Disney XD has entered into an agreement with Dentsu Entertainment USA Inc. to telecast 26 half-hour episodes of Yo-Kai Watch in the U.S. Based on an original concept by Level 5 Inc., Yo-Kai Watch is a joint production effort by Level 5 Inc., Dentsu Inc., and TV Tokyo Corporation. Level-5 will be leading rights management and marketing coordination for the franchise.
Yo-Kai Watch is an animated comedy series that follows the misadventures of an average human boy and his involvement with the mischievous Yo-Kai all around him. He obtains a special watch, which empowers him to discover and summon Yo-Kai, befriend them, and then work together to solve problems often caused by other Yo-Kai.
The program will air on Disney XD and some of its Disney XD-branded platforms, providing multiple opportunities for engagement. Since it was first introduced 18 months ago, Yo-Kai Watch has been the top-rated animated show for kids 4 to 12-years-old on TV Tokyo. The franchise has generated more than $1.5 billion in retail merchandise sales including games, music, and publishing. In addition, more than 7.5 million units of Yo-Kai Watch video games for Nintendo 3DS have been distributed.
In North America, Hasbro Inc. will introduce a Yo-Kai Watch toy line next spring, and will roll it out to additional markets by the end of next year. Mar Vista Entertainment was granted media, licensing, and merchandising rights for Latin America.