VISIT VIZ MEDIA AT NEW YORK COMIC CON, BOOTH #932 FOR FREE TICKETS TO THE PREMIERE

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THEATRICAL PREMIERE OF NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS

Japanese NARUTO Voice Actress Junko Takeuchi To Attend Special Premiere Event Held During 2011 New York Comic Con

San Francisco, CA, October 4, 2011 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, complements its presence at the 2011 New York Comic Con with the exclusive U.S. theatrical premiere of the latest NARUTO SHIPPUDEN feature film, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS (English subtitled), on Saturday, October 15^th at 7:00pm at the New York School of Visual Arts Theatre. A special pre-show red carpet event featuring Japanese voice actress Junko Takeuchi, who provides the original voice for Naruto, will take place at the theatre beginning at 6:00pm.

The School of Visual Arts Theatre is located at 333 West 23^rd Street, within walking distance of the Jacob Javits Convention Center where the 2011 New York Comic Con will take place October 13^th–16^th. Seating is on a first-come/first-served basis. Comic Con attendees can secure free tickets to the premiere at VIZ Media’s Booth #932. Check a schedule posted at the VIZ Media booth for the designated times for free ticket giveaways!

The first 200 attendees in line for the premiere will receive a NARUTO plush toy. Premiere attendees will also receive a special VIZ Media Heroes Of Anime gift bag with an amazing assortment of goodies, including the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™: Ultimate Ninja Impact™ video game for the PSP (courtesy Namco Bandai), NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Collectable Card Game packs (courtesy Bandai America), NARUTO keychains (courtesy Great Eastern), and other assorted collectibles.

“Junko Takeuchi is one of the most respected voice actors in the Japanese anime industry and we’re honored to welcome her as a very special guest of honor for this theatrical premiere event,” says Candice Uyloan, Director, Marketing. “NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS is the second feature film in the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN story arc and Naruto and his friends must face down a dangerous new airborne menace in this latest action-packed adventure. Don’t miss this fun event which is sure to be a must-attend for every anime and action film fan during New York Comic Con!”

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), a group of mysterious flying ninja have arrived from overseas to launch a sudden attack against the Hidden Leaf Village, leaving behind a wake of destruction. The group is revealed to be the “Sky Ninja” from the Land of Sky, a nation thought to have been destroyed by the Hidden Leaf Village long ago. To save their village, Naruto and his friends set out to stop this new threat. During the course of the mission, Naruto crosses paths with Sasuke, his friend who has parted ways from the Leaf Village.

More information on NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS is available at www.Naruto.com and www.VIZ.com/naruto-shippuden-movie-video.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.