Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion

1 / 4
Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
2 / 4
Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
3 / 4
Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
4 / 4
Manga Productions has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series Future’s Folktales. (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 07 October 2024
Follow

Saudi anime ‘Future’s Folktales’ trailer highlights cultural fusion

  • Produced in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio, Asateer 2: Future’s Folktales will stream on Shahid and air simultaneously on MBC1
  • Trailer introduces Maha and her brothers, Rayan and Sultan, as they navigate daily challenges, finding solutions in the folk stories told by their grandmother Asma

RIYADH: Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, has announced the release of the official trailer for the second season of the popular Saudi anime series “Future’s Folktales.”

Produced in collaboration with Japan’s Toei Animation studio, “Asateer 2: Future’s Folktales” will stream on Shahid and air simultaneously on MBC1 in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as TV Tokyo in Japan, starting Nov. 1.

It will also be available in North America, Europe and Latin America, with platforms to be announced later this year, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The trailer introduces Maha and her brothers, Rayan and Sultan, as they navigate daily challenges, finding solutions in the folk stories told by their grandmother Asma, which blend traditional tales with futuristic visions.

Fifteen Saudi artists and producers from Manga Productions contributed to character design and creative direction, showcasing a diverse array of traditional environments and costumes that reflect the rich cultures of the Arabian Peninsula.

Manga Productions CEO Essam Bukhary said: “The growing global interest in the distribution of Asateer2 Future’s Folktales across various international platforms is clear evidence of the success of our young talents in creating content that meets international standards and can compete on the global stage.”

He added: “At Manga Productions, we remain committed to producing innovative works that inspire the new generation and enhance Saudi Arabia’s position as a beacon of creativity, while ensuring we maintain the highest standards of quality and excellence in everything we do.”

Creative Director at Manga Productions Sara Oulddaddah said that during the production of Asateer 2, “We focused on enhancing our internal production capabilities and providing opportunities for Saudi talents who worked diligently with our partners across all stages of production.”

She added that “through Asateer2, we aim to continue sharing our inspiring Saudi culture, history and fantasy with the world, while contributing to the growth of Saudi Arabia’s creative content industry.”

The new season, which combines Saudi creativity with Japanese expertise, continues the remarkable success of the first season, which exceeded 100 million views worldwide, SPA reported.


REVIEW: ‘Is This Thing On?’ — stars elevate Bradley Cooper’s low-key rom-com

Updated 05 March 2026
Follow

REVIEW: ‘Is This Thing On?’ — stars elevate Bradley Cooper’s low-key rom-com

DUBAI: Bradley Cooper’s latest directorial effort is based — loosely — on the life of popular UK comedian John Bishop, so you might expect stand-up to be its focus. It isn’t. This is a bittersweet low-key depiction of a love that has eroded between a couple who’ve been together for decades.

Alex (Will Arnett, of “Arrested Development” and “BoJack Horseman” fame) — a regular guy with a regular job — and Tess (Oscar winner Laura Dern) — a former Olympic volleyball player, now a housewife and mom — are separated, heading for a mutually agreed divorce, and keeping it amicable partly for the sake of their two kids, partly because they still get on well — just not well enough to stay together.

Newly single Alex decides to get a late-night drink at New York’s famed Comedy Cellar. To avoid paying the $15 dollar entry fee, he signs up for a slot at the open-mic night (a part inspired by Bishop’s own origin story). With no material planned, he’s not great, but his self-deprecating, anecdotes about his impending divorce get a few laughs. Most importantly, the experience sparks a new passion in Alex and he continues to perform, befriending other comics who offer him companionship and advice and a new perspective that leads him to re-evaluate his own contributions to his marriage. His newfound spark also makes Tess see him in a new light, one that might just convince her to give him another shot.

What elevates this sometimes-saccharine, not-entirely-believable (exhibit A: the scene where Tess discovers that Alex is using their relationship as comedy material) film above similar fare is the engrossing chemistry on show between Arnett and Dern as people struggling to (re)discover themselves in middle age. Arnett is typically charming and witty as Alex, but brings out unexpected depths of emotion in what may be his best performance to date. Dern imbues Tess Tess with the toughness and independence you’d expect from a successful former pro athlete, but gives equal weight to her vulnerabilities as someone who’s invested so much of her identity into something she can no longer do to the same high standards. Their relationship is so sweetly genuine you’ll find yourself rooting for them both.