MGA Entertainment who created the Bratz fashion dolls, and as we reported earlier this year, overtook Mattel’s Barbie in sales, recently announced the launch of the Miuchiz (pronounced myoo-cheez), a virtual-reality gadget and its animated digital characters.

Miuchiz involves a universe of animated digital characters that kids interact with via a Black-Berry-size device and a website. Each device represents a character from one of three “tribez” – Monsterz, Babyz or Pawz – designed to appeal to boys, girls or both. Kids can play by themselves, with others via infrared beams or the devices can be hooked up to a computer via a USB port that enables kids to join others on the web in the Planet Mion.

The gadgets started shipping to stores last month and will retail for about $30, including a one year subscription to the website which was launched on August 15th, with annual renewals to cost around $25.

Miuchi is the Japanese word for circle of friends and relatives. The Planet Mion website is meant to be populated by Miuchiz owners, who will be-friend, battle, explore and chat with one another. The website will offer various levels of parental control and will be policed by MGA who has hired dozens of game developers, web designers and technicians to expand and develop the Planet Mion.

This technical gamble puts MGA into direct competition with Hasbro which has moved into electronic toys with music, video players, cameras and videocameras. MGA’s founder and CEO said that he expects that the electronics line will represent about 50% of MGA’s revenues within a few years.

In spite of Hasbro’s “Star Wars” merchandise sales decline in the second quarter of $84.8 million from the same period a year earlier, the franchise’s sales still topped new movie releases such as Superman, Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean.

To coincide with the original movie's 30th anniversary next year, Lucasfilm Ltd. will release a videogame based on the period of time during the rise of the rebellion against Darth Vader and the Empire, between “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” and “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.”

The game, which will be preceded by a print and television advertising campaign, will be the main platform for an accompanying line of action figures and vehicles from Hasbro, Lucasfilm's longtime toy partner.

Lucasfilm is creating a children’s television animated series set during the heyday of the Jedi world, between “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” and “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”. In 2008 they will launch a line of toys linked to the new characters of the series.

BlueRibbon continues to include “Stars Wars” products in our toy assortments.

Heath Ledger of Brokeback Mountain fame will star as the new Joker in The Dark Knight, the sequel to last year's hit, Batman Begins, which starred Christian Bale and who is slated to return as the caped crusader.

The film is scheduled to start filming in early 2007.

Order your toys from us now and your order will contain at least one type of Mattel's (who has the rights to the Batman toys) Batman Begins toys; we do have them in stock.

We are pleased to announce that we have added access to earlier issues of our Newsletters on our website. You can find them here: Newsletters.

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