Enchantimals is a media franchise-supported toy line launched on July 18, 2017, by American multinational toy company Mattel as a companion to Ever After High and the second spin-off to Monster High. The line consists of human–animal hybrids and their woodland creature pets who live in a fictional setting of Everwilde. The Enchantimals media include a web series, books, and a television special. The franchise development began in late 2015, it was announced in October 2016, and its toys were first released in June 2017.
Development began in late 2015 after Ever After High dolls ceased production. It was announced on October 12, 2016, and toys were first released in June 2017.[1] The franchise originally began as part of the Ever After High franchise with the characters as smaller, animal-themed pixies.[2] Trademarks were filed on January 14, 2016, for a line called "Pixie World", which was to be a pixie-centric arc that was to follow the introductions of two groups of pixies in mid December, 2015 and early June, 2016.
Following the discontinuation of the EAH toy line, the "Pixie World" line was scrapped, but served as the basis for Enchantimals. However, its heritage speaks only from its core concepts and is thus farther removed from its predecessors than Ever After High was from Monster High.
Enchantimals has not received similar marketing, being only recognizable as part of the greater whole due to similarities. It is unknown if this is intentional as a means for Mattel to start afresh, which is suggested by the avoiding of the high school setting, or a consequence of the cancellation and rebooting of the older two franchises. Like its predecessors with Bratz and Disney Princess, Enchantimals takes a cue or two from competing doll franchises.
My Little Pony's 2010 incarnation and its spin-off Equestria Girls, as well as the 2012 Littlest Pet Shop toy line, all done by Mattel's long-time main rival Hasbro, is the inspiration of Enchantimals' themes of nature and group-based friendship. Mattel looked on into them as Hasbro made a deal with Disney to produce newer licensed toys and games. Mattel itself has pointed at the "popular animal aesthetic [as seen in] social media filters" as a direct inspiration for the franchise, though whether this means the earlier pixies were based on the filters or if the filters account for the design difference between the pixies and the Enchantimals is not specified. The choice for the small size of the Enchantimals dolls has been ascribed to the market influence of the 2014 franchise Shopkins with emphasis on its 2015 doll spinoff Shoppies.[2]
