“Lí Ban” Irish-language anime premieres on Cúla4

“Lí Ban” – a Celtic-inspired adventure anime series from Paper Owl Films – will premiere on Cúla4 in Ireland on Tuesday, October 15.

For the first time, these ancient and almost forgotten Celtic stories come to life in an anime style produced in the Irish language.

Thirteen 11-minute episodes, aimed at children aged 7-9 but appealing to the whole family, will be broadcast on the Irish-language children’s channel Cúla4 in Ireland and on S4C in the Welsh language.

Fantastic heroes, legendary villains and a reality that revolves around Celtic magic are at the center of the adventures of cheeky 12-year-old Lí Ban. The tales are some of the wildest ever passed down through Celtic generations. With origins as old as the lands and coasts that shaped him, each incredible episode brings some answers, but even more questions, as Lí Ban’s quest unfolds.

Transformed into a mermaid and a sea otter, Lí Ban and her faithful dog Con spend centuries scouring the watery realms of Celtic legend, encountering gods, monsters, giants, and cunning humans as they search for answers.

Who destroyed your house? Why was she transformed? And who is she really? Their quest is immortal through the heart of an ancient Celtic universe into the stories of an (almost) forgotten time and place.

Lí Ban searches for answers. Her search leads her to Manannan, the god of the sea, but as answers materialize, more questions arise. Her journey is from a childish rebel to a courageous teenager through growth that shows her what the true meaning of family is and what it means to be Lí Ban.

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“Lí Ban” was co-created by Gráinne McGuinness and Máire Zepf, who also wrote the series. The cast includes Sadbh Breathnach as the voice of Lí Ban and Jude Petticrew as the voice of Con.

Gráinne McGuinness, creative director at Paper Owl Films, said: “Harnessing the international popularity of anime and fantasy storytelling, this is a true coming-of-age tale, perfect for audiences aged 7-9 facing the end of childhood and the early childhood. adolescence. Lí Ban’s ancient Celtic story will resonate with children around the world – her struggle to discover who she is in the world is as real to audiences today as it was to her centuries ago.”

Lí Ban was commissioned by TG4 and S4C was made with financial support from Coimisiún na Meán and the Northern Ireland Screen Fund and the Irish Language Broadcast Fund. The series is distributed internationally by Aardman.

Siobhán Ní Bhrádaigh, Commissioned Youth Editor at Cúla4 & TG4, would like to congratulate Paper Owl and everyone involved with “Lí Ban”.

“We are pleased to present this beautiful Celtic-inspired series to our Cúla4 audience next autumn. There is no doubt that our viewers will be captivated by Lí Ban and Con as they delve into timeless stories and sail the mysteries of the Celtic seas.”

Robin Gladman, head of acquisitions at Aardman, said: “We are delighted to be distributing ‘Lí Ban’ for Paper Owl and look forward to introducing the world to this timeless Celtic story that has been so brilliantly developed for global audiences today.”

“Lí Ban” can be seen live on the Cúla4 channel and Cúla4 Player at cula4.com. All episodes will be available on Cúla4 Player from October 15th.