TOMY's 2013 Spring Preview

TOMY's 2013 Early Introductions Reveal Commitment To Innovation And Global Focus

Timed to coincide with Fall Toy Preview, TOMY offers a sneak-peek at its 2013 highlights, spearheaded by the introduction of the new Pokemon line

OAK BROOK, Ill., Oct. 3, 2012 -- TOMY International, a leading global designer, producer and marketer of a broad range of toys and collectible products for children of all ages, previews its 2013 spring introductions in conjunction with the opening of Fall Toy Preview in Dallas, TX. TOMY kicks-off 2013 with the introduction of its Pokemon™ toy line, alongside innovative introductions across existing owned and licensed brands.

"TOMY's 2013 spring line sets the stage for this year's introductions, all focused on a blending of design, technology and innovation," states Greg Kilrea, President of TOMY International. "The recent announcement of our global toy partnership agreement for the sought-after Pokemon brand is just one example of how the strength of our unified organization positions us for exponential growth. Watch for innovation and an eye toward global reach in existing as well as new brands as the rest of our 2013 launches are unveiled."

For Spring 2013, TOMY brings enhanced innovation to the ground-breaking Chuggington Die-Cast Railway and award-winning Chuggington Wooden Railway, introduces its all-new Pokemon line featuring new play patterns and action-packed product, reveals a revamped Tomica line, previews toys with game-racing excitement in its Mario Kart 7™ line, debuts its Pajanimals line and builds upon its heritage brands Lamaze®, John Deere and Dinosaur Train.

Chuggington™ by TOMY
Based on Ludorum's popular animated series, Chuggington, and on the heels of a successful holiday launch in 2012, the Chuggington Die-Cast Railway was recently named to the HOT 20 toy list by The Toy Insider. TOMY has expanded both the classic Chuggington Wooden Railway and the best-selling Chuggington Die-Cast Railway (http://www.stackyourtrack.com) systems for 2013. Spring highlights include:

  • Chuggington Die-Cast Railway features exclusive, revolutionary track that lets kids build spiraling train layouts as high as the sky. The Die-Cast system remains focused on delivering the ultimate in height and stability, with new themed playsets that offer multiple builds, including Koko's Safari Adventure Set and Repair and Go Wilson Set. In addition, special deco engines and rolling stock such as Parrot Wilson with Rhino Car, Camouflage Koko with Monkey Car and Camouflage Wilson with Giraffe Car bring even more Chuggington adventures to life for young conductors.
  • Chuggington Wooden Railway adds talking engines to its award-winning line. Debuting in spring 2013, Talking Wilson, Talking Koko and Talking Brewster enhance role play opportunities and bring even more traintastic adventures home. Each engine features a unique facial expression with glowing headlights and push horn to hear three phases and whistle. In addition, special entry price points on key sets deliver young Chuggington fans their first opportunity for train play at an incredible value.

Pokemon by TOMY
Beginning in 2013, TOMY International will be the exclusive licensee and distributor for Pokemon in categories including figures, figure accessories, plush and more, making TOMY Group the unified global toy partner for the sought-after brand, one of the world's leading kids' entertainment franchises. TOMY's Pokemon line is anchored by products that integrate key play patterns for the brand which include catching, training and battling, and introduces a range of figures, novelty and basic plush for Pokemon fans of all ages. Highlights for spring 2013 include:

  • Attack 'n' Battle Figures as well as Black Kyurem and White Kyurem figures based on the new Pokemon Black 2 and Pokemon White 2 video games releasing October 2012.
  • Pokedex Trainer Kit that includes a Pokedex, Pokedex ID Tags, Pikachu figure, Poke Ball with belt clip and glove so kids can become Pokemon trainers.
  • Iconographic Pokemon Storage Case that provides plenty of storage for expanding range of figures in the line and also includes a battle arena and Healing Center.
  • Signature Pokemon Plush, enhancing one of the most sought-after toy segments in the Pokemon brand.

Tomica by TOMY
Tomica has always been a land where imagination lives. Now, with a new look and themes focused on heroes and rescue scenarios, the Tomica line of internationally-acclaimed toys is poised to save the day in the boys' action aisle! Tomica is the only playset world that provides a total action experience in the box, integrating same-scale realistic die-cast vehicles, motorized trains, road and elevated track, character/hero play, environmental playsets, cool, multi-leveled innovation and function into one, easy-to-construct, imaginative story and world. Highlights for early 2013 include:

  • Basic Action Playsets including the Gas Station Fire rescue set which features a gas station building with working doors, a working gas station pump, scale vehicle, two car launchers, and a TomiHero figure.
  • Deluxe Action Playsets including the Storm Runner Jet that transforms into three different vehicles – a jet, a submarine and a racecar and features mobile action bases on the wings of the jet to launch cars!
  • Deluxe Action Sets such as the Hyper Rescue Volcano playset featuring lights and sounds and a motorized engine, a non-motorized engine flat bed, three TomiHero characters, a command headquarters building with working garage, extension bridge, crossing gate, volcano mountain and die-cast vehicle for extreme rescue role play action!
  • Train, Vehicle and Figure Assortments so kids can add more action-filled excitement in the ever-expanding imaginative world of Tomica.

Lamaze® by TOMY (http://www.lamazetoys.com)
Encouraging early development of the senses, TOMY's Lamaze (http://www.lamazetoys.com) toys spark creativity, introduce discovery and support healthy sensory development. Working with child development experts, Lamaze creates toys that delight babies at each stage from birth to 24 months. Spring 2013 introductions include:

  • Expanded offerings in the Everyday Lamaze line, perfect for gift add-ons and repeat purchases, including the Bitty Bite Bug Rattle™ featuring signature Lamaze colors, patterns, textures and sounds to stimulate baby's senses and the Giggle Bunny Ball™, a silly bunny who giggles when shaken!
  • New Play and Grow characters including Shearemy Sheep, a funny sheep full of different textures, from soft fleece to satin, a surprise squeaker, crinkle, and clacking rings designed to awaken baby's senses and Shiver the Sharpei, an adorable sharpei who "shivers" up when baby pulls the rings down.
  • New introductions in the Classic Play line including Push Along Peanut™, a perfect toy for gross motor development. When baby pushes Peanut the elephant across the floor he/she will be rewarded with fun rattle sounds, and colorful patterns that spin in the wheels. Great for encouraging baby to crawl, and for developing hand-eye coordination as well as motor skills.

John Deere from TOMY
TOMY's John Deere brand promotes both farm and construction play in a complete product line covering everything from preschool toys to ride-ons, thematic R/C vehicles and high-end collector replicas. For 2013 the focus is on delivering new play patterns, innovation and features across all John Deere segments. Spring product releases include:

  • New additions to the sought-after John Deere Preschool line including the John Deere Push & Go Truck with simple function tilting dumpbox perfect for little hands, John Deere First Animal Puzzle, an easy-to-spin, three-sided puzzle that helps preschoolers learn counting and animals and the Whistle & Go Puppy that moves forward and backward when its young master blows a whistle!
  • John Deere Big Farm expands its offering of 1:16 scale items with the Frontier Grain Cart that features a rotating, working unloading auger and adjustable jack, and a fully-functioning John Deere R/C Tractor that steers right, left, forward and reverse and also features working lights and sounds.
  • Exciting additions to the Monster Treads line-up, including Monster Wheelers, John Deere Mega Hauling Set, Tractor with Gravity Wagon and Loader.

Mario Kart from TOMY
TOMY introduces product based on the new Nintendo® game release of Mario Kart 7™ for 2013. Look for mini die-cast, infrared controlled vehicles and track sets along with radio controlled vehicles that let kids drive game-racing action! 2013 highlights include:

  • Exciting R/C items, including the Mario Drift IR, Mario Drift Pro R/C and extreme Mario MicroDrive™ R/C that jumps, does wheelies, bounces and flips.
  • A full line of Die-Cast and Mario Kart 7 Playsets incorporating popular Mario characters, racing and battling components like never before!

Dinosaur Train from TOMY
Based on The Emmy®-nominated animated preschool series from The Jim Henson Company, TOMY's Dinosaur Train line incorporates elements from the animated series and delivers a product line that is engaging and educational. Building on successful categories, early 2013 focuses include:

  • Exciting additions to the InterAction Figure line include InterAction Bobble Head Shiny, who comes to life with over 40 dino sounds and phrases to react and respond to all her dinosaur friends in the expansive InterAction Figure line. Shiny has fun features including bobble head action, flapping wings with flight sounds and chomping sounds when you touch her mouth.
  • New thematic playsets take kids on exciting adventures, including the Deep Sea Submarine Motorized Track Set featuring a mechanical water wall, coral reef tunnel terrain and elevated Track Layout with an all-new motorized submarine.
  • And the popular Collectible Figures line expands with exclusive Under the Sea and Swamp deco that washes off in warm water and reappears for repeat playability!

Pajanimals from TOMY
TOMY debuts its complete line of toys based on The Jim Henson Company's popular series Pajanimals, which airs daily on 24-hour preschool television channel Sprout and on the new Saturday morning NBC Kids block. Pajanimals follows the adventures of four sweet and gentle characters - Sweetpea Sue the pony, the excitable duck Squacky, the creative cow CowBella and the optimistic puppy Apollo. Through their imaginary journeys, these cuddly musical puppets venture out on amazing adventures of discovery, modeling the skills preschoolers need to move through their days successfully. Pajanimals is produced in Northern Ireland as a co-production between The Jim Henson Company, Sprout and Northern Ireland's Sixteen South Television. Early 2013 offerings include:

  • A collection of premium 9" and 15" Plush Pajanimals Friends inspired by the Pajanimals TV series on Sprout including Apollo, Squacky, CowBella and Sweetpea Sue.
  • A premium fleece Snuggle Up Story Mat, sized perfectly for kids ages 2-6, features favorite Pajanimals characters and themes with a pillow that flips open for story time.

About TOMY International
TOMY International (http://www.tomy.com) is a leading global designer, producer and marketer of a broad range of innovative, high-quality toys sold to preschoolers, youths and adults under the TOMY®, Ertl®, Johnny Lightning® and Tomica® brands as well as products for mothers, infants and toddlers marketed under its The First Years®, Lamaze, JJ Cole® Collections and Boon® brands. TOMY International also markets its products under popular and classic licensed properties such as Chuggington, Pokemon Dinosaur Train, John Deere, Disney's Winnie the Pooh, Princesses, Cars, Fairies and Toy Story, and other well-known properties. TOMY International's mission is to inspire and fulfill the dreams of children and parents worldwide. TOMY International reaches its target consumers through multiple channels of distribution supporting more than 25,000 retail outlets throughout North and South America, Europe and Australia. TOMY International is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan-based TOMY Company, Ltd. (Tokyo Stock Exchange Code No. 7867). © TOMY