and gave up on TMNT here and I couldn't justify how expensive it was to import it.

Hope the show is good, my only familiarity is the crossovers and a few panels I've read online over the years or wiki profiles/synopsis. Can't say I love the character but I'm open.

Never said that, yo. Only that I suspect they wouldn't have the excess cash to get a TMNT license.

I don't think it would be about the cash, I'm sure Viacom would lend him for cheap if they really thought they benefited from the partnership. That's the problem, I don't see Viacom caring to lend their property for what they see will have little to no value to them and would be afraid that it could harm the image they want of the turtles.

Too bad really, it'd be nice for the TMNT to return the favor but Viacom likely sees it as "we've been promoting this creation that directly competes with our brand".


I'd love to be completely wrong and to see the TMNT in an usagi cartoon though.

[CyberCubed]

I don't think Usagi would appear in Rise anyway.

[sdp]

I would guess first season of Rise would have no returning characters, all original besides the turtles/april/splinter. Season 2 might get returning characters because of fans whining.

I'm really excited for this Usagi show, I hope it's not too watered down, on the level of most action cartoons nowadays would be great, I just hope it's not something like say Stretch Armstrong, ugh. Time to forget this show exists so I'm surprised when the first trailer shows up that I had forgotten about. I hate early announcements.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I think they stopped in the wave after the second movie and gave up on TMNT here.

What country was that?

[Candy Kappa]

The title is bugging me. :tlol:

It's Yojimbo not Yujimbo.

Just read it in Stallone's voice and it's all better :lol:

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I don't think Usagi would appear in Rise anyway.

To me, it seems his appearance at TMNT has become mandatory in all animated series.

[funatic]

To me, it seems his appearance at TMNT has become mandatory in all animated series.

I think it's completely at the discretion of Sakai though, and whether said series is worthy of the Usagi cameo. Let's hope Rise is... :tconfuse:

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Let's hope the character will at least be refered to as Miyamoto Usagi this time.

[pferreira]

No it never had its own show. There was a 5 minute animated pitch for Space Usagi that you've probably seen online.I so would have liked to have seen a full TV show of that.

[TigerClaw]

I so would have liked to have seen a full TV show of that.
Here's the video, its only about 3 minutes and 42 seconds.

gWOvcIYd7IU

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

1994. Maybe it should start earlier, during the Turtlemania peak.

[pferreira]

Here's the video, its only about 3 minutes and 42 seconds.Yeah I think either you or someone else posted it before somewhere. Would really have liked a full series of that with that animation style.

[funatic]

Excerpt from an interview Stan did recently:
I will have some involvement with any animated series. However, as the sole creator of Usagi Yojimbo, my time is largely spent on the comic and other related projects. What I can say is that I am quite optimistic in what I’ve seen, thus far. Gaumont certainly knows what they are doing and I have much confidence in their approach. We’re still in the early stages. Last I heard they were narrowing down the writer, who they may have selected by now. I’ve also been told that the approach is a bit more expedient than typical, as there is much excitement surrounding the project.

That’s the only bit about the animated series but the full interview can be found here: https://www.cbr.com/stan-sakai-usagi-yojimbo-relaunch-interview/2/

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Excerpt from an interview Stan did recently:


That’s the only bit about the animated series but the full interview can be found here: https://www.cbr.com/stan-sakai-usagi-yojimbo-relaunch-interview/2/

So, it may be the same role as Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird had with the MWS series?

[pferreira]

So, it may be the same role as Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird had with the MWS series?It does sound like it doesn't. Although expect Stan to write some episodes if it gets made. I have a feeling that would happen.

[Powder]

https://www.facebook.com/officialstansakai/photos/a.1121007374592665/2808339659192753/?type=3&theater

From Stan:

"We had another meeting with Gaumont last week and we are delighted and could not be happier or more enthused as to how the project is developing."

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/66634586_2808339662526086_598664638007083008_n.jpg ?_nc_cat=111&_nc_oc=AQnpuFvbA3ie28VppTUxaw1GS4VITVw_O-4QdZvSnoOf7-I1LglclGVFKWEvFY4eVqw&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=60551b4d8fdaed625afa437ba46c1ebf&oe=5DBFE333

So it looks like this is actually happening, cool. Not huge on the character design, but maybe it's temporary.

[CyberCubed]

Hope this turns out good. Even with violence toned down I want to see sword fights.

[PizzaPower]

Hope this turns out good. Even with violence toned down I want to see sword fights.
yea and maybe a TMNT crossover lol.