Turning Mecard is a Japanese-South Korean CO-Production written by Atsushi Maekawa, who was involved in several successful anime such as Yu-Gi-Oh and Bakugan before.
Sonokong was the distributor and license holder of Bakugan toyline and media franchise within South Korea. Japanese writer Atsushi Maekawa worked as the head writer of both Bakugan and Mecard animated series.
Spin Master, a Canadian toy company which co-developed Bakugan with Sega Toys in Japan, launched a series of lawsuits against Choirock and Mattel, alleging that the Mecard toys infringe Spin Master's patents related to the Bakugan toys. Spin Master brought the case against Choirock to a court in Mainland China in 2016, but lost in the first trial, and lost again in the second trial in March 2019.
Separately, Spin Master sued Mattel (which distributes Mecard toys outside South Korea and Mainland China) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California over the alleged infringement (which the Canadian company confirmed in a press release published on 25 April 2018). This and other lawsuits filed against Mattel in Canada and Mexico are still ongoing as of January 2019.
Spin Master's legal actions came as Bakugan was given a reboot in 2019, and it follows similar moves made by the Canadian company against Chinese toy manufacturers.
Spin Master, a Canadian toy company which co-developed Bakugan with Sega Toys in Japan, launched a series of lawsuits against Choirock and Mattel, alleging that the Mecard toys infringe Spin Master's patents related to the Bakugan toys. Spin Master brought the case against Choirock to a court in Mainland China in 2016, but lost in the first trial, and lost again in the second trial in March 2019.
Separately, Spin Master sued Mattel (which distributes Mecard toys outside South Korea and Mainland China) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California over the alleged infringement (which the Canadian company confirmed in a press release published on 25 April 2018). This and other lawsuits filed against Mattel in Canada and Mexico are still ongoing as of January 2019.
Spin Master's legal actions came as Bakugan was given a reboot in 2019, and it follows similar moves made by the Canadian company against Chinese toy manufacturers.
There are two existing English dubs for Turning Mecard.
One English version of Turning Mecard was produced for Choirock and Sonokong by BTI Studios Hong Kong. This version, however, does not credit the voice actors, translator, voice director and the recording studio on screen. The television channels that broadcast this version include Teletoon and Cartoon Network in Canada (premiering there on May 28 and June 4, 2017, respectively), 9Go! in Australia (premiered on 12 June 2017), Okto in Singapore (premiered on 5 May 2018), TV3 in Malaysia (premiered on 5 June 2018) and Cartoon Network in the Philippines (premiered on 15 December 2018).
The other version, simply titled Mecard, was produced by Studiopolis for Mattel, which released it on their Mecard website and through the Mattel Action YouTube channel beginning on January 26, 2018. It was also streamed on Toon Goggles. In Mattel's web release, each full episode is split into two parts. A 22-minute version of this dub aired on the syndicated KidsClick programming block in the United States from June 16, 2018 to January 20, 2019. This dub was cancelled after 26 half hour episodes.
One English version of Turning Mecard was produced for Choirock and Sonokong by BTI Studios Hong Kong. This version, however, does not credit the voice actors, translator, voice director and the recording studio on screen. The television channels that broadcast this version include Teletoon and Cartoon Network in Canada (premiering there on May 28 and June 4, 2017, respectively), 9Go! in Australia (premiered on 12 June 2017), Okto in Singapore (premiered on 5 May 2018), TV3 in Malaysia (premiered on 5 June 2018) and Cartoon Network in the Philippines (premiered on 15 December 2018).
The other version, simply titled Mecard, was produced by Studiopolis for Mattel, which released it on their Mecard website and through the Mattel Action YouTube channel beginning on January 26, 2018. It was also streamed on Toon Goggles. In Mattel's web release, each full episode is split into two parts. A 22-minute version of this dub aired on the syndicated KidsClick programming block in the United States from June 16, 2018 to January 20, 2019. This dub was cancelled after 26 half hour episodes.
Turning Mecard was written by Atsushi Maekawa, who was involved in several successful anime such as Yu-Gi-Oh and Bakugan before. After airing in South Korea it was imported to the West by Mattel in late 2016. It first launched in Canada and aired on Teletoon on May 28, 2017.
On January 26, 2018, Mattel announced their launch of Mecard in the United States, and a new American dub by Studiopolis inc., released exclusively on the Mattel Action Youtube channel.
It became apparent Mattel's Mecard performed abysmally in the U.S. and abroad. Despite the fact Choirock won a patent lawsuit filed by Spinmaster accusing them of infringing on their Bakugan, it was apparently enough to throw a wrench in the works discouraging any further development of the dub and toy launches beyond their initial lineup while the trial was underway.
Mattel may also be to blame for poor toy marketing. The gray uniform packaging might have failed to stand out among competing toys, and the fact the Mega toys were repacked from open-display robot mode boxes to the most compact opaque vehicle mode boxes implies Mattel just wanted to penny-pinch as they got their stock out to the shelves. It may be also due to the cultural notion that Western families would rather have deal-for-your-dollar collectible toys than high-quality but expensive toys.
Spinmaster and/or Mattel themselves killed all incentive for any Mecard franchise to be distributed to Western markets ever again.
On January 26, 2018, Mattel announced their launch of Mecard in the United States, and a new American dub by Studiopolis inc., released exclusively on the Mattel Action Youtube channel.
It became apparent Mattel's Mecard performed abysmally in the U.S. and abroad. Despite the fact Choirock won a patent lawsuit filed by Spinmaster accusing them of infringing on their Bakugan, it was apparently enough to throw a wrench in the works discouraging any further development of the dub and toy launches beyond their initial lineup while the trial was underway.
Mattel may also be to blame for poor toy marketing. The gray uniform packaging might have failed to stand out among competing toys, and the fact the Mega toys were repacked from open-display robot mode boxes to the most compact opaque vehicle mode boxes implies Mattel just wanted to penny-pinch as they got their stock out to the shelves. It may be also due to the cultural notion that Western families would rather have deal-for-your-dollar collectible toys than high-quality but expensive toys.
Spinmaster and/or Mattel themselves killed all incentive for any Mecard franchise to be distributed to Western markets ever again.
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