VIZ MEDIA LICENSES EDGY SHONEN JUMP DEATH NOTE ANIME SERIES TO ADULT SWIM

Suspenseful Mystery to Debut On October 20

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has licensed the "Shonen Jump Death Note" anime series to Adult Swim for domestic broadcast beginning Saturday, October 20 at midnight (EST) on the popular block of programming. New episodes will follow each week thereafter.

Shonen Jump Death Note is a suspenseful mystery, inspired by a 12-volume manga counterpart (published in North America by VIZ Media), and follows the adventures of Light Yagami, an ace student with great prospects but who is bored out of his mind. All of that changes when he finds the Death Note, a strange notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god named Ryuk. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals mysteriously begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal - or his life?

The unique storyline and complex characters, combined with visually stunning animation by Madhouse, made Shonen Jump Death Note one of the most popular anime series in Japan and anticipation for the North American release has built steadily since VIZ Media first began publishing the manga series. Shonen Jump Death Note also spawned two successful live-action films, set for domestic distribution this year by VIZ Pictures, and a plethora of related posters, toys and action figures. VIZ Media will further release Volume 1 of Death Note, containing 4-episodes, on DVD on November 20.

“The domestic broadcast debut of Death Note has been patiently awaited by fans across the country and we are pleased to team with Adult Swim to facilitate it,” states William Germain, Director, Animation Production, VIZ Media., “The mix of drama, mystery and action has already made the Shonen Jump Death Note manga a hit and the anime series takes the characters and plot to the next level with a captivating visual style. We look forward to fans tuning in each week for the latest adventures of L and Light as they struggle to outwit each other and demonstrate conflicting ideas about right and wrong.”