After Pokemon "Yo-Kai Watch" Landed North America

Yo-Kai Watch landed in North America. The hero Keita, now Nathan Adams, landed also but heavily westernized - but he is there alright. Anime TV series started in the US October 5 and in Canada October 10 both over local anime channels. A chain of toys and game software sales will follow.

"Keita is now renamed Nathan Adams but Jibanyan is there, so is Whisper", says the game developer LEVEL-5.

Yo-Kai Watch is a popular character born out of a game software marketed in July 2013. The moment the anime television series started in January last year, 2014, varieties of Yo-kai comics, games and toys flooded the town to cause a social phenomenon overnight.

Last August, prior to the start of television series in North America, LEVEL-5 collaborated with Dentsu to start a new company LEVEL-5 Abby in Santa Monica, California, each sharing 51% and 49%, respectively, to carry on cross-media operations in North America and the rest of the world. President Akihiro Hino of Level 5 was appointed CED of the new company to spearhead marketing contents other than Yo-Kai Watch.

LEVEL-5 Abby will for the moment promote LEVEL-5's contents, Yo-Kai Watch, Danball, and Snack World. Yo-kai Watch started on Disney XD on October 5. The company will initiate an extensive cross-media drive starting in North America. LEVEL-5 Abby invites children, adults and game/anime fans worldwide to the world of "Entertainment, Your Way".

In the wake of anime, manga adaptations will follow on November 3, the portable game machine "Nintendo 3DS" on November 6, and then toys after the turn of the year. The company plans to develop new contents targeting the global market to ensure successful overseas operations.

Yo-Kai Watch is eyeing on invading Europe as well. Will Yo-kai Watch outperform Pokemon?