With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013

With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013
With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Sentai Filmworks Announces Acquisition Of ‘Girls’ Last Tour’


Sentai Filmworks has announced its acquisition of Girls’ Last Tour for the Fall 2017 anime simulcast season. The series will soon be available to stream in the U.S. on Anime Strike, the curated on-demand anime subscription from Amazon Channels.

In a future where most of humanity has perished, two young girls named Chito and Yuuri explore the ruins of civilization on their Kettenkrad gun tractor, looking for food and fuel. Despite their bleak existence, the two find meaning in their simple, shared experiences. With Chito behind the wheel and Yuuri handling gun duties, these two set out to salvage what’s left of their post-apocalyptic world.

Animation production for the series will be handled by WHITE FOX (Akame ga Kill!, Grimoire of Zero, The Devil is a Part-Timer!). Takaharu Ozaki (Persona 5 the Animation -The Day Breakers-) directs the series, with series composition by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (Is the Order a Rabbit?, Monster Musume: Everyday Life of Monster Girls, Hetalia The Beautiful World).

Girls’ Last Tour is scheduled for an October 2017 release in Japan. It will soon be available to stream on Anime Strike for $4.99 per month after a 7-day free trial, and available in non-US territories through select digital outlets for the Fall 2017 simulcast season, with a home video release to follow.

Friday, September 29, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF "NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - RASENGAN COLLECTION"

© 2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO /2007 SHIPPUDEN © NMP 2010
Four Acclaimed Full-Length
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Movies
In New Home Media Release Available
On Blu-Ray For The First Time

VIZ Media delivers action and edge of the seat anime excitement as it announces the home media release of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - RASENGAN COLLECTION on October 3rd.

The new set will be released in 4-disc DVD and Blu-ray editions and contain four complete full-length NARUTO anime feature films - NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - BONDS, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - THE WILL OF FIRE and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - THE LOST TOWER.

The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - RASENGAN COLLECTION Blu-ray edition will carry an MSRP of $29.98 U.S. / $34.99 CAN. Films are presented in vivid 1080p High Definition with DTS Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 selections with both Japanese and English dubbed dialogue options. Notable bonus features for the Blu-ray edition include theatrical trailers for all of the films as well as a digital art gallery and a bonus NARUTO animated short.

The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - RASENGAN COLLECTION DVD edition will carry an MSRP of $24.98 U.S. / $39.99 CAN. Films are presented with 16x9 video aspect ratio and audio selections for both Japanese and English dubbed dialogue options. Bonus features on the DVD set will include theatrical trailers, a digital art gallery and a bonus NARUTO animated short.

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE (rated TV-14), a powerful spirit that once threatened to destroy the world is back! Naruto’s mission is to protect a priestess named Shion, which is the only one with the power to seal away the monster. She also has the uncanny ability to predict someone’s fate. Her latest prediction: Naruto will soon die. Naruto’s only hope is to abandon Shion, but that is not the young ninja’s style. He decides to face her fatal prediction head on – and die!

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - BONDS (rated TV-14), a group of mysterious flying ninja have arrived from overseas to launch a sudden attack against the Hidden Leaf Village, leaving behind a wake of destruction. The group is revealed to be the “Sky Ninja” from the Land of Sky, a nation thought to have been destroyed by the Hidden Leaf Village long ago. To save their village, Naruto and his friends set out to stop this new threat. During the course of the mission, Naruto crosses paths with Sasuke, his friend who has parted ways from the Leaf Village.

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - THE WILL OF FIRE (rated TV-14), four ninjas with Kekkei Genkai justsu abilities that have been guarding the Hidden Villages of Cloud, Stone, Mist and Sand mysteriously disappear from their respective villages. The Land of Fire comes under suspicion as it is the only country to have suffered no loss. Mounting suspicion among the four countries could potentially set off the 4th Great Ninja War. In the Hidden Leaf Village, Tsunade orders her men to keep strict guard and to try to find out what really happened. At the same time, it turns out that Kakashi has left the village. The bad news deeply disturbs Naruto and his friends.

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - THE LOST TOWER (rated TV-14), the Rogue Ninja Mukade is about to be caught by Naruto's team when he summons forth the power of the LeyLine - an ancient underground channel of chakra. Naruto gets caught up in the chakra and is sent back in time to the city of Loran, known for its thousand towers. There he encounters the future Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, on a top-secret mission, and the Queen of Loran, Sarah, whose rule is threatened by Mukade. Will Naruto be able to return to his own time, and can a chance encounter in the past save the future?

The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN feature films are based on the acclaimed NARUTO manga and animated series, following Naruto Uzumaki, who wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks – except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi…well he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?

VIZ Media is the North American master licensor for NARUTO and distributes the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series and feature films as well as publishes the bestselling NARUTO manga series in print and digital editions.

Additional information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at VIZ.com/Naruto.

For more information on anime titles available from VIZ Media, visit VIZ.com.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF THE LIGHT NOVEL "JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR"

JUUNI TAISEN © 2015 by NISIOISIN, Hikaru Nakamura/SHUEISHA Inc.
Warriors Of The Chinese Zodiac Converge For A Fateful
Battle To The Death In A New Light Novel Release

VIZ Media delivers the English release of the popular Japanese light novel JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR on October 10th.

The novel was written by the prolific multi-genre author, NISIOISIN, and features illustrations by Hikaru Nakamura. JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR’s release also coincides with the launch of an anime series based on the novel in Japan in early October. JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR will be released in a handsome hardcover edition with an MSRP of $18.99 U.S. / $25.99 CAN. An eBook edition also will debut on October 10th on the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook Book Store, the Kobo eBooks Store, and the Google Play Store.

Rampage. Weep. Kill. Every twelve years, the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac take the form of warriors and engage in the ultimate battle royal. They face one another in battles to the death, using all the powers of their star signs, and the sole survivor is granted the ultimate prize – a wish. Any wish.

“The Zodiac signs come to life with distinct personalities in a gripping war of cosmic gladiatorial combat called Juni Taisen,” says Nick Mamatas, Editor. “It’s a battle to the death and only one warrior will be left standing in this tense new release. We look forward to readers discovering it this fall.”

Illustrator Hikaru Nakamura made her debut in 2001 with her manga, Kairi no Sue, in the Monthly Gangan Wing magazine. Her other works include Arakawa Under the Bridge, also published in Young Gangan, and the 2009 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize-winning Saint Young Men, which was published in Monthly Morning Two. She previously collaborated with NISIOISIN for his Ōgiri series with “The One Wish I Really Want to Come True, and the Ninety-Nine Others I Don’t So Much.”

In 2002, NISIOISIN’s novel, The Beheading Cycle, won the 23rd Mephisto Prize and became his debut publication. His other notable works include the Zaregoto series, the Monogatari series, the Densetsu series, and the Bōkyaku Tantei series. NISIOISIN also wrote the manga tie-in novel Death Note: Another Note. As a manga writer, he has appeared in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine with his series Medaka Box – also collected in a 22-volume set – and his Ōgiri series of one-shot manga stories have been featured in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump, Jump Square, Weekly Young Jump, and Bessatsu Margaret.

For more information on JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR and other titles available from VIZ Media, visit VIZ.com.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION AT ANIME WEEKEND ATLANTA 2017

Anime And Manga Fans Invited To Catch Special Panels
On NARUTO And SAILOR MOON Highlighted By Renowned
Japanese And English Voice Cast Members

VIZ Media heads to Atlanta, GA for Anime Weekend Atlanta, one of the southeast region’s largest anime and manga fan conventions, with an impressive array of activities. Highlights at the convention include SAILOR MOON and NARUTO panels with special English and Japanese voice cast appearances followed by signing sessions.

Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) 2017 takes place September 28th – October 1st at the Renaissance Waverly Cobb Galleria Center. Details and ticket information on AWA is available at AWA-con.com.

VIZ Media Anime Weekend Atlanta Panels & Special Events Include:

Friday, September 29th

4:15 – 5:15PM VIZ Media Industry Panel , Williams CDF
Join VIZ as they talk about some of your favorite titles like NARUTO, ONE-PUNCH MAN, TOKYO GHOUL, SAILOR MOON, and the recently announced HOMESTUCK! We’ll also be making announcements, showing off exclusive first looks at new titles, and giving away prizes!

Saturday, September 30th

12:30 – 1:30PM Official NARUTO Panel , Williams CDF
Celebrate all things NARUTO! Join us for a fun discussion about the world's most popular ninja with key insights from the Japanese and English anime voice cast members. Notable panelists will include Japanese voice actors Kazuhiko Inoue (Kakashi), Chie Nakamura (Sakura), Nobutoshi Canna (Kabuto) as well as English voice actor Stephanie Sheh (Hinata).

2 – 3PM NARUTO Voice Cast Autograph Session, AWA Official Autograph Area
Don’t miss a special opportunity to meet the Japanese and English NARUTO voice actors in this autograph session. Meet Japanese NARUTO voice actors Kazuhiko Inoue (Kakashi), Chie Nakamura (Sakura), and Nobutoshi Canna (Kabuto).

1:45 – 2:45PM Official SAILOR MOON Panel, Williams Ballroom A&B
Everyone’s favorite Guardian of Love and Justice is back and better than ever! Join the SAILOR MOON team for all the can’t-miss news and updates on the legendary anime series, as well as the all-new SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL. Also participating in the panel will be SAILOR MOON voice actors Stephanie Sheh (Sailor Moon), Cristina Vee (Sailor Mars), Christine Cabanos (Sailor Saturn), and Keith Silverstein (Professor Tomoe).

3:15 – 4:45PM SAILOR MOON Voice Cast Autograph Session, AWA Official Autograph Area
Don’t miss this chance to meet English SAILOR MOON voice actors immediately following the panel. Join Stephanie Sheh (Sailor Moon), Cristina Vee (Sailor Mars), Christine Cabanos (Sailor Saturn), and Keith Silverstein (Professor Tomoe) for this special autograph session.

Anime Weekend Atlanta attendees are also invited to catch convention screenings of an exciting selection of VIZ Media anime series and movies including SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL episodes and a first-time High Definition presentation of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE. Check AWA’s screening schedule in the official convention program guide for a complete listing of all VIZ Media anime screenings.

For additional information anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit VIZ.com.

BROKEN SWORD HERO debuts on digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on October 31st

Well Go USA
Presents 
 Broken Sword Hero / Thong Dee Fun Khao
Directed by Bin Bunluerit
Thailand, 2017, 122 minutes

The latest feature by renowned Thai director Bin Bunluerit (The Elephant Boy) and starring Muay Thai superstar Buakaw Banchamek,  Broken Sword Hero debuts on digital, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD October 31 from Well Go USA Entertainment.

The martial arts epic introduces to a variety of fighting styles practiced in Thailand, including Muay Thai, and recounts the story of Thongdee, a real warrior from Thailand’s Ayutthaya period who later became a national hero for continuing to fight despite having a badly broken sword.

Synopsis:
Based on a real warrior from Thailand’s Ayutthaya period, Broken Sword Hero follows the heroics of legendary military general Thongdee. From the disparity as a young runaway to the toughest warrior among his people, a legendary fighter with unparalleled skills in Muay Thai and swordplay, fights for the freedom of his people.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

L.O.R.D: LEGEND OF RAVAGING DYNASTIES is available today

Lionsgate
Presents
L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties
Directed by Jingming Guo
Starring Fan Bingbing (Iron Man 3, X-Men: Days of Future Past),
Kris Wu ( xXx: Return of Xander Cage, The Mermaid), and
China/Cambodia, 2015, 118 minutes
Suggested Retail Price: $14.98

Qi Ling (Cheney Chen) is young tavern worker who joins forces with powerful warriors in L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties, which arrives on DVD, Digital HD and On Demand today, Tuesday, September 26th from Lionsgate. (I'm not sure why there's no period after the "D" in the title; perhaps with the colon that follows, it was thought that two consecutive punctuation marks would be too much.)

The animated film, based on epic fantasy novels by Guo Jingming, features the voices of Kris Wu and Fan Bingbing as sorcerers battling an evil traitor in order to restore peace in an ancient kingdom.

The animation, which utilizes both computer animation and motion-capture, is by the visual effects team that worked on James Cameron’s Avatar and on Warcraft.

The human figures have elongated bodies and limbs, so the female ones look like animated versions of Chinese Victoria's Secret models. There are Spirit Beasts (such as a Winged-Lion), Blood Weapons (Resurrection Chains being one example) and other elements of the supernatural. Overall the animation is very good.

Disc Specs:
— Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital
— Subtitles
   — English
   — Spanish
   — Off
— Trailers - from other Lionsgate offerings, none for L.O.R.D.

The movie comes across as an animated Chinese variation of Lord of the Rings. Which brings me to the one issue I have. L.O.R.D: Legends of Ravaging Dynasties ends with the story-line hanging. Clearly one or more films is anticipated. According to its Wikipedia entry, the film opened well, but its "earnings fell significantly after its opening day due to poor word of mouth and competition from Operation Mekong".

I have found no indication that a sequel is in the works or even contemplated. So one may wind up paying for a film whose full story will not be told. Still, what we have here is well-worth watching. (And keep in mind that the Japanese classic live-action film Sword of Doom,1966, was intended as the first film in a trilogy that never materialized.)

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars. Just bear in mind that there may never be a L.O.R.D: Legend of the Ravaging Dynasties, Part II (or III).

Monday, September 25, 2017

Sentai Filmworks Licenses ‘UQ HOLDER!’


Sentai Filmworks has announced its newest addition to the Fall 2017 anime simulcast season: UQ HOLDER!, a shonen action series based on the manga by Ken Akamatsu (Love Hina, Negima!). The series will be available on Anime Strike with Amazon Channels—a service that gives Prime members the ability to watch over 100 on-demand channels—no cable required, cancel anytime, and no additional apps to download.

Set in the same universe as Akamatsu’s Negima! series, the story begins decades later with a young boy named Tōta Konoe being struck down while protecting his guardian, Yukihime, against a ruthless bounty hunter. Though his wounds should have been fatal, Tōta not only survives, he learns the reason behind his limited memories - Yukihime is actually a sorceress and 700-year-old vampire who saved his life two years ago by making him a vampire as well. With his powers awakened, Tōta’s life will only get more interesting when he joins a secret society for outcasts and fellow immortals: UQ Holder.

The series will be directed by Yohei Suzuki (The “Hentai” Prince and the Stony Cat., Sword Oratoria: Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side, Urara Meirocho). Series composition will be handled by Shogo Yasukawa (Chivalry of a Failed Knight, Food Wars!, Alderamin in the Sky) and original manga creator Ken Akamatsu.

UQ HOLDER! is scheduled for an October 2017 release in Japan. It will soon be available to stream on Anime Strike for $4.99 per month after a 7-day free trial, and available in non-US territories through select digital outlets for the Fall 2017 simulcast season, with a home video release to follow.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

GLOBAL YAOI MANGA PUBLISHER SUBLIME DELIVERS THE ROMANTIC COMEDY "JACKASS!" THIS FALL

© 2016 Beriko Scarlett  / SHINSHOKAN
Love And Lust Ensue When A Pair Of Panty
Hose Entangle The Lives Of Best Friends

SuBLime, the leading global English-language yaoi manga publisher, announces the English-language debut of creator Scarlet Beriko’s JACKASS! on October 10th.

JACKASS! is rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers and will be available as a single-volume release in both print and digital formats. Print editions will carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN each. The digital versions will carry an MSRP of $6.99 U.S. Readers have two methods of digital access to the volume on SuBLimeManga.com – via a DRM-free downloadable PDF, viewable on any enabled eReader device and computer, as well as via the online manga viewer. Readers can also purchase a digital version through the NOOK, Kindle and Kobo eReaders as well as on Google Play.

In JACKASS!, practical Keisuke’s incredibly handsome best friend Masayuki has always rubbed him just a little bit the wrong way. Maybe it’s because Masayuki is rich, carefree, and so stunningly handsome that he can, and does, have any girl he wants. But one day, when Keisuke accidentally wears his older sister’s panty hose to gym class, it’s suddenly his hot friend who’s doing the rubbing…on Keisuke’s panty hose-clad legs! Has he unwittingly unleashed a secret fetish that will change their relationship forever?

“Fans are going to enjoy this steamy love story that explores an unexpected sexual attraction between best friends and the sticky situations they find themselves in,” says SuBLime Editor, Jennifer LeBlanc. “Find out how a pair of panty hose can change the lives of best friends in this exciting fall release!”

Yaoi manga creator Scarlet Beriko began her career in 2010, and she has since gone on to create several manga in the BL genre, including Minori no Te, Yondaime Ooyamato Tatsuyuki, and Jealousy. She has also published several tutorials on drawing manga.

Visit SuBLimeManga.com for a complete array of additional yaoi manga titles that are available digitally in a download-to-own format for $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) each and are viewable as a PDF on any enabled eReader device or computer or accessed via the online manga viewer found on the web site.

Friday, September 22, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES SPECIAL EVENTS, ACTIVITIES, AND EXCLUSIVES AT NEW YORK COMIC CON 2017

©Hirohiko Araki&LUCKY LAND COMMUNICATIONS/SHUEISHA・JOJO’s Animation SC Project
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Manga Creators, RWBY, Retail
Exclusives And More At New York Comic Con 2017

VIZ Mediadetails special creator events, official panels, fun booth activities, and retail exclusives during New York Comic Con 2017.

New York Comic Con takes place October 5th – 8th at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan and is the nation’s biggest pop culture convention. The annual event plays host to the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. For more information, please visit NewYorkComicCon.com. VIZ Media will be located at Booth #1336.

This year, VIZ Media proudly welcomes the creative team behind THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga series, Akira Himekawa (A. Honda and S. Nagano), as New York Comic Con Guests of Honor. Fans will be able to catch the duo’s first East Coast professional appearance as they participate in several panel discussions and autograph sessions throughout the convention.

VIZ Media / New York Comic Con Panels & Special Events Include:

Thursday, October 5th

4:00pm – 5:00pm VIZ Media Panel with Special Guests, Room 1A06
Join us for exciting announcements, exclusive first looks at new titles, and prizes! Akira Himekawa will also make a special appearance.

Friday, October 6th

4:00pm – 5:00pm THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Panel, Room 1A06
Welcome the creators behind the bestselling THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga, Akira Himekawa, as they discuss the work on their hit series. Fans attending this panel will receive a special collectible.

Saturday, October 7th

1:45pm – 2:45pm Shonen Jump Panel, Room 1A10
Hang out with the U.S and Japanese editors of the world's most popular manga! We've got exciting news about what we're doing to bring you the world's best manga!

NYCC On-Site Akira Himekawa Autograph Sessions Include:

Thursday, October 5th at 6:00pm – limited to 100 people
Friday, October 6th at 6:30pm – limited to 100 people

Signing session attendees will each receive an exclusive shikishi art board from VIZ Media for Akira Himekawa to autograph. Official signings are ticketed before the event. Please visit the NYCC Pre-Show Lotteries page for more information, at http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Content/Pre-Show-Lotteries/.

NYCC Presents - Akira Himekawa Off-Site Autograph Sessions:

Barnes & Noble Tribeca Book Store, 97 Warren St, New York, NY 10007 Saturday, October 7th, 1:30pm

Kinokuniya Book Store, 1073 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10018 Saturday, October 7th, 8:30pm
Be among the first 100 people to purchase any THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga from the Barnes & Noble Tribeca and Kinokuniya stores that day, and receive a wristband for the autograph session. Signing session attendees may choose to have either their purchased manga or a VIZ Media-supplied shikishi board signed.

Akira Himekawa at the Nintendo World Store Rockefeller Center, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020 
Sunday, October 8th, 2:00pm
An encore appearance by THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga creators! Event details will be announced shortly by the Nintendo World Store.

Check the daily schedule for fun activities taking place at the VIZ Media booth, including:

• RWBY In-Booth Signing Session – Celebrate the upcoming release of the RWBY manga! Meet Kerry Shawcross, RWBY Director and Co-Writer, and Miles Luna, Head Writer of Animation for Rooster Teeth and voice of Jaune Arc, and get a personalized, signed RWBY poster! - Friday, Oct. 6th at 5:30pm
• JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE Pose Off
It’s more fun than you can… STAND! Strike a pose with one of our JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE cosplayers and epic, life-sized Jotaro statue, and get a free art card set featuring favorite characters from STARDUST CRUSADERS.
• THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS Bag Giveaway
Get a legendary drawstring bag to keep your rupees secure!
• TOKYO GHOUL: RE Pin Collection
Stop the Ghoul threat! Visit the VIZ Media booth each day to pick up exclusive TOKYO GHOUL: RE pins, available in three different designs.

The VIZ Media retail area will offer a variety of must-have NYCC 2017 exclusives. Each purchase comes with a special VIZ Media 2017 exclusive tote bag offered in three designs featuring SAILOR MOON, SHONEN JUMP (featuring BORUTO and ONE-PUNCH MAN) and POKÉMON. Additional notable VIZ Media products include:

• Exclusive & Limited-Edition
o ONE-PUNCH MAN and ONE PIECE Manga Replicas – exclusive from Japan: $15 each
o JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE Jotaro Kujo Figure: $60
o NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Enamel Sliding Pin: $10
• Pre-Street / Pre-Order Items
o HELLO KITTY & FRIENDS Coloring Book: $17
o TOKYO GHOUL: RE Vol. 1: $13
o TOKYO GHOUL ILLUSTRATIONS: ZAKKI: $25
• Special Bundles And Gifts With Purchase
o BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS Manga Vols. 1-2 – with exclusive postcard set: $15
o THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS Manga Vols. 1-2 – with exclusive gift with purchase
o Premium WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Annual Subscription – with exclusive WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Hat and YU-GI-OH! trading Card: $30

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

Thursday, September 21, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES EVENTS FOR CREATOR AKIRA HIMEKAWA DURING NEW YORK COMIC CON 2017

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS Vol. 1 
TM & © 2017 Nintendo.
ZELDA NO DENSETSU TWILIGHT PRINCESS © 2016 Akira HIMEKAWA/SHOGAKUKAN
Creators Of The Bestselling Manga Based On
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Nintendo Video Game
To Appear As Guests Of Honor At New York Comic Con

VIZ Media has announced special appearances and autograph sessions for the creative team behind THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga series, Akira Himekawa, during New York Comic Con 2017 this October.

Akira Himekawa is the collaboration of two women, A. Honda and S. Nagano. This year, the pair will make their first East Coast professional appearance at New York Comic Con. VIZ Media is the official North American publisher of the bestselling series that is based on the classic Nintendo® role playing, puzzle-solving, action video game.

New York Comic Con takes place October 5th – 8th at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan and is the East Coast's biggest pop culture convention. The annual event plays host to the latest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. For more information, please visit NewYorkComicCon.com. VIZ Media will be located on the main convention floor in Booth #1336.

Akira Himekawa VIZ Media / New York Comic Con Panels & Special Events Include:

Thursday, October 5th

4:00pm – 5:00pm VIZ Media Panel with Special Guests, Room 1A06

Join VIZ for exciting announcements, exclusive first looks at new titles, and prizes! THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga creators, Akira Himekawa, will also make a special appearance.

Friday, October 6th

4:00pm – 5:00pm THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, Akira Himekawa Panel, Room 1A06

Welcome the creators behind the bestselling THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga, Akira Himekawa, as they discuss the work on their hit series. Fans attending this panel will receive a special THE LEGEND OF ZELDA collectible premium.

NYCC On-Site Akira Himekawa Autograph Sessions Include:

Thursday, October 5th at 6:00pm – limited to 100 people
Friday, October 6th at 6:30pm – limited to 100 people

Signing session attendees will each receive an exclusive shikishi art board from VIZ Media for Akira Himekawa to autograph. Official signings are ticketed before the event. Please visit the NYCC Pre-Show Lotteries page for more information, at http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Content/Pre-Show-Lotteries/.

NYCC Presents - Akira Himekawa Off-Site Autograph Sessions:

Barnes & Noble Tribeca Autograph Session
Saturday, October 7th, 1:30pm
97 Warren St, New York, NY 10007
Join VIZ Media in welcoming Akira Himekawa at their first off-site appearance in New York! The event is limited to the first 100 people to purchase any THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga from the Barnes & Noble Tribeca store that day; a wristband for the autograph session will be given upon purchase to guarantee entry to the signing. Signing session attendees may choose to have either their purchased manga or the exclusive VIZ Media-supplied shikishi art board signed.

Kinokuniya Autograph Session
Saturday, October 7th, 8:30pm
1073 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10018
Be among the first 100 people to purchase any THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga from the Kinokuniya store that day and receive a wristband for the autograph session! Signing session attendees may choose to have either their purchased manga or the exclusive VIZ Media-supplied shikishi board signed.

Nintendo World Store Rockefeller Center Autograph Session
Sunday, October 8th, 2:00pm
10 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020
An encore appearance by THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga creators! Event details will be announced shortly by the Nintendo World Store.

VIZ Media will offer a variety of manga selections for purchase throughout New York Comic Con including:

• THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME - LEGENDARY EDITION - $15
• THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCESS Vols. 1-2 Bundle - $15
• And more!

All THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga purchases from the VIZ Media booth will include a TWILIGHT PRINCESS poster as a special FREE gift with purchase.

Also, don’t miss in-booth giveaways every day of the show of an exclusive drawstring bag. Please check the VIZ Media in-booth schedule for details.

For more information on THE LEGEND OF ZELDA or other anime and manga titles available from VIZ Media, visit VIZ.com.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE CONTINUATION OF THE SMASH HIT MANGA SERIES TOKYO GHOUL WITH :TOKYO GHOUL: RE"

TOKYO GHOUL:RE © 2014 by Sui Ishida/SHUEISHA Inc.
The Battle Between Ghouls And Humans Continues In TOKYO GHOUL: RE

VIZ Media has announced that TOKYO GHOUL: RE, the sequel to the smash-hit horror/action manga series, will be launchd on October 17th.

The new series, by TOKYO GHOUL creator Sui Ishida, will be published in print and digital editions under the VIZ Signature imprint. TOKYO GHOUL: RE is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens; Volume 1 will carry a print MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN. The series will also be available digitally via VIZ.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and Google Play Store. Subsequent volumes will be published in English on a bi-monthly basis.

In TOKYO GHOUL: RE, the Commission of Counter Ghoul is the only organization fighting the Ghoul menace, and they will use every tool at their disposal to protect humanity from its ultimate predator. Their newest weapon in this hidden war is an experimental procedure that implants human investigators with a Ghoul’s Kagune, giving them Ghoul powers and abilities. But both the procedure and the newly formed Qs Squad are untested. Will they become heroes…or monsters?!

“Fans will not want to miss this riveting sequel, with its cast of colorful new characters and familiar favorites in a story that dives further into the lore of TOKYO GHOUL,” says Pancha Diaz, Editor. “Follow the Qs Squad this fall as they take on the lethal and often unpredictable attributes of the Ghouls they are charged with hunting!”

Manga creator Sui Ishida was born in Fukuoka, Japan. He is the author of TOKYO GHOUL and several TOKYO GHOUL one-shots, including one that won him the Young Jump 113th Grand Prix award in 2010. TOKYO GHOUL began serialization in Weekly Young Jump in 2011 and was adapted into an anime series in 2014.

For additional information on TOKYO GHOUL and other manga titles published by VIZ Media, visit VIZ.com.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

THE PRISON is available today

Well Go USA
Presents
The Prison
Directed by Na Hyun
Starring Kim Rae-won & Han Suk-kyu
South Korea, 2017, 125 minutes

The South Korean crime thriller The Prison is available today, Tuesday, September 19th, on digital and Blu-ray™ from Well Go USA Entertainment. This review is based on my watching the Blu-ray.

Police Lt. Song Yu-gon (Kim Rae-won, Gangnam Blues), convicted in a hit and run accident, is sent to prison. There he finds that the entire penitentiary is controlled by an inmate, Jung Ik-ho (Han Suk-kyu, The Berlin File). With the collusion of the warden and guards, and associates on "the outside", Jung sends out select teams of inmates on various criminal assignments. Their status as prisoners provides them with perfect alibis. Song initially runs afoul of his fellow inmates, but eventually chooses to cooperate and become an important member of Jung’s operation.

Disc Specs:
— Audio
   — Korean DTS HDMA 5.1
   — Korean 2.0 Stereo
— Subtitles
   — English
   — Off
— Previews (upcoming or recent Well Go USA releases)
   — The Villainess
   — A Taxi Driver
   — Bluebeard

This testosterone fueled action thriller (there's barely a female in sight) has an interesting, if far-fetched, premise and lots of good action scenes. It may not be a great film, but it surely is a very good one.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars

Monday, September 18, 2017

Sentai Filmworks Announces Plans to Phase Out DVDs by 2019


Sentai Filmworks has announced plans to begin the gradual phase out of DVDs from their product lineup.

As part of a DVD-to-Blu-ray (#DVD2BD) promotion, Sentai Filmworks is offering a complementary Blu-ray player during this promotion to customers who purchase $299 worth of products from their online store at sentaifilmworks.com from September 18, 2017 through September 30, 2017.

Sentai announced caveats to the DVD phase out, including for second or third seasons of titles already released with a DVD option. Additionally, DVDs will still be released for older titles of which no Blu-ray materials exist. Future premium box sets will be designed to house Blu-ray only formats.

Sunday, September 17, 2017

WHAT PUMPKIN GAMES LAUNCHES "HIVESWAP" VIDEO GAME

© 2016 What Pumpkin Games Inc.
What Pumpkin Games and Homestuck, Inc. Also
Announce Strategic Partnership With VIZ Media

Game development studio What Pumpkin Games (WPG) launches its debut title, the long-awaited HIVESWAP: ACT 1, a thrill for gaming and comics fans.

Set in the same universe as the immensely popular HOMESTUCK webcomic, HIVESWAP is a love letter to ‘90s adventure video games, delivering an engaging, immersive gaming experience driven by powerful storylines and gorgeous artwork. One of the top crowd-funded game titles on Kickstarter, HIVESWAP is available now through Steam and the Humble Store for PC and Mac platforms at:

Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/623940/HIVESWAP_Act_1/

Humble Store: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/hiveswap-act-1

Complementing the launch of HIVESWAP, WPG and Homestuck, Inc. (Homestuck) also announce a strategic partnership with VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. WPG, Homestuck, and VIZ Media will develop a comprehensive array of additional entertainment content and licensed merchandise based on the HOMESTUCK universe, including both the original webcomic and the HIVESWAP game series. A full-color, hardcover collector’s edition of the HOMESTUCK webcomic, featuring page-by-page commentary from creator Andrew Hussie, will launch in early 2018. More information on these developments will be available at a later date.

"Fans have been looking forward to this for a long time, and I don't think they'll be disappointed. Personally speaking, I think it's the best adventure game I've ever played," says Andrew Hussie, HOMESTUCK creator and co-founder at What Pumpkin Games. "I'm excited to team up with VIZ Media to expand on the world of HOMESTUCK, and work closely with them on a bunch of new projects involving both HOMESTUCK and HIVESWAP.”

“HOMESTUCK is a groundbreaking, genre-defying work, and with it Andrew Hussie has created one of the most ambitious and enthralling fictional universes in recent memory. We’re thrilled by this opportunity to collaborate with Andrew and members of the Homestuck and What Pumpkin teams in bringing fans more of the content and products they love,” says Leyla Aker, Executive Vice President and Publisher, VIZ Media.

HIVESWAP is a point-and-click adventure video game series that features beautiful, hand-drawn 2D animation and a gorgeous, hyper-detailed world to fully explore. Designed with an eye toward attracting newcomers unfamiliar with the wider HOMESTUCK universe while also appealing to long-time fans, every interaction between the player and the game’s environment, no matter how minor or seemingly obscure, has a unique result. Dive into HIVESWAP and play as Joey Claire, a problem-solving teen snatched out of her own time (1994) and place (Earth) and stranded on ALTERNIA, a hostile alien planet on the brink of teen rebellion. Additional information on HIVESWAP is available at Hiveswap.com.

Written, illustrated and animated by creator Andrew Hussie, HOMESTUCK is one of the most spectacular pop-culture phenomena of the past decade, a unique and massive internet-based hybrid work consisting of webcomics, chat logs, gifs, video games, animation and music. Launched in 2009, HOMESTUCK comprises over 8,000 pages encompassing such diverse genres such as action/adventure, sci-fi and fantasy, comedy, romance, and drama. Beloved by legions of devoted fans for its extensive world-building and engaging characters, it’s a coming-of-age story about a group of friends who start playing a mysterious new videogame that triggers the apocalypse. They can’t save the world, but they can work together to create a new universe–if they can beat the game. Additional information on HOMESTUCK is available at Homestuck.com.

Saturday, September 16, 2017

J-POP SUMMIT 2017 CELEBRATES JAPANESE POP CULTURE THROUGH AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH “ARTS, EATS AND INNOVATIONS

The San Francisco Bay Area’s Premiere Japanese Pop Culture Event
Concludes Another Successful Annual Festival Showcasing Live Music,
Pop Art, Sake And Ramen, Travel And Cutting Edge Technology

The J-POP SUMMIT delivered another colorful edition this past weekend with a multifaceted celebration of Japanese pop culture for its 9th annual Festival held in San Francisco. The Festival took place at the expansive Ft. Mason Center for Arts and Culture on the San Francisco Bay.

This year’s theme was ARTS, EATS, and INNOVATIONS and the program delivered a vibrant array of Japanese pop culture genres that featured live music, food and travel attractions, and interactive technology displays and artistic demo opportunities. The Festival was further accented by ramen vendors, sake tasting, and appearances by several celebrity Guests of Honor. Attendance this year topped 20,000.

“The annual J-POP SUMMIT continues to be one of the preeminent platforms for showcasing unique aspects of Japanese pop culture in the United States and we want to thank all of the talented artists, sponsors and people that continue to make this one-of-a-kind event so special,” says Seiji Horibuchi, Chairman of the J-POP SUMMIT Committee. “We look forward to the continued evolution and growth of the J-POP SUMMIT brand and to begin working on the 10th anniversary of the event!”

This year’s artwork featured throughout the festival venue was designed by guest artist Hiroyuki-Mitsume Takahashi, who drew a huge crowd for his digital live painting collaboration with Bay Area local VJ Tim Abad. Other notable live acts on the main stage included BAND-MAID, May’n, Babyraids Japan, Misaki Iwasa, YANAKIKU, Zoomadanke, TOKYO GEGEGAY, Azumi Inoue & Yuyu, Mitz Mangrove and LINQ OG.

J-POP SUMMIT attendees also enjoyed the festival’s inaugural ARTIST PROJECT, a DIY area where one-of-a-kind artwork was created. Participating brands included CHIKAKEN x TAKEKICHI, MAMARACHO, Ukiyo-e Heroes, and s | kubo.

Another iconic performance artist that participated this year was Ken Hamazaki, who presented the Red Tea Ceremony in collaboration with ITO EN, one of Japan’s most popular tea brands, along with the best-selling shochu brand, iichiko USA, and SOU・SOU KYOTO San Francisco, a Kyoto-based apparel brand that features kimono-inspired contemporary designs.

Ramen Summit and Sake Summit
Japanese ramen and sake, as well as the opportunity to “virtually travel to Japan,” were among the highlights from this year’s summit. Now in its second year, the Ramen Summit featured top-rated ramen restaurants based in San Francisco including Nojo Ramen Tavern, Orenchi Beyond, Marufuku Ramen, Hinodeya Ramen & Bar and Yoroshiku, from Seattle. Each ramen booth featured their own unique style of ramen and over the weekend guests enjoyed more than 4,000 ramen bowls. Guests also treated themselves to a variety of popular snacks, drinks of various Japanese food and beverage companies from around the Bay Area and Japan, as well as good eats from local food trucks including JapaCurry, J-Shack, We Sushi and Wapioca.

The Sake Summit featured prominent sake-makers and distributors from Japan and the U.S., where guests were able to enjoy a one-hour tasting of a variety of sakes and whiskeys. Participating brands included Kikusui, Hakutsuru, Ohishi Whisky, Midorikawa,Takara Sake USA, Sasaiwai, and Hatsumago among others. New this year was the Sake Summit Premium – for guests who wanted to go beyond the daytime sake tasting. This Premium event featured an educational lecture by Todd Eng from Sake Brothers, small bites from Shige Sushi, Kemuri Japanese Baru x UZUMAKIYA and Dandelion Chocolate, and a sampling of rare premium bottles of Japanese sake, Okinawa Awamori and rice whisky from Sake Summit sponsors such as SUSHI RAN, Sakenomy, and Ohashi Ryoki. Attendees were also invited to join sake club Kampai Sake Box, a sake subscription and gifting service.

Travel Pavilion
Back after popular demand from last year’s J-POP SUMMT, the Travel Pavilion featured Japankuru’s virtual trip to Japan, “Japanimmersion” where guests were able to dive deep into Japanese culture and “visit” three zones - fusing the past, present, and future. Guests were also able to meet Go-Torch characters and regional mascot characters from multiple cities in Japan, as well as witness traditional dances, tea ceremony demonstrations, practice Japanese calligraphy and play interactive games. The entire Travel Pavilion was a true immersion into Japanese culture.

Interactive Summit
This year’s edition displayed cutting edge Japanese and US technologies collaborating exclusively at J-POP SUMMIT. With the theme of “Open Playground,” J-POP SUMMIT engaged leading corporations, emerging start-ups and J-Pop stars alike by collaborating to bring out the best of the burgeoning worlds of technology and entertainment. Panasonic and Fujitsu engaged in a “tech hug” revolution, where attendees’ whole bodies were transformed into remote controls that could make a jacket light up (A.C.T by Fujitsu) or control IoT objects (hugpathy technology by Panasonic).

At the forefront of gaming novelties, Interactive Summit gave visibility to the growing community of Dendama players led by guest stars Jake Wiens from Kendama USA (US) and Zoomandanke (Japan). The device is a new take on traditional “kendama” game turned into a highly addictive IoT agility game where friends can battle across continents. Panasonic exhibited interactive game “Samurai Battle” by using “Hugpathy,” and NTT Solmare brought their famous dating simulation game series "Shall we date?”

VR and AR was also big this year, as the Festival displayed new ways to showcase and engage virtual worlds. These places with clever, directional vibration patterns were sent to participants’ remote controls (Miraisens’ next generation 3D haptics). Visitors enjoyed the Milky Way galaxy like never before with footage captured in stunning 8k 360° resolution (NHK TV programs). Other technology put the rest of attendees’ bodies to use such as the challenging virtual drone battles (Xooms), AR concert digital graphic effect (Comusumegane by NTT West), and VR professional baseball training (VR sport coaching by NTT Data).. Attendees were also introduced to the modern singing synthesizer, Vocaloid by YAMAHA, which makes a virtual singer sing.

J-POP SUMMIT was a vibrant demonstration of Sci-Fi dreams; introducing products available to every type of consumer. Topology offered custom-made pairs of glasses molded to fit only the wearer’s face (goodbye sore ears!). Atmoph gave visitors the power to turn a bare wall into a vivid window to virtual lavender fields or snowy mountain landscapes at the touch of a button. Sound Table (KAMARQ) rendered audio speakers, weather stations and phone chargers obsolete by incorporating them all into a dining room table, leaving more space to enjoy with friends and family. SoftBank brought Dendama, Sound Table and Atomoph to J-POP SUMMIT as a part of their Future Marketing Unit project to showcase unique start-ups.

Friday, September 15, 2017

Free screening of "Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki" at Japan Society NY on September 29th at 7:00 PM

Japan Society NY
Presents
Photo © NHK.
Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki
(Theatrical Version)
Directed by Kaku Arakawa
Japan, 2017, 70 minutes
DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles

When: Friday, September 29th at 7:00 PM
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street, NYC
Tickets - see below

Special Screening
East Coast Premiere

This intimate, revealing NHK documentary portrait of Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away) follows the tireless animator from his announced semi-retirement in 2013 through his decision to develop Boro the Caterpillar, an animated short originally intended for the Ghibli Museum, into his final feature film. An enthusiastic talker full of self-deprecating witticisms and strong opinions about nearly everything, Miyazaki proves himself to be an endlessly fascinating subject, offering generous access to his creative process and life philosophy as he struggles to work out ideas while using CGI for the first time


This is a free screening.

PLEASE NOTE: Registration has reached full capacity. A wait list for standby entry will be offered at the Box Office starting one hour prior to the screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Entry is not guaranteed and will be determined by management.

This screening was organized with the cooperation of NHK WORLD.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF NEW YURI MANGA SERIES SWEET BLUE FLOWERS

Aoi hana©Takako Shimura/Ohta Publishing Company
Coming-Of-Age Series Depicts Love
And Friendship Between High School Girls

VIZ Media delivers a poignant story about young girls’ romance and friendship with the release of SWEET BLUE FLOWERS on September 19th.

The series, by creator Takako Shimura, will be published in print and digital editions under the VIZ Signature imprint. SWEET BLUE FLOWERS is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens; Volume 1 will carry a print MSRP of $24.99 U.S. / $33.99 CAN. The series will also be available digitally via VIZ.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and Google Play Store. Subsequent volumes will be published in English on a quarterly basis.

In SWEET BLUE FLOWERS, Akira Okudaira is starting high school and is ready for exciting new experiences. And on the first day of school, she runs into her best friend Fumi from kindergarten at the train station! Now Akira and Fumi have the chance to rekindle their friendship, but life has gotten a lot more complicated since they were kids.

“SWEET BLUE FLOWERS depicts all the agony, excitement, and complications of love as Akira and Fumi navigate young adulthood and their emerging sexualities,” says Pancha Diaz, Editor. “With its quiet but graceful approach to teenage love and friendship, this noteworthy series will strike a chord with all readers.”

Manga creator Takako Shimura debuted in 1997 with the one-shot Boku wa, Onnanoko (I’m a Girl), a collection of short stories about queer youth. She is widely known for her stories focusing on LGBTQ topics. Wandering Son was a featured selection on the 2012 YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens list and also spawned a 12-episode anime series. Shimura’s landmark yuri (girls’ love) series Sweet Blue Flowers was adapted into anime in 2009.

For additional information on SWEET BLUE FLOWERS and other manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, visit VIZ.com.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

SENTAI FILMWORKS RAMPS UP “NO GAME NO LIFE ZERO” THEATRICAL RELEASE

SENTAI FILMWORKS RAMPS UP
“NO GAME NO LIFE ZERO”
THEATRICAL RELEASE
With Exclusive Premieres, Nationwide and International Rollout

After a highly successful Japanese domestic run, leading distributor of anime programming, Sentai Filmworks, announced that No Game No Life Zero is set to captivate North American audiences with exclusive premiere screenings in Los Angeles during the Los Angeles Anime Film Festival (LA-AFF). The English-subtitled U.S. premiere on Saturday, September 16, is already sold out, and the September 15 English-dub grand premiere is rapidly selling out. Immediately following the premieres, in partnership with distributors Azoland Pictures and Fathom Events, No Game No Life Zero will launch in more than 1,000 theaters across North America, with international showings to follow, making this one of the widest releases of its kind.

Already hailed as one of the best animated features to come out this year by Anime News Network, No Game No Life Zero takes place 6,000 years before the events in the television series. War has consumed the land, tearing apart the heavens, destroying stars, and even threatening to wipe out the human race. Amid the chaos and destruction, a young man named Riku leads humanity toward the tomorrow his heart believed in. One day, in the ruins of an Elf city, he meets Schwi, a female exiled “ex-machina” android, who asks him to teach her what it means to have a human heart.

“The world of No Game No Life already made a passionate impression on countless fans with the television series’ unique character dynamics and its core theme of the perseverance of the human spirit in the face of impossible circumstances,” said Sentai Filmworks President and CEO, John Ledford. “No Game No Life Zero takes those core elements and amplifies them exponentially. This film will resonate deeply with fans who love the franchise, and filmgoers who will experience a paradoxical world where nothing is certain, except perhaps the strength of the human heart.”

For ticketing, franchise, and event information, please visits NoGameNoLifeZero.com.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF RANMA ½ OVA & MOVIE COLLECTION

©Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty Films/Pony Canyon
Three RANMA ½ Feature Films And Eleven OVAs Based On
The Beloved Anime Series Debut In Crisp High Definition

VIZ Media offers an exciting new home media release with the debut of the RANMA ½ OVA & Movie Collection on September 19th.

Return to the world of RANMA ½ with this unique collection based on the smash-hit manga series created by Rumiko Takahashi. The RANMA ½ OVA & Movie Collection will be released in DVD and Blu-ray editions and will include eleven episode-length Original Video Animation (OVA) adventures as well as three RANMA ½ theatrical movies.

The RANMA ½ OVA & Movie Collection Blu-ray Edition will carry an MSRP of $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN, and comes packaged in a premium full-color chipboard slipcase. The three-disc set features full 1080p High Definition resolution with 16:9 video aspect ratio. Subtitled and English dubbed dialogue options are available. Bonus content includes a 24-page full-color booklet, upcoming OVA previews, and clean opening and ending segments.

The RANMA ½ OVA & Movie Collection DVD Edition will carry an MSRP of $39.99 U.S. / $52.99 CAN. The three-disc home media set presents content with 16:9 video aspect ratio and also features subtitled and English dubbed dialogue options. Notable bonus features include clean opening and ending segments.

©Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty Films/Pony Canyon

Ranma Saotome, the iconic character created by master artist Rumiko Takahashi, is back for new adventures and more than a few hilarious misunderstandings along the way! From mishaps at a holiday party to casual use of mystical trinkets to possession by cursed dolls, what’s in store for Ranma is anyone’s guess in these original anime adventures. Also included in the new home media set are two feature-length RANMA ½ movies and one special OVA-length movie that brought Ranma to theaters to make some big choices with his heart and not his head…which is usually what starts his trouble in the first place!

“We invite anime fans to join Ranma’s adventures in this collection of mystical gender transformations, martial arts mayhem, and comedic and romantic hijinks,” says Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media’s Director of Animation Marketing. “This new home media set is sure to please both long-time and new fans of RANMA ½.”

RANMA ½ manga creator Rumiko Takahashi is one of Japan’s most prolific and respected manga artists and is the creator of several long running series including MAISON IKKOKU, RANMA ½, and INUYASHA, which are all published in North America by VIZ Media. The spotlight on her prolific career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan's annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and also spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another— MAISON IKKOKU ran from 1980 to 1987, RANMA ½ from 1987 to 1996, and INUYASHA from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include MERMAID SAGA, RUMIC THEATER, ONE-POUND GOSPEL, and RIN-NE (all also published in North America by VIZ Media).

For more information on RANMA ½ or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit VIZ.com.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

‘New Theatrical Movie Initial D Legend 1: Awakening’ Speeds Toward North American Theatrical Run with Debut Screening at LA-AFF


Sentai Filmworks has announced the North American debut screening of New Theatrical Movie Initial D Legend 1: Awakening at the Los Angeles Anime Film Festival (LA-AFF).

The subtitle-only debut screening will take place on Saturday, September 16. 2017 at 4:30 PM PT.

The first in the new Initial D Legend theatrical triology is a bold retelling of the early stages of Shuichi Shigeno’s long-running manga. The film begins with when aspiring racer Koichiro Iketani witnesses an unplanned street duel between Keisuke Takahashi, a member of a rival race team, and a mysterious Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86. What Koichiro doesn’t know is that the driver is fellow gas station attendant Takumi Fujiwara, who was making a late-night tofu delivery for his father, a legendary Mt. Akina driver himself. Unforeseen events are about to springboard Takumi into the center of the street-racing world, turning the rivalry between Iketani’s Akina Speedsters and Takahashi’s Akagi Red Suns into an all-out street war! The legendary series that introduced the west to the sport of drift racing is reinvented in an all new feature film that’s even faster and more furious than ever before.

Tickets will soon be available via https://www.la-aff.com.

Saturday, September 09, 2017

Tickets on Sale Now for ‘No Game No Life Zero’ Special Two-Night Cinema Event


No Game No Life Zero will kick off its distribution to U.S. audiences for a special two-day Fathom Events showing in movie theaters nationwide on October 5 and 8. Tickets and more information are now available at nogamenolifezero.com.

Moviegoers will get to experience the full feature as well as a special introduction, director commentary, voice actor commentary and more, created exclusively for audiences of this two-day screening.

The Japanese audio with English subtitle screening will take place on Thursday, October 5, 2017.

The English dub screening, directed by Sentai Filmworks ADR Director Kyle Colby Jones and starring Scott Gibbs and Caitlynn French, will take place on Sunday, October 8, 2017.

The highly-anticipated feature No Game No Life Zero is the prequel story to the fan-favorite 2014 anime series, No Game No Life. The story takes place 6,000 years before Sora and Shiro were even a blink in the history of Disboard. War consumed the land, tearing apart the heavens, destroying stars, and even threatening to wipe out the human race. Amid the chaos and destruction, a young man named Riku leads humanity toward the tomorrow his heart believed in. One day, in the ruins of an Elf city, he meets Schwi, a female exiled "ex-machina" android who asks him to teach her what it means to have a human heart.

Thursday, September 07, 2017

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF THE DEFINITIVE DEATH NOTE ALL-IN-ONE EDITION

DEATH NOTE © 2003 by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/SHUEISHA Inc.
Exclusive Print Edition Collects The 12-Volume Manga
Series Into A Single Omnibus That Features A Never
Before Published In English Epilogue Chapter

VIZ Media delivers a landmark release to DEATH NOTE fans with the DEATH NOTE All-In-One Edition.

An exclusive print release, the now-available omnibus combines all 12 volumes (that’s 2,400 pages) of the hit supernatural crime thriller into a single massive tome, which is presented in a beautiful silver slipcase. An extraordinary collectible and a must-have for manga fans, the new edition also contains an epilogue chapter that has never before been published in English.

DEATH NOTE was written by Tsugumi Ohba and features artwork by Takeshi Obata. The DEATH NOTE All-In-One Edition is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teen readers and carries a print MSRP of $39.99 U.S. / $53.99 CAN.

DEATH NOTE © 2003 by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/SHUEISHA Inc.

In DEATH NOTE, Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects – and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal…or his life?

“The DEATH NOTE All-In-One Edition presents a comprehensive way to savor all of the action and psychological tension of the genre-defining series,” says Hope Donovan, VIZ Media’s Managing Editor. “We invite fans to return to the riveting world of DEATH NOTE with this stunningly massive new edition.”

Born in Tokyo, Tsugumi Ohba is the author of the hit series DEATH NOTE, BAKUMAN, and PLATINUM END.

DEATH NOTE © 2003 by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/SHUEISHA Inc.

Takeshi Obata was born in 1969 in Niigata, Japan, and first achieved international recognition as the artist behind the wildly popular Shonen Jump title, HIKARU NO GO, which won the 2003 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize: Shinsei “New Hope” Award and the 2000 Shogakukan Manga Award. The series is also published in English by VIZ Media. He went on to illustrate DEATH NOTE as well as the hugely successful manga series BAKUMAN, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, and PLATINUM END.

For additional information on DEATH NOTE and other manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, visit VIZ.com.

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

VIZ MEDIA DETAILS A FRESH DIGITAL MANGA UPDATE FOR SEPTEMBER

QUEEN'S QUALITY © 2016 Kyousuke MOTOMI/SHOGAKUKAN
Catch Exciting New Digital Manga Launches,
The Series Finales For GOODNIGHT PUNPUN And MY LOVE STORY!!,
And Updates To Continuing Manga Titles

VIZ Media welcomes the fall reading season with its latest digital manga update for September.

This month, readers are invited to dive into the series launch of QUEENS QUALITY, the exciting sequel to creator Kyousuke Motomi’s hit shojo paranormal drama, QQ SWEEPER. Also debuting will be the coming-of-age series, SWEET BLUE FLOWERS, along with creator Sui Ishida’s highly anticipated digital-exclusive prequel to TOKYO GHOUL, TOKYO GHOUL [JACK].

Manga fans will not want to miss the series finales for GOODNIGHT PUNPUN (Vol. 7) and the popular shojo comedy, MY LOVE STORY!! (Vol. 13).

September Digital Manga Promotion

Kyousuke Motomi Digital Manga Sale
Enjoy the release of QUEENS QUALITY with special pricing on creator Kyousuke Motomi’s previous manga series including BEAST MASTER, DENGEKI DAISY and QQ SWEEPER. All volumes of these acclaimed series will be on sale for only $4.99 per volume. Available through September 11th across all digital platforms.

Check VIZ.com each week throughout the rest of September for additional manga sales featuring fan-favorite Shojo Beat creators in this month’s digital sales!

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Updates

Check out SHONEN JUMP’s free section for the latest additions of a variety of new and continuing manga series. Read Free Chapters of popular WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP series at: www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/all.

Free chapters are available now for the following series:

• MY HERO ACADEMIA: VIGILANTES
• BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS
• DRAGON BALL SUPER
• HUNTER X HUNTER
• MY HERO ACADEMIA
• TOKYO GHOUL: RE
• And More!!

Digital manga updates for September include new volumes for ten continuing VIZ Media series. Notable new additions include BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS (Vol.2), GOLDEN KAMUY (Vol. 2), HAIKYU!! (Vol. 15), and YU-GI-OH! ARC-V (Vol. 2). Also catch exciting new shojo manga releases, ANONYMOUS NOISE (Vol. 4), BLOODY MARY (Vol. 8), and KIMI NO TODOKE: FROM ME TO YOU (Vol. 27).

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo eReaders, as well as in the comiXology, iBooks and Google Play stores.

Most manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. Readers can also explore free Chapter 1 previews of most series.

For more information, visit VIZ.com.

Friday, September 01, 2017

VIZ MEDIA DELIVERS ADVENTURE AND FUN WITH THIS SUMMER’S RELEASE OF THE ART OF MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE

© 2017 Hasbro.
Hardcover Edition Based On Hasbro’s Bestselling
Brand Presents The Full-Color Artwork Of
MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE

VIZ Media commemorates the MY LITTLE PONY animated feature film with the publication of a unique new art book, THE ART OF MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE.

Now available, THE ART OF MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE is a deluxe hardcover edition filled with concept material, production stills, sketches, and more from the film. Under license from Hasbro, Inc., the book carries a print MSRP of $39.99 U.S. / $53.99 CAN, and is available digitally with an MSRP of $19.99 via VIZ.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and Google Play stores. Lionsgate is set to release MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE in theaters in the United States on October 6, 2017.

Explore the making of Hasbro’s MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE with exclusive behind-the-scenes material from the creators of the film. This gorgeous hardcover volume includes concept sketches, notes, character designs, and pages and pages of full-color artwork accompanied by commentary from the director, screenwriter, and character designers at DHX Studios.

In MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE, a new dark force threatens Ponyville, and the Mane 6 – Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity – embark on an unforgettable journey beyond Equestria where they meet new friends and face exciting challenges on a quest to use the magic of friendship to save their home.

“If you’ve ever wanted to find out how MY LITTLE PONY is brought to screen, this is the book you’ve been waiting for,” says Joel Enos, Editor at VIZ Media. “Get to know insights behind the character designs, the story of the film, and see big beautiful pieces of artwork, most including special notes and interviews with the team behind the film!”

“We are thrilled to work with VIZ Media on this exciting, one-of-kind, new release. This well-designed art book has something for MY LITTLE PONY fans of all ages,” says Michael Kelly, Senior Director of Global Publishing at Hasbro.

Since its introduction by Hasbro in 1983, MY LITTLE PONY has become one of the world’s most popular brands of animation, toys, games, and related products. The 2010 animated series, MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC, rebooted the original cartoon from the mid-80s and has to-date grossed more than $1 billion worldwide (Global License!, 5/16). Season 7 of MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC launched on Discovery Family in the United States on April 15th.

For additional information on THE ART OF MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE or other titles available from VIZ Media, visit VIZ.com.