The famous comic samurai rabbit Usagi Yojimbo has been picked up for a potential animated series by Gaumont, one of the oldest film companies in the world. Creator of the comic Stan Sakai will serve as a co-producer joining Gaumont and Rob Hackett from Atomic Monster.
Usagi Yojimbo has been around for nearly 30 years in comic form. As one of several anthropomorphic characters journeying through 17th Century Japan, Usagi encounters dinosaurs, cats, ninjas, and bounty hunters by land and by sea.
After the official announcement was made on Sakai’s Twitter account, Gaumont’s President of Animation, Nicolas Atlan, released a statement, “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. 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.”
Sakai has been long recognized for the Usagi series due to his ability to expand upon Japanese folklore with such an interesting twist. Fans of the character may also recall Usagi’s role in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles television series.