Usagi Yojimbo Series Has Been Optioned

[tripodeca113]

Gaumont Animation has announced that they will be producing an animated Usagi Yojimbo show.


"Usagi Yojimbo has been much sought after for many years, and we are honored to work with Stan Sakai to translate his multi-generational stories into the first ever TV series," commented Atlan[The president of Gaumont]. "Usagi Yojimbo's blend of history and mythology, clever balance between action and comedy, and real-world touchpoints combined with the supernatural, together with the passionate fan base that Stan has already amassed, makes this an incredibly exciting property to develop with our partners Atomic Monster and Dark Horse Entertainment."

"We get fan mail from readers of all ages across the globe who have been asking to see Usagi Yojimbo in his own TV series," added Sakai. "With Gaumont, James Wan and his team at Atomic Monster, and Dark Horse Entertainment, we have the best creative talent on board to bring the adventures I have been creating for over 30 years to life."

"I've been an admirer of Stan's comic series for a long time and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to bring this character and the rich world that Stan’s created to life for a new generation," said James Wan.

"I've long admired Stan Sakai and his storytelling abilities," said Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Entertainment President." Stan built an amazing world that Dark Horse has enjoyed exploring in comic book form. We're thrilled to be part of further exploration in a new, exciting medium."
[x]

Well I look forward to more information on this as it moves along through production. I wonder how they'll deal with all the sword fighting and death.

Comments

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Hm, I wonder what this may bode for any future TMNT crossovers.

[janegray]

...HOW?

I mean, I just googled it, and...

Gaumont Animation (founded in 1997 as Alphanim) is a leading, award-winning producer and distributor of children's entertainment. The company’s animated catalog comprises over 800 half-hours, broadcast in over 130 countries. Current productions include Noddy (season two) co-produced with Dreamworks, Trulli Tales, Belle & Sebastian, Furiki Wheels, and F is For Family (season three) for Netflix.

How in God's name is a company that specializes in children's shows such as Belle & Sebastian going to adapt a series so entrenched in the Values Dissonance trope that the heroic protagonist himself kills and maims a ton of people and encourages seppuku and other forms of suicide?

They'd have to whitewash the hell out of it, robbing it of what makes it charming and unique and turning it into just Funny Fighting Animal Cartoon #347283.

I know it worked with TMNT (more or less... the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles thing that wouldn't even let Mickey have his weapons really went too far), but that was one of the very first (or even THE first, I'm not sure), so it had the advantage that it automatically stood out and didn't have to compete with a million similar shows. None of the subsequent shows (Street Sharks, Swat Kats, Extreme Dinosaurs, that one with the fish, even the surprisingly entertaining Biker Mice From Mars, etc etc) enjoyed even a fraction of its success.

[leoboiko]

I really hope they decide not to whitewash this. A proper animation of Usagi would look amazing, but if it's TMNT-level, it would be as disappointing as TMNT feels when one compares it with the original b&w comic book.

[zachbeacon]

I haven't seen much beyond clips but I wouldn't lump F is for Family in with "children's entertainment". What I've seen looks fairly juvenile but still almost certainly not for kids.

Of course that just raises a far more important quality concern.


BTW a combination of trying out Comixology Unlimited and all the paise I've seen of the series here lead to me reading the first two Fantagraphics collections over the weekend. Great stuff.

[locuatico]

as far as I know, F is for Family is not a children's show. That being said, after Frederator studios's gorefest that was "Castlevania" I am willing to believe anything...

Realisitcally, they may go for an older audience, maybe teens and up. Still,
they may reduce the amount of... well... suicide and maiming, but I can think of plenty of stories they can adapt without going that far. That being said, I can think of any particular story in which Usagi is actively encouraging Seppuku, though.

[janegray]

I can't remember the name of the story, but it was posted here. One of the bad guys turned out to be a fallen good guy and friend of Usagi's. Rather than shaming his school, he and Usagi figured that seppuku was the most honourable solution, so the guy did it while Usagi took the role of... not sure what it's called, the person who has the job of cutting the guy's head off to put an end to the agony.

There was also a story where a character tells the tale of a bodyguard who failed to protect his lord's son, so the bodyguard's own son committed suicide to restore his father's honor, and Usagi was nodding along in agreement.

Values dissonance, man.

[tripodeca113]

The first story is "Those Who Tread on The Scorpion's Tail" and for the second one "The Bonze's Story".

I mean there are a fair amount of stories which they could probably get away with adapting.

[riddler13]

Yes, I'm pretty sure they'll whitewash it a lot.

Thing is, the adaptation for TMNT's 2012 cartoon was fairly decent. If that is the line they wish to follow, it would be ok. There was no blood and gore, but there was some violence and a Jei that was villanous enough.

If they try to infantilize it a notch, then I fear it won't be good.

[cygnia]

Maybe it's Netflix specific?

[riddler13]

I was absent for (quite a long) while, but thanks for informing the community, tripodeca113.

All I could say when I heard the news was

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD