Turning Mecard Explained

Italic Title:no
Origin:Toys
Owner:
Films:Turning Mecard W: The Revival of Black Mirror
Atv:Turning Mecard
Turning Mecard W
Turning Mecard R
Dino Mecard
Ghost Mecard
Bbasha Mecard
Tv Specials:Turning Mecard W: The Secret of Van Dine
Toys:Turning Mecard

Turning Mecard (a transliteration), released as Mecard in the United States, is a South Korean toyline and media franchise launched in 2014, developed for toy company Sonokong by Choirock (Sonokong's multimedia production arm). The toyline involves a model car that, using a card, transforms into an animal-shaped mecha.

Outside South Korea, it is marketed and distributed by American company Mattel, which formed a partnership with Sonokong and acquired a 12% equity stake in the South Korean company in 2016.

Line-ups

Turning Mecard
Othernames:Mecard
Company:Sonokong
Country:South Korea
From:2014
To:present

Media

Television series
Film
Miniseries

Outside South Korea

Outside South Korea, Mattel is handling sales and distribution of Turning Mecard, as a result of a partnership deal the American company had with Sonokong in 2016; specifically, Choirock (Sonokong's multimedia production arm) granted a worldwide license of Turning Mecard to Mattel, and Mattel acquired a 12% equity stake in Sonokong, becoming the largest shareholder of the South Korean company.[5] [6] [7]

Prior to the Mattel deal, Lingdong distributed the toyline within mainland China under license. Later, Lingdong released a similar toyline named Eonster Hunter to replace Turning Mecard in its line-up.

Reception

The toyline became a fad in its native South Korea, helping propel Sonokong's stock price from KRW 2,980 to a peak of KRW 8,750 in 2015.[8] The brand accounted for roughly 80% of the company's record-breaking KRW 125 billion revenue that year.[9] However, by 2017 sales for Mecard toys had slowed significantly.[10]

Criticism and controversy

Similarities with Bakugan

See also: Bakugan Battle Brawlers. Sonokong was the distributor and license holder of Bakugan toyline and media franchise within South Korea.[11] Japanese writer Atsushi Maekawa worked as the head writer of both Bakugan and Mecard animated series.[12]

Spin Master, a Canadian toy company which co-developed Bakugan with Sega Toys in Japan, launched a series of lawsuits against Choirock and Mattel, alleging that the Mecard toys infringe Spin Master's patents related to the Bakugan toys. Spin Master brought the case against Choirock to a court in mainland China in 2016, but lost in the first trial, and lost again in the second trial in March 2019.[13]

Separately, Spin Master sued Mattel (which distributes Mecard toys outside South Korea and mainland China) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California over the alleged infringement (which the Canadian company confirmed in a press release published on 25 April 2018).[14] [15] [16] This and other lawsuits filed against Mattel in Canada and Mexico are still ongoing as of January 2019.[17] [18] [19]

Spin Master's legal actions came as Bakugan was given a reboot in 2019, and it follows similar moves made by the Canadian company against Chinese toy manufacturers.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Korea Box Office: ‘The King’ Rules Weekend With Record Opening. Sonia. Kil. January 23, 2017. October 30, 2017. Variety. Penske Media Corporation.
  2. Web site: South Korea Box Office, February 3–5, 2017. Box Office Mojo. October 30, 2017.
  3. News: 강인귀. ko:‘터닝메카드’ 두 번째 극장판 <터닝메카드W 반다인의 비밀> 설연휴 개봉. http://moneys.mt.co.kr/news/mwView.php?type=1&amp;no=2018013108448054016. 30 April 2018. Money S. Money Today. 31 January 2018. Korean.
  4. Web site: South Korea Box Office, February 9–11, 2017. Box Office Mojo. February 23, 2018.
  5. News: Foster. Elizabeth. Mattel Creations adds content, marketing VPs. 30 April 2018. Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. 11 October 2016.
  6. News: Yoo. Boo-Hyeok. Sonokong head excited to team up with Mattel. 7 May 2018. Korea JoongAng Daily. Joongang Ilbo. 21 November 2016.
  7. Mattel Awarded Worldwide License For Wildly Popular Turning Mecard Franchise. 7 May 2018. PR Newswire. Mattel. 23 September 2016.
  8. Web site: Korean toy market driven by animation success, parents’ pride. The Korea Herald. Chung-un. Cho. January 7, 2016. October 30, 2017.
  9. Web site: Transforming toy mesmerizes kids as well as local toy market. Sang-soo. Park. Yonhap News. April 22, 2016. October 30, 2017.
  10. Web site: Mattel-backed Sonokong reports 3rd consecutive quarterly loss. The Investor. The Korea Herald. August 9, 2017. October 30, 2017.
  11. News: 류의성. ko:손오공 "슈팅 바쿠칸, 국내 애니완구시장 평정할 것". http://www.edaily.co.kr/news/news_detail.asp?newsId=02292726583198128. 30 April 2018. EDaily. 25 July 2007. Korean.
  12. News: Priyah. Thanussha. Mattel Creations presents new kids content. 30 April 2018. Television Asia Plus. Contineo Media. 8 November 2016.
  13. News: Mecard’s Complete Victory over Spin Master’s Bakugan Patent in China . 18 April 2019 . . Choirock Contents Factory . March 28, 2019.
  14. Web site: Spin Master files patent suit against Mattel over Mecard toy cars. David. Paddon. April 25, 2018. April 26, 2018. Business News Network.
  15. News: Foster. Elizabeth. Spin Master sues Mattel over Mecard toys. 30 April 2018. Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. 26 April 2018.
  16. Spin Master sues Mattel for patent infringement on patents relating to award-winning Bakugan® toy. 30 April 2018. PR Newswire. Spin Master. 25 April 2018.
  17. News: Spin Master settles lawsuit against Chinese company over Bakugan toys . 18 April 2019 . . January 14, 2019. CTV News.
  18. News: Hutchins . Robert . Alpha Group will pull Screechers Wild toys from UK in Spin Master settlement . 18 April 2019 . Toy News . 17 January 2019.
  19. Spin Master and Alpha Group Resolve Patent Disputes Relating to Award-Winning Bakugan® Toy . 18 April 2019 . . . January 14, 2019.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Turning Mecard".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.