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NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 22, 2005--4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:KDE) and Toei Animation (JASDAQ - code 4816) announced today a multi-year licensing agreement with Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT) for the toy company to serve as master toy licensee for ONE PIECE, a popular animated series airing on 4Kids TV, 4Kids Entertainment's Saturday morning children's programming block on FOX, as well as on Cartoon Network's Toonami block on Saturday evenings.

The master toy license grants Mattel the exclusive rights for a full range of products including action figures, play sets, role-play items, and games and puzzles. The initial launch of ONE PIECE toys is anticipated to be available at retail in the United States and Canada by December 2005.

"Mattel continues to be a great partner for our Company," said Alfred R. Kahn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 4Kids Entertainment. "They understand how to take the essence of this brand, which includes action and humor, and create toys that truly engage kids and allow them to re-enact storylines or develop their own adventures for Luffy and his friends."

"Mattel is thrilled to extend its relationship with 4Kids Entertainment and help bring the adventures of ONE PIECE featuring Monkey D. Luffy and his friends to life with exciting and innovative toys," said Matt Bousquette, President of Mattel Brands.

Whether kids are recreating the search for ONE PIECE or creating their own pirate adventures with these fun action figures and role-play items, they will be immersed in the world of pirates that is ONE PIECE.

4Kids Entertainment and Toei Animation recently awarded Bandai rights to create ONE PIECE video games for the Sony PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube platforms and collectible card games. Bandai video games and the trading card game are anticipated to debut at retail in Fall 2005.

Looks like we'll get our stretchy Luffy's pretty soon!

Buccaneer

Eh, it wouldn't have mattered to me unless it was Toy Biz.

Oh, and the line's "read it and weep."

Originally posted by Buccaneer@Jun 23 2005, 12:19 PM
**Eh, it wouldn't have mattered to me unless it was Toy Biz.

Oh, and the line's "read it and weep."
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Opps! My bad well I don't know how to fix it. You know what I mean though. Heh! Anyways anyone think the toys will fail?

Buccaneer

I do. I don't remember anything good ever coming from Mattel.

snow_yeti

I would've prefered Bandai. Whenever I hear Matel I keep thinking of Barbie.

Senshi Mizaka

Originally posted by snow_yeti@Jun 23 2005, 01:28 PM
I would've prefered Bandai. Whenever I hear Matel I keep thinking of Barbie.
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Heh; I hear you. But, somehow I get the feeling that they'll look shitty, and nothing like what they're suppsoed to.

Does'nt Mattel release the Batman toys?

Buccaneer

Maybe now, but I think the old ones were by Kenner. Eh, since Ninja Force, they've been really lame.

Pandaman

pfft, just don't expect me to be rushing out to buy 'um. <_<

Frankly, this could be a good thing. Because however you look at it, maybe they'll make all the usual crap.. like, I dunno'.. everything under the sun?

Personally, I'd like to have something like.. er, a plushie toy. At least now, this means people can own One Piece stuff, and not have to import it.

It could be fun, who knows. Unless they start making stupid stuff like, "Ninja Armour Snowboardin' Cool Luffy!" - And, a whole line of more of the same!

Seta Ginny

snow_yeti took the words right out of my mouth. Maybe we'll have a Nami Barbie? ^_^* I would have prefered Bandai, but we'll see what they look like. I'm not too worried…I already own more One Piece merchandise than someone trying to organize their stuff to move into an apartment should x_X

Originally posted by snow_yeti@Jun 23 2005, 09:28 AM
I would've prefered Bandai. Whenever I hear Matel I keep thinking of Barbie.
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I agree….I keep imagining Ken with Zoro's hair and cheap rubber swords...and a barbie doll with orange hair. :blink: But, if we're lucky, they won't be too bad.

snow_yeti

Imagines pirate themed Barbies That'd be funny. But you know they probably are going to have some Barbie like ones for accessoring purposes to get into the girl fan market. Not all girls are like me and enjoy action figures. When I was little I prefered playing with TMNT rather than Barbies. I still get funny looks in the action figure asile, and I say "boo" to the people who have perplexed faces… enough about my issues. What I want to see is a Zoro action figure with a movable mouth so you can stick in his katana, that'd be so sweet.

Greg

"Mattel is thrilled to extend its relationship with 4Kids Entertainment and help bring the adventures of ONE PIECE featuring Monkey D. Luffy and his friends to life with exciting and innovative toys," said Matt Bousquette, President of Mattel Brands.

As some of you know, I write for the Beckett Anime Collector magazine. Being in that profession you sometimes get to meet people in the industry who are really quite high up the line. I recall being at a Cartoon Network press conference where I actually got to meet the creator of Dexter's Lab, thre President of CN and even be the first writer to break news of what was at the time a rumored 'adult block' of programming on CN.

In short, I got to meet a lot of people like Mr. Bousquette and although I'm not going anywhere terribly far with this. It's funny as HELL to see and hear what comes out of these guys' mouths. Seriously. 60 year-old executives in suits who drive Audi's or BMW's saying stuff like, "You can continue your adventures in space with Trunks in his Time Machine which fires missiles!", to potential distributors like Toys R Us and such. They can bullshit for hours and hours about the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy when all they know is:

A. He has friends
B. He can stretch
C. His name.

Seriously, it is like an art form. They know absolutely nothing and they can sell it like snake oil. I highly suggest everyone take a spin to the Toy Fair in NYC for yourselves if you ever get the chance and see this in action.

I too was hoping Bandai would get the toy rights to One Piece.

I hope that whatever Mattel makes doesn't suck and that they throw some decent marketing and advertising bucks behind the toys.

CosmicDebris

Yay, toys!
Really, I don't care all that much about who gets the toy rights. I mean, really nicely crafted collectors stuff that's more for show than for play would be great, but I don't expect to see that anyway for One Piece over here anytime soon, so meh, whatever. I'll play with my stretchy Luffy.

Bounty1Berry

What I'd expect from an "americanized" toy line:

-Accessories which don't really make sense in the original series context. Perhaps give Sanji a noodle gun.

-Multiple versions of the most popular characters. Regular Luffy, Luffy with springy-arms action, and new improved Luffy with Never Seen In the Series Armor and Gun!

-Very high heroes-villians ratio. We'll be lucky if we get Don Krieg OR Arlong, let alone both.

-Either a "one-off" release (don't expect any later characters as they appear), or a "series" release (six new versions of the Strawhats and one new villian at a later date)

CosmicDebris

Haha, you're probably right about that. Think of all the cool accessories Usopp will have.

There was one Usopp action figure made by Bandai that I saw before that was really strange, it actually came with two detachable heads. :blink:

Anime Master

Meh. A toys a toy. You know what would kill? If they were the size of the Star Wars line. I would be so happy. Or if they were 5 ft so I can make a display of OP killing all my old DBZ guys.
Yes I have toys. I like my Star Wars…they are sentimental.

luffink

Well, at least youÂ´ll have OP toys there. Here in Spain we donÂ´t have anythingÂ´of that

-Accessories which don't really make sense in the original series context. Perhaps give Sanji a noodle gun.

That's for Wanze.

We need our Helmeppo hammer gun action NOW!

Otaku no M

Captain Buggy action-figure! Now in stores! Some assembly is required! :lol:

joekido the Second

Wow, Let's buy a Luffy figure and weep over it like a madman full of anger :lol:

Solar Knight

A stretchy Luffy could never replace Stretch Armstrong! Too bad my sister ruined it when I was little…

Dragon Warrior Steve

I knew it was going to be Mattel, Shaman King had shitty toys now One Piece will be the same. How terribly dissappointing.

COWMAKAZE

_Originally posted by RomanMack+Jun 23 2005, 12:16 PM–>QUOTE(RomanMack @ Jun 23 2005, 12:16 PM)... toy licensee for ONE PIECE, a popular animated series airing on 4Kids TV…[snapback]75422[/snapback]

What ratings have they been looking at?

@Jun 24 2005, 08:44 AM
A stretchy Luffy could never replace Stretch Armstrong!Â Too bad my sister ruined it when I was little…
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_YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I still have that rubber-y Stretch Armstrong smell ingrained in my nose.

Also, if these toys do well, hopefully they'll make my dream come true: An OP towel. I don't know why. But I need one._

The Dude

Mattel made the new line of Masters of the Universe action figures, and they did a really good job. Who knows? They might pull off something halfway decent.

Cap'n Carter

Cool. All I want is a Buggy action figure..

Solar Knight

For some reason I can imagine a Lego Buggy (would be interesting ).

Namisan18

Originally posted by Kawaii_Vivi_Chan+Jun 23 2005, 02:30 PM–>QUOTE(Kawaii_Vivi_Chan @ Jun 23 2005, 02:30 PM)

Originally posted by Solar Knight@Jun 24 2005, 04:44 PM
For some reason I can imagine a Lego Buggy (would be interesting ).
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Yeah, or some of those Kubrick things… anyhow, the point is, Buggy rawkz.

Housyasei

Whenever I hear "Mattel", I see cutesy girl stuff. Barbie, Polly Pocket playsets, ect.

But I'll wait to see how crappy/well made they are. But basically it's a win-win situation.

If they are crap, they can be good converesation subjects: "Oh man! Look at Luffy! He looks cross-eyed!" "Maybe he's taking a gander at both Nami and Vivi without being perverted!"

If they are good…well, I can't think of anything.

Solar Knight

Originally posted by Oi Sanji@Jun 25 2005, 03:51 PM
Yeah, or some of those Kubrick things… anyhow, the point is, Buggy rawkz.
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Not Buggy, but I did find this on Google.