JAKKS Pacific Awarded 'Boys Toy of the Year' for MONSUNO by the Australian Toy Association

MALIBU, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. JAKK received the prestigious ‘Boys Toy of the Year' Award, from the Australian Toy Association (ATA) for their Monsuno™ toy line, at the 2012 Australian Toy Hobby and Nursery Trade Fair. The comprehensive toy line features innovative, kid-controlled action figures, accessories, combat sets, collectibles, electronics and integrated role play and brings the larger-than-life adventures of the Monsuno animated series into kids' hands. JAKKS' Monsuno products are distributed by Hunter Products in Australia.

“We are thrilled to receive our first International honor for the Monsuno toy line with the ‘Boys Toy of the Year' Award from the Australian Toy Association,” said Carmine Russo, Executive Vice President of International, JAKKS Pacific, Inc. “We are pleased with the International success that the Monsuno franchise has garnered so early in its launch. We look forward to working with our International partners on a winning combination of creative marketing and stellar retail execution in driving Monsuno towards global success.”

Jeff Hunter, Managing Director of Hunter Products Pty Ltd states, “Monsuno was an outstanding hit at the Australian Toy Fair with every major Australian retailer. We are excited to launch the year with this prestigious award.”

Highlights of the Monsuno toy line include the Monsuno Core™ and Transforming Action Figures. Kids can collect hundreds of their favorite characters from the Monsuno animated TV series for amazing transformation reveal and fast-action battle play. Each pack comes with a collectible Monsuno core, transforming action figure and Topps game cards.

JAKKS Pacific's Monsuno product line is now available at major retailers nationwide in the U.S. For more information, please visit www.monsuno.com.

The Monsuno animated series airs on Thursdays at 5:30PM PST / 8:30 PM EST on Nicktoons. In the 52-episode series, the fate of the world lies in the hands of a group of heroic kids who wrestle with the power to command and battle creatures called Monsuno. Monsuno will also air on Nickelodeon and territory-specific terrestrial broadcast channels around the world, starting Summer 2012.

About Monsuno

The Monsuno series is being co-produced by Pacific Animation Partners LLC, a joint venture between JAKKS Pacific, Inc. & Dentsu Entertainment USA, Inc., with FremantleMedia Enterprises and The Topps Company, Inc. FremantleMedia Enterprises will be responsible for the exclusive worldwide distribution of Monsuno TV programming except for Asia and act as the Master Licensing agent for the Monsuno brand outside of Asia. JAKKS Pacific is the creator of the underlying Monsuno property and master toymaker for the Monsuno toy line. The Topps Company has signed on to produce Monsuno trading card games, confectioneries and related products.

About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. JAKK is a leading designer and marketer of toys and consumer products with a wide range of products that feature popular brands and children's toy licenses. JAKKS' diverse portfolio includes Action Figures, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, Halloween Costumes, Kids Furniture, Vehicles, Plush, Art Activity Kits, Seasonal Products, Infant/Pre-School, Construction Toys, Ride-On Vehicles, Wagons, Inflatable Environments and Tents, and Pet Toys sold under various proprietary brands including JAKKS Pacific®, Creative Designs International™, Road Champs®, Funnoodle®, JAKKS Pets™, Plug It In & Play TV Games™, Kids Only!™, Tollytots®, Disguise® and Moose Mountain®. JAKKS is an award-winning licensee of several hundred nationally and internationally known trademarks including Nickelodeon®, Warner Bros.®, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Hello Kitty®, Graco®, Cabbage Patch Kids® and Pokémon®. www.jakks.com

This press release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about JAKKS Pacific's business based partly on assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above, changes in demand for JAKKS' products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and difficulties with integrating acquired businesses. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and JAKKS undertakes no obligation to update any of them to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

© 2012 JAKKS Pacific, Inc. All rights reserved.