ACF 615: Simulcast of NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN on VIZAnime.com

VIZ MEDIA SIMULCASTS EXCLUSIVE NEW ANIME SERIES
NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN
ON VIZANIME.COM

Supernatural Action Adventure Launched

Simultaneously In Japan & U.S.

First Episode Available To Stream Now

VIZ Media has announced the launch of a brand new anime series – NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN – on VIZAnime.com, the company’s premier website for anime. The first subtitled episode of the new fantasy action-adventure series about a junior high school student that is part human and part yokai (supernatural demon), premiered for free after the series debut in Japan; free new episodes will be simulcast mere hours after it airs in Japan each Monday.

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, based on the best selling Nurarihyon no Mago manga series in Japan, is being offered under the SHONEN JUMP imprint, home to other exciting properties including BLEACH and NARUTO. While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He's three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then he transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.

"We are pleased to expand the line-up on VIZAnime.com with the exclusive simulcast of NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, reaffirming our commitment to bringing the latest series from Japan,"says Ken Sasaki, Senior Vice President & General Manager of VIZ Media. "We are excited for fans to explore the fantastic world of NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, and share their thoughts and start discussions through the social network features of VIZAnime.com!"

VIZAnime.com is a free-to-use web destination that is now the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series. Over 1,100 episodes are currently available, and new content is added on a weekly basis. Series currently featured on VIZAnime.com include BLEACH, BUSO RENKIN, DEATH NOTE, HONEY AND CLOVER, HIKARU NO GO, INUYASHA, INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT, KEKKAISHI, NANA, NARUTO, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, ONE PIECE and THE PRINCE OF TENNIS.

View subtitled NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN animated episodes (rated ‘T’ for Teens) and other VIZ Media animated titles, at VIZAnime.com.

ACF 265: Another free simulcast of "Naruto Shippuden" on April 9, 2009 from VIZ

VIZ MEDIA SIMULCASTS

ANOTHER FREE EPISODE OF NARUTO SHIPPUDEN ON NARUTO.COM

Visit Naruto.com On April 9^th To Watch The Newest NARUTO Shippuden Animated Adventure For Free The Same Day It Airs In Japan

San Francisco, CA, APRIL 6, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) announces the simultaneous airing of NARUTO Shippuden Episode 103 (English subtitled) on its official web site – Naruto.com. TV Tokyo has made this special episode available for simulcast on April 9th in North America on http://www.naruto.com/ and www.crunchyroll.com/naruto.

“We have received enthusiastic viewer response when we first began streaming NARUTO, and we are very pleased to present a brand new NARUTO Shippuden episode on April 9^th,” says Ken Sasaki, Vice President of Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media. “We’re very committed to cultivating the web as an innovative medium for fans to enjoy the latest NARUTO adventures and fan culture in a variety of fun ways. From leading web social networking outlets and content providers such as iTunes^®, Hulu and Joost, to a special accelerated manga publishing campaign that has offered 7 new NARUTO volumes between March and April, there’s plenty to look forward to from the world’s most popular ninja.”

Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens and has more than 85 million copies circulated in Japan to-date. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens) and animated counterpart (rated TV-14) about a young ninja in training is one of VIZ Media’s most successful properties, and captivates millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America.

In the NARUTO manga and animated series, Naruto Uzumaki wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO Shippuden begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks – except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi… well, he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?

Earlier NARUTO Shippuden episodes are also currently available for free at www.Naruto.com and through a variety of other web-based, video streaming outlets that have partnered with VIZ Media, including Hulu and Joost. For more information on NARUTO please visit the official NARUTO website at www.Naruto.com.