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Posts Tagged Viz Media

PR: VIZ Media releasing ALL MY DARLING DAUGHTERS

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, January 6, 2010

THE LIVES AND COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS OF WOMEN AND THEIR FRIENDS AND MOTHERS IS EXPLORED IN ALL MY DARLING DAUGHTERS
NEW FROM VIZ MEDIA

San Francisco, CA, January 6, 2010 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the January 19th release of ALL MY DARLING DAUGHTERS by celebrated creator Fumi Yoshinaga. The single-volume manga edition will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

ALL MY DARLING DAUGHTERS explores the often-tempestuous relationship between a single career woman and her mother. Yukiko, a businesswoman in her thirties, still lives with her mother, Mari. But their relationship suffers a wrenching change when Mari announces that she’s getting married–to an aspiring actor who’s even younger than Yukiko. Convinced that he’s out to fleece her mom, Yukiko can’t stand to stay in the house any longer and decides to move in with her boyfriend.

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PR: Viz Media Announces Book of Friends Manga

By Lissa Pattillo on Monday, January 4, 2010

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NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS
A LIST THAT NO DEMON OR SPIRIT WANTS TO BE ON AND THE BOY WHO
IS ITS UNLIKELY KEEPER IN NEW MANGA FROM VIZ MEDIA

San Francisco, CA, January 4, 2010 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the January 5th release of NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS, a standalone manga story by Yuki Midorikawa. NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS debuts under the Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Takashi Natsume can see spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he’s a troubled high school student who has come to live in a small town where his grandmother, Reiko, grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the power of Sight from the mysterious Reiko. When Reiko was Takashi’s age, she bound the names of demons and spirits in her Book of Friends, enslaving them to her every capricious whim. Now Takashi is the owner of the book, and the creatures will do anything to get their names back.

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Viz Media

Review: Black Bird (Vol. 02)

By Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, January 3, 2010

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Kanoko Sakurakoji
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2009

Synopsis: “Kyo, the head of the Tengu demon clan, is Misao’s only chance for survival. But even though she has sweet memories of him as a childhood friend, she has trouble reconciling them with the man he has become. Despite the strange attraction she feels for Kyo, can she trust her life, let alone her heart, to a man who only cares about the promise of her blood?”

Black Bird left a sour taste in many a mind of readers with the abusive relationship forming in its first volume. But in volume two the author steps back from the violent encounters and deviant objectives of those now plaguing Misao’s life to give the series something a proclaimed-romance really needs – some honest affection.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Black Bird, Manga, Shoujo Beat, Viz Media

Review: Pokemon Adventures (Vol. 03)

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, December 30, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Hidenori Kusaka
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: All Ages
Release Date: November 2009

Synopsis: “Red is improving rapidly as a Pokémon trainer–and so is his competition. But now Red must team up with his biggest rival Blue and thief Green to defeat a common enemy! And watch out for Team Rocket, Red… They won’t let you into Saffron City!”

In this third volume suddenly Pokemon Adventures starts feeling much less episodic. From the beginning there has always been a continuing plotline, but though each one is connected to the next, they still felt fairly self-contained. All previously present characters return in this book and it’s one long string of events. It includes a number of the classic Pokemon staples – fighting against Team Rocket, rescuing Pokemon and a showdown between Red and Blue tournament-style – but also hits hard with its share of surprises.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Pokemon Adventures, Viz Media

Review: Detroit Metal City (Vol. 03)

By Andre Paploo on Saturday, December 19, 2009

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Reviewer: Andre

Manga-ka: Kiminori Wakasugi
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “By all appearances, Soichi Negishi is a sweet, well-mannered boy who likes Swedish pop music, trendy boutiques, and all things fashionable. But at the same time he’s also Krauser II – prepare to have your mortal soul devoured by the demonic front man for Detroit Metal City, the most outrageously hilarious death metal band on the Japanese indie scene! Death metal screams the despair of dying heathens! What the hell kind of song would you sing?!”

Bringing more of the same combination of shock value and endearing characterization as the first volume, the third collection of Wakasugi’s DDetroit Metal City gives us more inappropriate behaviour to ponder. Wakasugi delivers on his early promise, while also finding a way to succumb to traditional manga expectations in a way I hadn’t expected.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Viz Media

Review: Bleach (Vol. 29)

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, December 17, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Kubo Tite
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “Ichigo and his friends knew invading Hueco Mundo wouldn’t be easy, but even the lesser Arrancars are pushing to their limits. Can Ichigo, Uryu and Chad find the inner strength to overcome the first line of attack, or will Orihime be stuck in Hueco Mundo forever?!”

Our team of heroes have embarked into the proverbial lion’s den. Out to save Orihime, who remains notably absent throughout the volume, the group splits up to cover more ground. It’s no surprise then though that each character suddenly finds themselves face to face with an adversary all to themselves.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Bleach, Manga, Shonen Jump, Viz Media

PR: VIZ Media’s kick off for 2010 is new manga – NOT SIMPLE

By Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, December 15, 2009

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VIZ MEDIA TO KICK OFF 2010
WITH THE RELEASE OF NEW MANGA
not simple

Emotional Slice-of-Life Story About A Man’s Search For Family, Love And His Place In The World Engages Fans Of Both Manga
And U.S. Indie Comics And Previewed On SigIKKI.com

San Francisco, CA, December 15, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, kicks off 2010 with the release on January 19th of Natsume Ono’s manga, not simple. The story, contained in a single volume, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, will be published by the VIZ Signature imprint and carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $19.99 CAN.

To celebrate this launch, a preview of the prologue of not simple will be available on SigIKKI.com, VIZ Media’s premiere website for presenting a diverse collection of titles which include the most inventive, bold, and compelling titles in the world of contemporary manga.

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Viz Media

PR: Final hand picked volume of the ultimate food manga OISHINBO

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, December 10, 2009

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FINAL VOLUME OF THE ULIMATE FOOD MANGA
– OISHINBO RELEASING JANUARY 19TH!

The Last Hand-Selected Volume Out Of A 100+ Volume Hit Series Exploring Essential
Elements Of Japanese Cuisine is coming to an end. Volume 7 Izakaya-Pub Food Is Here!

DECEMBER 10, 2009 – VIZ Media announced today the release of the final volume of the mega hit food manga by Tetsu Kariya, OISHINBO due out on January 19th. Volume 7, Izayaya-Pub Food is rated ‘T’ for Teens and carries an estimated retail price of $12.99 US and $16.99 CAN.

Izakaya occupies the same vital space in the Japanese culinary landscape as tapas bars in Spain or tavernas in Greece. Unpretentious and frequently boisterous, they’re places to meet with friends or business partners to unwind over drinks and small dishes that range from hearty standards to refined innovations. In this volume of OISHINBO, Yamaoka and Kurita investigate classic Izakaya foods such as edamame and yakitori, devise new dishes to add to the menu of an old shop, and discover how the concept of “play” is essential to the enjoyment of food.

OISHINBO creator Tetsu Kariya, writer and essayist extraordinaire graduated from prestigious Tokyo University. Kariya was employed with a major advertising agency before making his debut as a manga writer in 1974 when he teamed up with legendary manga artist Ryoichi Ikegami to create Otoko Gumi (Male Gang). The worlds of food and manga were forever changed in 1983 when Kariya, together with artist Akira Hanasaki, created the immensely popular and critically acclaimed OISHINBO.

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Categories: Press Releases
Tags: Viz Media

Artist Call for Dragon Girls and Nightschool Students

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, December 2, 2009

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Two new contest calls are out for artists so sharpen your pencils and dust off those tablets (though may you artists out there keep your tablet much better dusted than mine!).

First off Viz Media is looking for fan art submissions for upcoming volumes of St. Dragon Girl. Via Twitter (@viz_media): “AM: Calling All Artists! Fan Art needed for future volumes of St. Dragon Girl manga.” The most recent volume of St. Dragon Girl is volume five and it’s available on store shelves this week.

Meanwhile over on her DeviantArt journal, Svetlana Chmkova is holding a contest for fan art to potentially appear in the next volume of her currently running series, Nightschool. Winners will be published in the third volume of Nightschool, due out from Yen Press in April 2010, and will be sent signed copies of the book when it’s released. All entries must be submitted to Yen Press by the fast-approaching deadline of December 28th along with a fanart consent form available on their webpage.

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Categories: Contests
Tags: Global Manga, Manga, Viz Media, Yen Press

Review: Otomen (Vol. 03)

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, November 25, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Osamu Tezuka
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: August 2009

Synopsis: “Asuka takes Ryo to an amusement park where he plans to confess his feelings to her. Too bad all the rides Ryo wants to go on frighten Asuka! Can he overcome his fear for the sake of love?”

Asuka and Ryo continue their budding romance, a seemingly one-way affair that while now having feelings in the open still remains informally unpronounced. Asuka wants nothing more than to muster his courage to ask Ryo out while Juta continues to egg them on for fear that the inspiration for his secret-career as a manga artist will run dry.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Otomen, Shoujo, Shoujo Beat, Viz Media