VIZ Media Announces English Dub Cast For Death Note Anime Series

Hottest Anime Release Of The Year To Feature Notable Cast Of Veteran Voice Talent

San Francisco, CA, September 4, 2007 - Following on the heels of the announcement of the release of the DEATH NOTE anime series on DVD, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has provided more details on the cast for the English dub.

The first volume of DEATH NOTE is expected to debut November 20, containing 4-episodes. It is rated "T+" for Older Teens. The suggested retail price will be $24.98 for a single disc Standard Edition. . The first 15K copies of the Standard Edition contain a Limited Edition Collector’s Figurine for a suggested retail price of $39.98.

DEATH NOTE will feature a notable cast of English voice actors including Brad Swaile in the lead role of Light Yagami, and Alessandro Juliani in the role of "L". Juliani is notable for his portrayal of Tactical Officer Lieutenant Felix Gaeta on the hit Sci Fi Channel television program Battlestar Galactica and he has also lent his voice to a number of anime releases including the portrayal of Prince Toma in VIZ Media's RANMA ½ The Movie 2: Nihao My Concubine.

Rogue Shinigami death god Ryuk will be voiced by Brain Drummond while the female lead, Misa Amane, will be played by Shannon Chan-Kent. ADR and audio post production will be done at the Ocean Group in Vancouver, British Columbia, which has worked on a variety of notable anime VIZ Media series including INUYASHA and RANMA ½.

DEATH NOTE was a smash hit in Japan and is one of the most anticipated domestic anime releases for 2007. Inspired by the 12-volume manga series (published in North America by VIZ Media), the edgy action mystery follows Light Yagami, an ace student with great prospects who is bored out of his mind. All that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal - or his life?

Other members of the DEATH NOTE cast include:

Rem – Colleen Wheeler
Soichiro Yagami – Chris Britton
Matsuda – Vincent Tong
Mogi – John Murphy
Raye Penber – Michael Adamthwaite
Aizawa – Trevor Devall
Ukita – Jeremy From
Naomi Misora – Tabitha St. Germain
Ide – Brian Dobson

"We are very pleased to announce the English cast for the DEATH NOTE anime series," states William Germain, Director, Animation Production, VIZ Media. "This series has been one of the most anticipated releases of the year and the actors all bring years of experience with credits including some cornerstones of the anime genre. The series is also notable for the inclusion of Alessandro Juliani and fans of Battlestar Galactica will not want to miss this latest exciting role for the talented actor."

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd. (ShoPro Japan), VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America and a global licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including, magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, videos, DVDs and audio soundtracks and develops and markets animated entertainment from initial production, television placement and distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions for audiences and consumers of all ages.