Unearthly (online now; updated M/W/F):
From Ted Naifeh, the Eisner-nominated creator of Courtney Crumrin and artist of Death, Jr. and veteran artist Elmer Damaso comes this tale of star-crossed lovers and interstellar bad boys!

Captain Nemo (online now; updated M/W/F):
Written by Jason DeAngelis (Blade for Barter, No Man's Land) with art by manga artist Aldin Viray, this underwater tale follows the adventures of Young Captain Nemo and his ragtag crew aboard the Nautilus II.

Geared toward readers ages 3 to 6 and individually priced at $3.99, Jr. Cine-Manga books have a 6"X9" trim-size and feature an average of two art panels per page. Complemented by large manga-style text balloons, captions and sound effects, Jr. Cine-Manga books enable younger children to easily make the transition from television to the printed page. Bridging the gap between on-screen entertainment and more traditional children's books, Jr. Cine-Manga books are a natural fit for children who are growing up and learning in an increasingly multimedia world.

The first titles to be released under this exciting new publishing umbrella will be Hasbro�fs My Little Pony: Friends Are Never Far Away, under license from the Hasbro Properties Group, the intellectual property development arm of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS), Sesame Street: Happy, Healthy Monsters and Sesame Street: Elmo and Zoe Fly a Kite.

According to Elizabeth Hurchalla, Senior Editor, TOKYOPOP: "In contrast to most children's books, which typically rely on flat character illustrations, Jr Cine-Manga books are created with screen captures or on-set photography so the characters look exactly as they do on the television screen. This great feature will help kids immediately connect with them."

"TOKYOPOP has done a fantastic job of bringing Hasbro's MY LITTLE PONY brand to life through its Jr. Cine-Manga books," said Tom Klusaritz, VP Licensing and New Business Development. "With these books, MY LITTLE PONY fans will have a new way to enjoy their favorite pony characters."

Sesame Workshop's education experts agree. Anna Housley Juster, Director of Content for Sesame Street, explains that the unique storybook format can promote extended storytelling. "The vivid photographs and printed words evoke the magic of the spoken word and engaging dialogue," says Housley Juster, who conducts frequent testing with preschoolers while performing research for the show. "As children and caregivers read together, children who are already reading can take on various roles with diverse voices."

The staffs of AN Entertainment and Bang Zoom! Entertainment will be pooling their resources to create the best possible North American release of Hare+Guu. The experienced and highly praised Bang Zoom! Entertainment will produce the English language adaptation of Hare+Guu. AN Entertainment will apply its critically respected production talents to the localization of the original Japanese language version. AN Entertainment will supervise the production and distribution of the Hare+Guu television series across a seven volume North American DVD release.

Rumiko Takahashi has committed to this special release as a tribute to her fans. She will sign stickers that will be placed on one-of-one Inuyasha cards and inserted into product for an undisclosed period of time. Each of the excusive cards will feature alternative art on a specially designed template.

"Inuyasha is an outstanding manga with a strong fan base," said Carl Braun the Product Development Manager for Score Entertainment. "Rumiko Takahashi's signature cards are a historic marker not only for the Inuyasha TCG, but for Anime fans in general."

Beginning with the Inuyasha TCG championship, fans will have several different outlets to receive a specially designed one-of-a-kind autographed Inuyasha trading card.

-- Inuyasha fans have a chance to find cards that will be dropped into product beginning with set four, Yokai, releasing August 28, 2005.

-- Players can compete for a card at the Inuyasha Shikon Jewel World Championship tournament at Anime Expo in Anaheim, CA, July 2, 2005. The winner of the 2005 tournament will receive the first autographed card in addition to their cash prize and title.

-- Players can also complete for Universal SEVEN Points (USP) in select tournaments hosted by Score Entertainment until Canadian National Gaming Expo in Toronto, Ontario. Players can continue collecting USP for 2006 starting September 30 with Wizard World Boston. The USP winner for 2005 will be publicly announced at Wizard World Texas in November.

"Already the early reaction to this news has been phenomenal," said Deanna Cass, marketing manager for Score Entertainment. "As one of the most renowned manga creators in the world, Rumiko Takahashi gives few interviews making this a rare and unique opportunity for her fans to take home an autographed piece of her work."

Tokyo Mew Mew tells the story of five girls whose DNA has merged with animals, as part of a secret project called the "Mew Project." Their mission: To protect the planet from aliens who are using animals to attack humans. In Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode, a sixth Mew named Berry is about to emerge--the first Mew Mew with two sets of animal genes coursing through her veins. Half cat, half rabbit, she's joining the Mew Mew team just in time: A new set of villains has appeared and its leader just happens to love his wild game well done! New love interests merge with the intoxicating action sequences that were the mainstay of the original series.

"I'm thrilled to be working on the a la Mode series. With the TV show on the air and these new books available soon, this is going to be the year of the Mew!" says series editor Carol Fox. "I always see girls dressed like the series' star Mew Ichigo at conventions--maybe soon we'll be seeing some rabbit ears (a la new Mew Berry) among the cosplayers, too!"

�gWe recognize that many of our fans have embraced this incredible new system and need dynamic, eye-catching content to show their friends,�h says Bochan Kim, the Licensing & Marketing Supervisor for Central Park Media. �gWe intend to continue to provide our fans and all PSP users with content for their PSPs on a regular basis.�h

Central Park Media will make available over 100 trailers on their website (www.centralparkmedia.com/psp). Starting today, the trailers include both recent CPM releases such as Munto, Cat Soup, Shadow Star Narutaru as well as classic anime titles such as Dominion Tank Police and Patlabor. Ranging from the family oriented Doggy Poo to the ultraviolent Ichi The Killer: Episode Zero, CPM's trailers will demonstrate the amazing variety of animation art which is the hallmark of Japanese anime. Trailers will rotate on a regular basis.

www.hareguu.com

Unquestionably one of the most frequently requested series ever among American anime fans, AN Entertainment is excited to fulfill this overwhelming demand by bringing English speaking viewers a faithful and authentic presentation of both the original TV series and its follow-up home video series, Hare+Guu Deluxe. With a robust cast of eccentric characters, a non-stop barrage of weird and wacky situations, and parodies of everything from anime to video games to the little eccentricities of everyday life, Hare+Guu is undoubtedly one of the very best anime comedy series ever created.

One year after the series' coronation at #1 in Nielsen BookScan sales reports, TOKYOPOP is releasing Princess Ai: Lumination, the second book in the Gothic fantasy thrillogy, created by an unparalleled royal manga family that includes writer-producer D.J. Milky (the upcoming Juror 13), renowned Japanese artist Misaho Kujiradou, rock and film star Courtney Love and celebrated international manga-ka Ai Yazawa (Paradise Kiss).

Marking a crowning achievement for TOKYOPOP, the release of Princess Ai's second installment brings TOKYOPOP's tally of manga volumes to one thousand...and counting! In celebration of this seminal moment in its history, the company is thrilled to announce a cosplay contest at San Diego Comic-Con on July 16, 2005. Fans are encouraged and challenged to create their favorite Princess Ai outfit for the chance to receive fabulous prizes, including free cell phones, wallpaper downloads, T-shirts-all of which are part of the full line of Princess Ai merchandise that also includes posters, calendars and bookmarks.

And the royal merchandise treatment doesn't stop there! Bleeding Edge, a cutting-edge Los Angeles-based collectible doll manufacturer, is launching a line of Princess Ai 12" fashion dolls and 7" vinyl dolls. Featuring the unique fashions that Princess Ai sports, along with her mysterious locket and signature ripped stockings, each doll will come with a sampler of Princess Ai: Lumination. In addition, Princess Ai: Lumination will feature pages that depict the process of designing, sculpting and manufacturing the dolls.

Princess Ai: Lumination continues the amazing journey of Ai, a mysterious alien who is lost in our world. Throw in a group of assassins hot on her tail, crowds of protesters, and an adventure filled with the unexpected risks of fame, Lumination is shaping up to surpass the success of the series' debut volume.

"It has truly been a privilege to work with such an amazing group of creators on this very special project," said D.J. Milky, co-creator of the series. "Courtney is really a visionary who has gone through many trials and tribulations, Yazawa-san was so incredibly creative that it blew me away, and seeing Kujiradou-san's storyboards and pencils come through chapter by chapter has been nothing short of magical."

"I think last year's release of Princess Ai raised the bar in manga storytelling, with its unique blend of out-of-this world fantasy mixed with a cool, lyrical authentic narrative," added Rob Tokar, TOKYOPOP senior editor. "We have an unmatched creative team behind the franchise and fair warning to all, for the next volume, we have many more twists and turns up our sleeves!"

"The opportunity to lead TOKYOPOP into the next phase of our Manga Revolution is an honor," said Kiley. "I look forward to this challenge and to the chance to take our publishing program into exciting and innovative new areas."

"I am thrilled to pass the moniker of Publisher and Editor-in-Chief to Mike," said Stu Levy. "With his extensive publishing background, creative talent and love for pop culture, he is the perfect choice for this new role." Adds Levy, "Knowing that Mike will capably carry the TOKYOPOP banner forward into exciting new realms will afford me the opportunity to comfortably shift my focus to Corporate Group Strategy, Strategic Partnerships and Group Finance."

AFRO SAMURAI is the tale of a black samurai futuristic, yet feudal Japan who is on a mission to avenge the wrongful death of his father. Samuel L. Jackson stars as "Afro," a warrior who travels a solitary path encountering a myriad of enemies, friends and challenges beyond imagination. The series, produced in Japanese animation, blends samurai style with hip-hop, creating a kind of action that American audiences have never seen before.

"With Samuel L. Jackson involved with this project combined with the talents of Gonzo, the leader in producing cutting-edge Japanese animation, and featuring a funky, hip-hop soundtrack -- this project was irresistible for us," says Kevin Kay, Executive Vice President of Development and Production for Spike TV. "Afro Samurai is already generating a great buzz for its animation and captivating storyline." AFRO SAMURAI is a creative collaboration between Samuel L. Jackson, Takashi Okazaki and Japanese animation company Gonzo, a division of GDH, who is also acting as Series Producer.

Nakata has been called "the spiritual godfather of Japanese horror" (Entertainment Weekly), and the acclaimed director was even named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in 2004. Nakata is credited with helping to usher in a new era of smart, suspenseful, and visually rich horror films. "In his thrillers, Nakata concentrates less on the explosion of the time bomb than on the ticking inside it; abstract images on a videotape, an aquarium tank full of dead fish, water stain spreading on a ceiling" (Time). "Dark Water is a classic example of what a director can do effectively with skill and imagination without spending millions of dollars on special effects," said John Ledford, president, CEO and co-founder of ADV Films. "We are proud to present the work of this outstanding director to American moviegoers." The Touchstone Pictures adaptation of Dark Water stars Jennifer Connelly and John C. Reilly. Directed by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries, Central Station) and produced by Bill Mechanic (Coraline), the US remake opens in theaters July 8.

Synopsis: Yoshimi Matsubara is fighting to gain legal custody of her five-year-ld daughter, Ikuko. Under pressure to find a place of their own, the two settle for a dark and musty apartment. But little do they expect what lies ahead. Already insecure and uncertain about her future with her daughter, Yoshimi is haunted by the life-like murky water dripping through the ceiling and walls which gets worse day by day. Even more bothersome are the random and unlikely reappearances of a small red bag, which once belonged to a little girl who mysteriously disappeared two years before. Though she desperately struggles to find the strength within herself for Ikuko's sake, her horror intensifies as she comes closer to discovering the connection between these events. She is ultimately tested in an intensely driven climax where she faces the worst of her fears and expectations.

The DVDs will have audio tracks in both English and Japanese with English subtitles, a pre-order date of June 14, 2005, and a street date of July 12, 2005. Patlabor: The Mobile Police The New Files: Volume 1 Noa always dreamed of piloting a giant robot for the police. Now, that dream is a reality, and Noa is a member of an elite unit that specializes in solving robot crimes. When terror strikes in the form of a giant black robot, the Griffin, Noa and her team must ready their biggest guns to defeat the mechanical monster! Contains Episodes 1-4.