VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF BLUE DRAGON FOR DOWNLOAD ON XBOX LIVE

Special Launch Promotion! Xbox LIVE Community Will Be Able To Download the First Episode of BLUE DRAGON For Free Until March 2, 2009

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the availability of the hit animated series BLUE DRAGON on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Fans in the U.S. will now have the ability to watch these episodes on a Download-To-Own (DTO) basis through Xbox LIVE for 160 Microsoft Points per episode. As a special launch promotion, the first episode of BLUE DRAGON will be available for download for free at Xbox LIVE until March 2nd.  Episodes and more information are available at: www.xbox.com/live.

The BLUE DRAGON animated series, based on the popular Xbox 360 role playing game (RPG), is a classic adventure story of magical Shadow powers, flying air fortresses, and unbounded heroism! Brought together by fate, Seven Soldiers of Light must awaken the Shadow within themselves in time to overcome a despotic power and bring peace to their land. Their ensuing journey through a rich fantasy world is also an internal journey to awaken the great power within each of them. Journey with them into the world of BLUE DRAGON!

The Xbox 360 game “BLUE DRAGON” was developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi (the creator of Final Fantasy). The game and animated series feature memorable characters designed by Akira Toriyama, the creator of the best-selling DRAGON BALL series of manga (also published in North America by VIZ Media and featured in SHONEN JUMP Magazine). The animated series debuted in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 7, 2007 and is produced by Studio Pierrot, which is well known for its work on NARUTO and BLEACH, also licensed by VIZ Media. The “BLUE DRAGON” video game has already established itself in Japan as one of the hottest releases in the RPG category and also enjoys a sizable and growing fan-base in North America.

 “The anime genre continues to enjoy a huge and growing following among avid Xbox 360 owners,” said Scott Nocas, Group Product Manager for Xbox LIVE. “The addition of the BLUE DRAGON series from VIZ Media to the Xbox LIVE library will be a big attraction.”

Xbox LIVE provides easy access to hundreds of full-length TV shows for download-to-own and the latest feature films for download-to-rent. Xbox 360 is also the first gaming console to offer Standard and High Definition TV shows and movies via digital distribution. Xbox LIVE currently includes a worldwide social entertainment network reaching more than 17 million members and offering 24/7 online access to gaming, movies, music, TV shows and more.

“We are very excited to continue our successful relationship with Microsoft and add BLUE DRAGON animation to the growing library of VIZ Media animated titles now available on Xbox LIVE,” says Brian Ige, Director of Sales, Home Entertainment, VIZ Media. “The combination of the hottest television and movie programming, video gaming and social networking interaction continues to make Xbox LIVE a compelling platform to present our hit animated series. We look forward to fans across the United States turning to Xbox LIVE for the latest in online animated programming from VIZ Media.”

For more information on BLUE DRAGON please visit the dedicated website at Bluedragon.viz.com, which currently features animated series trailers, character descriptions, artwork from the anime, and a news section that will be updated regularly with announcements regarding the anime series.