Tokyo, Japan, February 1, 2013 – Bandai Visual Co., Ltd., a leader in the development and production of Japanese animation, announced the simultaneous worldwide streaming of the project launch event of “Ghost in the Shell: ARISE”, the newest chapter from the “Ghost in The Shell” animation franchise.

The launch event will start at Nicofarre in Tokyo at 9:00 PM on February 12, 2013, and will be streamed worldwide through YouTube and Bandai Channel.

The contents of the launch event are still veiled in secrecy, but besides the launch event in Japan, a launch event in Taiwan will also be held on February 14, 2013 at ATT Show Box 2, as a part of Taipei International Comic and Anime Festival (TCA). Special guests from Japan are scheduled to appear at the event in Taiwan. Those who have TCA admission tickets are eligible to attend on a first come first serve basis.

Prior to the event, free streaming service of “Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C.” episodes began today on YouTube and continues until February 20. The video includes English subtitles and is available worldwide, excluding some countries and territories.

Official YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/GITSchannel

The official site of “Ghost in the Shell: ARISE” launched this month. For more detailed, visit: http://www.kokaku-a.com/.

About Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. Bandai Visual Co., Ltd., founded in August 1983, is a Japanese company that develops, produces and distributes film, TV and home entertainment media. As a pioneer of the Japanese animation scene Bandai Visual has constantly held the top-class market share in the genre and continues to lead the market. Bandai Visual has also proven its expertise in creating and delivering quality home entertainment media packaging in Japan. Using such key strategies, Bandai Visual hopes to expand and emulate its success in North American and other international markets. Bandai Visual Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings.