Four VIZ titles nominated for 2015 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards

ONE-PUNCH MAN © 2012 by ONE, Yusuke Murata/SHUEISHA Inc.

VIZ MEDIA RECEIVES MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS

FOR THE 2015 EISNER AWARDS

HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40 As Well As ALL YOU NEED IS KILL Manga,

MASTER KEATON And ONE-PUNCH MAN Each Receive Nominations

For Comics Industry’s Most Prestigious Annual Award

VIZ Media has announced that four of its critically-acclaimed titles have been nominated for the 2015 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards, as announced by the awards committee.

The nominations include HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40: A CELEBRATION IN 40 STORIES for Best Publication for Early Readers, as well three nominations for manga (graphic novel) in the category of Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia. These include ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, with original story by Hiroshi Sakurazaka and art by Takeshi Obata, MASTER KEATON, Vol. 1 by Naoki Urasawa, with story by Hokusei Katsushika and Takashi Nagasaki, and ONE-PUNCH MAN, with story by ONE and artwork by Yusuke Murata.

Named for pioneering writer and comic artist Will Eisner, the awards recognize exemplary comics, graphic novels and other pop writings, and are given each year as part of the annual Comic-Con International convention, at which VIZ Media will be a major exhibitor and participant in the programs offered. The 2015 Comic-Con takes place July 9th-12th in San Diego, CA. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 10th during Comic-Con.

“We’re extremely honored to have four exemplary titles nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the comics publishing industry,” says Hope Donovan, Managing Editor. “From the whimsical and colorful fun of HELLO KITTY to the sci-fi action of ALL YOU NEED IS KILL, the tense political intrigue of MASTER KEATON, and the knockout adventure of ONE-PUNCH MAN, these works each demonstrate the impressive creativity and dedication to outstanding storytelling and artwork that makes the mange genre so compelling. We look forward to a wide array of readers also discovering these noteworthy releases.”

HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40 © 1976, 2014 SANRIO CO. LTD. Used under license.

HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40: A CELEBRATION IN 40 STORIES •
Rated ‘A’ for All Ages • Print MSRP: $29.99 U.S. / $34.99 CAN;
Digital MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / CAN
This hardcover full-color anthology features a notable line-up of some of Hello Kitty’s biggest fans paying tribute in the best way they know how: through their stories and art. Contributors include the award-winning creators of the Tiny Titans series, Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani; Brian Smith, co-creator of the New York Times bestselling series Stuff of Legend; Gene Luen Yang, award-winning author of American Born Chinese and Boxers and Saints, and Uglydoll co-creator David Horvath. Everyone has a tale to tell about the cute little kitty who speaks from her heart. Matt and Jennifer L. Holm, award-winning creators of the Babymouse series also authored the introduction.

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL • Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens •
Print MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN; Digital MSRP: $6.99 U.S. / CAN
Takeshi Obata’s ALL YOU NEED IS KILL originally premiered in VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP digital manga magazine earlier this year and is the stunning manga realization of the popular Japanese sci-fi novel, written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka (and also published by VIZ Media’s Haikasoru imprint). In this rousing action story, when the alien Mimics 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 gets a message from a mysterious ally – the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death?

Manga artist Takeshi Obata was born in 1969 in Niigata, Japan, and is the artist of the wildly popular SHONEN JUMP title HIKARU NO GO (available from VIZ Media), which won the 2003 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize: Shinsei "New Hope" award and the 2000 Shogakukan Manga award. Obata is also the artist of the smash hit series, DEATH NOTE (also published by VIZ Media), as well as Arabian Majin Bokentan Lamp Lamp, Ayatsuri Sakon, Cyborg Jichan G. ALL YOU NEED IS KILL is his latest work following the hugely successful series BAKUMAN｡ (also published by VIZ Media).

MASTER KEATON, Vol. 1 • Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens •
Print-Exclusive MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN
From the award-winning manga master creator Naoki Urasawa, MASTER KEATON introduces Taichi Hiraga Keaton, an archeology professor and part-time insurance investigator known for his successful and unorthodox methods of investigation. The son of a Japanese zoologist and an English noblewoman, educated in archaeology at Oxford and a former member of the SAS, Master Keaton uses his knowledge and combat training to uncover buried secrets, thwart would-be villains, and pursue the truth. The manga series was originally published in Japan between 1988 and 1994 in Big Comic Original magazine and also inspired a popular 39-episode anime adaptation.

Naoki Urasawa's career as a manga artist spans more than twenty years and has firmly established him as one of the true manga masters of Japan. The acclaimed creator won the 2011 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia for his series, 20th CENTURY BOYS (also published by VIZ Media). Well-versed in a variety of genres, Urasawa's oeuvre encompasses a multitude of different subjects, such as a romantic comedy (Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl), a suspenseful human drama about a former mercenary (Pineapple Farm; story by Kazuya Kudo), a captivating psychological suspense story (NAOKI URASAWA'S MONSTER), a sci-fi adventure manga (NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS), and a modern reinterpretation of the work of the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka in PLUTO: URASAWA × TEZUKA.

ONE-PUNCH MAN • Rated ‘T’ for Teens •
Digital Exclusive MSRP: $6.99 U.S. / CAN
Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem—he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! Every time a promising villain appears, he beats the snot out of ’em with one punch! Can Saitama finally find an opponent who can go toe-to-toe with him and give his life some meaning? Or is he doomed to a life of super-powered boredom?

Manga creator ONE originally wrote ONE-PUNCH MAN as a web-comic, which quickly went viral, garnering over 10 million hits. In addition to ONE-PUNCH MAN, ONE writes and draws the series Mob Psycho 100 and Makai no Ossan. A highly decorated and skilled artist best known for his work on EYESHIELD 21 (also published by VIZ Media), artist Yusuke Murata won the 122nd Hop Step Award (1995) for his title, Partner, and placed second in the 51st Akatsuka Award (1998) for Samui Hanashi.

For more information on these or other manga titles published by VIZ Media, visit www.VIZ.com.

ACF 1986: Naoki Urasawa's 20th CENTURY BOYS wins Eisner Award

20 SEIKI SHONEN © 2000 Naoki URASAWA/Studio Nuts

Story Coproduced with Takashi NAGASAKI 

Original Japanese edition published by SHOGAKUKAN

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES NAOKI URASAWA’S

20th CENTURY BOYS

WINS 2013 WILL EISNER AWARD 

Acclaimed Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Manga Series Wins Comic Industry’s

Most Prestigious Award For The Second Time In Three Years

VIZ Media has announced that NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS won the 2013 Eisner Award in the category of Best U.S. Edition of International Material - Asia during award ceremonies held this past weekend at the 2013 Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA. NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS (rated ‘T+ for Older Teens) is published under the VIZ Signature imprint.

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are considered the "Oscars" of the comic book industry and named for renowned cartoonist Will Eisner (creator of The Spirit and several award-winning graphic novels). The awards are handed out annually during a gala ceremony held at Comic-Con International in San Diego, the largest comic book and pop culture convention in the United States.

This is the second time that NAOKI URASAWA’s 20th CENTURY BOYS has won the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia; the acclaimed manga (graphic novel) series also won in the same category in 2011.

“We are tremendously proud to see NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS recognized by the comics publishing industry for the second time in three years with a Will Eisner Award,” says Leyla Aker, Vice President, Publishing. “Urasawa is a master storyteller and manga artist whose work has been widely lauded by readers, critics and industry professionals for years. We hope that this award will help bring his work to the attention of an even wider international audience.”

NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS is the story of a group of boys who try to save the world. Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. For Kenji, a simple convenience store manager who once dreamed of becoming a rock 'n' roll musician, a host of memories from his past come rushing back when one of his childhood friends mysteriously commits suicide. Could this new death be related to the rise of a bizarre new cult that's been implicated in several other murders and disappearances? Determined to dig deeper, Kenji reunites with some of his old buddies in the hope of learning the truth behind it all.

Naoki Urasawa's career as a manga artist spans more than twenty years and has firmly established him as one of the true manga masters of Japan. Born in Tokyo in 1960, Urasawa debuted with Beta! in 1983 and hasn't stopped his impressive output since. Well-versed in a variety of genres, Urasawa's oeuvre encompasses a multitude of different subjects, such as a romantic comedy (Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl), a suspenseful human drama about a former mercenary (Pineapple Farm; story by Kazuya Kudo), a captivating psychological suspense story (NAOKI URASAWA'S MONSTER), a sci-fi adventure manga (NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS), and a modern reinterpretation of the work of the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka in PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA. Many of his books have spawned popular animated and live-action TV programs and films, and 2008 saw the theatrical release of the first of three live-action Japanese films based on NAOKI URASAWA’s 20th CENTURY BOYS. Director Guillermo del Toro is currently developing NAOKI URASAWA'S MONSTER (also published by VIZ Media) into a live-action mini-series for HBO.

No stranger to accolades and awards, Urasawa is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award, a two-time recipient of the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize, and has received the Kodansha Manga Award. Urasawa has also become involved in the world of academia, and in 2008 accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University, where he teaches courses in, of course, manga.

For more information on NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS and other VIZ Media manga titles, visit www.viz.com/manga.

ACF 1115: "20th Century Boys" manga wins 2011 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material - Asia

VIZ MEDIA’S
NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS
WINS A 2011 EISNER AWARD

Manga Masterpiece Recognized
With The Comic Book Industry’s
Most Prestigious Award

VIZ Media announced that NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS was recognized with an Eisner Award in the Best U.S. Edition of International Material - Asia category during award ceremonies held at the recent Comic-Con International event in San Diego, CA. NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS is published in North America by VIZ Media’s Signature imprint. Volume 17 of the series will be released in August.

20th CENTURY BOYS is the story of a group of boys who try to save the world. Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns.

For Kenji, a simple convenience store manager who once dreamed of becoming a rock 'n' roll musician, a host of memories from his past come rushing back when one of his childhood friends mysteriously commits suicide. Could this new death be related to the rise of a bizarre new cult that's been implicated in several other murders and disappearances? Determined to dig deeper, Kenji reunites with some of his old buddies in the hope of learning the truth behind it all.

“We’re elated to have NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS recognized by the comic book industry such a prestigious award,” says Andy Nakatani, Editorial Director at VIZ Media and editor for the title. “Urasawa‘s tense and dramatic storylines have firmly established him among the very top echelon of manga creators. With this, and other acclaimed series such as NAOKI URASAWA’S MONSTER and PLUTO: URASAWA × TEZUKA, Naoki Urasawa continues to push the boundaries of the manga genre, and we look forward to this award bringing his work to the attention of many new fans across North America.”

The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are considered the "Oscars" of the comic book industry and are named for renowned cartoonist Will Eisner (creator of The Spirit and several award-winning graphic novels). The awards are handed out each year in a gala ceremony at Comic-Con International in San Diego, the largest and oldest comic book convention in the United States.

Naoki Urasawa's career as a manga artist spans more than twenty years and has firmly established him as one of the true manga masters of Japan. Born in Tokyo in 1960, Urasawa debuted with BETA! in 1983 and hasn't stopped his impressive output since.

Well-versed in a variety of genres, Urasawa's oeuvre encompasses a multitude of different subjects, such as a romantic comedy (YAWARA! A FASHIONABLE JUDO GIRL), a suspenseful human drama about a former mercenary (PINEAPPLE ARMY; story by Kazuya Kudo), a captivating psychological suspense story (NAOKI URASAWA’S MONSTER), a sci-fi adventure manga (NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS), and a modern reinterpretation of the work of the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka (PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA; co-authored with Takashi Nagasaki, supervised by Macoto Tezka, and with the cooperation of Tezuka Productions).

Many of his books have spawned popular animated and live-action TV programs and films, and 2008 saw the theatrical release of the first of three live-action Japanese films based on NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS.

No stranger to accolades and awards, Urasawa is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award, a two-time recipient of the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize, and has received the Kodansha Manga Award. Urasawa has also become involved in the world of academia, and in 2008 accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University, where he teaches courses in, of course, manga.

More information on NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS and other VIZ Media manga titles is available at www.viz.com/manga.

ACF 979: VIZ titles garner Eisner noms

VIZ MEDIA NOMINATED IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES
FOR THE 2011 WILL EISNER COMIC INDUSTRY AWARDS

Naoki Urasawa, NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS
and HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES Nominated

VIZ Media has announced that two of its manga titles and one creator have been nominated in several categories for the 2011 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards for a total of 4 nominations, as announced by Comic-Con International on April 7, 2011.

Named for pioneering writer and comic artist Will Eisner, the awards recognize exemplary comics, graphic novels and other pop writings, and are given each year as part of the annual Comic-Con International convention. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 22nd during Comic-Con, at which VIZ Media will be a major exhibitor and participant in the programs offered. VIZ Media titles are consistently nominated for the Eisner Awards, and in 2008, took home the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Japan for TEKKONKINKREET: BLACK & WHITE, by acclaimed creator Taiyo Matsumoto.

The nominated titles from VIZ Media are:

HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES, by Natsume Ono
• Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia

NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS, by Naoki Urasawa
• Best Continuing Series
• Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

In addition, Naoki Urasawa is nominated for Best Writer/Artist, for his work on NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS.

“We are thrilled that VIZ Media has several nominees for the prestigious Eisner Awards,” states Alvin Lu, SVP and General Manager, VIZ Media. "The Eisners highlight the best in the comics industry each year, and we are honored to be considered among such a diverse group of nominees.”

ACF 535: Three mangas from VIZ Media receive several Eisner award noms

PLUTO © Naoki URASAWA/Studio Nuts, Takashi NAGASAKI and Tezuka Productions. Original Japanese edition published by Shogakukan.

Based on “Astro Boy” written by Osamu TEZUKA.

VIZ MEDIA NOMINATED IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES FOR THE

2010 WILL EISNER COMIC INDUSTRY AWARDS

NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS, PLUTO: URASAWA × TEZUKA and OISHINBO: À LA CARTE Among Titles Nominated

VIZ Media has announced that three of its manga titles and one creator have been nominated in several categories for the 2010 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards for a total of 6 nominations, as announced by Comic-Con International on April 8, 2010. While I haven't read any of the other two mangas, readers here know that I've been raving about the Oishinbo series from the first to (sadly) last issues.

Named for pioneering writer and comic artist Will Eisner, the awards recognize exemplary comics, graphic novels and other pop writings, and are given each year as part of the annual Comic-Con International convention. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 23rd during Comic-Con, at which VIZ Media will be a major exhibitor and participant in the programs offered. VIZ Media titles are consistently nominated for the Eisner Awards, and in 2008, took home the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Japan for TEKKONKINKREET: BLACK & WHITE, by acclaimed creator Taiyo Matsumoto.

The nominated titles from VIZ Media are:

OISHINBO by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki

Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia

PLUTO: URASAWA × TEZUKA, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki

Best Limited Series or Story Arc
Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia

NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS, by Naoki Urasawa

Best Continuing Series
Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia

In addition, Naoki Urasawa is nominated for Best Writer/Artist, for his work on NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS and PLUTO: URASAWA × TEZUKA. According to the nomination list, Urasawa-sensei is also the creator with the most nominations.

“We are so excited that VIZ Media again has several nominees in the coveted Eisner Awards,” states Alvin Lu, Vice President, Publishing VIZ Media. "These awards recognize excellence in the comics industry, and we are honored to be considered among such a diverse group of nominees.”

OISHINBO A LA CARTE © Tetsu KARIYA, Akira HANASAKI/Shogakukan

OISHINBO · by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki · VIZ Signature · Rated “T” for Teens

OISHINBO (or “The Gourmet") depicts the adventures of journalist Shiro Yamaoka, who writes for the fictional newspaper Tozai News. When the paper’s top executives decide to create “The Ultimate Menu” to celebrate the paper’s 100th anniversary, Yamaoka, known for his reputation as a foodie with culinary skills to match, is given the daunting assignment. With the help of his coworker Kurita, Yamaoka begins an epic saga to find unique and tasty dishes that will compose this ultimate bill of fare. The subject of the debut volume is classical Japanese cuisine, and features delicious stories on subjects like how to prepare a proper dashi (the broth that is one of the building blocks of Japanese cooking), green tea, and red snapper sashimi. Each subsequent volume of OISHINBO focuses on specific foods and culinary trends such as sake, sushi, vegetables, rice dishes, ramen, and izakaya (pub) food.

PLUTO: URASAWA × TEZUKA, by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki · VIZ Signature · Rated “T+” for Older Teens (NOMINATED IN THREE CATEGORIES)

Pluto: Urasawa × Tezuka is a modern reinterpretation of the work by the master of manga, Osamu Tezuka. In an ideal world where man and robots coexist, someone or something is after the seven great robots of the world. Interpol assigns robot detective Gesicht to this most strange and complex case – and he eventually discovers that he is one of the targets!

20th Century Boys: 20 SEIKI SHONEN © Naoki URASAWA/Studio Nuts
With the cooperation of Takashi NAGASAKI.

Original Japanese edition published by Shogakukan

NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th century boys · by Naoki Urasawa · VIZ Signature · Rated “T+” for Older Teens (NOMINATED IN THREE CATEGORIES)

Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a group of boys who try to save the world.