New York, NY (September 26, 2006) – Kaneva (www.kaneva.com), an innovative online social entertainment network, and Central Park Media, a pioneer in the distribution of anime in the United States, have come together to host the Otaku Invitational, empowering anime fans to band together to create original and exciting trailers around Central Park Media’s properties. 

Running from October 2nd to October 23rd 20 teams of five enthusiasts from the world’s top anime fan communities will compete to create the best trailer by popular vote, vying for a chance to win a grand prize consisting of Central Park Media’s massive catalog and other rare and collectible merchandise. The trailers will be featured on Kaneva’s Anime web Channel (www.kaneva.com/anime). Anyone around the globe can join the Kaneva Anime community, view the trailers, interact with other anime fans and then vote for their favorites.

“We are thrilled to be working with Kaneva.com to interact more closely with our devoted fans in this unique and exciting way,” stated John O’Donnell, Managing Director of Central Park Media. “Anime fans were among the first groups to embrace new technology, online community, and ‘viral video’ distribution, so allowing our fans to create online ‘viral’ trailers for our shows is a natural step.”

“Although the prize pack is truly extraordinary, the real winners here will be the anime community at large,” said Ron Gamble, Vice President of Media/Media Services for Kaneva. “To our knowledge, a contest such as this has never been done before and we’re excited to be a part of bringing creative anime expression to the forefront.”

See www.otakucontest.com for more information.
About Kaneva:  The online social entertainment network, Kaneva is a “canvas” enabling anyone to showcase and share their passions through the easy creation of Profiles and web Channels that include a wide range of media as well as online interaction opportunities and community. Kaneva also gives its members the ability to share media and interact with people in 3D – in a totally modern 3D Virtual World, providing the next generation interactive entertainment experience. To learn more visit www.kaneva.com.

About Central Park Media:  Central Park Media is a 16-year-old Manhattan-based independent video and book publisher focused on Japanese and Korean animation and graphic novels.  Central Park Media has been a leading supplier of anime in the United States since 1990, and a major publisher of manga since 1994.  The company currently manufactures and distributes animated video programming under several label names, including U.S. Manga Corps, Be Beautiful, Software Sculptors and Central Park Media, as well as live-action Asian feature films under its Asia Pulp Cinema label. 

With exclusive rights to hundreds of graphic novels, the company has become a leading North American publisher of Japanese manga and Korean manhwa.  Among CPM’s fan-favorite graphic novel titles are Lee Hyun Se’s Nambul (the best-selling manhwa in Korean publishing history), and Kia Asamiya’s Dark Angel.  Under its Be Beautiful imprint, the company also publishes popular yaoi manga such as the best-selling Kizuna: Bonds of Love (the best-selling yaoi title in Japanese publishing history).  Visit www.centralparkmedia.com, www.cpmpress.com and www.bebeautifulmanga.com for more information.