Stan Sakai Comic Book Gets Netflix Treatment

Netflix and Gaumont are working on the new comedy-action CGI animated series Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, based on the comic book Usagi Yojimbo from Stan Sakai.

Samurai Rabbit takes place in the far future, set in a world that mixes modern high-tech images with classic Japanese references. It follows the teenage Rabbit Samurai Yuichi, descendent of the great warrior Miyamoto Usagi, on his epic quest to become a true samurai.

The series is produced in partnership with Sakai, the legendary creator, writer and illustrator of the comic-book series who will serve as executive producer, alongside Gaumont (executive producers Nicolas Atlan, Terry Kalagian, Sidonie Dumas and Christophe Riandee), Dark Horse Entertainment (executive producers Mike Richardson, Keith Goldberg and Chris Tongue) and Atomic Monster (executive producers James Wan, Michael Clear and Rob Hackett). Candie and Doug Langdale (Maya and the Three, The Book of Life, Puss in Boots, Niko and the Sword of Life, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness) are attached as executive producers and showrunners. Ben Jones (Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teen Titans, Iron Giant) is supervising producer while Khang Le (Big Hero 6, Little Big Awesome) will serve as art director on the series.

Atlan, the president of Gaumont U.S., said: “All of us at Gaumont were honored when Stan trusted us to develop his iconic property into an animated series. This is a first for Usagi Yojimbo. We are thrilled to have Netflix on board as our creative partner so we can together, with the combined artistic talent of Stan Sakai, Dark Horse Entertainment and Atomic Monster take this iconic brand to the next level.”

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-plus years.”