Press Release

Central Park Media to Release Otaku Unite! On DVD

The ultimate documentary on the history of anime fandom to be priced at $19.95 SRP and set for March 7, 2006 release

NEW YORK, NY (December 22, 2005) Central Park Media announced that Otaku Unite!, the world’s first feature length documentary about the history of anime fandom in North America, will be released on DVD in March. Created by Eric Bresler, a well-known figure within the anime industry, this is a one-of-a-kind documentary which is both informative and entertaining.

Otaku Unite! illustrates the sense of unity and passion among die-hard anime fans (“otaku”) by covering the evolution of anime fandom from its humble beginnings to a highly visible and noteworthy mainstream audience in the United States. This DVD will include a director’s commentary by Eric Bresler, Kaiju Big Battle commercials, an extensive cosplay art gallery of photos taken at this year’s Otakon and much more.

The order date for this release will be February 7, 2006, the street date will be March 7, 2006 and the price will be $19.95 SRP.

About Eric Bresler
Born in 1979 in Watertown, NY, Eric Bresler began his film career with Otaku Unite!. Being extremely well-known within the anime industry, Bresler interviewed major industry figures and academic experts as well as dedicated fans during the production of Otaku Unite! Bresler had initially planned to produce a 15-minute short feature, but was convinced by enthused participants that a feature-length film was more appropriate for the scope of the documentary. After two years of interviews and traveling across the country, Bresler was finally able to produce Otaku Unite!, the world’s very first feature-length documentary solely dedicated to anime fandom in the United States.

Otaku Unite!

"This should be watched by anyone who is interested in anime" – DVDVisionJapan.com
"Comprehensive and compelling" – FilmCritic.com

The first documentary about anime fandom!

Explore the world of otaku, the devoted fans of Japanese animation. Since the introduction of Speed Racer to the U.S., these men, women and children have built a community based on their common love for this uniquely imaginative medium. Through conventions, fan clubs, online forums, and more, they have expanded otaku fandom into a highly popular cultural phenomenon. Otaku Unite! is the first documentary to follow the evolution of this phenomenon from its humble beginnings to its current state as a major influence of pop culture today.

DVD Features: Full-length director’s commentary, Photo Gallery (hundreds of photographs of cosplayers taken at Otakon 2005), Kaiju Big Battle Commercials, Previews

About Central Park Media
Central Park Media is a 15-year-old Manhattan-based independent video and book publisher focused on Japanese and Korean animation and graphic novels. Central Park Media has been a leading supplier of anime in the United States since 1990, and a major publisher of manga since 1994. The company currently manufactures and distributes animated video programming under several label names, including U.S. Manga Corps, Be Beautiful, Software Sculptors and Central Park Media, as well as live-action Asian feature films under its Asia Pulp Cinema label.

With exclusive rights to hundreds of graphic novels, the company has become a leading North American publisher of Japanese manga and Korean manhwa. Among CPM's fan-favorite graphic novel titles are Lee Hyun Se's Nambul (the best-selling manhwa in Korean publishing history), and Kia Asamiya's Dark Angel. Under its Be Beautiful imprint, the company also publishes popular yaoi manga such as the best-selling Kizuna: Bonds of Love (the best-selling yaoi title in Japanese publishing history). Visit www.centralparkmedia.com, www.cpmpress.com and www.bebeautifulmanga.com for more information.