VIZ Media At The John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts Participating In The Japan! Culture + Hyper Culture Exhibit

Visitors Invited To The VIZ Media Manga Café And Lounge To Sample An Array Of Animation And Manga

San Francisco, CA, February 5, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced its participation in JAPAN! CULTURE+ HYPER CULTURE, an exhibit taking place February 5-17 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The dynamic exhibit brings together more than 450 artists, 40 performances, and more than a dozen free events to showcase the best in Japanese theater and dance, music and fashion, architecture and sculpture, poetry and literature, photography and film.

Throughout the exhibit, VIZ Media will welcome visitors to a special Manga Café and Reading Lounge. A selection of some of the hottest manga (graphic novel) series sweeping Japan and North America will be on display for exhibit-goers to read for free amidst an area adorned with related posters, signage and a display of vintage Japanese robot toys. Popular manga series such as BLEACH, DEATH NOTE, NARUTO, INUYASHA, HIKARU NO GO, and more will all be represented, along with screenings of VIZ Media's most popular anime trailers. Manga author Robin Nishi will also be on-hand to capture festival happenings in a daily drawing and free workshop. This is an ideal opportunity for exhibit-goers to immerse themselves in one of the most popular forms of Japanese pop-culture that has now spread into a global phenomenon. More information on VIZ Media is available at www.viz.com.

More information on the VIZ Media Manga Café and Reading Room is available at:

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/festivals/07-08/japan/learn.cfm

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is America's living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Since opening in 1971, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has continued its efforts to fulfill his vision—presenting the greatest performers and performances from across America and around the world, nurturing new works and young artists, and serving the nation as a leader in arts education. Located in Washington, DC, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents an unmatched variety of theater, musicals, dance, ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, and folk music, and multi-media performances for all ages and is one of the nation's busiest arts facilities, presenting more than 2,000 performances each year. For more information on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is available at http://www.kennedy-center.org/.

Other notable exhibit components that serve as an ideal complement to the Manga Café and Reading Lounge will be Robotopia Rising, a mechanized extravaganza that highlights the science and culture of Japanese robotics. The Genius Party Premieres will showcase a series of original films by Japan's top anime talents, who were each selected by Director and Genius Party Executive Producer Eiko Tanaka to create their dream projects, and a marathon of anime premieres is also scheduled to screen three new anime features.

More information on the Festival is available at:

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/festivals/07-08/japan/learn.cfm

"VIZ Media is honored to join with such a talented and future-inspired group of artists for this unique exhibit at the famous The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts," states Liza Coppola, Sr. Vice President, Marketing, VIZ Media. "Manga has become the epitome of modern pop culture and its influence is readily seen in fashion, video games, animation, live action film and modern youth culture. With roots in both Japan and America, VIZ Media has served as a direct conduit for Japanese pop culture for over twenty years. We look forward to everyone exploring this unique exhibit."

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.