The Kids WB Network has announced that the Yu-Gi-Oh series, which has been a part of the Kids WB Saturday morning lineup, will be broadcast six days a week starting on April 1. The Yu-Gi-Oh anime series debuted last year to strong ratings (see 'Yu-Gi-Oh Dominates in Debut') and has remained among the top 10 Saturday morning shows for kids from 5-11 on broadcast TV. Going daily in April should expose even more viewers to this anime series. Unlike the Fox Network, which now leases its time for children's programming (see '4Kids Gets Fox Block'), the WB network is firmly committed to animated shows for younger viewers, which means shows on the WB like Yu-Gi-Oh will have a chance to prove themselves.
Meanwhile the First Edition of the Yu-Gi-Oh CCG, which Upper Deck had to allocate (see 'Upper Deck Allocates Yu-Gi-Oh'), is sold out at the wholesale level and reportedly moving quickly at retail. In April Upper Deck will bring out the Second Edition of Yu-Gi-Oh, which can be distinguished from the First Edition by a silver holographic foil Upper Deck stamp versus the gold stamp that was used in First Edition. Both editions include a separate ultra-rare card that is not listed on any of the checklists -- and there is a different ultra-rare card for the hobby product and for the retail skus. In May Mattel will launch its Yu-Gi-Oh toyline (see 'Mattel Plays It Safe'), and serious discussions are under way that may bring an English edition of Kazuki Takahashi's original Yu-Gi-Oh manga to the States. Yu-Gi-Oh appears to be taking off, and if it does there should be a growing product line to support it.
