VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF

D.GRAY-MAN ILLUSTRATIONS: NOCHE

New Full-Color Art Book Features The Memorable Work Of Series Creator Katsura Hoshino And Includes A Double-Sided Poster, Artist Interviews And More!

San Francisco, CA, November 29, 2011 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, will delight manga (graphic novel) art fans with the release of D.GRAY-MAN ILLUSTRATIONS: NOCHE on December 6^th. The new art book arrives just in time for the holidays and will carry an MSRP of $21.99 U.S. / $25.99 CAN.

Enter the lavish fictional 19^th century world of D.GRAY-MAN in this new collection featuring nearly 100 pages of full-color character art, magazine covers, and other original compositions by series creator Katsura Hoshino. Also featured are insightful Q&A’s between Hoshino and two manga creators that inspire her: Takeshi Obata, the artist behind HIKARU NO GO, BAKUMAN｡, and the smash hit DEATH NOTE (all published in North America by VIZ Media); and Osamu Akimoto, whose manga series, Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen Mae Hashutsujo, has been serialized in the best-selling boy's manga magazine in the world, Weekly Shonen Jump, for 35 years and remains the magazine’s longest-running manga series. D.GRAY-MAN ILLUSTRATIONS: NOCHE also includes an exclusive, double-sided full-color poster.

Set in a fictional version of 19^th century England, D.GRAY-MAN (published by VIZ Media’s SHONEN JUMP ADVANCED imprint; rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) is the story of Allen Walker, a 15-year-old boy who roams the earth in search of Innocence. Washed away to unknown parts of the world after The Great Flood, Innocence is the mysterious substance used to create weapons that obliterate demons known as akuma.

“D.GRAY-MAN ILLUSTRATIONS: NOCHE is an ideal collection of the work of Katsura Hoshino, and shows off many of her most memorable characters from the hit series,” says Andy Nakatani, Editorial Director. “Fans can savor lush renderings of Allen Walker, Lenalee Lee, and the evil Millennium Earl and learn more about Hoshino’s background, influences and the evolution of D.GRAY-MAN in an enlightening interview conducted by two of the biggest names in the manga world! This new release also makes a thoughtful gift for that special fan this holiday season.”

Born in 1980 in Japan’s Shiga Prefecture, Katsura Hoshino's hit manga series D.GRAY-MAN has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since 2004. Her first series, Continue, debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2003.

For more information on D. GRAY-MAN, or others SHONEN JUMP titles from VIZ Media, please visit ShonenJump.viz.com.

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.