After more than thirty years from its first television appearance (which took place in Germany in 1976), thereape Maia returns to entertain the new little generations, with a completely renewed 3D graphics. Inspired by Walderm Bonsel's children's fairy tales (Die Biene Maja), the new series is the European answer to the first Japanese edition. It is produced by the Belgian Studio 100 Animation and the Spanish company Planeta Junior, in association with Rai Fiction. In particular, �Planeta Junior�, leading distributor on the children�s entertainment market, also based in Milan since 2004, has invested heavily in the promotion of the new version of Maya the Honey Bee. In fact, in 2006, on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the most famous bee in the world, he promoted a veritable tour with stages in Milan, Turin, Novara and Rome, which ended with the big party in Milan day with Maia�, at the National Museum of Science and Technology.

Willy - Maya the Honey Bee 3D Studio 100 Animation / Planeta Junior

Like the graphic style, in the 3D series also the cast has undergone a restyling. The characters are, for the most part, the same as in the first series, although more outlined in the animation and richer in the characterization. In addition to Maia, the undisputed protagonist, redefined with more modern and nonconformist tones, also the co-stars Willi the small drone e Flip the cricket have increasingly incisive roles. The other characters, including Alessandro the mouse, Kurt the cockroach, Key the spider e Max the earthworm are more harmonious graphically and with a more marked identity. Finally, the wasps are characterized in a more serious and, at times, authoritative way.
The episodes present more structured plots, with a sustained narrative rhythm and with educational themes. Through a well-conceived articulation, in which the adventures are engaging from a narrative point of view and fascinating on a graphic level, the timeless values ​​of honesty, courage, friendship and respect for nature are transmitted, very important for the target audience of reference (children aged 3 to 9). The nice curiosity of Maia, then, transmits a strong empathy to women of all ages (from girls, to mothers, to grandmothers). The new episodes (52 in total), designed for the needs of the modern audience of viewers, last only 11 minutes each. Two curiosities: the remake theme song is made scratch It has a slower, cadenced rhythm, with an almost waltz-like trend ( In a country where there is poetry there is a sun full of magic, here lives a bee that with its love makes our hearts light up! ) ; Maia's voice, on the other hand, is still Antonella Baldini's.

Kurt and Maya the Honey Bee Studio 100 Animation / Planeta Junior

The two-dimensionality of the animated drawing that characterized the first series, an expression of a fascinating technique and great craftsmanship, gives way to a new Maia, who was born as a digital model, then manipulated by the animator using the computer. Thanks to the 3D technique (associated with 2D for the backgrounds), the settings in which the characters are inserted have a more realistic, soft and dynamic natural effect. The leaves, the trunks, the flowers ... thanks to the potential of computer graphics, are rich in details, almost material. You can distinguish the reflections of the sun, the grains of dust, it even seems to smell the flowers! The progress of a technologically advanced era is evident, and responds to the specific needs of new viewers. Naturally, today's children, already accustomed to sophisticated images, rich in detail and depth, appreciate the digital style of the remake. Those who, on the other hand, lived their childhood in the 80s and grew up with the anime version of Maya the Honey Bee, can only look at this modern animation technique with a nostalgic eye.

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