Tag: VIZ Media

Geekscape Interviews: Julietta Suzuki On What It Takes To Be A Manga Artist

by Kari Lane

Many manga readers dream of becoming manga artists. What does it take to make it as a mangaka (manga artist)? I spoke with the successful manga artist, Julietta Suzuki, about her career and what inspires her.

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Kamisama Hajimemashita © Julietta Suzuki 2008/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Q: How has your experience at Anime Expo been?
A: I just walked on the floor, quite a few people, a lot of cosplayers. It seems like there are a lot of visitors from all different countries and I felt the passion. It looks like a lot of fun.

Q: How does it feel to be a Guest of Honor with Viz Media?
A: I feel honored and very thankful.

Q: Whose artwork has inspired you?
A: Are you talking about manga?

Q: Yes.
A: Any genre? It doesn’t matter?

Q: Yeah, anything.
A: When I was a kid, I used to play an RPG game “Dragon Quest” and that inspired me a lot. I played a lot.

Q: Do you feel that your art style has changed over your career at all?
A: Yes, it has changed.

Q: What is your favorite thing to draw?
A: Stories – the human drama.

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Kamisama Hajimemashita © Julietta Suzuki 2008/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Q: What do you find the hardest to draw?
A: I am supposed to finish like 30 pages in two weeks, so time is very tight. And within those 30 pages I will have to set up in that area what is exciting so I have to include that in the story and how to figure that out. How to figure out the structure is the hardest part.

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring manga artists?
A: In the States?

Q: Anywhere.
A: In Japan, it is actually not too hard to become a mangaka, but the difficulty is to continue drawing, but don’t be afraid. If you are inspired to become a mangaka, try to knock on the door and try to come to this world.

Q: What do you like about Shojo as a genre or a style?
A: The genre of Shojo manga basically revolves around human drama, so that is what I would like to draw. So, in general, I very much like to draw it.

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Kamisama Hajimemashita © Julietta Suzuki 2008/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Q: In terms of your work, what are you most proud of?
A: Right now, the current work is Kamisama Kiss / Kamisama Hajimemashita and so far we have got twelve volumes and drawing those volumes, I have learned quite a few lessons just by drawing them. Just the mere fact that I made it this far, I feel very proud of it.

Q: What is next for you?
A: With the next work I would like to try to target an even higher quality of work.

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Kamisama Hajimemashita © Julietta Suzuki 2008/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.

Ask Questions, Win Prizes, And Chat With Fans During Tonight’s ‘Sailor Moon R’ Mini-Moonlight Party!

by Josh Jackson

Sailor Moon fans, listen up! Tonight will mark the end of Sailor Moon R Part 1’s English dub run with the debut of Episode 61 at 6 PM PST! In addition, Episode 67, (which has never been released in English prior to tonight,) will debut alongside it on Viz’s Neon Alley streaming service.

And if you have the chance to catch it while it’s streaming live, make sure to check out Viz’s YouTube channel, where fans from across North America will be able to view the episodes together as they air. Featuring live Q&A with the Sailor Moon team, trivia about all things Season 2, and prizes galore, participants can contribute their questions or answers in the YouTube comment section, or on Twitter using the hashtag, #MoonlightParty.

Ready to watch the Sailor Guardians continue their fight against the Dark Moon Kingdom and unravel the mysteries surrounding Chibi-Usa? Check below for the full press release for more details, including when you can add Part 1 to your home video collection.

VIZ Media invites SAILOR MOON fans across North America to join the company’s anime team as it hosts a special SAILOR MOON R Mini-Moonlight Party to mark the series’ English dub episode debut of the final episodes of SAILOR MOON R Part 1 on its streaming platform, Neon Alley.

The SAILOR MOON R Mini-Moonlight Party takes place this Friday, May 8th, beginning at 6:00pm PST on VIZ Media’s YouTube channel at:http://bit.ly/MnMlPMAY. The interactive live-stream event will complement the Neon Alley/Hulu streams of SAILOR MOON R Episodes 61 and also Episode 67, which has never been released in English in North America.

As the episodes stream via Neon Alley/Hulu, viewers can take part in a live Q&A with VIZ Media SAILOR MOON team that will run in real-time throughout the evening. Fans are also encouraged to send “Sailor Selfies” showing their love of SAILOR MOON via the official VIZ MediaFacebook page, and via Twitter using the special hashtag, #MoonlightParty. The team will also be running special SAILOR MOON trivia.

“We invite fans and viewers to join us for a special Mini-Moonlight Party to celebrate the premiere of these new dubbed episodes with a fun evening of SAILOR MOON revelry,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Marketing Manager, Animation. “Don’t miss the never before seen dubbed episode 67 featuring fun in the sun for our favorite Guardians. Join in the fun this Friday evening!”

Viewers can complement their episode streams with interactive commentary from the VIZ Media staff, who will answer questions and offer little known facts about SAILOR MOON R and the evening’s streamed episodes. Viewers also may submit questions throughout the event via YouTube, in the comments sections of the actual live stream (as available). A trivia contest will award knowledgeable fans a variety of SAILOR MOON prizes including posters, art cards, t-shirts and more! Viewers will be able to submit their answers via Facebook and Twitter.

In SAILOR MOON R, Usagi and her friends return to their normal lives after their epic battle, but the Sailor Guardians are called back into action when powerful new enemies appear. By the power of the Legendary Silver Crystal, Sailor Moon gains strength with a dazzling new attach and transformation. The coming battle won’t be easy, but things get even more complicated when a mysterious pink-haired girl falls form the sky and goes after Mamoru!

Home media pre-orders are available now from all major online retailers for the classic SAILOR MOON R anime series which will be released on July 14th as a Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and also as a Standard DVD edition. The new SAILOR MOON R Set 1 Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and Standard DVD Set are rated “TV-PG” and contain Episodes 47-68 along with special premium packaging and notable bonus features. The new sets notably include the previously unaired Episode 67: “The Beach, the Island and a Vacation: The Guardian’s Break,”which was never broadcast or released during the SAILOR MOON’s original North American run.

The smash hit SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga (graphic novel) series created by Naoko Takeuchi (published in North America by Kodansha). In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation!

SAILOR MOON Season 1 also is available from VIZ Media on home video as Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Packs and Standard Edition DVD sets. Fans can also catch the brand new SAILOR MOON reboot – SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL – with brand new episodes (subtitled) available to stream on the first and third Saturdays each month on Hulu and Neon Alley.

VIZ Media: New ‘ULTRAMAN’ Manga Series To Be Released!

by Eric Francisco

How exciting is this? The new Ultraman manga series in Japan has just been acquired by VIZ Media and will be released domestically this August!

From the press release:

VIZ Media is proud to announce the acquisition of the ULTRAMAN manga series, a new story inspired by the original classic TV show that ran in the late 1960’s! The action-filled adventures of one of Japan’s greatest superheroes will debut this August, updated for a whole new generation of fans and continuing the ULTRAMAN legacy!

 

The new ULTRAMAN will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint; the series currently appears in Japan’s Hero’s magazine. In the new series created by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi, the Earth is at peace, having been saved decades ago from terrifying monsters known as Kaiju when a being known as the Giant of Light joined Shin Hayada to combat the menace. But a new threat is growing in the shadows, a danger that can only be faced by a new kind of hero – a new kind of Ultraman! Shinjiro is an ordinary teen, but when he learns his father, Shin, has passed on the “Ultraman Factor” to him, nothing will ever be the same again!

 

The press release is attached for all the details – please let me know if you have any questions about this quintessential superhero from Japan! Thanks much!

I might have to turn in my nerd cred because I haven’t even touched a single manga since high school, but I will totally break that streak for Ultraman. Also: Wasn’t the original Ultraman’s name Shin Hayato, not Hayada? Or am I just being a dick?

This manga is bound to remain a niche product, but I’m still happy to see it come to American shores and elsewhere. I’m legitimately fascinated how Ultraman has remained a Japanese icon and hasn’t had a big-screen adaptation starring, like, Ryan Reynolds or someone.

In any case, Ultraman will be coming to my nearest comic book shelf and I couldn’t be happier. Let’s listen to that earworm of a theme song, shall we?

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

by Kari Lane

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Shotaro Ishinomori’s ‘Zelda: A Link To The Past’ Manga Is Returning To Print!

by Jonathan

This one’s gonna tug at the heart strings of any old school Nintendo Power fans!

Over 20 years since the original printing of Manga master Shotaro Ishinomori’s ‘The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past’ manga adaptation, Viz Media is returning the graphic novel to life. I remember these pages in their original forms, as syndicated entries in Nintendo Power magazine, and completely missed the collected edition published in 1993. Now, for the first time, I can hold it in my hands!

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As the press release states:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga, graphic novels and anime in North America, is proud to announce the return of THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST for the first time in more than two decades. The celebrated full-color graphic novel adaptation of the classic Nintendo game returns in a special single-volume edition scheduled for May release under the company’s Perfect Square imprint.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST is a unique adaptation of the internationally bestselling video game originally released for Nintendo’s Super Nintendo Entertainment System™. This comic book version by manga and anime legend Shotaro Ishinomori (Cyborg 009, Kamen Rider) was first serialized in Nintendo Power™ magazine and later collected into a graphic novel in 1993. Long out of print, this stunning, full-color graphic novel is now available once again for the first time in more than twenty years!

“THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST is such a rare book, showcasing world-famous manga creator Shotaro Ishinomori’s incredible art with the classic Nintendo story of Link and his quest to save Princess Zelda against all odds. We are honored and excited to make the publication available once again to North American readers from the Perfect Square library,” says Beth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director, Perfect Square. “Many older fans recall eagerly awaiting each new issue of Nintendo Power magazine back in the ‘90s for a new monthly chapter of A LINK TO THE PAST. While it followed the overall story arc of the original Super Entertainment System game, creatorIshinomori also added new plot twists and characters that made this a stand-alone favorite among multiple generations of fans. Readers of all ages will be captivated by this timeless story and we can’t wait for everyone to enjoy this long-out-of-print book!”

Shotaro Ishinomori was one of Japan’s most prolific and revered comic book creators. Among his most popular works are Cyborg 009, Kamen Rider and Hotel. In 2008, Guinness World Records named Ishinomori the world record holder for the “most comics published by one author” for creating more than 770 stories collected in a total of 500 volumes of manga. The Ishinomori Manga Museum in Japan is dedicated to his works and legacy.

I’m pretty excited to take a look. VIZ does some pretty fantastic reprint work and for new or old fans alike, this is a classic that you sure don’t want to miss the second (or third) time around!

 

‘Weekly Shonen Jump’ Celebrates 3 Years By Giving Away Free Issues!

by Kari Lane

This week, VIZ Media celebrates its 3 year anniversary of the launch of the official digital English edition of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP (“the world’s most popular weekly manga magazine”). Read on to learn more on how you can check out the magazine for free starting today 1/19!

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To mark the milestone, VIZ Media invites readers to sample WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP for FREE with a special promotion. For a limited time, beginning with the January 19 edition, four complete issues (Jan. 19; Jan. 26; Feb. 2 and Feb. 9) of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP will be available to read for free at shonenjump.com.

 

In addition to the U.S. and Canada, WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and the special limited time promotion are available to readers in the U.K., Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand at ShonenJump.VIZ.com and through the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP App for iOS and Android devices. Additionally in North America, the free WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP issues also will be available via the VIZ Manga App and WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP App for iOS and Android devices.

 

In each week’s issue, don’t miss Takeshi Obata’s brand new school courtroom manga drama, GAKKYU HOTEI: SCHOOL JUDGEMENT. In the series, as problems continue to plague the elementary school system, a new solution has been enacted in the form of the School Judgment System! Now the young students themselves will be responsible for solving the issues that befall them. Defense attorney Abaku Inugami may be only a sixth grader but he’s as fierce as they come in the courtroom as he uncovers the truth behind the incidents plaguing the school. Plus he never forgets to practice his cool “Objection” poses!

 

Haven’t heard of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP yet? Read on to learn all about this awesome publication!

 

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is published digitally every week by VIZ Media and features the latest installments of some of the world’s most popular manga series released to English readers across North America on the same day as the magazine’s general print release in Japan, including BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, FOOD WARS!, NISEKOI, ONE PIECE, ONE-PUNCH MAN, SERAPH OF THE END: VAMPIRE REIGN, TORIKO, WORLD TRIGGER and YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL.

 

“WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP’s global scope and readership has grown substantially since our digital launch in 2012,” says Andy Nakatani, VIZ Media Editor-in-Chief of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP. “We are preparing an exciting year of manga content, and new and veteran manga readers alike can take advantage of the special anniversary promotion to check out all of the great WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP content that is available to English readers on the same day as the issue hits in Japan!”

 

As part of the 3 Year Anniversary promotion, new 1 Year Memberships are available for only $19.99 (USD). WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP members receive 48 weekly digital issues as well as special premiums such as Yu-Gi-Oh! Collectable Trading Cards, rare one-shot manga releases, digital-only promotions, and access to additional subscriber-only content including creator interviews and insightful promo videos. (*Note: Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are only available to annual subscribers in the US and Canada.) Current subscribers can also access their accounts via VIZManga.com, the VIZ Manga App, and shonenjump.viz.com or with the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP App on iOS and Android devices.

For more information on WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and exclusive subscriber offers, please visit shonenjump.viz.com.

For more information on VIZ Media manga titles, please visit http://shonenjump.viz.com.

VIZ Media Holiday Highlights For Kids

by Kari Lane

The year sure has flown by! Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Looking for something for the young and/or young-at-heart? Well, make sure to check out the diverse selection of all-ages manga, original graphic novels, and collectible books available from Perfect Square imprint.

“VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint focuses on delivering original comics, manga, graphic novels and other children’s books with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of a whole new generation.”

Take a look at what is available!

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Got a Bravest Warriors fan on your list? Perfect Square has two titles featuring Catbug, the breakout character of the hit animated series created by Pendleton Ward. Fans can venture to multiple dimensions with an incredible collection of artists in BRAVEST WARRIORS: THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG, and see the world as only Catbug can in CATBUG’S TREASURE BOOK. A third title, BRAVEST WARRIORS: THE GREAT CORE CAPER, allows fans of the Cartoon Hangover sensation to choose which way the story will end in Perfect Square’s first-ever multiple-choice adventure.

 

Pop culture and HELLO KITTY fans will not want to miss HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40, a hardcover anthology featuring an array of acclaimed comic artists, muralists and toy creators paying tribute to Hello Kitty in story and art. Readers also can catch Hello Kitty’s latest full color original graphic novel adventure, HELLO KITTY: WORK OF ART.

 

POKÉMON fans can select from a trio of manga (graphic novel) box set editions for POKÉMON ADVENTURES RUBY & SAPPHIRE, POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE, and POKÉMON ADVENTURES DIAMOND & PEARL/PLATINUM.

 

The legendary giant robot anime franchise, VOLTRON, also returns in the informative tribute VOLTRON: FROM DAYS OF LONG AGO, A 30th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, which explores the history of the iconic series and its lasting impact on pop culture.

 

BRAVEST WARRIORS HOLIDAY GIFT TITLES

 

BRAVEST WARRIORS PRESENTS: CATBUG’S TREASURE BOOK •
Rated “A” for All Ages • MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN • Available Now!
Says Catbug: “This book has all my secret treasures and oregano dreams! ALSO FIRE! I will share them with you because you are my friend, but it has to be our secret, okay? I love you Treasure Book!”

 

BRAVEST WARRIORS: THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG • Rated “A” for All Ages •
MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN • Available Now!
An amazing collection of artists venture to multiple dimensions to help you in…THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG! Catbug ate some weird new cubes of food that caused him to lose what little control he already had over his jump abilities! Now he’s careening through dimensions, unable to stop! Help the Bravest Warriors travel the galaxy and find Catbug. Just don’t eat any of those cube snacks or you might end up lost too! Artists include Alan Brown (BEN 10 OMNIVERSE), Mr. Warburton (Codename: Kids Next Door), Ian McGinty (UGLYDOLL, HELLO KITTY), Lee Ferguson (Miranda Mercury), Jorge Monlongo (Mr. Peabody & Sherman, HELLO KITTY), Stu Livingston (Steven Universe) and Mad Rupert (Regular Show, Adventure Time).

 

BRAVEST WARRIORS: THIS WAY OR THAT – THE GREAT CORE CAPER •
Rated “A” for All Ages • MSRP: $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN • Available Now!
In THE GREAT CORE CAPER, the planet Goober-Delta-9 will lose orbit if its stolen planetary core is not returned. Where is that core? In the most secure vault in the Galaxy – beneath SID BEEMER-BOOF’S FUN PLANET, the biggest amusement park in the known universe. The Bravest Warriors must recruit a daring team, including Plum, Catbug, President Memory Donk, Professor Brain Dog 7 and the Emotion Lord, to help them on their mission. Each team member must play their part in order to pull off the most outrageous heist of all time! And on EVERY page, the reader is in complete control of what happens next!

 

 

HELLO KITTY® HOLIDAY GIFT TITLES

 

HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40 • MSRP: $29.99 U.S. / $34.99 CAN •
Rated ‘A’ For All Ages • Available Now!
In 1974, Hello Kitty stepped on the scene, and she’s had the world wrapped around her red bow ever since. In Perfect Square’s Hello Kitty, Hello 40, an array of acclaimed comic artists, muralists and toy creators pay tribute to Hello Kitty in story and art. Contributors include the award-winning creators of the Tiny Titans series, Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani; Brian Smith, co-creator of the New York Times bestselling series Stuff of Legend; Gene Luen Yang, award-winning author of American Born Chinese and Boxers and Saints, and Uglydoll co-creator David Horvath. Everyone has a tale to tell about the cute little girl who speaks from her heart. The hardcover edition also includes a special introduction by Matt and Jennifer L. Holm, award-winning creators of the Babymouse series.

 

HELLO KITTY: WORK OF ART • MSRP: $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN •
Rated ‘A’ For All Ages • Available Now!
Picture this: Hello Kitty and her friends are making music, producing plays, snapping photos, solving mysteries and, playing with dragons? Art is all around, and Hello Kitty and her friends know exactly where to find it! This latest HELLO KITTY original graphic novel features story and full color art from Giovanni Castro, Jacob Chabot, Ian McGinty, Jorge Monlongo, and Maite Oz.
POKÉMON HOLIDAY GIFT TITLES

 

 

POKÉMON ADVENTURES RUBY & SAPPHIRE BOX SET •
MSRP: $59.99 U.S. / $79.99 CAN • Rated ‘A’ For All Ages •
Available Now!
Ruby’s father Norman is the new Gym Leader of Petalburg City. But Ruby doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps – he wants to win Pokémon Contests! Sapphire’s father Professor Birch is the local Pokémon researcher. But Sapphire is tired of gathering scientific data – she wants to win Pokémon Battles! When Ruby and Sapphire meet, they’re more likely to hit each other than hit it off. But then Sapphire challenges Ruby to a competition! Which of them will achieve their dreams in just eighty days?! The box set contains the complete Ruby & Sapphire arc (Vols. 15-22) of the bestselling POKÉMON ADVENTURES series and a collectible color poster!

 

POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE BOX SET 2 • MSRP: $25.99 U.S. / $29.99 CAN • Rated ‘A’ For All Ages • Available Now!
His entire life, Black has dreamed of winning the Pokémon League! Now he embarks on a journey to explore the Unova region and fill a Pokédex for Professor Juniper. White has an exciting career as the Trainer of a talented troupe of performing Pokémon. She dreams of making her Tepig Gigi a star! Together, Black and White continue on their journey… What surprising new Pokémon – and people – will they meet along the way?! The manga set includes POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE Volumes 9–14 and a collectible color poster!

 

POKÉMON ADVENTURES DIAMOND & PEARL/PLATINUM •
MSRP: $89.99 U.S. / $115.99 CAN • Rated ‘A’ For All Ages • Available Now!
The box set contains the complete Diamond & Pearl/Platinum story arc (Vols. 1-11) of the bestselling POKÉMON ADVENTURES series and a collectible color poster! Pokémon Trainers Pearl and Diamond are starstruck! Their lifelong dream is to floor an audience with their Pokémon comedy act. So how do they wind up as bodyguards to a pampered little rich girl on a quest to reach the peak of Mt. Coronet? Thrills and laughs are guaranteed as the POKÉMON ADVENTURES series continues with POKÉMON DIAMOND & PEARL/PLATINUM.

 

 

VOLTRON HOLIDAY GIFT TITLE

 

VOLTRON: FROM DAYS OF LONG AGO, A 30th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION • MSRP: $29.99 U.S. / $34.99 CAN • Available Now!
Thirty years ago, Voltron: Defender of the Universe hit the airwaves, and the world hasn’t been the same. Now, VOLTRON: FROM DAYS OF LONG AGO chronicles the story of VOLTRON and its cultural relevance, taking a detailed look at the story behind the show and the many related toy releases, the mythology of both Lion Force and Vehicle Voltron (with a nod to Albegas), and concludes the exciting Voltron Force saga. This new book is truly for fans, by fans: authored by Brian Smith, a former Marvel Comics editor and writer for Perfect Square’s VOLTRON FORCE® series of original graphic novels, Marc Morrell, co-host of the official “Let’s Voltron!” podcast, and Joshua Bernard, founder of CollectionDX, a popular website devoted to covering the world of Japanese toys, action figures and pop culture; with a bonus VOLTRON comic written by Smith and illustrated by Jacob Chabot, artist on the VOLTRON FORCE series; with a foreword by Jeremy Corray, former Creative Director of World Events Productions, the company behind the classic Voltron TV series.

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Additional information on titles published by Perfect Square is available at www.PerfectSquare.com.

Kari’s Manga Corner: ‘Time Killers’

by Kari Lane

Fans of Blue Exorcist will be excited to learn that Kazue Kato has a short story collection out now called Time Killers, published under the Shonen Jump imprint. Now if you have not heard of Blue Exorcist, go watch/read it right now! Fans of Kato’s writing and art style will enjoy seeing glimpses of characters they know and love in her early works. The collection starts with her award winning debut, The Rabbit and Me, which was published when she was only 19. It ends with The Miyama-Uguisu Mansion Incident which very much like her best selling manga, Blue Exorcist.

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At the back of the book, there is an excellent section of author’s notes where Kato explains the history and inspiration for each story. She mentions the final story was not a prototype for Blue Exorcist, but it is based on a rough layout she did for Blue Exorcist. Either way, it is a real treat to see the early incarnations of characters that are found in Blue Exorcist. Even if you have not watched the show or read the manga, you can still appreciate the collection. This would be a great way to see how talented Kato is as an artist and storyteller. You will notice she has many consistent themes such as rabbits, friendship/brotherhood, and tough guys who always seem to get into trouble but ultimately mean well. This collection is fantastic for established fans of her work. I loved seeing her early short stories and later reading the inspiration behind them!

Two of the stories are in beautiful full color pages as well as a couple single pages. The book itself is printed on a fine quality glossy paper which feels more elegant than your standard manga. Though Kato’s style is apparent throughout, you can see how she improves, develops her style, and becomes more confident as an artist. It is also enjoyable to see Kato’s experiments with technique such as only drawing in pencil, using different coloring tools, and drawing tons of detail work. Over Kato’s career, she had fun drawing what she was interested in, no matter how random, and that enthusiasm is visible in this collection. If you are looking from some cool stories and awesome art, kill some time with Time Killers!

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Time Killers is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $14.99 U.S.

A digital version of Time Killers is available for $10.99 (USD/CAN) from VIZManga.com and through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones, as well as through the store fronts for comiXology, Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks and GooglePlay.

Catch the Blue Exorcist manga series available in-print and digitally from VIZ Media on VIZManga.com and other partner platforms as well as the Blue Exorcist anime series which streams on HULU and Neon Alley, in addition to a host of other digital platforms available throughout North America.

For more information on Time Killers, or other shonen manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

Sailor Moon “Slumber Party” Tonight!

by Kari Lane

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VIZ Media invites Sailor Moon fans to join in a special virtual “slumber party” tonight starting at 8pm (PST)! There will be a special premiere of re-mastered classic Sailor Moon ep. 1-4 featuring a brand new English cast. Fans can stream the episodes on Neon Alley and Hulu. At the same time, the “slumber party” will be a unique live stream event on VIZ Media’s YouTube channel. Viewers can simultaneously watch the live, uncut Sailor Moon episodes and join the VIZ Media staff on its YouTube channel for a “lively evening of witty commentary, inside facts and tons of fun from the company’s headquarters in San Francisco.”

This is definitely an event Sailor Moon fans, old and new, will want to check out!

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English dubbed episodes 1-4 – featuring the brand new English cast – will be available to stream beginning Friday, September 5th at 8:00pm (PDT), and episodes 5-23 will debut 12:00am (PDT) September 7th, 2014. English dubbed episodes will be available for a limited time only. Classic SAILOR MOON Episodes 1-34 (in Japanese with English subtitles) are available now, with 2 new episodes debuting each Monday. Please visit NeonAlley.com and Hulu.com/sailor-moon for more information.

More info on Sailor Moon Crystal:

Fans of the new SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL will not want to miss the Neon Alley simulcast premiere of 2 new subtitled installments from the rebooted fantasy/action series – Episodes 5 and 6 – that will become available beginning September 5th and 19th respectively. Based on the legendary manga series, SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL (rated ‘TV-PG’), retells the story of Sailor Moon as she searches for her fellow Sailor Guardians and the Legendary Silver Crystal to stop the dark forces of Queen Beryl.

For more information on Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon Crystal, or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

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Anime Expo 2014: ‘Sailor Moon’ Day!

by Kari Lane

You might have noticed our many Sailor Moon posts because, well, there is lots of exciting Sailor Moon news lately! At Anime Expo, they even had a Sailor Moon Day organized and hosted by VIZ Media! This special day took place on the Saturday of the convention and included an official Sailor Moon panel (where they screened the new Sailor Moon Crystal episode), a photo op with the new English voice cast as well as autograph opportunities, a scavenger hunt to get a collectable coin, and a cosplay gathering (which had at least 319 Sailor Moon cosplayers!).

Many fans of Sailor Moon grew up on the show in the early to mid 90s and were thrilled to take part in this special day. I too, was thrilled about the event and dressed up in a casual Sailor Mars cosplay. Sailor Moon was one of the first shows that introduced me to anime as is case for countless others.

The gathering generated a strong feel of nostalgia for everyone who showed up. We sang the theme song together in English and in Japanese with gusto! Each group of scouts stood up to say their own transformation catch phrase (ex. Moon prism power… make up!) and every cosplay was recognized. There was a sense of solidarity that made the whole experience wonderful beyond what I could have expected.

 Sailor Moon Cosplay Pic

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Photo by Cospix.net
 

Check out this coverage of the event by Things To Do In LA. It has our singing and Sailor Moon’s catch phrase.

Following the gathering, there was another Sailor Moon photo op organized by cosplayers (see photos below).

Overall, it was a fantastic day for Sailor Moon fans new and old!

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Sailor Mars
 
 
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Sailor Uranus getting the Sailor Jupiters ready with the photographers and fans looking on
 
 
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All the Sailor Moon Cosplayers – Photo by Kazu
 
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Tuxedo Mask – Photo by Kazu
 
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Silly face! – Photo by Kazu

Classic ‘Sailor Moon’ Licensing Update

by Kari Lane

Earlier this week, we were super excited to announce that the classic Sailor Moon series will be available to watch on Hulu! Yep, VIZ Media has acquisitioned the Sailor Moon anime franchise and as part of the new agreement,  VIZ Media has licensed all 200 episodes of the original Sailor Moon anime series (rated ‘TV-PG’), including the never before licensed for North America fifth and final climatic season, Sailor Stars.  The three feature films and additional specials for the long-running show are also part of the acquisition.

SAILOR MOON will be presented digitally for the first time, with subtitled EST sets available starting Summer 2014 and dubbed editions late 2014, and DVD and deluxe limited edition Blu-ray/DVD combo packs are planned for Fall 2014. The uncut and uncensored VIZ Media release of SAILOR MOON, featuring its original uncropped 4:3 aspect ratio, will also feature all original Japanese names, story elements and relationships, as well as an all-new, uncut English dub with a new voice cast.

VIZ Media premiered Sailor Moon Episodes 1-4 (subbed) on Monday, May 19th on its free NeonAlley.com anime streaming destination and also via the subscription-based Hulu Plus in High Definition. Two new Sailor Moon episodes will premiere every Monday.  Visit www.NeonAlley.com and Hulu.com/sailormoon for more information; the trailer may also be viewed at http://www.hulu.com/watch/635233 and http://youtu.be/RWPyM9afQ-w.

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VIZ Media has also acquired the new Sailor Moon Crystal and more details will be announced at a later date.

“We’re pleased to partner with VIZ Media to bring the beloved SAILOR MOON anime series back to North America,” says Masayuki Endo, General Manager, Toei Animation, Inc. “This fresh uncut and uncensored release of SAILOR MOON featuring the most accurate adaptation available will be just as creator Naoko Takeuchi intended. We look forward to fans current and new discovering and falling in love with this classic series all over again!”

 

“SAILOR MOON is one of the extremely rare breed of anime series truly deserving of the title of ‘Legendary’,” says Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “Since its initial debut in the mid-1990’s, SAILOR MOON has been unavailable to English-speaking fans for nearly a decade. It has also never seen a complete and proper unedited release in North America…until now!”

 

“SAILOR MOON was groundbreaking in the way its storyline and main characters resonated with both a male and female audience, and these aspects continue to attract a new generation of fans eager to see this iconic series,” says Brian Ige, VIZ Media Vice President of Animation. “We’re thrilled to be able to release this empowering action title uncut and in its entirety. We invite fans to catch the official premieres on Neon Alley and to enjoy the series on DVD and Blu-ray later this year!”

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Exciting news for Anime Expo 2014 (July 3rd-6th Los Angeles Convention Center), VIZ Media will be celebrating Sailor Moon at the con! VIZ Media will host a variety of special activities and panels throughout “Sailor Moon Day,” on Saturday, July 5th. More details to come.

I would be kind of surprised if you have never heard of Sailor Moon (even Barenaked Ladies make a reference to it in one of their songs), but if you are in the dark, read below to learn what this fun series is all about.

The smash hit SAILOR MOON anime series is inspired by the bestselling manga (graphic novel) series created by Naoko Takeuchi (published in North America by Kodansha). In the series, Usagi Tsukino is a clumsy but kindhearted teenage girl who transforms into the powerful guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon. Meeting allies along the way who share similar fates, Usagi and her team of planetary Sailor Guardians fight to protect the universe from forces of evil and total annihilation!

For more information on Sailor Moon or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

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VIZ Media Will Be At Anime Central (May 16 -18)

by Kari Lane

VIZ Media announced its return to Anime Central (ACen), the Midwest’s largest anime convention, taking place May 16th to 18th about 30 minutes from Chicago in Rosemont, IL. Read their press release below to get all the info!

VIZ Media marks its return to Anime Central (ACen), the Midwest’s largest anime convention, as it announces a weekend full of unique booth giveaways, informative panel discussions, exclusive anime screenings, and other fun activities. Fans can look forward to some very special and big announcements from the company during the show.

 

The 2014 Anime Central convention takes place May 16th to 18th in Rosemont, IL, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare and the adjacent Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, located less than 30 minutes from downtown Chicago. VIZ Media will be located in Booth #126. Complete details on Anime Central are available at: http://www.acen.org.

 

Stop by the VIZ Media booth throughout the convention for a host of special giveaways including RANMA ½ postcards, full-color collectable posters for NARUTO, ONE PIECE, RANMA ½ and more, along with free manga samplers featuring a range of popular characters and bestselling titles from the North America’s leading publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime.

 

VIZ Media also invites Anime Central attendees to discover its Neon Alley 24/7 anime channel. Fill out a short survey form in the booth expressing your manga and anime preferences and get a free durable Neon Alley drawstring backpack (while supplies last)!

 

Neon Alley is available anytime, anywhere on the web for FREE and across major digital platforms, including PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Roku, Chromecast, and most mobile devices through the subscription-based Hulu Plus Video-On-Demand service. Neon Alley offers the hottest in subbed and dubbed digital series, simulcast world premieres, exclusive on-demand access, and a massive legacy catalog of new as well as classic favorites (in HD when available).

 

VIZ Media’s Anime Central Panels Include:

Friday May 16th

5:00 – 6:00PM    VIZ Media Industry Panel

                             (Panel Room 1) – Special Announcements at Panel!

Join the VIZ Media staff for an insightful presentation and Q & A session about the latest in manga and anime! We will be talking about the latest news, upcoming releases and other noteworthy announcements from the publishing and animation teams. Fans will definitely want to stick around until the end for some special announcements and an exclusive giveaway item (while supplies last)!

 

Saturday May 17th

5:00 – 6:00PM    VIZ Media Featuring Neon Alley Animation Panel

                             (Panel Room 1)

A fun and unique panel about all things anime! Join VIZ Media and the Neon Alley team as they discuss all the new and exciting news and new titles including what’s coming up on DVD, Blu-ray and the newly expanded anime streaming service, Neon Alley.

 

Love of all things anime is one of the foundations of Anime Central and VIZ Media is pleased offer fans and attendees a wide range of special premieres and screenings throughout the duration of the convention. Catch the must-see World Dub Premiere of BLOOD LAD, Episodes 1 & 2, on Saturday, May 17th beginning at 8:00pm in the Lambert Room at the Hyatt. Fresh from the recording studio, fans won’t want to miss this premiere of the top-rated English cast for this dark comedy series about a vampire that falls for a high school girl who becomes a ghost.

 

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Also don’t miss special convention screenings of other acclaimed VIZ Media anime titles including COPPELION, BERSERK THE GOLDEN AGE ARC III THE ADVENT, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, ACCEL WORLD, K, NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN and RANMA ½ in High Definition. Specific screening times and dates will be listed in the official convention program guide.

 

Additional information on Neon Alley is available at: www.NeonAlley.com.

For more information on anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit: www.VIZ.com.

VIZ Media Supports Free Comic Book Day With Graphic Novel And Manga Samplers

by Kari Lane

Free Comic Book Day is tomorrow (May 3rd)! Read below to hear about the exciting releases from VIZ Media via their press release!

VIZ Media is proud to be a supporter and sponsor of 2014 Free Comic Book Day, and participates this year with a pair of special FREE manga and full-color original graphic novel samplers from the all-ages Perfect Square imprint, as well as out-of-this world previews from its first Haikasoru original graphic novel and VIZ Signature.

 

VIZ Media participates this year as a Gold Level Sponsor and will offer two FREE exclusive releases (available while supplies last).

 

HELLO KITTY AND FRIENDS, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2014 EDITION

Readers of all ages can join in the fun with Hello Kitty and her friends in all-new full-color adventures! This time they’re letting their imaginations run wild in two stories from the upcoming HELLO KITTY: JUST IMAGINE…, scheduled for August 2014 (MSRP: $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN). Plus don’t miss a special sneak peek of Perfect Square’s upcoming tribute book, HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40: A Celebration in 40 Stories, celebrating Hello Kitty’s 40th anniversary and iconic cultural impact. Scheduled for Fall release (MSRP: $29.99 U.S. / $34.99 CAN).

 

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Also debuting in the Perfect Square 2014 Free Comic Book Day sampler are special bonus pages from BRAVEST WARRIORS: THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG (July, MSRP $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN), featuring the adventures of the irrepressible Catbug, the darling, fan favorite character from Cartoon Hangover’s Bravest Warriors!

 

A special Perfect Square trailer for Free Comic Book Day may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE-4DlsiWMc&authuser=0.

 

The VIZ Media 2014 Free Comic Book Day VIZ Signature manga sampler is aimed at older teen and adult readers and will offer excerpts from the new ALL YOU NEED IS KILL official graphic novel adaptation and the forthcoming manga series, TERRA FORMARS.

 

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, AND TERRA FORMARS SNEAK PREVIEW!

Live…Die…Repeat… The mantra continues in exciting new graphic novel form and sci-fi and action fans are invited to preview an entire chapter from the new ALL YOU NEED IS KILL official graphic novel adaptation (May 6th debut, MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN). The gripping release from the Haikasoru imprint offers a single-volume retelling of the acclaimed ALL YOU NEED IS KILL novel, and is written by Haikasoru editor and noted sci-fi author, Nick Mamatas featuring full-color artwork by popular comic book artist Lee Ferguson (Green Arrow, Miranda Mercury). When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is one of many recruits shoved into battle armor Jackets and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn to fight and die again and again. He receives a message from a mysterious ally – is she the key to Keiji’s escape or his final death? The full ALL YOU NEED IS KILL graphic novel carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN.

 

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Manga fans can also catch an early peek of TERRA FORMARS, the tense sci-fi horror series created by Yu Sasuga and illustrated by Kenichi Tachibana that has become a bestseller in Japan (MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN). In TERRA FORMARS, the colonization of Mars is an epoch-making event, but an unintended side effect of the terra-forming process unleashes a monstrous horror that no one could ever have imagined… Look for its serialized debut this July in print and digital formats from the VIZ Signature imprint and VIZManga.com.

Readers should visit freecomicbookday.com to find a local participating retailer in their area.
 
For information on other all-ages titles available from the Perfect Square imprint, please visit: www.perfectsquare.com.
 
For more information on VIZ Signature and other manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit: www.viz.com.

New Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt Movie Tie-In Novel Set To Release On 4/29!

by Kari Lane

VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint supports the upcoming release of the gripping sci-fi action film, Edge of Tomorrow with the release of an official movie tie-in novel available April 29th. The new Edge of Tomorrow paperback will cost $7.99. As you can see from the picture below, the book cover features the official movie poster with Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The Edge of Tomorrow novel was written by Japanese author Hiroshi Sakurazaka and was previously published as All You Need Is Kill.

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The Haikasoru imprint has also announced the May 6th release of the ALL YOU NEED IS KILL official graphic novel adaptation. Written by Haikasoru editor and noted sci-fi author, Nick Mamatas, and featuring full-color artwork by popular comic book artist Lee Ferguson (Green Arrow, Miranda Mercury), the new graphic novel offers a single-volume retelling of the original ALL YOU NEED IS KILL novel that inspired the EDGE OF TOMORROW movie. The graphic novel carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN, and features an oversized North American graphic novel trim size of 6 5/8″ x 10 ¼”. An eBook edition will also be available worldwide for $8.99 (U.S. / CAN) for the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook Book Store, and the Kobo eBooks Store. North American fans can also access the graphic novel digitally on the VIZ Manga App as well as through VIZManga.com.

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The Edge of Tomorrow feature film is scheduled to be released from Warner Bros. Pictures on June 6th  in 3D, 3D IMAX and regular 2D. The film is directed by Doug Liman and stars Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton.

The story is set in the future when aliens called Mimics invade. Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. But he dies on the battlefield after only a few minutes, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally – the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji’s escape or his final death?

 

In 2009, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL served as the launch title for Haikasoru, a unique imprint developed by VIZ Media dedicated to publishing the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy for English-speaking audiences. New York Times best-selling author John Scalzi declared ALL YOU NEED IS KILL to be a novel that, “reads fast, kicks ass, and keeps on coming,” and it has proven to be one of Haikasoru’s most popular titles. Sakurazaka’s other novels include Characters (co-written with Hiroki Azuma) and SLUM ONLINE, which was published in English by Haikasoru in 2010.

 

“Live…die…repeat. ALL YOU NEED IS KILL / EDGE OF TOMORROW delivers a nightmarish, action-packed spin on reliving one’s own triumphs, and failures,” says Nick Mamatas, Editor, Haikasoru. “Catch the original story that inspired the gripping movie with the official movie tie-in edition and in the Western comic book mode with the ALL YOU NEED IS KILL official graphic novel. Both of these debuts are perfect reads leading up to the highly anticipated theatrical debut of Edge of Tomorrow this summer!”

 

“The ALL YOU NEED TO KILL graphic novel stays very true to the original source novel,” says Joel Enos, editor for the new comic. “We made a conscious effort to create something unique that could stand on it’s own away from both the original novel, the film and the upcoming manga, but would nicely complement and pay respects to all three! Lee’s retro-futuristic art style especially puts ALL YOU NEED TO KILL as a comic into it’s own orbit!”

For more information on Edge of Tomorrow / All You Need Is Kill and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit www.haikasoru.com.

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

Kari’s Manga Corner: First Impressions of ‘Deadman Wonderland’

by Kari Lane

It was a day like any other day until all of Ganta Igarashi’s classmates were brutally murdered right in front of him by a mysterious “Red Man”. Being the lone survivor, fourteen year old Ganta is charged with the murders and receives the death penalty! He is then sent to Deadman Wonderland, a bizarre and fatal theme park/prison. It is a privatized prison that has the prisoners “perform” for tourists/viewers to fund the restoration of Tokyo which was destroyed ten years ago by a massive earthquake. Will Ganta survive this intense place where everyone seems to be more than a little bit crazy? Shortly after his arrival, Ganta meets an insanely strong, skin-toned bodysuit wearing girl named Shiro, who seems to be from Ganta’s past (though he does not remember her). Who can he trust in this strange place? Who is there to help and who is there to harm him?

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I blazed through Deadman Wonderland (story and art by Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondou) volume 1 and 2. It is an exciting ride with intriguing mysteries. Who is the Red Man? Why is Ganta special? How is Shiro so strong?! The pacing is engaging and definitely makes for a page turner. I enjoy post apocalyptic stories and this reminds me of the films from the 70s and 80s like Running Man and Rollerball. It has lots of action and drawn to effectively convey movement! Some pages break up the traditional layout with many panel image overlays. This variation allows for important moments/expressions/people to be showcased.

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Ganta is somewhat your standard anime kid who is trying to learn why/how he is special aside from being full of determination. I love how crazy and seemingly oblivious Shiro is. She often provides the comic relief. Yo Takami (a thief and possible friend to Ganta) is unpredictable and I am curious to see how his character will develop. You learn a bit more about what is really going on and get more information on the characters in volume 2 (I won’t spoil it for you), but it still keeps you guessing and wanting more!

The manga opens with six awesome full colored pages. The over all style is very clean and detailed. The variations in the speech/thought bubbles adds even more emphasis to what is occurring in that moment.

If you want something with action, rich characters, a crazy environment and mystery, then you need to check out Deadman Wonderland!

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DEADMAN WONDERLAND, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $9.99

To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit www.vizmanga.com.

The Second ‘Tiger & Bunny’ Movie Is In Theaters!

by Kari Lane

Fans of Tiger & Bunny will be happy to learn that the second film, Tiger & Bunny the Movie: The Rising, is now in theaters for a limited release! Viz Media announced there will be a special screening in San Francisco on March 22nd at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema located inside the “dynamic Japanese pop culture entertainment venue in San Francisco’s Japantown at 1746 Post St. In partnership with ELEVEN ARTS, the second and latest action-packed feature film in the smash hit Japanese superhero franchise is also debuting in a national theatrical premiere at select theaters in 21 U.S. cities Friday, March 14th through March 26th.”

TIGER & BUNNY THE MOVIE: THE RISING, which premiered in Japan in February, will screen at the ultra-modern NEW PEOPLE Cinema on Saturday, March 22nd at 2:30pm and again at 6:00pm. Pre-sale tickets for the special NEW PEOPLE premiere are on sale now for $15.00 each (plus service fees) and are available exclusively at the theatre box office or at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/582176. A special TIGER & BUNNY premium clear movie file card and a full-color mini double-sided poster also will be given to attendees while supplies last. Additional screening information is also available from the NEW PEOPLE website at: www.newpeopleworld.com/schedule/2014/2/14/tiger-bunny-the-movie-the-rising.

Don’t live near San Francisco? Not to worry. Read on to learn when and where you can catch a screening!

For moviegoers outside of the San Francisco area, TIGER & BUNNY THE MOVIE: THE RISING will screen in an additional 21 U.S. cities including New York, Boston, Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Houston, Miami and more. Tickets are currently on-sale for $15.00 each. Attendees will each receive the free 12” x 18” premium cardstock movie mini-poster and exclusive clear movie file card while supplies last. Please visit www.elevenarts.net/th_gallery/tigerandbunny-therising/ for a complete list of cities and advance ticket sales.

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Curious to know what the sequel is about?

In TIGER & BUNNY THE MOVIE: THE RISING, the heroes are back in an all-new feature-length film! Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, a.k.a. Wild Tiger, and Barnaby Brooks Jr.’s partnership comes to a sudden end when Apollon Media’s new owner Mark Schneider fires Kotetsu and moves Barnaby back into the First League, pairing him up with Golden Ryan, a new hero with awesome powers and a huge ego to match. When the heroes are sent to investigate a string of strange incidents tied closely to the city’s Goddess Legend, they discover three superpowered NEXTs plotting to bring terror and destruction to Stern Bild.

VIZ Media is the also distributor of the TIGER & BUNNY manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens), which features artwork by Mizuki Sakakibara and is based on the massively popular animated series, created by the famed Tokyo-based anime studio Sunrise. VIZ Media also licenses and distributes the popular TIGER & BUNNY feature film and anime series that are available on DVD/Blu-ray.

More information on the TIGER & BUNNY anime is available at: www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny and VIZAnime.com/tiger-and-bunny/

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

Viz Media Previews Perfect Square’s Summer and Fall 2014 Collectible Releases

by Kari Lane

Get ready for the launch of two Bravest Warriors titles in the summer of 2014 and an exclusive anniversary hardcover for Hello Kitty® in the fall of 2014!

The forthcoming titles feature memorable characters and stories that are universally loved by a diverse cross section of adult, teen, and young adult readers. Fans can look forward to the launch of two fun releases from Perfect Square’s newest addition, BRAVEST WARRIORS, as well as an anniversary collectible for HELLO KITTY that are scheduled for release in print and digitally via the Perfect Square App beginning this summer and continuing into fall. The Perfect Square App, available from the iTunes store, offers a wide variety of All Ages titles available for the Apple iPad® and iPad® Mini. Fans can also find digital versions of Perfect Square titles for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo ereaders, as well as in the iBooks and GooglePlay Stores. “Each of our forthcoming titles will expand the Perfect Square catalog in a dynamic way, from the out-of-this-world and irreverent BRAVEST WARRIORS, to the anniversary companion book for the timeless HELLO KITTY,” says Beth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director, Perfect Square. “We look forward to issuing release dates and additional information on each of these exciting titles in coming months and to readers of all ages enjoying these new titles throughout the summer and fall.”

New Perfect Square 2014 Releases Include: BRAVEST WARRORS PRESENTS: CATBUG’S TREASURE BOOK· MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN · Print & Digital Available Summer 2014 In CATBUG’S TREASURE BOOK we see the world through Catbug’s unique perspective. Presented as a kind of scrapbook, the pages are filled with his playtime imaginings and souvenirs of his adventures with the Bravest Warriors. There’s no telling what will be revealed on the pages of Catbug’s Treasure Book!

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BRAVEST WARRIORS: THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG · MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN · Print & Digital Available Summer 2014 An amazing collection of artists venture to multiple dimensions to help you in…THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG! Catbug ate some weird new cubes of food that caused him to lose what little control he already had over his jump abilities! Now he’s careening through dimensions, unable to stop! Help the Bravest Warriors travel the galaxy and find Catbug. Just don’t eat any of those cube snacks or you might end up lost too!

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HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40: A Celebration in 40 Stories · MSRP: $29.99 U.S. / $34.99 CAN · Print & Digital Available Fall 2014 Forty years ago, Hello Kitty stepped on the scene, and she’s had the world wrapped around her little red bow ever since. Here, some of her biggest fans pay tribute in the best way they know how: through story and art. From comic artists to muralists to toy creators, everyone has a tale to tell about the little girl who speaks from her heart. The new book also features an introduction by Babymouse co-creators Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm.

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VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint focuses on delivering original comics, graphic novels and other books with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of a whole new generation.

Additional information on titles published by Perfect Square is available at www.PerfectSquare.com.

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

Get Your Hands On The Action Anime Series ‘K’!

by Kari Lane

The wait is finally over! The psychological anime action thriller K will be released as a special limited edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, as well as a standard DVD edition, on February 25th! Read on to learn more about the awesome combo pack and engaging series!

The acclaimed 13-episode series is rated TV-14 and will be offered as a special 4-Disc limited edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with an MSRP of $69.99 US/CAN. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack will come packaged in a luxurious collectible specialty print chipboard box holding the art booklet and disc case. The set also includes a full-color 80 page premium art booklet containing individual episode synopses, character profiles, poster art, translated song lyrics, an exclusive KANAME☆ K cosplay photo gallery and interview, and much more! The standard edition 2-disc DVD set will be offered at an MSRP $44.88 US/CAN.

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If you are not familiar with this cool title, here is the exciting synopsis!

K introduces viewers to Shiro, an easygoing teenager content with just being a student – until his seemingly perfect life is suddenly halted when a bloodthirsty clan, glowing red with fire, attempts to kill him in the streets. Unbeknownst to Shiro, he is suspected of murdering a member of their clan and will need a miracle to escape their vengeance. Miraculously, a young man named Kuroh Yatogami swings in and aids Shiro in his getaway, only to reveal afterward he’s also after Shiro’s life. Now a hunted man, Shiro will have to evade the clans of seven powerful kings and desperately try to prove his innocence – before it’s too late!”

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VIZ Media premiered K in North America on its VIZAnime.com streaming service on the same day as the Japanese broadcast debut and the series continues to grow in popularity in rotation on the company’s Neon Alley 24/7 anime channel.

Here is the Neon Alley trailer (English) for K !

“Filled with gorgeous imagery, attractive characters and an engaging story from GoRa and GoHands, K became a viewer favorite during its simulcast premiere and subsequent runs on Neon Alley,” says Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “With such a fantastic fan response, we’re pleased to have K be our first Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack title. With such beautiful packaging and loads of extras, we hope fans will become as excited about this upcoming release as we are!”

For more information on K and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit www.VIZAnime.com.

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VIZ Media Releases New 3-in-1 Manga Edition Of ‘High School Debut’!

by Kari Lane

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, High School Debut has been released as a new 3-in-1 omnibus edition (manga)!  It is story of a girl’s “endearing and hilarious quest for love.”

The opening omnibus volume from the Shojo Beat imprint contains the first 3 volumes of the hit series by Kazune Kawahara, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN. VIZ Media will release Vol. 2 of the 3-in-1 adaptations on May 6th. The final 3-in-1 volume (Vol. 5) will contain the series finale as well as 2 additional volumes of special side stories and collected new material that has never before been published in English.

Individual volumes of HIGH SCHOOL DEBUT are also available digitally for $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) on VIZManga.com and the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones and 7” tablets as well as for the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and GooglePlay stores.

Read on to learn more about this adorable and romantic story!

Hapless Haruna needs help finding a boyfriend! After failing to win the eye of any guy in high school, Haruna enlists the help of cute upperclassman Yoh to coach her on how to make herself more appealing. Yoh agrees, but with one catch: Haruna better not fall for him! In the opening volumes, with Yoh’s help, Haruna starts to discover all sorts of dating tips – how to dress better, what guys to avoid, and what it feels like to fall in love for the first time. Haruna’s foray into love has its ups and downs, but nothing’s going to prepare her for when she actually lands herself a boyfriend!

“Whether you are a seasoned shojo fan or new to the genre of girls manga comics, this 3-in-1 edition of HIGH SCHOOL DEBUT is a wonderful way to revisit this funny and endearing story or enjoy it for the very first time,” says Amy Yu, Editor. “The series has been named one of the Great Graphic Novels for Teens by the Young Adult Library Services Association and remains a favorite with readers. Don’t miss this new release from Shojo Beat!”

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For more information on High School Debut, or other popular shojo manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit http://www.viz.com/manga/print/shojo-beat.

Kari’s Manga Corner: First Impressions Of ‘Black Bird’

by Kari Lane

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Want passion, mythology and demons? Then you need to check out Black Bird by Kanoko Sakurakouji. There is a whole world of demons and spirits that intersects ours but only a few can see it. Young Misao Harada can, and not only that, she is the Senka Maiden! If a demon drinks her blood they will become more powerful, if they eat her flesh they will become immortal, and if they marry her their clan will thrive. Suddenly a handsome and mysterious man, Kyo, comes into Misao’s life and apparently they knew each other as children. Well, it turns out that Kyo is also a demon, and not just any demon, he is the head of the Tengu (bird demon) clan! Is Kyo the same as Misao remembers? Does he want her for his bride? Does he have sinister motives? Or does he really love Misao? What’s a sixteen year old girl to do?!

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I have enjoyed reading this title. The art is a bit different than I have seen before. The characters have wider faces than typical anime/manga characters. Kyo especially has a wide face (narrow oval eyes that are wide and a wide mouth). It is like his face has been pulled to the sides, yet he is still good looking. Misao has HUGE round eyes that add to her childlike personality. Also, everyone’s pupils have this scribble/scratchy look that gives them all a dream-like quality. There are lots of detailed patterns on the clothing which gives artwork a sense of realism. Emotions are a big part of Shojo manga and they are expressed nicely in this series. They range from a sly smirk to over the top, but it all comes across as believable.

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The story is engaging and the characters are likeable. However, it flickers across the line between sexy and slightly uncomfortable. For example: Misao is a typical teenager who falls madly in love with Kyo and there are jokes about his advances that are playful but it is clear Misao is not thrilled with his forwardness most of the time. Then the story redeems itself by having Kyo tell Misao he does not want to pressure her into sex and will wait until she is ready. Their cuddling and kissing is super romantic and you just want them to be together. Also, you should not be bothered by blood because there is a bit of violence and Misao is constantly tormented by smaller demons in the beginning. As the Senka Maiden, Misao is occasionally kidnapped and held prisoner which presents a sort of BDSM situation (one situation is particularly graphic). Be warned: Misao cries a lot! This makes most of the scenarios a lot less sexy or just awkward. Even with all of that, I thoroughly enjoy reading the intense romance between Kyo and Misao and I enjoy the series pushing the limits.

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Currently I am almost done with volume 5 and plan to finish the series. One other thing the series has going for it is there is a lot of humor which helps lighten the mood. Black Bird captures the passion of young love and explores different kinds of relationships that make Shojo manga so enjoyable to read!

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VIZ Media Kicks Off February With A New Digital Manga Update!

by Kari Lane

For the first half of February, VIZ Media will be releasing a new round of digital manga titles. Two particular series debuting will be the classic, Dragon Ball (available now), “presented for the first time in a vivid full-color collection” and Deadman Wonderland (available February 11th) ,”the gritty post-apocalyptic prison action-drama.”

Readers will not want to miss these new releases as well as digital updates to over two-dozen other series featured on VIZManga.com and the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones and 7” tablets, as well as on the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and GooglePlay stores. With these dynamic platforms, fans can explore and enjoy a wide range of new and classic manga series that spans more than 2,000 volumes across 170 different series.

New additions to more than 25 popular ongoing VIZ Media series will include digital updates for fan favorites such as BLEACH, HAPPY MARRIAGE, MAGI, TORIKO, Osamu Tezuka’s award-winning PHOENIX, and many more, as well as the series finale for A DEVIL AND HER LOVE SONG, and special double-volume updates for BASARA, BOYS OVER FLOWERS, and YUYU HAKUSHO.

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DRAGON BALL FULL COLOR, Vol. 1  Rated ‘A’ for All Ages

MSRP: $12.99 (U.S. / CAN) Available Now!

Son Goku is the greatest hero on Earth. Five years after defeating the demon king Piccolo, he’s grown up and has a family. But what is the real reason for Goku’s incredible strength? A visitor from outer space arrives bearing terrible news – Goku is an alien, and the visitor, Raditz, is Goku’s brother! When Raditz turns out to be a ruthless killer, Goku must fight his incredibly strong brother to save his family and the entire human race. A surprising alliance may be Earth’s last hope: Goku will team up with his old enemy Piccolo to save the world!

 

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DEADMAN WONDERLAND, Vol. 1 Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens

MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN)  Available February 11th!

Framed for the brutal murders of his classmates by the mysterious Red Man, middle school student Ganta Igarashi finds himself sentenced to death and sent to the bizarre and fatal theme park/prison that has risen from the ruins of the Great Tokyo Earthquake – a hell on earth known as “Deadman Wonderland.”

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 view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo ereaders, as well as in the iBooks and GooglePlay Stores.

All manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) each and readers can also explore all titles with free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

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

To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit www.vizmanga.com.

 

Stay tuned for my review of Deadman Wonderland volume 1!

Ready For Some Turbo-Charged Action? Check out ‘Max Steel: Hero Overload’

by Kari Lane

Max Steel fans will be excited to learn that VIZ Media has released the newest installment of the ongoing series of “original graphic novels based on the hit kids action adventure property, MAX STEEL™, with the release of MAX STEEL: HERO OVERLOAD”!

MAX STEEL: HERO OVERLOAD features an original story by B. Clay Moore and artwork by Alfa Robbi. The full-color release from VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint is available now, rated ‘A’ for All Ages, and carries an MSRP of $7.99 U.S. A digital version is also available for $4.99 U.S. from the Perfect Square App, which offers titles for the Apple iPad® and iPad® Mini. The Perfect Square App is available from the iTunes store. Fans can also find a digital version for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo ereaders, as well as in the iBooks and GooglePlay Stores.

Curious to know what this exciting volume is about? Read on!

In the latest adventure, Max Steel realizes that he isn’t the only superhero around. Max encounters a trio of super-powered teens with mysterious skills who are in serious need of training. He takes on the task, but can Max get these new heroes up to speed before they have to battle a real threat? One of Max’s biggest baddies is waiting in the wings to strike… and Max is going to have to face him with a bunch of newbies!

Unfamiliar with Max Steel? Read on to get all the info on this cool action superhero!

Originally developed by Mattel, MAX STEEL is a global boy’s entertainment franchise spanning toys, publishing and consumer products. Season 1 of an acclaimed MAX STEEL CGI animated series, co-produced with FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment, has also captivated legions of fans of all ages on the Disney XD channel in the U.S. and Teletoons in Canada. In the TV and original graphic novel series, Maxwell McGrath™ is just an average 16-year-old boy… until he starts experiencing uncontrollable Turbo Energy! To control this amazing superpower, he must merge with a know-it-all alien Ultralink™ named Steel. Steel gives Maxwell the ability to harness his power and merge his own to create one unified super force – Max Steel – and together, this unlikely duo will battle to save the earth as the ultimate turbocharged superhero!  Max Steel draws upon turbo-charged teamwork, laughter and friendship to help kids overcome life’s obstacles — from the everyday, to the out-of-this-world. For more information, visit www.maxsteel.com

Check out what the character designer and editor of the graphic novel had to say about this volume!

“In Hero Overload, the latest graphic novel featuring teen superhero MAX STEEL, Max encounters a new team of superhero peers that were created exclusively for this story by writer B. Clay Moore. The new characters have a design from Alfa Robbi that helps them fit perfectly into the world of Max Steel, and of course, they are not at all what you might think when you first meet them,” says Joel Enos, Editor for the MAX STEEL™ graphic novels. “As you can expect from a veteran comics writer like B. Clay Moore, the action jumps off from the very first page. And like all our Perfect Square books, readers of all ages can really dig into this turbo-powered new story!”

 

VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint focuses on delivering original comics, manga (graphic novels) and other children’s books with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of a whole new generation. Additional information on titles published by Perfect Square is available at www.PerfectSquare.com.

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

 

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MAX STEEL and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from Mattel, Inc. ©2014 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

VIZ Media And ‘Weekly Shonen Jump’ Have Some New Manga For You!

by Kari Lane

Can you believe we are already halfway through January?! Well, to kick off the second half of month VIZ Media has a bunch of new digital manga titles as well as an update to the digital WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Starter Pack.  Fans won’t want to miss all the new manga updates that will be available today and January 28th at VIZManga.com and through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones and 7” tablets! The digital manga titles are also available on the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iBooks and GooglePlay stores.

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A new WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Jump Pack, combining a 3-month WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP digital subscription, YU-GI-OH! Collectible Card, and print edition sneak peek of series featured in the anthology, is also now available in stores.

 

An update to the popular and free WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Starter Pack is also available at VIZManga.com; no subscription or purchase is necessary. The update also includes the first chapter of the new ALL YOU NEED IS KILL manga, by acclaimed creator Takeshi Obata (artist for DEATH NOTE and more), based on the bestselling novel by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. With the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Starter Pack, manga fans can get up-to-date on all current series featured in the world’s most popular weekly manga magazine before diving into the latest issue. WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP carries the latest installments of some of the world’s most popular manga series including ONE PIECE, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, NISEKOI, BLEACH, TORIKO, and WORLD TRIGGER, released digitally by VIZ Media each week to English readers on the same day as their general release in Japan. For more information on WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and exclusive subscriber offers, please visit shonenjump.viz.com.

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Also new for the second-half of January is the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Jump Pack, which gives Shonen Jump fans an ideal way to access all of the publication’s great manga, secure collectable Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, and gain access to 3 months of digital WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP content in one convenient location.  The first full issue for 2014 is now available, and features a Yu-Gi-Oh! “Archfiend Commander” Card along with a chance to win an extra “Slifer: The Sky Dragon” card. Complete details are contained in the new issue. The Jump Pack is rated ‘T’ for Teens, carries an MSRP of $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN, and is available exclusively through retailers serviced by Diamond Comic Distributors. Interested fans should check with their local comics retailer for availability.

 

The second-half of January also sees the digital debut of Osamu Tezuka’s legendary manga masterwork PHOENIX, as well as updates to 17 other popular ongoing manga series, including the exciting conclusion to the action series BLACK CAT, and new multi-volume updates to other series including BABY & ME, BOYS OVER FLOWERS, FIREFIGHTER! DAIGO OF FIRE COMPANY M, KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC (SAINT SEIYA), MUHYO & ROJI’S BUREAU OF SUPERNATURAL INVESTIGATION, SKIP BEAT!, and YUYU HAKUSHO.

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PHOENIX Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $10.99 (U.S. / CAN)

Considered by many to be the peak of Osamu Tezuka’s artistic achievement and called his “life’s work” by the author, PHOENIX is composed of twelve complex stories linked by the presence of the mythical bird, an immortal guardian of the universal life force. Read in order, the separate stories jump across time, alternating between a distant future and a distant past, converging on the present, with characters from one story being reincarnated in another. With grand historical sweep, the self-contained opening volume of Osamu Tezuka’s acclaimed PHOENIX saga gives an epic account of the human spirit in a time of chaos and warfare, where would-be warrior Nagi and his crew struggle against the elements, invaders, and history itself.

All manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) each and readers can also explore all titles with free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

 

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

To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit www.vizmanga.com.

‘Weekly Shonen Jump’ Celebrates Their Anniversary With A Special Issue!

by Kari Lane

VIZ Media marked Weekly Shonen Jump‘s 2 Year Digital Anniversary with the debut of All You Need Is Kill, by acclaimed manga creator Takeshi Obata, in a special issue debuting TODAY, January 11th.

Weekly Shonen Jump takes a short break in Japan next week, but to launch this highly anticipated new series, VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump editors have prepared a very special Takeshi Obata-themed edition that coincides with the sophomore anniversary of the digital launch of the publication.

 

Scheduled for a Saturday release, this bonus issue will feature Chapter 1 of ALL YOU NEED IS KILL along with previews of Obata Sensei’s greatest hits. ALL YOU NEED IS KILL is the story of a futuristic soldier who dies in battle and is reborn each day to defend Earth against deadly alien invaders called Mimics. Takeshi Obata is a renowned artist of several massively successful manga series including DEATH NOTE, BAKUMAN。, RALΩGRAD, and HIKARU NO GO (all titles also published in North America by VIZ Media)

 

The original ALL YOU NEED IS KILL novel, by author Hiroshi Sakurazaka, has been called, “science fiction for the adrenaline junkie,” and is published in North America by VIZ Media’s Haikasoru imprint. The novel been notably adapted into a forthcoming sci-fi live-action blockbuster, titled Edge of Tomorrow, scheduled for release this summer from Warner Bros. and starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton.

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“WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is the world’s leading ambassador for manga content and, aided by the advent of digital technology, we are able to oversee the simultaneous release of the latest chapters of some of the world’s most popular series to fans in North America as well as in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Oceania,” says Editor-in-Chief Andy Nakatani. “We were honored to be the first publication to bring Takeshi Obata’s newest work to North American readers and we look forward to him reaching an even wider international fan base with the debut of the ALL YOU NEED IS KILL manga.”

 

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is the world’s premiere manga brand and leading weekly manga magazine. VIZ Media offers North American fans single issues for only $0.99 each and 1 Year Memberships are available for only $25.99 and include 48 weekly digital issues as well as exclusive Yu-Gi-Oh! Collectable Trading Cards, special one-shot manga, exclusive digital-only promotions, and access to additional subscriber-only content including creator interviews and insightful promo videos. Current subscribers can also access their accounts via VIZManga.com, the VIZ Manga App, or with the Apple iPad Newsstand App.

 

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is further available to North American fans as well as readers in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa via the Newsstand App for the Apple iPad® and iPad® Mini or the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP App on the Google Play Store for Android devices. International issues debut each Monday at 10:00am (PST) and monthly subscriptions are available with automatic monthly renewals. (*Note: Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are not available to iPad Newsstand or international subscribers) Additional information on international subscriptions is available at: http://shonenjump.viz.com/international-wsj-app.

 

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP International Subscription Pricing:

  • U.S. – $2.99 / month
  • UK – £1.99 / month
  • Ireland – 2,69 € / month
  • Australia – $2.99 (AUD) / month
  • New Zealand – $4.19 (NZD) / month
  • South Africa – R24.99 / month

 

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP features an award-winning roster of the very latest chapters of popular ongoing manga series such as BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, NARUTO, NISEKOI, ONE PIECE, ONE-PUNCH MAN, SERAPH OF THE END, TORIKO, WORLD TRIGGER, YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL and a colorized version of the classic DRAGON BALL.

For more information on WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and exclusive subscriber offers, please visit shonenjump.viz.com.

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

Xbox 360/Xbox Live Users Can Now Have Some Fun Naruto Inspired Avatars!

by Kari Lane

Hey Xbox users, check out some new avatars you can get! Read on to learn more and see more avatar pics!

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VIZ Media gives Xbox 360 and Xbox Live users across North America a fun new way to show their love for the hit NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime. Fans can customize their avatars with a selection themed iconography from the hit series, including t-shirts and full costumes. Xbox Live Avatars represent users of the Xbox Live service on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One video game consoles. Users are invited to visit http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/AvatarMarketplace to shop a range of fun NARUTO SHIPPUDEN-inspired items that are available now.

 

 

A selection of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN custom virtual attire, including four (4) t-shirts and eleven (11) costumes, are now available for between $1.00 and $3.99 each. NARUTO avatar themes are available to Xbox 360 and Xbox One users of the innovative Xbox Live service. Fans can also purchase real-world versions of the virtual NARUTO t-shirts from leading apparel retailers, including ThinkGeek: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/11a4/.

 

 

Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga properties. The manga series (rated ‘T’, in print and digital editions) and anime counterpart (NARUTO & NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, rated ‘TV-14’) are some of VIZ Media’s most successful titles and have captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe, and South America. Additional information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at www.viz.com/Naruto.

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Kari’s Manga Corner: First Impressions of ‘Nisekoi: False Love’

by Kari Lane

Remember you first crush? How old were you? Did you make a promise to your special someone? Well, that is what Raku Ichijo did in Nisekoi (False Love) by Naoshi Komi. He is the heir of a yakuza clan and ten years ago he made a promise to his childhood sweetheart. She gave him a lock pendent, she kept the key, and they promised to get married when they meet again as grownups. Now, Raku is in high school and still believes he will meet her again but he has forgotten her name and what she looks like! Things get complicated when a new girl, Chitoge Kirisaki, transfers to Raku’s school. Immediately the two fight over EVERYTHING! It turns out she is the daughter to a rival gang and in order to keep the peace, Raku’s father and Chitoge’s father implore the two to date. Both kids can think of nothing worse but soon realize that their fake love might really be the only way to stop the gangs from fighting each other.

Volume 1 is full of action, extreme emotions (it is high school after all) and the romance is fun to read. Will Raku fall for the brute Chitoge? Will Onodera (the girl Raku actually has a crush on) turn out to be the locket girl? I am actually kind of torn between the two girls and who I want to end up with Raku which goes to show how well written the love story is. The art style shows off the emotions and action sequences well with expressive facial expressions and lots of lines to show the tension and movement.

At first, I thought the potential love plot line between Raku and Chitoge would be cliché, but Komi has pulled me in. The characters have depth and you really want to know what happens to them. You will have to check out volume 1 to find out what happens! I will be on the look out for volume 2!

 

Volume 1 is currently available for $9.99.

Nisekoi, Volumes 1-6 are also available for digital download for $6.99 each on VIZManga.com and through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones, and also for NOOK, KOBO, and KINDLE tablets and devices.

 

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The Edgy Anime Series ‘K’ Is Available On Hulu In English!

by Kari Lane

I recently posted an article announcing the upcoming release (February 25th, 2014) of the special limited edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and standard DVD edition of the anime series K. Well, now you can watch the complete series (13 episodes) dubbed in English on Hulu and Hulu Plus until Wednesday, January 15th! Please visit www.Hulu.com for complete details.

Wondering what this show is about? Read on to learn more about this action/thriller!

K introduces fans to Shiro, an easygoing teenager content with just being a student – until his seemingly perfect life is suddenly halted when a bloodthirsty clan, glowing red with fire, attempts to kill him in the streets. Unbeknownst to Shiro, he is suspected of murdering a member of their clan and will need a miracle to escape their vengeance. Miraculously, a young man named Kuroh Yatogami swings in and aids Shiro in his getaway, only to reveal afterward he’s also after Shiro’s life. Now a hunted man, Shiro will have to evade the clans of seven powerful kings and desperately try to prove his innocence – before it’s too late!

K also is also currently featured in Japanese with English subtitles on VIZAnime.com, VIZ Media’s own website for free anime.

For more information on K and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit www.VIZAnime.com.

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Geekscape Reviews ‘Embracing Love’ Yaoi *Mature Content*

by Kari Lane

******WARNING***** Adult content discussed below!

 

Yaoi explores gender roles and sexuality and what better way to delve into that than to have the two main characters be adult film stars. Embracing Love by Youka Nitta (same author/artist from Spiritual Police) focuses on successful adult film actor, Iwaki Kyousuke, and young rising adult star, Katou Yoji. Both men want to expand their careers by working in more mainstream films and they get the opportunity when they are both asked to audition for a new erotic film. However, at the audition they are shocked when asked to have sex with each other to see who will get the lead role. Ambitious Katou rises to the challenge first but Iwaki will not be outdone by this young punk.

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What starts out as a rivalry begins to transition into a romance when Katou starts having feelings for Iwaki. Will Iwaki embrace this new kind of relationship? What does the future hold for these two stars? Their developing romance is a pleasure to read but Iwaki’s self doubt about it all does drag on a little long. I found it interesting that the story is centered around people who have sex for a job and examines how they approach intimate connections.

The characters in this manga are drawn in an elongated fashion. I thought to call them daddy long legs because in some full body images their legs are impossibly long. Their faces are also extended — a sort of cross between an oval and a heart shaped face. Even though they may have long faces, they have chiseled jaw lines and big expressive eyes. The overall visual tone is rather bright with only minimal shading on the characters and blush lines to give any sort of 3D depth to the space. Their clothes and backdrops have nice textures and, in that way, the characters stand out against their surroundings. There is only minor censorship on the private parts; there is actually pubic hair and everything is drawn out, but in a more basic outline style rather than detailed.

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I like that volumes one and two come together in a single book as it leads to a solid story arc and character development in one package. I am curious to see where the relationship between Iwaki and Katou goes. Will they be able to stay together? Will Iwaki be able to let go of his envy towards Katou’s mounting fame? Will other people come between them? Will they get to act in the films they always dreamed of? Hopefully the next few volumes will be just as entertaining.

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Embracing Love (volume 1 & 2) is rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers, and retails for $16.99.

For up-to-date news and release information, please visit the SuBLime website at www.SuBLimeManga.com, or follow SuBLime on Twitter at @SuBLimeManga and Facebook at facebook.com/SuBLimeManga.

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of ‘Accel World’

by Kari Lane

Hi! My name is Kari Lane, and I’ve been an anime lover since I was a little girl. Those good old days when classics like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z, Card Captor Sakura, Digimon and Monster Rancher were on the most basic of cable.

Over the years, I have expanded my anime repertoire and have attended numerous anime conventions. I’m currently a host on Neo-Cinema, a web-based anime and Japanese live-action movie review show. Recently, I’ve been watching the first few episodes of various anime series’, and thought it an excellent idea to write reviews based on my “first impressions”. Of course, you’ll have many unanswered questions after viewing just 4, 5, or 6 episodes, but you can get a feel for the show and decide if you want to continue watching! I hope my reviews will help introduce you to some awesome anime, or help you avoid the more mediocre junk that’s out there!

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I heard about Accel World at Anime Expo 2013 and was reminded about it with the recent press release announcing season 1 was available for purchase. It looked like a cool show and it did not disappoint. This was a show where I blazed through season 1 in one day (12 episodes). The episode structure flows from one to the next and you just want to know what happens next.

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Accel World is set in the near future where everyone has a neuro-link to manage anything and everything in their daily lives; it is networking and Google Glass to an extreme. The main character, Haruyuki “Haru” Arita, is a short fat boy who is constantly bullied and finds his only escape from the harshness of reality in virtual reality games. In the virtual world, he feels he can be the best he can be and not be tormented for being a little different. It is funny though because he chose a cute little pig as his avatar. While in the Sims-like virtual world, Haru is approached by the beautiful and super popular student counsel Vice-President, Kuroyukihime, who asks him to meet her in the real world! They directly link into each other (a thing only couples do!!!) and Kuroyukihime invites him to try Brain Burst and enter an accelerated world.

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The virtual reality environment of Accel World is primarily a fighting game but what makes it addictive is in the real world you can essentially “freeze time”. Time does not stop but rather you are able to process the situation faster and are able to step out of your body to fully understand your surroundings. Kuroyukihime explains that people use this to their advantage for fame, power, money, whatever you can think of. How many times you can “brain burst” is determined by how many points you have and the only way to gain points is to battle in Accel World. Time in Accel World is accelerated such that you could be in the game for a year and only a day will pass in the real world.

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The concept and art style are similar to Sword Art Online (another really good show), but the shows are also very different. Accel World has a good amount of humor, some of which arises from Haru’s awkward interactions with girls. Though there is a lot of cool battles/fight scenes, at its heart Accel World is about relationships (friends, family, mentor-protégé, boyfriend-girlfriend, and more). Through the course of the season, the relationships between characters are explored and go through their ups and downs. Also, the show is about getting past your own insecurities and not letting anything hold you back.

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Why did Kuroyukihime recruit Haru? Will Haru be able to stay friends with his childhood companions? Who is the real enemy in Accel World? If want a cool action/sci-fi type of show you should check this one out! I look forward to season 2 to see where our hero and friends go next!

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For more information on Accel World please visit www.VIZAnime.com/accelworld.

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Geekscape Reviews ‘Spiritual Police’ Yaoi *Mature Content*

by Kari Lane

******WARNING***** Adult content discussed below!

 

I have read manga for many years but only recently started reading yaoi (see SuBLime interview for more info). I enjoy the emphasis on relationships, especially the ooey gooey romantic stuff, and yes, I enjoy reading the sexy time parts. One of the first titles I read was Spiritual Police by Youka Nitta.

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Police officer, Nagatsuma, visits a special massage therapist on the recommendation from one of his senior detectives. Nagatsuma is good at his job but he is too empathic and the harshness of his job puts stress on his overall well being. He is skeptical of the treatment at first but soon realizes masseur, Aoi (who is blind), not only mends bodily ailments but also taps into something greater. It seems that with his blindness, Aoi has gained another kind of sight – a sight into the future. Aoi warns Nagatsuma of some impending danger and this just makes Nagatsuma more curious (and apprehensive) about this beautiful man.

Aoi is a person who “sees” beyond one’s sex and Nagatsuma is blindsided by his developing feelings for Aoi. Other characters mention how attractive Aoi is and one even says, “The doc there’s so pretty it’s a pity he’s a guy, don’tcha think”? Another interesting example of gender switch ups is occurs when a character thinks to himself about Nagatsuma, “What kind of man is he? He’s a woman…” Yaoi is a genre where gender roles can be expressed in various ways. The relationship between Nagatsuma and Aoi progresses rather naturally with Nagatsuma giving in and slowly embracing this new kind of relationship. Unfortunately, towards the end of volume 1, a conflict comes up and Nagatsuma instead of asking Aoi what is going on he does something rather frustrating. I did not care for that part of the story but enjoyed the rest enough to overlook that segment.

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The art style depicts emotional moments well with many blush lines, expressive eyes, and movement indicators (lines, light bursts, etc). The characters/environments are drawn/shadowed/textured well and reflect the one of the more common styles of manga/anime. Yes, the men are nice to look at and have gorgeous hair and slender bodies. The private parts are mostly whited out, but you can still tell the shape and what is going on. I did find a few of the dialogue boxes hard to follow, but each character has their own style of speaking so it was not too disruptive to my reading.

This volume peaks your interest when it introduces a mysterious organization (possibly evil) that wants to keep Aoi prisoner and use his powers for their own benefit. Will Aoi be able to escape? Will Aoi and Nagatsuma be reunited? I enjoyed the extra element of the psychic abilities, and the developing mystery and I am excited to read what happens next!

Spiritual Police is rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers, and retails for $12.99.

For up-to-date news and release information, please visit the SuBLime website at www.SuBLimeManga.com, or follow SuBLime on Twitter at @SuBLimeManga and Facebook at facebook.com/SuBLimeManga.

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