Five Highly Anticipated New Titles Announced Including TIME STRANGER KYOKO, SHORT-TEMPERED MELANCHOLIC, SUGAR PRINCESS, MIXED VEGETABLES And WANTED

San Francisco, CA, August 21, 2008 ? VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced five new shojo manga (graphic novel for girls) titles set to debut throughout the Third Quarter.

Published under the company's popular Shojo Beat imprint, the new series include TIME STRANGER KYOKO, SHORT-TEMPERED MELANCHOLIC AND OTHER STORIES, SUGAR PRINCES: SKATING TO WIN, MIXED VEGETABLES and WANTED.

"The debut of these latest shojo manga series features a variety of romantic stories set against an array of interesting backdrops that range from time travel to ice skating to cooking to pirates!" says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President, Sales & Product Marketing, VIZ Media. "Fans will be excited to explore these intriguing new stories from renowned manga artists such as Arina Tanemura, who created The Gentlemen's Alliance ? and FULL MOON, Hisaya Nakajo, the creator of HANA KIMI, and Matsuri Hino, who created the popular gothic drama VAMPIRE KNIGHT. As the popularity of shojo manga continues, readers won't want to miss these exciting new series by some of the genre's most acclaimed and innovative artists and creators."

TIME STRANGER KYOKO - Rated "T+" for Older Teens - MSRP: $8.99 US / $10.50 CAN - Available Now!

Kyoko Suomi is the Princess of Earth in the 30th century but she lives among the commoners, unwilling to reveal her true identity and ascend to the throne. Her father the King will only allow Kyoko to live as she pleases if she can revive her twin sister Ui, who has been trapped in time since birth. To do this Kyoko must find 12 holy stones and 12 telepaths to move the clock that has stopped time for her sister. TIME STRANGER KYOKO was created by Arina Tanemura, who began her manga career in 1996 when her short stories debuted in Japan's Ribon magazine. She first gained fame with the 1997 publication of I?O?N, a high school romance with a supernatural twist that is also published domestically by VIZ Media. Tanemura worked on the popular series Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, about a young girl who is the reincarnation of Joan of Arc, followed by Time Stranger Kyoko, The Gentlemen's Alliance ?, and FULL MOON (all published domestically by VIZ Media). TIME STRANGER KYOKO has also been previewed in SHOJO BEAT magazine.

SHORT-TEMPERED MELANCHOLIC AND OTHER STORIES - Rated "T" for Teens - MSRP: $8.99 US / $10.50 CAN - Available Now!

A new collection of four unique short stories from famed mangaka Arina Tanemura! Kajika Yamano is a female ninja whose job is to protect her family's legendary weapon. But when a boy she has a crush on tells her she should be more ladylike, she vows to give up all her ninja activities. In "This Love is Nonfiction" Yuri sends her pen pal Ryo a picture of herself ? but it's really of her best friend Karin, who she feels is much prettier. Now Ryo wants to meet, so she has no choice but to send Karin instead! In "Rainy Afternoons Are for Romantic Heroines" Minori falls in love with Takato, a boy who shared his umbrella with her one rainy afternoon. Now she "forgets" her umbrella every time it rains in hopes of catching the boy's attention. The final story, "The Style of the Second Love" presents a girl named Mana who secretly likes her friend's boyfriend, but Nakamura, a younger boy, is determined to win Mana's heart.

SUGAR PRINCESS: SKATING TO WIN - Rated "A" for ALL AGES - MSRP: $8.99 US / $10.50 CAN - Available Now!

Maya Kurinoki is an 8th grader who has no experience ice-skating but seems to have natural talent. She performs a double axel and impresses a scout named Eishi Todo, who tells her that he can make her a skating "princess." But Todo also tells Maya that she'll have to convince the famous skater Shun Kano to coach her and become her skating partner. But unfortunately for Maya, Shun only wants to skate singles. Will she be able to change his mind? SUGAR PRINCESS: SKATING TO WIN was created by Hisaya Nakajo's who also created the hit manga series HANA KIMI (published domestically by VIZ Media). SUGAR PRINCESS: SKATING TO WIN was recently previewed in the July 2008 issue of Shojo Beat magazine.

MIXED VEGETABLES - Rated "T" for TEENS - MSRP: $8.99 US / $10.50 CAN - Available September 2, 2008

A new culinary manga series by Ayumi Komura, MIXED VEGETABLES introduces readers to Hanayu Ashitaba, daughter of the family that runs the celebrated Patisserie Ashitaba. Despite her famous lineage all she wants to be is a top-notch sushi chef. Meanwhile, Hayato Hyuga is the son of the prestigious Sushi Hyuga, and all he wants to do is be a pastry chef! It's love and leftovers at the Oikawa High School Cooking Department as these star-crossed gourmets do their best to reach their cuisine dreams! Hanayu knows that it will break her parents' hearts if she defects from the bakery to become a sushi chef. But if she marries into a sushi family, they'll have to understand her decision. Now she just has to get Hayato Hyuga interested, and what better way than to wow him with her cooking skills! MIXED VEGTABLES will captivate fans of dramatic cooking shows like Iron Chef and Hell's Kitchen and follows a notable legacy of culinary manga series such as YAKITATE JAPAN! (also published by VIZ Media). The series features clean and energetic artwork and strongly developed characters as well as a comprehensive glossary of interesting cultural and cooking terms and detailed notes by the author. MIXED VEGETABLES was edited for domestic release by noted food writer Stephanie Lucianovic.

WANTED - Rated "T+" for TEENS - MSRP: $8.99 US / $10.50 CAN - Available September 2, 2008

WANTED is the latest series by Matsuri Hino (creator of VAMPIRE KNIGHT and MERU PURI, both published domestically by VIZ Media). In the Mediterranean at end of the 17th century, former songstress Armeria disguises herself as a boy and boards a ship belonging to the pirate Skulls ? the evil man who kidnapped Luce, her first love. Captain Skulls is arrogant, violent, and a skirt chaser! And unfortunately for Armeria, he discovers she's really a woman. Now she must fend off his advances while trying to find her beloved. WANTED is previewed in the new August issue of SHOJO BEAT magazine. Artist and creator Matsuri Hino first captured attention with her debut manga, WHEN THIS DREAM IS OVER, which was published in Japan in LaLa DX magazine. With the success of that, and her other popular series CAPTIVE HEARTS (to be published by VIZ Media November 2008), and MERU PURI, Hino has established herself as a major creative force in the world of shojo manga. Her gothic series VAMPIRE KNIGHT is also currently serialized in SHOJO BEAT magazine and published by VIZ Media.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages.

In a world where computer monitors seem to offer greater color saturation than film stock, and where television now provides images that are more vivid than life itself, how incongruous is the success of this unpresumptuous little art form we call manga?

Need more examples of manga's contrarian status in this regard? How about the vast color palettes of real-time immersive video games, or even conventional comic books, which have been using digital coloring effectively for more than a decade?

Of course a perfectly natural reaction to such observations is a big, fat "So what?"

And if that's the case, great.

It could mean that you so take for granted manga's ascendancy on a foundation of black-and- white graphics that its significance in a pop cultural context is kind of beside the point. Sure, perhaps the "problem" of getting young people to engage with non-color visuals may be an issue only to old-timers in the media-watching game. Certainly the defining controversy in this area? the colorized make-over of classic Hollywood fare in the 1980s?is well known to most. Still, even as the older demographic shunned this trend, the younger set continued to balk at black-and-white films, at least whenever I was screening them. Indeed, "Can't we watch something in color?" used to be a frequently heard complaint in media and film education classes... but is the same true today?

I suspect not, with my own experience informing this opinion. Generation Y and Z's comfort level with black-and-white speaks to a newfound sophistication, and I can only conclude that the popularity of manga, with its ever-growing cross-media ripple effect, deserves much of the credit. Indeed, my own eight-year-old will consume a Tezuka masterwork and might not give much explicit thought to how, in effect, he supplied the glow of whatever fires raged, how he tinted every body of water blue.

Clearly, black-and-white sequential art, once largely the marginalized province of daily comic strips, underground "comix" and indie publishers too poor to opt out, can now be found lining the shelves of every bookstore and library in the U.S.

There's more to say about the appeal of manga's monochromacity, but I'll leave an exploration of the aesthetic implications until next time. For now I just wanted to underscore the larger point here, which concerns how manga as an artistic medium and, let's face it, a global cultural phenomenon, both defies expectations and innovates new ones, both formally and commercially...

If you're in the NY/NJ area in September, you can hear Peter speak at SFABC.

Rounding Out the Takehiko Inoue Releases - The Critically Acclaimed VAGABOND Published Under The VIZBIG Imprint

San Francisco, CA, August 19, 2008 ? VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the publication of a diverse new collection of manga (graphic novel) and art books by famed artist/creator Takehiko Inoue.

The new titles include the manga series REAL (rated T+ for Older Teens) and SLAM DUNK (rated T for Teens), which depict the sport of basketball in two vastly different but equally exciting ways, as well as the publication of SUMI and WATER, a pair of lavishly illustrated art books that capture the essence of Inoue's techniques in black and white and color.

Takehiko Inoue is a skilled artist whose intricately detailed and lifelike visual style has raised the manga genre to a new level. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the prestigious Tezuka Osamu Culture Award and the Media Arts Festival Award. Inoue's highly acclaimed series VAGABOND (Rated M for Mature audiences and published domestically by VIZ Media) is a fictional account based on the life of legendary 17th century samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Without question, his most successful work to date is SLAM DUNK, which has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. VIZ Media complements this release of SLAM DUNK with the debut of REAL, a riveting manga series about the sport of wheelchair basketball. Inoue is a self-professed fan of basketball and also worked on the character designs for the PlayStation video game One On One among others. SLAM DUNK has been credited with introducing basketball to millions of Japanese readers. Legions have taken up the sport after becoming captivated by Inoue's series.

REAL · Rated "T+" for Older Teens · MSRP: $12.99 US / $15.99 CAN · Available Now!
REAL is a gritty drama that offers a unique twist on the sports manga genre as it focuses on wheelchair basketball. A motorcycle accident, bone cancer, and a speeding truck crashing into a boy on a stolen bicycle all present tragic, life-changing events that turn the worlds of three young men upside down in this gripping new series. These three characters with very different personalities have only one thing in common ? their passion for basketball.

SLAM DUNK · Rated "T" for Teens · MSRP: $7.99 US / $9.50 CAN · Available September 2, 2008
SLAM DUNK is the highly anticipated 31-volume basketball drama that has been a smash hit in Japan. Sakuragi Hanamichi's got no game with girls ? none at all! It doesn't help that he's known for throwing down at a moment's notice. A hopeless bruiser, he's been rejected by 50 girls in a row! All that changes when he meets the girl of his dreams, Haruko, and she's actually not afraid of him! When she introduces him to the game of basketball, his life is changed forever. Selected volumes of SLAM DUNK features a profile of a specific NBA player, their stats, and their signature on-court move. The profiles begin with Volume 1, which features the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James and his signature move, the Slam Dunk as a bonus excerpt.

VAGABOND VIZBIG Volume 1 · Rated "M" for Mature Audiences · MSRP: $19.99 US / $23.50 CAN · Available September 16, 2008
VIZ Media is re-releasing VAGABOND in the VIZBIG format featuring three volumes in one oversized edition with bonus content and new cover art. Bonus features in Volume 1 include character concept sketches, interview with Takehiko Inoue and special author comments not previously included in previously published manga from VIZ Media. Graphic novel aficionados who are just discovering Takehiko Inoue's work will be able to enjoy his art in the larger trim size (5.75" X 8.25") while existing fans will appreciate the added bonuses included in this particular volume. The schedule for the single volume editions of VAGABOND will continue with the publication of Volume 28 in October 2008.

SUMI: VAGABOND ILLUSTRATION COLLECTION · MSRP: $34.99 US / $39.99 CAN · Available September 16, 2008
This gorgeous oversized (8.86" X 11.42") art book captures Inoue?s magnificent pen and brush work in black and white. It will include a behind-the-scenes look at VAGABOND with rough sketches and photos of Inoue's studio.

WATER: VAGABOND ILLUSTRATION COLLECTION · MSRP: $34.99 US / $39.99 CAN · Available September 16, 2008
WATER captures Inoue's masterful work in color and contains artwork only published in this volume. Oversized (8.86" X 11.42") contains dozens of lush watercolor depictions of samurai Miyamoto Musashi in various garments and settings.

"Takehiko Inoue's skill as both an artist and dramatic storyteller have catapulted him to the uppermost echelon of Japan?s manga artists," says Alvin Lu, Vice President Publishing, VIZ Media. "His samurai action series, VAGABOND, first introduced his flair for historically-based sagas to domestic readers and his dynamic and realistic style shines in a completely different arena with the debuts of REAL and SLAM DUNK. Readers will delight in Inoue's comprehensive knowledge of the sport of basketball and tributes to many great NBA players. The further release of THE ART OF VAGABOND: SUMI and WATER showcase Inoue's pure skill as an artist and will be a must-have for serious fans of this celebrated series."

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages.

To all those who asked the question, the reason CP is not reporting on many manga-related news is because our staff is on vacation. If things go well, regular news reporting should resume this September in one way or another.

We'd like to thank everyone who sent us "ready-made" news and articles and press releases and such, so to keep our site not completely dead this summer :)

Back to watching the Olympics!

The folks over at Rumic World have been doing some extensive on-location coverage of Rumiko Takahashi's gallery show over the past week. Check out the feature in "It's a Rumic World" Event Coverage.

From About:Manga comes another interview from Comic-Con. This time with Hiro Mashima, the creator of Fairy Tail, Rave Master and Monster Hunter Orage: "In our interview and from Q&A from his Comic-Con appearance, Mashima-sensei talks about the real-life inspirations for the wizards of Fairy Tail (like how he got the idea for Natsu's motion sickness) and how he creates both a weekly and a monthly manga series for both Shonen and Shonen Rival magazine and still find time to have fun."

Historic Collaboration Bridges Western And Eastern Popular Comic And Graphic Novel Traditions

San Francisco, CA, August 5, 2008 ? VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, in conjunction with Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment (PK:POWN) has announced the North American debut of the exciting Prologue Chapter of ULTIMO in the September 2008 issue of SHONEN JUMP magazine, which hits retail outlets nationwide on August 5 for $4.99. ULTIMO is the result of a historic collaboration between comics legend Stan Lee, creator of many iconic superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, and Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of the popular SHAMAN KING manga (graphic novel) series.

The ULTIMO story: High above Farmless City, citizens are stunned by the sudden appearance of two floating figures. Are they human boys, monolithic robots, or something much more strange? As the battle ensues between them, destruction and devastation falls on the hapless city. One figure is Vice, and seems to be as evil as his name implies. The other is Ultimo, intent on trying to stop Vice from wreaking more havoc. But who are Vice and Ultimo really? Where did they come from? A new mystery begins with the fate of the world possibly hanging in the balance! The ULTIMO Prologue Chapter recently debuted in a special standalone issue Jump SQ. published by the Japanese manga magazine Jump SQ., the sibling publication of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump, which is historically the best-selling manga magazine in Japan.

"Wow! This is just what I've been waiting for!" says an excited Stan Lee. "For the very first time I'm able to create superheroes in the fantastic Japanese manga style thanks to my lucky partnership with the great Hiroyuki Takei. What a kick it'll be to join Hiroyuki-san in offering brand new, action packed stories to an army of readers in both the Eastern and Western worlds!"

"Word of ULTIMO's development and subsequent debut in Japan led many domestic fans to wonder when they would get a chance to read it so we're very excited to offer the North American debut in the upcoming September issue of SHONEN JUMP," says SHONEN JUMP Editor-in-Chief Marc Weidenbaum. "ULTIMO was developed as a true collaboration with Stan Lee sending his initial story idea to Takei-san, who developed artwork and characters and reworked the plot to fit into the Japanese manga storytelling style. The result is something extremely compelling and we invite everyone to check out this historic release in our upcoming issue!"

For over half a century, Stan Lee has been synonymous with superhero comics. In addition to creating countless memorable series and characters, including Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and Daredevil, he served as the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. Lee remains a hugely respected and dynamic figure in the entertainment industry and continues to develop a variety of film, television and video game properties.

Unconventional author/artist Hiroyuki Takei began his career by winning the coveted Hop Step Award (for new manga artists) and the Osamu Tezuka Award. After working as an assistant to famed artist Nobuhiro Watsuki (RUROUNI KENSHIN), Takei debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997 with Butsu Zone, an action series based on Buddhist mythology. His multicultural adventure manga SHAMAN KING debuted in Japan in 1998 and has been adapted into a popular animated television series. The SHAMAN KING manga series is also published in North America by VIZ Media; for many years it was serialized in English in SHONEN JUMP magazine.

For more information on ULTIMO, SHONEN JUMP and VIZ Media please visit www.shonenjump.com or www.viz.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages.

About POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, Inc. (Pinksheets:POWN)
An advanced media and entertainment company with a first-look deal with Disney, was founded by world-famous comic book and motion picture icon Stan Lee, together with award-winning producer Gill Champion and intellectual property specialist Arthur Lieberman, Esq. POW!'s principals have extensive backgrounds in the entertainment industry encompassing the creation, production and licensing of original intellectual properties, including some of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time. POW!, capitalizing on this combined expertise, specializes in franchises for the entertainment industry, including animation and live-action feature films, plus television, DVDs, video games, merchandising and related ancillary markets, all of which contribute to global expansion. POW! partners with other individuals and entities of entertainment's top echelon, including studios and networks, in the creation, licensing and distribution of new POW! character franchises. www.powentertainment.com.

From About.Manga comes an interview with Tite Kubo, the creator of Bleach, during SDCC: The life of a successful manga artist is a hectic one, especially for a creator like Tite Kubo who works on a hugely popular shonen manga series like Bleach. So it was a rare treat for U.S. manga fans to meet Kubo-sensei at San Diego Comic-Con. Besides catching his panel appearance, I also got a few moments with this shonen manga superstar to ask him about his beginnings as a manga artist, his early influences, his creative process and his most memorable Comic-Con moment.

Eight Series Announced Including New Shojo Stories And Two New Award-Winning Titles From Creative Mastermind Naoki Urasawa

San Francisco, CA, August 4, 2008 ? VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has provided a preview of a variety of compelling new manga titles set to debut under the VIZ SIGNATURE, VIZ MEDIA and SHOJO BEAT imprints in the first half of 2009.

VIZ SIGNATURE releases will include two new series from manga mastermind Naoki Urasawa, and include Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys and PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA, which offers a unique collaboration between Urasawa and manga titan Osamu Tezuka. New releases from the VIZ MEDIA imprint will include Shirow Miwa's series DOGS and Mase Motoro's IKIGAMI. Four new SHOJO BEAT series round out the first quarter releases and will feature Miki Aihara's HONEY HUNT, Izumi Tsubaki's THE MAGIC TOUCH, Aya Kanno's OTOMEN and a new VIZBIG Edition of Miki Aihara's acclaimed series HOT GIMMICK.

"MONSTER-creator Naoki Urasawa's two new series, 20th CENTURY BOYS and PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA, which is based on Osamu Tezuka's classic manga ASTRO BOY, show this master artist at the height of his powers. Those wondering what are the manga equivalents of WATCHMEN and THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS need look no further," said Alvin Lu, Vice President, Publishing, VIZ Media. "In Japan, these two series are considered masterpieces of the form, along the lines of Katsuhiro Otomo's AKIRA and Takehiko Inoue's VAGABOND. With our other new releases for 2009, we're extremely excited this season to be presenting some of the absolute best the manga medium has to offer."

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys -- Rated "T+" for Older Teens -- MSRP: $12.99 -- February 2009
Considered by manga cognoscenti as one of the absolute masterpieces of the medium, NAOKI URASAWA'S 20TH CENTURY BOYS is this critically acclaimed creator?s magnum opus. A sprawling decades-spanning saga about a group of childhood friends who are mankind's last hope against an apocalyptic religious cult, NAOKI URASAWA'S 20TH CENTURY BOYS combines elements of brain-bending science-fiction, Stephen King novels, Bob Dylan songs, and straight-up rock 'n' roll to create one of the most addictive manga reads ever. Find out why this title may be one of the greatest comics of all time.

PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA -- Rated "T" for Teens -- MSRP: $12.99 -- February 2009
A darkly-lit science-fiction thriller set in a cybernetic future reminiscent of BLADE RUNNER and I, ROBOT, PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA takes a storyline from Osamu Tezuka's classic manga ASTRO BOY and radically retrofits Tezuka's space-age optimism for a more chaotic age. Somebody is out to kill the world?s most powerful robots?including Astro Boy! A cyborg detective must investigate the robot-murders and solve them, before they come after him. Serialized at the same time as NAOKI URASAWA?S 20TH CENTURY BOYS in Japan, PLUTO exhibits Urasawa's narrative skills at the top of their form, taking the thrilling plot twists of MONSTER to a new level. As a radical reimagining of a classic comic character, PLUTO: URASAWA X TEZUKA is to Astro Boy what THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS was to Batman.

The MAGIC TOUCH -- Rated "T" for Teens -- MSRP: $8.99 -- February 3, 2009
The star of her high school's Massage Research Society club, Chiaki Togu is otherwise a normal, quiet girl until she falls in love at first sight with a gorgeous back ? a back that happens to belong to Yosuke, the hottest guy at her school! Unfortunately, Chiaki's attraction to Yosuke is thwarted by her own insecurity and the scheming of other girls ? especially her twin sister Saya!

OTOMEN -- Rated "T" for Teens -- MSRP: $8.99 -- Available: February 3, 2009
Asuka Masamune is the coolest, manliest guy in his whole school. He's a kendo master and even excels in judo and karate...but he has a secret! He loves girly things ? sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. Unfortunately, in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Ryo Miyakozuka, on the other hand, is a girl who can't sew or bake a cake to save her life. Asuka finds himself drawn to Ryo, but she likes only the manliest of men! Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to the girl that he's falling for? Find out in this new SHOJO BEAT manga series by Aya Kanno.

DOGS -- Rated "M" for Mature Audiences -- MSRP: $12.99 -- April 14, 2009
Boasting furious action, switchback plotting, magnetic characters and dazzling art, Dogs tells the story of four individuals struggling to survive a dystopian urban future by gun and sword and courage and luck. Haine, the "Stray Dog": a cipher of a young man with a mysterious metal collar bolted to his neck and a serious taste for mayhem. Badou: a hired gun for petty jobs legal and not, whose reckless façade hides a serious intent. Naoto: a preternaturally skilled swordswoman searching for the assassin who cut down her family and mentor. Mihai: a middle-aged former hitman, now trying live a quiet life but haunted by the deaths of his lover and protégé. Driven by their ghosts?both dead and alive?and a desire for truth, all are inexorably drawn to the "Underground," the dark and dangerous sector below the city that holds all the secrets?but secrets that can only be had for a price.

IKIGAMI: THE ULTIMATE LIMIT -- Rated "M" for Mature Audiences -- MSRP: $12.99 -- May 12, 2009
"Dear Citizen: You?ve no doubt noticed that the world is a troubled place. People are apathetic, lazy, unmotivated. You?ve probably asked yourself: Why isn't anything being done to stop this systematic decline? Well, you?ll be happy to know measures are being taken. We, your government, have decided society needs a wake-up call. So beginning today, we will randomly select a different citizen who will be killed within 24 hours of notification. We believe this will help remind all people how precious life is, and how important it is to be productive, active members of society...CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE BEEN RANDOMLY SELECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT...TO DIE IN 24 HOURS!"

HONEY HUNT -- Rated "T+" for Older Teens -- MSRP: $8.99 -- April 7, 2009
At last, the new series from HOT GIMMICK creator Miki Aihara! Life's not easy when you're living in the shadow of your famous parents. Can shy Yura, the daughter of an award-winning composer and a world-renowned actress, find the courage to step out on her own now that her super-celebrity parents are getting divorced? Find out in this new SHOJO BEAT series.

HOT GIMMICK VIZBIG EDITION -- Rated "T+" for Older Teens -- MSRP: $17.99 -- March 17, 2009
A new omnibus edition bundling the first three volumes of the critically acclaimed manga series by Miki Aihara, HOT GIMMICK introduces readers to a company-owned rabbit-hutch apartment complex filled with tenants who can't afford to live anywhere else. High-school girl Hatsumi Narita resides in this complex, which is ruled over by the rumor mongering, self-righteous Mrs. Tachibana. Get on Tachibana's bad side, and life becomes hell. When Hatsumi has to buy a pregnancy test because her popular sister Akane is late, Mrs. Tachibana's son, Ryoki, who used to bully Hatsumi as a kid, promises not to tell the world about Hatsumi's secret, only if she becomes his slave. Suddenly Azusa, Hatsumi's protector in their youth, reappears to save her again! He's moving back into the neighborhood! Despite the budding romance between Hatsumi and Azusa, Ryoki has control over her through the secret that could ruin the lives of everyone in Hatsumi's family, and he hasn't forgotten who his slave is!

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages.

Launching this summer in India, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, USA & UK, Fluid Friction Comics have announced that the first issue of their debut series DevaShard: At First Light will feature the artwork of world famous artist Simon Bisley on the cover.

Simon Bisley made his name in the comic book world with his work on 2000AD in the 1980?s and especially on the characters Slaine, the Horned God and Judge Dredd. From there he went on to work on a wide selection of the world's best known comic books, including Batman during the 1990's at which time he was specially selected to portray the Dark Knight when he was being reinvented as the darker hero we know today. Other important titles he has worked on include the Heavy Metal fantasy art magazines, X-Men and later Wolverine.

In addition to his extensive work in the comic book field, he has also worked on the crossovers between comic, film and game. This has included storyboarding and artwork for both of the Heavy Metal movies and artwork for videogames like Speedball, the cult classic game from the 80's which helped to revolutionise alternative sporting games.

This is the first time ever that a Hong Kong produced graphic novel has featured the artwork of one of the great Western comic artists. It signifies the beginning of a new era in comics where art and storylines can finally transcend the traditional barriers between East & West and truly universal products can be produced.

Spencer Douglass, business development manager at Fluid Friction had the following to say: "It is an honour to be able to work with one of the greatest artists in the modern comic industry. He is one of the few comic artists from the West who has had a long time fanbase among artists in Hong Kong and this is one of the reasons we initially approached him."

Simon Bisley said that he has been very happy to work on this revolutionary product and looks forward to the launch of DevaShard: At First Light. He is also excited that this new venture brings in the opportunity to meet his fans in Asia and to help foster closer ties between fans and artists in both parts of the world.

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Fluid Friction is dedicated to producing innovative and original graphic novels. Based in the heart of Hong Kong, the company's specialised in-house team takes a unique approach to the creative process behind graphic novel production, working on every stage from the first conceptual discussion through to the release of each finished product. Fluid Friction?s creative minds are dedicated to producing graphic novels of the very highest calibre, with strong storylines and outstanding artwork.

For more information, visit us at www.fluidfriction.com.