Cake gets distribution rights to TV Asahi’s anime franchise Doraemon

Doraemon started as a Manga in 1970

Kids-focused producer-distributor Cake has acquired the television distribution rights to Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi’s long-running anime franchise Doraemon.

Under the deal, London-based Cake will spearhead the international distribution of the Doraemon animation catalogue in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and EMEA, excluding Italy, Spain, Portugal and Turkey.

Cake and TV Asahi will also produce a new English-language version with the aim of refreshing the Doraemon library for English-speaking audiences and “introducing a timeless Japanese icon to new viewers.”

Doraemon follows a time-travelling cat-type robot, who is sent from the future to help a well-meaning but clumsy young boy. Armed with an endless assortment of futuristic secret gadgets, they navigate everyday childhood challenges and school life, in extraordinary sci-fi adventures and heart-warming stories

Doraemon started as manga created by Fujiko F Fujio in 1970 and has since evolved into a multimedia franchise, with over 300 million comic books sold worldwide, a 1,300-plus episode television catalogue, consumer products and yearly feature films.