The Hamtaro anime series has become a surprise hit here in the U.S. (see 'Hamtaro Scores Big Ratings'), and the show, which has spawned sales of more than $2.5 billion dollars worth of merchandise in the Far East, is about to flex its merchandising muscles here in the States.  Artbox Entertainment, the American subsidiary of Amada (Japan's leading producer of paper goods), will market an American version of the Hamtaro Trading Card Game beginning in November,.  The Hamtaro game eschews the traditional CCG format of 'starters' and 'boosters' for a single sku -- a trading card box.  Artbox plans on publishing 'guide' books for the Hamtaro game starting early in 2003, but the cards themselves will ship in November.  The Hamtaro cards will be listed in the October issue (December Shipping) of Diamond Previews (with a note stating that the cards should ship in November).

 

The Hamtaro Trading Card Game will come in both 'hobby' and 'retail' versions.  The 'hobby' box will include 12 packs, while the 'retail' box will hold 24.  Packs in both versions will contain 5 cards and 1 sticker.  The difference between the 'hobby' and 'retail' versions of the product lies in the chase cards -- five in the 'hobby' and three in the 'retail,' which are totally different.  Both the 'hobby' and 'retail' packs carry a suggested retail of $1.99 per pack.  Artbox has not yet released details about the seeding of the rarest of all chase cards -- a number of special art cards signed by the creator of Hamtaro.

 

Artbox plans on selling the hobby product through Diamond, Alliance, ACD, and other comic, game, and card distributors.  With the broad appeal that Hamtaro has already demonstrated, Artbox hopes to place the retail version of the product in Toys R' Us, Target, and possibly Wal-Mart.  Together with Hamtaro manga and videos available from Viz, the Artbox Hamtaro Trading Card Game should allow retailers to capitalize on the anime's early success here in the U.S.