SUNRIGHTS INC. appoints m4e AG to represent the Japanese BEYBLADE franchise in the German-speaking territories.
Höhenkirchen/Munich, June 3, 2016: The legendary BEYBLADE franchise is set to relaunch later in 2016 in the U.S. and Canada with a new generation, branded as BEYBLADE BURST. The German brand management and media company m4e AG was appointed agent for broadcast, home entertainment and merchandising rights by SUNRIGHTS INC. to represent the brand in the German-speaking territories. SUNRIGHTS INC. handles the distribution of all rights for BEYBLADE BURST outside of Asia. The original BEYBLADE brand was launched in 1999 and became a global phenomenon with two generations to date, including seven series, two movies and three spin-off series. The brand has been a massive hit with broadcasters and retailers in over 80 countries.
m4e will now be looking to attach a German broadcasting partner to the series in order to start developing a broad licensing program. The toy line will be introduced in North America in late 2016 by master toy partner Hasbro, followed by a broader launch in most major international markets in 2017. The BEYBLADE BURST toys will feature a dynamic burst component bringing more excitement to the successful battling play pattern. Battling will trigger the spinning tops to burts apart upon defeat setting the stage for suspenseful competition. The toy line will also include a digital component for a fully immersive gaming experience. Hasbro was the toy licensee in 1999 and 2008 for the first two generations of the BEYBLADE toys.
Peter Kleinschmidt, Senior Vice President Group Marketing & Brand Management at m4e comments: “We are very proud of our trustful and long-lasting partnership with d-rights and SUNRIGHTS. We know the brand and all involved partners very well and can’t wait to breathe new life into this cult franchise.”
Daizo Suzuki, President of SUNRIGHTS INC. adds: “I am very excited about this partnership and to watch BEYBLADE BURST grow globally in the Western markets.”
The BEYBLADE BURST series debuted in Japan on TV Tokyo in April 2016. The animation for the franchise is produced by d-rights, Inc. with over 300 episodes in the prior generations. The production company OLM has completely reimagined the new animated series. There is a brand new story line, all new characters, and a theme of real sports, competition and friendship which will increase accessibility for the brand’s core demographic of boys, aged 6-11 years. Tomy Company. Ltd. were the original toy developers of BEYBLADE, a modern battling top system inspired by traditional Japanese battling tops called “Bei-Goma” which became a global phenomenon in the following years.
Höhenkirchen/Munich, June 3, 2016
m4e AG – Executive Board
Links: www.m4e.de | www.sunrights-inc.com
About m4e AG:
The m4e Group, founded in 2003, is an international brand management and media company focussing on children’s and family entertainment content. m4e AG is a leader in creation, production, distribution and marketing of animated and live action programming. Its library of more than 2,300 episodes features some of the most recognizable brands such as “Lizzie McGuire”, “Mia and me®”, “Tip the Mouse”, “Miffy”, “Rainbow Fish”, “Conni” and “Something Else”.
The m4e Group includes Tex-ass Textilvertriebs GmbH, Telescreen B.V., m4e Television GmbH, the joint venture companies Hahn & m4e Productions GmbH and YEP! TV Betriebs GmbH & Co.KG, as well as m4e Licensing & Merchandising, a full service agency/division that represents international entertainment brands such as “Tobot” or “Yo-kai Watch”.
Since July 2007, m4e AG is listed on the Entry Standard at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A0MSEQ3).
m4e Group – key facts:
- The full value-added chain from one source
- Library of nearly 2,300 episodes of best children and family program
- Award-winning shows in over 150 territories worldwide
- New shows in development/production: “Mia and me®” (season 3, feature film), “Wissper”, “Me, Mum & Mystery” and many more
About SUNRIGHTS INC.:
Based in New York, SUNRIGHTS INC. was created to bridge the gap between Asian and Western markets. SUNRIGHTS INC taps regional talent from within the global licensing and brand industry and is uniquely positioned with its direct relationship with Japan to localize content and maximize success on a global level.
Contacts
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Susan Hoffmeister c/o CROSSALLIANCE communication GmbH Freihamer Straße. 2 82166 Gräfelfing Germany
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