CCTV Animation Co-Production Scores Financing from FUN Union

FUN Union and the Riki Group have signed a co-production agreement with China Central Television (CCTV) Animation for the development and production of the brand-new animated series Krash and Hehe.

The first season of Krash and Hehe will be comprised of 52 11-minute episodes. The series will feature 3D CGI animation with 2D inserts and is slated to be released in early 2019. The show is intended for children in primary school. Krash and Hehe is set in a store where the toys come to life at night and embark on wild adventures.

The main characters are already hits in the market, with Krash originating from the KikoRiki series in Russia and Panda “Hehe” from CCTV programs. The agreement was signed during a state visit led by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Moscow. In addition, the preschool program BabyRiki will launch on digital platforms in China starting July 8.

“This partnership integrates our values of quality entertaining content, with education at its core,” said Christine Brendle, FUN Union’s CEO. “And we are proud to be a part of such an exceptional opportunity to work with CCTV.”

Zijing Wu, FUN Union’s China director, added, “This follows a steady success in the Chinese market where all KikoRiki and PinCode series have broadcasted on CCTV Kids with high ratings.”