It’s Viz again today as a full room is present to hear the news at Viz Media’s Manga & Anime panel. As with the previous panel, I’ll share the big updates here and then update later with the complete panel information later this evening.

The panel opened up with information on the previously announced Shonen Sunday. Viz staff shared some information about Shonen Sunday’s history (had no idea it’d been around in Japan since 1939!) before showcasing the current titles available in the new imprint:

Rin-Ne – Rumiko Takahashi
Kekkaishi – Yellow Tanabe
Arata: The Legend – Yu Watase
Maoh: Juvenille Remix – Kotaro Isaka & Megumi Osuga
Hyde & Closer – Haro Aso

The new titles which have not yet been released by Viz, will be available in book form in 2010 but are currently being released per chapter (for free!) over at the spiffily launched ShonenSunday.com.

You can read lots more under the cut:

RinNe‘s first volume is due out October 20, 2009 and will be the first manga volume released simultaneously with its release in Japan.

Viz also announced, for fans of Google and/or Shonen Sunday, the addition of iGoogle themes that have characters from Shonen Sunday (currently RinNe as the preview). You can see those available over at the iGoogle themes launch page.

On the anime front, Viz announced the Kekkashi anime, and to great cheer from the crowd, the swift acquistion of the only recently revealed anime continuation of Inu-Yasha, Inu-Yasha: The Final Act.

Another well-recieved anime license is for Matsuri Hino’s Vampire Knight, the long awaited animated adapation of one of the topselling shoujo titles currently running. No exact release dates now since the license confirmation is so recent but they did say it would be available in 2010.

The Monster boxset has finally been given a street date as well, with an uncut collection of episodes 1-15 coming out in December 2009.

Upcoming releases:

Inu-Yasha VIZBig (Vol. 01)
– Has volumes 1-3 and will have the story unflipped for the first time. Available November 2009.

Inu-Yasha regular volumes coming out monthly, no longer flipped
(Vol. 38) – July 14, 2009
(Vol. 39) – August 11, 2009

Kekkaishi – Yellow Tanabe
(Vol. 18) – August 18, 2009
(Vol. 19) – November 17, 2009

A trailer for the now Viz-licensed anime series, Kekkaishi, was played for the audience here as well.

Ponyo Film Comic
(Vols. 1-2): August 4, 2009
(Vols. 2-3): September 1, 2009

Viz Media is also releasing a hardcover, full colour storybook of Ponyo that’ll be a perfect story to read with your children.

“The Starting Point… of the Greatest Career in Animation History”
by Hayao Miyazaki
Translated by Beth Cary and Frederik L. Schodit
Release date: August 4, 2009

VizKids Upcoming Releases:

Dragonball Chapter Books
Adapted by Gerard Jones (original story by Akira Toriyama)
(Vols. 1-2): August 2, 2009
(Vols. 2-4): September 1, 2009

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (Akira Himekawa)
(Vol. 06) – Part One – August 4, 2009
(Vol. 07) – Part Two – October 6, 2009

Let’s Find Pokemon!: Ruby & Sapphire
Art by Kazunori Aihara
Available September 1, 2009

Leave It To Pet! – Kenji Sonishi
“The misadventures of a recycled super robot!”
(Vol. 02) – Now Available
(Vol. 03) – October 6, 2009

Dinosaur Hour – Hitoshi Shioya
“Journey back to the Jurassic!”
(Vol. 01) – Now Available

Happy Happy Clover – Sayuri Tatsuyama
(Vol. 03) – October 6, 2009

Choco Mimi – Konami Sonoda
“Best friends with a flair for fashion!”
(Vol. 02) – October 6, 2009

Missin’
“A new two-book box set from the writer of the Kamikaze Girls”
Stories by Novala Takemoto
Release Date: August 18, 2009
Includes: Missin’, Missin’ 2: Kasako, Slipcover

Vampire Knight – Matsuri Hino
(Vol. 07) – August 2009
(Vol. 08) – November 2009

Nana (anime)
DVD Boxset 1
September 8, 2009
Episodes 1- 11,5

Honey and Clover (anime)
DVD Boxset 1
Episodes 1-13
September 22, 2009

Dogs: Bullets and Carnage – Shirow Miwa
(Vol. 01) – August 12, 2009
(Vol. 02) – December 8, 2009

Vagabond – Takehiko Inoue
VIZBig (Vol. 04) – July 21, 2009
VIZBig (Vol. 05) – October 20, 2009
(Vol. 30) – November 17, 2009

What a Wonderful World – Inio Asano
(Vols. 1-2): October 20, 2009 (released in the larger format-style)

Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka
Naoki Urusawa & Osamu Tezuka
(Vol. 04) – Available Now
(Vol. 05) – September 15, 2009

20th Century Boys – Naoki Urasawa
(Vol. 04) – August 18, 2009
(Vol. 05) – October 20, 2009

Bonus!:

Monster (anime)
DVD boxset
Episodes 1-15
December 2009 (uncut)

Earlier in the day Viz Media held their Shonen Jump panel which you can read all about over here: Shonen Jump.

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About the Author: Lissa Pattillo

Lissa Pattillo is the owner and editor of Kuriousity.ca. Residing in Halifax, Nova Scotia she takes great joy in collecting all manners of manga genres, regretting that there's never enough time in the day to review or share them all. Along with reviews, Lissa is responsible for all the news postings to the website and works full time as a web and graphic designer.