Benesse Corporation, the Japanese education services company, and the name behind the enormously successful preschool character and leading educational property Shimajiro, has announced the imminent launch of a major new SVOD service specializing in children’s programmes. The new service, called Meecha!, will be launched in Japan at the end of March.

Meecha! will bring together both programme content from Benesse Corporation, which has been providing early childhood education services for more than 30 years, and also carefully selected programmes from a number of major preschool content providers from around the world.

The launch line-up includes CBeebies favourites like Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures, Andy’s Prehistoric Adventures and Yakka Dee; popular ABC Australia shows like Bobbie the Bear, Create and How To Do Stuff Good: and, from Serious Lunch Limited, Tik Tak, produced by VRT/Ketnet in Belgium, a show focused on stimulating perceptual development among toddlers and pre-schoolers that also transmits on CBeebies.

The new service will also stream content featuring Benesse Corporation’s popular preschool character Shimajiro, including a brand-new 3D Shimajiro animation.

The channel will launch as part of Benesse Corporation’s early childhood education service Kodomo Challenge that reaches 800,000 members. It can also be accessed publicly as a subscription service for 660 yen ($6) per month.

Daisuke Tebayashi, Director of Global Business Division, Benesse Corporation, says: “This major new service, addressing the on-demand content that even the youngest audiences have grown to expect, is tailored to deliver great educational programming from around the world. We believe this service will be popular with Japanese children and, thanks to its educational focus, parents too!”

Note for editors

Meecha! is a playful term chosen because it sounds like the way Japanese children say Mi Cha O (which means “I want to watch this!”).

About Benesse Corporation

Benesse Corporation is Japan’s leading provider of private educational support services, senior care services, and through subsidiary Berlitz International, is the world’s largest provider of foreign language instruction. Benesse Corporation provides correspondence and in-class course programs for all ages—starting at six months old and extending through high school and university entrance exam preparations. Benesse Corporation’s flagship correspondence course for preschoolers, Kodomo Challenge, celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2018 and is offered internationally in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Indonesia. Benesse Corporation’s leading TV program for preschoolers, Shimajiro: A World of WOW!, has been recognized globally with prestigious programming awards and nominations including the Best Preschool Programme prize at the 2018 Asian Television Awards and a Kids Preschool nomination at the 2015 International Emmy® Kids Awards.

About Serious Lunch

Serious Lunch is a London-based boutique distribution company headed up by founder, Genevieve Dexter.   Established in 2011, the company represents a select catalogue of children’s and family programmes from Studio Ghibli, Maverick, Hat Trick, Dot to Dot, Zeilt Productions, Ketnet, Gigglebug, Comma and Tulipop.   www.seriouslunch.co.uk.  Please contact gdexter@seriouslunch.co.uk for any further information.