Saban Brands has scooped up long-running Japanese anime IP Digimon and inked a distribution partnership with MarVista Entertainment for the brand outside Asia.

The move further expands Saban’s portfolio of entertainment properties, which has grown since its reacquisition of Power Rangers and the purchase of Paul Frank in 2010. Saban also recently acquired online startup Zui.com and mobile games developer The Playforge.

Terms of the Digimon deal will see Toei Animation Co. continue to handle licensing and distribution of the brand in Asia.

Meanwhile, Saban will debut the IP’s newest season, Digimon Fusion, at MIPCOM 2012 and MarVista will handle its global distribution sales outside Asia, as well as more than 250 half-hour episodes of Digimon content.

Saban’s Fox Family Worldwide first brought the Digimon property to the US in 1999. The IP is set in a digital world where powerful monsters known as Digimon defend their world from evil with help from their human friends.