Spike TV to Present Encore Presentation of 'Afro Samurai: Resurrection' on Friday, September 11 in Honor of the Network's First Primetime Emmy(R)-Nominated Program

Spike TV to Present Encore Presentation of 'Afro Samurai: Resurrection' on Friday, September 11 in Honor of the Network's First Primetime Emmy(R)-Nominated Program

Program Nominated For Outstanding Animated Program, Winner To Be Announced During 2009 Emmy Creative Arts Awards Ceremony On September 12 Winner Of Juried Emmy Award For Outstanding Individual Achievement In Animation

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Spike TV will present a special encore presentation of the critically-acclaimed, funktastic anime series "Afro Samurai: Resurrection," in honor of its Primetime Emmy -nomination for Outstanding Animated Program (for programming one hour or more) this Friday, September 11 (1:00 - 3:00 AM, ET/PT). This is Spike's first-ever Primetime Emmy -Nomination from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The winner of this animation category will be revealed during the 2009 Creative Arts Awards on Saturday, September 12 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. "Afro Samurai: Resurrection" has already been honored with a 2009 juried Primetime Emmy Award for Art Director Shigemi Ikeda, Art Director for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060322/NYW096LOGO )

"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" is the sequel to the network's 2007 premiere of "Afro Samurai" and is based on the original art and story telling of manga artist Takashi Okazaki about a black samurai's quest for revenge and justice for his murdered father. Academy-Award -nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson, who also serves as an executive producer, stars in a dual role, as the uncompromising hero, Afro, as well as his motor-mouthed sidekick Ninja Ninja. When his father's body is stolen from its grave, Afro is forced to pick up his sword again and wreak bloody vengeance against an army of deadly foes led by a sadistic mastermind.

"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" also featured the voices of Emmy Award -nominated actress Lucy Liu, Mark Hamill and Yuri Lowenthal. The original score for "Afro Samurai: Resurrection" was provided by award-winning artist The RZA.

"Afro Samurai: Resurrection" was produced for Spike TV by Japanese studio GONZO in association/partnership with GONZO K.K. and FUNimation Entertainment.

About FUNimation Entertainment

FUNimation Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit www.funimation.com.

About GONZO K.K.

GONZO KK is a globally-focused Japanese media company founded in February 2000. The group produces cutting edge entertainment for teens and young adults through the famous GONZO animation brand and for kids and family under the Gonzo Films and Gonzino brands. Gonzo KK is a world leader in content development that targets both domestic and international audiences with Japan's trend-setting animation culture and, usually, GONZO controls licensing management and international distribution for the content it produces. GONZO group companies include Future Vision Music K.K., GONZINO K.K., and GK Entertainment K.K.

About SPIKE

Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

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Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060322/NYW096LOGO
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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Spike TV

CONTACT: Debra Fazio, Spike TV-NY, +1-212-767-8649,
debra.fazio@mtvstaff.com; or Jackie Smith, FUNimation, +1-972-355-7300,
Jackie.smith@funimation.com

Web Site: http://www.spike.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment