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UAE: Popular Emirati cartoon 'Mansour' to be relaunched in new avatar

New series to explore artificial intelligence, role of and reliance on technology, climate change and space exploration

The popular Emirati cartoon, ‘The Adventures of Mansour’, which has garnered more than 2 billion views on YouTube, will be relaunched in a new avatar.

Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala) and cartoon producer Bidaya Media inked an agreement to create UAE national identity-themed content for the new series titled: ‘The Adventures of Mansour: Age of A.I.’ which is set to be rolled out next year.

The cartoon series has 3 million subscribers and 300 million watch hours. It has clocked more than 25 million unique viewers in the last 90 days. The relaunch is aimed to encourage cultural awareness, preserve the national identity, strengthen the sense of belonging to the nation among Emiratis and support in nurturing youth’s abilities, in line with the Principles of the 50.

Shamma Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, said: “The Mansour cartoon series is a celebration of both Emirati talent and youth, and its continued success is an exceptional accomplishment for the nation.”

Nabil El Jisr, CEO, Bidaya Media, noted the new series aims to encourage, protect, and support Emirati heritage and principles for future generations.

“With our compelling stories and content, we are harnessing Emirati values and culture, and creating an awareness for these among the youth, as well as the new generation, by leveraging Mansour and its popularity among the Emirati community.”

Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) signed an agreement with Bidaya Media to sponsor the new series with an aim to help children maintain a healthy mix for the uses of technology, social and human interactions, and outdoor play.

“The relaunch exhibits the healthy balance that is needed in today’s world between the role of technology in our lives and the need for children to disconnect from their devices and connect with the real world,” Sana Suhail, director general, ECA, said.

Homaid Al Shimmari, deputy group CEO and chief corporate and human capital officer, Mubadala, said: “We understand the vital role this show plays in the development of children, who view ‘Mansour’ as a role model and connect with him as he shares important messages of cultural knowledge, identity, and the values we want to teach our children.”

Originally created to appeal to Arab children and encourage a healthy lifestyle, cultural appreciation and an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), the show has superseded the expectations of its original, award-winning creator, Rashed Alharmoodi, to capture the imagination of children across the entire Middle East region and beyond.

Now, the relaunched series will tackle issues of significance such as artificial intelligence, the role of and reliance on technology, climate change and space exploration.

Also, the Federal Youth Authority (FYA) and Mubadala signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bidaya Media to target UAE youth through workshops where they will have the opportunity to channel their inner creativity and learn about creating high-quality media production and content, delivered by the world-class talents behind the cartoon.

Al Mazrui said the collaboration marks a new step in contemporary media and the production of meaningful, engaging content for children representative of Emirati values and morals.

“We aim to provide youth with opportunities to be creators of content instead of just consumers, allowing them to reflect our culture and values globally.”

The new rebooted show has increased production values and quality. Also, nationwide roadshows exhibiting the new series will take place across 2023 with the aim to reach UAE national and expat children.