VIZ Media Announces Angelotti Licensing as the Official Agent for Bleach in Brazil
San Francisco, CA, March 8, 2011 – Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced an important licensing agreement to make Angelotti – Licensing & Entertainment Business (Angelotti Licensing) the official brand partner for BLEACH in Brazil. Angelotti Licensing is a Brazilian company specializing in licensing a variety of entertainment and family brands across all media.
Angelotti Licensing will seek to leverage the BLEACH brand among key target audiences with a variety of high quality products, accessories and apparel. The agreement comes at a time when the popularity of anime-based media continues to spread across South America.
“We are happy to represent this important property, and we consider BLEACH a very potent brand for the Brazilian market,” says Mr. Luíz Angelotti, President of Angelotti Licensing. “We look forward to working closely with Viz Media to implement an innovative brand strategy that will support and expand its popularity throughout the region”
“Brazil is an important and growing market for anime and Japanese entertainment media, and partnering with a key agency like Angelotti Licensing will play a vital part in continuing to develop the BLEACH brand,” says Aadil Tayouga, Licensing Analyst, Viz Media.
BLEACH is a popular manga and animated series (both rated ‘T’ for Teens), distributed domestically by Viz Media, that follows the adventures of Ichigo, a 15-year old student with the ability to see ghosts. When his family is attacked by a Hollow — a malevolent lost soul – Ichigo encounters Rukia, a Soul Reaper, and inadvertently absorbs her powers. Now, he's dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping tortured souls find peace.
BLEACH is a tremendously successful property internationally. The manga series, created by Tite Kubo, has been licensed in more than a dozen countries and has sold over 50 million copies in Japan alone. In North America, the manga has sold more than 2 million copies, and the English-dubbed version of the animated series is viewed weekly by millions in the United States on Adult Swim. BLEACH animation may also be viewed through a variety of other web-based video download and streaming outlets that have partnered with Viz Media, including iTunes®, XBox Live, PlayStation Network, Amazon, and HULU. This success has further spawned an array of related video games, apparel, action figures and other merchandise.
More information on BLEACH is available at Bleach.viz.com.
About Angelotti – Licensing & Entertainment Business:
Headquartered in São Paulo, SP, Angelotti – Licensing & Entertainment Business is a Brazilian Licensing Agency specializing in entertainment and family brands across all media. Angelotti's team has managed some of the largest brands in Consumer Products, Promotion, and Retail with expertise in soft goods, hard goods, publishing and new media including mobile phones, interactive DVD & TV, and web communities. They utilize a compiled a databank of hundreds of top tier licensees and retailers which are built from its more than 28 years experience in working with select licensees and retailers in all product categories, representing Toei Animation, Giochi Preziosi, Marathon Media, NTC and important local brands. Contact ANGELOTTI LICENSING at Avenida General Ataliba Leonel, 93 – 9º andar – Conjunto 96 / 02033-000 – São Paulo – SP / Brazil; Phone/Fax : 55 11 2589-6061; and website at www.luizangelotti.com.
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 (graphic novel) 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-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., Viz Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment 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 website at www.VIZ.com.
