Bandai Visual USA To Bring The First High-Definition Anime Title Released In North America

Leading Japanese animation producer to showcase FREEDOM in HD DVD along with latest titles at largest anime convention in North America

Bandai Visual USA Inc. announced it will be participating at Anime Expo® 2007 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. June 29-July 2, 2007. Bandai Visual USA will be offering FREEDOM volume 1, which will mark the first commercial availability of a high-definition anime title in North America. Bandai Visual USA will be located at booth #1605.

Shuhei Morita, the director of FREEDOM, is expected to be on-hand at the Bandai Visual USA booth, and is scheduled to appear on an industry panel.

Born in Nara, Japan and graduated from Kyoto University of Art & Design in 2001 Shuhei Morita started creating motion picture while in college. His achievements include an award for Outstanding Animated Work, Submitted Works General Category of Tokyo International Anime Fair, 2005; Golden Prize, Best Short Film Category of Fantasia Festival, 2005 (Canada); Jury Recommended Works, Japan Media Arts Festival.

We are extremely pleased to be bringing the first high-definition anime DVD in North America to Anime Expo®, said Tatsunori Konno, president and CEO of Bandai Visual USA. And we are honored that Shuhei Morita will be joining us for this important moment in U.S. anime history.

FREEDOM volume 1 (SRP: $39.99) will be simultaneously released in HD DVD/DVD Twin Format (HD DVD layer & DVD layer on single side in one disc) in Japan and the U.S. on June 26, and will be the first introduction of the title in North America. FREEDOM will be released in HD DVD, including HDi network function that allows viewers to watch extra features. The DVD has already sold more than 100,000 in Japan, and won top honors at the Tokyo International Anime Fair 2007 for its high-quality animation combining 2D and 3D graphics. The complete series to be released in 6 volumes. Check out the official FREEDOM website.

Anime fans will be able to purchase popular Bandai Visual USA titles such as Gunbuster, Gunbuster 2 volumes 1-3, Demon Prince Enma volumes 1-2, The Wings of Rean volume 1, Patlabor The Movie and Patlabor 2 The Movie. In addition, Bandai Visual USA will be making Galaxy Angel Rune volume 1 available for purchase before the official July 10 release date.