VIZ Pictures to Release First Blu-Ray: DEATH NOTE COLLECTION

Highly Anticipated Double-Feature Includes DEATH NOTE, DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME and Bonus Disc Source: VIZ Pictures, MediaLab press releases Official Movie Site: Death-Note-Movie (Japan), Death Note Films (US) Special Thanks to Erik Jansen

The notebook of death that generated mind-blowing suspense is now in High-Def! VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, will debut the Blu-ray DEATH NOTE COLLECTION on August 24th, 2010. The 3-disc set includes 2 feature films – DEATH NOTE and DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME – as well as a bonus disc containing more than two hours of all new behind-the-scenes footage. Both films feature Japanese audio with English subtitles as well as an English dubbed dialogue track. MSRP for the DEATH NOTE COLLECTION is $39.98 U.S. / $57.99 CAN. To celebrate the new release, VIZ Pictures will hold a special screening of both films at VIZ Cinema, located inside NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco’s Japantown (1746 Post St., San Francisco, CA 94115) on Saturday, September 4th. DEATH NOTE plays at 12:00 noon and DEATH NOTE II screens at 2:30pm. Special combo tickets are available for $35.00 and include passes for the screenings, the Blu-ray release and a poster. Regular combo tickets are $15.00 for tickets for both shows (no Blu-ray or poster), while general admission for one screening is $10.00. Tickets and information are available at vizcinema.com. As a special offer to U.S. and Canadian DEATH NOTE fans, VIZ Pictures will award three lucky winners posters for DEATH NOTE and DEATH NOTE II along with an autograph from one of the three lead actors – Tatsuya Fujiwara (who played Light Yagami), Erika Toda (Misa Amane) and Kenichi Matusyama (L/Ryuzaki), one of the most promising actors in Japan, who can also be seen in films such as NANA (2006), LINDA LINDA LINDA (2005) and DETROIT METAL CITY (2008). The campaign runs until September 24th. To enter the contest, visit viz-pictures.com/news/promo-dnc.

Enter VIZ Pictures` DEATH NOTE COLLECTION contest for a chance to win an autograph from one of the films` stars, including Erika

“DEATH NOTE is an intense psychological crime thriller and we’re very proud to debut both films in a special new collection on Blu-ray,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “DEATH NOTE established a new benchmark for Japanese anime, manga, and film and we invite domestic fans to savor all the tension and imaginative supernatural drama of this exciting new release from VIZ Pictures!” Directed by Shusuke Kaneko, DEATH NOTE is a battle of wits based on the acclaimed manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata (published in North America by VIZ Media, rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens). Law student Light Yagami is upset with the justice system and when he finds the Death Note dropped by a Shinigami death god, he vows to rid the world of evil. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies. As criminals all over the world begin to perish mysteriously, a world-renowned detective known only as ‘L’ is put on the case to stop this serial killer that the public calls ‘Kira`. The battle between Light and L continues in DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME as Light joins the investigation team. L suspects Light of being Kira while Light attempts to learn L’s real name. Time becomes even more crucial with the appearance of a second Kira. Whose name will be the last written in the Death Note? Disc 1: DEATH NOTE Bilingual (English/Japanese) / DTS-HD Master Audio (5.1ch) / 120 min / Color / 1080p High-Definition / Not Rated / Blu-ray Disc 2: DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME Bilingual (English/Japanese) / DTS-HD Master Audio (5.1ch) / 140 min / Color / 1080p High-Definition / Not Rated / Blu-ray Disc 3 (bonus disc): DEATH NOTE & DEATH NOTE II Behind the Scenes Japanese with English Subtitles / Stereo (2.0ch) / 106 min / Color / 4:3 / Not Rated / DVD

About VIZ Pictures, Inc.

Based in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Pictures, Inc. licenses and distributes Japanese live-action films and DVDs, with particular 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 www.viz.com.

For more information on the DEATH NOTE series please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: