COMMACK, N.Y., May 3, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- TitleMatch Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of Protocall Technologies Incorporated (OTCBB:PCLI) and developer of the world's first CSS-enabled DVD On-Demand system for retailers and etailers, today announced completion of a distribution agreement for animation content from Tokyo-based TMS Entertainment Ltd., a subsidiary of SEGA SAMMY Holdings, Inc.
Under terms of the agreement, brokered by broadcaster ImaginAsian Entertainment Inc., TitleMatch will receive exclusive U.S. DVD distribution rights to a series called "TMS Presents: Anime Classics." The series will consist of three unique anime volumes including Orguss, Nobody's Boy Remi, and Cat's Eye season one. Portions of the Orguss volume were previously released on VHS home video in the early 1990s, however the other two very popular classics have never been available in the United States.
Worldwide box-office receipts and DVD sales from anime films are expected to reach $5.2 billion this year, according to trade group Nasscom. Anime, which is an abbreviation of the word animation, is characterized by rich, dynamic drawings, exaggerated expressions, and sci-fi and fantasy themes. Multibillion-dollar global TV and game franchises, such as Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon, have their roots in anime.
In a related development, TMS recently disclosed plans to promote the "TMS Presents" volumes beginning in June 2007 through TV broadcasts of the episodes by ImaginAsian Entertainment, owner and operator of iaTV. The broadcasts are expected to include promotions for consumers who wish to purchase the DVD volumes from TitleMatch.
"We are very interested in bringing more of our unique content to the U.S. market," said Andrew Berman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of TMS Entertainment, U.S.A. "The TitleMatch DVD On-Demand service allows us to keep DVD production tied directly to consumer demand."
"TMS is a leading provider of anime with a treasure trove of Japanese animation, which is a huge part of Japan's entertainment industry," said Syd Dufton, President of TitleMatch Entertainment. "Worldwide popularity for anime is growing and we believe the category has enormous revenue potential here in the U.S. market."
About TMS Entertainment, Ltd.
Headquartered in Tokyo, TMS Entertainment Ltd. (TMS) is one of the largest and most established and respected producers and distributors of Japanese animation with a library consisting of over 8,000 half hour episodes and over 100 feature films. The main line of business for TMS is the production, distribution, licensing, and merchandising of animated entertainment. With offices in Tokyo, Paris, and Los Angeles, TMS has successfully become a global provider of animation, having distributed its titles to over 100 territories worldwide. Listed on the Nagoya Stock Exchange in Tokyo, TMS Entertainment Ltd. is a subsidiary company of videogame giant SEGA and SAMMY Enterprises now known as Sega/Sammy Corporation.
About TitleMatch Entertainment
A division of Protocall Technologies Incorporated (OTCBB:PCLI), TitleMatch Entertainment Group is the innovator of on-demand content distribution. Its flagship TitleMatch DVD On-Demand(tm) system allows retailers to burn brand-name CD and DVD products at their stores and website distribution centers. The company's proprietary systems enable retailers to reduce their reliance on costly physical inventory, expand their selection of products, eliminate shrinkage and out-of-stock situations, speed time to market for new products and improve their operating margins with minimal space requirements. In January 2007, TitleMatch unveiled a first of its kind DVD On-Demand system with CSS (Content Scramble System) encryption, the same content protection scheme used on mass-produced discs and incorporated into all DVD players. Visit www.TitleMatch.com for more information.
The information contained in this news release, other than historical information, consists of forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these statements. Forward-looking statements regarding the timing of developing, testing and releasing existing and new products, of marketing and selling them, of deriving revenues and profits from them, as well as the effects of those revenues and profits on the company's margins and financial position, are uncertain because many of the factors affecting the timing of those items are beyond the company's control.