Cats, Pirates and a Flying Ship Set Sail in New Animated Series “Hayate”

Cats are already known for getting themselves into all sorts of trouble.

So, naturally, someone decided to give them a pirate ship.

And not just any pirate ship. This one flies.

TFOU, part of France’s TF1 Group, and Easy Peasy Entertainment are setting sail on another animated adventure together with “Hayate,” a new 2D series currently in development for children ages 4 to 7.

Based on the children’s book series “Hayate and the Piracats” by Yann Walcker and Shiilia from Auzou Editions, the new series will consist of 52 11-minute episodes and takes viewers into Catland, a fantastical archipelago populated by cats and plenty of other unusual creatures.

At the center of it all are Hayate and the Piracats, a young pirate crew sailing the seas aboard the Flyaway, an incredible ship capable of taking to the skies. With the help of a magical compass, the crew can track distress calls from throughout the archipelago and rush to the aid of whoever happens to need them.

There is just one tiny problem.

They don’t really know what they’re doing.

These aren’t legendary pirates who have spent decades mastering the seas. They’re beginners, and their attempts to help can sometimes create almost as many problems as they solve.

That gives “Hayate” a particularly fun setup for younger viewers. The crew includes a hothead with a good heart, a group of relentless inventors, a whimsical cook, a lookout who is terrified of practically everything and an old sea dog who might think a little more highly of himself than everyone else does.

Put all of them together on a flying pirate ship and send them toward trouble, and things are probably going to get interesting rather quickly.

But underneath the comedy and inevitable Piracat chaos is a rather sweet idea.

Hayate and his friends might not be the strongest or most experienced crew sailing through Catland, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help someone. Each adventure is built around the idea that making a difference can begin with having your heart in the right place and having a few good friends around to help when your own plans inevitably go a little sideways.

The project is also designed with a world considerably larger than animation alone in mind. Easy Peasy Entertainment describes “Hayate” as an IP built for expansion across print, audio and animation, building from the existing children’s books into a wider universe surrounding Hayate, the Piracats and Catland.

“Hayate” also marks another collaboration between TFOU and Easy Peasy Entertainment following “Migali,” the animated adaptation featuring a young spider princess attending a rather unusual royal academy.

This time, they’re trading the castle for the open seas.

Or skies.

Apparently both count when your pirate ship flies.

No premiere date has been announced yet, with “Hayate” currently in development. But with 52 adventures planned, a magical compass pointing toward trouble and an entire archipelago waiting to be explored, there should be no shortage of places for these inexperienced pirates to accidentally make things worse before somehow making them better.

So grab your compass, get aboard the Flyaway and hold onto your whiskers.

The Piracats are setting sail.

Full speed ahead!