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Animalps, MontBlanc Pictures, Nippon Animation Co-Produce Chad & Clark CG-Animated Series

posted on by Jennifer Sherman
After School Midnighters director's children's books inspired 2D anime in 2016

French animation studio Animalps revealed on Monday that it is co-producing a CG-animated series adaptation of Hitoshi Takekiyo's Chad & Clark children's books with Mont Blanc Pictures Co.,Ltd. (After School Midnighters) and Nippon Animation (Chibi Maruko-chan, Rascal the Raccoon). The adventure comedy series will have 26 episodes that will be seven minutes long each.

The series about a monkey named Chad and dog named Clark will be targeted at four- to seven-year-olds. Animalps' official website lists the project as "in development."

Mont Blanc Pictures produced a previous 2D anime series inspired by the first children's book in Takekiyo's series in 2016. Mont Blanc Pictures describes the previous Chad & Clark's Adventure Island anime:

Chad and Clark's Adventure Island is a delightful animated series for children that tells the story of two friends on a noble quest, making numerous detours to help out interesting characters and follow curiosity to grand adventures.

It's loose and childlike design gives Chad and Clark's Adventure Island a unique and playful energy, at the same time presenting a feast of emotions and honest themes which are not only entertaining, but also set beautiful examples for its young audience.

The company describes the two main characters:

Chad
Chad is a very capable little monkey. Having raised himself, he is mature in his understanding of life in what it takes to survive, but his lack of interaction with others has left him still very much a child at heart. Survival comes as second nature to him, making him seemingly insensitive at times. He is a monkey of action, laid back and content, never lamenting his isolation for it has always been so, that is until Clark enters his life.

Clark
As the cherished pet of a kind couple, Clark has always had an easy life. He knows the joy of interaction, the love of family, and now the pain of separation. He is very kind, and knows what it means to be taken care of, but still has a lot to learn about life as lived and easily gets distracted.New to the outside world, he has a very childlike and pure sense of fairness, high ideals, and a desire to be good, which when tested on his journey, he will find are the seeds to a strength he never imagined he had in him.

Takekiyo directed and wrote the script for the After School Midnighters CG anime film. Takekiyo is credited with the original work for the Chad & Clark children's books. Nanoya provides the text for the series, and Kōji Fuchigami illustrates the books. Azusa Shoin released the first Chad & Clark book, titled Chad to Clark no Bōkenjima (Chad & Clark's Adventure Island), in November 2015. The second book, titled Chad to Clark no Tokai Dai-Bōken (Chad & Clark's Big City Adventure), shipped last August. The third book, titled Chad to Clark no Sagashimono (Chad & Clark's Looked-for Things), shipped in November.

The previous Chad and Clark's Adventure Island 2D anime premiered on TNC in April 2016. Mai Hashimoto (Motto To Love Ru's Rin Kujō, Mokke's Hisako) voiced the series' announcer. Satoshi Takeno (episode animation director for Appleseed XIII) is credited as the animator. Kiyonori Higuchi composed the music, and Kazuhiro Matsushita provided the sound effects. Shigenori Kinoshita and Takeshi Hirata were producers for the anime.

Animalps participated in this year's MIFA (Marche international du film d'animation) animation market, which is run by and concurrently with the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Established in 1960, Annecy is the world's oldest and largest animation film festival. This year, it ran from June 12-17 at the French community of the same name.

Source: Animation Magazine (Mercedes Milligan)


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