EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (KDE), today announced the North American release of the Blue Dragon Role Playing Card Game (RPCG), the company's first-ever role playing card game. The Blue Dragon RPCG complements an already strong corporate product portfolio which includes the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME and electronic entertainment properties such as Dance Dance Revolution and Karaoke Revolution.

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The new, easy-to-learn Blue Dragon RPCG features characters from the popular Blue Dragon Xbox 360(R) video game by famed developer, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and featuring character designs by Akira Toriyama, the creator of the best-selling DRAGON BALL series of manga (which is published in North America by VIZ Media and featured in SHONEN JUMP Magazine).

The Blue Dragon RPCG enables younger players to enjoy all of the aspects of traditional card games and allows them to grow with the game - utilizing a unique advancing game mechanic, it pits one player's strategy and Deck-building prowess against another in a head-to-head battle of Shadows and Partners using Command and Skill Cards.

"The Blue Dragon RPCG format offers us many opportunities to bring the best of the video game and of the animation into an innovative and kid-friendly game," said Yumi Hoashi, Vice President of Card Business for KDE. "We wanted to create an evolving gameplay experience that advances as the players master strategies, learn new abilities and one which has long-lasting play value."

In the Blue Dragon RPCG, each player has their own Deck of cards. Players take turns attacking and defending, with two ways to win. Each player starts out with 20 Life Points (LP). To win the game, players continue to attack against their opponent until they have no LP left, or put them in a state where they have no cards left to draw.

The first Blue Dragon Role Playing Card Game release consists of two unique starter decks, Dark Shadow Wielder and Light Shadow Wielder. Every Starter Deck, available for an approximate retail price of only $9.99, contains all of the components needed to start a game - 40 cards, including a Shadow foil card, a fold-out game mat and a beginner's guide.

In addition, Heroes Arise booster packs, consisting of 10 cards per pack (nine playable cards and one strategy card), are available for an approximate retail price of $3.49 each. The Blue Dragon Role Playing Card Game is recommended for ages six and up.

VIZ Media is the master North American licensor for the television, home video and non-video game merchandising rights for BLUE DRAGON and granted the licensing rights for trading card games to KDE in June of 2008. For more information on Blue Dragon please visit http://bluedragon.viz.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd. (ShoPro Japan), VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the UK, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including, magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, DVDs and audio soundtracks and develops and markets animated entertainment from initial production, television placement and distribution, to merchandise licensing and promotions for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at http://www.VIZ.com.

About Konami

Konami is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties and traditional trading card games. Konami's software titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid(R), Silent Hill(R), Dance Dance Revolution(R) and Castlevania(R), among other top sellers. Konami is also the manufacturer of the wildly popular Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME, which has sold more than 18 billion cards worldwide. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at http://www.konami.com. Konami Corporation is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. in the United States and Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany. Konami Corporation is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products published by Konami can be found at http://www.konami.com.

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SOURCE Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.