Care Bears Revisited and Revitalized

"The Care Bears", those huggable, loveable characters that starred in a '80s television series are making a comeback. I honestly believe that any kid of the eighties who grew up in North America can tell you at least 5 of the characters' names, the show was that monumentally popular and well-received.

The entire series will be available on Artisan Family Home Entertainment DVDs starting early 2004.

Also, Artisan has acquired the rights to distribute a new computer animation Care Bears movie, tentatively called "The Care Bears In: King Funshine, The Great". Funshine runs away from Care-A-Lot (home of the Care Bears), and is immediately embraced and crown in a kingdom. The Care Bears manage to track him down, to convince him to come home; through this, he relizes his true friends and family aren't in this kingdom, but in Care-A-Lot. The Bears must also foil an attempt to steal Laugh-A-Lot's royal jewels and restore order. The movie was produced by Nelvana, the original animation studios of the caring cubs. It's to be released just in time for Christmas, 2004.

The come for the bears doesn't end there. Funshine, Cheer, Tenderheart, and Bedtime were among the Care Bears that appear on a line of greeting cards, released by American Greetings and Canadian counterpart Carlton Cards. USA Today, Time, and Newsweek were a few of the many press outlets whose attentions were drawn to this resurgence.

Already, the new line of inevitable Care Bears merchandise is on store shelves; the bedding and colouring books are the bestsellers at major stores. Seventy licensees will create products like newborn and toddler apparel, toys, plushes, infant layettes, colouring and activity books, junior apparel, across the English-speaking world.

A Care Bears History Primer

The Care Bears are cute creatures that live on clouds in Care-A-Lot, and occasionally help out kids in trouble. They also must occasionally defeat Lord No-Heart, with minion Beastly and Shreeky. There are also The Care Bear Cousins, who are other animals, but essentially are the same.

All of this societal structure was established in the ABC kids television series, which started in 1986; the Care Bears didn't always have all of these responsibilities. In 1982, American Greetings introduced a line of greeting card designed to help teach children the importance of caring for others and sharing ones special feelings.

This unique concept created a group of bright, colourful bears, each with a symbol on their chest. Each bear represents a feeling or caring-based relationship.

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