Three-way deal for Malaysian toon

Malaysian animation company Funcel has signed a three-way coproduction deal with the country’s National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and Japanese studio Gonzo.

Funcel will work with Finas and Gonzo on adventure animation Satria – The Warriors of the 7 Elements (26×24′), a series targeting 9-14s that blends historical facts with fictional characters from South-East Asia.

Satria will be directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo, the director behind original animé show Blood: The Last Vampire, and is due to be completed in autumn 2012.

The property is the first coproduction between Malaysia and the Japanese animation company, whose previous credits include the Samuel L Jackson-voiced Afro Samurai.

Meanwhile, Spacetoon Media Hub, another Malay company backed by governmental initiative MSC Malaysia and the country’s Multimedia Development Corporation, is set to produce a new 3D TV series.

Net.Works! (26×22′) is a dramatic 3D adventure aimed at 6-11s. The story follows a misfit data-packet delivery boy who must save their world after he overhears a plot to invade the internet.

Fellow MSC-backed companies Animasia Studio, Agogo International and Neptuno Films announced at Mipcom that they were starting production on animated action-adventure series Kung Fu Chicken, while Ed-Online Technologies, Scrawl Studios and Bryant Whittle signed an agreement to produce animated preschool series Red, Yellow & Blue.