SAMG Entertainment’s “Metal Cardbot W” Begins China-wide Broadcast

SAMG Entertainment’s 3D robot animation Metal Cardbot W began airing across China on Sept. 24, with the third season launching simultaneously on major children’s TV channels and streaming platforms, including Jinying Cartoon, Youku, Tencent Video, iQIYI and Mango TV.

Known as Xuan Ka Dou Shi W (炫卡斗士W) in China, Metal Cardbot W is the third season of the Metal Cardbot franchise, combining action battles, card collecting and transforming robots. The franchise entered the Chinese market with its first season in 2023, followed by Metal Cardbot S Parts 1 and 2. The latest season is also being released in two parts, with Part 2 scheduled to launch in January 2027.

The franchise has continued to gain traction in China. Part 2 of Season 2, released in August 2025, ranked No. 1 in real-time viewership on Jinying Cartoon and major streaming platforms. Cumulative views for Metal Cardbot across new media platforms have surpassed 500 million, while branded search terms related to the franchise ranked No. 1 among robot-related searches on Taobao, excluding the generic term “Robot”.

The growing audience has also been reflected in toy sales. SAMG Entertainment operates its China business through its Guangzhou Branch and has worked with local partners, including Jingqi Huaye, to supply products alongside the animation’s broadcast. Toy sales in China increased by approximately 36.7% in 2025 from the previous year.

The franchise has also seen its audience grow in South Korea. Season 1 recorded a peak rating of 3.03% among boys aged 4 to 7 nationwide, while Season 2 reached 6.195%, setting a new high for the series. Season 3, Metal Cardbot W, which began airing on EBS1 in December 2025, recorded a 16.4% rating among its target audience. The animation has strengthened its storytelling by developing character relationships and emotional arcs, while the toy line, with its detailed mechanical designs and high level of finish, is attracting adult fans and kidult consumers.

A SAMG Entertainment representative said, “We are expanding both content distribution and product sales around our original IPs in global markets. In China, Metal Cardbot is following the success of Catch! Teenieping, and we plan to leverage our local distribution network and business partnerships to increase our market share.”