Dive into the universe of the animated series “Welsh & Shedar”: discover its release date, the first images, captivating storylines, season funding, episode count, and the cast. Here’s everything you need to know about this series.
Historically, the Welsh & Shedar project was initiated in 2012 by Ankama’s Japanese studio, in collaboration with talents like Masaaki Yuasa and Eunyoung Choi, but it was abandoned due to difficulties with Japanese partners and the closure of that studio.
ToT presents the project as “an old project rising from its ashes,” an original series developed in Japan.
ToT explains that the idea dates back over 15 years, just after seasons 1 and 2 of Wakfu. A first teaser had even circulated on YouTube at the time. The project was initially intended for France Télévisions as a 26-episode, 26-minute serialized quest, but the channel changed its request at the last minute to standalone episodes, which led to the creation of Dofus: Treasures of Kerubim instead.
ToT admits to having “a hard time healing” from this abandonment, having invested a lot emotionally in the characters: “they needed to come out at some point.” The project remained “in the drawers” as “something to fulfill.”
The meeting with Widad Noureddine, a producer based in Japan for 20 years, reignited the idea: ToT presented him with revised scripts, and although Noureddine was initially unfamiliar with the Krosmoz universe (Dofus, Wakfu…), he was immediately won over after reading: “I read it and, honestly, I was really hooked.”
A real mutual trust-building effort was necessary, as the two work cultures, according to Noureddine, were “completely opposite in terms of work culture, artistic vision, and humor.” ToT emphasizes the importance of not imposing Western methods on Japanese teams: “I’ve tried many times before. Every time, it’s complicated, it doesn’t work.” The challenge was to “find connections” between the two approaches so that the Japanese teams could fully take ownership of the project.
When asked about the differences in work pace, Noureddine is categorical: “absolutely nothing in common.” The Japanese studio operates 24/7 with day and night teams, a reality completely foreign to the French approach. As a producer bridging the two countries, he is constantly in demand: “they call me all the time, I’m always on standby.” ToT also notes the typical escalation logic on the Japanese side: delivering two scripts leads to a request for three, then four.
Release Date: When Will Welsh & Shedar Be Released?
To date, the exact release date for Welsh & Shedar has not yet been officially confirmed. However, the project has made significant progress since its revival and has already been presented to the public several times. The first episode was notably screened at the Annecy International Animation Festival 2025 and again in 2026, confirming that the series has now entered a public presentation phase.
Additionally, the series was showcased at the Ankama Convention 2026, organized to celebrate Ankama’s 25th anniversary, with the screening of episode 1 and a world exclusive preview of episode 2. These elements indicate that the project is still in active development, but no official release schedule has been announced yet.
Furthermore, Ankama released an official teaser during the Japan Expo, showing that communication around the project has significantly increased. So, stay tuned for upcoming announcements to get a precise release date.
Trailer: The First Images of Welsh & Shedar
To date, no official full trailer has been recently released by Ankama. However, an official teaser was unveiled at the Japan Expo, and the images posted online in June 2026 correspond to those from the first episode. The project has thus reached a major milestone, with unseen excerpts that finally allow a better understanding of the series’ visual universe.
What can be seen in these images confirms a very distinct artistic direction, with Japanese 2D animation that recalls the studio’s identity while asserting a new visual approach. The style stands out with clean lines, vibrant colors, and composition work that enhances the epic nature of the project.
The historic 2014 trailer remains an interesting point of comparison, as it shows the project at a time when it had not yet been abandoned. The current version seems to follow a different, more ambitious, and more accomplished logic, with a genuine desire to place Welsh & Shedar at the heart of Ankama’s major projects.
During the Annecy International Animation Festival 2025, audiences were able to discover the first episode of the series. This screening revealed a universe that immediately evokes the codes of Japanese anime, which is not surprising for a Franco-Japanese production. The collaboration with the Japanese studio Massket also marked the first participation of this partner in the project.
The choice of 2D animation was also justified by Ankama for aesthetic and visual longevity reasons. According to Unification France, this is precisely the quality that led the studio to prefer this format, so that the series ages less quickly and better retains its graphic identity.
The visual style also incorporates elements inspired by the northern French culture and French gastronomy, which may have surprised some Japanese animators. This uniqueness, however, contributes to giving the series its own personality, blending local tradition and fantasy references.
Some comments, particularly on forums like jeuxvideo.com, express disappointment regarding the evolution of the artistic direction compared to the 2014 pilot. Others, on the contrary, praise the new look and the fact that the Ankama audience now seems much more enthusiastic than before.
Plot: What to Expect from Welsh & Shedar?
Regarding the plots of Welsh & Shedar, it is possible to get a general idea based on the available information, even though the project has long been shrouded in uncertainty. The current version, however, seems to fit into a new continuity, with a story set about 30 years after the events of the film, clearly repositioning the series in the timeline.
ToT points out that the writing moves away from the codes of current anime, which are more focused on “dopamine” and fan service: “we’re going for writing that’s truly rooted in fantasy and quite epic,” close to classic adventure anime like The Record of Lodoss War (ロードス島戦記, Rōdosu-tō senki), where heroes go through trials over time.
For Widad Noureddine, the biggest challenge was translating and adapting ToT’s scripts, which are deeply rooted in a “very French” narrative, rich in expressions and culinary references that are difficult to transpose for a Japanese and international audience: “trying to preserve as much of this content as possible so that nothing is lost, that’s the challenge.” Many meetings were necessary, particularly to decode the very respectful and indirect way Japanese people express disagreement.
When asked about the cultural tensions experienced “already in meetings,” ToT describes a clash of communication methods. The Japanese, being very respectful, take extreme caution before expressing criticism: “when they want to tell you that your dialogue is kind of bad, or that they don’t understand, it can take three-quarters of an hour.” These silences and hesitations, which at first could seem like blockages, were actually a meticulous search for the right words: “they’re looking for the words to tell you that what they’re about to say is serious, and they don’t want to hurt you.”
On the other hand, ToT admits to operating in the opposite way, with a more direct and “Latin” temperament: “in France, we have this Latin side where we tease each other, we exchange quickly […] me, I’m a bit like a bull in a china shop, that’s just how I operate, even with them.” Over time, this difference has faded: the Japanese teams eventually adopted this lighter tone and also started joking with him, a sign, according to ToT and Widad Noureddine, that trust had been established: “we kind of got into their heads in the end, after all.”
For ToT, the main difficulty was personal: learning to hold back and trust the Japanese teams with the production, as he usually likes to give his opinion: “the hardest part… was knowing when to shut up.” His top priority, however, remained ensuring that the emotion of the script was faithfully transcribed, which, according to him, was fully achieved: “what was most important to me was that the emotion be transcribed.”
The story centers on Welsh, a young cook from Brassica, whose life takes a turn when a black dragon attacks his village. He is then drawn into a quest linked to the Ivory Dofus, while Zabelle Sheran Sharm, Queen of Bonta and guardian of the Ebony Dofus, seeks to impose her domination over the World of Twelve. Zabelle’s son, Shedar, also plays a central role, as he announces a prophecy that could end his mother’s reign.
This new version thus seems to weave two narrative threads: on one side, a darker epic about power, the Dofus, and the announced fall of a sovereign; on the other, a more intimate and down-to-earth story about Welsh, his daily life, and his hero’s destiny. This blend of tones gives the series a unique identity, both accessible and ambitious.
Originally, the project was deemed too heavy for France Télévisions in 2012, which contributed to its abandonment. With this revival, Ankama seems to want to offer something more mature, freer, and more spectacular, while retaining the foundations of the world it has been developing for years.
The first episode of Welsh & Shedar, presented during a conference at the Annecy International Animation Festival 2025, skillfully interweaves two distinct stories: an epic centered on Queen Zabelle Sheran Sharm and her son Shedar, and everyday scenes featuring Welsh and Mama.
In the year 490 of the Krosmic calendar, Zabel, sovereign of Bonta and Amakna, aspires to unify the world under her rule with the help of the Ebony Dofus. During a meal, Shedar, still inexperienced in the art of combat, expresses his anxiety about the impending war, but Zabel urges him to be braver. Despite the difficult conditions and Shedar’s fears, Zabel remains confident and wins a duel against Barak Zar, thus seizing the Crimson Dofus. Shedar, troubled by a vision of a white dragon named Dardondakal, discovers the existence of a legitimate heir of Bonta destined to end Zabel’s reign. Zabel dismisses this vision as a mere dream caused by fatigue, but Shedar remains disturbed. Later, a conversation between Zabel and a character named Asalar reveals that Dardondakal is a threat, a dragon capable of challenging Zabel. Asalar, loyal to Zabel, agrees to go to Brassica to find this child, despite an illness that weakens him. This part of the plot delves into the mysteries surrounding the Dofus, the dragons, and the tensions between Shedar and his mother, laying the groundwork for a future conflict.
Meanwhile, lighter scenes show Welsh and Mama preparing mushroom pies, with family-like and humorous interactions. The scene is punctuated by the antics of a cat named Mou, who disrupts Welsh. Mama teases Welsh about a possible romance with Béchamel, which embarrasses him, especially when customers joke about their “couple.”
Episode 1 of Welsh & Shedar thus seems to alternate between two tones: an epic centered on Shedar, Zabel, and the Dofus, with themes of power, betrayal, and prophetic visions, and more down-to-earth scenes starring Welsh, Mama, and their daily lives around cooking and the market. These two stories could well intersect in the future, perhaps around the village of Brassica.
The Unification website, which attended the screening and Q&A session at the Annecy Festival, confirms that “[…] it will not be necessary to know [DOFUS] to understand the work. First-hour fans will just get a little bonus. […]” and adds that humor will remain a delicate point to convey from one culture to another.
How Many Episodes in the Season?
For Welsh & Shedar, the planned season will have 12 episodes of 26 minutes each. Ankama seems to have chosen this format as part of its collaboration with Japanese partners for this project revival. To date, there is no indication of any change or extension beyond these 12 episodes for the first season, but this could evolve depending on its success and future announcements.
Widad Noureddine confirms that the animation is almost complete (finalization expected this month, July 2026), allowing for the fine-tuning of graphical details. “We’re very happy with what we’ve done, and we can’t wait to present it.”
Who Is in the Cast of Welsh & Shedar?
To date, no official information regarding the cast of Welsh & Shedar has been revealed by Ankama. Since the series is still in production, details about the voices or actors involved remain unavailable. The first episode presented was dubbed in Japanese with French and English subtitles, but this does not yet allow for the official identification of the performers.
The production is organized into two parts: the writing, done in France by ToT, and the music, composed by Pierre-Jean Beaudoin and José Pavli. All visual and technical production takes place in Japan, where Widad Noureddine oversees the teams.
A notable anecdote concerns the music: the Japanese teams initially had doubts about the French team’s ability to produce high-quality music. When they finally heard the compositions during studio editing, the reaction was unanimous: “the French aren’t kidding, they know what they’re doing.” Some even compared the audio quality to that of a movie rather than a series, praising “a little gem for the ears.”
The series will be available in four languages (French, Japanese, English, and one more still under consideration between Spanish and Portuguese depending on the quotes received). ToT, a great admirer of Japanese dubbing, believes that French voice actors are only outmatched by their Japanese counterparts, especially in animation (unlike, in his opinion, American voice actors, whom he considers “overacted”). He personally recommends watching the series with Japanese audio and French subtitles to enjoy the performance of the Japanese voice actors, who dub in a single take directly from the script, without a rhythm band: “the best option is still to watch the Japanese subtitled version.”
Regarding the names of the Japanese voice actors, still officially kept secret, Noureddine hints that the most attentive fans have already been able to spot them in the teaser released by Ankama. A Reddit user identified the voice of the character Barak Zar in Ankama’s teaser as that of Akio Ōtsuka, notably known for voicing Rider/Iskandar in Fate/Zero.
On the production side, the Japanese team also relies on the expertise of Yoshiaki Tsubata, character designer and animation director who has worked on Saint Seiya: Soul of Gold, Monster, Kingdom, .hack//SIGN, and Date A Live.
Where Will the Series Be Broadcast?
ToT explained Ankama’s ambition to release one series per year, sometimes on France Télévisions, sometimes on ADN, or even on YouTube. This gives an idea of the possible platforms, but none are specifically assigned to Welsh & Shedar.
Given the series’ new style, it could follow the same path as Radiant, another Ankama series. Internationally, broadcasting on ADN or another streaming platform remains plausible, but no official announcement yet confirms a specific window or exclusive broadcaster.
In the video recapping the Annecy Festival, ToT mentions generating significant interest from historical partners, as well as from professionals Ankama had never collaborated with before.
The series’ title will also be adapted depending on the country of broadcast. In France, it should retain its original name, referencing the northern French dish “welsh,” made with melted cheddar. According to a post by Widad Noureddine, producer at the Japanese studio, and confirmed by one of our readers, the name “Aoki Denshō” will be the series’ title in Japan. It can be translated into French as “the blue heirs.”
What Are the Latest Updates?
When questioned about the artistic direction of Welsh & Shedar on X, Anthony “ToT” Roux responded by recalling that Ankama had entrusted the series to a Japanese studio, giving them “100% creative freedom” to shape the project.
Some “lucky” fans got the chance to see the first two episodes at the Japan Expo. Reddit user IsthosTheGreat offered to answer questions following this screening: he expressed his enthusiasm at discovering new characters and the return of iconic figures from the universe, like Joris, with a design faithful to the game. The dragons Asalar and Dardondakal would be present in the first two episodes (though without dialogue between them).
Following the presentation at the Ankama Convention 2026, Uelman, a fan of the universe, states that Ankama would like to go further with a project dedicated to the youth of Mama.
Stay tuned for more news about the Welsh & Shedar series. The article will be updated with the latest significant information. The purpose of the article is to gather reliable information: I cannot update it based on assumptions. Feel free to share your reactions in the comments!
On Friday, June 20, we released screenshots and a video of the series on our networks. These images were part of the elements available via the Oklast platform, which was open to everyone. Ankama has since closed its site and may reopen it in a more secure manner. This is what’s called an “information leak.” Sometimes, information can be published by mistake on official sites or social networks. At the studio’s request, the elements have been removed.
