VIZ Manga | Geekscape

Geekscape Reviews: ‘The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess’ Vol. 2 By Akira Himekawa

by Natalie KipperAugust 19, 2017

We return to the Twilight Realm in the second volume of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess by Akira Himekawa, published by VIZ Media. I loved the first volume and was very excited to get my paws on this one. Volume One left off at a pivotal point in the game, Link’s transformation into a wolf, and I wanted to see what happened next.

TM & © 2017 Nintendo. ZELDA NO DENSETSU TWILIGHT PRINCESS © 2016 Akira HIMEKAWA/SHOGAKUKAN

I think those who have beaten the game that the manga was based on will appreciate the different points of view the manga offers. We get to see certain parts of the story from Zelda’s, Midna’s, and even Ilia’s perspectives. And I know that I have said this in my previous review but I love that Link talks! Through his dialogue, we see more into his backstory and personality. Gamers are used to Link being a silent protagonist and I found this change to be refreshing.

The plot in this volume moves at a steady pace. My single complaint with the previous book was that it took a while to get going, plot-wise. This is no longer an issue, thankfully.

Beyond the intriguing story, Twilight Princess excels at its action scenes. It feels like you are playing out a battle in a game. I found myself holding my breath during Link’s fight with Diababa towards the end of the volume!

I can tell that that a lot of care was put into this series’ art. Every page oozes with detail, especially in the backgrounds and character’s clothing. The shading also does a great job of highlighting the contrast between Hyrule and the shadowy Twilight Realm.

I am pleased to say that Volume Two of Twilight Princess continues to impress. The art suited the mood perfectly and the story kept me hooked. Like its predecessor, I give The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Volume Two a 5 out of 5. I can’t wait for the story to continue in volume three!

[This review is based on a sample provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Reviews: ‘Vampire Knight Memories’ Vol.1 By Matsuri Hino

by Natalie KipperJuly 12, 2017

If you grew up on VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat magazine, odds are good that you read Matsuri Hino’s Vampire Knight. The manga continued long after the magazine ended its publication and fans will soon have the chance to read the sequel, Vampire Knight Memories.

Vampire Knight Memories © Matsuri Hino 2016/HAKUSENSHA, Inc.

The first volume switches between different periods in time frequently and changes up which main characters are in focus several times. The beginning of the book does not address the first series’ vampiric heroine, Yuki, as one might expect but her human friend, Sayori. We see snippets of her past relationship with Yuki but the main focus is on her blossoming love for the vampire Hanabusa. After that storyline, the spotlight is then granted to Yuki. I felt like hers was the shortest of the plots in this volume, which seemed a little odd given that she was on the cover. Yuki’s story then transitions to that of her children and Kaname, the vampire-now-turned-human.

Vampire Knight Memories does a good job of being true to its roots. It contains the haunting, melancholy tones that one might anticipate with a vampire-based series, interspersed with more energetic or emotionally-charged scenes (see the panel directly above for an example).

You need to finish the original series to have the full experience from Vampire Knight Memories. The beginning of the manga has a very quick summary of the important points but if that is all you have to go on, it will leave you feeling like you are missing something. However, I think it is fine that it is written this way. I doubt that people buying this book haven’t read through the Vampire Knight series cover-to-cover.

Vampire Knight Memories, Volume 1, is a little hard to grade because of its sequel status. In the situation in which you have read the previous series and know the backstory, I would give it a 4.5 out of 5. Fans will love to learn more about their favorite characters and see what has been going on since that final page of Vampire Knight.

If you are diving into this volume with no background knowledge whatsoever (which I don’t recommend), I would have to grade it a 1 out of 5. There simply is too much backstory that is incorporated into the plot (as it should be) for a new reader to understand what is going on entirely. Just start with the original series first and you will be much happier when you get to this volume. Trust me.

[This review is based on a sample provided by VIZ Media. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Reviews: Satoru Noda’s ‘Golden Kamuy’ Vol.1

by Natalie KipperJune 7, 2017

Satoru Noda’s Golden Kamuy reminded me of one of those old American Westerns. The main character, Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto is a veteran of the Russo-Japanese war, trying to find a cache of gold that was hidden by a mysterious outlaw. He is joined by the young girl, Asirpa, a member of Japan’s indigenous Ainu people. The pair’s dynamic is fun to observe and brings a lot to the flavor of the manga.

GOLDEN KAMUY © 2014 by Satoru Noda/SHUEISHA Inc.

There is a plenty of action contained within these pages, much of which includes projectile weapons of some variety. Noda does a great job of mixing up the battle scenarios so each skirmish feels unique.

One of the highlights for me was the focus on Ainu culture. Over the course of the first volume, Asirpa teaches Saichi about the equipment used for hunting, survival skills, and even cooking. The segment with Asirpa and Saichi cooking squirrel was particularly amusing. There is also use of Ainu words in some of the dialogue. It added a sense of authenticity to Asirpa’s character.

The story so far is mostly set in the snowy mountains of Hokkaido and, after reading, I got the sense that the author must have had some experience surviving outdoor cold weather conditions. It wasn’t just the characters’ expressions (although those were fantastic – I got cold just looking at them!) but also the methods they used in various situations, like building an emergency fire for warmth. I don’t want to spoil how they went about starting the fire because it was brilliant.

The character art is relatively simple, with a clean look that is pleasing to the eye. It is in the landscapes and portrayal of animals that this artist really shines. The mother bear and cub that Saichi encounters early on are a perfect example of that.

I give volume one of Golden Kamuy a solid 5 out of 5. The story and setting are one that aren’t usually touched upon in this entertainment form and Satoru Noda does a phenomenal job keeping the reader engaged. If you are looking for a great shōnen manga that doesn’t involve ninjas or alien warriors, I highly recommend you give Golden Kamuy a look.

[This review is based on a sample provided by VIZ Media. All opinions are my own.]

‘Splatoon’ Manga To be Brought West, Courtesy of Viz Media

by Natalie KipperMay 21, 2017

Whether you are a squid, kid, or just a plain old lover of manga, you are sure to be excited with what VIZ Media has planned. The publishing house has teamed up with Nintendo to bring the manga novelization of the family-friendly shooting game, Splatoon, to English readers. Created by Hinodeya Sankichi, the series follows four Inklings – beings that can switch from humanoid to squid forms at will – as they are swept up in the turf war that encompasses the majority of the video game’s content.

The series is scheduled to launch later this year, exclusively in print form (sorry, Kindle readers!). I would not be surprised if the first volume’s release was timed with the launch of the game’s sequel, Splatoon 2, coming to the Nintendo Switch. It is also expected to ship in late 2017. I would be interested to see if the manga covered the story through the sequel as well. Only time will tell!

Are you excited about this upcoming release?

Geekscape Reviews: The ‘Revolutionary Girl Utena’ Manga Box Set

by Natalie KipperApril 19, 2017

If you are crazy about magical girl manga or just want to read something with a strong female lead, you can’t go wrong with VIZ Media’s newly released box set of Revolutionary Girl Utena. The classic series is widely known for its LGBT tones and unique take on the prince-princess trope.

This manga box set, which encompasses both the entire series of Revolutionary Girl Utena as well as The Adolescence of Utena, contains two large hardcover volumes plus a bonus poster. The books themselves are well-made and appear to be bound well enough to survive a lifetime of re-readings. Several full-color pages can be found at the beginning of each book, which I thought was delightful.

SHOJO KAKUMEI UTENA © 1997 Chiho SAITO, Be-PaPas /SHOGAKUKAN

The story starts off more like your standard magical girl manga, with a girl that doesn’t quite fit in and her mysterious romantic interest. Things take a unique turn when the heroine Utena takes a more active role in her future and that of her classmate Anthy, with her decision that rather than be the princess waiting to be rescued, she will become a noble prince. What follows is a world of magical fencing duels, mistaken identities, and even mystical deities.

All of the main players in the story were fleshed out and had more to their personalities than met the eye. The Student Council President, Touga Kiryuu, is an excellent example of this. I actually ended up liking him much more than I thought I would as the story progressed. Even the female fencer Juri (who I felt was the flattest character) is expanded upon through a short story found at the back of volume two.

The other short story included, The Adolescence of Utena, is a retelling of the main manga’s storyline but with some serious alterations. It has a darker tone but I highly recommend giving it a read. It was fascinating to see what the story could have been if certain details were changed.

The Revolutionary Girl Utena Manga Box Set wins a 5 out of 5. I thought the story itself was spectacular as well as an important piece of magical girl history. Combine that with a high-quality print with lovely detail abounds and you have yourself what I consider the definitive edition of the series.

[This review is based on a sample provided by VIZ Media. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Reviews: ‘Boruto: Naruto Next Generations’ Vol.1

by Natalie KipperApril 5, 2017

Can’t get enough Naruto? His story may have ended but its success spawned the sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, staring the now-adult ninja’s son named – you guessed it – Boruto. This series also features children of many of other characters from the original series.

In truth, I did not keep up with Naruto, but thankfully this manga has little side-notes about which children belong to which couples. As a relative newbie to the series, I greatly appreciated this feature. Without giving to much away, expect the offspring of pretty much every character you can imagine. It was fun to the teenagers from the first series as adults living peaceful, domestic lives. I imagine fans of Naruto will get an even bigger kick out of it than I did.

BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS © 2016 by Masashi Kishimoto, Ukyo Kodachi, Mikio Ikemoto/SHUEISHA Inc.

The first volume centers around three key plot threads. The most prevalent of which is Boruto’s rocky relationship with his father. It looks as though, while Naruto may be a great ninja, he sucks at being an involved parent. Boruto’s dislike for his dad drives him to make several choices that I think he normally would be ambivalent about.

Which leads us to the second thread: the Chunin Exam, a ninja certification test. Originally planning to sit it out, a series of events coaxes Boruto into participating. A good portion of the volume is dedicated to the trials of the Exam. This part felt a little boring. I realize that the whole “heroes facing a trial” trope is prevalent in shonen manga but it just wasn’t something I cared about. To the story’s credit, the characters did make use of some clever solutions to their tests and I imagine that fans of this genre will be wowed.

The third and final thread follows Orochimaru’s children and the odd relationship they share with him. This sequence takes place at the end of the book so I don’t want to spoil too much but there it is safe to say that a) Orochimaru is a weirdo and b) there is a twist at the end.

As I said before, I didn’t have a ton of experience with the original Naruto manga to build on when I read this. All the same, it was somewhat enjoyable. I don’t think this is something that I would purchase nor continue to read on my own but I can imagine why readers who dig this type of story would be interested. It isn’t very often that fans get a chance to revisit beloved characters and see how their lives have progressed (fan fiction not included). That merit alone should warrant it a read for Naruto lovers.

Volume One of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations earns a 3 out of 5 in my book. If you are a fan of the first series, that score would probably be closer to a 5 out of 5. I can see this sequel caters to fans and that is awesome but it also makes it harder for those initiated to jump into the story.

[This review is based on a sample provided by VIZ Media. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Reviews: ‘The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess’ Vol. 1

by Natalie KipperMarch 16, 2017

I know many of you are up to your pointy ears immersing yourselves in the world of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild but even when you take a breather, you can still stay connected to the history of the series with VIZ Media’s new manga, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess by Akira Himekawa. The first volume hit shelves March 14 but Geekscape was fortunate to get an early copy.

Truth be told, I never got very far in this entry in the series when it was on consoles (and what I did experience, I don’t really remember) so I was extra-excited to finally progress through the story. And what a story it is! If you played the game in either its Gamecube, Wii, or Wii U forms than the overall plot should be familiar but, guys, Link talks in the manga! That alone should be a reason to at least give it a look.

If you are like me and did not experience the story prior to the manga, here is a brief run-down. The story opens on a mysterious kingdom, The Twilight Realm, and its ruler, the Twilight Princess Midna. After a cruel betrayal by the old Twilight Realm king’s advisor, Zant, the scene switches over to Link, who leads a peaceful life in the idyllic Ordon Village. A good portion of the first volume is dedicated to Link’s interactions with Ordon Village’s residents and does a great job of fleshing out Link as a character. The world of the Twilight Realm and that of Ordon Village only start to clash near the end of volume one.

The art is drawn beautifully. I liked how the Twilight Realm had a lot of dark tones and shading while scenes in Ordon Village had a lighter palate. It helped set a contrast between the two locales. The art style is more realistic than previous Zelda manga which had a more cartoon-y vibe. Some of the monsters were a bit on the freaky side and there is graphic violence included (it isn’t awful but more than I was anticipating). I can see why this was rated “T for Teen.”

The one gripe that I can see some people having with this one is the pacing. If you were looking for an intense, action-heavy first volume, you find yourself slightly disappointed. There is plenty of action at the end but it isn’t consistent throughout. It personally didn’t bother me. It actually made it feel more like a video game somehow, with a slow build to the character heeding the call to be a hero.

I loved this first volume of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and bestow unto it a 5 out of 5. If the rest of the manga is anything like this first book, I would say we have a real winner on our hands. Gamers and fantasy fans alike will find an thoroughly engrossing story and one that I look forward to continuing.

[This review is based on a sample provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.]

Geekscape Reviews: ‘Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition’ By Junji Ito

by Natalie KipperDecember 15, 2016

[This review is based on a sample provided by the publisher.]

Master of horror, manga-ka Junji Ito, known for the manga series Uzumaki and Gyo, plies his trade once again with the haunting Tomie. This book is rated “T+” for Older Teens and with good reason. The stories contained within stick with you long after the book is closed.

tomie-review-page-119 — © Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc.

The chapters might be considered a series of separate incidents if not for Tomie’s appearance in all of them. And just who is Tomie? She is a young lady with the supernatural ability to charm men into a murderous rampage and, even though she is usually one of the victims, Tomie always comes back (and often in bizarre, almost nauseating, ways). Her ability to regenerate tends to lead to a sort of anxiety for the reader because even though a character may feel relief that Tomie is “dead,” we know better.

tomie-review-page-145 — © Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc.

Ito’s art style lends itself to the well to the story. The images can be quite grotesque, as well they should be. Even the relatively “normal” scenes are a bit unsettling. I chalk it up to the expert use of light and shadow.

The English translation is superb. The dialogue is genuinely disconcerting. Just about every line feels weighted with a sense of foreboding. I appreciate the ability to carry over that emotion from language to language.

tomie-review-page-31 — © Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc.

I will be honest, Tomie isn’t the sort of book I would choose to read. Horror is not a genre I particularly care for. I do, however, acknowledge that this title does an excellent job of what it sets out to do: spook the reader. I am still legitimately freaked out from reading this. Between the art style, the well-done translation, and the overall creepiness of the stories themselves, Tomie is a horror fan’s dream (nightmare?) come true, earning it a 5 out of 5.

tomie-review-page-242 — © Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc.

Junji Ito’s Tomie: Complete Deluxe Edition releases December 20 in hardcover print for $34.99 as well as digitally on the Viz Manga app and Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores.

VIZ Media To Publish ‘Super Mario Adventures,’ ‘Twilight Princess’ Manga

by Natalie KipperAugust 16, 2016

It is a big day for those gamers who double-dip into the realm of manga. VIZ Media has announced their acquisition of two very special titles: Super Mario Adventures and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

Super Mario Adventures, written by Kentaro Takekuma and drawn by Charlie Nozawa, first appeared in the pages of Nintendo Power magazine. They ran from from 1992 to 1993. This full-color manga is a collection of those works. Super Mario Adventures will be available beginning this October.

If you have any experience with the Mario series, then you can probably guess the plot. Princess Toadstool gets kidnapped by Bowser and Mario and Luigi spring into action to rescue her. Nostalgia abounds, to be sure.

The second title, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess by Akira Himekawa, follows the plot of the similar-titled game. Expect lots of wolf-Link action. This series will debut in March 2017. To tide you over until then, I would highly recommend the Viz’s other titles in The Legend of Zelda series.

Geekscape Reviews: ‘Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter’ Volume 1

by Natalie KipperApril 25, 2016

[This review is based on a sample provided by the publisher.]

As a fan of Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, I had high hopes for VIZ Media’s first volume of Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter, featuring art drawn by Shin Yamamoto and a story penned by Keiichi Hikami. Unfortunately, only some of those expectations were met. As one would anticipate, the manga caters to those that have played the games but it goes so much in that direction that the book’s story is lacking in depth (at least in volume 1).

I don’t generally like to start a review off on a negative note but I feel like the story or lack thereof should be addressed sooner rather than later. I think if I wasn’t as excited for this title as I was, I wouldn’t have been so disappointed. But that is the problem. The majority of people who will pick up this manga are going to be fans. And from my experience, those readers are also going to have experience with manga on some level.

The story centers around a hot-headed hunter named Raiga from the village of Dundorma. Volume 1 mainly outlines how he meets his teammates, the skilled gunner Keres and the bookish Torche. After Keres and Raiga meet, they are constantly butting heads, leading most of their exchanges to basically boil down to arguments (see the page above for a good example). The remaining dialogue is either flavorless or, in the case of hunting scenes, reads like a strategy guide. The characters get hung up on details of hunting strategies, equipment, and items. I can definitely see this being a turn-off for unfamiliar readers.

The manga’s art is a double-edged sword. Fans can clearly identify the sets of armor each of the characters are wearing as ones from the video games. Even in action sequences, you can pick them out. Same goes for the monsters. When a monster appears for the first time, a bare-bones bio is listed for it but, once again, fans will have no trouble naming them. The art for Qurupeco and Rathian impressed me the most.

So what’s the negative side of the art? With the exception of a few intro pages, The backgrounds are sparse at best. The Monster Hunter series has some fun environments and it’s a shame that they weren’t included as backdrops.

I would give volume 1 of Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter a 2 out of 5. Yes, the series has potential (and it still could improve in volume 2) but as it stands, that potential is wasted. I would have been happier with an art book drawn in this style.

Kari’s Manga Corner: ‘Assassination Classroom’

by Kari LaneJanuary 26, 2016

Before I read Assassination Classroom, I had actually seen part of the movie on my flight to Japan. At the time I thought, “What is this strange movie?” Then I noticed the face of the teacher, and realized I had seen that face before. What teacher you may ask? Well, there is an alien creature here on Earth and he is going to destroy the planet unless the students of class 3-E can assassinate him by the end of the school year.

The students of class 3-E are not your typical kids. Their class is considered the reject class by the rest of the student body because you are sent there if you have poor grades or you cause trouble. Now, they are also assassins in training. The teacher, later named by the students as Koro Sensei, makes a deal with Earth’s leaders that he will not destroy the planet if these particular students can successfully assassinate him.

As you can guess from the plot, there is tons of action in this series. The action scenes play well and you can see the fights unfold. There is actually a lot of humor as well. What the teacher says and how it interactions with the human students creates a lot of funny moments. The particular art style is a little on the cute side and is like Love Hina and Negima!

Where does this thing come from? Why does he want to destroy Earth? Why these kids? Will they be able to complete their task of assassinating the alien creature? If you’re looking for something with an intriguing plot, action and humor, you should check out Assassination Classroom. This is definitely a fun one!

Ultraman Returns In A New Manga Series

by Josh JacksonAugust 17, 2015

Viz Media has announced that the iconic Japanese superhero sci-fi series, Ultraman, will make its return courtesy of a new Manga series.

In case you’re unfamiliar with the series, Ultraman debuted in the late 1960’s and has since gained a worldwide audience. In Japan, the hero has become a cultural icon, triggering a pop culture phenomenon. After an ordinary human gained the power of the Giant of Light, an ordinary human gained the power to fight off giant monsters, or “kaiju”, that looked to destroy the Earth. The rest as they say, was history.

The manga series picks up years after the TV show ended. Following Shinjiro, an ordinary teenager who’s father happens to be the original Ultraman, the power that he inherits becomes the only thing that can stop a new threat, one that requires a new kind of hero.

Ultraman releases its first volume on August 18th in both physical and digital formats. Written by Eiichi Shimizu with artwork by Tomohiro Shimoguchi, the first book retails at $12.99.

Share your Ultraman fandom in the comments, and take a look at the full press release for all the details.

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES THE NEW ULTRAMAN MANGA SERIES

Kinetic Superhero Action Series Updates The Iconic Japanese

Sci-Fi Property For A Whole New Generation Of Manga Fans; Series To Launch In Print And Digitally

San Francisco, CA, August 11, 2015 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces the brand new ULTRAMAN sci-fi superhero action manga (graphic novel) series, which is set to debut in print and digitally on August 18^th.

The series, written by Eiichi Shimizu with artwork by Tomohiro Shimoguchi, is inspired by the original classic Japanese superhero TV show that ran in the late 1960s and remains hugely popular in Japan as well as with international audiences. ULTRAMAN Vol. 1 is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry a print MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN. The series also launches digitally the same day via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Future editions of ULTRAMAN will be published quarterly under the VIZ Signature imprint. In Japan, the series currently appears in Hero’s magazine.

Decades ago, a being known as the Giant of Light joined together with Shin Hayata of the Science Special Search Party to save Earth from an invasion of terrifying monsters called Kaiju. Now, many years later, those dark days are fading into memory, and the world is at peace. But in the shadows a new threat is growing, a danger that can only be faced by a new kind of hero – a new kind of ULTRAMAN… Shinjiro is an ordinary teenager, but his father is the legendary Shin Hayata. When he learns that his father passed on the “Ultraman Factor” to him and that he possesses incredible powers, nothing will ever be the same again.

VIZ Media recently welcomed Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi for their first-ever professional appearance in the U.S. as official Guests of Honor at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.

“In Japan, Ultraman is something of a national symbol, an iconic superhero that is instantly recognizable and universally loved, and we’re excited to bring the brand new manga to a new generation of fans,” says Mike Montesa, Editor. “The series wonderfully updates the classic sci-fi property with cinematic action sequences and sleek character designs. Catch the exciting return of this legendary hero this summer!”

Eiichi Shimizu worked on the story, script and mechanical design for ULTRAMAN. Tomohiro Shimoguchi provided character design and art. Together, the two have formed a creative dream team to produce a number of works including ULTRAMAN (Hero’s) and Kurogane no Rainbareru (Linebarrels of Iron, Akita Shoten). In addition to comics, they have expanded their field of interest to include character designs for video games and action figures.

For more information on ULTRAMAN or manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

VIZ Media And comiXology Bring You Over 650 New Manga Volumes!

by Kari LaneFebruary 14, 2015

Exciting news! VIZ Media and comiXology have announced a massive addition of over 650 new VIZ Media manga titles that were originally published in Japan and are now available in English on comiXology.com and on the comiXology app for Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Android and Windows 8!

Official press release below with all the details and some series highlights. A couple of my favorites are Magi and Black Bird.

Today, over 650 new manga volumes, spanning more than 65 acclaimed series, and all in English, have been added to the comiXology platform for manga fans to browse, buy and enjoy. Many VIZ Media series are now available in their entirety and span an extremely diverse range of adventure, action, sci-fi, horror, mystery, and romance genres. New volumes of fan-favorite continuing series are added to comiXology each week as part of VIZ Media’s regular weekly digital manga update schedule. Please visit www.comixology.com for more information.

All the new VIZ Media manga titles found in this massive update were originally published in Japan by Shogakukan, Inc., a VIZ Media parent company and one of Japan’s biggest publishing companies. This latest comiXology content update makes more than 1,100 VIZ Media manga volumes across more than 190 different series available. Readers can enjoy all these acclaimed releases using comiXology’s Manga Fixed Format, which enables a dedicated right-to-left full-page reading experience and the highest resolution pages available.

“With this latest update manga fans now have even more to love with these VIZ Media Shogakukan books,” said comiXology CEO and co-founder David Steinberger. “VIZ Media’s huge library of classic and fan-favorite series offer something for every reader and every week we’re bringing even more to the comiXology platform.”

“The latest titles to join comiXology’s catalog substantially expands the VIZ Media roster of series available through the platform, and we are thrilled to deepen our relationship with this innovative platform and offer so much exciting new content to fans,” says Eric Eberhardt, VIZ Media’s Director of Digital Marketing. “Readers are increasingly enjoying their favorite titles digitally, and comiXology has become a great destination for them to access a broad array of content. This latest update provides the latest installments for scores of continuing VIZ Media series and the complete runs of dozens of other acclaimed legacy titles.”

New and notable VIZ Media manga series now available on comiXology include:

MAGI Vols. 1-10 • Rated ‘T’ for Teens • Continuing Series
Deep within the desert lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches there for the taking by anyone lucky enough to find them and brave enough to venture into the depths from where few have ever returned. Plucky young adventurer Aladdin means to find the Dungeons and their riches, but Aladdin may be just as mysterious as the treasures he seeks.

CASE CLOSED Vols. 1-53 • Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens • Continuing Series
Jimmy Kudo, the son of a world-renowned mystery writer, is a high school detective who has cracked the most baffling of cases. One day while on a date with his childhood friend Rachel Moore, Jimmy observes a pair of men in black involved in some shady business. The men capture Jimmy and give him a poisonous substance to rub out their witness. But instead of killing him, it turns him into a little kid! Jimmy takes on the pseudonym Conan Edogawa and continues to solve all the difficult cases that come his way. All the while, he’s looking for the men in black and the mysterious organization they’re with in order to find a cure for his miniature malady.

BLACK BIRD Vols. 1-18 • Rated ‘T’ for Teens • Complete Series
There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand…or her life!

THE DRIFTING CLASSROOM Vols. 1-10 • Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers • Complete Series
Out of nowhere, a Japanese elementary school is transported into a hostile world. Soon, the students and teachers must struggle to survive in impossible conditions, besieged by terrifying creatures and beset by madness. Part horror, part science fiction, THE DRIFTING CLASSROOM is a classic can’t-put-down manga series from horror manga master Kazuo Umezu.

HAPPY MARRIAGE?! Vols. 1-10 • Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers • Complete Series
In order to help her father, Chiwa Takanashi agrees to an arranged marriage with the company president, Hokuto Mamiya – a man she doesn’t know – at the request of Hokuto’s grandfather. Chiwa believes the arrangement isn’t binding, but her new partner seems to think otherwise. Can two strangers living together find their way to a happy marriage?!

ITSUWARIBITO Vols. 1-13 • Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens • Continuing Series
Utsuho’s truthfulness as a child resulted in an enormous catastrophe, and he decided to lie from that day forward. Raised in a village of orphans by a monk, Utsuho is an unrepentant troublemaker. The monk eventually inspires him to help people, but there’s no way Utsuho’s going to lead an honest life! Instead, he’s going to use his talents for mischief and deception for good!

MIDNIGHT SECRETARY Vols. 1-7 • Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers • Complete Series
Kaya Satozuka prides herself on being an excellent secretary and a consummate professional, so she doesn’t even bat an eye when she’s reassigned to the office of her company’s difficult director, Kyohei Touma. He’s as prickly – and hot – as rumors paint him, but Kaya is unfazed…until she discovers that he’s a vampire!!

With over 50,000 comics, manga, and graphic novels from more than 75 publishers, comiXology offers one of the biggest selection of digital comics in the world. ComiXology’s immense catalog and cinematic Guided View reading experience makes it the best digital platform for comic, manga and graphic novel fans worldwide. Fans can discover favorite comics, manga and graphic novels at comixology.com and also try the comiXology app available on all major mobile platforms.

For more information on manga titles available from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About comiXology
ComiXology, an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology’s Guided View reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become a top ten grossing iPad app in 2011 and 2012 and the top grossing non-game iPad app in 2012 and 2013. Offering the broadest library of comic book content from over 75 publishers – and independent creators as well – comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. ComiXology is based in New York City, with operations in Los Angeles and Paris. For more information visit www.comixology.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

‘One Piece’ Retrospective Can Be Yours For Free!

by Kari LaneNovember 21, 2013

Fans and users of VIZManga.com (digital manga website) and the VIZ manga App are in for an early Christmas present; the One Piece Retrospective! This digital edition celebrates an important milestone as “One Piece has become the world’s top selling manga series of all time with over 345 million copies in print!”

The special digital retrospective for the pirate adventure series created by Eiichiro Oda will be given as a free premium to all currently registered VIZ Manga.com and VIZ Manga App users, as well as to new members that sign up between November 21st and 27th. Fans can sign up at VIZManga.com and also explore ONE PIECE volumes available for digital download through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, and Android-powered smart phones and tablets (including Kindle Fire).

The ONE PIECE Digital Retrospective features five exclusive, full color art spreads, as well as a comprehensive collection of covers for all 69 ONE PIECE volumes. The edition also features a personal interview with creator Eiichiro Oda and one-shot STRONG WORLD, the manga short where fans will find out what the world of ONE PIECE looked like over 20 years ago in a time before Luffy was even born. The ONE PIECE Digital Retrospective will only be available digitally for fans for a limited time.

Readers are invited to catch the latest ONE PIECE manga chapters, released in English on the same day as their Japanese counterpart, in the pages of VIZ Media’s digital WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP digital manga magazine. ONE PIECE anime episodes also currently air in North America on Adult Swim’s Toonami as well as on VIZAnime, VIZ Media’s own free website for streaming anime content, and other outlets including FUNimation.com, HULU.com, and OnePieceOfficial.com.

If you are not familiar with this title, here is the synopsis of this fun story!

As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Fruit, an enchanted Devil Fruit that gave him the ability to stretch like rubber. The only drawback? He’ll never be able to swim again – a serious handicap for an aspiring sea dog! Years later, Luffy sets off on his quest to find the “One Piece,” said to be the greatest treasure in the world…

Not familiar with the VIZ Manga App? Read on to learn more about this awesome service! Also, you can read my previous article here.

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform, registered users are able to use one account to access their purchased titles across more devices than ever. The platform features a massive library of the most popular manga series in the world, with over 1,700 volumes across more than 170 different series. All manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application starting from $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) each.

For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

Download the free VIZ Manga App for your Android and iOS devices at www.VIZ.com/apps.