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Press Releases for March 2007

March 2007

February 2007

January 2007

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March 30, 2007: Illumitoon Launches Free Trade-In Program

Fans of Japanese subtitling on anime have a new reason to celebrate. Illumitoon Entertainment, Ltd. announced today that based on overwhelming demand it will be initiating a trade-in program for its “dubtitled” DVDs. “Dubtitles” are video with the English dialogue superimposed over Japanese audio, as opposed to true Japanese translations of the Japanese audio.

“It's something that's obviously very important to the fans, and we want to give them what they want,” said Barry Watson, President/CEO of Illumitoon. “Going forward we want to incorporate literal translations on all our anime product.”

The trade-in program is only available through Illumitoon's website, and will not be available through retailers. Details are available at www.illumitoon.com. The trade-in offer applies to all Illumitoon DVDs released before April 30, 2007, specifically:

BoBoBo-Bo BoBoBo - Bo-nafide Protector of Hair
Beet the Vandel Buster - The Sacrifice
B't X - Empire of the Machines

“We're always listening to our fans, and are extremely grateful for their input,” said Watson. “I think fans will be very pleased.”

Illumitoon is offering the trade-in program through 5/30/2007. For more information, visit the company's website at www.illumitoon.com.

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March 19, 2007: Jump In! Freestyle Edition debuts on April 3

JUMP IN! FREE STYLE EDITION – Disney Channel's highest rated original movie will debut on Disney DVD April 3, 2007. Jump In! Freestyle Edition will be release just in time for Easter. Starring Corbin Bleu (HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL) and Keke Palmer (AKEELAH AND THE BEE) in her Disney Channel debut, JUMP IN! is a coming-of-age story about Brooklyn teenager Izzy Daniels (Bleu) whose father dreams of him becoming a champion boxer. When his neighbor Mary (Palmer) asks him to substitute for a jumper on her double Dutch team in time for the city championship, Izzy jumps in and discovers a passion for the world of competitive jump roping. Rounding out the primarily African-American cast are David Reivers (POSEIDON) and Shanica Knowles (HANNAH MONTANA). Filled with exciting bonus features, the JUMP IN! DVD includes the exclusive “Learning the Moves”, in which Corbin Bleu hosts an instructional Double Dutch jump rope video so fans can learn the moves at home, a an exclusive pop-hop music video, “Jumpin” from the movie's soundtrack performed by Keke Palmer. Rounding out the bonus features is a music video from rising pop sensation T-Squad performing their song “Vertical” and a making-of featurette “Inside the Ropes.”

STREAMING ‘JUMP IN' CLIP AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE FORMATS:

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March 19, 2007: Bandai Visual Announces Release Of First HD-DVD Title “Freedom”

Bandai Visual today announced the simultaneous U.S. and Japan release of the bestselling OVA “Freedom” Vol. 1 in HD DVD/DVD Twin disc format. “Freedom,” which is the first HD DVD product from Bandai Visual, will be released in North America by Bandai Visual USA through their distributor Geneon Entertainment (USA). The product will also be available in Japan at .ANIME, an integrated online anime portal operated by Anime Channel Co., Ltd.

After “Freedom” Vol.1, Bandai Visual will start releasing other HD DVD and Blu-ray titles in Japan, with plans to distribute overseas under its flagship international label Honneamise.

Bandai Visual is vigorously developing product for next generation formats and has previously announced a collaboration with Memory-Tech Corporation and Microsoft Co., Ltd. on a project to improve image quality for the latest HD DVD video compression technology for the global anime software market. The “Freedom” Vol. 1 release in HD DVD/DVD Twin format will be the first result of the collaboration. The three companies have fine-tuned VC1(*1) specifically to achieve higher visual quality for Japanese anime. The “Freedom” HD DVD/DVD Twin disc will also include HDi (*2) network function which will offer new ways to enjoy the product. Bandai Visual intends to utilize the expanded technological capabilities of the new formats and hopes to present viewers with added-value on its new products. Its goal is to create a companywide structure to produce and release premier anime titles simultaneously in North America and internationally.

(*1) VC1 is a video codec specification that has been standardized by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and implemented by Microsoft as Windows Media Video (WMV)9. Formal standardization of VC1 represents the culmination of years of technical scrutiny by over 75 companies, leading to a codec that is well documented, extremely stable, easily licensable, and accepted by the industry.

(*2) HDi is a specification of interactivity adopted by HD DVD. It supports various features for great interactivity including high definition graphics with transparency and animation, picture-in-picture, network, etc to create exciting user experience. HDi is based on the open standard technologies and being used on most of the existing HD DVD titles in the world.

“Freedom” is a science fiction anime series whose use in Nissin instant noodle TV ads created much attention in Japan. The drama unfolds on the moon's surface in the city of Eden, the last human settlement, and focuses on a youth whose actions threaten to shake the freedom and peace of Eden. The scale of the story and the dynamic action have earned the series high marks. Bandai Visual is confident that this work, which uses the latest concepts and technology to combine 3DCGI with the 2D animation that has long been a key strength of Japan's anime industry, is ideal as a technology development source for the next generation medium of HD DVD. Two volumes of the six-part series “Freedom” have been released so far in Japan on DVD and already more than 100,000 units have been shipped. The June 26 HD DVD/DVD Twin release will be the first introduction of the title in North America.

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March 7, 2007: UC Irvine Extension Offers New Course on Manga & Anime

IRVINE, Calif. – March, 2007 In response to the high demand of their charter course, "Manga & Anime Explosion: What, Why, How & Wow," UC Irvine Extension is offering "Manga & Anime Explosion: Story Development, Marketing and Adaptation," a follow-up course designed to help writers and artists finish developing their characters. Course work will focus on putting characters into compelling story arcs and creating the visually dynamic imagery for which anime and manga are famous. The course, held Tuesday evenings from May 8-June 5, 7-10p.m., supports a growing demand for courses that assist budding manga and anime creators.

Students will discover why Shojo and Shonen manga are more successful than most western comics at putting the reader "inside the story," thus creating more audience involvement. They will go beyond their I-am list to enhance characters with three-dimensional qualities, incorporating facial expressiveness, body language, inner life, visual distinctiveness and effective use of dialogue. Visual layout and style will be addressed for artists, including how mangas visually frame actions to strengthen stories and exploit plot twists. Students will discover how to create rich, believable worlds for readers to explore like the manga-ka's do.

Guest speakers will include Dallas Middaugh, Associate Publisher of Del Rey Manga, Christine Yoo the co-writer of the English language adaptation screenplay for "Afro Samurai" and other buyers/executives from top manga publishing and anime companies.

Davis, an accomplished screenwriter who has sold pitches — he subsequently wrote as screenplays — to Sony and 20th Century FOX, is also an expert in manga and has extensive contacts with Japanese comic publishers. He pitched the "Battle Angel Alita" manga series to FOX, which it acquired for James Cameron who is in production on the vfx-heavy film franchise. Davis will offer his expertise and experience to students, including advice on pitching projects to studios. He is currently co-producing a remake of the Japanese hit TV show, "TRAIN MAN," with John Davis' production company.

The first course in the series, "Manga & Anime Explosion: What, Why, How & Wow," starts on April 3 and is open to the public on the UC Irvine campus. "Manga & Anime Explosion: Story Development, Marketing and Adaptation" begins on May 8. The cost for each course is $225. To register for the courses or for more information, visit www.extension.uci.edu or call (949) 824-5414.

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March 2, 2007: AnimeTV Licensed By Akimbo

AnimeTV will soon be available to audiences through Akimbo!

AnimeTV is coming soon to viewers through Akimbo, the first and largest Internet-to-TV video-on-demand service. This partnership will make it easy for fans to access and watch the show from the comfort of their own living room on the television set! The podcast program is already available to anime fans around the world through an array of means, including iTunes, YouTube, revver, bliptv, vsocial, and of course, the website goanimetv.com. Akimbo is excited to add AnimeTV, a great quality anime show, to their lineup.

“We're very excited to bring AnimeTV to Akimbo,” stated Craig Michaels, Director of Programming at Akimbo Systems. “It fits in perfectly with our current plans to expand our high quality anime programming.”

“I think this is a great opportunity for AnimeTV,” AnimeTV's director and producer, Eric P. Sherman said. “It's going to be great to add another outlet for viewers to watch the show.” The program has already exceeded the company's viewership expectations with its pilot episode last month, and more and more fans are tuning in everyday.

AnimeTV will be added onto Akimbo's anime platform as a primary channel and will accompany other great anime networks such as [Adult Swim], Anime Network and Anime One.

AnimeTV's second episode just went live and fans can watch it at www.goanimetv.com..

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