NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 11/25/08 -- On Black Friday 1983, hundreds of thousands of Americans stood in seemingly unending lines braving potential riots at retail stores to secure a Cabbage Patch Kid for the holiday season. News stations around the world featured footage of the so-called "riots," and newspapers splashed accounts of the Cabbage Patch Kids across their headlines. With Black Friday 2008 (November 27) marking the 25th anniversary of this remarkable day in history, 4Kids Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: KDE) and Original Appalachian Artworks, Inc. (OAA) are commemorating the event with a special release of the original 'Kids' that started the Cabbage Patch craze 25 years ago, exclusively available from Play Along(R), a division of JAKKS Pacific (NASDAQ: JAKK).

"It is amazing how people took to the Cabbage Patch Kids when they were first released back in 1983," said Xavier Roberts, creator of the iconic brand. "Twenty-five years ago we would have never imagined that over 118 million 'Kids' would be 'adopted' or that we'd experience the opportunity to celebrate this milestone."

"From a historical perspective, the economy in 1983 was a year of challenge with hopes of recovery for a lot of families," said Margaret McLean, director of corporate communications for Original Appalachian Artworks, the parent company of Cabbage Patch Kids. "For parents, securing a Cabbage Patch Kid for the holidays was an accomplishment enjoyed, admired and recounted by children to this day."

Now available at retail, the Limited Edition 25th Anniversary Cabbage Patch Kids(R) are exact replicas of the original 'Kids' that caused the unprecedented frenzy 25 years ago. They are returning to store shelves for the first time since the early '80s with the same lovable faces, beautiful clothing and adorable names for fans to fall in love with all over again. The 'Kids' resurgence is sure to bring a swell of nostalgic emotions and memories, which can be shared with other Cabbage Patch Kids fans at a special interactive online Memory Wall -- www.cabbagepatchkids25.com.