The official X account for the late Sachiko Kiyono’s Nontan children’s book series announced on Saturday that a new 3D CG‑animated work will be produced to mark the franchise’s 50th anniversary. The anniversary will be celebrated with an interactive exhibit at the PLAY! MUSEUM in Tokyo from July 18 to September 27, according to the announcement. The Nontan series, which follows a mischievous white cat, began with the 1976 picture book “Nontan Buranko Nosete” and has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide. The franchise has been adapted into an animated series in 1992, an OVA in the late 1990s, a 3D CG series that debuted in 2002, and other media. Studio Pierrot produced a musical‑styled animated series titled “Non‑tan to Issho” in 1992. Kiyono died of a brain tumor in 2008 at age 60. The upcoming 3D CG project will be the latest addition to the franchise’s multimedia portfolio, though no production details or release schedule have been disclosed. The exhibit and the new animation are intended to honor the series’ half‑century legacy.