Pinkfong Unveils New Kids Animated Series Kikipuppup With Japan TBS

The Pinkfong Company has announced its newest original series, Kikipuppup, a children’s animated show co-produced with Japanese broadcaster TBS Television. The series premiered globally on YouTube on October 31 and will make its Japanese television debut on TBS sometime next year.

Kikipuppup follows three characters: Kiki, a proud cat; Puppo, an optimistic dog; and Vex, a mischievous rival. Rather than focusing on music and adventure like a lot of children’s content, the show is built around emotions and relationships, using comedic storytelling to help kids develop empathy and emotional awareness in a natural way.

The Pinkfong Company established a local subsidiary in Japan and signed a strategic partnership with TBS back in April. Kikipuppup is the first project to come out of that collaboration. The company already has a strong portfolio of children’s IP including Pinkfong, Baby Shark, Bebefinn, Sealook, and Moon Shark. Kikipuppup is positioned as their next generation flagship property.

My take: Baby Shark is inescapable, so it is interesting to see Pinkfong trying something with a little more emotional depth for their next big push. The premise of a cat, a dog, and a troublemaker learning to get along sounds simple, but that is usually the right starting point for children’s content that actually sticks. The TBS partnership gives it a strong footing in Japan from the start.