VIZ Media | Geekscape

Geekscape Interviews: SuBLime Editor Jennifer LeBlanc Discusses All Things Yaoi! Mature Content

by Kari LaneDecember 4, 2013

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

Yaoi is an interesting genre because it is part of the anime community but is often misunderstood by those unfamiliar with it. I always noticed the loud (they did a good job at getting your attention) and colorful yaoi booths at anime conventions but never understood the appeal. Then I watched Brokeback Mountain with my friend, and she and I swooned over the romantic relationship between the two male leads. Ah! I finally understood why this genre was so popular with the ladies (and boys). Curious to know more? Well, I was able to interview SubLime editor Jennifer LeBlanc. Read on to get an in depth perspective on all things yaoi!

Can you explain what yaoi is for the benefit of those who may have never heard of it?

The definition of yaoi varies depending on whom you ask, but what most people understand it to be is stories written by women about two men in a romantic relationship, and they are written with a female audience in mind. That’s not to say that men don’t read yaoi, just that the target audience is women.

“Embracing Love”
© 2012 Youka Nitta/Libre Publishing

What do you think the draw of this genre is, and why do you think women love it so much?

Women read yaoi for a myriad of reasons, more reasons than we have space for here. There’s the lingering misconception that women aren’t sexual beings who like to explore their sexuality. They are and they do. Yaoi is one of those things that allow women to do this in a safe environment. They can share their love of the genre with other women in the fandom without being judged for it, or being told that because they’re women they shouldn’t like this kind of material.

“Blue Morning”

YUU−UTSU NA ASA © SHOKO HIDAKA (2009)／TOKUMA SHOTEN

In most yaoi, the men are beautiful and often one of them is the “female” (and they can look more feminine too) in the relationship, would you still consider those stories about gay relationships?

They’re about gay relationships to the extent that the characters are both men and are living their lives as men, even if one is portrayed with more feminine attributes. In real-life gay relationships, one man could choose to have a more feminine look or affect, or a more masculine one; it doesn’t make him more or less gay. That said, realism isn’t the main focus of these stories, any more than it is with other romance genres. In most yaoi stories, traditionally defined gender roles and depictions are deliberately broken.

“Tableau Numero 20”
© 2009 Esutoemu/LibrePublishing

What you would say to people who think yaoi is just hentai? How would you say the two are different/similar?

Well, that’s kind of like saying gay sex is just straight sex. At their core, yes, hentai and yaoi are both erotic material. However, how each is presented, what they’re about, and who they’re for just aren’t the same. There is some crossover as far as the audience for both, but generally the audience for each is simply not the same. If yaoi was just hentai, we’d have a much larger male demographic.

How much is lost in translation when a title is converted from Japanese to English?

Our goal as a publisher is to not lose anything in translation, so we look to hire the best translators we can who have an excellent grasp of the Japanese and English languages. Sometimes there may be jokes in a story that won’t make sense to readers not familiar with Japanese culture. In those instances we may adapt the joke for English readers, or instead leave it as is with a side explanation.

“Sleeping Moon”

NEMURERU TSUKI © KANO MIYAMOTO (2009)／TOKUMA SHOTEN

How did you get into reading yaoi?

My curiosity got the better of me. I was already a fan of anime and had heard there was anime porn (hentai) that existed. I kind of didn’t believe it, so off to Google I went, and that’s how I found yaoi. It didn’t take long to find out that there were books with the material in it as well.

“Man Of Tango”
© Tetuzoh Okadaya 2013

What are some of your favorite titles?

Well, my first favorite when I found out yaoi existed was Ayano Yamane’s Viewfinder (now called Finder). That will always be a favorite of mine. Currently, I am absolutely in love with the series Blue Morning by Shoko Hidaka.

How did you get into working with yaoi as a job?

When I first got into yaoi, I was having a hard time finding the stories I wanted to read (hard yaoi). There weren’t any reviews that told me what I wanted to know—Is there sex in the story and if so, how explicit is it? I decided to start my own yaoi review site that specialized in hard yaoi, The Yaoi Review. After running it for a few years, VIZ suddenly posted a position for a yaoi editor. I had no intention of applying, but a few industry people and also readers of my site prodded me about applying, and here I am.

What exactly is SuBLime?

SuBLime is a yaoi manga publisher, and is a partnership between VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, and Japan’s Animate, Ltd. (Animate). We publish both print and digital books, and we were the first manga publisher to offer DRM-free downloadable PDFs of our books for purchase.

Where can fans and curious people find out more about yaoi and SuBLime titles?

The first place they should look is our website, which is www.sublimemanga.com. Fans of the Nook can also find many of our titles on the Nook Book site. SuBLime also has a large social media presence and can be found on:

Twitter: @SuBLimeManga

Facebook: facebook.com/SuBLimeManga

Tumblr sublimemanga.tumblr.com

Check back soon for my reviews on this titillating titles! ^_^

Bring Home The Action With ‘Accel World’!

by Kari LaneDecember 2, 2013

The exciting sci-fi/fantasy anime series, Accel World, is now available on DVD ($44.82) and Blu-ray ($59.97)! The new 2-disc set features 12 episodes and is rated ‘TV-14.’

A special 48-page premium art booklet featuring art and character profiles from this popular series and is also included (only while supplies last) as a special free gift with purchase from select online anime retailers including Right Stuf, Anime Pavilion, and Robert’s Anime Corner Store.

ACCEL WORLD dialogue features include English and Japanese stereo audio, English subtitles, as well as a character art gallery, clean opening and closing segments, and the original Japanese broadcast trailers.

Curious to know what this show is all about? Read on!

In the year 2046, people use portable devices called Neuro-linkers to manage their daily lives in virtual reality networks. But advances in technology haven’t managed to do away with bullies, and 13-year-old Haruyuki Arita finds himself a frequent target. Haruyuki escapes his miserable life in virtual games – until the day Kuroyukihime, the most popular girl in school, introduces him to a mysterious program called Brain Burst and a virtual reality called the Accel World.

“ACCEL WORLD is the hottest new anime title to join the VIZ Media home video library and we are very excited to also offer it to buyers with a gorgeous, full-color bonus art booklet that is only available for a limited time through select anime retailers,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “This series blends a highly imaginative online game with real world impact and adds a new twist to one teen’s solution to being bullied. ACCEL WORLD quickly became a fan favorite since VIZ Media debuted it on the same day as its Japanese broadcast and we look forward to the series drawing in new and veteran fans alike with this exciting release that arrives in time for the start of the holiday season.”

For more information on ACCEL WORLD and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit www.VIZAnime.com/accelworld.

Check out the trailer!

My review on the series!

Get Ready For The Holidays With VIZ Media’s Stocking Stuffer Sweepstakes!

by Kari LaneDecember 2, 2013

The holidays are already upon us. Eek! Anybody else feel like the year flew by?! Well, there is something to be excited about this holiday season; VIZ Media announced a special holiday Manga Stocking Stuffer Sweepstakes! Starting today (12/2) through Thursday, December 19th

every digital graphic novel purchase on VIZManga.com will grant the buyer one entry into the Stocking Stuffer Sweepstake with three substantial Stocking Stuffer Manga Sweepstakes prizes valued at over $400. Each package will include:

           -An Amazon Kindle Fire HD (8 GB) configured with a VIZ Manga App account pre-loaded with 30 free volumes of top-selling VIZ Manga series

           -A 6-month membership to the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP, a digital manga magazine that features simultaneous same-day release as the Japanese counterpart

           -A VIZ Media Custom Zero Messenger Bag from Rickshaw Bags with more manga, anime and merchandise inside!

How To Enter:

To enter, interested VIZ Manga users must first read the sweepstakes rules and opt into the sweepstakes by registering at: http://www.vizmanga.com/stocking-stuffer-sweepstakes. Each digital manga title purchased during the sweepstakes entry period gives the user an entry and existing WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP subscribers will gain one automatic entry into the sweepstakes. The winners will be announced on the VIZ Manga website on Monday, December 23rd. Complete sweepstakes rules, details for eligibility and a no-purchase entry option are available at: http://www.vizmanga.com/stocking-stuffer-sweepstakes.

Also, VIZ Media announced December’s digital manga update featuring several exciting new titles set to launch on VIZManga.com and for digital download through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones and also for NOOK tablets and devices.

The first half of December also sees volume updates for over 30 other popular ongoing series, including ONE PIECE, MAGI, YUYU HAKUSHO, VOICE OVER!:SEIYUU ACADEMY, DEMON LOVE SPELL and more. The classic FIREFIGHTER! DAIGO OF FIRE COMPANY M also debuts on December 3rd.

Here is some more info on “FIREFIGHTER! DAIGO OF FIRE COMPANY M, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $6.99″

Rookie firefighter Daigo Asahina can’t believe his bad luck when he’s assigned to the district with the fewest fires on record. But now that Daigo has joined Fire Company M, things won’t stay quiet for long. His offbeat methods and uncanny instincts soon have his fellow firefighters wondering whether he’s a hero or a menace!

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.

‘One Piece’ Retrospective Can Be Yours For Free!

by Kari LaneNovember 21, 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Youka Nitta’s Sexy Paranormal Romance ‘Spiritual Police’ Available Today!

by Kari LaneNovember 12, 2013

For you yaoi fans out there brace yourself, Youka Nitta’s sexy paranormal romance manga, Spiritual Police, launched today!

In case you do not know what yaoi is, it is homoerotic stories that revolve more around romance than sex (though there can be a lot of that!). Surprisingly, it is a genre that is popular with female readers and many are created by female authors (including Youka Nitta).

Read on to learn the plot of Spiritual Police and more about Youka Nitta via the press release!

Rookie police officer Nagatsuma doesn’t believe in superstitious mumbo-jumbo, so he’s skeptical the first time he visits a masseur known as the “Spiritual Doctor.” But he soon learns that the blind, beautiful Aoi is more than just a physical therapist—when he lays his hands on his patients, he can see into their fates and souls. But is Aoi the saintly healer he seems to be? And when the two men give in to the desire for a more-than-clinical relationship, can Nagatsuma separate his new feelings from his job on the force?

Youka Nitta made her publishing debut with GROUPIE in 1995, and since then has become one of the most prolific and popular yaoi manga creators worldwide. Her most well-known series, EMBRACING LOVE (published in North America as a 2-in-1 edition by SuBLime), has been adapted into both a drama CD as well as an anime series. Another of Nitta’s popular manga series, STARTING WITH A KISS, is also published in North America by SuBLime. More information about Youka Nitta is available on her English-language website at: http://nittayouka.com.”

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.

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

‘Naruto Shippuden’ To Debut On Adult Swim’s Toonami!

by Kari LaneNovember 9, 2013

VIZ Media recently announced that Naruto Shippuden will debut on Adult Swim’s Toonami programming block in January 2014! Fans in North America can catch dubbed and uncut episodes from the beginning with a new episode airing each week. Make sure to check local listings for specific airtimes and channel availability. Read on to learn more!

Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET/PT), Adult Swim is basic cable’s #1 network with persons 18-34 and 18-49, and is seen in 99 million U.S. homes.

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’ for Teens, in print and digital editions) and animated counterpart (NARUTO and 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.

In the NARUTO manga and animated series, Naruto Uzumaki wants to be the best ninja in the land. He’s done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks – except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi…well he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?

More information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at www.Naruto.com.

Additional information on titles available from VIZ Media is available at www.VIZ.com.

Kari’s Anime Corner: First Impressions of “Magi: Labyrinth of Magic”

by Kari LaneOctober 23, 2013

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!

Another anime show that dominated the cosplay scene at Anime Expo this past year was Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic. It is a fun Japanese take on the Arabian Nights/Aladdin tales. The show opens up with a mysterious boy in a strange room and a rather dark tone. Who is this boy? Then it goes to a desert town in an ancient land where we meet Alibaba who seems to be a nice young man working much too hard for a cruel master. The mystery boy reappears in one of the carts Alibaba is loading and after several mishaps the two become friends. The boy’s name is Aladdin but not much else is known about him as he does not really know who he is either. Alibaba explains he wants to conquer a dungeon, strange towers that appeared ten years ago, because those who conquer them will have riches and possibly gain possession of a powerful magic being called a Djinn (pretty much a giant blue genie minus the wishes). Thus, Alibaba and Aladdin set out on the adventure of becoming Dungeon Capturers!

The style of animation is similar to the anime of the late 90s and early 2000s, like Tenchi Muyo and Trigun. The color palette is dominated by lighter colors and few shadows. However, they do utilize bright crazy hair colors. The one thing that weirds me out about this show is they draw their teeth rather large. Most anime characters have a thin white line to show the upper teeth but on this show, it takes up almost half the mouth. It almost looks like they have buck teeth. That is just a personal gripe but otherwise I really enjoy the style of the show. Also, I love how they incorporate extremely expressive moments and change the style of the character to convey that emotion (similar to Blue Exorcist). It often makes the moment comedic and makes it easier to understand how the character actually feels.

The main characters are likable and the bad guys are really evil. You care where these characters are going and you worry about them as the bad guys plot their malice. Aladdin can be super goofy one moment (apparently he LOVES boobs) and a serious philosopher the next (like Vash from Trigun). He raises questions like a child would ask, such as why remain a slave when your chains have been broken and why work for someone who is cruel to you? These questions seem simple but the older characters struggle to answer. Clues have been laid out indicating that many of the main characters have mysterious pasts. Where do they come from? How did they get to where they are?

Overall, this is an entertaining show with adventure, some cool action scenes, and a focus on friendship/family, loyalty and standing up for what you believe in. I will definitely keep watching to see where Aladdin and Alibaba’s adventures take them! So, take the magic carpet ride and let this anime take you to a faraway land!

You can watch the show in subtitles on VIZ Anime and Crunchyroll.

(The entire season is available)

You can watch the show in English on Neon Alley.

(Episode 1 is currently out. The show is being simulcast.)

‘Uzumaki – Spiral Into Horror’ Manga REVIEW

by Kari LaneOctober 14, 2013

Junji Ito’s horror manga, Uzumaki, will be released in an omnibus edition tomorrow October 15th and will retail for $27.99 US. This edition will be a hardcover format including all 19 chapters plus a bonus “lost chapter” (and 12 color pages).

The story follows young Kirie Goshima and her boyfriend Shuichi Saito who live in a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan. Shuichi believes the town is cursed by spirals. It sounds a little silly at first but this manga is definitively dark and disturbing. In the beginning, the stories are in the format of a “monster of the week” but towards the last third of the book a plot evolves that explores what is behind the spiral curse.

The characters/environment/situations are drawn in a realistic way and sometimes you could say there is too much detail. This makes you become more attached to the characters because they seem like they could be real people. However, there is not a lot of character development besides the two main characters but that is partly because most of the side characters do not survive to the next chapter. The characters are drawn in such a way that all of their emotions are easy to read and when they are exaggerated, they are that much more intense. The art style utilizes shadows and an overall darkness that contributes to the horror feel of the story.

Many of the stories have some of the creepiest and gut wrenching visuals that stay with you. I do not want to give too much away but I included some pages/visuals to give you an idea of the art style and convey some of the gruesome imagery. I would not say it is “scary” but it creeps up on you and grosses you out. Ito did an excellent job of showing movement in stationary 2D images. There is a part (spoiler) where a woman holds a pair of scissors up and is about to smash them into her ear. You do not see it happen but your brain fills in the movement. Numerous parts in this manga are like that. They lead you into a horrendous situation and suddenly another horrible thing is happening.

I enjoyed Ito’s previous collection, Museum of Terror – Tomie, and he did not disappoint with Uzumaki. This is a must for horror readers! You get tons of gore and horror in this big package! Side note, if you feel as wigged out as I did after, make sure to read the humorous afterward to make yourself feel a little better.

Kari’s Corner Interviews: Neon Alley Program Manager Kevin Kleinrock

by Kari LaneOctober 13, 2013

Fall is in full swing and you know what that means? New fall shows! VIZ Media is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its 24/7 Neon Alley anime channel this month! Neon Alley is a service that is available to fans across North America via the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) and PlayStation®Network, the Xbox 360® and Xbox LIVE® and via PC/Mac web access. They also announced the launch of the new “Catch Up” feature for Xbox and PS3.

The Neon Alley fall season starts THIS Friday, October 18th and includes the highly anticipated high definition return of Ranma ½ to North America along with the exclusive dub premiere of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic. Additional premieres this season include Gurren Lagaan, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Revolutionary Girl Utena, along with the latest episodes of ongoing favorites Bleach, Naruto Shippuden, and One Piece.

To learn more about this cool site we interviewed Program Manager Kevin Kleinrock!

What is your involvement with Neon Alley?

I was brought in originally as the Program Manager. VIZ had been working on the idea of Neon Alley for quite some time and then decided to bring in someone to tie all of the pieces together and get the channel launched. That was when I joined the company in Spring of last year.

Once the channel launched in the Fall, I transitioned into the role of Program Director and moved from the mostly project management side into managing the day to day of the network overall. Throughout the day I’ll be involved with the technical side of things, marketing, production, business development – my involvement is rather widespread at this point.

What is so special Neon Alley?

Neon Alley is a truly unique and amazing platform in the awesome anime space. First, we are the only linear 24/7 all English dubbed, all uncut and uncensored anime experience. While there are a plethora of on-demand services out there for subtitled and dubbed content, we have built a unique anime lifestyle channel. Not only can you sit back and have the programming delivered to you without having to know what’s hot, but you can be exposed to both classic anime you may not have seen and new series that being a member of the channel will give you a first chance to see.

Beyond the top notch programming itself, every minute of the channel is designed for the anime lifestyle. Every commercial is for something anime or entertainment-related. We bring you convention information and coverage. We bring you weekly news on new releases and top 10 lists for anime, manga, digital manga and video games. We have trivia interstitials and weekly sweepstakes and prize giveaways. And even with our implementation of our new Catch Up feature, our linear stream delivers an extremely special experience unlike anything else available to anime fans.

What is the Catch Up feature and why did you implement it?

The Catch Up feature is to allow members to do just that – catch up! As I was just talking about, the only thing missing from Neon Alley was a way for our members to easily catch up on a show they may have missed due to not being in front of their screen when a particular episode was on. Now, with Catch Up, episodes are available on demand the day after they debut on the channel for at least one week. This includes our movies as well. So now, members can choose to watch the live stream on our schedule, or Catch Up on their schedule.

Why does Neon Alley not include all past episodes?

Neon Alley is not an on-demand platform. We’re a linear platform that now brings our members a chance to catch up on anything they may have missed. If you look at other services, like say Hulu Plus, most series there feature a rolling number of episodes as well. And they ARE an on-demand platform. The feature is meant to be a compliment to the linear channel which remains our primary service.

How do you go about selecting your fall line-up?

As with every lineup, we aim to bring the best in uncut and uncensored English anime from across the spectrum of genres and studios. Our Fall lineup includes series and movies from VIZ, FUNimation, Aniplex, Sentai, Nozomi. It includes the world premiere of the English dub of MAGI: THE LABYRINTH OF MAGIC, two popular series in PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA and GURREN LAGAAN, and two classic series in REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA and RANMA ½. This will be the first time RANMA ½ is available in English in HD. Plus, Neon Alley remains the only place to see a world premiere dub episode of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN every week! We’re also adding a brand new live action show to our Sundays, which have featured anime and kung fu movies, as sci-fi and comic book influenced pro wrestling brand CHIKARA debuts on the network. And these are just our premieres. Our full fall lineup includes over three dozen more series and movies. It’s a veritable buffet of anime – but we’re talking all killer, no filler anime. Series like BLEACH, ONE PIECE, INUYASHA, DEATH NOTE, BLUE EXORCIST and movies like the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN films, the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film series, and so much more. Everything available as part of our 24/7 live stream and in Catch Up.

Which show in the fall line-up are you most excited about and why?

That’s way too hard of a question to answer! We only select shows for the network that WE would watch ourselves so each series has a special place in our hearts. I’m excited to finally have an English dub of MAGI: THE LABYRINTH OF MAGIC. And, from what I have seen – and heard – it’s a great dub! I’m excited that we are bringing fan favorites PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA and GURREN LAGAAN to the channel. And, I’m really excited that we are starting to bring the classics to Neon Alley with the addition of REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA and RANMA ½ – especially with RANMA now in HD! So truthfully, I’m excited about the entire line up!

I noticed you included some older shows like Utena. What made you go with including new and old shows in your fall line-up?

Neon Alley is about bringing the best in anime, whether it’s a world premiere or if it’s a classic. Great anime stories are timeless and series like REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA and RANMA ½ will never be out of style. It gives us a chance to see these series again and fondly remember the first time we saw them, but it also enables us to expose these series to a whole new generation of anime fan who were not following the genre when RANMA ½ debuted in the late 80s or UTENA came out in the late 90s. That’s what is so great about having full control of our own network and programming – great shows will find their way to Neon Alley regardless of studio, genre or how old a particular title may be. We bring our members the newest of the new and the classics all at the same time.

Besides the new fall line-up, what is next for Neon Alley?

Our focus will always remain bringing the best in 24/7 English dubbed uncut and uncensored anime. So we will continue to work to acquire the best series, and while doing so, we’ll also be working to expand the lifestyle experience that is Neon Alley. Neon Alley truly is an anime experience like no other and continuing to develop the pieces that make the channel exactly that remain a focus of ours. Aside from that, we will continue to focus on expanding awareness of the channel and our one week free trial that is available at NeonAlley.com. Anyone in the U.S. or Canada with a computer, PlayStation 3 or XBOX 360 can try the channel out for themselves and get immersed in the unique anime lifestyle experience of Neon Alley.

To check out Neon Alley click here! Be sure to tune in for the exciting fall lineup starting Friday October 18th!

Your Digital Manga Library Just Got BIGGER!

by Kari LaneOctober 1, 2013

VIZ Media, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announced today that its entire digital manga (graphic novel) catalog is now available for Amazon Kindle devices, including Kindle Fire tablets and the new Kindle Paperwhite!

Users now have instant access via the Kindle Store to a massive digital library featuring over 1,500 manga volumes constituting more than 160 different series. The volumes are available for purchase in the US and Canada for about $6.99 each. New titles and updates to many of the ongoing series will be added weekly. Also, readers will be able to get the digital copy at nearly the same time as the print release. Now everyone will be on the same page 😉

The launch list features the latest digital releases of ongoing fan favorites such as NARUTO, BLEACH, BAKUMAN, and ONE PIECE as well as recent bestsellers such as DEMON LOVE SPELL, MAGI: THE LABYRNTH OF MAGIC and many, many more. Kindle users may check out free previews for every series available.

Gagan Singh, EVP and CTO at VIZ Media expressed their enthusiam for the release by stating:

We are strong advocates for the continued growth of digital manga content, and are very pleased to partner with Amazon to bring the world’s best titles to millions of avid readers and fans in North America. We invite Amazon Kindle users to explore VIZ Media’s extensive offerings, one of the most current, diverse, and also historically deep manga catalogs available anywhere.

For more information on VIZ Media digital manga titles on the Amazon Kindle, click here!

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

The New Anime Series ‘Coppelion’ Premieres Wednesday, October 2nd!

by Kari LaneSeptember 30, 2013

It’s that time of year again, fall anime season! Time to check out the new lineup and see what will get us hooked. Now with most anime shows, you have to wait a week or so to get the newest episode unless it is simulcast. Well, you are in luck! VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, just announced an online simulcast premiere (in Japanese with English subtitles) of the new sci-fi anime action series, COPPELION on VIZAnime.com (for free), as well as Hulu and Hulu Plus. The special deal with this premiere is that it will be airing October 2nd, the same day as it is broadcast in Japan! New episodes will be available for streaming domestically every Wednesday.

Coppelion is based on the popular manga series (of the same name) created by Tomonori Inoue and it has been ongoing in Japan since 2008. Charlene Ingram, Senior Marketing Manger for Animation, explained a little bit about the series by saying, “Ibara, Aoi and Taeko are a breed of genetically engineered beings known as the Coppelion who embark on often dangerous missions to restore hope and rescue people from the forsaken city. Plenty of action and unique characters are in store as the girls slowly uncover the Old Capital’s dark secrets!” Sounds cool to me! Also, who could turn down girls kicking-ass, and rocking short school girls skirts (a staple in anime) while in action? A further description of the show was laid out by VIZ Media saying:

            COPPELION takes place in the not-so-distant future as a catastrophic

            event has turned the old capital of Japan into a wasteland, forever

            changing the lives of its people. Decades later, three schoolgirls set

            foot into the now forsaken city. They are the Coppelion, genetically

            engineered humans created by the Japan Ground Self-Defense

            Forces to operate under the lethal conditions of the contaminated

            city. Trained since birth, the girls must use all of their skills and

            resources to carry out their one and only mission: to rescue those

            left behind.

The trailer looks pretty action packed and the anime style looks good. You do not see many more people besides the three girls but I like their look. The de-saturation seems like it will work well with the post-apocalyptic world. The trailer did its job; I am curious and will definitely check out this show. Make sure to watch the premiere for free and check back later to get my initial impression of the show!

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