Eyeshield 21 to Debut on Toonami Jetstream

SAN FRANCISCO, December 14: VIZ Media’s new animated
football-themed series Eyeshield 21 will
launch on December 17 on Toonami Jetstream, the broadband streaming site the
company developed in conjunction with Cartoon Network.

Eyeshield 21 was
adapted from the popular manga graphic novel series written by Riichiro Inagaki
and illustrated by Yasuke Murata and published in the U.S. by VIZ Media. The
show centers on a teenager, Sena Kobayakawa, who has been picked on all his
life and decides to become the team manager of his high school varsity football
team. When the team captain learns of his lightning-fast running ability, Sena
becomes the team’s running back, but under the secret identity of Eyeshield 21.

The manga originally debuted in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen
Jump, and has not only spawned an animated
series, but also a feature film and several video and trading card games.
Toonami Jetstream, a site developed jointly by Cartoon Network and VIZ Media,
is an online extension of Cartoon Network’s successful Toonami action-adventure television franchise.

“Eyeshield 21 is an
action-packed drama with a positive message, teaching the importance of
teamwork, overcoming obstacles and having goals,” said Daniel Marks, the senior
VP of strategy and business development for VIZ Media. “The addition of the
series to the diverse offerings on Toonami Jetstream exemplifies our commitment
to bring the best action and adventure series to the Toonami audience. We invite everyone to check out Eyeshield
21 and see what has made
this unique series such a hit.”

“We are very pleased to expand our offerings on Toonami
Jetstream with the addition of Eyeshield 21,”
added Paul Condolora, the senior VP and general manager of Cartoon Network New
Media. “Eyeshield 21 puts an
interesting twist on this American sport and we look forward to fans of all
stripes checking out this captivating series.”

—By Kristin Brzoznowski