New York’s Baboon Animation and Custom Nuts in Tokyo/LA have joined forces to co-produce a new 2D-animated series called Ibn Battuta that’s already fully funded for two seasons with the help of private equity partners. 

In pre-production now, this toon for five- to seven-year-olds reimagines 14th-century explorer and scholar Ibn Battuta as a curious modern-day kid discovering new lands in cahoots with a talking donkey and a magical suitcase.

Season one is budgeted at roughly US$5 million, says Custom Nuts co-founder Silas Hickey, and the plan is to deliver a first batch of these episodes in Q2 2026 to roll out on YouTube. 

Sourcing financing from private equity circles means the studios can move faster and get down to the business of building an audience on YouTube sooner, says Hickey. And he anticipates that the high quality of the show’s animation, which will have an anime-inspired look, will be a selling point with buyers. “We’re confident about securing distribution, and while we can’t name names yet, some very positive conversations are already well underway.” 

Baboon and Custom Nuts (Amy & the Afterlife) signed a broad-ranging co-pro deal to make animated series together at MIPCOM 2023. The companies share a similar ethos and commitment to bringing IPs from outside North America to international audiences. Baboon cut its teeth in this respect with superhero comedy Garbage Boy & Trash Can for Cartoon Network Africa, and Custom Nuts remains focused on developing anime-inspired series that have the potential to sell globally.