The CGI animation movie adaptation of Tatsunoko Productions classic anime, Science Ninja Team Gatchaman by IMAGI Holdings confirmed that they will not continue with this project.
After the 2009 Astro Boy film earned less than US$40 million on a US$65 million production budget, IMAGI Animation Studio closed down. Even if that is the case, they can still outsource animation adaptations from Gatchaman and Astro Boy. Instead, early this year Imagi decided to bet on Chinese characters Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, along with their related consumer goods.
"We choose to buy the copyright of Pleasant Goat because of its influence as a national brand, like Mickey Mouse in the United States and the Japan's Hello Kitty," said Leung Pak To, director and chairman of the company. With the purchase of copyright manager Toon Express, Imagi began as relaunch as a character brand company. The company's 2011 financial results reported a loss of 82.2 million Hong Kong dollars (about US$10.5 million) related to Gatchaman and Astro Boy.
Source: Crunchyroll via Anime News Network
After the 2009 Astro Boy film earned less than US$40 million on a US$65 million production budget, IMAGI Animation Studio closed down. Even if that is the case, they can still outsource animation adaptations from Gatchaman and Astro Boy. Instead, early this year Imagi decided to bet on Chinese characters Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, along with their related consumer goods.
"We choose to buy the copyright of Pleasant Goat because of its influence as a national brand, like Mickey Mouse in the United States and the Japan's Hello Kitty," said Leung Pak To, director and chairman of the company. With the purchase of copyright manager Toon Express, Imagi began as relaunch as a character brand company. The company's 2011 financial results reported a loss of 82.2 million Hong Kong dollars (about US$10.5 million) related to Gatchaman and Astro Boy.
Source: Crunchyroll via Anime News Network