Toronto-based Guru Studio and Japanese prodco ADK Emotions have signed a co-development deal to produce The Ora Chronicles.

For kids six to 11, the new serialized action-adventure show is about five middle school girls whose destiny is to defeat a great evil that resides in the Earth’s core. The show is unique because it blends Japanese anime and Western fantasy visual styles and storytelling, according to Guru’s VP of creative development Rachel Marcus.

Guru, which is the producer on Netflix’s True and the Rainbow Kingdom and Disney Jr.’s Pikwik, will manage the international distribution. ADK Emotions, meanwhile, is best known for Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters and Beyblade, and will be handling all the merchandising and licensing rights.

This is the first time Guru has ever signed a co-development deal with a Japanese company.

Japanese animated-style series have been very popular with kids producers and commissioners recently: Netflix picked up several anime titles for its library and the entire Studio Ghibli catalogue for its international subscribers (outside of the US, Canada and Japan); Hulu partnered with Funimation on a multi-year partnership and output deal to significantly grow its anime content; and newcomer HBO Max picked up the Studio Ghibli films in the US.