MUMBAI: Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance MediaWorks has collaborated with Japan?s leading private broadcaster TV Asahi through its wholly-owned subsidiary and animation production arm Shin-ei Animation.

The endeavour is to create all new episodes of Ninja Hattori, the comedy action animation franchise that has garnered a strong following in India and many other Asian countries.

While Shin-ei?s experienced team of writers and directors, in collaboration with the team of 100 animators at the Reliance MediaWorks? animation studio, have created the new Ninja Hattori episodes in 2D HD through a digitally mastered process, Reliance MediaWorks has also done the post-production and sound effects for the series.

Commenting on the collaboration Reliance MediaWorks COO ? Creative Services Naresh Malik,said, ?Being an end-to-end service provider helps us offer our clients with a one stop solution for their creative requirements and Ninja Hattori is an excellent showcase of our talent. Being associated with some of the top Japanese talent through Shin-Ei and TV Asahi for such a legendary show and bringing it back through digital technology has been an immensely challenging and great working experience for our Animation team.?

Being produced by Shin-ei Animation, original episodes of Ninja Hattori had been broadcasted on TV Asahi in the 80?s with a very strong fan base. In India, it has been one of the top-rated kids shows since its launch on Nick India in August 2006, and the new episodes will premiere on air on Nick India from May 2012.

Said Shin-ei animation producer Satoshi Kaisho, ?It is our first collaboration with any Indian company, and also very first challenge for us to make the classic show transformed into all new digitally mastered show without losing look and feel of the original episodes. Our hope is to get Ninja Hattori out to more children all over the world.?

TV Asahi is responsible for international sales of the show and has pitched it across other territories and has received strong interests from some of the key countries.