BRB Internacional
Spanish animation producer, licensing agency and international distributor known for character-led children's series such as Dogtanian, Willy Fog and The World of David the Gnome.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
BRB Internacional was a Spanish animation production, licensing and distribution company established in 1972 by Títo Basto, José Rodriguez and Claudio Biern Boyd. The company began as a Spanish merchandising agency and built its early business by acquiring local rights to internationally recognized properties, including characters and programs associated with Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros., The Pink Panther, Tom and Jerry, The Muppets and Charlie's Angels. Its name was formed from the initials of its three founders. A major early turning point came in 1975, when BRB reached an agreement with Germany's Merchandising München. This expanded the company from merchandising representation into the licensing and distribution of animated television properties in Spain and other markets. The arrangement also helped establish a long-running relationship with Japan's Nippon Animation, whose programs BRB distributed and later co-produced. This international orientation became central to the company's operating model: BRB frequently combined Spanish broadcasters and rights holders with animation studios in Japan, Taiwan and elsewhere. During the late 1970s and 1980s, BRB moved into original production while outsourcing much of the animation work to specialist studios. Ruy, the Little Cid premiered in 1980, followed by Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds, Around the World with Willy Fog and Football in Action. These productions adapted familiar literary, historical or sporting themes into accessible children's entertainment and gave BRB a durable catalogue of internationally marketable characters. The World of David the Gnome, produced with animation support from Taiwan's Wang Film Productions after the economics of Japanese production became less favorable, became one of the company's most successful properties and later reached the United States through Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. programming block. BRB subsequently broadened its catalogue through series such as Wisdom of the Gnomes, The Return of Dogtanian, The Cobi Troupe, Sandokan, Mortadelo y Filemón-related projects marketed in English as Mort and Phil, The Mozart Band, Iron Kid, Bernard, Suckers, Canimals, Zoobabu, Invizimals and Filly Funtasia. It also worked across television specials, feature-length animated projects, live-action programming, licensing and merchandising. The company continued to represent or distribute third-party properties in Spain, including Pokémon, Pepsi-related licensing and The Pink Panther. The company received outside investment in 2001, when Banco Espírito Santo de Investimento acquired a 25 percent stake. During the 2000s and early 2010s, BRB pursued new co-productions, digital distribution and brand extensions, while its catalogue remained anchored by its older internationally recognized franchises. Its film activities included the Apolo Films division and the 2021 theatrical animated feature Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds, a modern feature adaptation of one of BRB's signature properties. BRB's financial position deteriorated during the mid-2010s. Some planned or announced projects, including Super Bernard and proposed film versions of Around the World with Willy Fog and The Gnomes, did not reach completion. In January 2018, WildBrain was appointed exclusive global manager of BRB's children's catalogue on YouTube, reflecting the shift from traditional television distribution toward platform-based digital exploitation. BRB Internacional ultimately filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2022. In January 2023, DeAPlaneta Entertainment acquired the company's library, transferring the commercial value of its principal characters and programs to a new rights holder even though the original company was no longer operating.
History
BRB Internacional was founded in Spain in 1972 by Títo Basto, José Rodriguez and Claudio Biern Boyd. It initially operated as a merchandising agency, representing or acquiring Spanish rights to well-known foreign characters and programs. Early properties associated with its distribution activity included The Pink Panther, Tom and Jerry, The Muppets and Charlie's Angels, as well as characters from Hanna-Barbera and Warner Bros. In 1975, an agreement with the German company Merchandising München enabled BRB to expand into animation licensing and distribution. The company's work with Japanese animation helped create an important relationship with Nippon Animation. BRB distributed several Japanese-produced programs and later used international co-production arrangements to develop its own animated catalogue. Its first major move into original production was Ruy, the Little Cid, which premiered in Spain in 1980. The company then developed a group of literary and adventure adaptations, including Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds, Around the World with Willy Fog and Football in Action. BRB's productions generally relied on external animation studios rather than a fully integrated in-house production pipeline. Nippon Animation handled animation for several early projects, while Wang Film Productions in Taiwan became an important production partner after the cost of Japanese animation increased in the 1980s. This model allowed BRB to act as a Spanish creative, financing, licensing and distribution hub while drawing on specialist international animation capacity. The World of David the Gnome, produced during this period, became one of its most widely recognized properties and later aired in the United States on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. block. The catalogue expanded through the late 1980s and 1990s with further Gnome and Dogtanian programs, Bobobobs, A Thousand and One... Americas, The Cobi Troupe, Sandokan, Willy Fog 2, Mort and Phil, The Mozart Band and other productions. BRB also developed television specials and feature-length versions of several properties. Its business remained broader than original animation: the company licensed third-party brands in Spain, including Pokémon and The Pink Panther, and participated in merchandising and television programming. In 2001, Banco Espírito Santo de Investimento acquired a 25 percent interest in BRB. During the 2000s, BRB continued developing new animated properties and co-productions, including Iron Kid, Bernard, Angus and Cheryl, The Imp, Olympic Bernard, Suckers, Kambu, Canimals, Zoobabu and other series. The company also operated through the Apolo Films division and pursued feature projects. A theatrical feature based on Dogtanian was ultimately released in 2021, while other proposed projects, including Super Bernard and feature versions of Willy Fog and The Gnomes, were not completed. The company experienced financial difficulties during the mid-2010s. In 2018, WildBrain received exclusive global responsibility for managing BRB's catalogue on YouTube, showing how the library was being repositioned for digital audiences. BRB Internacional later filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2022. In January 2023, DeAPlaneta Entertainment acquired the company's library. The acquisition preserved the commercial exploitation of BRB's best-known characters and series under new ownership, while the original corporate entity remained defunct.
- 2023
DeAPlaneta acquires the library
[1]DeAPlaneta Entertainment acquires BRB Internacional's content catalogue.
- 2022
Company closes after bankruptcy
[1]BRB Internacional files for bankruptcy and ceases operations.
- 2021
Dogtanian feature film released
[1]Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds receives a theatrical animated feature adaptation.
- 2018
Digital catalogue management agreement
[1]WildBrain becomes exclusive global manager of BRB's children's catalogue on YouTube.
- 2009
Cartoon Forum recognition
[1]BRB receives a nomination for Best European Producer at Cartoon Forum.
- 2001
Banco Espírito Santo de Investimento takes a minority stake
[1]Banco Espírito Santo de Investimento acquires 25 percent of BRB Internacional.
- 1985
The World of David the Gnome is produced
[1]BRB works with Wang Film Productions in Taiwan on a series that later gains exposure in the United States through Nickelodeon.
- 1983
Around the World with Willy Fog premieres
[1]The literary-adventure adaptation becomes one of BRB's defining international properties.
- 1981
Dogtanian and Football in Action begin
[1]BRB expands its original catalogue through Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds and the football-themed Football in Action.
- 1980
Ruy, the Little Cid premieres
[1]BRB's first cited original animated production premieres on Televisión Española, with animation by Nippon Animation.
Products and positioning
A Spanish-origin, internationally oriented children's entertainment company that combined character licensing, television distribution and outsourced animation production.
Animated television series and feature films · 1981
Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds
An adventure series inspired by Alexandre Dumas's musketeer tradition, featuring an anthropomorphic dog protagonist. It became one of BRB's signature franchises and generated follow-up television productions, specials and the 2021 theatrical feature Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds.
Animated television series · 1983
Around the World with Willy Fog
A children's adaptation of Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days, produced with Televisión Española and animated by Nippon Animation. The series became a core part of BRB's internationally distributed adventure catalogue and was followed by Willy Fog 2 and television and film projects.
Animated television series · 1985
The World of David the Gnome
A family-oriented fantasy series centered on the life and natural environment of David, a gnome. Its international exposure, including a U.S. run on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr., made it one of BRB's most recognizable properties. The brand later supported additional Gnome programs and specials.
Animated television series · 1980
Ruy, the Little Cid
A historical adventure series based on the youth of the Spanish hero El Cid. It was BRB's first cited original animated production and was made in cooperation with Televisión Española, with animation by Nippon Animation.
Animated short-form series · 2006
Bernard
A dialogue-light comedy property built around the misadventures of a polar bear. BRB developed the series into additional productions and themed versions, including Olympic Bernard, and pursued a feature project known as Super Bernard that was not completed.
Animated television series · 2005
Iron Kid
A science-fiction and adventure series co-produced with Manga Entertainment. It was marketed under the title Eon Kid in the United States and represented BRB's effort to extend beyond its older literary adaptations into contemporary action-oriented animation.
Animated television series · 2010
Suckers
A comedy animation project developed during BRB's later production period. The series formed part of the company's push toward newer short-form and broadly exportable children's properties.
Animated television series · 2011
Canimals
A later BRB animated property featuring small animal characters and designed for international distribution and licensing. It belongs to the company's post-2000 catalogue of globally oriented children's brands.
Animated feature film · 2021
Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds
A theatrical animated modernization of BRB's best-known Dogtanian property. The film was released in 2021 and represented the company's principal completed feature-film revival of a classic catalogue brand.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018BRB catalogue YouTube distribution
Global
BRB appointed WildBrain as the exclusive global manager for its children's catalogue on YouTube, using digital video distribution to make established properties available to online audiences.
Outcome. The agreement created a formal digital exploitation channel for BRB's library, although BRB itself later ceased operations.
Brand decisions
2023
Transfer of the content library to DeAPlanetaM&ABackground
Following BRB's bankruptcy and closure, its catalogue required a new commercial rights holder.
Action taken
DeAPlaneta Entertainment acquired BRB Internacional's library.
Aftermath
The catalogue continued under new ownership even though BRB Internacional remained defunct.
2018
Prioritize digital catalogue distributionStrategyBackground
Children's viewing and catalogue monetization were increasingly moving toward online video platforms.
Action taken
BRB appointed WildBrain to manage the catalogue globally on YouTube.
Aftermath
The agreement extended the digital availability of BRB properties but did not prevent the company's later bankruptcy and closure.
1985
Shift part of animation production to TaiwanStrategyBackground
Rising Japanese production costs, associated in the reference material with the appreciation of the yen, changed the economics of BRB's production partnerships.
Action taken
BRB contracted Wang Film Productions in Taiwan for The World of David the Gnome.
Aftermath
The production became an international success and reinforced BRB's use of geographically diversified animation suppliers.
1980
Launch of original animated productionProduct launchBackground
After building experience in licensing and distribution, BRB decided to develop its own animated series while outsourcing animation execution.
Action taken
Ruy, the Little Cid premiered on Televisión Española, with Nippon Animation providing animation services.
Aftermath
The project opened a sustained period of BRB-led co-productions and created the foundation for its best-known international franchises.
1975
Move from merchandising into animation licensingStrategyBackground
BRB began as a merchandising agency but sought a larger role in the Spanish and international animation business.
Action taken
Through an agreement with Merchandising München, BRB expanded into licensing and distributing animated series and deepened its relationship with Nippon Animation.
Aftermath
The move established the international distribution and co-production model that shaped BRB's later business.
Sources1 sources
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