FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ADV FILMS EXPERIENCING EXTRAORDINARY DEMAND FOR NOIR: SHADES OF DARKNESS SPECIAL EDITION

DEMAND FOR CUSTOM SERIES ART BOX, T-SHIRT WITH NOIR VOLUME ONE EXCEEDING ADV’S EXPECTATIONS—AN “INSTANT COLLECTOR’S ITEM”

HOUSTON, February 13, 2003—ADV Films today issued an alert to consumers regarding the Special Edition packaging of NOIR: Shades of Darkness, the first volume of the series. NOIR, one of ADV’s premier titles for the first half of 2003, is enjoying even better sales than ADV expected.

“We felt we had a very strong home video release with NOIR, especially with the series box,” said Frank A. Wolbert, ADV’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We’re pleasantly overwhelmed by the scale of the re-orders for the Special Edition. Clearly, the combination of a thrilling and stylish series and a high-quality box for the entire collection has been a winner; it’s got quite a buzz going. We’re thinking that this will be an instant collector’s item.”

The title’s website (http://www.projectnoir.com) includes a new page (http://www.projectnoir.com/news/index.shtml), listing major retailers carrying the Special Edition; Wolbert encouraged shoppers to check multiple retail venues if their initial attempts to buy the box are unsuccessful.

Special feature: ADV is also taking the wraps off of an extra feature in the NOIR: Shades of Darkness DVD—a pair of decoder glasses included with Volume One that are required to unlock hidden “omake” special features.

About the series: NOIR, which premiered in Japan in 2001, was directed by Koichi Mashimo (Dirty Pair, Dominion). Viewers praise the title’s spectacular animation, the use of music, its exotic settings (largely in western Europe) and an enduringly complex storyline, based on a relationship between a duo of female assassins who cannot trust one another, but who need each other to survive. Critics have favorably compared NOIR to such genre-defining live-action suspense titles as “The Professional” and “La Femme Nikita.”

Selected Critical Response

“I absolutely adore the look of this series….I can’t wait to see more.”—Chris Beveridge, Anime on DVD

“With its perfect pacing and ideal blend of mystery, action and intrigue, NOIR is an essential series for any anime collection…”—Mike Lewis, Phantasmagoria

“There are ‘wow’ martial art moments, and eye-catching gun feats but most of the gasps come from well executed, or brilliant, on-the-spot strategy, or the expression and emotion of the characters.”—Scott Green, Ain’t It Cool News

“…strong visuals, heavy action scenes and suspenseful plot…Noir should prove to be one of the strongest titles to hit North America in 2003.”—Allen Divers, Anime News Network

“The impact of the musical score brings this anime up to a whole new level….NOIR is sure to gain a loyal fan circle and create waves throughout the anime communities.”—Trisha Kunimoto, Akadot

The story: A mysterious email; a haunting melody. Professional assassin Mireille Bouquet’s world is knocked askew by an unnerving contact from a young amnesiac, Yumura Kirika, whose killing skills are as deadly as Mireille’s, and whose missing memory may unlock the mystery of Mireille’s life as well. With their pasts inextricably linked, Mireille conditionally admits Yumura into her confidence. In uneasy partnership, the two—as NOIR—face a conspiracy that quickly calls on all of their lethal resources. It is a journey through darkness, searching for an elusive truth…

Special Edition: ADV Films is releasing NOIR: Shades of Darkness in two editions: as a disc in a standard DVD case, or in a Special Edition including the disc and its case, plus an exclusive series art box, designed to hold all six volumes of the series, plus a special-edition T-shirt, available only in the Special Edition package.

NOIR: Shades of Darkness (SRP $29.98 disc only; $44.98 Special Edition) is a DVD release containing five complete episodes in both English- and Japanese-language versions, with English subtitles. Extras include production sketches, clean opening and closing animations, a printed insert, decoder glasses, Japanese promo spots and ADV Previews.

About ADV Films:
In 1992, ADV Films (ADV) began to forge the international market for Japanese animation (“anime”) by combining unique titles, outstanding production values and efficient large-scale distribution. Today, ADV is the #1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation to the North American market, with the firm’s holdings including such premier titles as Spriggan, Sailor Moon, Samurai X, Medabots, Robotech, Gasaraki and Neon Genesis Evangelion. ADV has also expanded into other forms of genre programming, including live-action science fiction programs Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda and Farscape, and classic science fiction such as Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. ADV’s corporate parent, A.D. Vision, Inc., publishes Newtype USA, the premiere anime and manga monthly in the English-speaking world, and operates The Anime Network, broadcasting anime and anime-related programming via digital cable, 24 hours a day. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, USA, with additional offices in the EU and Japan, and distribution on four continents, ADV is fast becoming an international entertainment powerhouse. For more information, visit ADV on the web at http://www.advfilms.com.