VIZ MEDIA AND MANGA ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE DVD DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR THE UK AND IRELAND

Cannes, FRANCE, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies and Manga Entertainment Ltd., a division of Starz Media, LLC an entertainment company specializing in the marketing and distribution of Japanese animation, announce an exclusive DVD distribution deal for the UK and Ireland beginning in April 2008.

On April 28, Manga Entertainment will begin distributing in the UK and Ireland a wide range of DVD titles based on VIZ Media’s successful top selling licensed manga series.  The ranges of titles include the smash hit animation series Death Note and Bleach, as well as new series such as MÄR and Buso Renkin.  The first title to be released on DVD under this agreement will be Death Note Vol. 1, debuting on April 28.

“We are incredibly excited to be able to work with VIZ Media in delivering their fantastic catalogue to anime fans in the UK and Ireland." says Colin Lomax of Anchor Bay Entertainment/Manga Entertainment UK. "We also look forward to working with VIZ Media in growing the anime market in these territories and implementing creative strategies to reach an even wider audience in the home video sector.”

“VIZ Media has been privileged to represent some of the strongest animated content from Japan; and we have many exciting new projects in the pipeline,” says John Easum, President/Gérant of VIZ Media Europe. “By expanding our close partnership with Manga Entertainment through this DVD distribution agreement, we will offer our fans in the UK and Ireland, a variety of rich and exciting new series from Japan.”  

Manga Entertainment Ltd. is an entertainment company specializing in the production, marketing and distribution of Japanese animation for theatrical, television, Internet, DVD and home video release worldwide.  The Manga film library is marketed and distributed in the U.S. through Anchor Bay Entertainment.  The company is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in London and Tokyo. 

Starz Media, LLC, is a programming, production and distribution company operating worldwide. It includes the Film Roman, Anchor Bay Entertainment, and Manga Entertainment brands. Its units create animated and live-action programming -- including theatrical films -- and programming created under contract for other media companies. It distributes that programming, and programming acquired from outside producers, through home video retailers, theaters, broadcasters, ad supported and premium television channels, and Internet and wireless video distributors in the US and internationally. Starz Media is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation that is attributed to Liberty Capital Group, www.starz.com.