Disney Manga

The Walt Disney Co. will team up with several Japanese companies to produce animation for television in Japan. Continue the American invasion of Planet Japan!

Disney will work with Toei Animation Co., Madhouse Co. and Jinni's Animation Studios, in a move aimed at localizing contents of Disney products for a wider audience.

With Madhouse, Disney will produce a 30-minute TV program "Stitch!," an offspring of the Lilo & Stitch series, to be aired in Japan. A Japanese girl named Hanako will play Stitch's sidekick in the new show and the imaginary story will take place in a southern Japanese island, instead of in Hawaii as in the original, the company said. With Jinni, Disney will make a short animation "Fireball," which will go on air in April on Disney's cable channel and Tokyo Metropolitan Television. Disney will produce a short animation "Robodz" for television with Toei Animation, expected to be aired in June.

This is not the first time Disney has produced in local markets, but certainly the largest and most ambitious partnership to date.