Popular Emirati cartoon Mansour is making a comeback.
The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority or ECA has signed an agreement with Bidaya Media in partnership with Mubadala to create a reboot of the Arabic-language cartoon series, titled The Adventures of Mansour: Age of AI, due to be broadcast next year.
The new series, targeted at children aged six to 12, will be created with higher-quality animation. The theme of the show will centre on encouraging cultural awareness, preserving national identity and strengthening a sense of belonging among Emiratis.
The Adventures of Mansour: Age of AI will also continue the legacy of the original show to inspire all children in the region to maintain a balanced mix between technology, social and human interactions, and outdoor play.
The new series will explore themes and global issues that speak to the current generation of children, including AI, the role of and reliance on technology, climate change and space exploration.
“We are proud of our deepening partnership with Mubadala in expanding the available development opportunities for children through our sponsorship of such a popular show,” said Sana Suhail, director general of the authority.
“The relaunch exhibits the healthy balance that is needed in today’s world between the role of technology in our lives and the need for children to disconnect from their devices and connect with the real world. This healthy mix between the online and real worlds is at the core of this show and is key to better prepare our children for the future.”
The rebooted series will build on the huge success of the original show created by Rashed Alharmoodi, which currently has more than two billion YouTube views, three million subscribers and 300 million watch hours, which include more than 25 million unique viewers in the last 90 days at the time of writing.
As part of the relaunch, ECA and Mubadala will also be creating a series of youth-focused activities such as a roadshow, to local youth centres and summer camps and workshops where young people will have the opportunity to learn about channelling their inner creativity and creating high-quality content.
Nineteen graphic novels set in the Middle East — in pictures
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From across genres, writers and illustrators are telling authentic stories and nuanced experiences set in the Middle East. Photo: Supplied -
'Habibi' by Craig Thompson is set in a fictional Arab world and tells the story of refugee child slaves Dodola and Zam, who escape their captors. Photo: Craig Thompson -
'The Rabbi’s Cat' by Joann Sfar is a comical story set in 1930s Algeria about a photo that gains the ability to speak after eating the family parrot. Photo: Joann Sfar -
'Hasib & the Queen of Serpents' by David B is an engrossing story influenced by the structural frame of the classic 'One Thousand and One Nights'. Photo: David B -
'Pride of Baghdad' by Brian K Vaughan is a story based on true events set in 2003 Iraq where a pride of lions, Zill, Safa, Noor and Ali, escape from the Baghdad Zoo after the city is bombed by American forces. Photo: Brian K Vaughan -
'River Jordan' by Merik Tadros is set in Chicago and Amman, Jordan and tells the story of Rami, 9, who is coming to terms with his father’s murder by creating art. Photo: Merik Tadros -
'Palestine' by Joe Sacco explores the Palestinian revolution and the Gulf War, detailing many of the difficulties faced by the Palestinian people. Photo: Joe Sacco -
In 'Baddawi', Leila Abdelrazaq explores her father Ahmed’s harrowing childhood when he was raised in a refugee camp in northern Lebanon among thousands of Palestinians who fled their homeland after the 1948 war. Photo: Leila Abdelrazaq -
'The Arab of the Future' by Riad Sattouf is an autobiographical graphic novel set in rural France, Libya and Syria in the 1970s and '80s that featured three dictators that altered the course of Sattouf's life - Gaddafi, Assad, and his father. Photo: Riad Sattouf -
'A Game for Swallows' by Zeina Abirached is set in 1984, East Beirut, during the Lebanese Civil War, where Zeina, 6, and her brother must endure a night of bombings when their parents don’t return home. Photo: Zeina Abirached -
'I Remember Beirut' by Zeina Abirached is a collection of stories based on Abirached’s childhood in post-war Lebanon and is filled with poignant and powerful details on the impact of war. Photo: Zeina Abirached -
'Metro' by Magdy El Shafee is set in busy, dynamic Cairo, where Shihab, who in an attempt to pay back a loan, decides to rob a bank and finds himself in the middle of a government cover-up. Photo: Magdy El Shafee -
'Cairo' by G Willow Wilson is an urban fantasy set in the city, where a set of unlikely characters are in search of an artefact of formidable power - a jinn trapped in a stolen hookah. Photo: G Willow Wilson -
'Squire' by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas is an exciting fantasy adventure about swords, knights and squires. Photo: Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas -
'Lissa: A Story about Medical Promise, Friendship, and Revolution' by Sherine Hamdy tells the story of an unlikely friendship, between Anna and Layla who come from different classes, cultural backgrounds and religions. Photo: Sherine Hamdy -
'I Was Their American Dream' by Malaka Gharib is a graphic memoir about heritage, self-discovery and family and the lives of modern immigrants in America. Photo: Malaka Gharib -
'It Won't Always Be Like This' is another intimate graphic memoir from Malaka Gharib about her experiences as a young American girl growing up with her Egyptian father's new family. Photo: Malaka Gharib -
'Shubiek Lubiek' by Deena Mohamed is set in modern day Cairo but in a world where wishes from genies are not only real, but for sale. Photo: Deena Mohamed -
'Zahra's Paradise' by Amir Soltani and Khalil Bendib is set in modern Iran after the 2009 election and follows the chain of events after the disappearance of a young protestor and activist Mehdi. Photo: Amir Soltani and Khalil -
'The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya' by Reimena Yee is the story of Zeynel who must reconnect to faith, love and his home after he is turned into a vampire by a stranger. Photo: Reimena Yee
