Kids YouTuber Ryan Kaji Expands Live-Action, Animated Content Slate With ‘Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures’ (Exclusive)
Ryan’s World’s, home of one of YouTube’s biggest influencers and content creators Ryan Kaji, is expanding its kids-focused slate with the launch of Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures.
Inspired by the Japanese heritage of Ryan’s father Shion and a series of family trips to Japan, the new content and consumer product expansion from pocket.watch — a digital media company that focuses on kids and family creator content and IP — and Sunlight Entertainment, the Kaji family-owned production studio, will see new toys, an AI-driven Cameo collaboration, episodes and specials roll out across the Ryan’s World YouTube Channel, The Roku Channel, and the independent kids and family SVOD service Ryan and Friends Plus.
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“We are thrilled to extend the Ryan’s World franchise with the exciting launch of Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures toys with Walmart, captivating new episodes and innovative digital products with Cameo,” says Amanda Klecker, svp of marketing & franchise at pocket.watch, which produces original video and audio content, mobile games, metaverse worlds, live events and consumer products lines. “We’re taking Ryan’s journey to the next level, immersing our audience in a world of ninja-inspired fun and adventure. This kicks off an epic brand experience that will delight the whole family!”
That begins today with The Roku Channel and Ryan and Friends Plus’ debut of a Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures special, which follows the 11-year-old YouTuber as he journeys to become a “Ninja Master” in a story featuring “epic battles” and singalongs. Later in August, the Ryan’s World YouTube Channel — home to over 34 million subscribers — will host the global premiere of a new live-action special filmed in Japan, with fans able to watch the Kaji family’s real-time reactions as the content is streamed.
The first special’s release also coincides with today’s launch of the Walmart exclusive Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures toys, a line of in-store and online products. Fans can purchase the Ninja Adventures Mini Mystery Egg, which includes six assortments of one mystery figure, a micro figure, mystery sand and stickers, or the Ninja Adventures Giant Mystery Egg, which features figures, a vehicle, putty, a Ninja Star spinner and stickers.
In a product first, the Giant Mystery Egg will also give kids a code for personalized animated Cameo messages from “Ninja Ryan.” From the YouTube star, whose channel is aimed at kids ages 3 to 9 and has more than 45 billion views, the Ninja Ryan character uses Cameo’s proprietary AI voice and animation technology and joins fellow pocket.watch characters Red Titan and Combo Panda from Ryan’s World on Cameo Kids.
“Creating content for Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures has been such a fun way for my kids to build a deeper connection to my childhood in Japan,” says Ryan’s father Shion, CEO of Sunlight Entertainment. “With the launch of Ninja Ryan on Cameo Kids, now fans will also have the opportunity for personal connections through the customized animated video messages.”
Formerly known as Ryan ToysReview, the Ryan’s World brand produces digital and broadcast entertainment, toys and other consumer products. Launched in 2015 when Ryan was just 3 years old, the brand has since garnered more than 56 million subscribers and over 76 billion lifetime views across channels and platforms through content featuring the kid creator and influencer, his parents Shion and Loann, as well as his twin sisters Emma and Kate.
In 2017, the family founded Sunlight Entertainment in an effort to streamline the work involved with one of YouTube’s largest kid channels. Ryan’s World releases around 25 videos featuring live-action and animated content a week.
The production studio manages Ryan’s World, Ryan’s World Español, Ryan’s World in Japanese, EK Doodles, Ryan’s Family Review, Vtubers, Combo Panda, Gus the Gummy Gator, The Studio Space and the Stick with Kaji – Podcast, and employs a 30-person team of videographers, editors, animators, writers and voice actors.
That same year, the Kaji family signed a deal with pocket.watch, the Culver City-based company and studio founded by Chris Williams that’s behind similar kids content franchises Love, Diana, Onyx Monster Mysteries and Toys and Colors: Kaleidoscope City.
That deal led to the Hecht-created and pocket.watch-produced Ryan’s Mystery Playdate, which aired on Nickelodeon between April 2019 and April 2023, and the live-action and animation hybrid Amazon Kids+ mini-movie Super Spy Ryan, which debuted in November 2020. In the video game space, Ryan’s World, pocket.watch and WildWorks released the mobile game app Tag with Ryan, and later, with Outright Games, console releases Race With Ryan and Ryan’s Rescue Squad, available on PC and consoles including PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
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