VIZ Media Acquires Rights to ONE-PUNCH MAN Anime Series

Partnership with VIZ Media Europe and Anime Consortium Japan for Multi-Territory Media Rights Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: onepunchman-anime.net (Japan) Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen

VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has teamed with VIZ Media Europe S.A.R.L. (VME), the leader in Japanese Entertainment content in Europe, and Anime Consortium Japan Inc. (ACJ), the Japanese company for official anime streaming, to jointly announce the acquisition of the multi-territory media distribution rights for the anime series, ONE-PUNCH MAN (??????, Wanpanman, 2015). Announced earlier this year, the ONE-PUNCH MAN anime is based on a bestselling manga series, created by writer ONE and artist Yusuke Murata, about an average-guy-turned-superhero who packs quite the punch! Three content distribution companies will join force to manage the digital distribution, home media, merchandise, and TV rights to the newly produced anime series for their respective territories. • VIZ Media will manage the master license for ONE-PUNCH MAN in North America, Latin America and Oceania, as well as stream the series in the U.S. • VIZ Media Europe will oversee & stream the property for EMEA, including Russia • In addition, ACJ will stream the subtitled version of the program in all above territories Additional details about availability will be forthcoming. “ONE-PUNCH MAN is a beautifully produced, action-driven series, and we will leverage our expertise in developing anime content across all major consumer formats with a savvy combination of proprietary and partner distribution channels to bring this series to audiences on the widest possible range of media devices and platforms,” says Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer, VIZ Media. “We are very excited to bring ONE-PUNCH MAN to European audiences. Our extensive distribution and licensing infrastructure across the region will ensure that fans will be able to catch every episode localized for their countries and across an array of multimedia platforms and a variety of licensed goods ” says Pascal J. Bonnet, Senior Director TV Sales & Licensing, VIZ Media Europe. “We are very pleased to add ONE-PUNCH MAN to our anime digital media streaming service, and look forward to delivering this extraordinary superhero action series to our users around the world,” says Ririko Kubo, Sales Promotion Division, Anime Consortium Japan Inc. VIZ Media also publishes the One-Punch Man manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens) under its Shonen Jump imprint. The series is currently serialized in VIZ Media’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, and full volumes are available digitally first in North America via the VIZ Manga platform and partner digital storefronts. The series launches in print in September. ONE-PUNCH MAN was animated by the renowned Japanese studio, Madhouse, and helmed by famed anime director, Shingo Natsume (SPACE DANDY, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: THE SACRED STAR OF MILOS), and features character designs by Chikashi Kubota (FROM THE NEW WORLD, ROBOTICS:NOTES). In the series, Saitama is a hero who only became a hero for fun. After three years of “special” training, though, he’s become so strong that he’s practically invincible. In fact, he’s too strong -- even his mightiest opponents are taken out with a single punch, and it turns out that being devastatingly powerful is actually kind of a bore. With his passion for being a hero lost along with his hair, yet still faced with new enemies every day, how much longer can he keep it going? Manga creator ONE began One-Punch Man as a web comic, which quickly went viral and garnered over 10 million hits. Japanese manga publisher (and VIZ Media parent company) Shueisha eventually secured the publishing rights to the series which has sold more than 4.5 million copies to-date. In addition to One-Punch Man, ONE writes and draws the series Mob Psycho 100 and Makai no Ossan. Yusuke Murata is a highly acclaimed and skilled manga artist best known for his work on the football series, Eyeshield 21 (also published in North America by VIZ Media). In 1995, Murata won the prestigious 122nd Hop Step Award for his series, Partner, and placed second in 1998 in the semi-annual Akatsuka Awards for Samui Hanashi. For more information on ONE-PUNCH MAN or other anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit viz.com.

About Anime Consortium Japan Inc.

Anime Consortium Japan Inc. was established on November 7, 2014. The new company was created to develop a platform that will provide streaming service of official Japanese anime content and operate an e-commerce site to offeranime character-related goods to overseas fans. The major shareholders are BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., Cool Japan Fund Inc., ASATSU-DK INC., Aniplex Inc., TOEI ANIMATION Co., Ltd., Sunrise Inc., TMS ENTERTAINMENT CO.LTD, NIHON AD SYSTEMS, INC. (NAS), and DENTSU INC. as of December 25, 2014. Anime Consortium Japan (ACJ) has merged with Daisuki and is taking over their business and remodeling and upgrading all services. DAISUKI.net is currently streaming titles such as MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM THE ORIGIN, SWORD ART ONLINE 2, M3 THE DARK METAL, PERSONA 4 THE GOLDEN ANIMATION, KILL LA KILL, SUSHI NINJA, and more. Visit daisuki.net to see the full selection of titles.

About VIZ Media Europe

Headquartered in Paris, France, VIZ Media Europe (VME) specializes in managing the development, marketing and distribution throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa of Japanese animated entertainment and graphic novels (manga). Owned by three of Japan`s largest creators, publishers and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VME handles the comprehensive distribution, licensing and promotion of some of the most popular Japanese manga and animation properties for consumers of all ages. VME administers an integrated product line including graphic novels, consumer products, DVD and music. Current VME animated properties include: BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, DEATH NOTE, DORAEMON, HAMTARO, INAZUMA ELEVEN France), JEWELPET (France), KUROKO’S BASKET, MAGI, RINNE, TENKAI KNIGHTS, TERRAFORMARS, and YO-KAI WATCH.

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 digital manga anthology Weekly Shonen Jump 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 viz.com.