Thursday, September 10, 2020

Yen Press Announces New Manga for February 2021

Yen Press Announces Nine New Titles for Future Publication During Virtual Crunchyroll Expo 2020

NEW YORK, NY – Yen Press, LLC just announced a slate of upcoming titles during the Yen Press Industry Panel that was a part of the Virtual Crunchyroll Expo. Acquisitions include the manga, Do You Like the Nerdy Nurse?, Love and Heart, Days on Fes, The Girl Without a Face, I Can’t Reach You, Play it Cool, Guys and Penguin Gentlemen and the light novels, Virgin Road and Date A Live.

All announced titles are scheduled for a February 2021 print and digital release.

Do You Like the Nerdy Nurse?
Story and Art by Arata Kawabata

The beauty in the nurse’s office is a secret nerd (who doesn’t hide it very well). Nijiko Momoyama is the the newly appointed school nurse. But beneath her gorgeous façade lies an unmistakable love for all things geeky…!

Do You Like the Nerdy Nurse? is a romantic comedy manga that includes many fun otaku references in addition to a very pretty nurse. The Yen Press edition of Do You Like the Nerdy Nurse? completes the entire series in one standalone volume.

Love and Heart
Story and Art by Chitose Kaido

Sure, university freshman Yagisawa has a lot on her plate, but the last thing she expected to add was a surprise male roommate! Handsome Haruma claims to be a childhood friend, but for some reason, Yagisawa doesn’t remember him at all, and his history isn’t the only oddity—disturbing things begin to happen and Yagisawa may really be in over her head!

Love and Heart is a manga series that falls under the category of shojo horror, a subgenre that has rarely made its way to English. With horror manga enjoying immense popularity in today’s market, Love and Heart is sure to appeal to fans looking for a unique new release.

Days on Fes
Story and Art by Kanato Oka

When high schooler Kanade Sora takes her classmate Otoha Yamana to their first rock festival, the experience is greater than they can even imagine. It’s a new life of rocking out!

Already part of the niche genre of music manga, Days on Fes stands out even more by being one of the only manga series released in English that pertains to the music festival experience. With fun characters and beautiful imagery that accurately captures the feeling of attending a music festival, this manga is a welcome addition to fans of slice-of-life manga as well as passionate fans of live music.

The Girl Without a Face
Story and Art by Tearontaron

Her boyfriend thinks she’s the cutest girl around, but her expressions can be a bit hard to read…

The Girl Without a Face is a cute yet eccentric manga about a boy and his faceless girlfriend. With horror elements, such as the presence of yokai, and a slice-of-life storyline, The Girl Without a Face appeals to fans of both categories of manga.

I Can’t Reach You
Story and Art by Mika

The differences between Yamato and Kakeru couldn’t be more obvious. Yamato gets good grades, while Kakeru’s are less than average. And while Yamato is very attractive, Kakeru’s looks are perfectly average. Not a problem—unless you’re in love with your childhood best friend…How in the world can Kakeru make Yamato look at him when Yamato is completely out of his league?!

I Can’t Reach You is a sweet boys’ love series, one that tells the tale of a budding romance between two friends with a well paced slice-of-life story. This manga is a welcome release to fans of boys’ love stories that focus on friendship and emotion.

Play it Cool, Guys
Story and Art by Kokone Nata

Enter: a bunch of cool guys who look like they got that unapproachable swag. But let’s be real—that’s not the true them. They’re just a bunch of dorks who’ve got the act down pat. So sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy watching a bunch of goofy guys try to look cool all day every day.

Play it Cool, Guys is a fun collection of stories featuring guys that are equal parts cool and equal parts adorably awkward. This manga featuring hilarious and relatable stories is not only beautifully illustrated—it is fully colored!

Penguin Gentlemen
Story and Art by Kishi Ueno

In a certain secret bar, the “Penguin Gentlemen” work, wearing their long tailed tuxedos. “You say it’s cute how penguins waddle around? Hmph. We’re not just cute! We’re dandy, sexy, and marvelous!”

Penguin Gentlemen is a manga that is sometimes pretty, sometimes cute but always hilarious. A standalone volume that tells the tales of a bar run by penguins (often portrayed as strong and beautiful men), Penguin Gentlemen is a treat for those looking forward to an adorable and quirky manga unlike any other.

Virgin Road
Story by Mato Sato
Art by Nilitsu

The Lost Ones are wanderers who come here from a distant world known as "Japan." No one knows how or why they leave their homes. The only thing that is certain is that they bring disaster and calamity. The duty of exterminating them without remorse falls to Menou, a young Executioner. When she meets Akari, it seems like just another job...until she discovers it's impossible to kill this girl! And when Menou begins to search for a way to defeat this immortality, Akari is more than happy to tag along! So begins a journey that will change Menou forever...

In addition to being an intriguing addition to the ever popular isekai genre of light novels, Virgin Road is an intriguing release due to the fact that it includes elements not commonly seen in light novels released in English—a female protagonist and a yuri storyline. With both light novels and yuri rapidly growing in popularity, Virgin Road is sure to be a popular release for both sets of fans.

Date A Live
Story by Koushi Tachibana
Illustrations by Tsunako

Shidou Itsuka has a problem. The world has been racked by massive quakes of an unknown source for years now, though life goes on. Then one day, Shidou's calm life ends forever when in the middle of a quake in his city, he meets a girl  who's apparently a spirit-and the cause of all the destruction! When a team arrives to eliminate the threat, Shidou becomes embroiled in a war to protect these spirits-by making them fall in love with him?!

Date A Live is the highly-anticipated light novel series that inspired the popular anime adaptation—one that has had three successful seasons since 2013. As one of the most fan-requested light novel series, Date A Live is sure to become a best-seller upon release, especially due to the excitement from the recently announced Season 4 of the anime.


About Yen Press, LLC:
Yen Press, LLC is a joint venture between Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group. Founded in 2006, Yen Press has quickly risen to become one of the largest and most prolific publishers of manga and original graphic novels in the North American marketplace and a driving force in the introduction of light novels and Japanese literature to new readers through its Yen On imprint. For more information, visit www.yenpress.com. 

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Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Oscars Eligibility Now Comes with Representation and Inclusion Standards

ACADEMY ESTABLISHES REPRESENTATION AND INCLUSION STANDARDS FOR OSCARS® ELIGIBILITY

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced new representation and inclusion standards for Oscars® eligibility in the Best Picture category, as part of its Academy Aperture 2025 initiative. The standards are designed to encourage equitable representation on and off screen in order to better reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience. Academy governors DeVon Franklin and Jim Gianopulos headed a task force to develop the standards that were created from a template inspired by the British Film Institute (BFI) Diversity Standards used for certain funding eligibility in the UK and eligibility in some categories of the British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA) Awards, but were adapted to serve the specific needs of the Academy. The Academy also consulted with the Producers Guild of America (PGA), as it presently does for Oscars eligibility.

“The aperture must widen to reflect our diverse global population in both the creation of motion pictures and in the audiences who connect with them. The Academy is committed to playing a vital role in helping make this a reality,” said Academy President David Rubin and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.  “We believe these inclusion standards will be a catalyst for long-lasting, essential change in our industry.”

For the 94th Oscars (2022) and 95th Oscars (2023), submitting a confidential Academy Inclusion Standards form will be required for Best Picture consideration, however meeting inclusion thresholds will not be required for eligibility in the Best Picture category until the 96th Oscars (2024).

For the 96th Oscars (2024), a film must meet TWO out of FOUR of the following standards to be deemed eligible:

STANDARD A:  ON-SCREEN REPRESENTATION, THEMES AND NARRATIVES
To achieve Standard A, the film must meet ONE of the following criteria:

A1. Lead or significant supporting actors

At least one of the lead actors or significant supporting actors is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group.
• Asian
• Hispanic/Latinx
• Black/African American
• Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
• Middle Eastern/North African
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
• Other underrepresented race or ethnicity

A2. General ensemble cast

At least 30% of all actors in secondary and more minor roles are from at least two of the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

A3. Main storyline/subject matter

The main storyline(s), theme or narrative of the film is centered on an underrepresented group(s).
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing


STANDARD B: CREATIVE LEADERSHIP AND PROJECT TEAM
To achieve Standard B, the film must meet ONE of the criteria below:

B1. Creative leadership and department heads

At least two of the following creative leadership positions and department heads—Casting Director, Cinematographer, Composer, Costume Designer, Director, Editor, Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, Producer, Production Designer, Set Decorator, Sound, VFX Supervisor, Writer—are from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

At least one of those positions must belong to the following underrepresented racial or ethnic group:
• Asian
• Hispanic/Latinx
• Black/African American
• Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
• Middle Eastern/North African
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
• Other underrepresented race or ethnicity

B2. Other key roles

At least six other crew/team and technical positions (excluding Production Assistants) are from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. These positions include but are not limited to First AD, Gaffer, Script Supervisor, etc.

B3. Overall crew composition
At least 30% of the film’s crew is from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing


STANDARD C:  INDUSTRY ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES
To achieve Standard C, the film must meet BOTH criteria below:

C1. Paid apprenticeship and internship opportunities

The film’s distribution or financing company has paid apprenticeships or internships that are from the following underrepresented groups and satisfy the criteria below:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

The major studios/distributors are required to have substantive, ongoing paid apprenticeships/internships inclusive of underrepresented groups (must also include racial or ethnic groups) in most of the following departments: production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity.

The mini-major or independent studios/distributors must have a minimum of two apprentices/interns from the above underrepresented groups (at least one from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group) in at least one of the following departments: production/development, physical production, post-production, music, VFX, acquisitions, business affairs, distribution, marketing and publicity.

C2. Training opportunities and skills development (crew)

The film’s production, distribution and/or financing company offers training and/or work opportunities for below-the-line skill development to people from the following underrepresented groups:
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group
• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing


STANDARD D: AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
To achieve Standard D, the film must meet the criterion below:

D1. Representation in marketing, publicity, and distribution

The studio and/or film company has multiple in-house senior executives from among the following underrepresented groups (must include individuals from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups) on their marketing, publicity, and/or distribution teams.
• Women
• Racial or ethnic group

    Asian
    Hispanic/Latinx
    Black/African American
    Indigenous/Native American/Alaskan Native
    Middle Eastern/North African
    Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
    ​Other underrepresented race or ethnicity

• LGBTQ+
• People with cognitive or physical disabilities, or who are deaf or hard of hearing

All categories other than Best Picture will be held to their current eligibility requirements.  Films in the specialty feature categories (Animated Feature Film, Documentary Feature, International Feature Film) submitted for Best Picture/General Entry consideration will be addressed separately.

Academy Aperture 2025 is the next phase of the Academy’s equity and inclusion initiative furthering the organization’s ongoing efforts to advance inclusion in the entertainment industry and increase representation within its membership and the greater film community.

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ABOUT THE ACADEMY:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which is under construction in Los Angeles.

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