Fresh from the minds at Germany’s Liontown Entertainment come two new children’s TV series. Both shows, Operation L.U.C.K.Y. 13 and Dragiman, are in preproduction as 2-D/CGI hybrids, with a MIP-TV industry launch in sight.

Liontown is in the midst of negotiations with London-based animation house Uli Meyer Studios to produce Operation L.U.C.K.Y. 13-budgeted at US$440,000 per ep. The 52 x half-hour series is targeted at boys ages five to 12 and girls five to eight because early developmental focus group research revealed that younger girls glommed onto the tech element of the series, but lost interest as they got older. Liontown founder Martin Stern specifically developed the property to be merch-friendly, tying in lots of accessories and vehicles to the story line.

The series takes place in the year 2320, and special unit L.U.C.K.Y 13 and its sea lion mascot Lucky venture across land, water, air and space to safeguard the future of the human race against the evil Dr. Massada, who wants to destroy the earth.

Dragiman, which also figures into the production negotiations with Uli Meyer Studios, also incorporates a lot of merch-friendly vehicles and props. This 52 x half-hour project’s reptilian protagonist was created by Wizz, Merlin’s fill-in from Arthur’s Court. Wizz isn’t the most successful sorcerer, and his attempts to create an ultimate weapon resulted in Dragi. . . a dragon hybrid far too small to instill fear in anyone. Banished by Arthur himself, Wizz and Dragi have been roaming the Earth for centuries, finally ending up in present-day New York. The unlikely duo battles Arthur’s evil nephew Mordred, who is summoned to Earth by an evil New Yorker (this isn’t a comment on all New Yorkers!) to take over mankind.

Aimed at boys ages six to twelve and girls ages five to 14 (in this case, research suggests that slightly younger and older girls will glom onto the fantasy and cute-dragon elements), each episode of Dragiman is budgeted at US$410,000.

Martin Stern has racked up 20 years experience in the creative industry, working as a modeling and drawing artist in L.A. He started Liontown Entertainment, a division of 3-DD Digital Media, in September with all of these ideas in tow. Stern and Liontown have two more children’s series in preproduction: Dino Monkeys (for kids ages five to 12) and Taffyman & The Peanut Guys (for preschoolers). The first is a 52 x half-hour project budgeted at US$410,000 per ep, with the second on-track for a 15-minute format.