Scooby-Doo Heading to Japan in New Anime Go-Go Mystery Machine

Summary

• Warner Bros. Discovery announced a new Japanese anime series,
  Go-Go Mystery Machine
  , featuring Scooby-Doo and the gang in Japan.
• The new series is part of a push to expand anime production, aiming to reach the elusive 18 to 30-year-old audience.
• Despite some recent criticism,
  Scooby-Doo
  continues to captivate audiences with new adventures and spinoffs on various platforms.

Since its inception in 1969, the Scooby-Doo franchise has been delighting audiences that have been tuning in for decades to see who will be unmasked as the villain in the gang’s latest mystery. While the series has gone through a number of animation changes over the years, there’s one style that it has never been rendered in… Japanese anime. All that is about to change with the release of Go-Go Mystery Machine, which was announced on June 12, 2024.

As per ComicBook, Warner Bros. Discovery announced the new series along with the news that Adventure Time, Regular Show, and Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends would also be returning. Go-Go Mystery Machine is currently in development for Cartoon Network, and a release date has yet to be set. Check out the description of the new anime series below, which boasts “hundreds of mythical monsters,” as Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and the Scoob make their way to Japan.

“While visiting Japan on the ultimate foodie adventure, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo unwittingly unleash hundreds of mischievous mythical monsters that are now causing trouble all over the country. Scooby turns to his uncle, Daisuke-Doo, and magical friend Etsuko and gadget wiz Toshiro to help solve the mystery and catch the monsters.”

First premiering in 1969, the Scooby-Doo franchise has had a long and storied history as it made its way through various networks over the years. The series first debuted on CBS, then shifted to ABC in the mid 70s, where it remained for 15 years until the network’s final incarnation, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, came to an end in 1991. The legendary Great Dane would continue his adventures through a series of home video releases until the Mystery Incorporated gang found themselves on the small screen once again by way of The WB.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s latest offering, Velma, began streaming on Max in 2023, and was met with harsh criticism upon its debut for a number of reasons, including the omission of Scooby-Doo. The series was meant to be a prequel/spinoff that takes place before the formation of Mystery Inc., hence the absence of Scooby, but fans didn’t take too kindly to the updated version. While Season 2 of the series was released on April 25, 2024, it has yet to be renewed for a third outing.

Go-Go Mystery Machine Makes Good on a Promise from WBD

The announcement of Go-Go Mystery Machine makes good on Warner Bros. Discovery’s promise earlier this year to expand and invest more in the production of anime through its local studio in Japan. While they have consistently produced anywhere from five to 10 anime shows per year, the company is looking to get that number even higher as it recognizes the appeal of the genre. James Gibbons, WBD president of Asia-Pacific, said in a statement to Variety that anime is the best way to reach that elusive 18 to 30-year-old audience that are very picky with their choices.

“We have a Japanese anime studio, which has been producing five or ten anime series per year, over the last few years. We’ve approved expansion to take that to more than ten series per year… Anime is one of the
best ways to reach the 18 to 30-year-old audience
, which is incredibly elusive. Globally, albeit not in every market, but certainly in the U.S., parts of Europe and Latin America, we’ve got strong anime audiences.”

Related Scooby-Doo Spends Five Nights at Freddy’s in a Brilliantly Crafted Stop-Motion Experience

The Scooby-Doo gang dares to journey into the world of Five Nights at Freddy’s in this animated stop-motion short film.

With WBD’s commitment to more anime in full-swing, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if more shows like Scooby-Doo are given a Japanese makeover in the future, but that remains to be seen for now. More details on Go-Go Mystery Machine will be released as they become available.

A healthy dose of
Scooby-Doo
shows and movies, including the classic series
Scooby-Doo Where Are You!
are available to stream on
Max
.

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