VIZ Pictures to Release K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES on DVD

Suspense And Intrigue Combine With Stunning Visual Effects And Gravity-Defying Stunts For A Riveting Adventure Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Movie Site: k20themovie (US), K-20 (Japanese) Special Thanks to Evelyn Dubocq and Erik Jansen

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, will release the action film K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES (K-20: Kaijin Nijumenso Den, 2008) on DVD on April 20th. The film will carry an MSRP of $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN, and will be distributed exclusively across North America by VIZ Media. Director Shimako Sato assembled a strong cast and used cutting edge special effects to bring K-20 to life. The movie is set in the fictional city of Teito in the late 1940s, in a world where World War II never happened and the nobility system established during the Meiji Era still exists. An extreme divide exists between the upper and lower classes, with 90 percent of the country’s wealth being held by the upper class. The capital of Teito is in crisis with the emergence of a menacing phantom thief known as "The Fiend (Kaijin) With Twenty Faces" or simply "K-20." The film is based on The Story of Nijyumenso, a novel written by Soh Kitamura, and also features the mesmerizing theme song, Shock of the Lightning, by the British band OASIS. Heikichi Endo (played by Takeshi Kaneshiro) is a circus acrobat who is deceived by K-20 and framed to take the fall for the phantom thief. Using his incredible physical dexterity, Heikichi wages war against K-20 in order to clear his name and fights alongside K-20`s next wealthy target, Duchess Yoko Hashiba (Takako Matsu) and her fiancée, the brilliant detective Kogoro Akechi (Toru Nakamura). But what is the ultimate decision Heikichi has to make? Actor Takeshi Kaneshiro is internationally renowned and made his screen debut in the film EXECUTIONERS (Xian Dai Hao Xia Zhuan, 1993) followed by the critically acclaimed Wong Kar-Wai film CHUNGKING EXPRESS (Chung Hing Sam Lam, 1994). More recently he has starred in films including HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS (Shi Mian Mai Fu, 2004), THE WARLORDS (Tau Ming Chong, 2007), and THE BATTLE OF RED CLIFF (Chi Bi, 2008).

To celebrate this new release, VIZ Pictures has also announced a special theatrical screening of K-20 at VIZ Cinema in San Francisco on April 20th at 7:00pm. Tickets are $25.00 and also will include a copy of the DVD, a K-20 poster and more! VIZ Cinema is located at: 1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115. Tickets are available at the box office and online at vizcinema.com. “The character of K-20 was originally born in the best-selling 26-volume Boy Detectives series, written by Japanese literary master Rampo Edogawa, and over the years the stories have been enjoyed by more than 100 million people,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “The inspired film uses a potent mix of eye-catching visual effects and gravity-defying high wire stunts to bring the unique story to the screen with incredible results. We look forward to fans discovering this thrilling new action feature from VIZ Pictures.” For more information on K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES or other VIZ Pictures titles, please visit viz-pictures.com.

About VIZ Pictures, Inc.

Based in San Francisco, California, VIZ Pictures, Inc. licenses and distributes selective Japanese live-action films and DVDs, with focus on Japanese "kawaii (cute) and cool" pop culture. VIZ Pictures strives to offer the most entertaining motion pictures straight from the "Kingdom of Pop" for audiences of all ages, especially the manga and anime generation, in North America. Some titles include DEATH NOTE, 20TH CENTURY BOYS, and TRAIN MAN: DENSHA OTOKO. VIZ Pictures is also the producer of NEW PEOPLE, a part of the J-Pop Center Project, a unique entertainment destination bringing Japanese pop culture through film, art, fashion, and retail products. For more information please visit VIZ Pictures or NewPeopleWorld.com.

For more information on K-20: THE FIEND WITH TWENTY FACES please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: