"Miraculous": how the French animated series became a worldwide hit

In her mundane life, Marinette is a reserved teenager, shy and queen of blunders in front of Adrien with whom she is madly in love.

On the heights of the Eiffel Tower, when the girl becomes Ladybug and her friend turns into Cat Noir, the roles of lovers are reversed.

And nothing can stop this benevolent tandem.

Nothing either stops the audiences of “Miraculous”, this French animated series, whose season 4 started this Sunday on TF 1 and that the fans can find in replay or on the Salto platform.

Last Sunday April 4, “Miraculous world: Shanghai, the legend of Ladydragon”, an unreleased television film about the adventures of the masked duo, exploded the audience records on the front page: 1.3 million viewers followed the schoolgirl in the ladybug costume in the footsteps of its Chinese origins, a market share of 58.4% among children under 10 years old.

A historic score.

The success goes far beyond the childish slice.

Lucie, 14, had put on her alarm clock to watch Ladybug's trip to Shanghai.

“I really like the secrecy of undeclared love between Marinette and Adrien.

I find myself in the heroine.

Sometimes I'm shy like Marinette, other times outgoing like Ladybug.

I also find the graphics very successful, joyful.

»Liena, a big talker of 9 years, places« Miraculous »in the top 3 of her favorite cartoons.

She is seduced by "the magic, the bond between the two heroes and the story".

"The stories are really very different"

The girl falls for the "jokes between Ladybug and Cat Noir during the fights."

I loved the bunny costume from season 3 and can't wait to see season 4. ”Liena knows all the improbable names of kwamis.

These little magical creatures who transform their carriers into superheroes.

Cybèle, an 11-year-old fan, applauds the Parisian decor, “the buildings so nicely colored.

The stories are really very different and we may never know if Ladybug and Cat Noir love each other.

"

Since the beginning of the year, season 3 of "Miraculous" has attracted 31% of children in front of the front page.

The cartoon is number 1 on Netflix in the United States, number 1 in Italy and Germany.

This tricolor creation has carved out a great share of the lioness on the 4-10 year old market.

However, when its creator Thomas Astruc presented the project to television channels in the early 2010s, they did not believe it.

Except TF 1, which followed the enthusiasm of the creator.

"Miraculous has an extraordinary visual force, the stories are very well written and I was interested in the fact that the hero is a heroine", says Yann Labasque, director of youth programs of the private channel, delighted that this success is splashing. 'international.

The program has been on the air in 120 countries, including China since January, where its broadcasting is also starting very strongly.

The phenomenon is literally exploding in Latin America.

“At the Rio carnival two years ago, whole floats were decorated on the theme of Miraculous,” laughs Aton Soumache, the producer with Jérémy Zag.

The founder and president of On kids & Family (from the Mediawan group) believes the series “shows that we can all be the heroes of our lives and girls find themselves in the character of Marinette / Ladybug.

Miraculous in Shanghai has also achieved a 32% audience share among women under 50.

No doubt because the format relies on emotions, taking advantage of a character's frustration (a Parisian who can no longer feed the pigeons, a disappointed woman in a beauty contest…) to transform him into a villain.

Ladybug and Cat Noir save them from the spell.

"A woman makes it possible to broaden the spectrum of intrigues"

The drawing of this brunette in the red costume was born under the pencil of Thomas Astruc.

“I was working in an animation studio and a new colleague arrived with a ladybug t-shirt.

We all had fun doodling drawings on post-it notes, this colleague inspired me.

I drew her as a superheroine and I wanted to create a story around this character.

A woman allows you to broaden the spectrum of intrigues that you don't allow yourself with a male superhero, locked in action and humor.

I based everything on emotions, placing them in Paris.

»Risky bet.

The chains wanted a neutral decor, Thomas Astruc and Aton Soumache carried the capital as an ultimate character integrated into the adventures, where the battles perch at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

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Both have been bottle-fed to Marvel heroes, to comics.

“Miraculous is our French Marvel,” boasts Aton Soumache.

And like the superheroes, we ask them for a campaign on barrier gestures, we take out bank cards bearing the effigy of Ladybug and the lively duo even entered the Grévin museum three years ago, alongside Titeuf and Lara Croft.

Next step: the cinema, with a first film scheduled for 2022.