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ADV Films March Releases

ADV FILMS SETS RELEASE DATES

FOR MARCH 23 AND 30



Angelic Layer; Farscape™; Legend of the Mystical Ninja;

Saiyuki; Slayers; and Prétear



HOUSTON, March 2, 2004—ADV Films, the #1 producer-distributor of anime, today announced March 23 and 30, 2004 street dates.



ANGELIC LAYER: DEUS EX MACHINA

FIFTH VOLUME OF CLAMP STUDIO'S FIRST SHONEN TITLE

Angelic Layer: Deus Ex Machina, the fifth volume of the remarkable and completely original series. In a twist that could only come from the series creators, the all-female studio CLAMP (Chobits and X), the lead character of Angelic Layer is not the typical shonen adolescent boy, but a young girl freshly arrived in Tokyo.



The finals are about to begin, but the rules have changed. Misaki has to select a partner, forcing her to make a difficult decision—choosing between her friends.



As the first matches of the tournament spring into action, Misaki renews her dedication to Angelic Layer and displays incredible courage and valor. Not only are Tamayo and Kotaro there rooting for her, but Misaki discovers she now has many fans.



In the next incredible volume of Angelic Layer, Misaki experiences some surprising revelations, and her mom makes an important decision that may bring them closer together.



Angelic Layer is beautifully animated by the super-talented team at BONES, the animators of the highly acclaimed RahXephon and Cowboy Bebop: The Movie. The show's stylish animation and sympathetic characters has made critics cheer. “This show is maddeningly addictive,” says AnimeOnDVD.com.



Angelic Layer: Deus Ex Machina (SRP $29.98 DVD) is a DVD-only release, including four complete episodes in both English 5.1- and Japanese 2.0-language versions, with English subtitles. Extras include: production artwork; character sketches; commentary by voice actresses Sasha Paysinger (Hatoko) and Mariela Ortiz (Ringo); clean opening; clean closing; a mini poster with character bios; and ADV previews.



Collector's Edition Available: The first volume of the series, Angelic Layer: Divine Inspiration, is also available as a collector's edition, which includes the DVD, and a custom series art box, sized to fit the entire series.



Running Time: 100 minutes; Age Rating: 13+

Pre-Book Date: 3/2/04

Street Date: 3/30/04

Format SRP

DVD $29.98


FARSCAPE™: SEASON FOUR, COLLECTION THREE
TWO-DISC COLLECTION

ADV Films today announced a street date of March 23, 2004 for the home-entertainment release of the two-DVD, four-episode Farscape™: Season Four, Collection Three. Farscape's original, often surprising storylines and its strong, sexy characters, including its star Ben Browder as “John Crichton,” have appealed to a global audience, with passionate and committed fans from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Sweden, France and Australia.



Strange creatures, bizarre twists, irreverent humor, tragic losses, great loves, and great hopes… it's a story as broad and weird as the universe. Produced in Australia with the incredible talents of Jim Henson's Creature Shop™ on display, Farscape is like nothing you've seen before! Join the legion of Farscape fans around the world who keep cheering for more.



TV Guide has hailed the award-winning series as “The Best Sci-Fi on TV,” USA Today called Farscape “TV's Best Space Series,” and Farscape received the 2003 Saturn Award for Best Syndicated/Cable Series—the series' third win in a row and has been nominated again for 2004.



Episodes from Farscape Season Four: Collection Three:

“Unrealized Reality” (Episode 411)

After correctly sensing that a wormhole is about to appear near Moya, Crichton is sucked down it! Inside, he is confronted by an inter-dimensional being intent on discovering why Crichton was entrusted with this knowledge. The alien sends Crichton through various “realities” of past events to illustrate the danger of misusing wormhole knowledge.



“Kansas” (Episode 412)

Crichton and the crew travel through a wormhole to Earth circa 1985, and find the course of time disastrously changed. Crichton's father Jack is now slated to fly the doomed Challenger mission! Lying low in Crichton's hometown, the “aliens” use the timely Halloween celebrations to remain (almost) anonymous, while Crichton tries to change the timeline.



“Terra Firma” (Episode 413)

Crichton and the crew return to Moya—in orbit around modern-day Earth—to find Jack and a contingent of dignitaries waiting for them. The aliens are introduced to an amazed and apprehensive public, but soon find life in the public eye difficult. Meanwhile, a monstrous assassin sent by Grayza hunts for Crichton, and will stop at nothing to accomplish its mission.



“Twice Shy” (Episode 414)

Chiana purchases an abused slave girl named Talikaa from a passing Trading Ship. When the crew starts acting strangely and the girl disappears, they realize she may not be as innocent as she first seemed. Returning to the Trading Ship, they discover its occupants have succumbed to a painful death, the result of neural harvesting by an alien arachnid!



Farscape: Season Four, Collection Three (SRP $39.98) is a DVD-only release containing four episodes on two discs (episodes 411 through 414) and presented in anamorphic widescreen format. Includes English 5.1, English 2.0, and closed captioning. DVD extras include: a printed insert with official episode synopses and updated character histories of Scorpius and Sikozu; a behind-the-scenes interview with Lani John Tupu (“Crais” and the voice of “Pilot”); From the Archives: Early make-up tests; Cool Farscape facts by Paul Simpson, author of Farscape: The Illustrated Companion series guides; Aliens Encountered; Sets, Props, & Costumes Gallery; deleted scenes; and ADV Previews.



About The Jim Henson Company:

The Jim Henson Company, an established leader in family entertainment for more than 45 years, is a multimedia production company; one of the top character licensors in the industry; a leading publisher of children's books and home to Jim Henson Television, Jim Henson Pictures, Jim Henson Interactive, Jim Henson Home Entertainment and Jim Henson's Creature Shop™. The Company is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices and production facilities in New York and London. The Jim Henson Company website is located at: http://www.henson.com.



Running Time: 200+ minutes

Pre Book Date: 2/24/04

Street Date: 3/23/04

Format SRP

DVD $39.98





LEGEND OF THE MYSTICAL NINJA: A NEW VILLIAN, VOLUME THREE

THIRD VOLUME OF ANIME TIE-IN TO HIT VIDEO GAME

The third volume of Legend of the Mystical Ninja: A New Villain is a zany anime tie-in to the immensely popular Nintendo video game from Japanese game-maker Konami. Using a television as a portal, the brightly coiffed Goemon, hero of both the game and the series, crosses from the game world to the human world to save humankind from an invasion of the video game world's most undesirable citizens.



If you thought that the revolt against the human world would settle down, you're sadly mistaken. Makuamuuge has unleashed a new threat. Dr. Mudanashi, the creator of the cyber tunnel has been summoned up to match his wits against Goemon, Tsukasa and the rest of their friends. The Doctor's sidekick, Protein, is a super muscular android who causes more trouble than he's worth. But rest assured, he's still an evil foe. Where's Seppukumaru, you ask? Well, let's just say his failures didn't sit well with Makuamuuge. Our justice fighters continue to learn about this strange human world and its customs in this third volume of The Mystical Ninja.



Legend of the Mystical Ninja: A New Villain (SRP $19.98) includes five complete episodes. Includes an English 2.0-language version, and a Japanese 2.0-language version, with English subtitles. Includes English cast interviews and commentaries; and ADV Previews.



Running Time: 125 minutes; Age Rating: 13+

Pre Book Date: 2/24/04

Street Date: 3/23/04

Format SRP

DVD $19.98



SAIYUKI: CHILDREN OF SACRIFICE, NINTH VOLUME

NINTH VOLUME OF ACCLAIMED ANIME SERIES AVAILABLE IN STORES MARCH 30, 2004

ADV Films today announced a March 30, 2004 release for Saiyuki: Children of Sacrifice, ninth volume of the vibrant, hilarious, action-packed 50-episode anime saga.



The road west is marred by the potholes from their past. Sanzo was an orphan baby, set adrift on the river until he was taken in by Buddhist monks. Growing up in a Catholic orphanage was enough to give Hakkai some issues with gods. When Gojyo becomes trapped in a cave with Dokugakuji, the brothers reminisce about a stepmother's resentment for her half-breed child. But it may very well be the burdens of youth are what molded Goku, Gojyo, Sanzo and Hakkai into the only men who could undertake this journey!



The Saiyuki series is the latest manifestation of the 16th-century Chinese novel Xiyouji (Journey to the West) by Wu Cheng-En, which tells a time-proven story of a band of eccentric travelers bound for adventure. In the Saiyuki tale, a pistol-toting monk and his three eccentric companions are assigned the task of traveling to India from China to quash the resurrection of a sinister demon, encountering a few unsavory characters and experiencing a smattering of mishaps along the way.



ADV Films' release of Saiyuki is based on a manga by Kazuya Minekura, and directed by Hayato Date.



Saiyuki: Children of Sacrifice (SRP $29.98 DVD) is a DVD-only release, containing four complete episodes. Includes both English 5.1- and Japanese 2.0-language versions, with English subtitles. Extras include a Saiyuki trailer; production sketches; cultural background notes; Japanese opening and closing animation; printed poster; and ADV previews.



Collector's Edition Available!

Saiyuki: The Gods of War, the series' seventh volume, is available as a collector's edition, which includes a custom art box, sized to fit the last six volumes of the series. As a special bonus to fans, the Collector's Edition comes packed with four limited-edition Saiyuki pencil boards, created exclusively by ADV for this DVD set!



Running Time: 100 minutes; Age Rating: 15+

Pre-Book Date: 3/2/04

Street Date: 3/30/04

Format SRP

DVD $29.98



SLAYERS: EXCELLENT

OVA TIE-IN TO POPULAR SLAYERS FANTASY-ADVENTURE SERIES

The OVA Slayers: Excellent, the sixth tie-in (after Slayers: Book of Spells; Slayers - The Motion Picture, Slayers: Return, Slayers: Great, and Slayers: Gorgeous) to the fan-favorite anime series Slayers, the action-comedy starring odd couple Lina Inverse and the buxom Na-Ga the Serpent has a release date of March 30, 2004.



Fiery redhead Lina Inverse may be the most powerful sorceress around, but she can't hide from the exceptionally endowed Na-Ga the Serpent. When Na-Ga torches a tavern to get Lina's attention, the local townspeople demand that Lina and Na-Ga make restitution by rescuing villagers lost in a labyrinth. Once inside, however, Lina and Na-Ga find the rescue mission is a ruse for something else!



After seeing no profit in protecting the pampered Sirene Fitzmeier, Lina arranges a kidnapping to teach her a lesson. Unfortunately, Lina hands Sirene over to the wrong kidnappers! Na-Ga helps in Sirene's rescue, but imparts a few frightening lessons of her own!



Formal fashion designer Tatjana Dayward and unisex clothing maker Marty Lenford separately approach Lina for help in vanquishing the other, but Lina could care less. That is until Marty discovers Na-Ga and sets out to make her the next fashion craze. It's going to take everything Lina's got to stave off this disaster in Slayers Excellent!



Slayers: Excellent ($24.98 SRP) is a DVD-only release containing three complete episodes. Available in both English 2.0- and Japanese 2.0-language versions, and English subtitles. Extras include: interviews with Cynthia Martinez (“Lina”) and Kelly Manison (“Na-Ga”); Slayers: Excellent trailer and ADV previews.



Running Time: 90 minutes; Age Rating: 15+

Pre-Book Date: 3/2/04

Street Date: 3/30/04

Format SRP

DVD $24.98



PRETEAR: VOLUME FOUR

CONCLUDING VOLUME OF CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FANTASY ANIME SERIES

With a March 30, 2004 release date for the fourth and final volume, Prétear is the enchanting fantasy anime series created by Kaori Naruse and noted anime fantasy creator Junichi Satō (director of the first series of Sailor Moon and creator of Kaleido Star).



The title cleverly combines elements of the age-old fairy tales Cinderella (the heroine has a new family complete with a new stepmother and stepsisters) and Snow White (she finds friends, and romance, in seven handsome knights) under the umbrella of mahou shoujo anime.



Prétear Himeno Awayuki and the Leafe Knights are doing their best to defeat Takako, Princess of Disaster, and her demon hordes. However, Takako has transformed Mawata into the Puppet of Darkness, the power source for the Great Tree of Fenril, which will destroy the Earth! To prevent the apocalypse, Himeno and the Knights must rescue Mawata and stop the Princess of Disaster once and for all. Will Himeno's love for her family, friends and the Knights be enough to save the world? Or will the power of evil vanquish love? Don't miss the amazing final installment of Prétear!



Prétear: Volume 4 (SRP $29.98) is a DVD-only release, including three complete episodes. Includes English 5.1- and Japanese 2.0-versions, with English subtitles. Extras include: Behind the Anime with Kathya Coker (“Mikage”), Jason Douglas (“Kaoru Awayuki”), Lauren Goodnight (“Natsue Awayuki”), Shelley Calene-Black (“Mayune Awayuki”), and Mandy Clark (“Mawata Awayuki”); Japanese CD and DVD spots; production sketches; clean opening and closing animation; and ADV previews.



Collector's Edition Available! The first volume of Prétear is available as a special collector's edition, which includes the DVD and a custom art box sized to fit the entire series.



Running Time: 75 minutes; Age Rating: 15+

Pre-Book Date: 3/2/04

Street Date: 3/30/04

Format SRP

DVD $29.98



About ADV Films:

In 1992, ADV Films began to forge the international market for Japanese animation (“anime”) by combining unique titles, outstanding production values and efficient large-scale distribution. Today, ADV Films is the #1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation to the North American market, with the firm's holdings including such premier titles as NOIR, Sailor Moon, Samurai X, Hello Kitty's Paradise, RahXephon, Spriggan, Robotech, Full Metal Panic! and Neon Genesis Evangelion. In addition, ADV Films' product line has expanded to include other forms of genre programming, including live-action science fiction programs Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, Mutant X and The Jim Henson Company's Farscape, and classic science fiction such as the updated Gamera trilogy. ADV Films' parent company, A.D. Vision, Inc. also publishes Newtype USA, the premier anime and manga monthly in the English-speaking world, and operates Anime Network™, broadcasting anime and anime-related programming via digital cable, 24 hours a day. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, USA, with additional offices in the EU and Japan, and distribution on four continents, ADV Films is fast becoming an international entertainment powerhouse. For more information, visit ADV Films on the web at http://www.advfilms.com.

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