In conjunction with film director Tomoyasu Murata, Toei Animation is launching a project on Japanese crowdfunding website Makuake to produce a 3 minute pilot for a stop-motion animation adaptation of The Animal Family, a classic 1965 children's novel written by Randall Jarrell and illustrated by Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are).

The Animal Family tells the story of a human hunter, a mermaid, a bear, and a lynx that form an unusual family in a cabin by the sea. The story was named a Newberry Honor Book in 1966.

The crowdfunding campaign will run from February to April in 2017, with the goal of accumulating 3.5 million yen (about $33,600 US) for the pilot film.

Source: Anime! Anime!

Paul Chapman is the host of The Greatest Movie EVER! Podcast and GME! Anime Fun Time.