Manga Productions, PepsiCo collaborate to feature cult anime 鈥楪rendizer鈥� on potato chips

The show has long enjoyed widespread popularity in Arab countries, first airing in war-torn Lebanon on Tele Liban in 1979. (MP/File)
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  • Partnership comes ahead of July鈥檚 release of 鈥楪rendizer U鈥� television series

LONDON: Saudi anime studio Manga Productions on Wednesday announced a partnership with PepsiCo to feature the popular anime UFO Robot 鈥淕rendizer鈥� on PepsiCo鈥檚 Tasali potato chip packets.

Starting in August, the iconic character from the eponymous series will appear on Tasali potato chips sold across the Gulf countries and Jordan.

Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, or Misk, said that the new partnership 鈥渞eflects our dedication to meeting the aspirations of 鈥楪rendizer鈥� fans and enhancing the presence of the beloved character in the markets.

鈥淕rendizer,鈥� also known as 鈥淕oldrake鈥� and 鈥淕oldorak,鈥� is a popular Japanese animated television series and manga created by Go Nagai in the mid-1970s. It has achieved cult status worldwide.

The initiative is part of the promotional campaign for the July release of the 鈥淕rendizer U鈥� television series, created by Japanese animation studio Gaia and directed by Mitsuo Fukuda, the acclaimed author of award-winning anime classics 鈥淪hin Seiki GPX Cyber Formula鈥� and 鈥淢obile Suit Gundam SEED.鈥�

The show has long enjoyed widespread popularity in Arab countries, first airing in war-torn Lebanon on Tele Liban in 1979. The enduring popularity of the show led Manga Productions to acquire the global distribution and marketing rights, excluding Japan.

Ahmed El-Sheikh, CEO at PepsiCo Middle East, highlighted the significance of the collaboration, saying: 鈥淎t PepsiCo, we are committed to embedding ourselves in both the traditional and popular culture of the Kingdom.

鈥淏y embracing the growing popularity of animated content in 黑料社区, we aim to create a unique and nostalgic appeal for our consumers.

鈥淭his partnership with Manga Productions allows us to bring 鈥楪rendizer鈥� back to life on Tasali chips, and we are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will bring.鈥�