Press Release for New York Anime Festival

May 12, 2009

NYAF presents Super Para Natural Manga Day at NYC's Kinokuniya Bookstore

NYAF Hosts A Day Of Special Events Celebrating Spooky Manga

Norwalk, CT, May 12, 2009: The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) today announced it will be hosting Super Para Natural Manga Day at the largest Japanese bookstore in North America -- New York City's Kinokuniya Bookstore. Taking place Sunday, May 17 at Kinokuniya Bookstore (located at 1073 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan), NYAF will present a day of events celebrating the creepy, spooky, and cool side of Japanese comics and animation. Super Para Natural Manga Day partners include Alone Together NYC, Dark Horse Comics, Del Rey Manga, FUNimation Entertainment, The Right Stuf International, Samurai Beat Radio, VIZ Media, and VIZ Pictures.

"New York City's anime fans are always hungry for more events, and the New York Anime Festival's always happy to satisfy this appetite," NYAF Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. "NYAF and Kinokuniya have a long history of partnering for special events, and Super Para Natural Manga Day's the latest example of this ongoing relationship."

Super Para Natural Manga Day Event Schedule
11 AM: Bleach the Movie: Memories of Nobody Screening. After unidentified beings known as "Blanks" start popping up, they are soon followed by a Soul Reaper named Senna who makes them disappear. Puzzled by these unknown beings and the even more mysterious girl, Ichigo and Rukia set out to learn more, but uncover an evil plot when a menacing clan tries to kidnap Senna. The first Bleach feature film! Screening courtesy of VIZ Media.

1 PM: Vampires In Manga Presentation. Performance group Alone Together NYC presents an educational and entertaining presentation on the most famous (and infamous) vampires in manga and anime history. Alone Together will discuss vampiric powers, social classes, and interesting facts about Japan's bloodsuckers.

2 PM: Ghost Hunt Screening. Psychic freshman Mai Taniyama has joined the ranks of the Shibuya Psychic Research Team. Led by the enigmatic Kazuya "Naru" Shibuya, Mai works alongside a spirit medium, a shrine maiden, an exorcist, and a monk to uncover the darkest mysteries of the unseen. Screening courtesy of FUNimation.

3 PM: Del Rey Manga Presentation. Del Rey Manga publishes some of the best manga in America -- and some of the creepiest, too. Join representatives from Del Rey as they talk about upcoming releases and some of their best sellers that all share a spine-tingling twist.

4 PM: D.Gray-Man Screening. Darkness has spread across 19th Century Europe, and young exorcist Allen Walker is humanity's greatest hope against the wicked forces conspiring to bring civilization to its knees. Akuma -- cruel spirits born of tragedy -- lurk in every shadow, willing and eager to do the bidding of their leader, the Millennium Earl. Screening courtesy of FUNimation.

5 PM: Samura Beat Radio Broadcast. Samurai Beat Radio broadcasts across Japan through Tokyo FM. Sit in on a live taping at Kinokuniya and be prepared for a few special announcements as the Samurai Beat Radio Team talk about Hyde, K.A.Z, and the upcoming VAMPS concert in NYC!

6 PM: Boogiepop Phantom Screening. Five years ago, a string of grisly murders shook the city to its core and now the rumors have begun once more. Boogiepop... Everyone knows the urban legend, meet her one dark night and you are taken. People tell each other the stories and laugh. No one believes that Boogiepop can possibly exist in this day and age. Screening courtesy of The Right Stuf International.

7 PM: Raffle. NYAF sends Super Para Natural Manga Day out in style with an amazing raffle. Attendees can enter all day long, and to win, and they must present at 7 PM for the drawing. Prizes include...

• 50 books from Del Rey Manga
• Five Bleach prize packages from VIZ Media
• DEATH NOTE posters and pins from VIZ Pictures
• Two tickets to the VAMPS NYC concert from Samurai Beat Radio
• Boogiepop Phantom and The Third: The Girl with The Blue Eye sets from Right Stuf
• Vampire Hunter D busts, artbooks, figurines, novels, and manga from Dark Horse Comics

The New York Anime Festival, Kinokuniya Bookstore, and all of Super Para Natural Manga Day's partners invite anime fans and New Yorkers up for a unique and unforgettable experience to come out to Kinokuniya on Sunday, May 17th!

ABOUT KINOKUNIYA:
Japanese Arts, Cooking, Fashion and Anime. More than a bookstore, Kinokuniya is a community where New Yorkers gather to relax, sit at a café, and meet internationally acclaimed writers and artists. Kinokuniya is the New York subsidiary of Kinokuniya Company, LTD, the world's leading Japanese bookstore which operates 84 stores internationally. Founded in 1927, Kinokuniya's first store opened in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo. Today, Kinokuniya has developed into a large-scale bookstore chain with the goal of providing Japanese living abroad with information from home as quickly as possible and introducing Japanese tradition and culture to the local community. For more information please visit the flagship US store location at 1073 Avenues of the Americas (between 40th and 41st Streets) or on the web at kinokuniya.com.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL:
The New York Anime Festival takes place September 25-27, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan and is organized by Reed Exhibitions, the creators of New York Comic Con. The New York Anime Festival showcases the best of anime pop culture, including the latest anime, manga, Japanese cinema, music, and games, and anime-influenced comics, animation, and films from around the world. The festival features exclusive and extensive screenings, a gala cosplay masquerade, sessions with the some of the biggest names in anime from Japan, Asia, and America, and explores the Japanese cultural experience with displays of both traditional and cutting-edge Japanese life. Further information can be found at newyorkanimefestival.com.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS:
The New York Anime Festival is operated by Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading events organizer. In 2007, Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today, Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and organized by 39 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2006, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit before taxation of £1,052 million on turnover of £5,398 million.

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