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? 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

[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:

Are coming together with the people who made this:


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.

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.

[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]

Originally Posted by 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,

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]

Originally Posted by Prowler

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]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

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]

Originally Posted by Prowler

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.