Mega-Hit Yu-Gi-Oh Joins Kartoon Channel!
Genius Brands International Continues to Build Its Premium Content Pipeline on Kartoon Channel! With Konami’s Hit Anime Adventure Series, Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
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Approximately 230 Episodes of New Programming Rolling Out on Kartoon Channel! and its 5-Star Rated iOS App
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Aug. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the June 15 launch of its new free digital Kartoon Channel! across multiple AVOD and OTT platforms, and the subsequent debut of its first COPPA-compliant Apple iOS app to 5-star ratings, Genius Brands International (NASDAQ:GNUS) continues to build its premium offering of entertaining and enriching family-friendly content on Kartoon Channel! with the acquisition of approximately 230 new episodes of programming, including the #1 rated anime phenomenon, Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, based on the trading card game from Konami.
“Led by Yu-Gi-Oh, these new program acquisitions truly showcase the quality and diversity of content we are striving to bring to young audiences discovering the Kartoon Channel! and offer opportunities for a wide range of ad partners to drive revenue for the channel,” said Chairman & CEO Andy Heyward. “We are extremely proud of the rapid expansion of Kartoon Channel! and the positive responses we are receiving from kids and especially parents, who feel we are providing a safe destination for their kids’ entertainment. Our reach now extends to over 100M U.S. television households and over 200M mobile devices; we have our first iOS app which has thousands of positive reviews and 5-star ratings, and we have new apps launching on Android, Roku and Amazon Fire, with the same interface as on iOS. And, we are continually looking for unique ways to fill our offering with the best children’s programming in the marketplace, with titles such as Yu-Gi-Oh!, Babar, Angry Birds, Roblox, and our upcoming Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten. This is just the beginning of our mission to build what I like to call the FREE ‘Netflix for Kids.”
In addition to the 148x22’ episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V now being offered on Kartoon Channel!, Genius Brands has also licensed the English language rights to 25x4’ episodes and Spanish language rights to 5x30’ episodes of YouTube sensation My Dog Chocolo, from Productora Atiempo Ltda., which has over four million subscribers and more than three million daily views and a total of over two billion views. The Company has also acquired 52x11’ episodes of the 3-D comedy series Invention Story from Mondo TV, which follows a quirky fox inventor who tries to fit into Carrot Town, a place full of rabbits—hopefully winning them over with his big heart and his amazing gadgets; and 26x22’ episodes of Mysteries of Alfred Hedgehog from Muse Entertainment, a series which encourages science exploration and teamwork—by thinking, linking and deducing, kids can be entertained and learn while solving the puzzles and problems of Alfred's mysterious world!
The Kartoon Channel! and the new complementary iOS app offer access to a wide variety of Genius Brands original and acquired family-friendly content, with more added daily, including Babar, Angry Birds, Stan Lee’s Mighty7, Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, Baby Einstein, Baby Genius, Llama Llama shorts Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, and more. Additionally, Genius Brands is adding more family-friendly gaming content, including Minecraft’s Journey to the End and Fairy Horse Quest, Octodad, PixArk, and Big B Roblox Challenge, from Tankee. Genius Brands will also premiere on Kartoon Channel! the upcoming comedy-adventure series, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, currently in pre-production and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel! in Q1 2021.
In addition to the iOS mobile app, Kartoon Channel! can be accessed via Apple TV Devices, Android (mobile devices), Android TV, Amazon Fire Stick, Roku Devices, Xumo, Comcast, Cox, Dish, and Sling. The iOS app will be the model for the other platforms and will be rolled out across them. For more information on where to watch Kartoon Channel!, please visit https://www.kartoonchannel.com/where-to-watch
About Yu-Gi-Oh
YU-GI-OH! is a $2-billion-dollar global entertainment franchise and is the leading trading card game in the world. The popular property has spawned a wide array of top rated TV anime series, including Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, as well as trading cards, action figures, video games, magazines, apparel and other consumer products. In North America, the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series The Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise is currently in its 12th consecutive year of broadcast in the U.S. and most major markets worldwide. The series and brand continue to captivate children through its best-selling trading card game, animated series and motion picture releases.
Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V introduces fans to Action Duels, where characters and monsters interact for the first time ever. The newest star, Yuya, is a 14-year-old boy learning to become an “entertainment duelist” at one of the many Preparatory Schools children attend to hone their skills and become professional duelists. Yuya duels using the Pendulum Summon, which provides access to many high-level monsters.
About Genius Brands International
Genius Brands International, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNUS) is a leading global kids media company developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for media and retail distribution. The Company’s award-winning ‘content with a purpose’ portfolio includes the upcoming Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and in partnership with Alibaba; Rainbow Rangers for Nick Jr.; Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, for Netflix; award-winning toddler brand Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM series Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and entrepreneurship series Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club. Through licensing agreements with leading partners, characters from Genius Brands’ IP also appear on a wide range of consumer products for the worldwide retail marketplace. The Company’s new Kartoon Channel! is available in over 100 million U.S. television households via a broad range of distribution platforms, including Comcast, Cox, DISH, Amazon Prime, Sling TV, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and more. For additional information, please visit www.gnusbrands.com.
Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, our ability to generate revenue or achieve profitability; our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all; our ability to repay our outstanding debt; the potential issuance of a significant number of shares to our convertible note holders which will dilute our equity holders; fluctuations in the results of our operations from period to period; general economic and financial conditions; our ability to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of content and within the retail market; our reliance on and relationships with third-party production and animation studios; our ability to market and advertise our products; our reliance on third-parties to promote our products; our ability to keep pace with technological advances; our ability to protect our intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
MEDIA CONTACT:
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61ab6912-f3ae-4475-bc07-2dbbde489a83
Released August 10, 2020