Photo by Owen Ela
Gwen Stefani recently appeared Chelsea Handler’s talk show on Netflix and talked about her love for Harajuku, an area in Tokyo that is widely known for its colorful and vibrant fashion. Now according to TV Series Finale, Nickelodeon has teamed up with Stefani and is preparing to release a new animated series inspired by Harajuku.
The series is titled Kuu Kuu Harajuku and will debut in October. The singer/songwriter co-created the series and will serve as executive producer. In regards to her involvement with the animated show, Stefani stated “Partnering with Nickelodeon on Kuu Kuu Harajuku is a dream come true! It’s been incredible to see the Harajuku Girls and the world they live in come to life. The artwork is so beautiful and the whole series turned out better than I could have ever imagined. I love that this is an animated series for young girls that celebrates creativity, imagination and individuality. I can’t wait for everyone to see it!”
The show will follow the adventures of HJ5, a band that consists of members: Love, Angel, Music, Baby, and G. Additionally, we’ll see these characters come alive through their world of music, fashion, and style. The band will have to deal with their manager Rudie, grumpy aliens, lame politicians, hungry beast-like pets, and other obstacles. For HJ5, every gig is interrupted but that never stops the girls from finishing up a concert because they never quit.
The series premiere is titled “Totally Teen Genie”, and in this episode, Angel releases a Teen Genie with tremendous attitude and tries to use her three wishes to help her band win the Golden Hoodie trophy. The following episode, “Angel’s flight,” will show a determined Angel attempting to restore her reputation after an embarrassing picture surfaces online.
Watch the trailer below:
The inspiration for the animated series came from Stefani’s love of pop art in addition to her long-time admiration for the street fashion and creative youth culture found across the Harajuku neighborhood of Tokyo, Japan. In fact, when Stefani wrote her first solo album, she featured Harajuku girl characters to celebrate the creativity and uniqueness she witnessed throughout the Harajuku District. Kuu Kuu Harajuku will debut on October 3rd at 4 p.m. ET/PT.