RIYADH: The world premiere of Manga Production’s rebooted anime series “Grendizer U” was held in Riyadh on Thursday, more than 40 years after it first appeared in the Arab world.
The launch event at the Roshn Front Vox Cinema was attended by Ichiro Okouchi, who wrote the new series, and Essam Bukhari, CEO of Manga Production Co., an affiliate of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, which holds the global distribution rights for the show.
The Saudi capital features heavily in the opening episode.
“Thanks to our fans around the world, we were able to produce the new ‘Grendizer U’ and show it to you today,” Okouchi said.
“That’s why we decided to start our new story here in Riyadh. Paris, Rome and other cities and locations will be present in the series.”
He said the writers and producers wanted to present the series “in a new and distinct way from the old version”.
“We hope that the work this time will be admired by generations, so that parents, children and all family members can enjoy it together,” he said.
“Grendizer U” launches in Japan and across the Middle East on Friday, with the first episode airing on MBC at 8:30 p.m. All subsequent episodes will be shown exclusively on Shahid.
Bukhari said: “Okouchi was very amazed by the audience today and how Saudi fans are really in love with Grendizer.”
The two teasers for the new series had been viewed more than 100 million times, he told Arab News.
“I think this proves the capabilities of Saudi talents and how they can work with the world, cooperate with the world and at the same time compete with our original work in the global market.”
Manga has collaborated with Shahid on several productions, including “The Journey,” which is one of the most viewed movies on the platform, and the series “Legends in the Coming of Time” and “Captain Tsubasa.”
