FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Toei Animation's Dragon Ball Z Kai

Kai Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Dragon Ball Z Debut


MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 25, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Navarre Corporation (Nasdaq:NAVR) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary FUNimation® Entertainment and Japanese powerhouse producer Toei Animation Co., Ltd. have entered into a multi-year agreement for the U.S. anime leader to distribute the latest chapter of the genre-establishing Dragon Ball franchise, "Dragon Ball Z Kai."

To celebrate 2009's 20th anniversary of the megahit series Dragon Ball Z, Toei Animation, Shueisha Inc. and Dragon Ball creator Mr. Akira Toriyama created "Dragon Ball Z Kai" in which the Dragon Ball Z story is retold to more closely follow Mr. Toriyama's original tale about a brave young warrior named Goku.

A project personally overseen by Mr. Toriyama, "Dragon Ball Z Kai" has been re-edited and re-made using the latest in digital technology, including a full-HD re-mastering of the original film.

Now featuring updated opening and closing sequences, renewed soundtracks and a re-recording of the series by key members of the original voice cast, "Dragon Ball Kai" premiered on Japan's Fuji Television Network in April 2009 and will be available in the U.S. on DVD and Blu-ray beginning this Spring.

"Dragon Ball Z Kai has been hotly anticipated in the states," said Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO of FUNimation Entertainment. "We are pleased to come together with Toei and offer passionate fans, who have been waiting for developments in the Dragon Ball universe, the opportunity to see the new series."

FUNimation Entertainment will begin releasing the series on DVD and Blu-ray starting with Part One on May 18, 2010.

For more information about Dragon Ball Z Kai, please visit the official web site at www.dragonballzkai.com.

About Toei Animation Co., Ltd.

With headquarters in Tokyo and sales offices in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Paris, Toei Animation (Jasdaq: 4816) ranks amongst the world's most prolific animation production studios. Toei Animation's operations include animation development and production, and worldwide marketing and program licensing. Since its founding in 1956, Toei Animation has produced more than 9,000 episodes of TV series (189 titles) and 172 long feature films.

About FUNimation Entertainment

FUNimation® Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States.  FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit http://www.funimation.com/">www.funimation.com.

About Navarre Corporation

Navarre® Corporation is a publisher and distributer of computer software, home entertainment media and related products. The company produces animé video through its FUNimation Entertainment® subsidiary and publishes computer software in its Encore® subsidiary. Navarre Distribution Services provides complete distribution and third-party logistics (3PL) services to North American retailers and their suppliers. Navarre was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Additional information can be found at www.navarre.com/">http://www.navarre.com.

The Navarre Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6839



            

Contact Data