VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN ANIME FEATURE FILM PREMIERE FOR

TIGER & BUNNY – THE BEGINNING

Catch Japan’s First Corporate Superheroes In Their Big Screen Debut At San Francisco’s NEW PEOPLE Cinema; Fans Nationwide Encouraged To Enter TIGER & BUNNY Cosplay Contest To Win Valuable Prizes!

San Francisco, CA, September 5, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, brings the hero-inspired big screen action of the smash hit anime property – TIGER & BUNNY – home to the Bay Area as it announces a very special North American theatrical premiere event for TIGER & BUNNY – THE BEGINNING to be held at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema, located inside the dynamic Japanese pop culture entertainment venue in San Francisco’s Japantown at 1746 Post St.

TIGER & BUNNY – THE BEGINNING will screen on Saturday, September 29^th at 4:00pm and 7:00pm. The film will be presented with original Japanese dialogue and English subtitles. Advanced Tickets are $10.00 and are available online at NewPeopleWorld.com/films/films-9-2012/; advance ticketholders will receive a limited edition Wild Tiger Card at the premiere screening. Day-of tickets (subject to availability) will be available at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema box office.

The TIGER & BUNNY – THE BEGINNING North American premiere event will also feature a special cosplay contest open to all fans nationwide and those attending the theatrical premiere. The online cosplay contest will kick off on Monday, September 10^th and run until Monday, September 28^th. Fans are encouraged to don their best TIGER & BUNNY-inspired costume and submit a picture for a chance to win valuable domestic and Japanese TIGER & BUNNY licensed products. An on-site TIGER & BUNNY contest will also be streamed to the Tiger & Bunny Facebook page on the day of the NEW PEOPLE Cinema premiere. Categories for the cosplay contest include: Hero Suit, Off-Duty and Support Crew. Official prize sponsors include YesAnime, Animate, Gaia Online and Bluefin. Please check the official TIGER & BUNNY Facebook page for http://www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny on September 10th for the official entry page. 

“TIGER & BUNNY – THE BEGINNING is a rollicking, fast-paced movie that puts a unique spin on the classic superhero story while blending plenty of action, comedy, and drama into a fun anime adventure that is sure to delight fans,” says Daisuke Aoki, Vice President, Animation Licensing. “We invite fans everywhere to think like heroes, get creative, and join in the TIGER & BUNNY cosplay contest for a chance to win some cool prizes!”

TIGER & BUNNY – THE BEGINNING is an exciting feature film that takes audiences on a wild journey to the metropolis of Stern Bild, where there are heroes that wear the logos of sponsors and protect the city from danger. Their exploits are broadcast on the popular HERO TV. Wild Tiger (Kotetsu T. Kaburagi) is a veteran superhero who is past his peak and is ordered by his company to team up with the rookie hero, Barnaby Brooks Jr. Can these two mismatched superheroes overcome their differences to protect the city?

Episodes of the TIGER & BUNNY anime series are currently available on VIZAnime.com, the company’s exclusive web destination for anime, and will also be carried this fall on Neon Alley, VIZ Media’s forthcoming 24-hour anime channel featuring the world’s best anime (dubbed and uncut).

To view the official trailer and to follow TIGER & BUNNY on the official Facebook page, please visit http://www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny.

For more information on TIGER & BUNNY and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit VIZAnime.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 digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA 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.