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| February
2001 |
Keeping
Track of Figures
Rembrandt
Fri., Feb. 2, 2001 22:18
Some new shows set to premiere on Cartoon Network's Toonami are getting
their own toylines that are set to come out before the shows themselves.
Kidscreen.com reports:
"New Bandai anime spawns instant merch Bandai's betting the ranch
on new anime imports Outlaw Star, Big O and Pilot Candidate, with
action figures hitting shelves before the latter shows even hit airwaves.
Outlaw Star debuted on Cartoon Network's Toonami block January 15,
and Big O and Pilot Candidate probably won't light up screens until
this fall, but new anime collector sets from Bandai America will include
figures from all three shows, along with characters from Gundam Wing,
Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne and Blue Submarine No. 6. Each of the sets
is tentatively priced at US$14.99 and will include one seven-inch
and two four-and-a-half-inch figures when they ship later this spring.
Bandai is also planning to pour lots of cash into building the successful
Gundam franchise this year via a Gundam Wing Interactive Tour. The
promo, currently being developed with Wal-Mart and Pioneer, will aim
for 15- to 28-year-old guys and run between March and October 2001.
The multimillion-dollar U.S. project will aim to build on Gundam's
cult following through model-making workshops and presentations on
the history of Gundam and anime in general. Irwin reboots Reboot at
retail Mainframe's "classic" 3-D CGI series Reboot is finally jumping
back to store shelves this spring, thanks to collector's edition action
figures for kids ages six to 12 from Toronto-based Irwin Toy. A five-inch
line includes five action figures in three assortments. A deluxe set
features a voice-playback function. One button records your voice,
the second replays it, and the third distorts it. Both have an SRP
of US$7.99. Irwin is also coming out with nine-inch collectible figures
with an SRP of US$14.99 each. Five- to eight-year-olds can also get
creative (or destructive) with the Bucket o' Bynomes (US$7.99). The
set comes with four Bynomes-robotic-looking zeros and ones that make
up the majority of Mainframe's population and keep the system running-with
detachable body parts and accessories that can be refitted to create
your own Bynome characters. " |
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