Toynami has announced action figure releases for two of the most popular anime and manga properties in the U.S., Inu Yasha and Chobits. Rumiko Takahashi's Inu Yasha, which is often the most highly rated anime series on the Adult Swim block, is also one of the most popular manga titles released in the U.S. by Viz, LLC. Toynami is preparing to ship the first assortment of Inu Yasha Action Figures in June. The first series of figures, which will retail in the $12.99 range, includes Inu Yasha and Kagome, while the second assortment will include Kikyo and Inu Yasha's brother Sesshoumaru.
Although the Chobits manga and anime series are both over, the manga series was Tokyopop's best seller, while the DVDs were Geneon's (formerly Pioneer) top releases ever. Toynami's first two Chobits action figures will be two of the ultra cute female robots known as Persocons, Chii and Yuzuki. As is the case with Toynami's Inu Yasha releases, the Chobits figures will retail for around $12.99.
Toynami's mammoth Voltron figure will be quite a bit more expensive, with a suggested retail of around $150. It will come in what will appear to be three volumes in Toynami's book-like packaging, and the Voltron figure will separate into its many component parts. Because of the elaborate production methods required by this figure, only 5,000 of the 15,000 serially-numbered limited edition Voltron figures will be available this year, with the remainder available in 2005.
Toynami is continuing its flagship Robotech brand with a new limited edition (15,000) Veritech Fighter. The new Veritech still comes in Toynami's distinctive book-like packaging but it has more die-cast elements than previous Veritechs. So far the first and third Veritech releases have sold out, with only limited quantities left of the second, fourth, and fifth.
Toynami is also planning to create some toys from the Macross Do You Remember Love movie. Carl Macek combined the original Macross anime with two other series to create Robotech, and the Macross anime was the source of many of Robotech's most interesting mecha designs.
Like many other toy companies, Toynami has its own brand of small, block-like, articulated figures. Toynami calls theirs I-Men and in addition to Voltron and Robotech releases, they are planning to release the first Futurama mini-figures in June or July. The Toynami I-Men come packed two per blister card with a suggested retail price of $6.99.
