Animoca Brands (ASX:AB1) and Nippon Animation Co., Ltd, a leading Japanese animation studio, announced today the launch of Chibi Maruko Chan Dream Stage, the new mobile game based on the popular Chibi Maruko Chan anime. It is available for iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch® at the App Store℠, and for Android™ devices on Google Play™.
Chibi Maruko Chan Dream Stage is developed and published by Animoca Brands in partnership with Nippon Animation, under a revenue share agreement providing Animoca Brands with rights to the Chibi Maruko Chan characters, further expanding the Company’s brand portfolio.
This collaboration has produced the first official worldwide mobile game for the highly popular Chibi Maruko Chan brand. The new mobile puzzle game is free to download and play, with optional paid content.
Chibi Maruko Chan Dream Stage features Chibi Maruko Chan and other characters from the hugely popular Chibi Maruko Chan anime, first broadcast in 1990 and aired continuously since then. The anime achieved record ratings in Japan and was distributed to dozens of countries around the world.
Chibi Maruko Chan tells the everyday adventures of the sweetly obnoxious title character Maruko, a nine year-old girl growing up in 1970s Japan. First published in 1986 as a manga, the thoughtfulness and nostalgia of the source material have rendered it highly popular across Asia, making it one of the top selling shōjo manga of all time (shōjo refers to manga aimed at a teenage female readership).
The award-winning manga has been adapted into two anime series, three live action TV series, three motion pictures, and numerous console video games.
Players of Chibi Maruko Chan Dream Stage will help Maruko realise her ambition of becoming a TV star by stringing together combinations of orbs in fast-paced puzzle tile gameplay. High combos and scores will unlock new characters, bonuses, collections, and powerups.
Featuring distinctive artwork based on the anime series, Chibi Maruko Chan Dream Stage includes voice acting by the seiyuu (character voices) who perform as Maruko in the Japanese, Taiwanese, and Hong Kong versions of the anime TV series.
Animoca Brands and Nippon Animation are collaborating on online and offline promotions for the game on the occasion of the Chibi Maruko Chan manga’s 30th anniversary.
Robby Yung, CEO of Animoca Brands, commented: “We’re honoured to bring to market the first official mobile game for Chibi Maruko Chan, a beloved and best-selling manga and anime series. The popularity of the brand is significant across Asia, which is the largest and fastest growing mobile gaming market, and we expect Chibi Maruko Chan Dream Stage to be popular with young and old alike throughout the region.”
Chibi Maruko Chan Dream Stage is free to download.