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Posts Tagged Viz Media

Viz Media Visits Jojo’s First Bizarre Adventures with Phantom Blood

By Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, June 15, 2014

Like many a viewer, I’ve recently been enjoying the Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure anime on Crunchyroll. Dark, twisted, and never more funny than when it’s trying not to be! Viz Media has released a number of Jojo volumes in English, but has never published the initial arc that this anime is based upon. It was tidy timing then that they made their recent license announcement:

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures: Phantom Blood – Hirohiko Araki

AnimeNewsNetwork confirmed this acquisition after a listing for the title was found on Amazon. The listings have since been removed, but showed a price point of $22.99/CAN | $19.99/US, and scheduled for release in February 2015.

“The legendary Shonen Jump series, now available in English for the first time, in a deluxe edition featuring color pages and newly drawn cover art!”

The price is the same as Viz Media’s 3-in-1 editions of Neon Genesis Evangelion, suggesting that as a deluxe edition this will likely also be multi-volume in length and with a larger trim size.

The last print volume of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure was released back in 2010. Hirohiko Araki’s one-shot manga, Rohan at the Louvre, was released more recently in 2012. Viz Media said they’d have more information about the Jojo franchise at their upcoming panel at Anime Expo.

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Categories: Licensing
Tags: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Omnibus, Viz Media

Viz Media Licenses Pokemon Adventures X & Y For Perfect Square

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, June 11, 2014

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Viz Media knows what the people want and they aim to license ’em all. The publisher announced via press release last week that they’d licensed the manga adaption of Nintendo’s newest Pokemon games:

Pokemon Adventures X & Y – Hidenori Kusaka & Satoshi Yamamoto

The series will be published under Viz Media’s fairly recently added imprint, Perfect Square. Previously Viz released their Pokemon titles under their VIZKids imprint, which Perfect Square replaces, but the shift has lead to only minor changes in the package design (though us fans of consistently still weep some, I know!).

As the new Champion of the Pokémon Battle Junior Tournament in the Kalos region, X is hailed as a child prodigy. But when all the media attention proves to be too much for him, he holes up in his room to hide from everyone, including his best friends. What will it take to get him to come out?! How about an attack on his hometown of Vaniville Town by the two new Legendary Pokémon, Xerneas and Yveltal, and a mysterious organization named Team Flare…?

Volume one of Pokemon X & Y is scheduled for December at $12.99/CAN, $9.99/US. The series is still on-going in Japan so future volumes will be released twice a year. This also means we’ll get thicker initial volumes than the ‘minis’ that Viz released for Pokemon B/W.

Pokemon Adventures X & Y (Vol. 01) is available to pre-order via Amazon.ca | Amazon.com

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Categories: Licensing
Tags: Perfect Square, Pokemon, Viz Media

PR: Viz Media’s Perfect Square Imprint Acquires Pokemon Adventures X & Y Manga Series

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, June 4, 2014

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VIZ MEDIA’S PERFECT SQUARE IMPRINT ACQUIRES POKÉMON ADVENTURES X & Y MANGA SERIES

New All-Ages Manga Adventure Inspired By The Latest Generation of Pokémon Video Games Join an Expansive Catalog Of POKÉMON Manga Titles Published In North America

San Francisco, CA, June 4, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced the acquisition of the domestic publishing and digital media rights for the POKÉMON ADVENTURES X & Y manga (graphic novel) series. The manga is based on the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games, which launched globally for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems in October 2013.

The new release will launch the latest story arc for the popular entertainment property and joins VIZ Media’s expansive catalog of POKÉMON manga and anime titles. The POKÉMON ADVENTURES X & Y series is rated ‘A’ for All Ages and will debut its first volume in print and digitally in December under the company’s Perfect Square imprint. Future volumes of the series, which is also ongoing in Japan, will be published twice yearly.

POKÉMON ADVENTURES X & Y is written by Hidenori Kusaka with artwork by Satoshi Yamamoto. As the new Champion of the Pokémon Battle Junior Tournament in the Kalos region, X is hailed as a child prodigy. But when all the media attention proves to be too much for him, he holes up in his room to hide from everyone, including his best friends. What will it take to get him to come out?! How about an attack on his hometown of Vaniville Town by the two new Legendary Pokémon, Xerneas and Yveltal, and a mysterious organization named Team Flare…?

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Perfect Square, Pokemon, Viz Media

PR: Viz Media Marks the Return of Hunter x Hunter Manga With Special Promotion

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, May 29, 2014

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VIZ MEDIA MARKS THE RETURN OF SMASH HIT ACTION/ADVENTURE MANGA HUNTER X HUNTER WITH SPECIAL PRINT AND DIGITAL PROMOTION

Long-Running Fantasy Adventure Returns With Brand New Chapters In WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP On June 2nd; Fans Can Dive Into The Entire Series With Special Promo Pricing

VIZ Media celebrates the return this summer of HUNTER X HUNTER with a special digital and print sale on all volumes of the hit action/adventure series. Brand new chapters of creator Yoshihiro Togashi’s long-running manga (graphic novel) are set to debut in the Japanese edition of Weekly Shonen Jump magazine on Monday, June 2nd and will also appear the same day in the North American digital counterpart published by VIZ Media and available at: http://shonenjump.viz.com.

For a limited time, from May 26th thru June 9th, HUNTER X HUNTER (rated ‘T+ for Teens) Volumes 1-32 on the VIZManga.com platform will be $2.00 off their regular MSRP ($6.99), making all volumes available for only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. The sale price will be available through VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga app for iOS and Android, and special pricing may be available through the digital partners storefronts for Nook, Kindle, GooglePlay, iBooks and Kobo.

In addition, manga fans can also catch print editions of HUNTER X HUNTER at 40% off their regular MSRP ($9.99 USD) when ordered through the Barnes & Noble web site at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/manga/379003481.

In the HUNTER X HUNTER manga series, Hunters are a special breed, dedicated to tracking down treasures, magical beasts, and even other people. But such pursuits require a license, and less than one in a hundred thousand can pass the grueling qualification exam. Those who do pass gain access to restricted areas, amazing stores of information, and the right to call themselves Hunters.

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Hunter x Hunter, Shonen Jump, Viz Media

PR: Viz Media Releases New Volume for Hit Millennium Snow Manga Series

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, May 22, 2014

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VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF THE HIT SHOJO MANGA SERIES MILLENNIUM SNOW

Catch The Digital And Print Debut Of A Brand New Volume From Creator Bisco Hatori’s Paranormal Romance Series; New 2-In-1 Omnibus Manga Release For Earlier Volumes Also Debuts

San Francisco, CA, May 20, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, invites manga (graphic novel) fans to mark to the much-awaited digital and print debut on June 3rd of a brand new volume from Bisco Hatori’s hit manga (graphic novel) series – MILLENNIUM SNOW – as well as the release on the same day of a new 2-in-1 omnibus print edition.

Volume 3 of the romance about a handsome young vampire and an ailing teenage girl will be published under the Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry a print MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The new release marks the return of the critically acclaimed series after it had been put on hiatus by the creator and has never before been released in English.

A digital version of MILLENNIUM SNOW, Vol. 3 also will debut on June 3rd for $6.99 (USD/CAN) on 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 Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks and GooglePlay stores. Volumes 1-2 of MILLENNIUM SNOW are available across multiple platforms from the extensive VIZ Media digitally catalog.

Fans also can catch the two earlier volumes of MILLENNIUM SNOW with a new 2-in-1 omnibus print version that also releases on June 3rd and bundles Vols. 1-2 into a handy single edition. The 2-in-1 omnibus edition is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

In Bisco Hatori’s acclaimed series, seventeen-year-old Chiyuki Matsuoka was born with heart problems, and her doctors say she won’t live to see the next snow. Toya is an 18-year-old vampire who hates blood and refuses to make the traditional partnership with a human, whose life-giving blood would keep them both alive for a thousand years.

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Bisco Hatori, Millennium Snow, Omnibus, Shojo Beat, Viz Media

PR: Revisit The Brutal Action With BATTLE ROYALE: ANGELS’ BORDER One-ShotManga!

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, May 22, 2014

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THE KILL OR BE KILLED SAGA OF BATTLE ROYALE CONTINUES AS VIZ MEDIA RELEASES NEW MANGA ONE-SHOT BATTLE ROYALE: ANGELS’ BORDER

Creator Of Original BATTLE ROYALE Novel Koushun Takami Returns With The Graphic Full Story Of The Girls In The Lighthouse

San Francisco, CA, May 21, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the release on June 17th of BATTLE ROYALE: ANGELS’ BORDER, a new one-shot manga (graphic novel) written by Koushun Takami, author of the original BATTLE ROYALE novel.

BATTLE ROYALE: ANGELS’ BORDER debuts in print from the VIZ Signature imprint, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN. The new single-volume release reveals for the first time in graphic novel form the full story and grisly demise of the girls in the lighthouse that was so memorably featured in the original BATTLE ROYALE book and live-action film. BATTLE ROYALE: ANGELS’ BORDER features artwork by Mioko Ohnishi and Youhei Oguma.

A digital version will also launch for $8.99 (USD/CAN) on June 17th on 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 Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks and GooglePlay stores.

Author Koushun Takami’s notorious literary thriller, BATTLE ROYALE, possessed an irresistible premise: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan – where it then proceeded to become a runaway best seller – Battle Royale has become a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world.

In BATTLE ROYALE: ANGELS’ BORDER, most of the students from Shiroiwa Junior High scatter as soon as they reach the remote island where they must participate in the latest round of the Program. But Yukie Utsumi and five of her friends lock themselves in the lighthouse, clinging to a desperate hope of survival. They all trust each other, but they also know that only one can survive the Battle Royale…

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Battle Royale, Viz Media

Viz Media Confirms Print Edition World Trigger, Will Reprint Jojo

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, May 15, 2014

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Viz Media’s been dropping little bits of news throughout the past few weeks, resulting in plenty of good news for print fans. Time for a round-up!

During their Sakura Con panel, Viz Media confirmed that World Trigger will be getting print editions. The new series has been serializing in Shonen Jump since last year (and is very good!). Volume one is scheduled for October 2014 and is currently available to pre-order via Amazon.ca | Amazon.com

Coinciding nicely with the recent addition of its anime to Crunchyroll, Jojo’s Bizzarre Adventure is coming back to print. Viz Media has released sixteen volumes of the series but individual volumes have been difficult to find after going out of print. Fresh volumes are said to be arriving in their warehouse starting this month so retailers such as Amazon and RightStuf will be able to start fulfilling orders again.

Pokemon is getting some new packaging with three upcoming boxsets for the various manga series. Bundling the individual volumes into ‘season’ sets, Viz Media has three sets coming in the Fall – Pokemon Adventures: Ruby & Sapphire, Pokemon Black & White Set 02, and Pokemon Adventures: Diamond & Pearl/Platinum. More information is available via their press release.

Viz Media has also recently released their newest Jump Pack. This in-store purchase comes with “New Print Issue Features 100+ Pages Of Manga Content, A 3-Month Digital Subscription And An Exclusive
Blue-Eyes White Dragon YU-GI-OH! Collectable Trading Card”.

The Jump Packs are great ways for those without the ability to purchase online to still get subscribed to Viz Media’s Weekly Shonen Jump. I love that they’re continuing to offer this option and the cost is entirely worth it.

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Categories: Manga Minis
Tags: Crunchyroll, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Pokemon, Shonen Jump, Viz Media, World Trigger

PR: Apocalyptic Vampire Manga SERAPH OF THE END Debuts June 3rd In Print & Digital!

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, May 15, 2014

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VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF NEW SHONEN JUMP SERIES SERAPH OF THE END: VAMPIRE REIGN

A Young Orphan Borrows Demonic Power to Battle Bloodthirsty Vampires That Have Enslaved The Earth

San Francisco, CA, May 14, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, delivers a new manga (graphic novel) title straight from the pages of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP as it announces the print and digital launch on June 3rd of the apocalyptic vampire series, SERAPH OF THE END.

The series, illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto with story by Takaya Kagami and storyboards by Daisuke Furuya, will be published under the Shonen Jump Advanced imprint, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The debut volume also features a fold-out full-color poster, as well as revealing author commentary. Future volumes of the continuing series are scheduled to be published domestically 3 times a year.

A digital version of SERAPH OF THE END: VAMPIRE REIGN will also launch on June 3rd for $6.99 (USD/CAN) on VIZManga.com and through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, and Android-powered smart phones. It will also be available through the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks and GooglePlay stores.

After trumpets of the apocalypse proclaim the fall of humanity, vampires arise from the shadows to rule the earth. Yuichiro wants just one thing – to get revenge by killing each and every vampire. Yuichiro’s dream is near-impossible, given that vampires are seven times stronger than humans, and the only way to kill them is by mastering Cursed Gear, advanced demon-possessed weaponry. Not to mention that humanity’s most elite Vampire Extermination Unit, the Moon Demon Company, wants nothing to do with Yuichiro unless he can prove he’s willing to work in a team – which is the last thing he wants!

The latest chapters of SERAPH OF THE END: VAMPIRE REIGN are also currently serialized in VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP digital manga anthology, alongside legendary series such as BLEACH, NARUTO and ONE PIECE.

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: seraph of the end, Shonen Jump, Viz Media

PR: Viz Media Supports 2014 Free Comic Book Day with Graphic Novel & Manga Samplers

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, May 1, 2014

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VIZ MEDIA SUPPORTS 2014 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY WITH GRAPHIC NOVEL & MANGA SAMPLERS SHOWCASING EXCITING NEW TITLES

Visit And Support Local Comics Retailers On May 3rd To Receive 2 FREE Samplers Featuring HELLO KITTY®, BRAVEST WARRIORS, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, And TERRA FORMARS!

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.

Scheduled for Saturday, May 3th at thousands of locations nationwide, Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional campaign in the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers of all ages and interests into independent comic book stores. Free Comic Book Day began in 2002 and is coordinated by the industry’s single largest distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors. Readers should visit freecomicbookday.com to find a local participating retailer in their area.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Free Comic Book Day, Viz Media

PR: Viz Media’s Perfect Square Imprint Announces Three New Pokemon Manga Box Sets

By Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, April 29, 2014

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VIZ MEDIA’S PERFECT SQUARE IMPRINT PREVIEWS THREE NEW UPCOMING POKÉMON MANGA BOX SETS

Look Forward To New Multi-Volume Box Sets For POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE, POKÉMON ADVENTURES RUBY & SAPPHIRE, And POKÉMON ADVENTURES DIAMOND & PEARL/PLATINUM

San Francisco, CA, April 28, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga, graphic novels and anime in North America, delivers exciting adventures featuring favorite Pokémon characters with the announcement of three new POKÉMON manga (graphic novel) box sets later this year from the Perfect Square imprint.

The POKÉMON ADVENTURES RUBY & SAPPHIRE Box Set and the POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE Box Set 2 are scheduled for release in September. A POKÉMON ADVENTURES DIAMOND & PEARL/PLATINUM Box Set will debut in October. POKÉMON manga are rated ‘A’ for All Ages and each of the forthcoming sets will include a collectible full-color poster.

POKÉMON ADVENTURES RUBY & SAPPHIRE BOX SET •
MSRP: $59.99 U.S. / $79.99 CAN • Rated ‘A’ For All Ages •
Available Sept. 2014
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?! 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 Sept. 2014
Meet Pokémon Trainers Black and White! 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?! Compact 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 Oct. 2014
Set contains the complete Diamond & Pearl/Platinum story arc (Vols. 1-11) of the bestselling POKÉMON ADVENTURES series, along with a collectible color poster! Pokémon Trainers Pearl and Diamond are starstruck! Their goal? To perfect 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.

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Perfect Square, Pokemon, Viz Media