Sun Chaser
| Sun Chaser | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Created by |
|
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Bobby Pontillas |
| Voices of | |
| Theme music composer | Joaquin Santos |
| Composer | Joaquin Santos |
| Country of origin | Philippines |
| Original languages |
|
| No. of episodes | 1 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Eugene Cordero |
| Running time | 12 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | |
| Release | June 22, 2026 |
Sun Chaser is a Philippine animated web series created by Bernard Badion and Bobby Pontillas.[1] The pilot episode was released on June 22, 2026 with further episodes planned.
Premise
[edit]Inspired by the Philippine mythology, the series revolves a teenager named Jordan Santos, whose summer break in the Philippines takes a wild turn when a supernatural curse strikes his family and transforms his island home into a battleground of mythical creatures. With the help of quirky beings like a dwende and a manananggal, Jordan embarks on an epic quest rooted in vibrant Filipino mythology as he discovers his predestined role as the Spirit Guardian.[2]
Characters
[edit]- Jordan Santos (voiced by Manny Jacinto); a self-absorbed teen visiting his grandmother’s island in the Philippines.[3]
- Angie (voiced by Liza Soberano);[4] a fierce and protective manananggal.[5]
- Archie (voiced by Eugene Cordero);[4] an old grumpy duwende.[5]
- Lola (voiced by Charo Santos);[6] Jordan's grandmother.[5]
- JR (voiced by JR De Guzman)[4]
- Zoe (voiced by AC Bonifacio)[4]
- Sessa and La Bamba (voiced by Zia Dantes and KD Estrada respectively)[4] Jordan's twin cousins.[5]
- Necrofrost (voiced as Dingdong Dantes)[4]
- Queen Marisol (voiced by Liza Soberano)[4]
- Guards 1 and 2 (voiced by Gilbert Galon)
Production
[edit]Conception
[edit]The series was created by Pontillas with Bernard Badion, together with Toon City and Playlab animation studios. Pontillas revealed his inspiration for a passion project, stating "came from a personal place of wanting to tell a story rooted in Filipino mythology and identity, through the eyes of a young Filipino American trying to reconnect with his roots."[7]
Production
[edit]Sun Chaser was reportedly made to have a "hand-crafted" feel with the animatic made through Storyboard Pro and the animation made through Toon Boom Harmony.[8]
Release
[edit]Sun Chaser premiered on YouTube with the 12-minute pilot released on June 22, 2026.[6][9] A Kickstarter for the series was launched on June 23, 2026 to potentially fund the production of further episodes.[10] However, the Kickstarter was cancelled on July 11, 2026. At the time of its cancellation, it made $18,184 out of its $100,000 goal.[11] The creators stated that their partner which funded the pilot has committed to support the release of a second episode.[11]
Episodes
[edit]| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | Bobby Pontillas | Bernard Badion & Thomas Reyes | June 22, 2026 | N/A |
|
An introverted teenager accidentally ignores his grandmother's instructions and triggers a magic portal, unleashing supernatural monsters and mythical creatures into the world. Through the accident, he soon uncovers a long-buried family secret, discovering that he's destined to become the next Spirit Guardian, a member of an sacred, ancient bloodline tasked with protecting the fragile boundary between the human and spirit worlds. | |||||
Reception
[edit]Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Annecy International Animation Film Festival | MIFA Animation du Monde Prize | Sun Chaser | Won | [7] |
References
[edit]- ↑ Zahed, Ramin (June 23, 2025). "Exclusive: Disney Veteran Bobby Pontillas Details His Fun New Filipino Series, 'Sun Chaser'". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 28, 2025.
- ↑ Posadas, Andrea (June 9, 2025). "New Filipino Animated Series "Sun Chaser" Is Making Waves Globally Ahead of Its Release - When In Manila". When in Manila. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
- ↑ Tangcay, Jazz; Jacob, Arushi (April 21, 2026). "'On the Road (En El Camino)' Tops Winners at 43rd Miami Film Festival – Film News in Brief". Variety. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Milligan, Mercedes (June 17, 2026). "'Sun Chaser' Filipino Animated Adventure Launches Trailer". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Sun Chaser". Toon City Animation. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
- 1 2 Deveza, Reyma (June 19, 2026). "'Sun Chaser' trailer highlights Charo Santos ahead of June 22 premiere". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
- 1 2 Nepales, Janet Susan (June 19, 2025). "Fil-Am animator Bobby Pontillas talks of his new TV project, 'Sun Chaser,' and winning at Annecy Film Festival". GMA News. Retrieved June 21, 2025.
- ↑ Zahed, Ramin (June 23, 2025). "Exclusive: Disney Veteran Bobby Pontillas Details His Fun New Filipino Series, 'Sun Chaser'". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
- ↑ De Guzman, Alyana (June 19, 2026). "Charo Santos, Manny Jacinto shine in trailer of Filipino animated series 'Sun Chaser'". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
- ↑ Nepales, Janet Susan R. (June 23, 2026). "Manny Jacinto and creators talk about their new all-Filipino TV series 'Sun Chaser'". Asian Journal. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
- 1 2 Sun Chaser Kickstarter Update- Creators Bernard and Bobby. July 11, 2026 – via YouTube.