MANGA NEWS: DBZ to end this Summer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESHONEN JUMP’S DRAGON BALL Z IS COMING TO A CLOSE
Hit Manga Series to Reach Its Stunning Conclusion This Summer

San Francisco, CA, May 22, 2006: DRAGON BALL Z, the most popular manga(graphic novel) series in Japan and abroad, will reach the end of its long and spectacular run this summer. VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive manga and animation licensing and publishing companies, and SHONEN JUMP magazine will be celebrating the conclusion of this tremendous series all summer!

The July 2006 issue of SHONEN JUMP magazine (on newsstands June 6) will include extensive DRAGON BALL Z coverage. There will be a special dual magazine cover, featuring two different Dragon Ball Z images, a sneak preview chapter from the final volume of DRAGON BALL Z, a feature on the10 Best Fights in Dragon Ball history and an exclusive interview with DRAGON BALL Z creator Akira Toriyama.

"It's an exciting but poignant occasion for our company, with this manga giant finishing its monumental run," says Yumi Hoashi, editor-in-chief of SHONEN JUMP and vice president, magazines, VIZ Media. "We are pleased to be giving DRAGON BALL Z a substantial celebratory send-off befitting of its stature within our company and among readers worldwide!

"DRAGON BALL was originally a 42-volume manga series in Japan, and was divided into two parts by VIZ Media for its North American release:Dragon Ball, which represents volumes 1-16 of the series, and DRAGONBALL Z, which encompasses volumes 17-42. VIZ Media originally began publishing DRAGON BALL in 1998 and the series has been a mainstay of its manga library for years. DRAGON BALL follows the adventures of Goku, an alien that crash lands on planet Earth. After years of training and adventure, Goku becomes Earth's ultimate warrior and his son, Gohan, shows even greater promise. But the strikes are increasing as even deadlier enemies threaten the planet. More action-packed than the stories of Goku's youth, DRAGON BALLZ features time travelers, aliens, and the mighty Super Saiyans clashing over the fate of the universe.

Akira Toriyama, the creator of DRAGON BALL and DRAGON BALL Z, is an immensely influential artist and his works have inspired some of the most renowned manga creators today, including Eiichiro Oda (ONE PIECE)and Masashi Kishimoto (NARUTO). Toriyama's pre-DRAGON BALL series DR.SLUMP is currently being released under the SHONEN JUMP manga imprint.

DRAGON BALL has been adapted into a 400+ episode anime TV series and iscurrently the top-rated show on the Cartoon Network with over 15 million home videos sold. There is also a multiple product brand sequel anime Dragon Ball GT, numerous movies and merchandise, and over 30 video games.