4Kids Entertainment's ``Yu-Gi-Oh!'' Scores in Its First Duel on Saturday, Sept. 29.

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Oct. 8, 2001

Eagerly Awaited KIDS' WB! Premiere of Hit Japanese Anime Series Ranks

No. 1 Among Broadcast Competition in its Time Period Among Key Demos

In its eagerly awaited KIDS' WB! debut, the hot new Japanese anime series represented worldwide (outside of Asia) by New York-based 4Kids Entertainment (NYSE:KDE), "Yu-Gi-Oh!" debuted with a strong finish, ranking No. 1 among the broadcast competition in its time period in Kids 2-11 (2.5/11), Kids 6-11 (2.7/13), Boys 2-11 (3.8/16) and Boys 6-11 (3.6/18).

Produced by NAS (Nihon Ad Systems Inc.), "Yu-Gi-Oh!"(TM) is the story of Yugi and his friends who are caught up in the game craze that is sweeping the nation: Duel Monsters -- a game that pits different mystical creatures against one another in wild, magical duels. Yugi, a high school kid, possesses the millennium puzzle that gives him special powers and makes him the best at the game. When Yugi gets into tough situations, his alter ego takes over and Yugi is able to defeat the virtual reality monster rivals.

The launch success of "Yu-Gi-Oh!" follows on the heels of 4Kids Entertainment's mega-franchise "Pokemon"(TM), which, for its fourth year, also commanded winning ratings in both its 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. KIDS' WB! time periods. At the same time, 4Kids' original animated property "Cubix"(TM), which debuted in August, continues to lead all broadcast competition in its 8:30 a.m. berth on KIDS' WB! -- giving 4Kids Entertainment four top-rated shows on the No. 1 broadcast network for kids.

Said Al Kahn, 4Kids Entertainment chief executive officer: "We are delighted with the debut numbers for `Yu-Gi-Oh!,' our newest entry in kids television. Already a tremendous success in Japan, `Yu-Gi-Oh!' is a significant property for our company as we continue to expand our activities within kids entertainment."

With headquarters in New York City and international offices in London, 4Kids Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:KDE) is a global provider of children's entertainment and merchandise licensing. 4Kids, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, provides domestic and international merchandise licensing and product development, television, film, music and home video production and distribution, media buying and planning, and Web site development. For further information, visit the company's Web site at www.4kidsEnt.com.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding prospects for the future that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual income to differ materially from those expected are the following: business conditions and general economic conditions; competitive factors such as pricing and marketing efforts of rival companies; timing of product introductions; ability of contract manufacturers to meet product price objectives and delivery schedules; legislative, regulatory, and industry initiatives that may affect planned or actual product features and marketing methods; and the pace and success of product research and development. For more information on the potential factors that could affect the company's financial income, review the relevant Securities and Exchange Commission filings.