Rakuten presents first-ever TV anime series starring beloved mascot
Calling all anime fans and shopping enthusiasts. Ever wondered what kind of mischief Rakuten’s friendly mascot character, Okaimono Panda (Rakuten Panda) gets into in their daily life?
It’s time to find out – Rakuten is bringing its mascot to life in a brand new anime series, slated to hit Japanese TVs this fall. “Okaimono Panda!” will be the first-ever TV anime series featuring the beloved panda who has stolen the hearts of Rakuten fans worldwide.
A sneak peek into the life of a shopaholic panda
For those curious to get a sneak peek of what’s in store, you’re in luck! The teaser video for “Okaimono Panda!” offers a tantalizing glimpse into the world of Okaimono Panda and their best friend, Kopanda.
Star-studded team behind the scenes
To bring the original storyline for “Okaimono Panda!” to life, Rakuten has assembled a dream team of anime veterans. The series will be directed by Shinji Takamatsu, known for his work on “Gintama,” “Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto” and “KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops.”
Series composition will be lead by Higashi Shimizu, whose credits include iconic anime titles including “Crayon Shin-chan” and “Doraemon.” Character design falls under the eye of Yasue Sosogi, and animation production is in the hands of Shin-Ei Animation, the studio behind “Doraemon,” “Crayon Shin-chan” and “Teasing Master Takagi-san.”
Rakuten Content Central, a department specializing in intellectual property and media franchising will produce the content for the series.
More exciting updates about “Okaimono Panda!” will be announced in the coming months, including the official release date and channels.
Okaimono Panda gets voiced by a legend
in the new anime series.
Longtime fans of Okaimono Panda will be thrilled to hear that Ikue Otani, who voiced the character in Rakuten’s commercials will play the beloved mascot. Otani is a well-known figure in the voice acting world, for her roles as Pikachu in “Pokémon” and Tony Tony Chopper in “ONE PIECE.”
On the “Okaimono Panda!’ series, Otani commented, “I’ve been voicing Okaimono Panda for Rakuten’s commercials for many years. And when I heard it’s becoming an anime, I almost couldn’t believe it! I’m sure Okaimono Panda will have a lot to say as always. Up until now, most of the time I’ve expressed the character through singing, so I’m really looking forward to voicing them in even more dialogue scenes and exploring new dimensions of the character. I’m excited to see Okaimono Panda’s everyday adventures come to life in the series, and I hope you are as excited as I am to see the story unfold.”
A mascot with a global fanbase
Since debuting as an original LINE sticker for Rakuten Ichiba in May 2013, Okaimono Panda has captured the hearts of fans worldwide. With over 56 million friends on Rakuten Ichiba’s official LINE account, the mascot’s adorable look and expressive personality have resonated with people of all ages.
The launch of the “Okaimono Panda!” anime series, promises to expand this fanbase even further, introducing Okaimono Panda’s generous heart and love of shopping to even more people.
Going forward, Rakuten will continue developing a variety of entertainment experiences featuring Okaimono Panda and rolling out original content IP for customers in Japan and overseas through Rakuten Content Central.
