ACF 331: VIZ new Sci-Fi imprint HAIKASORU to release its first two titles

NEW VIZ MEDIA SCIENCE FICTION IMPRINT HAIKASORU
RELEASES DEBUT TITLES ALL YOU NEED IS KILL AND
THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) has announced the debut later this month of the first two titles from its new Haikasoru imprint. ALL YOU NEED IS KILL and THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME will both be released nationwide on July 21st. Here's the low-down for you sci-fi fans:

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL was called, “science fiction for the adrenaline junkie,” by bestselling author John Scalzi (author of Old Man’s War) “while THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME presents a time travel adventure through ancient Japan, the Second World War, and the 26th Century.” These two novels represent flagship titles for Haikasoru, the first imprint in the U.S. dedicated to Japanese science fiction and fantasy in translation.

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
Cover illustration by Yoshitoshi Abe
Price: $13.99 U.S. / CAN $16.00

When the alien Gitai invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he finally sees something different, something out of place—a female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji’s escape or his final death?

The Lord of the Sands of Time by Issui Ogawa
Cover illustration by Bukichi Nadeara
Price: $13.99 U.S. / CAN $16.00

Sixty-two years after human life on earth was annihilated by rampaging aliens, the enigmatic cyborg Messenger O is sent back in time with the mission to unite the humanity of past eras—during World War II and in ancient Japan, even back at the dawn of humanity—in order to defeat the alien invasion before it begins. But amidst a future shredded by war, love also waits for O. Will O save humanity only to doom himself? THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME was nominated for the prestigious Seiun Award, the leading award for Japanese science fiction, the winners of which are selected each year by members of the Japanese National Science Fiction Convention.

“SF, manga and anime fans will definitely enjoy these debut titles from Haikasoru,” says Masumi Washington, Editor-in-Chief of Haikasoru at VIZ Media. “These novels present science fiction that is engaging, imaginative and exotic and we’re very excited to offer a whole new genre of Japanese literature to readers in the U.S.”

Haikasoru is scheduled to publish twelve books a year and launches in the summer of 2009 with four titles: THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME by Issui Ogawa, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, ZOO by Otsuichi, and USURPER OF THE SUN by Housuke Nojiri.

For more information on Haikasoru please visit the dedicated website at http://www.haikasoru.com/