Stan Sakai’s long-running comic book series Usagi Yojimbo is coming to Netflix, with the streamer ordering an animated series entitled Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles.
Produced By Gaumont in partnership with Sakai, the series takes place in the far future in a world that mixes modern high-tech images with classic Japanese references and follows the teenage Rabbit Samurai Yuichi, a descendent of the great warrior Miyamoto Usagi, as he embarks on an epic quest to become a true samurai.
Joining Yuichi a ragtag team of misfit heroes – including a roguish bounty hunter, a cunning ninja, an acrobatic pickpocket and a faithful pet lizard – as he battles depth-charging moles, metal-tipped winged bats, and monsters from another dimension, all in the pursuit to become the best samurai Usagi!
“It is a pleasure working with Gaumont and Netflix. I am involved in each step of the production and am enthusiastic with the direction we are going into,” said Sakai. “It is wonderful to expand the Usagi universe by collaborating with so many talented people. I am working with an awesome team and I’m looking forward to finally seeing an Usagi series on the screen! I thank my wonderful fans, friends and family for their support and encouragement over the last 35+ years.”
“All of us at Gaumont were honored when Stan trusted us to develop his iconic property into an animated series,” added Nicolas Atlan of Gaumont. “This is a first for Usagi Yojimbo. We are thrilled to have Netflix on board as our creative partner so we can together, with the combined artistic talent of Stan Sakai, Dark Horse Entertainment and Atomic Monster take this iconic brand to the next level.”
88 Pictures (Trollhunters, 3Below: Tales of Arcadia, Fast & Furious Spy Racers) is set to handle the animation for the series, while Candie and Doug Langdale (Maya and the Three, The Book of Life, The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Niko and the Sword of Light, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness) will serve as showrunners and James Wan (Aquaman, Swamp Thing) is executive producing.
