FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF JAPANESE ANIMATION ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR THE 2009 SPJA INDUSTRY AWARDS

Public Online Voting to Begin at Noon PST on May 4, 2009

Anaheim, California (May 4, 2009) ‹ The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), announces finalists of the 2009 SPJA Industry Awards today and opens up ALL categories for public voting via both the SPJA
(www.spja.org) and Anime Expo® (www.anime-expo.org) websites. More information can be found on the website www.spja.org/spja-industry-awards/spja-industry-awards-polls/

Public voting for the 2009 SPJA Industry Awards will be held via online and winners will be announced during the Anime Expo® 2009 Industry Reception held on July 2, 2009 (during Anime Expo®) in Los Angeles, CA.

Leading the pack with 8 nominations is GURREN LAGANN (Bandai Entertainment) followed by DEATH NOTE (Viz Media) with 6 nominations. Other nominations include THE GIRL WHO LEPT THROUGH TIME, BLEACH, NARUTO, AFRO SAMURAI, THE GIRL WHO LEPT THROUGH TIME and much more (see below for full list).

Category 01: Best Voice Actor (Japanese) -Jun Fukuyama ­ CODE GEASS – Lelouch Lamperouse -Kappei Yamaguchi ­ DEATH NOTE – L -Katsuyuki Konishi ­ GURREN LAGANN – Kamina

Category 02: Best Voice Actor (English)
-Samuel L. Jackson ­ AFRO SAMURAI RESURRECTION – Afro and Ninja Ninja -Dave Wittenburg – NARUTO – Kakashi Hatake -Kyla Hebert – GURREN LAGANN – Kamina

Category 03: Best Voice Actress (Japanese) -Riisa Naku ­ THE GIRL WHO LEPT THROUGH TIME – Makoto Konno -Maaya Sakamoto ­ THE GARDEN OF SINNERS – Shiki Ryogi -Junko Takeuchi – NARUTO – Naruto Uzumaki

Category 04: Best Voice Actress (English) -Laura Bailey ­ SHIN CHAN – Shin Chan -Michelle Ruff – GURREN LAGANN – Yoko -Michelle Ruff ­ BLEACH THE MOVIE: MEMORIES OF NOBODY – Rukia Kuchiki

Category 05: Best Casting Director
-Jaime Simone – BLEACH
-Jaime Simone – AFRO SAMURAI RESURRECTION -Kaeko Sakamoto – GURREN LAGANN

Category 06: Best Character Design
-Masaru Kitao of Madhouse – DEATH NOTE
-Yuji Iwahara ­ DARKER THAN BLACK
-Daisuke Nakayama ­ TWEENY WITHCES

Category 07: Best Mechanical Design
-Yoh Yoshirari – GURREN LAGANN
-Takeshi Takakura ­ GENESIS OF AQUARION
-Niohiro Washio ­ THE THIRD: THE GIRL WITH THE BLUE EYE

Category 08: Best Male Character
-Tamaki ­ OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB
-L – DEATH NOTE
-Hei – DARKER THAN BLACK

Category 09: Best Female Character
-Rukia Kuchiki – BLEACH THE MOVIE: MEMORIES OF NOBODY -Revy ­ BLACK LAGOON: SECOND BARRAGE -Sei Sato ­ MARIA WATCHES OVER US (MARIA-SAMA GA MITERU)

Category 10: Best Mascot Character
-Mokona ­ XXXHOLIC
-Kon – BLEACH
-Boota – GURREN LAGANN

Category 11: Best Backround Design
-Ogura Workshop – THE GIRL WHO LEPT THROUGH TIME -GREEN ­ HELL GIRL -Minoru Nakamura of Studio Pierrot – BLEACH

Category 12: Best Original Video Animation -KITE LIBERATOR – Media Blasters -BALDR FORCE EXE – Funimation Entertainment -LUCKY STAR OVA – Bandai Entertainment

Category 13: Best Feature Film
– THE GIRL WHO LEPT THROUGH TIME – Bandai Entertainment
– BLEACH THE MOVIE: MEMORIES OF NOBODY – VIZ Media -VEXILLE – Funimation Entertainment

Category 14: Best Television Series
-SHIN CHAN – Funimation Entertainment
-NARUTO – VIZ Media
-GURREN LAGANN – Bandai Entertainment

Category 15: Best Original Score
– DEATH NOTE Score – DEATH NOTE – Yoshihisa Hirano and Hideki Taniuchi -MAD BOMBER – Aquarion – Yoko Kanno and Hokari Hisaaki – Victor Entertainment
-EMMA: A VICTORIAN ROMANCE (Season 1) – EMMA: A VICTORIAN ROMANCE – Kanihiko Ryo – Pony Canyon

Category 16: Best Original Song
-“Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” – Bleach – Beat Crusaders – Aniplex Inc. – Beat Crusaders -“Undine” – ARIA The Animation – Yui Makino – Victor Entertainment – Mina Kubota ( Music), Eri Kawai (Lyrics) -“Combat” – AFRO SAMURAI RESURRECTION – RZA and P.DOT – Wu Music – R.Diggs and N. Greenwood

Category 17: Best Director (Japanese)
-Tetsuro Araki – DEATH NOTE
-Mamory Hosoda – THE GIRL WHO LEPT THROUGH TIME -Hiroyuki Imaishi – GURREN LAGANN

Category 18: Best Director (American)
-Karl Willems – DEATH NOTE
-Joe DiGiorgi ­ THE THIRD: THE GIRL WITH THE BLUE EYE -Mike Mc Farland ­ ONE PIECE

Category 19: Best Manga – Action
-TSUBASA: RESERVIOR CHRONICLE – Del Rey Manga – CLAMP -HELLSING – Dark Horse – Kohta Hiano -BLACK LAGOON – VIZ Media – Rei Hiroe

Category 20: Best Manga – Comedy
-FAIRY TAIL – Del Rey Manga – Hiro Mashima -TOKYO ZOMBIE – Last Gasp – Yusaka Hangkuma -KITSUNE NO YOMEIRI – Kodansha Co., Ltd. – Takagi Satoshi

Category 21: Best Manga – Drama
-MONSTER – Viz Media – Naoki Urasawa
-KITCHEN PRINCESS – Del Rey Manga – Miyuki Kobayashi – Natsumi Ando -GHOST TALKER¹S DAYDREAM – Dark Horse – Okuse Saki – Meguro Sankichi

Category 22: Best Publication
-Shonen Jump – VIZ Media
-Style School – Dark Horse
-Shojo Beat – VIZ Media

Category 23: Best Full Motion Video in Video Game
– AFRO SAMURAI – Namco Bandai
-FINAL FANTASY IV – Square Enix
-LEFT 4 DEAD – Valve/Electronic Arts Inc.

About Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization with a mission to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more
popularly known by its entertainment property ­ Anime Expo®. More
information can be found at its website (www.spja.org ).

The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements.” These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause Anime Expo®/SPJA¹s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions. The Company may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the Company’s assumptions or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.