Pocket.watch will deploy its creator economy franchise-building blueprint with the Japanese entertainment brand and YouTube gaming channel Maizen, bringing the JJ & Mikey animated characters into the publishing, consumer products, original series, and content distribution spheres.
JJ & Mikey’s YouTube channel has 22.9 million subscribers and 23 billion lifetime views. This summer, pocket.watch will bring the JJ & Mikey series to Tubi, The Roku Channel, and Ryan and Friends Plus, kicking off a broader plan to expand the characters into original series and consumer products, including toys, apparel, collectibles, and food. A publishing deal is in place with Scholastic for children’s books, arriving at retail in early 2027. Working with Bonkers Toys, JJ & Mikey toys will debut across major retailers in the spring of 2027. Bonkers Toys, as the master toy licensee, will lead product development, beginning with plushies, blind-box collectibles, and additional formats.
“We’re excited to bring JJ & Mikey’s imaginative, game-driven adventures into the world of books, extending their reach to new readers,” said Michael Petranek, editorial director for Scholastic trade publishing. “This partnership with pocket.watch reflects our continued focus on meeting kids where their interests lie, and we look forward to translating these beloved digital characters into engaging, high-quality storytelling experiences that inspire a lifelong love of reading.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Maizen to scale JJ & Mikey into a global franchise that extends seamlessly across streaming and retail,” said Amanda Klecker, SVP of marketing and franchise at pocket.watch. “Families will have the opportunity to follow storylines to new platforms and publishing, and continue narratives with their own imaginations through new toys.”
“What started as gameplay storytelling is evolving into a full-scale entertainment brand,” said the Maizen team. “We’re excited to partner with pocket.watch to deepen how fans experience these characters in their everyday lives.”
