Éric Cazes wrote and directed the film after directing Vic the Viking, a 2013 CG television remake of the 1974-1975 Vicky the Viking animated series. Zuiyo Eizō animated that 1974-1975 series, also based on Jonsson’s books, under the Japanese title Chiisana Viking Vicke. Zuiyo Eizō would eventually become Nippon Animation, the studio that could continue the tradition of adapting Western children’s books from Heidi (Alps no Shōjo Heidi) and Anne of Green Gables to Peter Pan (Peter Pan no Bōken) and Les Orphelins de Simitra (Porphy no Nagai Tabi).
Manga creator Eiichiro Oda has said that Chiisana Viking Vicke asserted a strong influence on his One Piece pirate manga and anime.
Chiisana Viking Vicke’s story revolves around a plucky Viking boy who gets his father out of tight situations during their voyages.
Sairi Itō (Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!’s Midori Asakusa) stars as the Japanese dub voice of the titular protagonist Vicke.