/EINPresswire.com/ -- HOUSTON, TX--(Marketwired - Jan 19, 2017) - The Weirds, a new toy line and brand that revels in the unique, different and original, announced today that it has partnered with two like-minded brands -- Sentai Filmworks, a leading independent distributor of Japanese anime and pop culture programming, and the Bruce Lee Foundation. Both partnerships align to and support The Weirds' mantra of "Embrace Your Weird."

"The Weirds is about not only celebrating differences in one another but shining a spotlight on them, and Sentai Filmworks and the Bruce Lee Foundation both operate under the same kind of philosophy," said The Weirds creator Chris Hawley. "By supporting one another in business and community, we hope to bring home our message that, "Normal is lame, embrace your weird!'"

"Sentai Filmworks has a global fan base that consists of people who appreciate the different, the unique and the diverse -- it's the core of our business," said John Ledford, President and CEO of Sentai Filmworks. "By partnering with The Weirds, we can both reach new communities that celebrate the art of individuality."

The partnership with The Bruce Lee Foundation is a collaborative effort to educate and encourage kids on the importance of being themselves in today's world. Through the foundation's Little Dragon's Program, kids ages seven to 17 are empowered to freely express themselves with confidence in any environment or social setting. The Weirds partnership makes this concept very approachable and fun for kids.

"Everyone has a unique set of talents, qualities and gifts. That is a message that Bruce Lee himself projected out into the world and that is what we celebrate at the Bruce Lee Foundation," said Richard Grewar, Executive Director of the Bruce Lee Foundation. "Over the past several years, we've been witness to Chris's passion for his community and the kids within it, so our partnership with The Weirds comes at a time when now, more than ever, kids need someone to look up to and something to believe in -- themselves."

The Weirds brand was named a finalist in License Global Magazine's, "One to Watch" Award in 2016. The Weirds launched with a toy line of awesomely odd plush characters, each retailing for $29.99. Each character is designed with bright, hard-to-miss colors, fun patterns, and -- most importantly -- unique personality traits:

• El Loco and Guapo: When not in the ring, Mexican wrestlers El Loco and his tag team partner, Guapo the mustache, like climbing Mt. Everest, Bigfoot hunting, and zip-lining.
• Miss E: This girly girl of the group loves Monster trucks and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. In fact, she once held the world record for most sandwiches eaten in one sitting -- 29!
• Bonez: The mega-chill Weird is not much for exercise or excitement. He likes to spend his days on the couch watching '90's sitcoms, playing games on his phone, and checking out local bands.
• Fab Ric: Ric's made from ... well ... fabric. Not just any ol' fabric, it's totally colorable. He's a blank canvas and a masterpiece waiting to be created!
• Allen: When he burps, color flows out of his mouth. His second language is Pig Latin, and he owns the famous chicken nugget that looks like Santa Claus. He's not a fan of pickles.
• Noodlez: She's a kitten with sass. She never met a donut she didn't like and loves to draw and text, but give her yams and you will get a hiss!
• Lucky: This single-horned dude is all about life jackets and rainbows but has an aversion to tweezers and Sporks.
  
  

The Weirds plush characters, along with other branded merchandise (T-shirts, buttons, stickers, coloring book), are available for purchase on TheWeirds.com, various independent retailers, and are supported via Sentai Filmworks.

For more information, please visit The Weirds' website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channel. 

About The Weirds
The Weirds are a collection of original characters that are anything but normal. They're awesomely odd, born to promote individuality. The Weirds world is simple -- be unique, be different, be you...be Weird! Weird people are the risk takers, the explorers and the innovators! Our message that "Normal is lame, embrace your weird" is one that many people, and kids believe...so let's celebrate it. Let your weird roam the countryside and crazy dance when your favorite song comes on... let it make odd faces in the mirror while fixing your hair...you've got it in you...set it free! So join the movement...and let's ALL get WEIRD! For more information, visit www.theweirds.com.

About Sentai Filmworks, LLC
Sentai Filmworks is a leading global supplier of anime and official anime merchandise, distributing and curating one of the industry's most diverse libraries of top trending and classic titles. Offering thousands of hours of content across both traditional and digital platforms, Sentai is dedicated to bringing captivating stories and iconic characters directly from Japan. With hit series that include Parasyte -the maxim-, No Game, No Life, Food Wars!, Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, and Akame ga Kill!, Sentai's catalog continues to grow with new favorites like Himouto! Umaru-chan and Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls, as well as classic anime series such as Legend of the Galactic Heroes. For more information, visit www.sentaifilmworks.com.

About the Bruce Lee Foundation:
What started as a grassroots movement to honor Bruce Lee's philosophies and dedication to his craft and his life, has become a thriving 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that motivates individuals around the world to become the best version of themselves. Through a number of educational and social initiatives -- including the "Little Dragons" martial arts for kids program, the Bruce Lee Foundation encourages people to strive for honest self-expression in alignment with their mind, body, and spirit. Consistent with Bruce Lee's innate belief, they know that they can impact the world by giving people permission to follow their dreams, in harmony with their community. They are sharing Bruce Lee's message with the world and providing opportunities for people to apply his message as a personal all to action. For more information, visit www.bruceleefoundation.org.