Leading European animation producer TeamTO (Jade Armor, The Creature Cases, PJ Masks, Angelo Rules) and the award-winning U.S. animation studio Martian Blueberry today announced a creative collaboration on Junichiro Jackson (also known as JJ), TeamTO’s first original adult anime-inspired series under the newly launched TeamTOKO label. The project serves as the inaugural title for a broader creative and strategic alliance between the two studios, with a teaser trailer and special presentation scheduled for this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
Currently in development, Junichiro Jackson signifies a significant expansion for the Paris-based independent studio as TeamTO ventures into the rapidly growing global market for premium adult animation. The production is designed as a 30-minute, 10-part serialized adult 2D psychological thriller that merges neo-noir mystery, action, anime-inspired visuals, and music-driven storytelling against a stylized near-future backdrop.
Set in a technologically saturated and socially fractured New York City, the series follows private investigator Junichiro Jackson (JJ) as he faces both real demons and his own inner turmoil after a seemingly routine case unveils a conspiracy poised to disrupt the city itself.
The teaser trailer for JJ, co-directed by acclaimed animation filmmakers Slimane Aniss and Havtza, will debut during TeamTO’s Studio Focus presentation, “Come Fly with TeamTO,” at the Annecy Festival on June 23 at 2:45 p.m. at the Imperial Palace. TeamTO’s Marco Balsamo and Tara Sibel Demren will take the stage alongside Martian Blueberry founders Carl and Love Jones to discuss the project and unveil exclusive first-look footage from the series.
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“At its core, JJ is about identity, isolation, and the emotional cost of living in an increasingly disconnected world,” said producers Balsamo and Demren in an announcement. “Our inspiration for this project came from the chance to explore the grey areas of deeply complex characters within a fractured society that increasingly mirrors the world around us.”
After Annecy, JJ will make its North American debut with a special teaser screening at Dream Con in Houston, Texas, during Martian Blueberry’s “From Boondocks to Martian Blueberry” panel. Audiences will get an exclusive early glimpse at the series alongside a live performance by acclaimed hip-hop group Coast Contra, who also contribute original music to the project.
“Partnering with TeamTO is all about advancing animation culture through fearless creativity, diverse voices, and experimental storytelling to create something meaningful, impactful, and unlike anything audiences have seen before,” shared Carl and Love Jones. “JJ is the type of project that reminds us why we started Martian Blueberry in the first place. We are passionate about anime and music-driven worlds that extend beyond the traditional confines of Hollywood, telling stories shaped by diverse cultures, perspectives, and lived experiences.”
Carl Jones is highly regarded in animation circles for his work as a writer, producer, director, and voice actor for series including The Boondocks, Black Dynamite, Lazor Wolf, The Jellies! and Young Love.
JJ is the first project unveiled under the expanding creative and strategic collaboration between TeamTO and Martian Blueberry, with more projects currently in development between the two studios.
teamto.com | martianblueberry.com
- Used Book in Good Condition
- George Trombley (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 376 Pages - 08/22/2014 (Publication Date) - Learn From Zero (Publisher)
- Ken Fukuyama, Yuki Fukuyama (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 246 Pages - 10/11/2022 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Sumiko Uo (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 6 Pages - 01/01/2005 (Publication Date) - BarCharts Publishing Inc. (Publisher)
