Imagi Animation Studio, the Hong Kong-based studio that produced the TMNT movie and is planning Gatchaman and Astro Boy CGI features, has signed a marketing and distribution agreement with WowWee Ltd., the toy company best known here in the U.S. for its Robo Sapiens robotic toy.  Under the agreement WowWee will distribute and market (outside of Asia) toy lines for Gatchman and Astro Boy developed by Imagi and its OEM partner Wah Shing Toys, Ltd.  The filmmakers at Imagi are working very closely with the toy designers at Wah Shing to create toys that are truly reflective of the key characters and elements in the movies and WowWee will provide some its proprietary technology for advanced robotics and flying vehicles to add new dimensions to the toy lines.

Imagi plans to release its Gatchaman feature early in 2009 with TMNT helmer Kevin Munroe directing a script by Robert Mark Kamen (The Fifth Element).  The Gotchaman property has a particularly rich history here in the States where it was rehashed and released as Battle of the Planets and G Force (see 'TMNT Helmer Working on Gatchaman Feature').

Later in 2009 Imagi will release its Astro Boy feature.  Created by Osamu Tezuka, Japan's 'God of Manga,' Astro Boy also made its way to the U.S. in animated form in the second half of the 20th Century.  Tezuka's humanistic tale of a robot child has developed a worldwide following in both manga and anime formats.