BBC Studios and Kadokawa Partner for Live-Action 'Kiki's Delivery Service' Series

The beloved Eiko Kadono fantasy novel is set for a fresh television adaptation through a major international co-production.

Summary

• BBC Studios and Japanese publisher Kadokawa are co-producing a new live-action television series adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service
• The upcoming series will provide a fresh interpretation of Eiko Kadono’s classic 1985 fantasy novel
• Production details casting choices and a formal release timeline are currently undisclosed

BBC Studios and Kadokawa have officially partnered to develop a brand-new live-action series adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service. The major international co-production brings the legendary Japanese literary property to the global television landscape through a collaborative studio alliance.

The upcoming television adaptation draws its core narrative inspiration from Eiko Kadono’s celebrated 1985 children’s fantasy novel. While the story achieved global pop-culture status through Hayao Miyazaki‘s iconic 1989 Studio Ghibli animated masterpiece, this live-action venture establishes a fresh creative foundation directly rooted in the original source text. The plot traditionally follows a resourceful 13-year-old witch who embarks on a mandatory year of independent life in a new seaside town, launching an airborne courier business alongside her talking black cat, Jiji.

By combining the global distribution and premium production infrastructure of BBC Studios with Kadokawa’s extensive publishing heritage and IP catalog, the project highlights an increasing industry trend toward localized, cross-cultural storytelling. Specific details regarding the writing team, showrunner attachments, lead casting announcements, and filming locations remain tightly under wraps as early development gets underway.