TV Asahi, Shin-Ei Animation Pact with Reliance MediaWorks For 'Ninja Hattori'

NEW DELHI - Japan’s leading private broadcaster TV Asahi and its subsidiary Shin-ei Animation have pacted with Mumbai-based Reliance MediaWorks to create all new episodes of kids comedy action franchise Ninja Hattori.

While a budget was not given, according to a joint statement, production for the series will be supervised by writers and directors from Shin-ei in collaboration with a team of 100 animators at Reliance MediaWorks’ Mumbai facility in creating Ninja Hattori episodes in 2D-HD via a digitally mastered process.

“Being one of the first Japanese companies who started marketing animation shows to India, we are glad to announce this project with the aim to explore new possibilities. TV Asahi, together with Shin-ei Animation, are thrilled to work with Reliance MediaWorks and hope this collaboration would lead to greater things,” said TV Asahi producer, programming and entertainment division, Takahiro Kishimoto.

“This is our first collaboration with any Indian company, and this was also a challenge for us to transform the classic show into an all new digitally mastered show without losing the look and feel of the original episodes. Our hope is to get Ninja Hattori out to more children all over the world,” said Shin-ei Animation producer Satoshi Kaisho.

“Being associated with some of the top Japanese talent through Shin-Ei and TV Asahi for such a legendary show and bringing it back through digital technology will be an immensely challenging and great working experience for our animation team,” said Reliance MediaWorks COO Naresh Malik.
 

Ninja Hattori has aired on TV Asahi since the Eighties with the series enjoying a strong fan base in other Asian countries. In India, the show has been broadcast since 2006 on Nick India with the new episodes slated from May.