Bandai Visual Preps for Patlabor 2 Release
CHATSWORTH, Calif., June 22, 2006 – Image Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISK), a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming in North America, and Bandai Visual USA Inc., a leading innovator in Japanese animation, today announced that the 1993 anime masterpiece “Patlabor 2 The Movie” will be released on DVD July 11.
“Patlabor 2” was directed by acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii (“Patlabor The Movie,” “Ghost In The Shell,” “Jin-Roh,” “Avalon”), written by Kazunori Ito (“.hack//,” “Avalon”), with music by Kenji Kawai (“Ghost in the Shell,” “Avalon,” “Ringu”).
Set three years after the first film, “Patlabor 2” draws police commanders Ki'ichi Gotoh and
Shinobu Nagumo into the hunt for Tsuge, a rogue officer of the Japan Self-Defense Forces connected with an escalating wave of terrorist attacks. But the investigation into the plot is
guarded by secrets both personal and political, as the awakening fear of terror in Tokyo is
slowly answered by the dream-like fade of democracy into martial law. Tokyo, rush hour: the dead of winter. A terror strike from the air shatters the Bay Bridge. When news footage shows an unidentified F-16 fighter jet in the vicinity, the investigation takes a darker turn as the outlines of the shadowy military and political coalition behind the incident are traced. But the conspiracy itself is out of control, and what began as a gesture is becoming a game where the peace, the freedom, and the very lives of the people of Tokyo are at stake!
The DVD will be released in both a single disc edition ($29.99) and a limited collector's edition ($89.99). The limited collector's edition is numbered with a limited run of only 10,000 units. The cover art was illustrated especially for the DVD release by noted illustrator Yutaka Izubuchi (mechanical designer of the “Patlabor” movies). The limited edition set includes:
Disc 1: The full-length animated film in Japanese and newly dubbed English voiceover with optional English subtitles, newly remastered anamorphic transfer (first U.S. release), new authentic 5.1 channel sound (first U.S. release) as well as Japanese trailers and television commercials.
Disc 2: “The Making of 'Patlabor 2 The Movie'” in Japanese with English subtitles.
Book 1: Archives (144 pages) containing exposition and criticism of the film, interviews with the director, a Tokyo location map, key animation drawing samples with explanatory notes and additional information about the film.
Book 2: The director's storyboard (300 pages with English translation).
About Bandai Visual USA Inc.:
Bandai Visual USA Inc. was established in 2005 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. with a mission to facilitate stronger, more active involvement in positioning, marketing and distribution of Bandai Visual programs in North America. From its base in Torrance, California, Bandai Visual USA seeks to form new alliances and reinforce existing ties in an effort to strengthen Bandai Visual's international presence as a producer and content provider in the ever expanding and diversified specialty programs market. Bandai Visual USA titles are released on DVD under its Honneamise label, named after the 1987 animation film that Bandai Visual first produced. More information is available at www.bandaivisual.us and www.bandaivisual.us/patlabor.
About Image Entertainment:
Image Entertainment, Inc. is a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming in North America, with over 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 200 exclusive CD titles in domestic release and approximately 300 programs internationally via sublicense agreements. For many of its titles, the Company has exclusive audio and broadcast rights and, through its subsidiary Egami Media, Inc., has digital download rights to more than 1,600 video programs and over 170 audio programs containing more than 2,500 tracks. The Company is headquartered in Chatsworth, California, and has a domestic distribution facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Company's subsidiary Image Entertainment (UK) maintains a content acquisition office in London, England. For more information about Image Entertainment, Inc., please go to www.image-entertainment.com.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to, among other things, our goals, plans and projections regarding our financial position, results of operations, market position, product development and business strategy. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “may,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. All forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause action outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations.
These factors include, among other things, our inability to raise additional working capital, changes in debt and equity markets, increased competitive pressures, changes in our business plan, and changes in the retail DVD and entertainment industries. For further details and a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Unless otherwise required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
“Patlabor 2” was directed by acclaimed director Mamoru Oshii (“Patlabor The Movie,” “Ghost In The Shell,” “Jin-Roh,” “Avalon”), written by Kazunori Ito (“.hack//,” “Avalon”), with music by Kenji Kawai (“Ghost in the Shell,” “Avalon,” “Ringu”).
Set three years after the first film, “Patlabor 2” draws police commanders Ki'ichi Gotoh and
Shinobu Nagumo into the hunt for Tsuge, a rogue officer of the Japan Self-Defense Forces connected with an escalating wave of terrorist attacks. But the investigation into the plot is
guarded by secrets both personal and political, as the awakening fear of terror in Tokyo is
slowly answered by the dream-like fade of democracy into martial law. Tokyo, rush hour: the dead of winter. A terror strike from the air shatters the Bay Bridge. When news footage shows an unidentified F-16 fighter jet in the vicinity, the investigation takes a darker turn as the outlines of the shadowy military and political coalition behind the incident are traced. But the conspiracy itself is out of control, and what began as a gesture is becoming a game where the peace, the freedom, and the very lives of the people of Tokyo are at stake!
The DVD will be released in both a single disc edition ($29.99) and a limited collector's edition ($89.99). The limited collector's edition is numbered with a limited run of only 10,000 units. The cover art was illustrated especially for the DVD release by noted illustrator Yutaka Izubuchi (mechanical designer of the “Patlabor” movies). The limited edition set includes:
Disc 1: The full-length animated film in Japanese and newly dubbed English voiceover with optional English subtitles, newly remastered anamorphic transfer (first U.S. release), new authentic 5.1 channel sound (first U.S. release) as well as Japanese trailers and television commercials.
Disc 2: “The Making of 'Patlabor 2 The Movie'” in Japanese with English subtitles.
Book 1: Archives (144 pages) containing exposition and criticism of the film, interviews with the director, a Tokyo location map, key animation drawing samples with explanatory notes and additional information about the film.
Book 2: The director's storyboard (300 pages with English translation).
About Bandai Visual USA Inc.:
Bandai Visual USA Inc. was established in 2005 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. with a mission to facilitate stronger, more active involvement in positioning, marketing and distribution of Bandai Visual programs in North America. From its base in Torrance, California, Bandai Visual USA seeks to form new alliances and reinforce existing ties in an effort to strengthen Bandai Visual's international presence as a producer and content provider in the ever expanding and diversified specialty programs market. Bandai Visual USA titles are released on DVD under its Honneamise label, named after the 1987 animation film that Bandai Visual first produced. More information is available at www.bandaivisual.us and www.bandaivisual.us/patlabor.
About Image Entertainment:
Image Entertainment, Inc. is a leading independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming in North America, with over 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 200 exclusive CD titles in domestic release and approximately 300 programs internationally via sublicense agreements. For many of its titles, the Company has exclusive audio and broadcast rights and, through its subsidiary Egami Media, Inc., has digital download rights to more than 1,600 video programs and over 170 audio programs containing more than 2,500 tracks. The Company is headquartered in Chatsworth, California, and has a domestic distribution facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Company's subsidiary Image Entertainment (UK) maintains a content acquisition office in London, England. For more information about Image Entertainment, Inc., please go to www.image-entertainment.com.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to, among other things, our goals, plans and projections regarding our financial position, results of operations, market position, product development and business strategy. These statements may be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “may,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. All forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause action outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations.
These factors include, among other things, our inability to raise additional working capital, changes in debt and equity markets, increased competitive pressures, changes in our business plan, and changes in the retail DVD and entertainment industries. For further details and a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Unless otherwise required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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