Nickelodeon Asia To Premiere It's Brand New Locally Animated Series "Akis" In Malaysia

From TBI Vision:

Nickelodeon launches local series in Malaysia

International kids channel Nickelodeon is to launch Akis, its first local production in Malaysia.

The Viacom-owned broadcaster has commissioned the twelve-part series from Malaysian digital animation production company Inspidea. It follows the success of original Malaysian production Cingkus Blues, which the network acquired earlier this year.

Akis the tells the story of an imaginative seven year old girl with a sugary sweet voice. It has been produced in both English and Malaysian.

"Nickelodeon is always keen to develop engaging content and Akis' antics are both endearing and hilarious, something children are bound to connect with. This is the first time Nickelodeon has commissioned a studio in Malaysia to produce animated content and we are really pleased with what Inspidea has achieved. Akis is a great example of the top-notch content being produced in Malaysia," said Syahrizan Mansor, senior director, Nickelodeon Programming and Creative, Asia.

Also, from Kidscreen:

Nick to bow first Malaysian animation commission

Furthering its plans to localize content from Asia, Nickelodeon’s new 12 x two-minute animated kids series Akis will debut for Malaysian viewers on September 28.

Created and produced by Malaysia’s digital animation studio Inspidea, Akis is Nickelodeon’s first Malaysian animation commission.

The series, which highlights aspects of Malaysian culture and features English and Bahasa Malaysia audio, encourages imaginative play in kids and follows the adventures of a seven year-old girl who loves to play-pretend.

The new series follows the February Nick debut of another original Malaysian production Cingkus Blues, about a cat and a rat who are best friends.

Tags: Akis, Inspidea, Malaysia, Nickelodeon

From C21Media:

KidsCo, Nick pick up Asian toons

Global children’s channels KidsCo and Nickelodeon have placed their faith in a pair of cartoons created in Asia.

The deals represent a growing interest in IP created in the region, which is moving toward owning content rather than only acting as a service industry for toons created in the West.

KidsCo has acquired Shelldon (26x22′), a marine-themed toon that comes from Thailand’s Shellhut Entertainment, and will dub it for all local territories. It will debut in November.

The series is one of the best-known cartoons from Thailand, having first hit the international market at Mipcom four years ago, at the time via Entertainment Rights.

KidsCo scored its deal directly through Shellhut’s CEO Dr Jirayuth Chusanachoti, though Hit Entertainment was selling the show as recently as February last year.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Inspidea, another Asian toon house that’s driving the trend for locally created intellectual property, is working on a 12x2′ shortform series for Nick.

Akis will tell the stories of an imaginative a young girl that loves to play-pretend, in both English and Bahasa Malaysian. “Although the show is set in Malaysia, viewers everywhere will relate to Akis because of the similarities in their experiences,” said Inspidea’s CEO Andrew Ooi.

It's a second original Malaysian series this year for Nick, which debuted Cingkus Blues, a series about a best friend combo cat and rat combo, in February.

Jesse Whittock
11-09-2012
©C21Media

GENRES: Animation, Children's
SHOWS: Akis, Shelldon
PEOPLE: Andrew Ooi
COMPANIES: Inspidea, KidsCo, Nickelodeon, Shell Hut Entertainment
SECTIONS: C21Kids
COUNTRIES: Malaysia, Thailand, UK, US