TV Asahi Boards New Prime-Time Animated Series

CANNES: Japanese national broadcaster TV Asahi is working with August Media Holdings and Synergy88 Group on a new animated series, Barangay 143, intended for young adults.

The show will originally be recorded in Tagalog by an all-Filipino celebrity cast. The story centers on Bren Park, who loves basketball, but rejects his destiny to become a great player when tragedy strikes his family. He swears never to play basketball again and journeys to the Philippines where he finds his way back to himself, his heart and the game.

Barangay 143 will be distributed internationally by August Media Holdings’ August Rights and TV Asahi.

Jyotirmoy Saha, CEO of August Media Holdings, said, “Our collective decision to tell this story of Barangay 143 is a result of extensive focus group research and a creative process that has been exciting to say the least.  Given the increasing popularity of animated titles among young adults, we believe time is right for South East Asia to deliver its first anime series of this magnitude for the regional and global markets.  TV Asahi with their track record also makes the perfect partners for this.”

“We’re truly enjoying the coming together of this series as a 360-degree concept,” added Jackeline Chua, the managing partner of Synergy88 Entertainment Media. “This story of love, hubris, drama, crime and basketball is soon launching as a subscription game with a mobile Telco. Closely followed will be the consumer products line and then the series during Spring 2017.”

“We are very excited to be part of Barangay 143,” added Takahiro Kishimoto, the head of animation in the international business department of TV Asahi. “Collaborating with the talents and the creative team in the Philippines and producing such a significant show for South East Asia and the rest of the world in Japanese anime style has been an immensely challenging but great working experience for us. We hope this venture will open new doors not only for ourselves but the entire Japanese animation industry.”