This is just an interesting idea that crossed my mind (and I suppose those of many other) after the announcement of the theme of the latest Splatfest that, for those of you that don't know it, is Spongebob vs Patrick.

Nintendo beeing a Japanese company would almost immediately make this hypothesis unlikely since, knowing how big the Anime market is in Japan, the territory where Splatoon has been the biggest cultural hit due to it beeing tied to modern Japanese culture. Japan in fact is the first territory where actual Splatoon tournaments were held as well as Vocaloid-ish concerts from Callie and Marie and where a Manga was released not long ago. Another Important fact to consider when speculating if Nintendo could co-work with Nickelodeon is that the possibility of Nintendo expanding on their IPs in the Anime/Cartoon and Moive market was first introduced by Kimishima, who just so happens to be the one that 10 years ago was the Nintendo of America CEO so will certainly be aware of how big a Cartoon about Splatoon would be in the west both for advertisement and for Fan request.

So why Nickelodeon ? Well let's start by the fact that since the game was first announced people accomunated both the paint theme and the overall feel theme of the game to remind A LOT Nickelodeon's logo and the 90s feel that it gave to people who watched it, in fact it just takes a quick research on YouTube to find out that one of the most common statements made by people when they first saw the Splatoon trailer at E3 2014 was "what is this ? a Nickelodeon game ?". Moving on Nickelodeon is not only a really good producer for Cartoons (while some might argue that lately they've been messing around ruining everyone's childhood...) but also it clearly aims for the same audience as Splatoon. In fact you can tell by the enormmous ammount of Miiverse posts on Splatoon regarding Nickelodeon and it's most popular show: Spongebob.

A Cartoon adaptation would not only help establish the game's fanbase both growing and consolidating it, but it'd be extremely helpful to keep interested in Splatoon the younger watchers in case Nintendo took a couple more years to release a sequel as the latest rumors hint at.

What do you think ? Is it possible for Nintendo, a super japanese company to take a step back and realize that Splatoon would grow esponentially if a collaboration with Nickelodeon were to occur ?

I'd love that! The Splatoon universe is whacky enough to be converted into a cartoon series.

It's just a cross promotion.

To be clear, I think something like this would be incredibly smart. But Spongebob being in Splatoon means as little as BMWs being in Mario Kart.

Wouldn't they go to a japanese company first? I'm sure any animation studio would love to work on a property as hot as Splatoon right now, and probably get a really big series over there first, and then localize it, like Pokemon or Inazuma Eleven.

I'd like a Splatoon cartoon, but I don't exactly see Nickelodeon being involved.

I wouldn't watch it but it would be massively popular.

I shouldn't be the one to have to say this, but anime isn't remotely as big world wide as people who like anime seem to think it is. Making a Splatoon anime would become irrelevant in the west. It's a very niche form of film.

I've mentioned this before, but what Nintendo should be doing a mixture of western-style cartoons and CGI-animation. Very little if any "anime-style" shows.

And this is not coming from any sort of bias. I love anime, but nobody cares about it anymore over here. Not in the mainstream. They are doing this to spread brand awareness. No anime of Splatoon is going to get Spongebob-big. That's what they need to be going for.

I've said that I think they should be working exclusively with a streaming platform like Netflix, and I stand by that. They need a platform that can be theirs where their IP get a focus. Netflix would give them that.

I don't know if there is a collaboration, but they better do it.

A splatoon cartoon is just gonna end up the series at insane level of success. And you know... Is already a success.

I feel this would be an incredibly smart idea, though if they were to do it it should air around the almost inevitable sequel on the NX. Kids would watch it and naturally want it.