Nickandmore!

[via press release]

Kids’ WB! Powers Up For Third Season Of Cyber-Adventure “Megaman NT Warrior: Axess” From ShoPro Entertainment

(October 4, 2004 – Burbank, CA) – Kids’ WB! and ShoPro Entertainment are teaming up for the third season of “MegaMan NT Warrior: Axess,” as the series will return with all-new action-packed cyber-adventures during the 2004-05 season. The network has ordered 30 never-before-seen episodes of the dynamic Japanese animated series that will begin airing in Spring 2005. The third season order brings the total commitment of the series to 80 episodes. The announcement was made today by Betsy McGowen, Senior Vice President/General Manager, Kids’ WB!, and John Easum, Senior Vice President, ShoPro Entertainment.

“’MegaMan NT Warrior’ has proven to be a breakout hit and continues to outperform its broadcast time period competition in our core demographics,” said Ms. McGowen. “We look forward to the 30 new episodes of the third season joining Kids’ WB! in Spring 2005, as the series continues to introduce rich characters and exciting, complex storylines.

“We are thrilled about the upcoming third season of ‘MegaMan NT Warrior: Axess’ on Kids’ WB! and all of the new promotional activities during the network’s Fall launch,” said Mr. Easum. “Audiences have come to love the rich storyline of the cyber-adventure series and its realistic cyberhero, villains and ever cool futuristic technology.”

Gearing up for the launch of the third season in 2005, beginning Monday, October 4, Kids’ WB! will entertain audiences with the “best of” “MegaMan NT Warrior’s” second season episodes during the weekday lineup on Monday – Thursday. Ten never-before-seen second season episodes will air on Fridays. The adrenaline-pumping series will air in the 3:00 p.m. ET/PT time period each weekday through Friday, October 22. Then from Monday, November 22 – Thursday December 9, the network will continue to highlight “MegaMan NT Warrior” on the Monday through Thursday weekday lineup at 3:00 p.m. ET/PT.

In conjunction with the network’s new season fall launch and the series’ promotional support, Kids’ WB! and Mattel are teaming up for the “Kids’ WB! MegaMan U-Jack-In And Win Sweepstakes,” awarding 500 First Prize winners with their very own MegaMan™ NT Warrior Advanced PET Personal Terminal. One thousand Second Prize winners will receive MegaMan™ NT Warrior 10” Figures Assortment. To be eligible to win in the week-long sweepstakes, kids will need to tune-in to “MegaMan NT Warrior” during Kids’ WB!’s weekday lineup (3:00 p.m. ET/PT, Monday – Friday) beginning Monday, October 11, and identify the “BattleChip in play” each day. Entries will only be accepted online at www.KidsWB.com.

Produced by ShoPro Entertainment, “MegaMan NT Warrior” premiered on Kids’ WB! on Saturday, May 17, 2003, debuting as the #2 overall program among Boys 6-11 and ranked #1 against the broadcast competition in Kids 2-11 and Kids 6-11. It also was #2 in Boys 2-11, and among the top seven programs in Tweens 9-14 and Male Tweens 9-14. On Saturday, May 1, 2004, the second season premiere of “MegaMan NT Warrior” was the #1 overall program, including cable, in Male Tweens 9-14, and ranked as the #1 broadcast series in Boys 2-11 and Tweens 9-14. The cyber-adventure ranked among the top 10 overall programs for the morning in Kids 2-11, Kids 6-11 and Boys 6-11.

“MegaMan NT Warrior” is set in the year 200X, where virtually all technology is linked to a central computer system. Citizens interface with this network using their personal “NetNavis” (Net Navigators) accessed via their personal terminals (PETs). This futuristic world requires kids and their families to interact with rapidly progressive technology where hackers and high-tech computer crimes threaten their lives and the entire universe. The responsibility to save the computer-generated world and protect their town falls upon tech-savvy Lan, a fifth grader, and his NetNavi, the blue-suited, virus-fighting MegaMan. Lan and his friends download different BattleChips to change their personal NetNavis’ gadgetry and defense capabilities. Only by working as a team can they thwart the evil that threatens to take over the Net and the world.

About Kids’ WB!
Kids’ WB!, a leader in kids’ television, is the children’s programming service of The WB Network. The top-rated broadcast and cable network for Boys 6-11, Tweens 9-14 and Male Tweens 9-14, Kids’ WB! has maintained its position as the #1 broadcast network since Spring of 1999, and continues to set precedent with its newly launched 2004-2005 programming schedule. Kids can find more on Kids’ WB!’s web site at www.KidsWB.com.

About ShoPro Entertainment
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, ShoPro Entertainment is a leading global licensor of animation, and all associated rights including merchandise, home video, motion picture, and publishing. ShoPro Entertainment, affiliate of ShoPro Japan, a subsidiary of Shogakukan, Inc., one of Japan’s largest publishing companies, develops and markets animated entertainment starting from initial production, television placement and distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions reaching audiences and consumers around the world. To date, ShoPro Entertainment has introduced multi-million dollar animated entertainment series including Hamtaro, Inuyasha, MegaMan NT Warrior, and Mirmo to broadcasters and consumers worldwide. For more information on ShoPro Entertainment please visit www.shopro-entertainment.com.