Please share an introduction to the Mr. Men Little Miss universe, and the mini adventures series, for our readers.
Francesca: Mr. Men Little Miss is a fun and iconic world that started in the 1970s, thanks to British author Roger Hargreaves. The first character, Mr. Tickle, was born when Roger's son asked him at the breakfast table "what does a tickle look like?" From that day on, many more characters were born, each one with their unique personality and characteristics. Like Mr. Grumpy, Little Miss Naughty and Mr. Funny.
After Roger passed away, his son Adam picked up the torch, adding new characters and keeping the universe alive for new generations. Today, there are nearly 100 characters and over 200 million books sold.
Mr. Men Little Miss Mini Adventures is a new animated series by Sanrio, produced by us at Maga Animation Studio. It launched in June 2025 on the official Mr. Men Little Miss YouTube channel. The first season has twelve episodes, each about two and a half minutes long.
Every episode focuses on one character and their unique personality, with messages about empathy, diversity, and just being yourself. It’s colourful, light-hearted, and made to connect with today’s kids — and grown-ups too!
1. Funan wins grand prize at Animation Is Film Festival
After winning the Cristal Award at Annecy in June, director and screenwriter Denis Do’s Funan took home the grand prize and audience award at the Animation Is Film Festival last Sunday. Produced in Toon Boom Storyboard Pro and Toon Boom Harmony, the film is based on Do’s mother’s experiences in 1970s Khmer Rouge-era Cambodia. Jury chair Peter Debruge said, “Funan reminds us that animation can tell any kind of story. This versatile medium is by no means limited to fantastical or extraordinary subjects, but is in fact uniquely suited to incredibly personal ones as well.”
Find out more about Funan’s win at the Animation Is Film Festival on “The Hollywood Reporter”.
2. Oscars 2019: 25 animated features submitted
An international list of 25 animated features have been submitted for the Animated Feature Film category of the 2019 Academy Awards. With a record eight entries from Japan as well as Mexico, China, Taiwan, Hungary and Brazil (Tito and the Birds — produced in Toon Boom Harmony), it is an especially diverse selection for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to consider. The list also speaks to how global the animation industry has become, largely thanks to accessibility and improvements in education, technology and software.
See the full list of Oscar 2019 Best Animated Feature Film entries on “Cartoon Brew”.
Source: Cartoon Network
3. The 2018 BAFTA Children’s nominees are here
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has released the nominee list for the 2018 British Academy Children’s Awards, to be presented November 25 in London. Traditional broadcaster BBC swept away the competition with 31 nominations. Streaming platform Amazon only had two, while Netflix and Sky Kids scored one apiece — a stark contrast with last year’s SVOD revolution. The Amazing World of Gumball was among the series with the most nominations (three) and was produced in Toon Boom Storyboard Pro.
Explore the full list of 2018 BAFTA Children’s nominees on “Kidscreen”.
4. Ed Catmull retires from Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios
Industry legend Ed Catmull will be stepping down from his roles as president at Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDA) and Pixar, a company he co-founded, at the end of 2018. While this marks the end of an era, he will remain at the two studios in an advisory capacity until next summer.
Head over to “Fast Company” for more on Ed Catmull’s retirement and career.
5. Special-needs superheroes take flight in Team Supreme
Freelance animator and Leonard Studios founder Joshua Leonard wants to use animation to save the day (and create a more inclusive world) through diverse, disruptive representation with Team Supreme — and he’s doing it in Toon Boom animation software. The series will follow a group of heroes with superpowers and special needs; the response has already been huge, with a single viral video about the IP hitting over six million views. “I was tired of cartoons with the same cliché storylines — I wanted to see and do something different,” says Leonard.
Read the full interview with Team Supreme creator Joshua Leonard on the blog.
6. CBS All Access launches into adult animation with Star Trek: Lower Decks
Star Trek is boldly going where CBS All Access has never gone before — namely, original animation. The streaming platform has ordered two seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks from Rick and Morty head writer and executive producer Mike McMahan. The half-hour adult comedy will focus on support crew of one of Starfleet’s least-important ships and be produced by the network’s newly minted animation arm, CBS Eye Animation Productions.
Beam up more Star Trek: Lower Decks details on “Deadline”.
7. Women in Animation announces WIA Diversity Award winners
The second annual WIA Diversity Awards will honour Michael Fukushima of the National Film Board of Canada, animation legend Brenda Banks and filmmaker Alex Widdowson (Music & Clowns) at the opening celebrations for SPARK Animation 2018 in Vancouver. Presented by Women in Animation (WIA) president Marge Dean, the prize was established to recognize individuals, films and organizations with a significant impact on growing diversity in the industry.
Get more details about the WIA Diversity Award winners on “Animation Magazine”.
