Japan-based animation company dwarf Studios has created a pilot episode of a new stop-motion preschool series The Curious Kitty & Friends for Amazon. This marks the first time Amazon has commissioned a Japanese animation studio for the Prime Video pilot program. This year’s pilot season launched June 17 in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan.
The Curious Kitty & Friends comes from the brilliant mind of Tsuneo Goda, the creator of stop-motion character sensation Domo. The new series follows the adventures of Komaneko and her friends, Radibo, Yeti and Mimmi Bear. By taking videos of the people and events she encounters, Komaneko gains an understanding of her world through the camera lens while making new friends along the way.
dwarf Studios created Komaneko in 2003, and introduced her to the world in a charming stop-motion short, Komaneko – The First Step. Following great success in Japan, the little cat appeared in the feature film Komaneko – The Curious Cat, which also proved a hit in France, and rand in over 900 theaters.
“This new Komaneko story helps children understand that appearances can be deceiving,” says dwarf Studios EP Noriko Matsumoto. “Komaneko and her good friend Yeti go searching for apples and stumble across Mimmi Bear, a possible new friend. Yeti’s scary looks frightens Mimmi at first, but Komaneko makes a stop- motion film that shows her that initial judgements can often be misplaced and we should judge people by what’s on the inside rather than the out. It’s a real heart-warming tale of friendship and compassion that children will both love and learn from.”
The Curious Kitty & Friends is available now on Amazon Video. All Amazon pilots can be viewed with the Amazon Video app — available on a bevy of phones, tablets and connected devices — or via amazon.com.
dwarf Studios is represented in the U.K. by Ground Control for commercial work.
