Watch: WildBrain & Younuo Offer First Look at ‘Hey Toma’! (Exclusive)

Art comes alive in a frisky, fun way in the new first-look clip from Hey Toma (25 x 8′), a new animated series from China’s Younuo Animation. Created through the collaborative efforts of artists in China, the U.S. and Italy, the series is ready to bring fresh color to TV content markets this year, with WildBrain handling global distribution (excluding Mainland China, where it has been acquired by streamer MangoTV, and Russia).

Read on for more about the show and catch the first-look clip below!

Hey Toma follows the comedic adventures of four unique “Color Boos,” who use their color-changing abilities, creativity and sincere hearts to help the rest of the Color World solve their everyday challenges.

“The inspiration for Color Boos comes from the seemingly ordinary ‘little water droplet’ in our daily lives,” explains Younuo’s Founder, Zhang Lei. “From the perspective of artistic creation and observation, water droplets exhibit a natural and highly malleable quality. They can seamlessly transform their shape in response to various factors such as their environment or external forces. Whether they gather into droplets or spread into irregular water films, this remarkable variability provides a valuable entry point for creative thinking. If we could create a character with similar flexibility and adaptability, it would undoubtedly add rich dynamism and intrigue to the entire story, while also aligning with children’s innate curiosity and desire to explore fantastical, ever-changing phenomena. Thus, the initial concept of Color Boos began to take shape.

“Ultimately, the four Color Boos — red, yellow, blue, and black — came to life. In the animated story, they not only represent children with distinct color-based personalities but also embody the pure and magical friends every child dreams of having, each possessing unique abilities. They serve as important guides for children to explore and understand the world of colors. Together with a cast of other vibrant and colorful characters, they build a fantastical, yet educational, universe of colors. This world carries our hopes of inspiring children through animation to embrace exploration, teamwork, and creativity, while learning to appreciate the beautiful diversity of the world around them.”

With an international team of pedigreed creatives behind it, the show is directed by Daytime Emmy Award winner Dalton Grant Jr. (Shrek 2, DuckTales, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run), and written by Peabody Award winner and Daytime Emmy Award nominee Dan Clark (Yo Gabba Gabba!, We Be Monsters), who also served as creative consultant. The series also features music composed by Emmy Award winner Gigi Meroni.

As Lei explains, the aesthetic and symbolic roles of different colors played a major role in developing the world of Hey Toma. “As we delved deeper into this creative concept, we started to refine its image and essence through the lens of color. Color, as one of the core elements of visual art, plays a crucial role in character design and the creation of a story’s atmosphere. Among these, the three primary colors — red, yellow and blue — serve as the foundational elements of all visible colors in the color theory system. By mixing them in different proportions and methods, a dazzling, ever-changing world of colors can emerge. This characteristic perfectly aligns with our vision for Color Boos as a character capable of showcasing infinite transformations, creating fascinating color effects, and possessing a unique personal charm in the animated world.”

“Moreover, black, which is formed through the combination of primary colors, carries profound and diverse meanings in the realm of art and cross-cultural symbolism,” he continues. “It is often seen as a symbol of mystery and the unknown. This unique cultural and artistic connotation imbues the character design of Color Boos with deeper layers of storytelling and intrigue. From the perspective of animated narratives, this not only enriches the character’s internal complexity but also provides the story with greater possibilities for plot development. In various contexts, the distinctive symbolism of black can create compelling and educational storylines, making the narrative both engaging and meaningful.”

When it came to crafting the show’s narrative, the creators wanted to stay away from the usual kids’ animation conflicts of traditional villains and battles between good and evil. “Using color knowledge as a starting point, [Hey Toma] cleverly weaves together concepts from health, language, society, and science, forming a rich web of learning,” Lei points out. “Through storylines where the protagonists cooperate, leverage their color-changing abilities, and creatively resolve various ‘color crises,’ the series aims to teach children the power of collaboration, the importance of understanding others, and the value of embracing differences. It encourages them to approach life and friendships with positivity, kindness and flexibility.”

The show also leveraged the experience of its international crew, whose ranks have worked with top U.S. studios like Disney/Pixar and Nickelodeon and have received accolades from the Emmys, Peabodys and Children’s Golden Monkey King Award. “Their participation has infused our project with international perspective and professional quality in terms of storytelling, visual presentation, and character design. This ensures that the series resonates with children from diverse cultural backgrounds, offering them a high-quality, vibrant and engaging visual and auditory experience,” says Lei.

With WildBrain’s backing, the Younuo founder hopes that Hey Toma will be able to spread its joyful, unifying message over the world like an animated rainbow. “We want to share with everyone who cares about the development of children’s animation that it has a profound impact on children’s growth. It is not just a form of entertainment but also an important tool for shaping their values, aesthetic sense, and imagination,” Lei sums up. “With heartfelt dedication, we created Hey Toma to offer children a vibrant world full of love and positive energy. Through Toma’s daily adventures, we hope kids not only experience joy but also gain valuable qualities that contribute to their healthy growth and development.”

Catch WildBrain at major content markets throughout the year to learn more about distribution opportunities for Hey Toma.