Licensed to innovate
By Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 2/1/2006 12:00:00 AM
Entertaining the kids
4Kids Entertainment, New York, follows up last year's video and trading card launches for One Piece and Winx Club with action figures and dolls for children 4 and up from Mattel.
One Piece Action Attack Figures ($6.99) include five pirate figures, each with their own unique battling skills. The deluxe version of Roranoa Zolo comes with three swords and includes electronic sounds ($19.99). Animated Pi Ripz Action Figures ($19.99) come with a DVD. Battery-operated Super Elasti Luffy ($19.99) stretches in all directions; KaBoom Cannon ($16.99) fires cannon balls.
For girls, Winx Club merchandise will now include the Singsational Magic Doll Assortment ($17.99) with a light-up microphone; the Magical Fairy Trading Card Game ($14.99), which includes 36 cards in collectible tins; and Pixie Kisses ($4.99), lip gloss on a key chain.
Betting on Betty
Breakthrough, Encino, Calif., is bringing the Atomic Betty character to store shelves through a variety of products.
Atomic Betty makes the retail rounds in 2006 with the Pixter game device by Fisher-Price, East Aurora, N.Y., and educational software by Brighter Child. Hallmark Cards, Kansas City, offers Atomic Betty greeting cards, party goods and Christmas ornaments this fall while Dan River Inc., Danville, Va., plans to introduce bedding in the spring. The girls' property is licensed by JTMG, San Diego.
Distributing 'the force'
Diamond Comic Distributors' next exclusive Star Wars product, Star Wars Saga Collection: Hunt for the Millennium Falcon Bounty Hunter Pack from Hasbro, Pawtucket, R.I., has brought together seven 3¾-inch figures from Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back. Each figure is specially packaged to recreate the scene aboard Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer during which Vader briefs an assortment of bounty hunters on a mission to find Han Solo and crew. This gift box contains Darth Vader, Boba Fett, IG-88, Bossk, Dengar, Zuckuss and 4-LOM. Accessories include blaster rifles for the bounty hunters and a light saber for Darth Vader. The product is designed for ages 3 and up and retails for $34.99.
Meanwhile, Mezco Toyz, New York, is adding a Battle Damaged 18-inch figure to its Hellboy Comic Previews Exclusive line of action figures. This roto-vinyl 18-inch figure comes complete with cloth coat, removable belt and gun. The product retails for $49.99 and is for ages 14 and up.
DIC adds to Trolls
DIC Entertainment, Burbank, Calif., will unveil a new line of classic Trolls. The multi-generational collectible phenomenon, which originally became a pop culture icon in the '60s and later became a merchandising phenomenon in the early '90s, is back with master toy partner Jakks Pacific's Play Along division producing and marketing a new line of spiky-haired figurines, as well as pencil toppers and key chains.
Foxy licensing
Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising (Fox L&M), Los Angeles, is at Toy Fair with a full lineup of properties fromtelevision and film.
New products featuring The Simpsons gang are on tap from McFarlane Toys, Tempe, Ariz., and Gentle Giant, Burbank, Calif., with action and collectible figures. Additionally, The Simpsons games business continues to expand with an edition of the classic game, Operation. Additionally, Cardinal Industries, Long Island City, N.Y., extends its line of trivia games and Warren Industries, Lafayette, Ind., introduces its Don't Panic Game for the brand. Fox recently inked a multi-year deal with Electronic Arts, Redwood City, Calif., which will continue to drive awareness for The Simpsons in the video game arena.
Mezco, New York, will continue its figural line for Family Guy while Cardinal and USAopoly join the family for the first time by introducing a trivia game and Monopoly game, respectively.
In total, more than 20 licensees for each property will be showcasing at this year's show.
The clock is also ticking on Fox's hit television series 24, as B1 Media, Studio City, Calif., debuts the 24 DVD board game.
On the film front, Fox L&M comes to Toy Fair with two upcoming releases. Ice Age 2 forges ahead with its March debut and a licensed product line led by master toy licensee Mattel. Also debuting in 2006, Eragon merchandise will launch with a collectible line to support the epic fantasy tale.
Household names
FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide, Los Angeles, has approved a variety of licensed products based on TV properties for 2006. Digital Blue, Marietta, Ga., offers an advanced version of its American Idol licensed digital camera with editing software and handheld microphone. Screenlife LLC, Seattle, debuts the American Idol—All Star Challenge DVD game, featuring show clips from the first four seasons, plus show questions and performance challenges. The game comes with a DVD, microphone, game board, cards and die, and is for ages 8 to adult.
Imagination Entertainment, Los Angeles, has a second edition of its Family Feud home DVD trivia game, with 800 new questions ($24.99). Endless Games, Jersey City, N.J., brings to market two retro DVD games based on Match Game and Password ($24 each).
HIT doesn't miss
HIT Entertainment, New York, has big plans for its preschool brands this year.
Thomas & Friends will have new partners, new content, expanded programs, and the new Day Out with Thomas 2006: Come Ride the Rails Tour.
A Bob the Builder feature-length musical special, Bob the Builder: Built to Be Wild, will be supported by an integrated product program and national advertising campaign, along with promotional and retail partnerships.
HIT launches a new live show for its favorite purple dinosaur: Barney LIVE! The Let's Go Tour, plus plans for the release of Barney: Let's Go to the Beach, the third title in the Let's Go Home Entertainment series.
An apparel partner is expected to join Penguin Young Readers Group and Sababa Toys with the Angelina Ballerina's Dance with Me license.
B-ball for everyone
NBA Kids announces several new basketball-theme products. Superstars of the NBA Portable Video Discs Volumes One and Two from Hasbro for VideoNow features on-court moves and off-court interviews with NBA favorites.
Never Flat Basketball from Spalding stays inflated 10 times longer than traditional basketballs and is guaranteed to remain inflated for up to one year.
NBA Youth Portable Backboard System from Spalding features the logo or jersey of an NBA team or player.
Mascotopia offers two new products: NBA Match 'Em Up game and NBA Basketball Mobile. Match 'Em Up is a new twist on the classic memory game. The NBA mobile features four plush team figures and plays the “Basketball Lullaby.”
Nelvana gets gross
Crime is cool in primetime and Nelvana, Toronto, brings Grossology, a 2-D animated comedy series to the U.S. with the idea of brokering toy partnerships at Toy Fair. Based on a book series, Grossology follows the crime-solving adventures of a brother and sister team who report to the secret Department of Grossology.
Speaking of siblings, the bunny brother and sister of the Nickelodeon series Max & Ruby are expanding from their Canadian roots with Adorable Kids sleepwear and Dan River bedding, both slated to hit stores this spring. Max & Ruby DVD titles are distributed by Nelvana Home Entertainment's Treehouse Presents label and kaBoom!
Z-Squad is a 3-D animated half-hour series chronicling the adventures of tween girls and their alien counterparts as they seek out enchanted crystals to save the earth and Z-Nation. Nelvana is working with the Korean animation company Enemes to produce and merchandise the fantasy show.
Licensed to read
Scholastic Media, New York, sets the stage with extensive licensing and toy programs planned for Clifford the Big Red Dog and the upcoming feature film release, His Dark Materials.
Jakks Pacific, Malibu, Calif., signed on as the master licensee to produce a line of new Tell-A-Story interactive books and plush based on the Clifford property. A new infant/toddler brand extension will also launch.
New licensing opportunities are in the works for the sci-fi trilogy, His Dark Materials. Licenses have yet to be announced.
Among Scholastic Media's new initiatives is Kim Parker Kids, based on the popular children's book, Counting in the Garden. The first licensee signed on to leverage Kim Parker Kids is SideKicks, which will create a line of plush toys for the specialty market. Maya & Miguel will spin off with a new interactive game and Goosebumps inspires a new novel in the fall.
Hang 10, penguin
When Surf's Up, the Sony Picture's Animation feature, hits movie theaters its Sony Pictures Consumer Products division, Los Angeles, will have authorized the release of several products that capture the film's culture—penguin surfing, that is.
Surf's Up follows a young surfer's entry into the competitive surfing world and how he learns that winning isn't always everything through his encounter with an old surfer named The Geek.
Toys are universal
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group, Universal City, Calif., will announce a master toy licensee for The Land Before Time television series.
Playmates will showcase new SKUs of its King Kong product line set to debut with the film's DVD release.
Nikko, RC2, Zizzle, and Carrera will be among licensees featuring product for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
Hasbro, Topps, Majestic, Master Replicas and more will be on hand to launch new product for Battlestar Galactica, and International Playthings and Masterpieces will introduce new lines for The Little Engine That Could. Also watch for new Curious George licensed product to tie-in with its new film and television series, currently in development.
Animania
Viz Media, San Francisco, Calif., licenses Shonen Jump's Naruto graphic novel and Japanese animated show about ninjas for several products targeting tween and teens.
The Upper Deck Company, Carlsbad, Calif., will be offering Naruto stickers and wall decals. Everbrite, Greenfield, Wis., will make Naruto mini tin signs, military dog tags, door knob hangers, light switch plates, night light alarm clocks, and LED illuminated night lights. And Toynami, Sherman Oaks, Calif., is producing non-articulated 2- to 12-inch resin Naruto figurines in the form of bookends and statues.
Viz is also offering several new anime DVD titles: Inuyasha The Movie 3: Swords Of An Honorable Ruler ($24.98), Inuyasha Season 2 Box Set ($99.98) and Inuyasha Season 2 Box Set Deluxe Edition ($119.98) with imported Hanko signature blocks featuring the name of Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Kagome, or the original Japanese logo for the series, Saikano: The Complete Box Set ($79.98), Zatch Bell!, Volume 1, The Lightning Boy from Another World ($19.98) Pokémon Advanced Challenge, Volume 1, Love at First Flight ($14.98), and Pokémon Advanced Box Set Volume 1 ($39.98).
Viz is also partnering with German-based Tokyopop to publish and distribute the latest manga titles to the German market.
Licenses up and away
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Los Angeles, showcases a wide range of licenses at this year's Toy Fair.
DC Comics' Superman will appear as action figures, outdoor toys, flying toys, role play items, and dolls from Mattel; key rings, mugs, bust banks, and paperweights from Monogram International; costumes and accessories, including adult collector costumers and a Clark Kent-to-Superman costume from Rubie's Costumes; Kids Learning Laptop Computer from Oregon Scientific; Slip n' Slide, Frisbees, and boogie boards from Wham-O; arts and crafts activities from Rose Art; pinball machines from Funrise Toy Corp.; plug n' play games from Jakks Pacific; V.Smile and V.Smile Pocket video games from VTech Electronics; outdoor furniture from Kids Only; novelty key chains from Basic Fun; and seasonal decorations from Kurt Adler.
DC's Batman will also be licensed by Mattel, Fisher-Price, Funrise, Hasbro, Jakks Pacific, Leap Frog, Monogram International, Oregon Scientific, VTech Electronics, Rubie's Costumes, Thinkway Toys, Wham-O, Kurt Adler and Lego. DC's Justice League is licensed by Mattel, Monogram International, Basic Fun, Jakks Pacific and Rose Art.
Besides comic characters, Warner Brother's Firehouse Tales license goes to Bandai America for vehicles, playsets and bath toys. Teen Titans goes to Bandai America, Techno Source, Mattel, Rubie's Costumes and Thinkway Toys. The Wizard of Oz goes to Tonner Doll and Alexander Doll Company. Xiaolin Showdown goes to Wizards of the Coast for a trading card game, plus Toy Play and Techno Source; and Krypto the Superdog goes to Fisher-Price and Mattel.
New Harry Potter products debut at Mattel, Rubie's Costumes, Lego, Tonner Doll and Gentle Giant on everything from a DVD game to construction products. Teen TV favorite The OC gets a trivia board game from Cardinal Games while the Mucha Luch license goes to Fisher-Price, Dukes of Hazzard die-cast arrives from RC2, Gremlins goes to NECA, as does A Christmas Story.
Finally, Scooby-Doo is licensed to Hasbro, Fisher-Price, Funrise, Jakks Pacific, Leap Frog, Rose Art, and VTech. McFarlane Toys, Scottsdale, Ariz., is releasing a second lineup of action figures based on Warner Bros. Pictures' 2005 stop-motion animated feature film, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. The collection is slated to hit stores in late February, retailing between $10-$12.
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