Bandai Visual USA Launches Anime Community "Honneamise" On Myspace

    December 06, 2006

Online social networking site provides advance glimpse of re-mastered anime masterpiece "Gunbuster" to be released on DVD for the first time in North America





TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 6, 2006 - Bandai Visual USA Inc., a leading innovator in Japanese animation, today announced it has launched an anime community "Honneamise" on MySpace.com. The site provides information and downloads from anime titles released by Bandai Visual USA's Honneamise label, and gives fans a chance to interact with each other and discuss current and past DVD releases.



The MySpace site went live today and can be found at www.MySpace.com/honneamise. The site contains information and images from Bandai Visual's upcoming release of the classic anime series "Gunbuster" as well as past Honneamise titles "Patlabor The Movie" and "Patlabor 2 The Movie." Visitors to the site will also be able to view a special video clip from the newly re-mastered version of "Gunbuster" as well as download wallpapers, buddy icons and MySpace skins from Honneamise titles. The site will be updated periodically.



"Gunbuster" will be available on DVD for the first time in the U.S. on February 20, 2007. A favorite among anime fans, "Gunbuster" has been re-mastered in HD 24P format with newly translated English subtitles under the supervision of the original producers. The DVD set (SRP: $64.99) will contain all six episodes on 3 discs, a 24-page color booklet, 30-minutes of bonus clips and come packaged in an original deluxe art box imported from Japan. The DVD will be released under the Bandai Visual USA Honneamise label and be distributed by Image Entertainment.



Bandai Visual USA also announced that for a limited time, anime fans who purchase "Gunbuster" can send away for a free special "Gunbuster" trailer manga card by renowned character designer/illustrator/manga artist Haruhiko Mikimoto ("Macross") by filling-in and returning the card in the DVD. The offer ends March 30, 2007.



More information is available on the official "Gunbuster" site, www.bandaivisual.us/gunbuster/.



Bandai Visual USA Inc. was established in 2005 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. with a mission to facilitate stronger, more active involvement in positioning, marketing and distribution of Bandai Visual programs in North America. From its base in Torrance, California, Bandai Visual USA seeks to form new alliances and reinforce existing ties in an effort to strengthen Bandai Visual's international presence as a producer and content provider in the ever expanding and diversified specialty programs market. Bandai Visual USA titles are released on DVD under its Honneamise label, named after the 1987 animation film that Bandai Visual first produced. More information is available at www.bandaivisual.us .