Verizon Wireless Offers V CAST Customers Manga Video, Anime Clips and More from TOKYOPOP

Verizon Wireless Offers V CAST Customers Manga Video, Anime Clips and More from TOKYOPOP

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., LOS ANGELES, and LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- From 2008 International CES and in a manga entertainment industry first, Verizon Wireless and TOKYOPOP announced the TOKYOPOP video channel is now available to Verizon Wireless' V CAST Video customers. Featuring TOKYOPOP manga entertainment, the availability of the TOKYOPOP V CAST Video channel from Verizon Wireless marks the first time manga movies, anime clips and Asian entertainment have been available in one package to mobile customers.

TOKYOPOP on V CAST offers 15 to 20 four- to six-minute videos each week from TOKYOPOP's popular manga entertainment, including manga videos known as imanga, anime clips, and other popular Asian-influenced entertainment. Video from TOKYOPOP on V CAST includes:

-- Bizenghast (iManga -- Manga movie): Based on the original manga by M.
Alice LeGrow with music by Divine Madness and Kissing Violet, this is
the story of a young girl named Dinah who moves to the forgotten town
of Bizenghast, where she uncovers a terrifying collection of lost
souls that leads her to the brink of insanity.

-- Rave Master (Anime): A popular animated series that aired on Cartoon
Network directed by Takashi Watanabe (Slayers, Lost Universe).
Sixteen-year-old Haru Glory has never left the cozy confines of Garage
Island. He likes fishing and eating snow cones on the beach -- not
exactly the lifestyle of a hero-in-the-making. Meanwhile, in the
wider world, the evil society Demon Card is threatening civilization
as we know it. When they come to Garage Island, unleash the
destructive power of the Dark Bring and start messing with his
friends, Haru is forced into action. With the help of a transforming
sword and his magical guide Plue, Haru sets out on the most harrowing
quest of his young life: to find the five missing RAVE Stones -- which
hold the key to victory over the Dark Bring -- and to kick some major
Demon Card butt.

-- PiNMeN (Anime): From Geneon Entertainment, direct from Japan, this
cult classic tells the story about aliens from outer space who are
awfully credulous at how easy it is to deceive humans.

-- FMW: Live-Action Reality-Based Sports: Hard-core wrestling straight
from Japan; star match-ups of top Japanese wrestlers.

Ryan Hughes, vice president of digital media programming for Verizon, noted, "We are seeing a groundswell of interest in manga and other Asian- influenced entertainment content right now. Our relationship with TOKYOPOP serves as another proof point to our commitment to deliver the best snack- sized entertainment available on mobile phones to Verizon Wireless customers."

According to Stu Levy, TOKYOPOP chief executive officer and chief creative officer, "TOKYOPOP is dedicated to delivering the East-meets-West aesthetic of manga and anime via cutting-edge delivery platforms. Verizon Wireless' V CAST service is the perfect platform to mobilize a globally-minded youth audience with 24/7 on-the-go access to the manga lifestyle."

Customers with select V CAST-enabled phones can check out V CAST whenever they want for just $3.00 for 24-hour use or by signing up for the $15.00 V CAST VPak monthly subscription, which also includes access to Verizon Wireless' ESPN MVP, Get It Now(R) and Mobile Web 2.0(SM) services. Customers get unlimited basic video -- including TOKYOPOP on V CAST -- but application download fees apply for 3D games and premium video. There are no airtime or megabyte charges to download, stream or watch V CAST content with any V CAST subscription. Customers can find TOKYOPOP on V CAST in the Net's Best category on select V CAST-enabled phones.

For more information about V CAST from Verizon Wireless, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 63.7 million customers. The largest U.S. wireless company and largest wireless data provider, based on revenues, Verizon Wireless is headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 68,000 employees nationwide. The company is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About TOKYOPOP

TOKYOPOP is hailed as a leading youth-oriented entertainment brand and an innovator of manga creation, with a revolutionary artistic vision that transcends countless platforms. From the introduction of the first-ever extensive manga publishing program in North America, to the development of its manga-originated intellectual properties into film, television and digital entertainment, TOKYOPOP has changed the way teens experience pop culture. The company's global reach has expanded to Europe and Asia, with recent offices opening in the UK and Germany and upcoming partnerships in Australia and China, in addition to its original Los Angeles and Tokyo operations. With millions of fans logging onto the new social networking site www.TOKYOPOP.com, reading its books, which are licensed in 41 countries in more than 20 languages, and watching its DVDs and television programs, TOKYOPOP's award- winning catalogue of licensed and original properties has made the company a visionary in an ever-growing teen entertainment marketplace. Visit www.TOKYOPOP.com for additional information.

Source: Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Jeffrey Nelson of Verizon Wireless, +1-908-559-7519,
Jeffrey.Nelson@verizonwireless.com; or Susan Hale of TOKYOPOP Inc.,
+1-323-692-6738, SusanH@tokyopop.com

Web site

http://www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia
http://www.tokyopop.com/

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