Bandai America showed off three anime-related toy lines at Toy Fair, including one new property (Blue Dragon) and two venerable performers (Dragon Ball Z and Digimon).  Blue Dragon is based on a new animated series that Viz Media plans to debut in the U.S. in 2008 (see 'Viz Media Taps Bandai America').  Both the Blue Dragon anime and toys are based on the Blue Dragon RPG video game, which is currently one of the hottest video RPGs in Japan.  With character designs by Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball Z) and a concept created by Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy), Blue Dragon is a property with serious potential.

Bandai's Blue Dragon line, which is due out this fall, consists of highly detailed 3' figures of all the show characters in fierce poses accompanied by their translucent Shadows; 4' figures with a unique button-activated light-projection feature that projects its shadow image on any flat surface; and 7' Shadow figures that showcase battle action capabilities such as sword-swinging arms, plus light and sound effects.  The 7' figures come with a DVD containing one episode of the Blue Dragon anime series.

The Dragon Ball Z license returns to Bandai just as DBZ has re-established itself as the #1 anime property in America--thanks to FUNimation's reasonably-priced DBZ season sets (see 'Top Ten Anime Properties of 2007').  Bandai's new DBZ line consists of two direct-from-Japan lines -- 2.5' Ultimate Spark Figures and 4.5' Real Works Figures -- plus the 2.5' Flash Changer Figures that come with two figures and a changer that can help them morph to Super Saiyan mode, 4' Extreme Dragon Figures, and 8' Power Boost Figures.  In addition Bandai is producing its first DBZ role-playing toy -- Kamehameha Wrist Bands with flashing lights and battle sounds.  Finally there is the Energy Battle Set, which includes two 6.5' figures that attach to controllers so kids can create their own battles.

The Digimon Data Squad anime series, which appears on the Disney Toon Jetix block, remains popular with kids in the 4-8 age range.  Bandai is targeting them with a major role-playing item, the Digivice Data Link that allows young boys to feed, train, and battle their own Digital Monster.  Kids can play seven mini-games contained in the device in order to help coach their monsters in battle skills.  In addition to Digivice Data Link, kids can also collect Bandai's 1.5' Digimon character figures, 3.5' Lightning Digivolving figures and 5' Ultra-Digivolving characters.  All the figures come with a DNA metal chip that can be scanned by Digivice Data Link.