VIZ Media Announces Final Ranma Home Media Release - RANMA ½ Set 7

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF RANMA ½ ANIME SERIES SET 7 LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SET

Legendary Comedy And Martial Arts Action Series Reaches Exciting Finale In The Concluding Home Media Edition Available In A Special Blu-Ray Collectable And Standard Edition DVD Set

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, prepares fans for the final home media installment of the celebrated gender-bending martial arts action comedy based on the popular manga series created by Rumiko Takahashi as it announces the release today of RANMA ½ Set 7.

VIZ Media has released the entire gender-bending martial arts action comedy in its original Japanese series order across seven Limited Edition Blu-ray and Standard Edition DVD Box Sets. RANMA ½ is rated TV-14 and is based on the popular manga series originally created by Rumiko Takahashi.

The RANMA ½ Limited Edition Blu-ray Box Set 7 carries an MSRP of $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN. The final set of the series contains Episodes 139-161 on 3 discs, presented in full 1080p high-definition resolution with the series’ original, uncropped 4:3 aspect ratio. Subtitled and English dubbed dialogue options are available. The Blu-ray edition also contains a full color art card and a 32-page booklet with individual episode summaries.

Blu-ray bonus features include clean openings and endings as well as series trailers and the concluding installment of “We Love Ranma Part 8 - We Love Rumiko Takahasi.” The set comes in a gorgeously illustrated chipboard box with embossed foil stamping.

The RANMA ½ Standard Edition DVD Set 7 also features the final 23 episodes with the original, uncropped 4:3 aspect ratio, with bonus features that include clean openings and endings and trailers. Subtitled and English dubbed dialogue options are available. The Standard Edition DVD set is available with an MSRP of $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN.

The madcap days of martial arts mayhem comes to a thrilling conclusion in the final set of RANMA ½! Ranma is challenged by Ryoga to fight yet again, but this time he is completely defeated by Ryoga's new technique, the "Lion's-Roar Blast." It is said that the more miserable the user, the stronger the technique becomes - does Ranma have a chance against the tragic Ryoga?! Then, Ranma must master martial arts cheerleading, but in order to win, he is going to have to cheer up Upperclassman Kuno! Finally, Ranma's mother at last comes to the Tendo Dojo, but why is Genma doing everything he can to stop Ranma from meeting her? Akane feels sorry for Ranma, who barely remembers his own mother, and forms a plan to bring them together.

RANMA ½ manga creator Rumiko Takahashi is one of Japan’s most prolific and respected manga artists and is the creator of several long running series including MAISON IKKOKU, RANMA ½, and INUYASHA – all published in North America by VIZ Media. The spotlight on her prolific career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan's annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and also spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another— MAISON IKKOKU ran from 1980 to 1987, RANMA ½ from 1987 to 1996, and INUYASHA from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include MERMAID SAGA, RUMIC THEATER, ONE-POUND GOSPEL, and RIN-NE (all also published in North America by VIZ Media).

For more information on RANMA ½ or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

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Bret Blevins, Geof Isherwood Among Latest 2015 Baltimore Comic-Con Guests

Blevins, Isherwood, Jordan, St. Pierre, and Takara Coming to Baltimore
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - Buy your tickets now and avoid lines for the Baltimore Comic-Con on September 25-27, 2015. The annual comics pop culture event returns to the Baltimore Convention Center for the 16th annual show in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The Baltimore Comic-Con is excited to have to this year's show Bret Blevins, Geof Isherwood, Justin Jordan, Joe St. Pierre, and Marcio Takara.

Beginning his comic book career in 1981, Bret Blevins began a decade of working almost exclusively for Marvel Comics on many of their most famous characters, including Spider-Man, Wolverine, The X-Men, The Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Daredevil, Dr. Strange, The Fantastic Four, The New Mutants, Sheena, Ghost Rider, Conan, Solomon Kane, The Inhumans, the Punisher, Sleepwalker, Clive Barker's Nightbreed, The Bozz Chronicles, Cloak and Dagger, The Trouble with Girls, The Destroyer, Terror Inc., and various licensed properties, including graphic novel length adaptations of the films The Dark Crystal, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Krull, and The Last Starfighter. Moving primarily to DC in 1993, Bret drew Batman, Superman, Supergirl, Starman, and Vigilante, and along the way drew Star Wars, Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, and Bettie Page for Dark Horse. A 146-page graphic of novel of Brian Jacques' Redwall illustrated by Bret was published by Philomel Books in 2007. In the mid-90's, Bret began working for Warner Bros. animation and won two Emmy awards while creating storyboards for the acclaimed Batman, Superman, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Static, Batman Brave and Bold, and Ben 10 cartoons. For Disney, Blevins has drawn storyboards for Tarzan and Atlantis, and copious artwork for various other Disney projects including Pirates of the Caribbean, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, Tinkerbell, Toy Story, Tron, and Wreck-it-Ralph. In addition to other miscellaneous advertising and illustration work, Bret is always busy drawing and painting from life, writing instructional articles for DRAW! magazine, and occasionally teaching.

Geof Isherwood drew comics for Marvel, DC, Broadway, and Heroes Of The North starting in 1982. Major title runs include Dr. Strange, Suicide Squad, Conan the Barbarian, Conan The King, Namor, and The 'Nam. Geof has also worked on over 60 film and TV productions, including X-Men: DOFP and X-Men: Age of Apocalypse, Being Human (US), and The Fountain. Geof teaches in the Concept Art and Illustration program at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario. Geof is now working for Renegade Media, drawing the final issue of the soon-to-be-released Necromatics.

Justin Jordan first came to the attention of the comic-buying pubic writing his creator-owned The Strange Talent of Luther Strode (with Tradd Moore on art) published through Image Comics. That title was followed up with two sequels, The Legend of Luther Strode and The Legacy of Luther Strode. He has also worked on DC Comics' Green Lantern: New Guardians as well as runs during the "New 52" initiative on Superboy, Deathstroke, and Team 7. At Valiant Comics, he wrote the relaunch of Shadowman, and co-created Deep State at BOOM! Studios, Spread and Dead Body Road at Image Comics, and Dark Gods at Avatar Press. In 2012, he received a Harvey Award nomination for Most Promising New Talent, and contributed to the Eisner-nominated In the Dark: A Horror Anthology from IDW.

Joe St.Pierre graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City, and began his professional career in 1992 as a penciller for the fledgling comic book publisher Valiant, taking on writing responsibilities in time as well. His best known work at Valiant was a 10-issue run of the title Secret Weapons, which he wrote and drew. In addition to his work in commercial art and as a storyboard artist for just over 20 years, he has worked on titles at major publishers, including DC's Aquaman, Batman, Green Lantern, Superboy, and Superman, Marvel's Fantastic Four, Wolverine, X-Men, and he has the distinction of being the artist who most probably worked the most first issues featuring Spider-Man or Spidey family characters. He is currently working on his own title, New Zodiax.

Amongst our seasoned luminaries, Marcio Takara is a relative newcoming, having worked in comics since 2006. His art has graced the pages of Marvel Comics' Marvel Adventures Super Heroes, Captain Marvel, and Armor Wars, Image Comics' Dynamo5, BOOM! Studios' The Incredibles and Incorruptible, and DC Comics' Blue Beetle, The Flash, and Smallville: Lantern. He has also launched a successful Kickstarter project with writer Bryan Q. Miller called Earthward, and provided artwork for the game League of Legends.

"It's so great to be able to announce another batch of top-tier comic talent," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "From industry veterans with long resumes to newcomers making big waves, these creators are all a big part of our little ecosystem, and we know their fans will be excited to meet them in Baltimore."

TICKETS
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
While they are available, be sure to take advantage of discount rate arrangements we have made with hotels near the Baltimore Convention Center. For all the details, see: http://baltimorecomiccon.com/about/hotels/

Contact Information

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries

About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 16th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 10 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

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2015 Student Academy Award Winners Announced

ACADEMY REVEALS 2015 STUDENT ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS

All winning films now eligible for Oscars®

Los Angeles, CA — The Academy has voted fifteen students as winners of the 42nd Student Academy Awards competition. The Academy received a record number of entries this year — 1,686 films from 282 domestic and 93 international colleges and universities — which were voted upon by a record number of Academy members. Past Student Academy Award winners have gone on to receive 47 Oscar® nominations and have won or shared eight awards.  Previous winners include Pete Docter, John Lasseter, Spike Lee, Trey Parker and Robert Zemeckis.

The winners are (listed alphabetically by film title):

Alternative
“Chiaroscuro,” Daniel Drummond, Chapman University, California
“Zoe,” ChiHyun Lee, The School of Visual Arts, New York

Animation
“An Object at Rest,” Seth Boyden, California Institute of the Arts
“Soar,” Alyce Tzue, Academy of Art University, San Francisco
“Taking the Plunge,” Nicholas Manfredi and Elizabeth Ku-Herrero, The School of Visual Arts

Documentary
“Boxeadora,” Meg Smaker, Stanford University
“I Married My Family’s Killer,” Emily Kassie, Brown University
“Looking at the Stars,” Alexandre Peralta, University of Southern California

Narrative
“Day One,” Henry Hughes, American Film Institute, California
“Stealth,” Bennett Lasseter, American Film Institute
“This Way Up,” Jeremy Cloe, American Film Institute

Foreign Film
“Everything Will Be Okay…,” Patrick Vollrath, Filmakademie Wien, Austria
“Fidelity,” Ilker Catak, Hamburg Media School, Germany
“The Last Will,” Dustin Loose, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Students will arrive in Los Angeles for a week of industry activities that will culminate in the awards ceremony on Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 7:30 p.m., at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.  The medal placements – gold, silver and bronze – in the five award categories will be announced at the ceremony.

First-time honors go to Chapman University in the Alternative category and Filmakademie Wien in the Foreign Film competition.  Academy members voted the winners from a field of 33 finalists, announced last month.

The 42nd Student Academy Awards ceremony on September 17, 2015 is free and open to the public, but advance tickets are required.  Tickets may be obtained online at Oscars.org today.  Any remaining tickets will be made available at the door on the evening of the event.  The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.

The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to provide a platform for emerging global talent by creating opportunities within the industry to showcase their work.

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Grammy-Winner Brandy Norwood to Lead New Series "Zoe After Zoe"

BET Networks Begins Production on New Scripted Series “ZOE EVER AFTER” in Atlanta, GA

Starring Brandy Norwood and Executive Produced by Debra Martin Chase, Danny Rose, Erica Montolfo-Bura, Scooter Braun; Co-Executive Produced by Norwood and Elaine Aronson

ZOE EVER AFTER Is Slated to Premiere in January 2016

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks announced that production on its new scripted series ZOE EVER AFTER, starring Grammy Award-winning superstar Brandy Norwood, is underway in Atlanta, GA. ZOE EVER AFTER comes from executive producers Debra Martin Chase, Danny Rose, Scooter Braun, executive producer/writer Erica Montolfo-Bura and co-executive producers Brandy Norwood and Elaine Aronson. The BET Networks production is slated to premiere in January 2016.

ZOE EVER AFTER is a multi-camera romantic comedy about Zoe Moon (Brandy Norwood), a newly single mom stepping out of the shadow of her famous boxer ex-husband Gemini Moon (Dorian Missick) while trying to balance dating, motherhood, a complicated relationship with her ex and finally fulfilling her career dream of starting a cosmetics line.

Zoe is surrounded by a cast of colorful characters, including her smart and precocious eight-year-old son Xavier (Jaylon Gordon), her fashion-forward and fun assistant Valenté (Tory Devon Smith), her publicist and best friend Pearl (Haneefah Wood) and sexy contractor Miguel (Ignacio Serricchio).

ZOE EVER AFTER comes from executive producers Debra Martin Chase, Danny Rose, Scooter Braun, executive producer/writer Erica Montolfo-Bura and co-executive producers Brandy Norwood and Elaine Aronson.


About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

Follow on Twitter: @BET_PR

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Neon Alley Has New Anime Content for September 2015

VIZ MEDIA STARTS SEPTEMBER OFF WITH A BRAND NEW ANIME CONTENT UPDATE FOR NEON ALLEY

Don’t Miss The Latest SAILOR MOON SUPER S Episodes, New NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Weekly Simulcasts and more

VIZ Media keeps the anime action running hot for the remainder of the summer as it details new content for its Neon Alley streaming platform for September.

The magical girl anime adventure of SAILOR MOON SUPER S continues the must-see fourth season of the legendary series with 2 new subtitled episodes set to premiere every Monday throughout the month. Catch a total of 8 episodes during September beginning with Episodes 138 and 139 on September 7th.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN digital simulcasts also offer Neon Alley viewers the newest adventures of the world’s most popular ninja with subtitled streams of the latest action packed episodes straight from Japan every Thursday. Catch Episode 426 on September 3rd, followed by Episode 427 & 428 on September 10th, Episode 429 on September 17th and Episode 430 on September 24th. Additional English dubbed NARUTO action from earlier seasons of the series also continues this month with the premiere of Season 4 Episodes 180-192, which are available to stream now in their entirety.

The latest September 2015 update is further highlighted by new episodes from additional top-rated VIZ Media anime properties including:

HIKARU NO GO
·         Catch the Neon Alley run of this gripping anime series based on the smash hit manga about a boy that discovers the amazing Japanese strategy game of Go with the help of the ghost of an ancient Go master.

·         Hikaru Shindo is like any sixth-grader in Japan: a pretty normal kid with a two-tone head of hair and a penchant for antics. His life completely changes when he finds an old bloodstained Go board in his grandfather’s attic. The ghost of an ancient Go master named Fujiwara-no-Sai was trapped in the board and soon becomes a part of Hikaru’s consciousness. Together Hikaru and Sai make an unstoppable Go-playing team!

·         HIKARU NO GO Season 1 Episodes 1-15 and Season 2 Episodes 16-25 (dubbed) are available to stream throughout the month!

KEKKAISHI
·         The supernatural action of KEKKAISHI continues in September with the streaming premiere of dubbed Episodes 27-39.

·         Mystical forces are powerful in the region called Karasumori. For over 400 years, it has been the duty of a clan of Kekkaishi – barrier masters – to guard the land, exterminating the supernatural beasts which appear there night after night. Yoshimori Sumimura is a 14-year-old student at Karasumori School. Following in the tradition that's come down through the generations, he is the twenty-second Kekkaishi of the Sumimura clan. But he’s constantly fighting with his rival, Tokine Yukimura – his childhood friend and also a Kekkaishi – about who is the rightful heir to the magical barrier arts. Protecting people from danger while growing stronger himself, Yoshimori will battle the forces of evil again tonight!

Neon Alley is VIZ Media’s consolidated online destination for FREE streaming anime content in the U.S. with over 3,700 subtitled and English dubbed episodes and movies from more than 32 series! Neon Alley also reaches an expansive on-demand U.S.-based audience on Hulu, which enables viewers to watch shows anytime, anywhere across devices including Xbox One, PlayStation®4 (PS4™), Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and mobile devices. A full list of Hulu -enabled devices can be found at http://www.hulu.com/plus/devices.

Additional information on Neon Alley is available at: www.NeonAlley.com and http://blog.neonalley.com.

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VIZ Media Announces Six New Digital Manga Titles for September 2015

START FALL OFF FRESH WITH NEW SEPTEMBER DIGITAL MANGA UPDATES FROM VIZ MEDIA

Catch The Launch Of 6 New Manga Series With Updates To 22 Other Popular Titles And New Digital Bundle Selections

VIZ Media offers manga (graphic novel) fans plenty of fresh options to start their fall reading fun as the company announces a brand new digital update for September. This month will see the digital debut of 4 notable series along with the latest additions to scores of continuing titles and new selections for bundled manga packages that will be made available at substantial savings over the regular individual digital MSRPs.

New series digital debuts for the month include love and laughs in KOMOMO CONFISERIE and CHOCOLATE COSMOS, harem hijinks in GUARDIAN HEARTS and SABER MARIONETTE J along with the one-shot fun of RIZELMINE and the action series launch of CLAMP SCHOOL DETECTIVES, which are all available as digital exclusives from VIZ Media.

The company’s Digital Manga Bundle Promotion also continues throughout September and offers manga readers specially curated selections each containing multiple full volumes from critically acclaimed and legacy titles. The latest manga bundle selections feature KEKKAISHI, PSYREN and WORLD TRIGGER and are available to readers for a limited time exclusively from VIZManga.com and through the comiXology platform.

Other important updates for September include new digital additions for 22 other continuing VIZ Media series. Included in this update are not-to-be-missed volumes for shojo series such as KISS OF THE ROSE PRINCESS (Vol. 6), TOKYO BOYS AND GIRLS (Vol. 2) and SKIP BEAT (Vol. 35), along with new installments for sci-fi and action-oriented series such as SAMURAI GIRL REAL BOUT HIGH SCHOOL (Vol. 3), SERAPH OF THE END (Vol. 6), SGT FROG (Vol. 17), and YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL (Vol. 7). Manga series receiving their concluding volumes this month will include the finales for GRENADIER (Vols. 6 & 7) and GIRLS BRAVO.

New September 2015 Digital Manga Series Debuts:

KOMOMO CONFISERIE, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available Now

As a little girl, Komomo Ninomiya delighted in picking on Natsu Azumi, the son of her family’s pastry chef. Ten years later, when the family fortune is lost and she has no place to live, Komomo encounters Natsu again in her hour of need. Now that Natsu is a master pastry chef in his own right, he’ll help Komomo – but only if she works for him at his new confiserie!

RIZELMINE (One-Shot) · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available September 8th!

15-year-old Iwaki Tomonori is in for a surprise when he returns home one day to find the government has married him to the first genetically engineered human, Rizelmine!

GUARDIAN HEARTS, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T +’ for Older Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available September 15th

Beautiful girls with superpowers...all in love with you! What more could a guy want?!

CHOCOLATE COSMOS, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available September 22nd

Fifteen-year old Sayuki Sakurai is a girly-girl at heart, but her sharp tongue and equally sharp gaze send most boys running! Determined to nab herself a hot summer romance during the holidays, Sayuki visits the beach and meets a cute guy who cheers her up after an awkward situation. She returns to school with confidence and as luck would have it... that cute guy is her Home Economics teacher! Dodging what love and life have in store, Sayuki is in for one roller coaster of a school year...

CLAMP SCHOOL DETECTIVES, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages · DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available September 22nd

Welcome to the CLAMP School, Japan's most prestigious place of learning--home to prodigies, wunderkinds and young geniuses of every make and model. In a world where the average student is smarter than the teachers, how then can the top students challenge their intellects? Why by creating a detective service, of course!

SABER MARIONETTE J, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available September 29th

On a world without women, the surviving men have fashioned curvaceous androids in the female form. Called Marionettes, they are built for one purpose--to obey man's every whim...except one.

Readers can enjoy all of these new manga titles that are available on VIZManga.com and the VIZ MANGA App for the iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones and tablets. The titles also may be purchased through the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, comiXology, iBooks and GooglePlay stores. These dynamic digital platforms offer fans the opportunity to explore and enjoy a massive catalog of new and classic manga titles that spans over 2,700 volumes across more than 235 different series.

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo eReaders, as well as in the comiXology, iBooks and Google Play Stores.

Most manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. Readers can also explore free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit www.vizmanga.com.

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"Force Friday" Awakens with Star Wars Products

Fans Awaken for ‘Force Friday’

More than 3,000 retail locations in the U.S. open at midnight to celebrate new ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ products

GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merchandise inspired by the highly anticipated new movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens launched at retailers around the globe as ‘Force Friday’ officially got underway. Hot off the heels of the 18+ hour global live unboxing event on YouTube where highlights of the new product range were officially unveiled, the celebration continued as more than 3,000 retail locations in the U.S. opened their doors at midnight for fans to be among the first to discover new Star Wars products.

    “We’ve been working closely with the filmmakers to bring the characters and storylines from Star Wars: The Force Awakens to life through an exciting array of products, and we’re thrilled to share them with fans around the world”

“We’ve been working closely with the filmmakers to bring the characters and storylines from Star Wars: The Force Awakens to life through an exciting array of products, and we’re thrilled to share them with fans around the world,” said Leslie Ferraro, Co-Chair, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media and President, Disney Consumer Products.

Starting in Sydney and ending at Lucasfilm headquarters in San Francisco, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media hosted an epic global live event to unveil key Star Wars: The Force Awakens products. Fans who tuned in to the Star Wars YouTube page were able to see the following toys unboxed by top digital stars from the Maker Studios network:

•     Sydney: Star Wars BladeBuilders Jedi Master Lightsaber toy from Hasbro
•     Tokyo: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Big Figs (31” and 48”) from JAKKS Pacific
•     Hong Kong: Hot Wheels® Star Wars character car assortment and Escape from Jakku™ Starship playset from Mattel
•     Seoul: LEGO Star Wars Poe’s X-Wing Fighter™
•     Paris: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Kylo Ren Lightsaber, a Disney Store exclusive
•     Madrid: Star Wars Micro Machines First Order Star Destroyer from Hasbro
•     Berlin: LEGO Star Wars Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle™
•     London: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Elite Series die-cast figure assortment, a Disney Store exclusive
•     Rio de Janeiro: Star Wars Black Series 6” figure assortment from Hasbro
•     ‘Good Morning America’ (New York): LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon™ and Star Wars BB-8 from Sphero
•     Toronto: Star Wars Remote Controlled Millennium Falcon Quad and X-Wing Starfighter from Air Hogs, Spin Master
•     Chicago: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Role Play for kids exclusive to Disney Store
•     Mexico City: Star Wars First Order Stormtrooper Deluxe NERF Blaster from Hasbro
•     San Francisco: Star Wars Battle Action Millennium Falcon from Hasbro
•     Los Angeles: Star Wars: The Force Awakens Poe Dameron’s X-Wing Vehicle from Hasbro

Additionally, fans tuning in to watch ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on ABC were treated to a fun product reveal with Jimmy and his security guard sidekick Guillermo, showcasing Star Wars: The Force Awakens Voice Changing Masks exclusive to Disney Store.

Beyond lightsabers, construction sets, figures and collectibles, fans can find products across a wide variety of categories, including apparel for all members of the family, home décor, lifestyle accessories, books and more. New Star Wars products can be found around the world at mass and specialty retailers, such as Amazon.com, Kohl’s, Target, Toys “R” Us and Walmart, as well as Disney Store and disneystore.com.

Highlights from the merchandise line found in the U.S. include:

•     A large collection of exclusive merchandise from Disney Store including role play items, talking action figures and figure play sets, along with themed apparel, tech accessories, mugs, journals and more
•     J. Crew apparel for men, women and kids featuring the fan-favorite “Chewie, we’re home” scene of Chewbacca and Han Solo from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens teaser trailer
•     A Star Wars collection of Rock & Republic® misses apparel and Mighty Fine juniors apparel offers female fans graphic tees, leggings, sweatshirts, hoodies and dresses available at Kohl’s
•     The ultimate Millennium Falcon children’s bed from Pottery Barn Kids, looking like something seen from a galaxy far, far away
•     A villainous take on home merchandise featuring new characters from the Dark Side, such as First Order Stormtroopers and Kylo Ren available at JCPenney

To preserve the integrity of key movie moments, an additional wave of products will be released closer to the film’s debut, when fans will be able to find additional items featuring the newest characters, including Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma, BB-8 and more. On December 18, 2015 a Play Set based on Star Wars: The Force Awakens will become available for Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition, the latest installment of the best-selling “toys-to-life” video game from Disney Interactive.

To download images of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens product collection, please visit http://www.image.net/starwars_dcpunboxing.

To view b-roll and video highlights from midnight retail events and the global live unboxings, please visit: https://www.epk.tv/view/#/campaign/star-wars-dom/force-friday-global-toy-unboxing

STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.


About Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media
Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (DCPI) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) that brings our company's stories and characters to life through innovative and engaging physical products and digital experiences across more than 100 categories, from toys and t-shirts, to apps and console games. DCPI comprises two main lines of business: Disney Consumer Products (DCP), and Disney Interactive (DI). The combined segment is home to world class teams of app and game developers, licensing and retail experts, a leading retail business (Disney Store), artists and storytellers, and technologists who inspire imaginations around the world.

About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company's activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

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