Thursday, July 23, 2015

VIZ Media Travels to This Weekend's Otakon 2015

Visit VIZ Media at Otakon 2015 Booth # IND006

VIZ MEDIA DETAILS AN EXCITING WEEKEND OF ACTVITIES AND CONVENTION EXCLUSIVES FOR OTAKON 2015

North America’s Biggest Anime/Manga Company Returns To One Of The East Coast’s Largest Anime Conventions With Fun Booth Activities And An Exciting Selection Of Exclusives

VIZ Media prepares its return to Otakon, one of the East Coast’s most renowned anime conventions, with a roster of informative panel discussions, interactive booth activities, promotional giveaways, anime screening premieres, and a special selection of retail products available exclusively at the event.

Otakon 2015 takes place July 24th through July 26th, 2015 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, MD. Full details are available at: www.otakon.com. VIZ Media will be located in Booth # IND006.

Fans are invited to catch the following product exclusives and special advance releases available (while supplies last) at the VIZ Media booth:

·         Early pre-street manga releases for:

o   MY HERO ACADEMIA Vol. 1 ($10)

o   TOKYO GHOUL Vol. 2 ($13; Vol. 1 also available)

o   ULTRAMAN Vol. 1 – ($13)

o   MAID-SAMA 2-in-1 Omnibus – ($15)

·         WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Annual Digital Subscription – 12-month digital subscription to the world’s most popular manga magazine includes exclusive NARUTO Game Mat, Collectible Yearbook (shipped to subscribers Fall 2015) and YU‐GI‐OH! Promo Card: Frightfur Tiger! ($25)

·         Exclusive SAILOR MOON R T-shirts – Ladies & Unisex sizes; available only from VIZ Media! ($15 each)

·         Shojo Beat 10th Anniversary Calendar Giveaway - Celebrate Shojo Beat’s 10th anniversary! Claim an Anniversary Calendar at the Shojo Beat Panel and VIZ Media booth while supplies last!

A limited edition VIZ Media tote bag featuring favorite characters in 3 different designs will be given as a free gift with purchase. Choose from SHONEN JUMP (double‐sided featuring Luffy and Naruto), SAILOR MOON R or THE LEGEND OF ZELDA!

Located on the Otakon main show floor, VIZ Media’s booth will be a central hub of activity that will be a must-visit for anime and manga fans. Check the daily posted schedule for each day’s events. Stop by the booth throughout the convention for a FREE TOKYO GHOUL poster giveaway, and take a SAILOR MOON survey to score a free poster featuring the legendary Sailor Guardians.

VIZ Media also invites attendees to take part in the SAILOR MOON Quest for the Time Key treasure hunt throughout the convention. Begin your mission at the VIZ Media booth by collecting a SAILOR MOON tiara, then find the Guardians and reawaken each one’s memories.

VIZ Media Otakon Panels & Special Events:

Friday July 24th

10:15AM - 11:15AM - The Classics of Shonen Jump Panel
Panel 5 (Hilton Holiday 4-6)

Shonen Jump brought us many classic manga series such as KNIGHTS OF THE ZODIAC, DRAGON BALL and RUROUNI KENSHIN. Think you know them all? Find out at this panel as VIZ Media goes through a list of legendary Shonen Jump classics and how you can get them!

2:00PM – 3:00PM - Official VIZ Media Panel
Panel 7 (Hilton Key 1-6)

Come party with VIZ Media! Hear thrilling tales of upcoming releases and other Earth-shattering announcements from North America's largest distributor of manga and anime! VIZ Media has brought you thousands of your favorite titles including huge hits like Naruto, Death Note, Sailor Moon, Ranma ½, Tokyo Ghoul and more! Warning: panel may include trivia, prizes, yelling and probably some clapping.

Saturday July 25th

11:30AM - 12:30PM - Official SAILOR MOON Panel
Panel 2 (BCC Ballroom II)

Join the VIZ Media staff as well as cast members, Sandy Fox (Chibi-Usa) and Lauren Landa (Michiru Kaioh/Sailor Neptune) from the legendary series for news, updates and fun as only the Guardians of Love and Justice can provide. Everyone attending will receive a special treat while supplies last!

1:30PM – 3:30PM - Screening - SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL Dub East Coast Premiere
Video 3 (BCC Ballroom III-IV)

Be among the first fans to catch the newest English dubbed episodes of SAILOR MOON!

4:30PM – 5:30PM - Official SHOJO BEAT Panel
Panel 6 (BCC Ballroom III-IV)

Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Shojo Beat manga with us! VIZ Media’s editors Amy Yu and Nancy Thistlethwaite will look back on a decade of publishing Shojo Beat manga, answer your questions, and let you know what’s coming up in the future!

Sunday July 26th

11:30AM – 12:30PM - VIZ Media Animation Panel
Panel 1 (BCC 314-315)

Find out all that's new and awesome with the VIZ Animation team! We'll be talking about upcoming releases, share some announcements and tell you all about the anime streaming service, Neon Alley. Bring all your anime questions, too because we'll be here to answer them!

Finally, don’t forget to check the Otakon 2015 screening schedule for a variety of exciting VIZ Media anime titles including showings of BLOOD LAD and RANMA ½!

For more information on anime and manga titles licensed, published and distributed by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

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D23 2015 Previews Upcoming Films from Walt Disney Studios

The Walt Disney Studios Presents Upcoming Film Slate and More at D23 EXPO 2015

‘Can’t Miss’ Offerings Include Frozen Sing-Along, Toy Story 20th Anniversary, Star Wars, and Secret Special Guests
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walt Disney Studios offers an exclusive look at its upcoming projects from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm at D23 EXPO 2015, taking place August 14–16, 2015 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The Studio will unveil its animation and live-action film slates via two huge Hall D23 presentations featuring surprise guests and many unforgettable moments. Other not-to-be-missed events include a Frozen FANdemonium musical celebration with Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and the 20th anniversary celebration of Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story with John Lasseter and the original Pixar crew.

HALL D23 PRESENTATIONS:

Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios: The Upcoming Films, Hosted by John Lasseter
Friday, August 14, 3:00 p.m. - Hall D23

After meeting the Emotions inside the mind of an 11-year-old, taking a trip to San Fransokyo, where a boy genius and his robot save the world, and falling in love with a queen with icy powers who wants to “let it go,” come see where Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios plan to take you next. In what has become a D23 EXPO must-see, host John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios, presents this in-depth look at the animation studios’ slate. Filmmakers will unveil never-before-seen footage from Pixar’s upcoming The Good Dinosaur and Finding Dory and Disney Animation’s Zootopia and Moana. The event will include surprise announcements, musical performances, and appearances by the films’ star voice talent.

Worlds, Galaxies, and Universes: Live Action at The Walt Disney Studios
Saturday, August 15, 10:30 a.m. - Hall D23

Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm are home to some of the planet’s best storytellers, immersing audiences fully in the world of each film from beginning to end and beyond. In this exclusive Hall D23 presentation, join Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn for a tour of upcoming live-action projects from these legendary film studios. A bevy of special guests will be on hand to offer a look at an unparalleled slate that includes Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Jungle Book, Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, Star Wars: The Force Awakens—and much, much more.

Frozen FANdemonium: A Musical Celebration!
Sunday, August 16, 3:00 p.m. - Hall D23

Join host Chris Montan, president, Walt Disney Music, and the Oscar®-winning songwriting team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez as they take you on a once-in-a-lifetime musical journey through the world of Frozen. This one-day-only performance features your favorite friends from the Walt Disney Animation Studios film—including Anna and Elsa—with sing-along experiences and fascinating stories behind some of your favorite Frozen songs.

CALENDAR OF KEY EVENTS:

In Conversation with the Filmmakers and the Emotions Behind Inside Out
Friday, August 14, 11:30 a.m. – Stage 28

Get the inside story on the making of Pixar’s latest summer release, Inside Out. Hear from Academy Award®-winning director Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc.) and producer Jonas Rivera (Up) as they reminisce and share their personal stories of creating a world that everyone knows, but no one has ever seen.

Welcome to Zootopia!
Saturday, August 15, 1:30 p.m. - Stage 28

Welcome to Zootopia, a magnificent mammal metropolis, and home to Walt Disney Animation Studios’ next feature, the comedy-adventure Zootopia. Join directors Byron Howard (Tangled, Bolt) and Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph), producer Clark Spencer (Wreck-It Ralph, Bolt), and artists from the incredible production team as they introduce rookie rabbit-officer Judy Hopps, con-artist fox Nick Wilde and a host of dynamic animal characters, sharing footage and behind-the-scenes stories with D23 EXPO-goers.

Pixar Secrets Revealed! Hear the Stories They Didn’t Want You to Know!
Saturday, August 15, 3:00 p.m. – Stage 28

Ever wonder where your favorite Pixar stories began? Hear the stories you don’t know about the classic films that you love. Pixar senior development executive Mary Coleman hosts this experience, welcoming the storytellers behind some of Pixar’s most successful films, including Darla K. Anderson (A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Cars, Toy Story 3), Mark Andrews (The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Brave), Ronnie del Carmen (Up, Inside Out) and Dan Scanlon (Cars, Toy Story 3, Monsters University), as they talk about the twists and turns of crafting a narrative and share some of the crazy story ideas that didn’t make the final cut.

Toy Story: 20 Years Later, the Original Crew Looks Back
Saturday, August 15, 4:30 p.m. – Stage 23

From flipbooks to feature films, animation has taken audiences to fantastical new worlds, far beyond the limits of any real-world setting. Pixar Animation Studios has been at the forefront of this evolution, blurring the line between art and technology and bringing beloved characters to life with heart and humor. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of 1995’s Toy Story, the first computer-animated feature film, join members of the original crew, including filmmakers John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich, Galyn Susman, Ralph Eggleston, Sharon Calahan, Eben Ostby, Bob Pauley and Bill Reeves as they share their stories and the challenges they faced along the way.

Aladdin – The Making of a Classic
Saturday, August 15, 6:00 p.m. - Stage 28

Join Walt Disney Animation Studios filmmakers, including legendary directors John Musker and Ron Clements, animators Eric Goldberg (Genie) and Mark Henn (Jasmine), as well as Jasmine herself, Linda Larkin, and the two actors who gave life to the character Aladdin: Scott Weinger and Brad Kane, as they unveil the stories behind one of the great Disney classics, Aladdin, a film that led to a “whole new world” for animation.

The Shorts of Walt Disney Animation Studios: from Paperman to Prep & Landing, Feast to Frozen Fever
Sunday, August 16, 11:30 a.m. - Stage 28

When Walt Disney and his brother Roy founded the Disney Brothers Studio in 1923, their first medium for storytelling was the animated short. More than 90 years later, Walt Disney Animation Studios continues this tradition, making groundbreaking and award-winning shorts including Feast, Paperman and this year’s hit Frozen Fever. Join the filmmakers behind these shorts and so many others, including Get A Horse!, John Henry, Lorenzo and The Ballad of Nessie for a conversation about this truly animated art form.

The Tunes Behind the Toons: Screening/Q&A
Sunday, August 16, 6:00 p.m. - Stage 28

D23 EXPO invites you to a special screening and Q&A panel for The Tunes Behind the Toons, a short form documentary that celebrates the power of music in animation. From the silent film days when organists played live accompaniments, to the music within today’s animated features, this documentary traces the origins of cartoon music and its pioneers. Featuring interviews with Alan Menken, Randy Newman, Patrick Doyle, Mark Watters, Bruce Broughton, Richard Sherman and many others. Producer/director Dave Bossert will lead a star-studded Q&A following the presentation.

ON THE EXPO SHOW FLOOR:

The Walt Disney Studios – Show Floor Exhibition

Step into the worlds of The Walt Disney Studios in this wide-ranging showcase of exciting projects from Disney Live Action, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Disneynature, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm. Among the many highlights:

  •     For the first time at D23 EXPO, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios have created a joint experience no Disney fan should miss. With live demonstrations, presentations, and autograph signings with top filmmakers from each studio, plus free giveaways and interactive displays featuring the films Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur, Zootopia, Finding Dory and Moana, this is a can’t-miss attraction for animation fans.
  •     Explore costumes, props and photo ops from the Studios’ live-action films, including Disney, Marvel and Lucasfilm.

Disney Movies Anywhere Tweet Suite
Take pics and share them in the Disney Movies Anywhere Tweet Suite. It’s also the perfect opportunity to learn more about Disney Movies Anywhere, Disney’s digital movie app that lets you watch your Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars movie collection across your favorite devices, anywhere you go.

Say Aloha to John Lasseter’s Film-Themed Hawaiian Shirts
Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios John Lasseter takes Disney and Pixar animation to heart—literally. For nearly every film, from Finding Nemo and Wreck-It Ralph to Frozen and Inside Out, Lasseter has commissioned an exclusive movie-themed Hawaiian shirt. And those who know the Oscar®-winning storyteller know that he loves his Hawaiian shirts—and dons one for almost every occasion. Animation fans will see their favorite film characters “materialize” before their eyes in this colorful collection, which will be exhibited on the show floor.

An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg
D23 hosts the first public exhibition anywhere of “An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg.” Celebrate Goldberg, whose artistry at Walt Disney Animation Studios began with his groundbreaking work on Genie in Aladdin, and continues to this day on projects such as the upcoming Moana and the 2014 Oscar®-nominated Mickey Mouse short Get A Horse! The exhibition features a collection of more than 100 of Goldberg’s caricatured creations of Disney characters, drawn in a style reminiscent of art seen on the famed walls of Sardi’s Restaurant and The Brown Derby. This incredible collection of art is from the newly released book An Animator’s Gallery: Eric Goldberg Draws the Disney Characters, and will be available for purchase in the Walt Disney Publishing pop-up shop on the EXPO show floor.

Frozen Album Signing
With the purchase of Frozen: The Songs or Frozen Picture Disc at the Disney Music Emporium, guests will be issued a wristband to secure a space for an album signing with Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez and Tom MacDougall (Co-Producer, Frozen Soundtrack) on Saturday, August 15, at 10:30 a.m.

Tickets for D23 EXPO 2015 are $74 for a one-day adult admission and $54 for children 3–12. Tickets for members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club are $65 for a one-day adult admission and $48 for children. Multi-day money-saving tickets are also available. D23 Members can save as much as $112 off the price of admission, based on the purchase of four three-day tickets at the D23 Member rate. For more information on tickets and the ticket pricing structure for D23 Members and general admission, visit D23EXPO.com.


About The Walt Disney Studios
For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

About D23 EXPO 2015
D23 EXPO—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks, shopping, and more. The event provides fans with unprecedented access to Disney films, television, games, theme parks, and celebrities. Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change. For the latest D23 EXPO 2015 news, visit D23EXPO.com. To join the D23 EXPO conversation, make sure to follow @DisneyD23 on Twitter and use #D23Expo.

About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in 1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is the first official club for fans in Disney’s 90-plus-year history. It gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at D23.com with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and special events for D23 Members throughout the year.

Fans can join D23 at Gold and General Membership levels at D23.com and at DisneyStore.com/D23. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events, follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube.

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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Image Comics Congratulates 2015 Eisner Award Winners "Saga" and "Goners"

Image Comics is pleased to congratulate the Eisner award winners

Image Comics creators of SAGA and GONERS honored with awards

Image Comics is pleased to congratulate all the winners of the 2015 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards.

Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ New York Times bestselling SAGA won Best Continuing series for the third consecutive year while Fiona Staples was awarded Best Penciler/Inker for her work on the series.

Brian K. Vaughan was also recognized with an Eisner Award for Best Digital Comic with PRIVATE EYE, a comic that is currently available exclusively on PanelSyndicate.com, with a print edition announced last week at Image Expo as coming to print from Image Comics.

Jorge Corona of the new paranormal adventure series GONERS took home the prestigious Russ Manning Award for Best Newcomer artist to the industry.

The Will Eisner Comic Industry awards are voted on by comics industry members and the awards ceremony is held in conjunction with San Diego Comic-Con International every year.

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VIZ Media Announces New Manga and Novel Acquisitions for 2016



VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW MANGA AND NOVEL ACQUISITIONS

Six New Titles Announced For 2016 Release Include Action And Shojo Titles

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has detailed a wide array of brand new manga (graphic novel) and prose novel acquisitions that include several notable titles to be launched during the Winter and Spring 2016 seasons.

The acquisitions were announced this past weekend at the 2015 Anime Expo, the largest dedicated anime convention in the U.S. New shojo manga titles include SHURIKEN AND PLEATS, the new series by VAMPIRE KNIGHT creator Matsuri Hino; and BEHIND THE SCENES, a dramatic new comedy by Bisco Hatori, the famed creator of OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB.

The highly anticipated post-series spin off to the world’s most popular ninja comic, NARUTO: THE SEVENTH HOKAGE AND THE SCARLET SPRING joins the Shonen Jump catalog. Also joining the lineup will be SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI, a high school litigation series with story by Nobuaki Enoki and artwork by Takeshi Obata, the acclaimed artist of DEATH NOTE, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, and BAKUMAN. With the debut of DRAGON FULL COLOR: FREEZA ARC, fans can experience Akira Toriyama’s bestseller in a whole new way.

Finally, from the Haikasoru imprint, literary fans can look forward to the debut in Spring 2016 of THE LEGEND OF THE GALACTIC HEROES: DAWN, the first volume of the classic space opera novel series that translates the European wars of the 19th Century to an interstellar setting and that won the Seiun Award for Best Science Fiction novel in 1987.

“Comedy, drama, and futuristic sci-fi action are on tap for next year with the launches of these forthcoming new series,” says Leyla Aker, Executive Vice President, Publishing. “We look forward to announcing more details on these titles soon and to fans and readers diving into each of the exciting new releases next year!”

New Winter 2016 Acquisitions

NARUTO: THE SEVENTH HOKAGE AND THE SCARLET SPRING · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Winter 2016

Naruto was a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. Then he channeled that energy into learning amazing ninja techniques and saving the world! Now Naruto has achieved his dream of becoming the greatest ninja in the village, and his face sits atop the Hokage monument. But new troubles are bubbling up in the shinobi world…

SHURIKEN AND PLEATS, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Winter 2016

Created by Matsuri Hino, the renowned creator of VAMPIRE NIGHT, MERUPURI and CAPTIVE HEARTS (all available from VIZ Media), when the master she has sworn to protect is killed, Mikage Kirio, a skilled ninja, travels to Japan to start a new, peaceful life for herself. But as soon as she arrives, she finds herself fighting to protect the life of Mahito Wakashimatsu, a man who is under attack by a band of ninja. From that time on, Mikage is drawn deeper into the machinations of his powerful family.

New Spring 2016 Acquisitions

BEHIND THE SCENES, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Spring 2016

BEHIND THE SCENES is a dramatic new comedy from Bisco Hatori, the creator of OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB and MILLENNIUM SNOW! Ranmaru Kurisu comes from a family of hardy, rough-and-tumble fisher folk, and he sticks out at home like a delicate, artistic sore thumb. It’s given him a raging inferiority complex and a permanently pessimistic outlook. Now that he’s in college, he’s hoping to find a sense of belonging. But after a whole life of being left out, does he even know how to fit in?!

DRAGON FULL COLOR: FREEZA ARC · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages · Debuting Spring 2016

Akira Toriyama's original, bestselling series is now available in a full-color version! After his epic battle with Vegeta, Son Goku must obtain the wish-granting Dragon Balls in order to resurrect their fallen allies! Their search will take them all the way to the planet Namek where the evil Freeza and his minions are slaughtering the Namekians in order to fulfill Freeza’s wish for immortality. What will it take to defeat this great evil?

LEGEND OF THE GALACTIC HEROES: DAWN · Debuting Spring 2016

This latest Haikasoru literary release was authored by Yoshiki Tanaka and launches a highly anticipated series of novels. In the 36th Century humanity has conquered the galaxy and colonized countless star systems. The Galactic Empire, modeled along Prussian lines, and the democratic Free Planets Alliance are at war, and the fate of every human being in the universe hangs in the balance. This classic Japanese space opera, which was adapted into a legendary anime, is finally available in English for the first time.

SCHOOL JUDGEMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Spring 2016

In order to curb the crime running rampant in the elementary school system, a new solution has been enacted in the form of the School Judgment System. Now the young students themselves will be responsible for solving the issues that befall them. But are they up for the task?

For more information on manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Monday, July 20, 2015

VIZ Media Announces "Maid-Sama!" for August

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES THE SHOJO ROMANTIC COMEDY MANGA SERIES MAID-SAMA!

Hilarious Romantic Sparks Fly After The Female President Of A Predominantly Male High School Is Found Working In A Maid Café By A Handsome Classmate

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, delivers a romantic comedy manga (graphic novel) series with the launch of MAID-SAMA! on August 4th, 2015.

Creator Hiro Fujiwara’s energetic series is rated ‘T’ for Teens. The first 2 complete volumes of MAID-SAMA! will be bundled into a fresh 2-in-1 omnibus edition that will carry a print MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN. The 2-in-1 edition also launches digitally on August 4th via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Subsequent 2-in-1 volumes of the 9-volume series will be published in English on a quarterly basis under the Shojo Beat imprint.

As if being class president of a predominantly male high school isn’t hard enough, Misaki Ayuzawa has a major secret – she works at a maid café after school! How is she supposed to keep her image of being ultra-smart, strong and overachieving intact once school heartthrob Takumi Usui discovers her double life?! Can Misaki trust Usui to keep her secret from the rest of the kids at school? And why the heck is he always showing up at the maid café? Maybe she should start taking him seriously when he says he likes her – especially when he throws in an unexpected kiss!

“Manga readers got a taste of MAID-SAMA! when it was originally published in North America, but it has been out of print for many years and the exciting conclusion of the series has never been available in English,” says Amy Yu, Editor. “We are very excited to announce the return of this humorous manga series for its complete run. The new VIZ Media editions will feature fresh translations and captivating new cover art that will make each volume a fun read for both new and veteran shojo manga fans!”

Manga creator Hiro Fujiwara is from Hyogo Prefecture in Japan. MAID-SAMA!, was her first long-running manga series and initially ran in Japan in Hakusensha’s LaLa magazine.

For more information on MAID-SAMA! or other manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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VIZ Media Launches "The Demon Prince of Momochi House"


VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES SHOJO MANGA SERIES THE DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE

New Paranormal Romance By KISS OF THE ROSE PRINCESS Creator Aya Shouoto Now Available

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the launch of Aya Shouoto’s THE DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE.

The shojo manga (graphic novel) series about a teenage girl who inherits a haunted house is rated ‘T’ for Teens and carries a print MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series is also available digitally via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Future volumes of the series, which is also ongoing in Japan, will be published quarterly under the Shojo Beat imprint.

On her sixteenth birthday, orphan Himari Momochi inherits her ancestral estate that she’s never seen. Momochi House exists on the barrier between the human and spiritual realms, and Himari is meant to act as guardian between the two worlds. But on the day she moves in, she finds three handsome squatters already living in the house, and one seems to have already taken over her role!

“THE DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE features the exquisite artwork and beautiful character designs that have made Aya Shouoto a star in shojo manga,” says Nancy Thistlethwaite, Senior Editor. “The endearing relationships among the residents of Momochi House will make this a special series for shojo manga fans.”

For more information on Shojo Beat manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.  Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

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Mark Waid is "Guest of Honor" at 2015 Baltimore Comic-Con

Photo by John Milewski


Baltimore Comic-Con Announces 2015 Guest of Honor Mark Waid

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - The 2015 Baltimore Comic-Con takes place the weekend of September 25-27, 2015 at the Baltimore Convention Center in the beautiful Inner Harbor. Buy your VIP, General Admission, and Harvey Award tickets now!

The Baltimore Comic-Con is privileged to announce this year's Guest of Honor: Mark Waid.

Waid's career in comics began in the 1980s when he wrote for Fantagraphics' comics fan magazine, Amazing Heroes. His first comics contribution, an 8-page back-up story that ran in Action Comics, was at DC Comics, where he would spend his formative years. He took on an editorial role at DC, helming titles including Action Comics, Doom Patrol, Infinity, Inc., Legion of Super-Heroes, Secret Origins, and Wonder Woman. He is also co-creator of the DC Elseworlds line of comics.

In the late 1980s, Waid left his editorial position to begin working freelance, writing for DC's Impact line on titles like The Comet and Legend of the Shield. As he entered the early 1990s, Waid took over the reins on The Flash, where he would spend the next 8 years developing the story lines and characters, including creating the popular speedster, Impulse, who would go on to star in his own Waid-scripted title. In the mid-1990s, he was the mind behind the DC crossover, Underworld Unleashed, writing the limited series.

Taking on his first role at Marvel Comics in the mid-1990s, Mark contributed to the X-Men crossover event, Age of Apocalypse, writing X-Men: Alpha and X-Men: Omega. Also for the X-Men line, Waid co-created Onslaught, the character behind the line-wide event. Later, he went on to pen numerous and acclaimed runs on Captain America and associated titles, including multiple volumes of the core title.

Back at DC, Waid and artist/creator Alex Ross penned the futuristic Kingdom Come, a limited series painted by Ross that would redirect aspects of the DC Universe to match the story written, and which spawned The Kingdom, a follow-on limited series penned by Waid. He also, along with writer Grant Morrison, came up with the concept of "Hypertime" which explained continuity discrepencies in the DC Universe. He wrote numerous Justice League titles, including JLA, JLA: Year One, Justice League Task Force, Justice League Quarterly, and JLA: Heaven's Ladder.

At the short-lived Gorilla Comics, of which he was a co-founder, Waid wrote Empire with artist Barry Kitson (but the title completed its run at DC after Gorilla folded after 2 issues of the title had been released). He also worked for CrossGen, penning the first year of Ruse.

Waid wrote an acclaimed, and briefly controversial due to conflicts with management at the time, run on Fantastic Four at Marvel, with late artist Mike Wieringo. The controversy ended after fan outcry caused a decision to fire the team to be reversed.

In the mid 2000s, Waid's noteworthy work at DC Comics, where he spent 2 years under exclusive contract, included the Superman: Birthright limited series, a run on Legion of Super-Heroes, the 52 crossover series, a relaunch of The Brave and the Bold, and another run on The Flash.

After his DC exclusive ended, Waid's Marvel work was similarly lauded, with contributions to Amazing Spider-Man, the Strange limited series, The Indestructible Hulk, The Hulk, and S.H.I.E.L.D. He is also one of the brains behind the multiple-Harvey and Eisner Award-winning Daredevil title, which has run in multiple volumes under his leadership.

After writing Irredeemable and Incorruptible at BOOM! Studios, Waid became the publisher's Editor-in-Chief in 2007, and briefly took on the role of Chief Creative Officer for the publisher in 2010 before returning to freelancing. He also launched the digital publishing website Thrillbent, with his title Insufferable as the inaugural series. He is currently in the process of recreating the Archie character at Archie Comic Publications.

"Mark Waid has been with us every year except our second," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "He is an exceptional creative talent, he is an exceptional driver for the forward progress of our industry, and he is an exceptional friend. We love him and, with his 30 years of work in the comics industry and across the publishing landscape, we know his broad fan base loves him too, so we are euphoric to be able to present Mark as our 2015 Guest of Honor."

TICKETS
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission!

In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.

Contact Information

Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries

About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 15th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.

About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 10 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.

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