Paris-based VIZ Media Europe (VME) has acquired TV, digital, home video and licensing rights to rebooted animated series Captain Tsubasa from Shueisha. The agreement covers all European territories (including Russia).

Captain Tsubasa first launched in 1981 as a manga series, and its original football-focused cartoon aired on more than 40 TV channels across Europe in the 1980s. The upcoming revamped series—from original creator Yoichi Takahashi—will premiere in Japan on TV Tokyo in April. The toon will be supported by a retail and marketing program, including celebrations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Last year, VME acquired distribution rights across all platforms to the animated Japanese movie A Silent Voice. The distributor nabbed rights for the European Union (excluding the UK), Russia, Turkey and French-speaking African countries.