VIZ MEDIA DELIVERS THE LATEST YU-GI-OH! ADVENTURES WITH THE LAUNCH OF NEW YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL MANGA SERIES IN JUNE

Brand New Action Adventure Series Follows A Young Boy’s Quest To Fulfill His Destiny And Become A Dueling Champion; Vol. 1 First Editions Include Limited Edition YU-GI-OH! Trading Card

San Francisco, CA, May 17, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, notably expands its bestselling YU-GI-OH! manga (graphic novel) brand with the forthcoming release of the newest series in the popular franchise. YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL launches on June 5th under the company’s SHONEN JUMP imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. Volume 1 First Editions will also contain a limited edition collectable YU-GI-OH! trading card.

YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL is based on an original concept by Kazuki Takahashi with story by Shin Yoshida and artwork created by Naohito Miyoshi. The new series takes place in a futuristic city where augmented reality Duels are all the rage. Duelists, using devices called D-Gazers, can interact with their environment and their opponents as never before. With more awesome monsters and unbelievable cards, the future of Yu-Gi-Oh! starts right here! No one loves Dueling more than Yuma Tsukumo, but unfortunately for him, no one is worse at it! This isn’t going to stop Yuma from trying though. When Yuma calls on the memory of his parents during the Duel, a strange being called Astral appears, and the encounter is the start of Yuma’s amazing Duel journey!

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VIZ MEDIA PROMOTES ALVIN LU TO
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHING

San Francisco, CA, April 16, 2012 – VIZ Media, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga, graphic novels and anime in North America, has promoted Alvin Lu to Executive Vice President of Publishing.

“Compelling content has been driving our business for 25 years,” said Ken Sasaki, President and CEO of VIZ Media. “Alvin always made sure VIZ Media had the best manga titles direct from Japan, and his creative instincts are unparalleled in the industry.”

Alvin Lu, who among other accomplishments has overseen the remarkable growth of VIZ Media’s graphic novel publishing line over the years, will head the publishing team. In his new role, he will focus on maintaining VIZ Media’s position as the leading trade graphic novel publisher in North America and taking the program in bold new directions. Lu began his career at VIZ Media in 2000 as the Editor-in-Chief of the critically renowned PULP magazine and has since worked to serve as one of the main bridges between the North American and Japanese publishing industries during the years of manga’s phenomenal growth. More recently he has led VIZ Media’s charge into original graphic novel content and digital delivery.

“Manga is more than a term that translates as ‘comics from Japan’,” said Lu. “It’s a unique art form with its own grammar, history, and pedigree. Increasingly, it’s become a visual language that can be read by young people around the world and a form for young artists to aspire to. I see VIZ Media as being at the heart of the global migration of the language of manga.”

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VIZ MEDIA RECEIVES MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2012 EISNER AWARDS

NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS and
SATURN APARTMENTS Are Nominated For Annual Comics Industry Publishing Award

San Francisco, CA, April 4, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced that two of its critically acclaimed manga (graphic novel) series have been nominated for the 2012 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards, as announced by Comic-Con International on April 4, 2012.

The nominations include NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS, by Naoki Urasawa, for Best Continuing Series, and SATURN APARTMENTS, Vols. 3-4, by Hisae Iwaoka, for Best U.S. Edition of International Material. Both titles are published by VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint.

Named for pioneering writer and comic artist Will Eisner, the awards recognize exemplary comics, graphic novels and other pop writings, and are given each year as part of the annual Comic-Con International convention, at which VIZ Media will be a major exhibitor and participant in the programs offered. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 13th during Comic-Con. In 2011, NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS won an Eisner Award in the category of Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia.

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VIZ MEDIA NAMES KEN SASAKI PRESIDENT AND CEO

Hidemi Fukuhara Elevated to Vice Chairman

San Francisco, CA, March, 29 2012 – VIZ Media, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga, graphic novels and anime in North America, announced today that Ken Sasaki will succeed Hidemi Fukuhara as President and CEO of the company as of April 1st, 2012.

Sasaki joined VIZ Media in February of 2008 and most recently served as Senior Vice President and General Manager for VIZ Media, where he led the company’s digital content distribution strategy for animation. Sasaki was a driving force behind developing relationships with industry leaders for the digital distribution of anime.

“We have spent the last few years preparing VIZ Media for its digital future,” said Ken Sasaki. “I look forward to expanding our digital distribution channels even further, making manga, graphic novels and anime even more accessible to fans across North America.”

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VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES NEW
3-IN-1 OMNIBUS MANGA EDITIONS FOR
HANA-KIMI AND SKIP·BEAT!

New Releases Of Two Classic Shojo Manga Series Each Bundle Three Complete Volumes Into A Single Handy Edition

San Francisco, CA, March 6, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, offers fans a double-dose of shojo manga (graphic novel) fun today with the release of new omnibus 3-in-1 editions for a pair of classic series – SKIP·BEAT! and HANA-KIMI. Each of the new releases from the company’s Shojo Beat imprint bundles 3 complete manga volumes into a handy and compact reading companion.

HANA-KIMI 3-in-1 Edition Volume 1 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens ·
MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN · Available March 6th
Mizuki Ashiya has such a crush on a track star named Izumi Sano that she moves from the U.S. to Japan to enroll in the all-male high school he attends! Pretending to be a boy, Mizuki eventually becomes Sano’s roommate… but how can she keep such a big secret when she’s so close to the guy she likes?

Creator Hisaya Nakajo’s manga series, HANA-KIMI, has been a hit since it first appeared in 1997 in the shojo manga magazine Hana to Yume (Flowers and Dreams). In Japan, a HANA-KIMI art book (also available from VIZ Media) and several drama CDs also have been released. Her other notable manga series include Missing Piece and Yumemiru Happa (The Dreaming Leaf).

SKIP·BEAT! 3-in-1 Edition Volume 1 · Rated “T” for Teens ·
MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN · Available March 6th
Kyoko Mogami followed her true love Sho to Tokyo to support him while he made it big as an idol. But he’s casting her out now that he’s famous enough! Kyoko won’t suffer in silence – she’s going to get her sweet revenge by beating Sho in show biz!

Manga creator Yoshiki Nakamura started drawing manga in elementary school, which eventually led to her 1993 debut with Yume de Au yori Suteki (Better Than Seeing in a Dream) in Hana to Yume (Flowers and Dreams) magazine. Her other works include the basketball series Saint Love, as well as Can’t Give Up MVP, Blue Wars, and Tokyo Crazy Paradise, a series about a female bodyguard set in 2020 Tokyo.

For more information on HANA-KIMI, SKIP·BEAT!, or other shojo manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit ShojoBeat.com.

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FANTASY AND INTRIGUE AWAIT READERS IN THE NEW VIZ MEDIA SHOJO MANGA SERIES THE EARL AND THE FAIRY

A Fairy Doctor Who Sees Magical Creatures Helps An Aristocrat Search For A Legendary Sword And Hunt A Mysterious Killer

San Francisco, CA, March 1, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, launches a fantastic tale of fairies and fantasy set in against the backdrop of Victorian England with the debut of THE EARL AND THE FAIRY on March 6th. The new Shojo Beat series, created by Mizue Tani with artwork by Ayuko, is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor and one of the few people with the ability to see the magical creatures who share our world. During one of her rare trips to London to visit her father, Lydia’s quiet life is suddenly transformed when she is rescued from kidnappers by a mysterious young man!

Edgar Ashenbert claims to be descended from the human ruler of the fairy kingdom, and he urgently needs Lydia’s help to find and claim his birthright, the legendary sword of the Blue Knight Earl. Things will never be the same for Lydia as she is pulled into a dangerous quest against dark forces!

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A HIGH SCHOOL GIRL MARCHES TO HER OWN BEAT IN
A DEVIL AND HER LOVE SONG, NEW FROM VIZ MEDIA

An Outspoken Outsider With Amazing Singing Talent Tries To Fit In And Still Maintain Her Hard Edge In The Latest Manga Series From VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat Imprint

San Francisco, CA, February 8, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, debuts the poignant shojo manga (graphic novel) series, A DEVIL AND HER LOVE SONG, now available. The new title, published under the company’s Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens and carries an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Meet Maria Kawai – she’s gorgeous and whip-smart, a girl who seems to have it all. But when she unleashes her sharp tongue, it’s no wonder some consider her to be the very devil! Maria’s difficult ways even get her kicked out of an elite school, but this particular fall may actually turn out to be her saving grace… Maria’s frank nature gains her more enemies at her new school, but her angelic singing voice inadvertently catches the attention of Yusuke Kanda and Shin Meguro. Can these boys mend her hardened heart, or will they just end up getting scorched?

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