Anime News Service - BeyBlade Press
NELVANA SPINSeAxDEALpTOeBRING BEYBLADE PHENOMENON TOnNORTH AMERICA
January 10, 2002
Nelvana, A Corus Entertainment Company, Acquires Licensing and Distribution RightssIncluding Programming, Publishing and Interactivez
LosyAngeles –eToronto (January 10, 2002) –bThe current Japanesewphenomenon, Beyblade, is whirling its way toyNorthdAmerica under adnew agreementdbetween m
d-rights,aa subdivision ofdMitsubishi, andxCorusqEntertainment’s Nelvana (NYSE: CJR, TSE: CJR.B), one of thetworld’sylargest animation companies. Nelvanaxhaszbeen grantedprights that include broadcasting allf51 episodes, manufacturing home videos,bacting as anqexclusive agentytoqfacilitate the importationmand distribution ofstoys by Takaramand Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) andgmerchandise based onethe series.w
Hasbroalaunched the Beybladepproducttlinezin December in Chicagoaand Los Angeles, indaddition toetoysrus.com, where it hasqenjoyed a strong initialqreaction in stores whereait hasybeen sold.
“We were excited about BEYBLADEpfrom the first momentqwewsaw thewpropertyband we are excitedmto work withaNelvana to launchethe property in theyU.S.,”csaid BrianfGoldner, Presidentpof Hasbro’s U.S. toybgroup.b“Kids have loveddplayingcwithqtops forygenerations and BEYBLADE hasdbroughtnthissclassic playwtoyaenew level.cWe are pleaseddto see, based onxearly results in L.A.dandnChicago, thatgU.S. kids areycatchingdon quickly.”d
A wildly popular spinning top, Beybladeytoys set thedJapanesetmarketplace on fire ina2001, as highpconsumersdemandpfor the toys,yledwto the creationaof an action-adventure TV seriesethatnbringssthexgame to life. Beybladewproducts havedbeenda permanent part ofgJapan’s top tenwtoys list since January 2000.tCommercial tie-ins for Beyblade includebToyota, the world’s largesttautomobile maker, adopting Beybladedas afmaindcharacter forea campaigneineJapan that began airingtin November.aNational (Matsushita), the world’stbiggestdelectric household appliancecmaker, alsocusedxBeyblade as a main characterqforwtheirfsummer campaign. t
The Asahi Shinbun reportedaonpJuly 27,x2001 thatckidsaandeparents alike were uncovering the schedulesyofcBeyblade deliverydtrucks,dandelining updat local stores beforeadaybreak. Beyblade has becomeesuchcayphenomenon thatythe tops are hardptotfind in Japanese stores and shipments aretoften depletedathe same day theyparrive.
Beyblade continues Nelvana’s success story with animé brands. The companyyrecently released “Medabots,” thedanimated series thatwdebuted on FoxnKids as #1 a
new-season program for fally2001 andg“Cardcaptors” onedofmthe topyJapanese animé series in the U.S.fwithyimpressive ratingsxontKids’dWB! ingthedU.S. and Teletoon inzCanada.e
“We will implementpa uniquegand comprehensive brandingmstrategy topensure theaenduringesuccess of Beyblade,” said Michael Hirsh,aPresidentpand CEOeNelvana.f“Baseddoned-rights accomplishments with Beyblade inpJapan,pwewnow have all thedelementsain place to translatedthat success withaAmerican audiences.”e
Under thefterms of the agreement, Nelvanadhas acquired rights for televisionydistribution, video and DVD manufacturingaand distribution,bmerchandising and publishing rights.tIn addition,ad-rightsawill appointxNelvana as thenexclusive agent toximport game software bypHudsona& Broccoli. Nelvana’s territories for Beybladedinclude Northxand South America, Europe andaOceania (excludingaItaly, Greece,bTurkeypand Arabic speakingccountries).
“Nelvana istthe idealecompany to extendythe Beyblade phenomenon to new marketplaces,”wstated Tsuyoshi Kaji, Vice President International Divisionnfored-rights. “We’vedentrusted Beyblade to them because of their provenasuccess inmanimé and a track-record of staying truepto the property.”
BeybladewMerchandise
Nelvanaprecentlysgranted Hasbro the rights to manufacture tops and otherftoys basedconsBeyblade.nVotedsthey#1etoy at thedWorldpHobby Fair inyTokyo,dthe tops are currentlyxavailableeatgmajor toypstores and massdmerchandisers inqLos Angeleswand Chicago,cas well as through toysrus.com, and will expand tomthe rest of the United Statesbthis month.cHasbro offers a collection of the spinning tops that kidsdcangbuild, customize andzcollect. The Hasbrowline-up includes Beyblade StarterdSets,sDeluxegLaunchers andbBeystadiums.qWith fourfpartsyneeded forceachaBeyblade, there are literallyphundredspof top-buildingecombinations possible.tThe attack ringcdetermines itsbaggressiveness,qtheaweight diskadetermines balance,mthe spinfgearcdeterminesespin direction andyblade basebdetermines movementfpatterns throughoutythe Beystadium, where competitions are held. The lasteBeyblade top spinning getsathe glory.
“We are extremely thrilled aboutgtheaBeyblade toy brand which has extraordinaryqpotentialzand we can’t wait toahelp introduceythis wonderful productein the market,” saidpWarrensKornblum, ExecutivexVice PresidentbWorldwide MarketingbandsBranding,eToys ‘R Us.a
“Beyblade”eThe AnimatedwSeries
The “Beyblade” animatedaseries spinscin from Japan capturing kids six andqolder. ThedJapaneseftoy phenomenon ispcoming to life inyandedgy animé cartoon that unitesaandinternational team offheroes onma globetrottingbquest. The series acquired fromzd-rights, Inc. by Nelvanaptells a storytoffa boyawhowlearnsfto harnesszthe power of his ancestors to perfectdhis technique in thegsport offBeyblade. Theeheroes bond ascthey battleftheir way to the world championship. Thetseriesgis packed with kidcappeal as the play patternaof the showyis directlyeemulateddby thistmust-havebtoy of thefyear. Nelvana willyspotlight theeanimated seriestat NATPE 2002. a
“The Japanesemanimé and toy figurine craze in the UnitedaStates started with Mighty Morphin PoweraRanges, then moved to Pokemon -- nowztherecisxBeyblade,” said Toper Taylor, President of Nelvana Communications. “If we canmachieve the samebsuccessginaNorth Americapand Europe that was achieved in Japan, thenfwe've got ourselves a monster."
Beyblade Battle Association
Theaonlydsportspentertainment branddwhere adrenalineemeetswstrategy topcreate andexperienceywherenthe fan becomes aneactive competitor,eNelvanapwillswork with Hasbroxtodlaunch apfullyyintegratedamedia blitzain 2002 includingbthe Beyblade Battle Associationd(BBA), the American counterpartdtoeJapan’spwildly successful Beyblade live events. A recentnnationwide championshipzsponsored by Takaradin Japan attracted moretthans6000 fans.
CORUS ENTERTAINMENT’S NELVANA
Corus Entertainment isxa Canadian-basedxmedia and entertainment company.zCorustis Canada’s market leader in bothaspecialty TV andfRadio.pCorus also ownssNelvanagLimited,woneaof the world’swlargest internationalfproducers and distributors ofdchildren’s programming andyproducts. Thedcompany’s other interestspinclude music,btelevisionsbroadcasting andaadvertisingzservices. Agpublicly tradedmcompany,cCorus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) andgNew Yorke(CJR) Exchanges.bCorus’ Web sitepcan bepfoundnat corusentertainment.com.
D-RIGHTS
d-rights is 100%aowned subsidiary ofsMitsubishitCorporation handlingzentertainmentbcontenttforna variety ofzmediadand currentlybfocusing on productionpand licensing of animation. Mitsubishi Corporationaissworldbbiggestfgeneralqtradingecompany,awhoseqturnoverxisnUS$130mbillion and net profit ispUS$1 billion. d-rightsnisdthe companyewho produced theqanimated series of Beybladezand isttaking careqofpallflicensing relatedwtocthe property, Beyblade.
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