Executive brings years of experience in retail and publishing management

San Francisco, CA, November 23, 2004 — VIZ, LLC, one of the leading publishers and distributors of manga and anime content for North American audiences, announced today that it has named Dudley Jahnke as the company's new director of sales for publishing.

Jahnke brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the publishing industry, which will continue to establish VIZ as the dominant distributor of manga and anime for North American audiences. In his new role, Jahnke will be a major player on the VIZ team, responsible for the operations, tactical coordination, functional management and oversight of all sales activities. He will also lead the sales team's development and implementation of strategies across a variety of vertical markets and work closely with VIZ's nationwide network of vendors, as well as its national publishing house, Simon & Schuster.

"We are pleased to have Dudley join our executive team," states Liza Coppola, vice president of sales and marketing for VIZ. "Manga and anime are among the fastest growing and most successful genres in literary publishing and Mr. Jahnke brings significant strengths and leadership to this position. We are confident that he will play a pivotal part in helping VIZ continue its market leadership while simultaneously securing new retailers for the company's products. As we prepare for continued success in 2005, I look forward to him working closely with the entire VIZ team and making great contributions to the company's future."

Prior to VIZ, Jahnke served on the executive teams for several leading literary outlets and publishers. Most recently he was the director of sales for M.E. Sharpe, a major publisher of books and journals in the social sciences and humanities arena. Jahnke's history also includes a position as vice president of operations for Davis-Kidd Booksellers, a popular bookstore chain based in the Southern United States, and the director of trade books for Rodale, a leading publisher of healthy lifestyle books and magazines. Jahnke was also one of the founding partners of BOOKSTOP, a retailer acquired by Barnes & Noble.

"The popularity of manga and anime in North America is a fascinating phenomenon that will undoubtedly continue to grow and VIZ plays a central role in its exposure and success," states Jahnke. "I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing success of a cutting edge company with such a respected and established legacy."

About VIZ, LLC
Founded in 1986, VIZ is a multi-media entertainment company specializing in Japanese entertainment properties for U.S. audiences. VIZ offers an integrated product line including magazines, graphic novels, videos, DVDs and audio soundtracks. Each month, VIZ publishes three magazines — ANIMERICA, ANIMERICA EXTRA and SHONEN JUMP; over 20 graphic novel titles, including ALICE 19TH, BOYS OVER FLOWERS, DRAGON BALL Z, FUSHIGI YÛGI, GUNDAM, INUYASHA, RANMA 1/2, and YU-GI-OH!; and distributes home video for BOYS OVER FLOWERS, HAMTARO, INUYASHA, POKÉMON, PROJECT ARMS, and ZOIDS.

Based in San Francisco, VIZ is one of the top five comics publishers in the U.S. and a subsidiary of Shogakukan and Shueisha Inc., two of the top publishers in Japan. VIZ is the leading publisher of manga for English speaking audiences, serving a growing market of dedicated fans of all ages. Estimating a core audience of nearly 15 million fans, the company holds a large market share of Japanese comics in the U.S. With some of the most innovative products in the industry, VIZ has expanded its offerings to its loyal fans through web sites such as www.shonenjump.com, and its corporate site, www.viz.com.

Contact VIZ, LLC at: 655 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 94107-1612; Phone: (415) 546-7073; Fax: (415) 546-7086; Web site: www.VIZ.com

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