4Kids Drops Pretty Cure

ICv2 has learned that 4Kids’ Entertainment’s domestic distribution license for the Futari wa Precure “Pretty Cure” television anime series has been allowed to expire. The license has evident reverted back to Toei Animation, which currently distributes the series’ first 14 subtitled episodes in North America through IGN’s Direct2Drive service. 4Kids acquired American distribution rights to the series in early 2006 with tentative plans to broadcast the series on American television. However, 4Kids never actually released any episodes of the series in any format.

The Pretty Cure series has been one of Japan’s most popular and successful new anime franchises of the decade, so far spawning 225 television episodes and 4 motion pictures (more than Sailor Moon!) with the current TV series still ongoing.