Ninjin is an original Brazilian animated series from Cartoon Network Brasil , co-produced by Pocket Trap and Birdo Studio , based on the 2018 game Ninjin: Clash of Carrots. The first season of Ninjin premiered on September 4, 2019, and featured 22 episodes divided into three formats: 10 1-minute episodes (which are available on Cartoon Network Brasil YouTube channel), 7 3-minute episodes, and 5 7-minute episodes.
In this interview we spoke with Roger Keesse , screenwriter, director, executive producer and (alongside Pocket Trap studio) creator of NINJIN, and Marina Filipe , Senior Manager of Original Productions at Warner Media Kids & Family.
The animation follows Ninjin, a ̶p̶l̶a̶n̶t̶a̶d̶o̶r̶ ̶d̶e̶ ̶c̶e̶n̶o̶u̶r̶a̶ rabbit who sometimes talks more than he should. Being slightly egocentric, Ninjin aims to become the greatest ninja in his village. However, concerned with honoring his ancestors, Ninjin also undergoes training with the crazy Sensei, but always gets into absurd and out-of-control situations alongside his inseparable friends – the nimble fox Akai and the magical frog Flink. Together, they constantly cause trouble, trying to imitate everything they see on TV, in games, and in comics. The three friends' adventure is just beginning, as Shogun Moe's evil troops close in.
Keesse also left a message for Anime New readers:
On behalf of the entire team, I'd like to thank you for your support and the opportunity to talk about Ninjin to your audience. Anime, as you may have noticed, is a fundamental part of our creative process, and we really hope Brazilian otakus embrace the project.
– What were the inspirations for Ninjin?
We always like to say that Ninjin isn't the awesome, cool protagonist of an animated series, but a kid who longs for the life of an awesome, cool protagonist of an animated series. This brings an extra weight to the pop culture that inspires us to create the stories. I think the biggest of all is Cartoon Network's own animations (looks at the camera and gives a cheesy smile). Rodrigo Zangelmi and Henrique Caprino always comment on how 'Adventure Time' and 'Gumball' were fundamental to creating the style and universe applied to NINJIN – CLASH OF CARROTS, the Pocket Trap game that gave rise to the series (which also carries on this tradition).
However, something tells me that 'Anime New' readers are more interested in knowing another side of Ninjin, which not only draws from the source of classics we grew up watching (Dragon Ball, Yu Yu Hakusho and those old things), but mixes visual / narrative styles of more contemporary Anime (opting to look at more frenetic and crazy solutions - influenced by people like Hiroyuki Imaishi and Masaaki Yuasa - rather than the elaborate Sakugas) with a hu3hu3 Brazilianness, which we love so much. Besides that, we have an incredible team - Storyboarders, Animators, Visual Artists, Finishers, Original Voice Cast, Soundtrack Writers, Foley Artists and Producers - who print their own inspirations and references on the screen.
– How was the script production process for the animation taking the game into account?
The series was conceived to take place in the same narrative universe as the game, years earlier, when Ninjin and Akai – still children – had no idea what was to come.
That's precisely why the speed and pop tone of 'Clash of Carrots' (along with the inspirations mentioned above) became the creative foundations of the series. On the other hand, the differences between the two mediums allowed us the freedom to create personalities and stories that truly resonated with other audiences, without the need for any prior experience with the universe.
From a narrative and scripting standpoint, it's both challenging and fun to create a plot that we already know where it will lead, showing fans that the most important thing is the path we take, not the final destination.
What does Ninjin mean to you, having been with the project since its inception? How has this creative journey impacted you?
It's hard to imagine what my life would be like without NINJIN. Even before we teamed up with BIRDO to actually start the series, it took years from its conception, to the collaboration with Cartoon Network, to the development of the appropriate format (which I'll explain more in the next answer), until finally getting approval to move forward.
So, seeing NINJIN conclude its first season and the fans' reception is something I can't put into words. Because for us, the creation/production process is a delight, but the audience's relationship with our characters and universe is where the magic begins.
Personally, NINJIN solidified and empowered several beliefs and passions. As an example, I can cite how the influence of anime on my work went from being subtle to overt, allowing me to understand what truly captivates me and how to (at least begin to) translate it in a viable, Brazilianized way to our reality. I became even closer to elements of Asian culture (since, in addition to Japan, I have a growing admiration/interest in the South Korean and Chinese entertainment markets), both pop culture and social. But—above all these and all other things—it solidified with absolute clarity that working with children's/young adult content is where we should be investing more energy, as pop culture is what provides the social and emotional support for young people to shake things up.
– Are there plans for a new season of Ninjin?
Without a doubt! This first season is divided into four arcs (the first with five episodes and the rest with seven), two short web series formats (one- and three-minute episodes are available on Cartoon Network's YouTube channel), and beautiful comics that have already started appearing on Cartoon Network's website. But all this is just the beginning.
We like to joke that we've been planning a hundred years into the past and a hundred years into the future of the Ninjin universe. Which isn't really a joke, since our drawers are already full of new arcs, stories, jokes, and characters just dying to see the light of day.
But it's worth emphasizing that these are just plans, because—even with the wonderful partnership with Cartoon Network—the continuity of NINJIN, like any national project, depends on the support of the media and fans. So, we're immensely grateful for the opportunity to talk here at 'Anime New,' and we hope your readers enjoy and engage with the series, helping us continue this story.
– In addition to Ninjin, you have participated in other Brazilian animation productions, such as Astronauta: Propulsa from HBO and Turma da Mônica Jovem from CARTOON NETWORK. What is it like to participate in the growth of the animation market in Brazil and deal with international distribution?
Animation is, without exaggeration, one of the most important parts of my life (personally and professionally). This alone gives you an idea of how privileged I feel to be part of this new chapter in the animation industry. Not only for the results, but also for being able to collaborate with so many professionals and studios I admire so much.
A new chapter, as the Brazilian animation market has had many phases and sizes, with a long and admirable trajectory. However, this is the first time it has been empowered (thanks to funding and technological advances) to generate original content—on a large scale—capable of breaking certain bubbles and reaching a significant audience. Fighting a lion a day to stand shoulder to shoulder with the industry giants from abroad.
This empowers projects to pave the way for new voices, talents, and styles. Because, if (as in Japan) we can establish a captive audience for our national animation production, the race will cease to be technical and become emotional and creative. We'll seek new ways to communicate more effectively, opening doors for more diverse, pluralistic creators and professionals who represent Brazil as a whole. If that's not exciting, I don't know what is!
NINJIN itself is an outlier; if a screenwriter and a game studio can come together and make a series viable on Cartoon Network, it opens up the possibilities even further. It allows projects to emerge from other markets, from outside the studios, or even from the most unlikely places.
– How do you feel about this relaunch of Ninjin on HBOMAX?
We're still in a flirtatious mood, our contact, friendship and cool partnership is with Cartoon Network (a kiss to Cartoon!). So much so that they end up representing NINJIN in the conversations with HBOMAX.
However, little would make us more excited right now than having the series in the HBOMAX catalog. Not only because it makes it easier to watch and increases the audience's chances of discovering the series, but, most importantly, because it allows fans to watch it in the way we consider ideal: in chronological order. Which – in our opinion – enhances the project's greatest charms. We invite everyone to follow this journey with us, both on HBOMAX and Cartoon Network.
Questions for Marina Filipe, Senior Manager of Original Productions at Warner Media Kids & Family.
– Do you think the space for national animation productions is growing?
Yes, without a doubt! I believe we are currently experiencing the best moment for the production of so-called "local" content. We are experiencing a historic boom in the volume of content available—largely due to the advent of streaming—and that's fantastic! Investing in local content brings numerous benefits, including strengthening our culture and thematic diversity, as well as, from an economic perspective, investing in an extremely relevant market that generates hundreds of thousands of jobs in the country. Within the children's universe, national animation is an investment in the future. The stories we choose to tell today help shape future generations and how they address such pressing issues as racial, cultural, and gender diversity and representation.
– Why did you choose the animation Ninjin to enter the CN and HBOMAX catalog?
Ninjin is a property that incorporates elements of Brazilian culture within a broad, global narrative. It has some characteristics derived from anime and Japanese culture, but it perfectly resonates with the Latin American audience. It's a series born digitally, and we were able to work with different formats right from the premiere, which allowed us to give the audience a deeper understanding of the characters and a faster, more accelerated narrative of the stories and the series' universe. Ninjin's arrival on Cartoon Network and HBOMax was a natural fit for a series that was born with this multiplatform format. Now, we have another opportunity to bring Ninjin, a Brazilian series, to more people around the world.
– What are your expectations for this relaunch of Ninjin on both platforms?
We hope that with the premiere of Ninjin on Cartoon Network and HBO Max, we can bring this content to more people, especially in terms of internationalization. It's a great opportunity to bring Brazilian animation and local narratives to other markets, thus generating more visibility for the series. And this is a crucial moment, in which the animation market is much more solid, with excellent quality content and beautifully told and connected stories. It's a special moment for animation.
Ninjin was developed by the independent studio Pocket Trap. The first game was released in 2013 only for mobile, and after a few years in 2018 a sequel was developed for Playstation 4 , Xbox One , Nintendo Switch and PC .
