Diamond Awarded Distribution Rights for TOKYOPOP in UK, IrelandMedia Release -- Diamond Book Distributors has been awarded the rights to exclusively distribute TOKYOPOP products to the UK and Ireland book markets. TOKYOPOP will continue to be represented to the U.S. book market by HarperCollins.

Diamond and TOKYOPOP's relationship stems from their close ties within the comic book specialty market, a ten year association in which Diamond has distributed TOKYOPOP's manga graphic novels and comics. In that time, both companies have successfully expanded the reach of manga in the English language market, and introduced such well-known Japanese titles as Fruits Basket, Tsubasa: Those With Wings, Chibi Vampire, Domo, Junjo Romantica, and many others.

Kuo Yu-Liang, Vice-President of Diamond Book Distributors, commented, "TOKYOPOP placing their trust in Diamond for the UK market speaks volumes to our ability to deliver in the region. The TOKYOPOP brand, quality, and style can be truly successful in the market and we anticipate additional expansion in the immediate future."

John Parker, TOKYOPOP Group President observed, "TOKYOPOP has been the manga pioneer in the UK and Ireland to develop a vital new category of publishing over the past 6 years. TOKYOPOP's leadership has resulted in manga's solid presence in nearly all High Street bookstores, libraries, and comic shops.

The grass roots Recon marketing program has held over 300 events with more than 50,000 manga fans across the territory to date. We are excited about our newly expanded relationship with Diamond UK and the potential for expansion in the coming years."

Pan Macmillan, who has handled TOKYOPOP's sales and distribution within the UK and Ireland Book Trade since 2006, will cease to carry the list in 2010. A handover timetable is in process and customers will be advised in the next few weeks.

Geoff Duffield, Group Sales and Marketing Director for Pan Macmillan, said "We are pleased that at this point in TOKYOPOP's development in the UK they are now able to consolidate all their sales and distribution functions within one entity here. Pan Macmillan has enjoyed carrying the list for the past three and a half years but we had both decided that the time had come to rethink the situation for the future."

ABOUT TOKYOPOP—Founded by multi-cultural media visionary Stuart Levy, TOKYOPOP is hailed as a leading youth-oriented entertainment brand and an innovator of manga creation, with a revolutionary artistic vision that transcends countless platforms. From the introduction of the first-ever extensive manga publishing program in North America, to the development of its manga-originated intellectual properties into film, television and digital entertainment, TOKYOPOP has changed the way teens experience pop culture. The company's global reach has expanded to Europe and Asia, with offices in the UK and Germany, in addition to its Los Angeles and Tokyo operations. With millions of fans logging onto the new social networking site www.TOKYOPOP.com, reading its books, which are licensed in 53 countries in more than 33 languages, and watching its DVDs and television programs, TOKYOPOP's award-winning catalogue of licensed and original properties has made the company a visionary in an ever-growing teen entertainment marketplace. Visit www.TOKYOPOP.com for additional information.

ABOUT DIAMOND BOOK DISTRIBUTORS UK—Diamond Book Distributors UK is a division of Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., and is dedicated to making a wide selection of graphic novels and other pop culture collectibles available to the book market. The company features a state-of-the-art distribution center in Runcorn, England with distribution to direct, book, library and mass markets in the UK and Ireland. For more information, visit Diamond Books on the web at www.diamondbookdistributors.com.

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