Anime News

Press Release - In just a few days, millions of teens will be stepping into their costumes, taking to the streets and loading up on candy for the most anticipated holiday of the year – Halloween, of course!Gaia Online

Gaia Online, the world's most active online community of more than eight million teens and young adults, is once again starting the ghoulish antics early at its week long virtual Halloween event – Demonbusters.

From October 28 until November 6, teens can clash with their opponents in eerie demon battles in the never-ending conflict between good and evil. In addition to demon-busting, users can stock up on spooky Halloween gear, win angel and demon inspired virtual goods, socialize with fellow Gaians and recruit friends through Facebook Connect.

To check out Demonbusters, visit www.gaiaonline.com/demonbusters, follow us on Twitter @GaiaOnline or join our fan page at www.facebook.com/GaiaOnline.

About Gaia Online:
Founded in 2003, Gaia Online is the leading online hangout on the web. More than seven million visitors come to Gaia every month to make friends, play games, watch movies in Gaia Cinemas, Gaia's virtual theaters, and participate in the world's most active online community. Gaia provides a fun, social environment that inspires individuality and creativity. With everything from art contests to discussion forums on poetry, politics, celebrities and more, to fully customizable profiles, digital characters and cars, Gaia is a place where teens can create their own space and express their individual style. For more information, visit www.gaiaonline.com.

Site Statistics
· 100,000+ transactions in the Gaia economy per day
· More than 7 million unique monthly users
· More than 1 billion total forum posts
· More than 100,000 auctions transactions per day

Industry Statistics
· eMarketer predits the number of teen internet users visiting virtual worlds will jump from the reported 8.2 million users in 2007 to 20 million in 2011.
· Gaia Online has the highest average visit time among social media websites, according to an August 2008 report by research group Hitwise.

GRIMES, IA, October 23, 2009 – Anime producer and mega-online anime retailer Right Stuf, Inc. is pleased to welcome David Bowers and Maryann Garger – the director and producer of IMAGI Studios' newly released Astro Boy movie – to episode 104 of ANIME TODAY.

Astro Boy In this new, two-segment interview, Bowers and Garger discuss how they each became involved with the Astro Boy project, talk about the challenges of introducing Astro Boy to new fans while also still appealing to long-time fans of the series, share details about the film adaptation and its vocal cast, and hint at the Easter eggs fans of the original series can find throughout the movie.

Prior to directing Astro Boy, David Bowers co-directed the 2006 computer-animated film Flushed Away, served as the storyboard supervisor for Aardman Animations' Chicken Run, and worked as an animator and story artist for projects including Balto and the Dreamworks' feature films The Prince of Egypt and The Road to El Dorado. Maryann Garger's credits include serving as co-producer for Flushed Away and producer for the animated short First Flight, as well as work on Madagascar, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, The Prince of Egypt and Pocahontas.

Also in episode 104 of ANIME TODAY:
Chad shares “What's Hot” in the world of anime and manga.
Rich tells fans how they can “Unleash Fierce Savings” on manga from Go! Comi.
Rich and Nick take a look at how packages get out from RightStuf.com to customers in the first installment of “Best Wishes, Stuf!,” a special feature in anticipation of Anime Today's fourth anniversary.
Nick and Rich announce the latest Year of the Otaku winners (and new weekly contest), announce the winners of the Rockin' Android SUGURI Perfect Edition contest, and kick-off a new contest for an official Jungle Emperor Leo (Kimba) collectible wrist watch.
Rich and Nick provide a rundown of upcoming conventions, courtesy of AnimeCons.com.
Christy offers recommendations to fans of the original Dragon Ball anime in a new “If…/Then” segment.
Listen to clips from the Read or Die (R.O.D.) OVA Original Soundtrack and Read or Die (R.O.D.) TV Original Soundtracks 1 and 2 from Geneon Music. Also hear tracks from JapanFiles.com artists SKYBEAVER (“For a Long Time” from the CD The First Countdown) and High and Mighty Color (“you” from the CD swamp man).
And finally, ANIME TODAY highlights some of the newest fan reviews from RightStuf.com visitors.
Have a question about anime and manga? Want to comment on one of the podcast's segments? Call our Anime Today Hotline at 1-800-338-6827, ext. 7424. You may hear yourself on a future episode of Anime Today!

Visit www.rightstuf.com and www.animetoday.com for this episode, as well as an archive of all ANIME TODAY episodes and extended liner notes. Listeners can also download and subscribe to ANIME TODAY via the Apple iTunes Music Store.

Meet other anime fans, talk with ANIME TODAY listeners, submit your suggestions for future episodes and more at the new ANIME TODAY forums: http://www.rightstuf.com/ubbthreads/ .

Follow ANIME TODAY on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/animetoday .

Find Right Stuf on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/rightstuf .

ABOUT ANIME TODAY
Released every other week, ANIME TODAY is the first commercially-produced podcast aimed at enthusiasts of Japanese animation and comics (“anime” and “manga”). Each episode features fresh content and gives listeners a glimpse into what's new and what's hot in the world of anime and manga. Segments include reviews of titles from all major anime studios, insights into the industry from anime producers, tips on traveling to and around Japan, interaction with listeners, contests, prizes and more.

“If you're into anime and what's happening in the anime market then this is the podcast for you!”
- User review on iTunes

ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC.
Currently celebrating its 22nd year in business, Right Stuf, Inc. was one of the first players in the U.S. Japanese Animation ("anime") industry, as both an anime producer/distributor and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at RightStuf.com and a variety of media including podcasts and special publications.

Nozomi Entertainment, Right Stuf's production division, is dedicated to the highest quality releases. True to the Japanese word that inspired its name, Nozomi's focus is on “what fans want.” By focusing on a limited number of anime properties each year, the Nozomi production team ensures each release receives the care and attention to detail it deserves.

From anime classics like Astro Boy, Kimba and Gigantor to modern comedies, dramas and favorites such as The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, His and Her Circumstances, Gravitation, Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, Ninja Nonsense, To Heart, The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye, Emma: A Victorian Romance, Maria Watches Over Us, ARIA, Gakuen Alice and Rental Magica, Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment produce quality programming for fans of all ages and interests. For more information, visit www.rightstuf.com and www.nozomient.com.

Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, today announced the availability of Naoki Urasawa's MONSTER on the iTunes Store in the US and Canada (www.iTunes.com).

The first two episodes of Naoki Urasawa's MONSTER (English dubbed) are now available on iTunes, with each new episode becoming available on iTunes the day after it airs on Syfy in the US.

“We're excited to make Naoki Urasawa's MONSTER available on iTunes,” says Ken Sasaki, Vice President of Strategy & Business Development, Viz Media. “Tension and suspense reach new heights and nothing is as it seems as Dr. Tenma plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a vicious serial killer. Audiences won't want to miss even a single episode of this thrilling new series.”

What would you do if a child you saved grew up to be a Monster? An ice-cold killer is on the loose, and Dr. Kenzo Tenma is the only one who can stop him! Tenma, a brilliant neurosurgeon with a promising future, risks his career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy named Johan. When the boy, now a coldhearted and charismatic young man, reappears nine years later in the midst of a string of unusual serial murders, Tenma must go on the run from the police who suspect him to be the killer to find Johan and stop the Monster he set loose upon the world. Conspiracies, serial murders, and secret government experiments set against the grim backdrop of the formerly communist Eastern Europe are masterfully woven together in this compelling work of suspense.

For more information on Naoki Urasawa's MONSTER anime series (rated ‘M’ for Mature) please visit Monster.viz.com.

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-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., Viz Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact Viz Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.