Netflix Adapting Cult Samurai Rabbit Comic 'Usagi Yojimbo' As Animated Series

Netflix has been working hard to establish themselves as one of the biggest names in animation. The number of projects in production just keeps growing, meaning that the streaming powerhouse must be extremely happy with the results. And animation creatives keep signing on- so their offers must be extremely attractive to the creators too.

Among Netflix's portfolio, they have picked up several animated projects adapted from comics- Hilda will soon be getting a second season, and Bone and Deadendia are just two more currently in production. We can now add to that list an adaptation of the long-running Dark Horse comic series Usagi Yojimbo.

Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles is to be a CG-animated kids series based on the 35 year-old comic from creator Stan Sakai.  The series is described as a comedy-action series and is being made by Netflix in association with Gaumont and Atomic Monster.

Set in a far-flung future where high-tech and historical Japanese elements intermingle, the series follows teenage rabbit samurai Yuichi. Yuichi is a descendent of the great samurai warrior Miyamoto Usagi, and he dreams of following in his footsteps.  Alongside a ragtag team of misfit heroes including a ninja, and acrobatic pickpocket and a roughish bounty hunter, he battles all that would stand in his way on his quest to become the greatest samurai Usagi.

The comic's original creator, writer and illustrator, six-time Eisner Award winner Stan Sakai is serving as Executive Producer alongside representatives from Gaumont and Dark Horse Comics and Atomic Monster, including Aquaman and Saw director James Wan. Candie and Doug Langdale (The Book Of Life, Niko And The Sword of Light) will serve as Executive Producers and showrunners. Ben Jones (The Iron Giant, Teen Titans) is supervising producer and Khang Le (Big Hero 6) is Art Director.

Animation will be produced by 88 Pictures, a studio based in Mumbai, India, who were previously responsible for Netflix/DreamWorks productions including Trollhunters and 3Below.

Sakai said:

It is a pleasure working with Gaumont and Netflix. I am involved in each step of the production and am enthusiastic with the direction we are going into. It is wonderful to expand the Usagi universe by collaborating with so many talented people. I am working with an awesome team and I’m looking forward to finally seeing an Usagi series on the screen! I thank my wonderful fans, friends and family for their support and encouragement over the last 35+ years.

No release date has been announced, but we'll bring you more news when we have it.

[via Netflix]