Directed by Gorō Miyazaki, first-ever television series from Studio Ghibli is based on the children’s fantasy book by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren.
SEATTLE -- Amazon has announced that its original kids series, Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter, is set to premiere on Prime Video on January 27 in the U.S. and U.K. An animated adventure for kids and families, the new series is narrated by Golden Globe Award-winning actress Gillian Anderson (The X-Files), directed by Gorō Miyazaki (Up on Poppy Hill, Tales from Earthsea), and presented by the Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) and Saltkråkan (the Astrid Lindgren Company).
Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter is already a full-fledged hit in Japan, winning the International Emmy Award for Best Kids Animation. The series is based on the wildly-popular children’s fantasy book of the same name by noted Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking), which has sold approximately 10 million copies worldwide since its release in 1981, and been translated into 41 languages and adapted for film and television internationally.
Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter is an epic 26-part story of 10-year-old Ronja (voiced by Teresa Gallagher), born on a stormy night in a mountain fort, surrounded by her father (Rufus Hound), mother (Morwenna Banks) and a loving band of robbers. She grows to be a strong girl, and discovers that the forest is both a beautiful and frightening place inhabited by strange creatures. She befriends Birk (Kelly Adams), the son of her father’s rival, and so begins the drama of her friendship and family loyalties. Viewers follow along as she explores and understands these key factors in her life, and discovers that seemingly irresolvable choices can finally be made with the help of love and understanding.
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Studio Ghibli on their first television series, excited to have the talented Gillian Anderson narrate, and proud to bring Astrid Lindgren’s well-loved novel to life,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “We look forward to sharing this incredible story of love, family and friendship with our customers.”
“With Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter, Astrid Lindgren seems to be telling children to believe in their own power to grow, whilst telling adults to learn more from children,” said director Gorō Miyazaki. “Mutual respect will attain freedom in the true sense of the word.”