Akatsuki to bring animated character Penelope to India

Japanese entertainment company Akatsuki Inc has revealed its plans to bring the popular animated character Penelope to India. The three-year-old blue koala bear, aimed at a preschool audience, stars in a series adapted from the French picture books by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben.

The Japanese company has licensed the India distribution rights of Penelope IP and is aiming the character first on YouTube and will line up OTT partners for the future.

The company hopes that preschoolers who have to remain home during the pandemic can benefit from the character who can help them learn more about social skills, confidence and the importance of making mistakes. Penelope is a huge success in Japan already.

Akatsuki’s head of business development and partnerships Yuki Kawamura said of the launch, “The past 18 months have been extremely challenging for everyone and more so for our young ones. Kids under the age of five years have had to skip the phase of discovering the world through playdates and outdoor activities. The significance, thus, of the content they consume is higher than ever, as that remains the only source of edutainment for them.”

Yuki aims to bring relatable and meaningful animation characters and stories that kids learn from and families enjoy together.

“What makes Penelope up to the task is the central character’s realistic optimism that doesn’t sell perfectionism but instils the idea of celebrating small wins like being able to wear your own socks, even if they are mismatched,” he added. “The character is loved in Japan, especially by mothers because of the values of empathy, independence, and family it communicates to its young audience in a relatable way. We are excited to bring the hope, joy and magic of Penelope’s world to India.”

The books by Gutman and Hallensleben have sold over three million copies worldwide. The books were licensed by Japan’s Nippon Animation, Japan into a global animation series. Penelope has been published in 11 countries and the animation IP is broadcasted in 19 countries worldwide with four seasons comprising 80 episodes.