Feature film of popular anime series captivates fans with stunning animation and sophisticated story

San Francisco, CA, September 13, 2004 - VIZ, LLC, one of the leading publishers and distributors of manga and anime for North American audiences, announced today the release of INUYASHA: Affections Touching Across Time, the first feature film of the widely popular anime fantasy series released in the United States. The DVD is available in stores now with a SRP of $24.98.

The film first premiered to a captivated audience at the 2004 Comic-Con in San Diego in July and was followed by a limited theatrical run in several major North American cities August to build anticipation for this DVD release. Each showing attracted hundreds of Inuyasha fans thrilled with the opportunity to be one of the first to see the long awaited film.

The movie, based on author Rumiko Takahashi's manga about the adventures of a half- demon dog boy, was originally released in December 2001 in Japan to critical acclaim. INUYASHA: Affections Touching Across Time is an action-filled, suspenseful story that pits Inuyasha against a powerful demon named Menomaru. Two hundred years ago, Inuyasha's father managed to seal Menomaru's evil demon father, Hyoga, away in a tomb, but a shard from the magical Shikon Jewel freed the son, Menomaru, allowing him to escape his imprisonment and threaten the entire land. It now falls to Inuyasha, along with his friends, to find a way to stop Menomaru from wrecking havoc on civilization.

"VIZ is thrilled to offer INUYASHA: Affections Touching Across Time to fans that have been looking forward to its domestic release," states Anthony Jiwa, director of marketing for VIZ. "The film features the same voice actors featured in the series and the dynamic action sequences, well-developed storyline, occasional humor, and 5.1 Dolby format make INUYASHA: Affections Touching Across Time a must own for any anime fan. I look forward to fans of the series discovering and embracing this latest Inuyasha offering from VIZ."

Since November 2002, when the anime series first launched in North America, INUYASHA home video releases have consistently been among the best-selling anime home videos. INUYASHA currently airs on Cartoon Network.

About VIZ, LLC
Founded in 1986, VIZ is a multi-media entertainment company specializing in Japanese entertainment properties for U.S. audiences. VIZ offers an integrated product line including magazines, graphic novels, videos, DVDs and audio soundtracks. Each month, VIZ publishes three magazines - ANIMERICA, ANIMERICA EXTRA and SHONEN JUMP; over 20 graphic novel titles, including ALICE 19th, BOYS OVER FLOWERS, DRAGON BALL Z, FUSHIGI YÛGI, GUNDAM, INUYASHA, RANMA 1/2, and YU-GI-OH!; and distributes home video for BOYS OVER FLOWERS, HAMTARO, INUYASHA, POKÉMON, PROJECT ARMS, and ZOIDS.

Based in San Francisco, VIZ is one of the top five comics publishers in the U.S. and a subsidiary of Shogakukan and Shueisha Inc., two of the top publishers in Japan. VIZ is the leading publisher of manga for English speaking audiences, serving a growing market of dedicated fans of all ages. Estimating a core audience of nearly 15 million fans, the company holds more than a 50% market share of Japanese comics in the U.S. With some of the most innovative products in the industry, VIZ has expanded its offerings to its loyal fans through web sites such as www.animerica-mag.com, www.shonenjump.com, and its corporate site, www.viz.com.

Contact VIZ, LLC at: 655 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 94107-1612; Phone: (415) 546-7073; Fax: (415) 546-7086; Web site: www.VIZ.com

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