DHX Media has announced a global deal with Dentsu Entertainment USA to co-produce, distribute and manage licensing for the upcoming Mega Man cartoon series announced last June (see “New 'Mega Man' TV Series”).
According to Deadline, the series will be aimed at children 6 -9, as well as parents with nostalgia for the video game titles. The story will follow Aki Light, a normal upbeat schoolboy robot living in Silicon City, who also has the seret alter ego of Mega Man, a robot with a suit of impenetrable armor. Characters from the video games will be featured in the cast, as well as new characters, including Mega Mini.
DHX is known for its work on properties including Teletubbies, Yo Gabba Gabba!, and the Degrassi franchise. Under the deal with Dentsu, the companies with manage all global rights for the animated series, and will handle distribution and licensing in the U.S.. Dentsu Entertainment USA’s parent company, Dentsu Inc., will handle distribution and licensing in Asia. DHX will manage distribution and licensing in all other territories. Man of Action Entertainment (Ben 10, Big Hero 6) will executive produce.
Mega Man is expected to launch sometime in 2017, coinciding with the video game franchise’s 30th Anniversary.
Beyond the hugely successful video game franchise, there numerous licensed adaptations for the property including a manga series from VIZ Media, videogame art books from UDON Entertainment, American comics from Archie, a UFS CCG from Jasco (see "New 'Mega Man' 'UFS' Releases"), and a board game (see "'Mega Man: The Board Game'"), also from Jasco.