Jakks Pacific and Dentsu are partnering to produce a new anime series, Monsuno, and develop toys and other licensed products, according to Hollywood Reporter.  An initial 52 episodes are planned, according to Variety, for global distribution. 

 

Mitsuharu Inoue, who produces the hit series Bakugan Battle Brawlers, will serve as creative director.  Jakks, of course, would love to have a hit the size of Bakugan for the toys associated with Monsuno. 

 

The property will target boys 6-11 with a storyline about boys who find themselves with reawakened DNA from a monster. 

 

Dentsu opened its Los Angeles office, which will co-produce with Jakks, to find Western co-producers to develop new intellectual property with broader appeal than Japan-only productions (see “Dentsu Opens Los Angeles Office”). 

 

Jakks, of course, is following a long line of toy companies which have been involved in programming.  Most recently, Hasbro took a share in Discovery Kids (see “Hasbro Buys into Discovery Kids”).