Following on the heels of last week's announcement that YU YU HAKUSHO is moving to Cartoon Network's Toonami Block on March 3, FUNimation announced at the International Toy Fair in New York City it has awarded JAKKS Pacific the master toy license for YU YU HAKUSHO in North America. JAKKS Pacific will manufacture action figures, accessories and playsets based on the popular series from Japan that follows the adventures of 14-year-old Yusuke Urameshi, and expects to have product hit retail shelves by Q4 2003, in time for the Christmas season.

Brown Shoe Company, Inc. has signed a licensing partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to create four new footwear lines, featuring Looney Tunes characters Tweety and Taz, and the DC Comics super heroes, Superman and Supergirl. The launch of all four character lines is scheduled for the 2003 back-to-school season, and will include athletic and casual shoes, boots and slippers. Supergirl footwear will debut first, appearing at select retailers in spring 2003. Targeted to kids ages 3-7, the footwear lines will be available in children's sizes 9-3.

Bankrupt Stan Lee Media is suing Merrill Lynch brokerage, seeking $10 million for the firm's alleged part in the company's demise, according to a report by Associated Press. The Internet company named after comics creator Stan Lee filed suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court, alleging the brokerage firm didn’t do enough to keep Stephen Gordon, former VP Stan Lee Media, and his brother Jonathan, a Merrill Lynch financial consultant, from running an alleged scheme to manipulate the price of the company's stock.

Dr. Peter Duval has resigned from his position as speaker of the managing board of German entertainment company RTV as of January 31, 2003. During the recent restructuring process, the business volume of RTV has been reduced considerably and Duval stated that he no longer wanted to be at the disposal of the restructured company. This restructuring reduced the amount of ongoing production obligations the company had.

In a February 6, 2003 fourth quarter and fiscal year earnings teleconference, Steve Jobs confirmed that Pixar was in initial talks with other major motion picture studios, heightening the speculation that Pixar may not renew its partnership with Disney once the seventh film under the current deal is completed. Under the conditions of the existing agreement, Pixar had the right to begin negotiations after the fifth film was delivered.

IDT Media is expanding its animation business, offering its services to toy companies to create low-cost 3D series for television or home video. IDT's production subsidiary Digital Production Solutions (DPS) and its Global Animation Studio plan to provide high-quality 3D animation solutions at a lower cost for toy manufacturers.

Tribune Entertainment and DIC have entered into an advertising sales and administrative alliance, where Tribune will exclusively handle all domestic barter sales activities, as well as oversee back room operational services, for DIC's domestic syndication division. Among the DIC properties for which Tribune will handle barter sales are DIC's programming blocks of FCC qualified educational and informational programming.

The fur continues to fly in the Winnie the Pooh royalties case, as The Walt Disney Company has now asked a Superior Court judge to dismiss the nearly twelve year-old lawsuit. According to an AP report, Disney accused Stephen Slesinger Inc., the company that owns the Winnie the Pooh merchandising rights, of "pervasive misconduct and illegal activities," including stealing documents by rifling through Disney's garbage. Disney also said the company destroyed potential evidence in the case.

Target Distribution has changed its name to Target Entertainment to better reflect the company's growth from a distribution to a rights management outfit. Target has also completed a move into parent company CSS Stellar's offices in Covent Garden, London, as well as opening a U.S. base in CSS Stellar's New York offices. Overseeing the new venture is Ellen Lovejoy, who joins Target as president, Americas and Australia/New Zealand.

Profits are down but theme park attendance is up, as The Walt Disney Company reported earnings for the quarter ended December 31, 2002. Net income in the quarter was $256 million, or 13 cents per share, compared with net income of $438 million, or 21 cents, in the same quarter last year. These figures included an after-tax charge of $83 million, or 4 cents per share, for investments in aircraft leveraged leases with United Airlines.

Toy manufacturer Hasbro, Inc. has scored a major coup in the licensing biz by extending its license with Lucas Licensing, Ltd., for the manufacture and distribution of STAR WARS toys and games for an additional ten years. Under the terms of the extension, the agreement is expected to run through 2018. The minimum guarantee payable to Lucas has also been reduced by $85 million to $505 million. Under its original 10-year deal, the minimum payment to Lucas was $590 million of which Hasbro has already paid $470 million.

German entertainment company EM.TV & Merchandising AG is close to paying off half of its so-called "Junior loan," allowing its previously announced sale intention of half of the Muppets stake to continue. The consortium banks of EM.TV have decided to extend the term for repayment of the remainder of the "Junior loan" by three months, until the end of April 2003. The "Junior loan" financed EM.TV’s 50% acquisition of its interest in the Junior TV joint venture with the failed Kirch Media Group.

Kidz Kraze International has been appointed licensee for THE SIMPSONS' inflatable figures, in a deal with FOX Licensing. In 2003, the company plans to launch the line of inflatables, including family members Homer, Bart, Marge, Maggie and Lisa, along with townspeople such as Mr. Burns, Krusty The Clown and Comic Book Guy. Kidz Kraze will feature THE SIMPSONS' inflatable figures at the New York International Toy Fair, February 16-19, 2003 in Room 554.

VirtualMagic Animation, the North Hollywood-based digital ink, paint and compositing company and former production division of USAnimation, is on the block. According to president Don Spielvogel, the company is being put up for sale by its investors as a result of the changing dynamics of the cartoon animation business in the U.S., as well as the wishes of its non-animation industry investors to move on.

According to the latest sales figures from market information company The NPD Group, total U.S. retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories in 2002 grew 10% from the previous year. The video game industry generated $10.3 billion in sales, surpassing the previous record high of $9.4 billion in 2001. The NPD Group credits the healthy increase in sales to the success of key properties such as: GRAND THEFT AUTO: VICE CITY, MADDEN NFL 2003, SUPER MARIO SUNSHINE, SPIDER-MAN: THE MOVIE, HALO and TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL.

Discreet has entered into an exclusive development and distribution partnership with New Orleans-based Turbo Squid, Inc., the world's premier marketplace for online digital assets. Turbo Squid will act as the worldwide developer, publisher and distributor for the Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-in Program. Working together, Discreet and Turbo Squid will carefully select plug-ins that bring compelling value to 3ds max artists.

Sesame Workshop and Mervyn's department stores have entered into an exclusive agreement to bring merchandise featuring characters from SAGWA, THE CHINESE SIAMESE CAT, a PBS KIDS' series, to Mervyn's 264 stores. From January to March 2003, the retailer will feature SAGWA characters on children's products such as bedding, clothing, plush and watches. A percentage of the proceeds of all SAGWA merchandise sold will support Sesame Workshop educational programs around the world.

Kim Mitzo Thompson and Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand, the founders of Twin Sisters Productions, Inc., have repurchased from CINAR Corporation the company they founded. The deal was concluded on January 13, 2003 for US$1.5 million. The sale also settled the outstanding litigation claims against CINAR by Twin Sisters.

Former Nelvana executive Toper Taylor has formed ToperTaylor.com, a Los Angeles-based marketing firm specializing in all areas of kids and family entertainment.

New York's Abandon Entertainment is making inroads in the Japanese market with the help of agency Creek & River. Abandon has teamed with Creek & River to gain direct access to unique and untapped Japanese properties across television, comic books, anime and games. The company, which includes Abandon Television, Abandon Internet Group and Collision Entertainment, hopes to access properties that have the potential to be exploited internationally across multiple distribution platforms.