Interestingly this is not the first time a Miyazaki has been interested and involved in adapting a work by Astrid Lindgren. Gorô Miyazaki's father, Hayao Miyazaki had been interested in adapting "Pippi Longstocking" another one of Lindgren's works and started development in the late 1970s and personally met with Lindgren but she ultimately refused Miyazaki's request.
This is technically the first television series to be produced by Studio Ghibli, however Ghibli's predecessor known as Topcraft produced and contracted on a number of television series.
First time Studio Ghibli has produced a computer-animated work. Ghibli is famous for their hand drawn animated films.