MALIBU, Calif., Jun 19, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq:JAKK) announced today that it has signed a multi-year, master toy licensing agreement with HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality preschool entertainment, to manufacture and market a full line of products based on the top children's property, Barney. JAKKS Pacific(R), under its Child Guidance(R) preschool division, will develop toy products in multiple categories, including learning toys, plush and more.

"Our Child Guidance team will strive to create a line that not only embodies Barney, but which will also inspire creativity and imagination in children for years to come," said Jennifer Richmond, Senior Vice President, Licensing and Media, JAKKS Pacific, Inc. "We are extremely proud to have been selected by HIT as their Master Toy Partner with this all-inclusive toy license."

"JAKKS Pacific is the ideal partner to create toys that capture the magic of Barney," said Jamie Cygielman, Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, HIT Entertainment. "Barney is a beloved character who has been entertaining and educating children with fun, music and laughs since his debut nearly twenty years ago."

The first wave of Child Guidance products based on Barney is slated to hit retail shelves in North America in Spring 2007, and is expected to be available in both mass and specialty retailers nationwide.

About Barney(TM)

As a helping hand for growing children, Barney (along with special pals Baby Bop(TM) and BJ(TM)) helps parents give their children the range of skills they need to grow - and he always does it with lots of fun, music and laughs. "Barney & Friends(TM)" episodes are always filled with Sharing, Caring, Imagining, Dancing and Learning and can be seen on PBS KIDS(R) and PBS KIDS Sprout. For more information about Barney and all his friends, please visit www.barney.com.

About HIT Entertainment

HIT Entertainment, owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners since June 2005, is one of the world's leading independent children's entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT's portfolio includes internationally renowned children's properties, such as Bob the Builder(TM), Barney(TM), Thomas & Friends(TM), Pingu(TM), RubbaDubbers(TM) and Angelina Ballerina(TM) and HIT acts as a representative for The Wiggles(TM) in the UK, US and Canada. HIT also owns the Guinness World Records(TM) publishing and television property and Fireman Sam(TM), a joint venture with S4C. Launched in 1989, HIT's lines of business span television and video production (including studios in the US and the UK), publishing, consumer products licensing and live events. With a catalog of over 1,000 hours of young children's programming, HIT sells its shows to over 200 territories globally and has operations in the UK, US, Japan and Canada. In 2005, the Company joined Comcast Corporation, PBS and Sesame Workshop to launch PBS KIDS Sprout, a 24-hour digital cable channel and VOD service for preschoolers. For more information, visit www.hitentertainment.com.

About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq:JAKK) is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and consumer products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories. The products are sold under various brand names including JAKKS Pacific(R), Play Along(R), Flying Colors(R), Creative Designs International(TM), Road Champs(R), Child Guidance(R), Pentech(R), Trendmasters(R), Toymax(R), Funnoodle(R), Go Fly a Kite(R), Color Workshop(R), JPI(TM) and Plug It In & Play TV Games(TM). JAKKS and THQ Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment video games. For further information, visit www.jakkspacific.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) that are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about JAKKS Pacific's business based partly on assumptions made by its management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such statements due to numerous factors, including, but not limited to, those described above, changes in demand for JAKKS' products, product mix, the timing of customer orders and deliveries, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and difficulties with integrating acquired businesses. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date on which they are made, and JAKKS undertakes no obligation to update any of them to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.

SOURCE: JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
Genna Rosenberg, 310-455-6235
gennar@jakks.net
or
Bender/Helper Impact
Brian Reinert/Lauren McCabe, 212-689-6360
brian_reinert@bhimpact.com/Lauren_mccabe@bhimpact.com
or
Integrated Corporate Relations
John Mills, 310-395-2215
jmills@icrinc.com