More than a decade after Pokémon was introduced to North America, the powerhouse property remains extremely popular among children and has generated over $26 billion in worldwide sales to-date. The POKÉMON: DIAMOND and PEARL animated series debuted on Cartoon Network in June 2007 as the most watched show for children in the overall 6-11 demographic. Lending even more momentum to the franchise was the highly anticipated recent release of Nintendo’s Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl video games, which introduced more than 100 new Pokémon characters. The record-breaking titles sold over 1 million copies in the first 5 days, making them the fastest selling Pokémon games ever.

“With its cute and imaginative characters and positive storyline which emphasizes teamwork, friendship and embracing the spirit of competition, POKÉMON continues to be a kids’ favorite that parents can select with confidence,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President Sales & Product Marketing, VIZ Media. “Our new Pokémon titles releasing throughout the Third Quarter expand the VIZKIDS imprint and will delight young viewers with an array of new and exciting Pokémon adventures."