Neowiz to develop mobile game of Bonobono

South Korean game developer Neowiz announced on Thursday that it has signed with Japanese anime studio Eiken for mobile game development, utilizing the intellectual property (IP) of the TV animation "Bonobono."

Bonobono, a popular TV animation based on the manga by Mikio Igarashi, has been serialized since 1986 and has sold over 9.5 million copies. The animation features the amusing daily lives of forest animal friends, including the curious and adventure-seeking mellow sea otter Bonobono, raccoon Araiguma, and chipmunk Shimarisu.

The game adaptation of Bonobono is a joint venture between Neowiz and its Japanese subsidiary GameOn. Neowiz handles game development while GameOn is responsible for the service.

Neowiz is developing "What Are You Doing Today, Bonobono?" (tentatively named), a healing mobile game based on the heartwarming world of the TV animation "Bonobono." The genre is an idle-type mobile game, aiming to capture the cheerful and lovely charm of Bonobono and the forest animal friends.

Through this opportunity, Neowiz aims to demonstrate its potential in the Japanese gaming market and expand its game lineup through IP expansion. The game is expected to have a global release, although the schedule is yet to be determined.

Eiken is established in 1969. Apart from the TV animation "Bonobono," it is known for works like "Sazae-san" (1969-), "Tetsujin 28-go Gao!" (2013-2016), "The 8th Man" (1993), "Captain" (1983), "Glass Mask" (1984), and "Cooking Papa" (1992-1995).

Write to Ju-Hyun Lee at deep@hankyung.com