VIZ MEDIA RELEASES THE THIRD ANNUAL SHOJO BEAT MUSIC AWARDS ISSUE,
FEBRUARY 2008

Featuring A Reader's Choice Vote And Exciting Contest In Partnership
With MYX!

San Francisco, CA, January 24, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of
the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive
publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced that its
Third Annual SHOJO BEAT Music Awards Issue features a reader’s choice
vote and a new, exclusive contest in conjunction with MYX, the first and
only music lifestyle channel focused on the Asian American market. The
February issue, on sale at retail outlets now, offers a host of new
surprises and exciting editorial content sure to delight even the most
discriminating fan.
The February 2008 issue of SHOJO BEAT, rated T+ for Older Teens,
celebrates the best in Japanese music with a beginner’s guide to
Japanese bands, a Tokyo record store’s top 10 and two music-themed Hot
Lists in addition to the featured awards. For the Music Awards, SHOJO
BEAT takes a look at previous up-and-comers in the awards competition as
well as this year’s newest and most talented artists. In the Best Pop
Artist or Group category, artists include: Budo Grape, Puffy AmiYumi,
Swinging Popsicle and HALCALI. In the Best Rock Artist or Group
category, artists include: L’Arc~en~Ciel, AN CAFÉ, ROCKET K and DOGG
BONE. There is also a new category for Music Videos made possible by the
folks at MYX.

SHOJO BEAT readers who vote for their favorite music will be entered
into a random drawing for one of 15 cool prizes. Prizes include 100 song
downloads on JapanFiles.com, and the latest edition of Dance Dance
Revolution, SuperNOVA2 donated by Konami. For more details and Official
Rules, visit http://shojobeat.com/music/rules.php

In addition to its help with the Music Video category in the Awards, MYX
is also working with SHOJO BEAT this month and allowing readers to get
even more into the exciting world of Asian music. The ‘MYX a Music Spot
SHOJO BEAT Style’ contest promotes a search for creative SHOJO BEAT and
J-Music-loving fans to help MYX create a 10-30 second spot to be
featured between their regular programming of music videos and
Asian-American oriented shows! Participants will simply upload their
ideas to the MYX.tv website, MYX and SHOJO BEAT will pick the best
concepts, and one lucky grand prize winner will have their concept
turned into an actual spot produced by MYX. The grand prize winner will
also receive a SHOJO BEAT goodie bag containing a T-shirt and Konami’s
Dance Dance Revolution game. Each of the three runner-up winners will
receive a SHOJO BEAT goodie bag containing a T-shirt and Konami’s latest
Dance Dance Revolution game. For more details and official rules, visit
http://www.shojobeat.com/myx32/.
MYX is also offering an exclusive promotion in conjunction with the
SHOJO BEAT music issue on its website (http://myx.tv) where participants
can enter to win a new 16gb iPod Touch. Site visitors who join the MYX
newsletter are automatically entered in a random drawing to win.

"MYX is committed to raising awareness about some of the hottest musical
artists sweeping Asia and we’re very excited to partner with SHOJO BEAT
for this exciting issue,” states Enrique Olives, Director for Business
Development of ABS-CBN Global. “The popularity of J-Music among anime
and manga fans is widespread and growing and we welcome the opportunity
to have so many talented and unique artists featured in this special
issue. We encourage readers to vote for their favorite artists and lend
support to this growing genre of music."
“Rock and pop music from Japan and other Asian countries has
complemented the popularity of anime and manga across North America,”
says Kristine Givas, Director Advertising & Marketing, VIZ Media. “Many
artists lend theme songs to popular anime series and our readers have
become avid fans. This issue will explore a range of cutting edge
artists and we are pleased to team with MYX to also present several
contests and ways that SHOJO BEAT readers can become involved in this
musical phenomenon that is quickly gaining domestic momentum.”
In addition to extensive and exciting music coverage, the February issue
features all the fun stuff that SHOJO BEAT is known for-- dramatic,
cathartic, romantic and fantastic shojo manga: Monkey High! preview,
plus the exciting continuation of serialized titles Absolute Boyfriend,
Crimson Hero, Vampire Knight, Honey and Clover, Haruka and Sand
Chronicles. The fresh Japanese infused lifestyle editorial, along with
the incredible addiction of the shojo manga titles has helped this
unique magazine increase its circulation over 57% percent since
launching in June 2005 and shows no signs of slowing its growth as the
appeal of manga for girls and Japanese pop culture continues to rise.

About MYX
Launched in April 2007, MYX is the first and only music lifestyle
channel focused on the Asian American community and a broader audience
hungry for music fusion. A nationally-distributed premium television
channel, MYX targets the 15 to 34 demographic. MYX fuses mainstream
hits, the biggest jams from Asia and a healthy dose of independent music
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Based in Redwood City, Calif., MYX is
developed by ABS-CBN Global, a media company with a 15-year track record
in successful ethnic programming in the U.S. For more information,
please visit www.myx.tv.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one
of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga
(graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of
Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and
licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and
Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd. (ShoPro Japan), VIZ Media is a leader in
the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking
audiences in North America and a global licensor of Japanese manga and
animation. The company offers an integrated product line including,
magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, videos,
DVDs and audio soundtracks and develops and markets animated
entertainment from initial production, television placement and
distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions for audiences and
consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San
Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web
site at www.VIZ.com.