NEW YORK, NY (February 28, 2006)  The DVD release of Animation Runner Kuromi 2, the semi-serious, semi-hilarious look at the animation production process, was announced today by Central Park Media.  This sequel to the best-selling Animation Runner Kuromi, from famed director Akitaroh Daichi (Fruits Basket and Now and Then, Here and There), won the Outstanding Production Award at the 2005 Tokyo Anime Fair.  This DVD will be loaded with many extras including an alternate angle storyboard feature and interview with Akitaroh Daichi and will be priced at only $19.95 SRP. 

The order date for Animation Runner Kuromi 2 will be April 4, 2006, the street date will be May 9, 2006 and the disc will have English and Japanese language tracks with English subtitles.

Animation Runner Kuromi 2
Winner - 2005 Tokyo Anime Fair

From Akitaroh Daichi (Director of Fruits Basket, Kodocha, and Now and Then, Here and There), Aki Itami (Screenwriter of Fruits Basket and Mushishi), and Toshio Masuda (Music for Excel Saga, Naruto: Movie 2, and Now and Then, Here and There)

Kuromi is back, and more determined than ever to make it in the anime business. But all hell breaks loose when the boss quits smoking just when the workload bursts out of control. Can Kuromi overcome this almost insurmountable obstacle?

DVD Features: Alternate Angle Storyboard Feature, Interview with Creator Akitaroh Daichi, A Day in the Life of Kuromi Featurette, Art Gallery, Sketch Gallery, Original Japanese Trailer, U.S. Trailers, Previews of other hot releases, English & Japanese with English Subtitles

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.