SciFi Japan
    VIZ Kids Launches Popular Series in the Important British and Irish Markets Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/Pokemon Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC brings the fun and adventure of the popular Pokémon manga franchise to the United Kingdom and Ireland for the first time. Simon & Schuster U.K. is the official distributor of VIZ Media titles in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Several Pokémon manga series are scheduled for release under the company’s VIZ Kids imprint and kicks off with the U.K. debut of Pokémon Adventures: Black & White, now available. The series is rated ‘A’ for All Ages and will carry an RRP of £3.99. VIZ Media plans to follow this title with the debut of Pokémon Adventures: Diamond and Pearl/Platinum on June 6th and will launch the Pokémon Adventures: Heartgold and Soulsilver series later this Autumn.

    Edward L. Holland Talks About the Big Return of His Fan Favorite Magazine Author: Bob Johnson Official Site: Monster Attack Team In the early 1990s, Edward Holland and the late Joe Riley began Monster Attack Team (the name taken from the anti-monster team in RETURN OF ULTRAMAN) as a Dallas, Texas fan club for aficionados of Japanese science fiction and fantasy. It soon evolved into a cable access television show and a small newsletter that grew to become a fan favorite magazine which ran for eight issues. The print version now returns with the all-new Monster Attack Team #1, shipping this month. Unlike the earlier, self-published issues, the new MAT will be printed and distributed by Famous Monsters, the grandaddy of movie monster magazines. SciFi Japan recently spoke with Edward Holland about the history and future of Monster Attack Team. For additional information, please visit the

    Eisner Award-Winning Creator Offers a Poignant Story of Beating the Odds in Ways that Count Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZManga.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, debuts a touching new work by award winning manga creator, Taiyo Matsumoto, with the release of Sunny Volume 1 on May 21st. The new hardcover release will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $22.99 U.S. / $26.99 CAN. SUNNY will also be available on the same day digitally for $9.99 U.S. / CAN from the VIZ Manga App and at VIZManga.com. Translated by noted visual effects artist and TEKKONKINKREET film producer Michael Arias (THE ABYSS, PRINCESS MONONOKE, THE ANIMATRIX), Sunny is the story of beating the odds,

    A Bullied Teen Finds New Powers and Strength in a Virtual Reality Video Game Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: accel-world.net (Japan), vizanime.com/accel-world (US) Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced that it has been named the North American master licensee for the sci-fi anime property, ACCEL WORLD (?????????, Akuseru Waarudo, 2012). ACCEL WORLD (rated TV-14) is currently available on the Neon Alley channel for PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 (dubbed), as well as on the company’s own streaming site VIZAnime.com (subtitled). ACCEL WORLD is based on the light novel created by Reki Kawahara, with adaptation by renowned animation studio Sunrise. VIZ Media will hold the North American licensed rights for Videogram, Television, and Online Distribution, as well as all merchandising licensing related to the property.

    Support Your Local Retailers this Saturday to Receive Special Comics Featuring Uglydoll, Hello Kitty, Dragon Ball And Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: freecomicbookday.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media delights comic book and manga fans as it announces its participation in this year’s Free Comic Book Day. Scheduled for May 4th, Free Comic Book Day is an annual promotional campaign in the North American comic book industry to help bring new readers into independent comic book stores nationwide. Free Comic Book Day began in 2002 and is coordinated by the industry`s single largest distributor, Diamond Comic Distributors. Readers should visit freecomicbookday.com to find a local participating retailer. VIZ Media will participate this year as a Gold Level Sponsor and will offer two FREE releases (available while supplies last) -- a VIZ Kids comic sampler and a VIZ

    Leader in Digital Manga Distribution Expands Access to North America’s Popular Weekly Digital Manga Anthology Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: shonenjump.viz.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, unveils the latest milestone with Weekly Shonen Jump, the weekly digital serial anthology that features the synchronized latest chapters of a variety of popular manga series debuting on the same day as the Japanese Weekly Shonen Jump magazine counterpart. Readers can now take advantage of the new Weekly Shonen Jump Newsstand App available for the Apple iPad and iPad Mini. New issues debut each Monday, and subscriptions are available through the Newsstand App for only $2.99 (U.S. / CAN) a month, with automatic monthly renewals. Apple Newsstand is a built-in application on Apple iOS devices that provides access

    Source: X-Plus Co., Ltd. Special Thanks to Sachiko Ikenouchi A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Earlier this week, SciFi Japan posted information and photos of the giant monster figures scheduled for release by X-Plus Co., Ltd. in late May 2013. X-Plus was still waiting on final approvals for several of the figures so SFJ ran photos of the unpainted prototypes. Toho has just approved the Godzilla 2004 (from GODZILLA: FINAL WARS) figure, so X-Plus has provided photos of the fully painted item. Toho 30cm Series: Godzilla 2004 /??30cm????????(2004??)? Product Size: Height Approximately 29cm Material: PVC (Vinyl) Specifications: Painted; Some Assembly Required Package: Blind Box Shipping: Late May - Early June, 2013 Sales Agency: Plex Co.,Ltd. Distributed by: X Plus Co.,Ltd. Shounen Ric Limited Edition Includes: Original Gotengo (Length Approximately 14cm) Price: ¥19,845 (Tax Included)

    Signing for New Book about 1989 Toho/Sunrise Movie Author: Daisuke Ishizuka Official Site: hobby.dengeki.com/books (Japan) GUNHED (?????, Ganheddo) is a sci-fi movie which was released in 1989. The film was a co-production between Toho and SUNRISE, Inc., the famous animation company which has produced many popular robot anime TV series and movies (GUNDAM series, etc.). SUNRISE planned to create a robot movie by live action tokusatsu (traditional SFX) instead of animation, and this project was GUNHED. At that time of GUNHED`s theatrical release, there were no official book or magazine publications about the movie. But now, the book Gunhed Perfection (????? ????????) has been published by ASCII MEDIA WORKS. A new GUNHED plastic model is also now in stores. As a promotional event for these new products, GUNHED materials were displayed at the Akihabara Kotobukiya shop in Tokyo. Original movie props, theatrical posters,

    Articulated Bandai Figure to be Sold in Japan and America Source: Bluefin Corp. S.H.MonsterArts Official Site: tamashii.jp/shma (Japan) Special Thanks to Xavier Lim Yuji Sakai’s master crafted S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla series continues with the highly anticipated release of Godzilla (1964) as the iconic monster appeared in the 1964 feature film MOTHRA VS GODZILLA (???????). Only available in Asia as an exclusive from Bandai`s Premium Tamashii Web Shop, the S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla (1964) will be made specially available to US S.H.MonsterArts fans via Bluefin. Bandai`s popular S.H.MonsterArts series feature sculpts rendered with unprecedented detail by the renowned Yuji Sakai. All figures in this series include multiple (generally two dozen or more) points of articulation to achieve a never before seen range of movement. The S.H.MonsterArts Godzilla (1964) is an entirely new sculpt that accurately captures the characteristic eye area of this version of Godzilla. A perfect blend of faithful sculpt

    Award Winning Japanese Sci-fi Novel Has North American Debut From Haikasoru Imprint Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: haikasoru.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media’s literary imprint Haikasoru has announced the North American debut of author Toh EnJoe’s Self-Reference Engine, a work of hard science fiction where vignette, story, and philosophy combine to create a novel designed like a concept album. In Japan, EnJoe’s prize-winning fiction is well known for blending hardcore science fiction with bizarre surrealism. Self-Reference Engine is available now and carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN. An eBook edition is also available for the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, the Barnes & Noble’s Nook Books Store, and the Sony Reader Store. Haikasoru publishes some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy stories for English-speaking audiences, and is the first imprint based

    Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZManga.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced new manga acquisitions scheduled for Fall release under its popular Shonen Jump imprint. The upcoming releases include the complete Bakuman? series box set, and a box set collection of the first part of the One Piece saga. Bakuman? Box Set · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $159.99 U.S. / $159.99 CAN · Available October 1st 2013 Discover the mystery of manga-making in the bestselling series by Tsugumi Ohba, the creator of the hit series Death Note, available for the first time in a complete box set. The Box Set includes Volumes 1 through 20, plus the bonus mini-comic “Otter No. 11,” along with a full-color, two-sided poster. In Bakuman?, average

    New Releases from Studio Ghibli Imprint Include Novelization and Updated Edition of Official Film Picture Book Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Hayao Miyazaki’s landmark film with the October 1st release of My Neighbor Totoro: A Novel and a new edition of the My Neighbor Totoro Picture Book. Published under VIZ Media’s Studio Ghibli Library imprint, My Neighbor Totoro: A Novel will carry an MSRP of $17.99 U.S. / $21.00 CAN, while the My Neighbor Totoro Picture Book will carry an MSRP of $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN. In the charming animation classic MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, eleven-year-old Satsuki and her sassy little sister Mei have moved to the country to be closer

    VIZ Kids Imprint Debuts Include POKÉMON THE MOVIE: KYUREM VS. THE SWORD OF JUSTICE Tie-In Manga Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZ.com/Pokemon Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, thrills fans of the venerable POKÉMON franchise as it announces the acquisition and forthcoming debut of an array of new Pokémon manga titles. Leading the new releases will be the brand-new Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice tie-in manga editions scheduled to debut on March 5th. These will be followed by the release of the Pokémon Adventures: Black & White and Pokémon Adventures: Heartgold and Soulsilver manga series later this summer. Titles from VIZ Media’s extensive POKÉMON catalog are published under its popular VIZ Kids imprint. “VIZ Media’s extensive catalog of POKÉMON titles continues

    Acclaimed Novel Now in Production As A Major Feature Film Source: MediaLab press release Official Site: haikasoru.com Special Thanks to Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the digital release by Simon & Schuster Audio of an unabridged audio book version of Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s science fiction thriller All You Need Is Kill. The acclaimed novel, read and narrated by Mike Martindale, is now available for $19.95 U.S. from the Simon & Schuster website. All You Need Is Kill is published in North America by VIZ Media’s Haikasoru imprint and is currently in production as a major feature film directed by Doug Liman (THE BOURNE IDENTITY) and starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The film is slated for release in the spring of 2014, to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow

    New Manga Set to Debut this Summer Include Midnight Secretary and Magi Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has just announced details on several new forthcoming manga series acquisitions scheduled to launch beginning this summer and continuing into the fall. Four of the brand new manga titles that will be published under VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat imprint are Happy Marriage?! by creator Maki Enjoji, Midnight Secretary by creator/artist Tomu Ohmi, Sweet Rein from creator Sakura Tsukuba, and Voice Over!: Seiyuu Academy by creator/artist Maki Minami. Under the Shonen Sunday imprint, VIZ will publish the popular new series Magi, by creator Shinobu Ohtaka. “Summer and fall are shaping up to be exciting seasons for manga fans as we preview several notable acquisitions for our

    Pop Culture Icon Hello Kitty and Her Friends Will Debut in Two VIZ Kids Offerings Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga, graphic novels and anime in North America, has announced a new publishing deal with Sanrio, Inc., the global lifestyle brand and parent company of pop icon Hello Kitty, to develop a series of original graphic novels, and a special single-volume comic featuring a limited-edition Hello Kitty design. The single-volume Hello Kitty comic is scheduled to debut at the 2013 Comic-Con Show in San Diego with a Comic-Con exclusive cover by Eisner-nominated artist Jacob Chabot. The comic will feature art by Victoria Maderna, Ian McGinty and Chabot. The main graphic novel series is scheduled to launch in the Fall of 2013 with Here We Go!, a collection

    North America’s Most Popular Weekly Manga Anthology Now Releases Manga Chapters the Same Day as Japan Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: ShonenJump.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga, graphic novels and anime in North America, ushers in 2013 with the dawn of a whole new era of manga with today’s first issue of the new Weekly Shonen Jump digital manga magazine. The weekly serial anthology features the synchronized latest chapters of various manga debuting on the same day as the Japanese Weekly Shonen Jump magazine counterpart, including flagship series Naruto, Bleach, One Piece and more. Formerly known as Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha, the next phase in the evolution of VIZ Media’s popular digital manga magazine will now simply be known as Weekly Shonen Jump. The publication features a brand new

    IS Project Restart Begins in April Source: Livespire Official Site: over-lap.co.jp/IS, tbs.co.jp/anime/is (Japan) The newly-formed entertainment company OVERLAP, Inc. has announced plans for a complete relaunch of the IS ?Infinite Stratos? (IS???????????????, IS ?Infinitto Sutoratosu?) franchise in 2013. Author Izuru Yumizuru transferred the property to OVERLAP following a lengthy dispute with publisher Media Factory, which had kept the Infinite Stratos light novel series on hold since the release of Volume 7 in April 2011. OVERLAP will pick up the series with IS ?Infinite Stratos? Volume 8, scheduled for release on April 25th. That same day, OVERLAP will also begin offering new editions of the Infinite Stratos previously published by Media Factory, starting with Volumes 1 and 2. Volumes 3 and 4 will follow on May 25th, 5 and 6 on June 25th, and Volume 7 will wrap the reissues on July 25th. But

    Over 1,000 Digital Volumes and Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha to Choose From Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: VIZManga.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media provides an easy way to give the gift of digital manga accessible via VIZManga.com for desktop and laptop computers. Gift a single volume or an entire shopping cart simply by clicking on the present icon, and when the order is complete, choose to send an email or print out a card with a special message that includes a unique URL and code for redemption through VIZManga.com. Once redeemed, manga may be accessed through VIZManga.com as well as the free VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and supported Android-powered smart phones and tablets (including the Kindle Fire). Gift an entire series which readers can enjoy from the very beginning, or make them

    Featuring Apparel And Accessories From VIZ Media Anime Brands NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, BLEACH And DEATH NOTE Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: cafepress.com/+toshin+gifts Special Thanks to Erik Jansen CafePress, Inc., The World`s Customization Engine, and VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, is announcing a partnership. The companies have come together to offer fans a curated selection of official and fan-designed merchandise incorporating VIZ Media’s best-loved anime brands for lifestyle brand Toshin. CafePress empowers shoppers to create, buy and sell, customized and personalized products online using the company`s proprietary print-on-demand services and e-commerce platform. With this new relationship, CafePress will offer a range of Toshin products that feature characters from VIZ Media’s NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, BLEACH and DEATH NOTE. VIZ Media currently features these series on VIZAnime.com (a website for free anime) and on

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