Tag Archives: Bandai UK

Guru Studio appoints Bandai as UK distributor for True and the Rainbow Kingdom toys

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Children’s entertainment company Guru Studio has appointed Bandai UK as its UK distributor for a new range of toys inspired by the hit series True and the Rainbow Kingdom.

Guru Studio teamed up with previously announced master toy partner United Smile to bring the product line to market, which has already launched in select markets including Israel, the Philippines and in Australia at Target, with Big Balloon handling distribution.

In the UK, True and the Rainbow Kingdom continues to be a breakout hit on TinyPop, currently ranking as the #3 most-watched series on the free-to-air kids’ channel. In addition to all four seasons now streaming on Netflix, the official True and the Rainbow Kingdom YouTube channel is nearing 1 billion views.

Licensing agency bRAND-WARD has been handling licensing and merchandising, bringing on an impressive number of top licensees including Fashion UK, Aykroyds, Roy Lowe, Imagine8, Smiffys and Warner Music Group.

“After so much anticipation and pent-up demand from our fans, we’re excited to be working with Bandai to launch this unique line of toys that we know kids in the UK have been waiting for,” says Jonathan Abraham, VP of Sales and Business Development at Guru Studio.

Nic Aldridge, Managing Director at Bandai UK, comments: “We are absolutely thrilled that True and the Rainbow Kingdom has joined our growing preschool portfolio, with a strong range focused in the key subcategories and most popular play patterns. Initial reaction from the trade has been very positive. So, we are very excited to launch True and all her friends to the market later in the year.”

The toy range – to include figures, plush, dolls, playsets and vehicles – is set to launch in A/W this year.

Bandai UK teams with Sanrio to launch Hello Kitty Tamagotchi

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Bandai UK’s Tamagotchi is joining forces with the ever-popular Hello Kitty to allow users to enlist the help of the iconic Sanrio character to raise and nurture their digital pets. ‘It’s everything that is familiar to people who have played with Bandai’s virtual pet gadgets,’ says the firm, ‘but with added cuteness of Hello Kitty.’

The Hello Kitty Tamagotchi comes in two different shell styles – Hello Kitty and Favourite Things. The white shell is with Hello Kitty’s red bow and whiskers, and the red shell features Hello Kitty’s Favourite Things.

Owners can raise their Tamagotchi from egg to baby to adult, feeding them treats like apple pie and milk, and getting Hello Kitty to clean up the mess that Joey – her best friend – makes in the Tamagotchi character’s space.

There are seven adult characters and how each user rears their pet will determine which adult they end up with. For particularly good parenting skills, users could even be rewarded with one of the surprise characters.

Hello Kitty Tamagotchi features two fun mini games – Piano Game and Balloon Game – as an added bonus and is suitable for kids aged eight and upwards.

Brand manager, Priya Jadeja, said “Tamagotchi has been an incredible brand for Bandai for over two decades and we’ve had many collaborations within that time period. Like Tamagotchi, Hello Kitty is a universally loved brand and we can’t wait to see the fan’s reactions.”