When Radio Flyer is mentioned, basically everyone probably thinks of the little red wagon that probably filled a ton of childhoods, but beyond the wagons, tricycles, and other ride-ons, the toy maker has begun dabbling into the animation industry with the recently debuted Max & Maple: The Can-Do Kids. The show aptly centers around two siblings and their friends as their red wagon acts as a device to spur on their imagination.
The show, which has the backing of some real industry vets like CatDog creator Peter Hannan and is co-developed by WildBrain Studios, currently sits on YouTube with its debut episode available now. Speaking to Animation Magazine, the four main people behind Radio Flyer Studios and the animated series -- Robert Pasin, Carrie Miller, Deb Frank, and Hannan shared their feelings surrounding the show's debut.
With Pasin, he expressed how important the Radio Flyer brand is and how most people will smile and tell a story after hearing the brand's name. It kinda reminds you of playing outside, basically, and that's the big goal of Radio Flyer Studios, encouraging parents and kids to go play outside, with Max & Maple being the big jumping off point here.
"Max & Maple lets us bring our values to life through characters who model curiosity, imagination, and outdoor adventure. It’s another way for us to spark play and joy for today’s families, whether they’re watching on YouTube or heading outside with their own red wagon."
When asked about how the show stands out, Miller pointed out how narrative content for kids is a bit few and far between on YouTube. Instead of keeping it that way, they're filling that void with Max & Maple and the Wheelios, all the while also ensuring there's plenty of relatable characters for people of all-ages to connect with. They also made sure to keep to melding together traditional storytelling methods with digital in mind.
"On YouTube, specifically, there’s a real lack of narrative content for kids — particularly in the early elementary age range. It feels like a niche that desperately needs to be filled, giving us a chance to stand out in the space. We’re focused on telling heartwarming stories with silly, relatable characters that both kids and grown-ups can deeply connect with and laugh with."
Max & Maple: The Can-Do Kids doesn't seem to plan to be traditional lengths, with the first episode running for about seven minutes, but they're also double dipping with its shorts lineup, which help it to work with "both digital-first and traditional formats."