Pingu in the City Debuts in Europe

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Japanese animated series Pingu in the City, which bowed in the country in October 2017 on NHK ETV, has made its European debut.

The announcement comes as a result of a new distribution partnership struck last year for Pingu in the City with Sony Music Entertainment España, which focused on bringing the show to Europe and Latin America. A number of European broadcast partnerships are now on the way for the series, starting with U.K.-based free-to-air television channel ITVBe. On February 25, the network began airing the show during its preschool block, Little Be, twice a day on weekdays, at 10:15 and 10:25 a.m. April 8 saw the beginning of the series’ weekend slots on the network. More announcements regarding the series’ expansion into European markets are to follow soon.

Pingu in the City, which has two 26×7-minute seasons, follows the lovable titular penguin and his family as they move from their small village to the big city, where Pingu meets new friends, goes on various adventures and occasionally lands himself in trouble. Created in 1986 by Swiss filmmaker Otmar Gutmann, the series airs in more than 155 territories.

There are also various lines of Pingu-themed merchandise available, including collectibles, phone accessories and plush toys and cushions. There is a branded Pingu café, a Pingu-themed shopping event, a Christmas collaboration with a popular aquarium in Tokyo and a collaboration with a women’s lifestyle magazine as well.

Takeshi Nakamura, global business group licensing manager at SCP, said: “After its success on NHK ETV, Pingu in the City is starting to make inroads into a number of major new territories. We’re looking forward to celebrating the delightful penguin’s arrival in many more countries very soon.”