On Saturday, January 28, 2017, TOMY Company, Ltd., (President & CEO, H.G. Meij/located in Katsushika, Tokyo)

will release Chinese Zodiac ANIA: Year of the Bird(Happy Owls) (Japanese product name: Eto Ania Kou Fukurou), a newitem from the Animal Action Figure brand, ANIA. This product will be available at the standard retail price of

JPY 600 (8% tax not included) in toy stores and toy sections of department stores/mass retailers in Japan, online

stores and Takara Tomy Mall, the company's official online shopping site: http://takaratomymall.jp/shop/.

The ANIA brand has sold over 93 types of animal action figures in 14 different countries and regions worldwide (including Japan), since it has been released 3 years ago, on June 2013. Until November 2016, over 35 million items from the ANIA brand have been shipped. The total length of the 35 million packaging is approximately 300 thousand kilometers, which is equivalent to traveling 1.5 times around globe.

Chinese Zodiac ANIA: Year of the Bird (Happy Owls) was planned and designed to celebrate the upcoming year, 2017, as it is 'The Year of the Bird (Rooster)' in Chinese Zodiac. The Chinese Zodiac ANIA was first released last year, to celebrate 2016, 'The Year of the Monkey', and this product will be the second product for the series.

We have chosen owls as motif for this item because in Japan, owls are traditionally recognized as the birds that brings good fortune. Another reason is that owls have recently become even more popular, due to the growing popularity of pet owls, and the 'Owl Cafes' where the visitors can interact with owls, across Japan.

This item consists from 2 figures, a golden folding screen, a red carpet, and a golden bird perch. The owl figure has an articulated neck, and their heads can be twisted backwards just like the real owls. To celebrate the New Year, the beaks and the feathers of the owls are painted in shiny, metallic colours, and is suitable for New Year gifts and souvenirs.

The ANIA brand will keep on releasing a wide range of new products, and aim to become a worldwide brand that will be loved by children across the globe.

- Product Outline -

Product Name:  Chinese Zodiac ANIA: Year of the Bird(Happy Owls)

(Japanese product name: Eto Ania Kou Fukurou),

SRP:  JPY 600 (tax not included)

Launch Date in Japan:  Thursday, November 24, 2016

Recommended Age:  3 years and up

Package Contents:  2 figures, 1 golden folding screen, 1 red carpet (felt), 1 golden bird perch

Dimensions:  Owl  W 24 mm X H 40 mm X D 39 mm

            Snowy Owl  W 24 mm X H 40 mm X D 39 mm

First Year Sales Target: 30,000 units

Sales Channels: Toy stores and toy sections of department stores/mass retailers in Japan, online stores,

TOMY's official shopping site 'Takara Tomy Mall' (http://takaratomymall.jp)

Copyright:  (c) TOMY

Website:  http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/ania/