Official Press Release

Scotts Valley, Calif., January 25, 2005 - e frontier announces the

release of Manga Studio 3.0, a manga and comic book creation software

program designed for aspiring and professional artists. Manga Studio

contains everything needed to create high-quality, manga-style comics

without the use of other graphic software. e frontier is partnering with

TOKYOPOP, the #1 publisher of manga in the U.S, to release Manga Studio

3.0 in the United States.

Some of the features included in Manga Studio 3.0 are the software's

large selection of screen tones, single-click special effects, drag and

drop tools, word balloons and floating palettes. Once the manga or comic

artwork is completed, it can be printed from any computer, sent to a

service bureau for publishing, formatted for the Web or exported for

coloring. Manga Studio was originally created in Japan as Comic Studio

and has become the #1 selling manga software in Japan and worldwide.

Two versions of the software are available; Manga Studio DEBUT, for the

aspiring artist or hobbyist and Manga Studio EX for those that require

expert tools and professional results in one software package.

TOKYOPOP manga is now appearing in the Sunday comic section of many

major US and international newspapers such as the LA Times, the Detroit

News and the Vancouver Sun. Beginning this summer, 30 newspapers in the

US and Canada will be begin a TOKYOPOP manga series titled, "Van Von

Hunter", which is created with Manga Studio.

Ron Kaulfersch, creator of "Van Von Hunter" said, "Manga Studio has

given me the chance to experiment and refine my manga toning techniques

without having to invest the time, expense and effort of working with

traditional hand-applied screen tones."

Some of the features of Manga Studio DEBUT and EX include:

Professional Screen Tones

Manga Studio allows artists to easily add, remove or replace tones.

Manga Studio DEBUT contains over 1,800 tones and Manga Studio EX has

over 3,000 screen tones!

Digital Pen Tablets Allows Intuitive Drawing Results

The subtleties of drawing on paper are created with Manga Studio and pen

tablet (sold separately).

Multiple File Formats Supported

Manga Studio 3.0 can support a variety of image file formats including

BMP, JPEG and PSD. Original line art can be drawn by the artist,

scanned-in or imported from other programs.

Artistic Control and Freedom

The large quantity of features and tools in the software make individual

creative techniques and treatments possible. Text and word balloons are

easily created and edited.

Built-in Page Templates

Over 80 templates provide an enormous collection of pre-defined sizes

for getting started quickly, including four-panel manga and multiple

postcard templates.

Additional Features of Manga Studio EX:

Vector Images

Original drawings in Manga Studio 3.0 EX are stored as

resolution-independent vector images which can be resized while

retaining maximum image quality. Raster to Vector Conversion makes it

possible to export bitmap drawings to vector images. The software's

vector-based native format can be written to JPEG, BMP, PNG, TGA and PSD

files as well as output to a printer.

Create Images from Photos and Images

The 2D Line Tone Rendering feature automatically converts images and

digital photos to lines and tones.

Import 3D Figures, Models and Backgrounds

The 3D Line Tone Rendering can import 3D object data files (LWO, OBJ,

DXF, LWS) for easy three-dimensional modeling and backgrounds.

The Action Palette

The Action Palette was designed to save time and tedious effort by

organizing multiple step operations into single-click commands for quick

results.

Custom Tools Palette

Frequently used tools and menu commands can be saved in custom palettes

for easy access and uniformity.

Automatically Smoothes Lines

SHD (Super High Density) Technology corrects and adjusts shaky

hand-drawn lines, provides automatic anti-aliasing, smoothes jagged

lines and other imperfections in images for the ultimate clean,

professional look.

e frontier's CEO, Hiroshi Sato, said, "We are very excited to be

offering the number one manga software program to the Western markets.

It is a very timely release as manga is becoming very popular in the US

and Europe. This release also further shows our commitment to the

digital artist and the art and graphic markets."

TOYKOPOP Editorial Director, Jeremy Ross said, "We are proud to partner

with e frontier in bringing this essential software package to the US.

TOKYOPOP is committed to nurturing a new generation of manga artists and

offering careers in creating manga that were never before available

outside of Asia. Manga Studio is a valuable tool for aspiring manga

artists to learn their craft and develop professional skills. Many of

our artists use it. As we move into the digital age of manga, not only

in print publication but online and on cell phones, Manga Studio files

give us the greatest quality, flexibility and compatibility for

professional multi-format publication."

Availability and Pricing:

Electronic downloads of Manga Studio 3.0 are now available in Windows

format with boxes available by the end of mid Feb 2006. The Macintosh

version of Manga Studio 3.0 is due to be released in late Feb. 2006.

Manga Studio can be purchased at reseller stores.

Pricing of Manga Studio 3.0 is as follows:

Manga Studio DEBUT: $49.99 (USD)

Manga Studio EX: $299.99 (USD)

For a limited time, Manga Studio EX upgrades are available for $199.99

to existing users of Poser and Shade direct from e frontier .

Educational users can purchase Manga Studio EX for $99.99 and Manga

Studio Debut for $29.99 thru authorized academic resellers.

Manga, comic and anime related web sites may sign up for e frontier's

affiliate program at

www.e-frontier.com/go/affiliate.

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About e frontier, Inc.

e frontier, Inc., and its subsidiary companies develop and publish a

diverse range of software products worldwide, produce quality computer

graphic content and publish software-related books and magazines. The

company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan with offices in Scotts Valley,

CA. For more information, visit www.e-frontier.com.

About TOKYOPOP(r)

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 recent offices opening in the UK and Germany and

upcoming partnerships in Australia and China, in addition to its

original Los Angeles and Tokyo operations. With millions of fans logging

onto www.TOKYOPOP.com, reading its books, 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.