VIZ MEDIA TEAMS WITH AMAZON UNBOX
TO OFFER NARUTO UNCUT, DEATH NOTE AND BLEACH ANIMATION FOR DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

Three Of The Hottest Animated Action Series Sweeping North America Offered With Convenience, Flexibility And DVD Quality

San Francisco, CA, January 25, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the availability of three of its most popular and successful animated action series – NARUTO Uncut, DEATH NOTE and BLEACH – for digital download from Amazon UnboxTM, Amazon’s digital video download service. Amazon Unbox offers customers thousands of television shows, movies and other innovative video content from numerous studio and network partners from Hollywood and around the world. This service can be found at www.amazon.com/unbox.

NARUTO Uncut, DEATH NOTE and BLEACH are available now with episodes costing $1.99 each. NARUTO Uncut initially features episodes 1-25 dubbed, DEATH NOTE features the full series dubbed, and BLEACH features episodes 1-25 dubbed. To further add to the excitement of the launch of VIZ Media titles on Amazon Unbox, one free episode from each of the available properties; NARUTO Uncut, DEATH NOTE, and BLEACH is being offered on www.amazon.com/unbox through January 31, 2008.

NARUTO Uncut (rated T+ for older teens), is now one of the most popular and successful manga comic and animated properties in North America. The general storyline depicts the adventures of a young boy named Naruto Uzumaki who trains to become a ninja. Naruto, cursed with the spirit of The Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit sealed within his body, is forced to live a bullied life discriminated against by his fellow villagers. But Naruto is resilient and undaunted and his determination often inspires those around him. Through the adventures, the young ninja learns the importance of friendship, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, creativity, ingenuity and right vs. wrong.
DEATH NOTE, rated T+ for older teens, is a suspenseful mystery, inspired by a 12-volume manga (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?

BLEACH, rated T for teens, is based on the best-selling manga comic by Tite Kubo, also published in North America by VIZ Media. Ichigo Kurosaki is an ordinary 15-year-old boy who happens to be able to see ghosts. His fate takes an extraordinary turn when he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who shows up at Ichigo's house on the trail of a Hollow, a malevolent lost soul. Drawn to Ichigo's high level of spirit energy, the Hollow attacks him and his family, and as a last resort, Rukia decides to transfer part of her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo....

As a result of Rukia’s actions, she is sent back to the Soul Society, where she is condemned to die. With the help of Kisuke, the seemingly laid-back owner of Urahara’s Shop, and Yoruichi, the mysterious cat, Ichigo and his friends set forth on a quest to enter the impenetrable Soul Society and save Rukia at all costs!

“VIZ Media has had a long and successful retail relationship with Amazon.com and we are excited to team with its premier digital download channel, Unbox, to make available some of the hottest animated series sweeping North America,” says Liza Coppola, Senior Vice President, Marketing, VIZ Media. “"We are committed to maximizing the ability of the dynamic medium of digital delivery to bring hot series like NARUTO Uncut, DEATH NOTE and BLEACH to fans who want the flexibility and convenience of digital download.”

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.
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