Diamond to Distribute Japanese Action Figures and Toys Based on VIZ Media Properties in North America

(BALTIMORE, MD) — (April 1, 2013) —Diamond Comic Distributors and Viz Media, LLC have reached an agreement that will distribute Japanese merchandise based on the company's highly sought after properties in North America for the first time, including products based on the commercially successful and acclaimed titles NARUTO, BLEACH, TIGER & BUNNY, BERSERK, DEATH NOTE, and INUYASHA. Diamond Comic Distributors will carry a broad selection of action figures, toys, and collectibles from licensed Viz Media titles, previously unavailable outside of Japan due to licensing restrictions.

“From the top entertainment districts of Tokyo's Akihabara to Harajuku and beyond, many great licensed products from the top anime and manga brands will now be available for fans to purchase outside of Japan,” said John Parker, Diamond's VP - New Business Development. “We are excited by the potential and even more thrilled to introduce some of the best-of-Japan merchandise to North American consumers.”

The new merchandise will be available for pre-order in future issues of Diamond's PREVIEWS catalog. To pre-order the merchandise, contact your local retailer, or find a comic shop near you at www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook. Retailers interested in purchasing Viz Media's merchandise are encouraged to contact Diamond's New Accounts Department at [email protected] or via phone at 800-45-COMIC.


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 www.VIZ.com.

ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world's largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels, and related pop-culture merchandise, serving thousands of retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.