First Korean Anime and Manhwa Titles by ADV Films and ADV Manga Hit the Streets

HOUSTON, May 28, 2004?Korean culture is coming to the U.S. in a big way as ADV Films and ADV Manga release two spectacular first Korean titles this month: BASToF Syndrome (anime) and The Ruler of the Land (?manhwa? or Korean graphic novel). ?In the U.S., fans are well aware of Japanese anime and manga, but South Korea also has a robust animation and graphic novel industry with millions of fans around the world. Not only are many Japanese anime titles animated in Korea, but Korean illustrators are becoming increasingly popular in the manga market as well.? said Anne Armogida, director of marketing for ADV Films and ADV Manga. ?As the world market for animation and comics becomes increasingly international, it?s only natural for ADV, the established leader in anime in North America, to begin looking at the best original works from Korea as well. By licensing the hottest titles from this new treasure trove of graphic entertainment, we?re simply continuing our long term commitment to bringing the very best from around the world to our fans!? Manga/Manhwa -What?s the Difference? It?s all in how you look at it? literally. As manga is created in Japanese and the manhwa is created in Korean, the direction in which you have to read it changes. Korean titles, like English, read in a left to right fashion, while manga reads from right to left. Other than that singular core difference, the range of creativity in manhwa and Korean animation is every bit as wide and varied as within titles originating from Japan. Driven by each creator?s unique personal style, drawn in a wide variety of styles and using a huge palette of techniques, both sets of mediums tackle almost any genre and subject matter. Of course, since there can be inherent cultural differences that may affect how a story is told, even if it is in a genre, such as science fiction, where there may be no obvious Korean and Japanese cultural artifacts. ?It?s like asking what the difference is between and British and American motion pictures,? adds Armogida. ?While some films are obviously one or the other, the interchange of creative artists has become so pervasive that it is really hard to draw a solid line between them anymore. Much the same can be said for manga and manhwa and Japanese and Korean animation. The one thing that is clear is that our fans are raving about both BASToF Syndrome and The Ruler of the Land.? Korean Anime and Live Action ADV Films released the first volume of the new Korean animated series, BASToF Syndrome, this May. Based on the hit Korean online game, BASToF Syndrome (?BASToF? stands for ?Be A Stranger To Fear?) is set in the high-tech world of virtual gaming and is currently airing on Japanese television proving, once again, that animation really is the most international of film mediums. Of course, that doesn?t mean that animation is the only type of high quality film that South Korea produces, and while the company will be releasing a number of other exciting new animated Korean titles, in future months ADV Films will also release an astonishing roster of live action Korean features as well. Expect the first of these live action titles to be announced very soon. BASToF Syndrome: Fear and Lemons (SRP $29.98) includes five complete episodes. Includes an English-language 5.1 version, and a Korean-language 2.0 version with English subtitles. Includes clean opening and closing animation, and ADV previews. Visit the BASToF Syndrome fansite at http://www.advfilms.com/titles/bastofsyndrome to view a trailer and to sign up for updates. Manhwa ADV Manga's first Korean manhwa is the best selling smash The Ruler of the Land, written by Jeon Keuk-Jin and Yang Jae-Hyun. A vanguard in the new wave of Korean films and comics hitting the United States, The Ruler of the Land is creating a real buzz among in-the-know fans. A monster hit in its homeland, this 31-volume epic was the first graphic novel to sell over three million Korean, going on to sell a staggering five million copies in a country of 48 million people. The Ruler of the Land vol. 1 (of 31) is a 200-page paperback. It is rated for readers ages 13 and up and has a suggested retail price of $9.99. ADV Manga already has many new Korean titles slated to street this year, including the smash-hit The Boss, hugely popular in Korea, a 30-volume epic melodrama of high school rivalries, gang warfare and flying fists. When Guk-Do Jun returns to school after a one-year suspension, he plans to take over the school. Sophomore Sang-Tae, a good-hearted fighter who always defends the weak and helpless, stands in his way--thus begins the ultimate high school saga! Additional Korean titles planned include Sweet & Sensitive (10-volumes, high school romance comic); Saint Marie (four volumes, psychic warfare between good and evil set in a private catholic school); Sky Blade, Sword of the Heavens (13 volumes, saga of medieval sword-fighting warriors); Fantasy Land (six volumes, unhappy 18-year-old girl is whisked to a fantasy land); and Gadirok (eight volumes, strange story that takes Korean historical characters and transplants them into a semi-modern setting). About ADV Manga Specializing in Japanese and other East Asian comics, illustration books, graphic novels and more, ADV Manga is the publishing division of A.D. Vision, Inc., parent company of ADV Films, Newtype USA, Anime Network and more. Founded in 2003, with nationwide mass-market distribution, ADV Manga is poised to dominate the explosively growing U.S. market for imported graphic novels and related published materials. More information is available at http://www.adv-manga.com. Information about other A.D. Vision, Inc. divisions and initiatives can be found at: http://www.advfilms.com http://www.theanimenetwork.com http://www.newtype-usa.com About ADV Films: ADV Films is the #1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation (?anime?) for the North American market with bestselling titles such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, RahXephon, Robotech, Full Metal Panic!, Hello Kitty and Azumanga Daioh. ADV Films? product line also includes live-action science fiction programs including The Jim Henson Company?s Farscape. Parent company, A.D. Vision, Inc., publishes Newtype USA, the premier anime and manga monthly magazine, and operates Anime Network?, broadcasting anime and anime-related programming via digital cable, 24 hours a day. Headquartered in Houston and with additional offices in Europe and Japan, the company operates ADV Manga, dedicated to publishing graphic novels, and ADV Toys, a new division that creates exclusive toys and collectible merchandise based upon the company?s extensive original content holdings. For more information, visit www.advfilms.com. -30-

Posted on Friday, May 28, 2004 (Archive on Monday, June 28, 2004)