With the popularity of anime, graphic novels and Nintendo front of mind, Nelvana is looking to bring Japanese IPs to a global audience.

The Corus-owned prodco has signed a new development deal with Japanese studio Polygon Pictures (Star Wars: Resistance, Pingu in the City) to create original animated content for kids.

Animation and licensing consultant Rika Sasaki will help the companies collaborate. She has worked in the past as a senior producer at ADK Emotions (Yu-Gi-Oh!) and also served as GM of d-rights (Beyblade, pictured).

Nelvana has had success distributing Japanese IPs such as Bakugan and Beyblade in the global marketplace, and the goal with this new deal is to discover the “next big global hit,” said Colin Bohm, Corus’s EVP of content and corporate strategy, in a release.

Japanese-made content for kids has been in hot demand for the last few years, with the global anime market on an upward trajectory and audiences hungry for its unique animation styles and storytelling.