The first English-language animated series for preschoolers from Thai creators, Sea of Love started airing on Netflix. The core message of the kids show is about living together in harmony amidst all sorts of differences. Preschoolers (as well as viewers of all ages) can delight in the wonders of the blue yonder and learn some important life lessons too — no matter who you are, everyone has something valuable to offer.
This is an animated series made with love by creators who are parents themselves. In fact, Sea of Love began with three creators who wanted to develop animation for their own children. They wanted to go beyond teaching children about how to brush their teeth and other daily tasks. Instead, they decided to create animated stories that teach children how to relate to their peers, and co-exist harmoniously in a diverse society.
Besides the series’ engaging and relatable scenarios, its setting of an underwater realm is sure to be a draw for most kids, while the 2D animated presentation resembles familiar fairy tales or even art that children can create themselves.
“Sea of Love is an animated series crafted with real understanding of both kids and Thailand’s seas. We collaborated with early childhood education professionals — including kindergarten teachers — to identify intriguing topics and realistic solutions, and kept them as raw material for our storylines. Similarly, the characters were developed based on real children’s personality traits and behaviors. The team went diving to explore the Thai sea and attended workshops with coral specialists to recreate the setting as realistically as possible, in the hope of inspiring youths to love nature through the beauty of the ocean,” said director Wanichaya Tangsutthiwong.
“We learned a lot through our collaboration with Netflix. Sea of Love arose from our desire to provide high-quality animation that teaches preschoolers how to function in society. We do not simply show what the children like; we also present what is good for them. It is similar to preparing good, wholesome, and enticing meals that the kids love to eat, and which will give them essential nutrients too. We hope the audience will appreciate and enjoy the interplay between friends, parents, grandparents, and outstanding teachers throughout the narrative,” said showrunner and co-creator Aimsinthu Ramasoot.
Sea of Love features a group of aquatic animal friends — Bruda, the enthusiastic whale; Wayu, the cheerful ray; Puri, the kind-hearted seahorse; and Bobbi, the perky shark. Despite their wildly different appearances, personalities and aptitudes, they learn and grow together and support one another as they share the vast and serene sea. Through their adventures, children realize that friendship can grow between those who are different.
The Netflix show is produced by The Monk Studios. Production of this series was partially supported by the Thai Media Fund under the Adventure of Little Bruda project.