Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media had a packed roster of announcements during the company’s panel event held this past weekend at Seattle’s Emerald City Comic Con. VIZ is launching a new English-language graphic novel imprint, VIZ Originals. VIZ Originals will expand VIZ Media’s renowned catalogue of popular titles by collaborating with manga-inspired creators to develop original stories that ignite the imagination.The imprint will be led by Executive Editor Fawn Lau, and the first titles will debut in 2020. “VIZ Originals will be an incubator for innovative ideas and storytelling,” says Leyla Aker, Executive Vice President & Publisher. “There’s a demonstrated appetite for manga and manga-inspired content. With VIZ Originals, we have an opportunity to leverage over 30years of experience in the industry to bring original, creator-owned content from top creative talents to fans worldwide.” “We’re thrilled to support and contribute to the comics community through the VIZ Originals imprint,”adds Fawn Lau, Executive Editor, VIZ Originals. “There are so many extraordinary creators telling exciting stories in the style they love. We’re proud to be able to nurture this new generation of manga-inspired creators.” Fawn Lau is Executive Editor for VIZ Originals, collaborating with new creators to publish their works. Her career in the anime and manga industry began in 2001 as a letterer and graphic designer for various manga publishers and independent creators, followed by roles as Senior Designer at VIZ Media and Creative Director at Kodansha Advanced Media. Motivated by her lifelong affection for the comic art community and her professional experience in manga publishing, Fawn has returned to VIZ to lead the new Originals imprint and is looking forward to supporting independent artists and helping them to execute their vision. The VIZ Originals format will feature a premium cover treatment,larger trim size, and read left to right. Whether fantasy or sci-fi, horror or slice of life, the imprint will showcase dynamic paneling, skillful black and white artwork and compelling, diverse, storylines for young adult and adult fans. For more information on the VIZ Originals imprint, please visit viz.com/originals.
VIZ Media also announced a variety of new publishing acquisitions planned for fall and winter release. The latest titles to join VIZ Media’s manga catalog include The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition, an all-new deluxe edition of the acclaimed horror classic. Also announced was An Incurable Case of Love, a mature romantic comedy from the creator of Happy Marriage?!, Maki Enjoji, and A Tropical Fish Yearns For Snow, a coming-of-age series about a romance that blossoms between a pair of high school girls. Lastly, Jujutsu Kaisen delivers a world of demons and supernatural action from SHONEN JUMP. Additional information on each of these titles will be announced in the near future. The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition, By Kazuo Umezz In the aftermath of a massive earthquake, a Japanese elementary school is transported into a hostile world where the students and teachers are besieged by terrifying creatures and beset by madness.The Perfect Edition features an all-new translation with new content and revised story elements in a deluxe hardcover design that reestablishes Kazuo Umezz’s The Drifting Classroom as a timeless horror classic. An Incurable Case of Love, By Maki Enjoji After witnessing a handsome and charming young doctor saving a stranger’s life five years ago, Nanase Sakura trained to become a nurse. But when she meets the doctor again and they start working together, she finds Kairi Tendo to be nothing like the man she imagined him to be! A Tropical Fish Yearns For Snow, By Makoto Hagino When Konatsu Amano’s dad gets a job oversees, she has to leave the Tokyo life she’s always known and relocate to a small seaside town to stay with her aunt. The move also means starting a new school surrounded by complete strangers, and it’s a lot to handle for a shy, anxious girl who has trouble with change. But on the first day of classes, Konatsu meets an older girl who instantly makes her want to form a connection. Konatsu’s introverted tendencies are hard to overcome, but maybe she’s found something worth coming out of her shell for? Jujutsu Kaisen, By Gege Akutami In a world where demons feed on unsuspecting humans, fragments of the legendary and feared demon Ryoma Sukuna were lost and scattered about. Should any demon consume Sukuna’s body parts, the power they gain could destroy the world as we know it. Fortunately, there exists a mysterious school of Jujutsu Sorcerers who exist to protect the precarious existence of the living from the undead! Last but not least, VIZ Media adds the iconic TRANSFORMERS brand to its multimedia entertainment catalog with the acquisition of Transformers: A Visual History. Transformers: A Visual History is scheduled for a fall release in two stunning editions: a standard Hardcover and a Deluxe Limited Edition, which will come packaged in a collector’s box and include five exclusive art prints. Written by pop culture chronicler Jim Sorenson, the book showcases hundreds of iconic and rare images drawn from the Hasbro archives as well as development art from Paramount Studios feature films. One of the world’s most popular franchises, Transformers has been delighting fans since 1984. Now, in this new hardcover celebration, Hasbro reveals a ton of content from behind-the-scenes production sketches to beautifully polished final art, and everything in-between. From the obscure to the iconic, this book features packaging artwork, animation models, video game designs, comic pages, and, for the first time ever, production artwork from all six Paramount live-action films! Lovingly curated by Transformers archivist Jim Sorenson, this is the most comprehensive collection of Transformers imagery ever assembled. “Transformers: A Visual History is a thorough compilation of Transformers artwork,” says David Brothers, Editor. “This book really shows off the incredible breadth and impact of the franchise, and fans of the Transformers brand will love poring over the fan-favorite, rare, and previously unseen artwork on display!” Author Jim Sorenson has been writing and producing high quality pop culture art books for decades. A noted expert in the field for Transformers, he has also chronicled other beloved pop culture brands such as G.I. Joe, Angry Birds, and Go-Bots. His licensed original fiction includes the cult favorite Beast Wars Uprising and the highly interactive Ask Vector Prime. For additional information on Transformers: A Visual History or other titles available from VIZ Media, please visit viz.com. TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro and are used with permission. © 2019 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Licensed by Hasbro.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine Weekly Shonen Jump and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan`s largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.
About Hasbro, Inc.
Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World`s Best Play Experiences. From toys and games to television, movies, digital gaming and consumer products, Hasbro offers a variety of ways for audiences to experience its iconic brands, including NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE and MAGIC: THE GATHERING, as well as premier partner brands. Through its entertainment labels, Allspark Pictures and Allspark Animation, the Company is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for children and their families through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 5 on the 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine, and has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute for the past eight years. Learn more at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro) and Instagram (@Hasbro).