KessCo Inks Licensing Partnership with Toei Animation

KessCo, a third-generation toy and game company, has announced a licensing partnership with anime studio, Toei Animation, for fan-favorite franchises, One Piece and Digimon, which are both celebrating their global 25th anniversaries this year. As part of this collaboration, initial plans for licensed products include two upcoming tabletop titles as well as several outdoor spring/summer toys, all scheduled to release in 2024/2025.

“Having the opportunity to create play experiences for ‘One Piece’ and ‘Digimon’ is a dream come true,” says Alex Kessler, chief executive officer, KessCo. “We are dedicated to finding the joys in life through play, whether it be outdoors, at the beach or in our living rooms. Coming together to just play is the ultimate goal, and bringing our favorite anime licenses into these experiences is a natural blending of two worlds that are incredibly meaningful to us.”

Since its launch in 2016, KessCo has contributed to innovation in the toy industry through the introduction of its own successful intellectual properties. As the company continues to grow, KessCo plans to further embrace licensing across its product range, with “One Piece” and “Digimon” being fitting additions to their expanding collection of active outdoor toys and tabletop games.

“Toys and games are a top licensing category for both our One Piece and Digimon franchises,” says Masayuki Endo, president, chief executive officer, Toei Animation. “We’re excited to partner with Kess to provide new opportunities for fans to interact and engage with our franchises and each other.”