Special Premium Art Booklet Included as a Free Gift with Purchase from Select Online Anime Retailers Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: accel-world.net (Japan), vizanime.com/accel-world (US) Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen

Cover art for ACCEL WORLD Set 1. Image courtesy of VIZ Media. © Reki Kawahara/ ASCII Media Works/ AW Project

VIZ Media, LLC, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, invites fans to accelerate with the home video release of the ACCEL WORLD (?????????, Akuseru Waarudo, 2012) anime series on DVD and Blu-ray on November 26th. The new 2-disc set features 12 episodes of the sci-fi fantasy series, is rated ‘TV-14,’ and carries a DVD MSRP of $44.82 U.S. / 43.24 CAN; Blu-ray MSRP is $59.97 U.S. / $66.15 CAN. Preorders are available now through select retailers. A special 48-page premium art booklet featuring art and character profiles from this popular series and is also included (only while supplies last) as a special free gift with purchase from select online anime retailers including Right Stuf, Anime Pavilion, and Robert’s Anime Corner Store. ACCEL WORLD dialogue features include English and Japanese stereo audio, English subtitles, as well as a character art gallery, clean opening and closing segments, and the original Japanese broadcast trailers. In the year 2046, people use portable devices called Neuro-linkers to manage their daily lives in virtual reality networks. But advances in technology haven`t managed to do away with bullies, and 13-year-old Haruyuki Arita finds himself a frequent target. Haruyuki escapes his miserable life in virtual games -- until the day Kuroyukihime, the most popular girl in school, introduces him to a mysterious program called Brain Burst and a virtual reality called the Accel World. This set contains Episodes 1-12 on 2 discs.

The Art of ACCEL WORLD will be included as a free gift with purchase from select online anime retailers. Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © Reki Kawahara/ ASCII Media Works/ AW Project

“ACCEL WORLD is the hottest new anime title to join the VIZ Media home video library and we are very excited to also offer it to buyers with a gorgeous, full-color bonus art booklet that is only available for a limited time through select anime retailers,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “This series blends a highly imaginative online game with real world impact and adds a new twist to one teen’s solution to being bullied. ACCEL WORLD quickly became a fan favorite since VIZ Media debuted it on the same day as its Japanese broadcast and we look forward to the series drawing in new and veteran fans alike with this exciting release that arrives in time for the start of the holiday season.” ACCEL WORLD is based on a series of popular light novels written by Reki Kawahara (Sword Art Online) and was produced by the famed anime studio Sunrise (TIGER & BUNNY, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM, CODE GEASS, COWBOY BEBOP, KEKKAISHI). Kawahara entered the first novel in the series into ASCII Media Works` 15th Dengeki Novel Prize in 2008 and won the Grand Prize. ACCEL WORLD has also inspired a popular manga series and several video games. For more information on ACCEL WORLD and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit vizanime.com/accel-world.

Photo courtesy of VIZ Media. © Reki Kawahara/ ASCII Media Works/ AW Project

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan`s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular monthly manga anthology Shonen Jump magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.viz.com.