SciFi Japan
    Extension of VIZ Media’s Digital Platform Expands Manga Audience to All Web Users in U.S. and Canada Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZManga.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in the North America, announced the launch of VIZManga.com at their 25th Anniversary Party last week in San Diego during the annual Comic-Con International convention. The website joins VIZ Media’s existing digital manga platform and launched with 40 series currently available on the VIZ MANGA App for iOS devices, including the wildly popular titles Naruto, Bleach, Blue Exorcist, Ouran High School Host Club and Vampire Knight. With this expansion of the platform, fans can browse and access their digital manga from VIZManga.com and through the VIZ Manga Apps for the iPad and iPhone/iPod touch. With one account, registered users will be

    Curated Digital Artwork Created with Autodesk SketchBook Apps will be Unveiled at VIZ Media 25th Anniversary Event at Comic-Con Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in the North America, has announced a collaboration with Autodesk, Inc. to create a limited edition digital art book anthology that will be sold through VIZ Media’s Manga App, with 100% of VIZ Media’s net proceeds going to support disaster relief efforts in Japan. All of the artwork in the collection, titled ART FOR HOPE, will be created using Autodesk SketchBook digital paint and drawing software applications. VIZ Media and Autodesk have already started working with artists to create works that deliver a message of hope to victims of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Artists interested in submitting work

    Get Strong or Get Schooled in New Action Manga from VIZ Media Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, brings gnarly, knuckle-busting action to readers with the release of the manga series, Tenjo Tenge, on June 21st. Created by Oh!great, the debut volume features 16 full-color pages and a selection of alternate color cover images. Tenjo Tenge will be published by the VIZ Signature imprint, is rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences, and will carry an MSRP of $17.99 U.S. / $21.00 CAN. Welcome to Todo High, home of the toughest student brawlers and sexiest badass babes in high school history. The only rule is: get strong or get schooled. Soichiro Nagi and Bob Makihara have always been the meanest street brawlers around. When they

    Portraits by Legendary Manga Creator Following the Earthquake and Tsunami Now Available on iPhone, iPod Touch And iPad Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/apps Special Thanks to Jane Lui, Candice Uyloan, and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, continues to assist international fundraising efforts for Japanese disaster relief. The company has announced that it will make legendary manga creator Takehiko Inoue’s newest Smile series of illustrations available to North American iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad users via the VIZ Manga App. All VIZ Media proceeds from these purchases will be donated directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society to aid victims in the areas ravaged by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Beginning today, fans can enjoy these breathtaking and touching illustrations on the iPhone, iPod Touch and

    Season 1 Available Starting on May 18th Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: tenipuri.com (Japan), VIZAnime.com/the-prince-of-tennis (US) Special Thanks to Jane Lui, Candice Uyloan, and Irena Boostani VIZ Media has announced the release of THE PRINCE OF TENNIS (???????, Tenisu no Oojisama, 2001) on Amazon Instant Video. The first season episodes of the sports anime (1-13) will be available for purchase starting Wednesday, May 18th for $1.99 each. THE PRINCE OF TENNIS is based on the smash hit manga series created by Takeshi Konomi that has sold more than 30 million copies in Japan, and is also published exclusively in North America by VIZ Media (Rated ‘A’ for All Ages). THE PRINCE OF TENNIS anime series (dubbed, TV-G) follows the on and off court adventures of Ryoma Echizen, the 12-year-old son of a famous tennis player and a prodigy in his own right. Looking

    Kids’ Favorite Hamsters Leap Into A Fun Interactive Mobile Universe Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/apps Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Irena Boostani VIZ Media, LLC has licensed the rights for a HAMTARO: LITTLE HAMSTERS, BIG ADVENTURES video game for the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad to Egg Ball Games. VIZ Media is the official North American distributor of the iApp game, which is available now; the game is available also in Latin America and Europe. To learn more about HAMTARO: LITTLE HAMSTERS, BIG ADVENTURES, please visit VIZ.com/apps. HAMTARO: LITTLE HAMSTERS, BIG ADVENTURES features 3 colorful and original game environments and dozens of levels. The game is Facebook enabled and offers an interactive Game Center for posting personal and worldwide high scores. Players can also unlock 9 exclusive HAMTARO wallpapers to further customize their iPhone. “We’re very excited to bring HAMTARO:

    Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/Pokemon Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Irena Boostani Just in time for summer, VIZ Media delivers hours of Pokémon fun with the POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT! Featuring Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott and other new Pokémon from the Unova region, the POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT includes an activity pad, poster, stickers and six chunky crayons, all packaged in a suitcase-style case! Recommended for ages 5 and up, the POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT also makes a wonderful gift. The POKÉMON TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT will be available on May 31st from the VIZKIDS imprint for the suggested retail price of $11.99 U.S. / $13.99 CAN, and includes: • One 64-page POKÉMON activity pad (featuring word finds, mazes and other puzzle activities) • Two full-color POKÉMON sticker sheets • One double-sided poster for POKÉMON sticker play • Six POKÉMON crayons • Don’t forget

    VIZ Media Imprint Releases Second Magatama Trilogy Novel on May 17th Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: haikasoru.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC has announced the release of author Noriko Ogiwara’s fantasy adventure novel, Mirror Sword and Shadow Prince, on May 17th. The hardcover book will be published by the company’s Haikasoru literary imprint and will carry an MSRP of $21.99 U.S. / $25.99 CAN. Haikasoru publishes some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy stories for English-speaking audiences and is first imprint based in the U.S. dedicated to Japanese science fiction and fantasy in translation. When the heir to the empire comes to Mino, the lives of young Oguna and Toko are changed forever. Oguna is drafted to become a shadow prince, a double trained to take the place of the hunted royal. But

    Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/apps Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen Media, LLC, one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, continues the digital integration of its vast library of manga properties with the latest announcement of the availability of the VIZ MANGA APP for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch mobile devices. The expansion will be compatible with the VIZ MANGA APP on the iPad, and adds cross-platform features. To support the launch, the publisher has also kicked off a special digital promotion that offers select Volume 1 titles for only $2.99 – 40% off the regular price! This is for a limited time only and runs until midnight PST May 9th. Manga titles for the iPhone and iPod Touch are available via the VIZ MANGA APP, which is free through the iTunes

    3-Day Event in Anaheim this 4th of July Weekend Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions press releases Official Site: am2con.org Special Thanks to Chase Wang Located in Anaheim, California, ­ AM² is a 3-day, 24 hour event with no general attendance/badge purchase requirement and is aspiring to be a key meeting place for fans that share a common interest in Asian music, Animation/Anime, and Comics/Manga. Established in 2010, AM² will be held on July 1-3, 2011 at the Anaheim Convention Center in sunny Anaheim, California. AM² current activities include Exhibit Hall, AMV`s, Arcade, Summer Festival, World Cosplay Summit, Rum Party Pirates, Cosplay Chess, Dances, Fashion Shows, Table Top, Console Gaming, AniMaid Café, Workshops, Panels, Concerts and more! Entrance to the event is free, but attendees can avoid the huge lines by obtaining a Passport fast pass for the event. The Passport fast pass will also provide holders

    Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden and Arata: The Legend Join the Newest Additions to 15 Other Popular VIZ Manga Series Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/apps Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media will round out April with a second block of monthly manga updates available exclusively for the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad mobile device. These latest updates will include the digital premiere of 5 new manga titles and updates to 15 other series that are also currently available. Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden is set to debut on April 18th, and Arata: The Legend will launch for the iPad on April 25th. The VIZ Manga App is available for free through the iTunes Store and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN)

    Who has Won Sets of Three Different Cover Editions for the Sold-Out Comic Book? Source: IDW Publishing Special Thanks to Chris Ryall, Carlos Guzman, Dirk Wood and Alonzo Simon A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Thank you to everyone who entered IDW Publishing and SciFi Japan`s Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters comic book contest. The response from readers was fantastic with hundreds of entries submitted. The three randomly drawn winners are: Marc Southerland Veronica Weissman Dillon Fisher Congratulations to the winners! Each of you will receive a set of three Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters issue #1 cover variant editions featuring the artwork of Alex Ross and Eric Powell. The prizes will be shipped soon so keep an eye on your mailboxes. In related news, IDW Publishing has announced that Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #1 sold out on the first day of release at comic book retail stores throughout

    New Paranormal Anime Adventure in the U.S. Only Days After Japanese Debut Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZAnime Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media has announced that it will serve as an official distribution partner for Aniplex of America’s domestic debut of the BLUE EXORCIST anime series. VIZ Media will carry the new action series (subtitled) on its VIZAnime website beginning Wednesday, April 20th, just days after its eagerly anticipated debut on Japanese TV on April 17th. New episodes will stream on the site every Wednesday. In the animated series, Rin, along with his twin brother Yukio Okumura are raised by an eminent priest, Shiro Fujimoto, but one day Rin discovers that their biological father is actually Satan! As the border between “Assiah” (the human world) and “Gehenna” (demon’s world) is intruded upon by evils, Rin vows to become

    VIZ Media Expands iPad Digital Library with Absolute Boyfriend, Black Bird, Blue Exorcist, Kekkashi and More Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/apps Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media continues the expansion of its digital manga manga library available exclusively for the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad mobile device with several new series that will premiere during the first half of April. The latest update features the launch of the shojo series Absolute Boyfriend and the fantasy-action of Kekkashi on April 4th. Another popular shojo manga series, Black Bird, and the supernatural adventure BLUE EXORCIST will premiere on April 11th. The VIZ Manga App is available for free through the iTunes Store and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume.

    Win a Set of Three Different Cover Editions, Courtesy of IDW Publishing and SciFi Japan Source: IDW Publishing Special Thanks to Chris Ryall, Carlos Guzman, Dirk Wood and Alonzo Simon A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Today, IDW Publishing premieres the first issue of their new comic books series Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters. Based on the long-running Toho film series and characters, the ongoing comic stars the King of the Monsters and other fan favorites such as Mothra, Rodan, Anguirus, and King Ghidorah in stories by writers Eric Powell (The Goon) and Tracy Marsh and artists Phil Hester (Green Arrow, Firebreather) and Bruce McCorkindale (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Falling Man). To celebrate Godzilla`s return to American comics, IDW is offering SciFi Japan readers a chance to win prize packs containing three different cover variant editions of Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters issue #1.

    Source: IDW Publishing Special Thanks to Chris Ryall and Carlos Guzman The first issue of IDW Publishing`s Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters, comic book series will arrive on stores shelves Wednesday, March 30th. The ongoing series is being written by Eisner Award-winner Eric Powell (The Goon) and Tracy Marsh. Artwork is provided by penciller Phil Hester (Green Arrow, Firebreather), inker Bruce McCorkindale (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Falling Man) and Eisner-nominated colorist Ronda Pattison. The cover price is $3.99. Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters begins as Godzilla emerges from the ocean off the coast of Japan and makes his way towards Tokyo. Military countermeasures seem powerless against the gargantuan beast, and the Japanese government may have to resort to some desperate measures to prevent further calamity. The destructive saga also features a host of beloved Toho monsters such as Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah,

    Titles Include Kids Favorites, Sci-Fi Action, Shojo Fantasy Drama, and Works by Natsume Ono and CLAMP Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) has detailed a variety of notable new manga acquisitions for the second half of 2011. Scheduled for release in coming months, perfect for kids’ summertime fun, are a pair of new Pokemon titles including a Travel Activity Kit and the debut of the Pokemon Black & White manga series. The highly anticipated cute and quirky bean dogs of Mameshiba will also debut in their own manga and in a character guide. Other titles aimed at Teen and Older Teen readers will feature the high-speed action of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s in an innovative new original story, the tense mystery drama Psyren, a remastered 3-in-1 collection of the classic apocalyptic saga X by the celebrated manga creative team

    North America’s Most Popular Manga Monthly Delivers Commemorative Special Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC celebrates the 100th issue of Shonen Jump magazine, which hit newsstands nationwide on March 1st. The cover price is $4.99. The commemorative April 2011 issue features special content including a pictorial retrospective of all the manga heroes that have graced the magazine’s pages since the very first issue. This includes original Shonen Jump heroes such as Goku from Dragon Ball, Yugi from Yu-Gi-Oh! and popular mainstays like Naruto, Ichigo from Bleach, as well as more recent additions to the Shonen Jump Super Team including Ageha from the new manga series Psyren, and Yusei from Yu-Gi-Oh 5D’s. The issue also contains the Dragon Ball X One Piece Cross Epoch, a collaborative one-shot story by the creators of each series where characters

    A Reformed Teenage Delinquent Tries to Lead a Peaceful High School Life in New Shojo Beat Series Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC brings the hilarious high-school hijinks of Izumi Tsubaki’s manga series, Oresama Teacher (I`m The Teacher), to North American audiences on March 1st. The new title will be published under the Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. Mafuyu is the no-nonsense, take-charge and hard-hitting leader of her high school gang. But when she gets expelled for being a delinquent, her mother, fed up with her daughter’s wayward ways, sends Mafuyu to an isolated school far off in the country. Determined to make the best of the situation and make her mother proud, Mafuyu decides to turn over a new, feminine,

    Interview with IDW Cover Artist Matt Frank Author: Bob Johnson Special thanks to IDW Comics As fans eagerly await the debut of IDW`s Godzilla Kingdom of Monsters comic, SciFi Japan caught up with cover artist Matt Frank and discussed the comic and what to expect in the months (years?) ahead. We also have an exclusive look at the Rodan cover for issue #2! So scroll down, read on and enjoy! SciFi Japan: Tell us about your beginnings. Where did you grow up? What was life like, pre-comic biz? Matt Frank: I grew up in good ol` San Antonio, Texas, and promptly moved to Austin for college, and have yet to find a reason to leave. Growing up I loved drawing dinosaurs, and my parents saw fit to take me around Central America and encourage my love of other cultures, not to mention the occasional surfing lesson

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