Corus Entertainment’s animation and kids’ content studio Nelvana and London-based entertainment company Toikido have teamed up to crack into the world of Piñata Smashlings in a colorful batch of six new animated shorts on Nelvana’s ‘Keep It Weird’ YouTube channel. Based on the popular Roblox game, the shorts are also being featured on the YouTube Kids homepage and presage the new series in development announced earlier this year.
“Our team has loved the challenge of giving these adorable and iconic characters their own distinct personalities,” said Mellany Welsh, VP of Nelvana Enterprises & Kids Can Press. “With their eclectic and hilarious escapades, the Smashlings are sure to captivate kids worldwide with their shenanigans. As the game continues to soar in popularity on Roblox, YouTube is the ideal stage to bring everyone’s favorite Smashlings to life and connect with the younger digital generation.”
In the Piñata Smashlings shorts, fans will meet five friends who have been thrown together by fate to form a team of very, very unlikely heroes. Whether questing across the land, pranking the Piñatas in Piñata Village, or rescuing Smashlings from the no-good Bitter Bashlings, the Smashlings make the most out of every day as they learn to be heroes while celebrating being exactly who they are.
Some of these shorts are enhanced by music and an opening theme song performed by Grammy-winning producer Jason Perry, along with Adam Nagy and Rich Savage. Just in time for the spooky season, viewers can also enjoy a Halloween-themed song, performed by Perry, Nagy and Lana Carillo.
“Piñata Smashlings is an ever-expanding, multi-platform franchise that encompasses gaming, animation, music, toys, publishing, collaborations, and more,” said Darran Garnham, CEO of Toikido. “Nelvana is the perfect partner for the brand as they breathe vibrant life into our cherished characters, promising a vivid and engaging entertainment experience for kids as we launch the new shorts on YouTube.”
The gaming IP has been played 2 million times since its debut in the summer. Fans in Canada and the U.S. can build on their experiences with this playful world through an extensive Piñata Smashlings toy collection, featuring plush toys, figurines and playsets, available both online and at Walmart retail locations.
