Netflix buys Chinese sci-fi cartoon's online copyright

BEIJING - The world's leading Internet television network Netflix has bought the online copyright of Chinese sci-fi cartoon "AniMen," the animation maker told Xinhua Friday.

The purchase of a Chinese sci-fi cartoon is the first of its kind by the network.

"AniMen: Triton Force," is about a survival war of people who have been genetically made into frog humans after Earth's environment is no longer fit for humans dozens of centuries in the future.

The movie, by Shanghai Hippo Animation Design Co Ltd, was first screened in China's cinemas in June 2010 and available on Netflix on December 17, 2012. ' "AniMen 2" and another fantasy cartoon "Jungle Master" are under negotiation with Netflix, said Xu Ke, founder of the animation company and director of "AniMen."

Xu said, "Unique worldview and character design are among the reasons for Netflix to be optimistic about AniMen."

AniMen won the Silver Award at the 2012 Xingyun Awards, the only international prize for Chinese-language sci-fi writers and movie makers.

Netflix, founded in 1997 in the United States, provides 100,000 movies to more than 10 million members.