New Scooby-Doo anime series heads to Tubi instead of Cartoon Network
Yokoso Scooby-Doo! brings the Mystery Gang to Japan in the franchise’s first original anime, with Matthew Lillard and Frank Welker returning.
Warner Bros. Discovery is sending another major animated franchise outside its traditional home. The company has partnered with Tubi for the North American debut of Yokoso Scooby-Doo!, the first original anime series in the long-running Scooby-Doo franchise.
The decision continues a clear pattern. Even iconic Warner Bros. properties are increasingly launching on third-party platforms rather than debuting on Cartoon Network or Max.
Yokoso Scooby-Doo! brings the Mystery Gang to Japan
Yokoso Scooby-Doo!, which translates to “Welcome Scooby-Doo!”, marks the first time the franchise has received an original anime production. The series is a collaboration between Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Japanese studio OLM.
In the show, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy travel to Japan expecting a relaxing food-focused vacation. Instead, they accidentally release hundreds of mythical monsters across the country. They team up with new characters, including Scooby’s uncle Daisuke-Doo, a magical girl named Yume, and a gadget expert named Takumi, to solve the mysteries and stop the chaos.
Matthew Lillard returns to voice Shaggy, while Frank Welker once again provides the voice of Scooby-Doo. The series leans into anime aesthetics while maintaining the classic Scooby-Doo formula of mystery, humor, and monster unmasking.
Tubi holds exclusive rights in North America. The series will air on Cartoon Network in international markets.
Cartoon Network has seen years of declining viewership
For decades, Cartoon Network was the primary home for Warner Bros. animated series. However, the network has faced significant challenges in recent years.
Viewership has steadily fallen, particularly among its core younger audience. The broader industry has shifted from linear TV to streaming. Warner Bros. Discovery has gone through multiple rounds of layoffs and restructuring. Competition from YouTube, Netflix, and other platforms has intensified.
As a result, Cartoon Network has become a less dominant launch platform even for major Warner Bros. properties. Many new series are now evaluated first on their streaming and licensing potential rather than their fit for the linear network.
Warner Bros. Discovery is shopping its IP more widely
Yokoso Scooby-Doo! fits into a larger trend at Warner Bros. Discovery. The company has shown increasing willingness to place its animated content on outside platforms when it makes strategic or financial sense.
Recent examples include various Looney Tunes projects receiving releases or development outside traditional Cartoon Network channels, select DC and Batman animated content landing on Prime Video, and other Cartoon Network Studios productions such as Adventure Time: Side Quests premiering on Disney+ and Hulu in the U.S.
This platform-agnostic approach appears driven by a desire to maximize revenue from existing intellectual property. With linear television continuing to decline, Warner Bros. Discovery seems focused on finding the best distribution deal for each project rather than defaulting to its own networks.
What this means for Scooby-Doo fans
Scooby-Doo has experimented with many different tones and formats over its long history, from the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! to more comedic and horror-tinged iterations. An official anime series represents another evolution.
Having Lillard and Welker involved should provide continuity for fans who grew up with their versions of Shaggy and Scooby. The Japan setting and new supporting characters also give the series room to explore fresh storylines while keeping the core mystery-solving formula intact.
At the same time, the choice to launch on Tubi rather than Cartoon Network underscores how distribution strategies have changed. Even one of Warner Bros.’ most recognizable and enduring franchises is now being treated as a flexible asset that can live on multiple platforms.
Article compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs (entertainment editor) and the Clownfish TV newsroom.
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Hat Tips:
Variety, original reporting on Yokoso Scooby-Doo! and its Tubi deal
Warner Bros. Animation and Tubi official statements
Industry coverage on Cartoon Network’s ratings decline and Warner Bros. Discovery’s content distribution strategy