Viz Media Licenses Naruto™ to Chilevision
VIZ MEDIA LICENSES NARUTO™ TO CHILEVISION
Agreement Brings Popular Action Series To One Of The Top Latin American Markets
San Francisco, CA, April 20, 2007– Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, continues to expand its NARUTO™ franchise internationally with the announcement that 52 episodes of the wildly popular anime series have been licensed for terrestrial broadcast in Chile to Chilevision, one of the country's most popular television channels among young viewers. The series is projected to launch in the second half of 2007.
The agreement is significant because it serves to further validate the growing popularity of NARUTO throughout Latin America. The animated series, which depicts the adventures of a young boy, Naruto Uzumaki, training to become a ninja, is a ratings hit in North America where it is seen on Cartoon Network. The manga counterpart, which is published under Viz Media's SHONEN JUMP™ imprint is one of the company's most viable in terms of sales, recently placing at Number 25 on the notable USA Today Top 150 Best Seller list. The success in the United States has fueled continued interest in the brand from a variety of international media outlets.
The Chilevision agreement is the latest Viz Media has secured with prominent terrestrial broadcasters across Latin America. To-date the company has announced deals with broadcasters for both NARUTO and ZATCH BELL!. America TV (Peru) acquired 52 episodes each of ZATCH BELL! and NARUTO; TV Globo (Brazil) acquired 52 episodes of ZATCH BELL! and Televideo Services picked up 52 episodes each of ZATCH BELL! and NARUTO for Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Honduras. Deals are now in the works to continue to bring NARUTO to other growing markets in Latin America.
“The NARUTO agreement with Chilevision will bring one of the hottest and most popular brands to an audience that is fast developing an appreciation for unmatched story-telling and quality animation,” says Viz Media Senior Licensing Manager Andrea Gonzalez. “The popularity of NARUTO is growing significantly worldwide and Latin America is no exception. It's amazing to be involved with a series with such a global acceptance and licensing the animated series in a market as important as Chile only serves to validate this series' universal appeal. Viz Media is privileged to play a pivotal and ongoing role in this process. Chilevision likewise understands this phenomenon and expressed interest in securing NARUTO from the start. We look forward to great success with this series in Chile and we welcome Chilevision to the international NARUTO team!”
About Viz Media, LLC Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha, Inc., Shogakukan, Inc., and Shogakukan Production Co, Ltd. (Sho-Pro Japan), Viz Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America and a global licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including, magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, videos, DVDs, audio soundtracks and develops and markets animated entertainment from initial production, television placement and distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact Viz Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.
