Disney helped bring American animation to the world, and now it’s bringing one of Asia’s most iconic cartoons to America.
The Mouse House will air 26 episodes of “Doraemon,” a manga-turned-anime from Japan about a robot-like cat from the future, on its cable channel Disney XD this summer.
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The original announcement about the deal came in the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, and has since been confirmed to the WSJ by Disney publicists in Japan.
The series was launched as a manga in 1969 by Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko, featuring a story about the aforementioned robo-cat sent from the future by a boy to help his grandfather, named Nobita. The subsequent cartoon, which launched in 1973, has been aired in 35 countries and led to yearly movie installments, as well.
The American series, which is aimed at elementary school kids, will Anglicize names and other elements; Nobita will become Nobby, a bully named Gian is now named “Big G,” and a magical portal called the “Dokodemo Door” will be called the “Anywhere Door.”
Asahi TV will produce the show and contract it out to Disney.