Books & Writing – Page 13

A Teen Boy Vanquishes Demons in the New Paranormal Manga Series “Blue Exorcist” from VIZ Media

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the release of the manga (graphic novel) series Blue Exorcist, by creator Kazue Kato, on April 5th. The new title will be published under the company’s Shonen Jump Advanced imprint, is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth — the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin’s veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself. Can Rin fight the demons and keep his infernal bloodline a secret? It won’t be easy, especially when drawing his father’s sword releases the demonic power within him!

“Kinetic action and a storyline with plenty of twists and surprises awaits readers as the material world collides with the world of demons in this gripping new series,” says Mike Montesa, Editor. “At the True Cross Academy, Rin faces many challenges and makes new friends, but becomes involved in a secret struggle between Mephisto Pheles, the principal of the school, and the Order of the True Cross. Will he ever achieve his goal to become an exorcist? Or will he become something more sinister?”

Manga creator, writer and illustrator Kazue Kato won the prestigious Tezuka Award when she was only 19 for her work, Rabbit And I, published in Japan in Akamaru Jump magazine. From 2005 to 2006 her series, Robo to Usakichi, a sci-fi adventure featuring a rabbit (again!), was published in the monthly magazine Shonen Sirius (Kodansha). Her latest manga series, Blue Exorcist, debuted in Jump Square magazine in April of 2009. Kazue Kato has used a rabbit as a self-portrait in her author’s notes and her works often have some relation to rabbits.

For more information on Blue Exorcist and other titles from Shonen Jump Advanced, please visit: ShonenJump.com.

VIZ Media Announces the North American Premiere of New Manga Series “Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura”

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will delight shojo readers and fans of creator Arina Tanemura with the North American premiere of her current manga (graphic novel) series — Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura — on April 5th. The new title launches under the company’s Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Sakura is the granddaughter of a mysterious moon princess who slew demons with her Blood Cherry Blossom sword. All her life Sakura has been forbidden to look at the full moon without knowing why. Then one night, unhappy over her impending marriage, Sakura gazes up at the moon, only to see a demon attacking her…

“Arina Tanemura returns to fantasy in her latest series, Sakura Hime,” says Nancy Thistlethwaite, Editor. “The story takes place during the Heian period of Japan and interweaves the myth of the moon princess with magical shojo and the supernatural. Wanting to escape a life arranged by others, Princess Sakura runs away from an impending arranged marriage to a man she’s never met, only to find she’s caught up to her true destiny as a descendant of the moon princess. This manga features the beautiful artwork and emotional impact that has given Tanemura a worldwide following.”

Arina Tanemura began her manga career in 1996 when her short stories debuted in Ribon magazine. She gained fame with the 1997 publication of I.O.N (published by VIZ Media), and ever since her debut Tanemura has continued to be a major force in shojo manga with popular series such as Time Stranger Kyoko, Short-Tempered Melancholic, Full Moon, and The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross (all published in North America by VIZ Media) as well as Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne. Both Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne and Full Moon have been adapted into popular animated TV series.

For more information on Sakura Hime or other works by Arina Tanemura, please visit ShojoBeat.com.

Look What’s Happening at Alivan’s Just in Time for Easter

from Alivan’s:

Greetings, friends… in this edition of The Clairvoyant: Shipping is only $2.99 for EVERY order of ANY size right now… Apprentice Wands are on sale at an extra low price (read on)… and did we mention SHIPPING is only $2.99!

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Magically,
Finneas Alivan

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March Manga Madness Excitement Continues for VIZ Manga App with Digital Manga First – “Bakuman” Volume 4 Debuts Today, Ahead of Print Counterpart

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media has excited fans and iPad users all month with its March Manga Madness promotion, and the celebration continues as the company announces its latest updates. In a digital manga first, Bakuman Volume 4 debuts today on the VIZ Manga App, before the print edition’s national release on April 5th. Volume 1 of Bakuman will also be available for FREE download for 24 hours only starting at 12PM Pacific Time today. The VIZ Manga App is free through the iTunes Store, and manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application.

VIZ Media similarly delights shojo fans as it launches Kaori Yuki’s Fairy Cube. Volume 1 will be available through the end of March for only $0.99. New additions to 7 other popular manga series complete the latest round of updates.

The VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with an extensive downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world, and has this month surpassed 100 volumes available for download. As part of the March Manga Madness promotion, all Volume 1 titles are available this month for only $0.99 each (instead of $4.99). After shopping, fans should enter to win a $50 iTunes gift card by taking the VIZ Manga App survey. More than 100 manga volumes will be available for download by the end of March.

In Fairy Cube (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), Ian and Rin used to just see spirits. Now Ian is one. Using the Fairy Cube, Ian must figure out how to stop the lizard spirit Tokage from taking over his life and destroying any chance he has of resurrection. Fairy Cube is the series from gothic manga mastermind Kaori Yuki, who created Angel Sanctuary, Godchild, and The Cain Saga (all published by VIZ Media).

Twenty series are now available for download in the VIZ Manga App. Additional VIZ Media manga volumes available by this week include:

Bleach Vol. 11
Claymore Vol. 6
D.Gray-man Vol. 7
Dragon Ball Z Vol. 2
Naruto Vol. 19
One Piece Vol. 19
Vampire Knight Vol. 5

The VIZ Manga App is available for free through the iTunes Store and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad are featured.

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.

In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essays on Film, Fandom, Technology and the Culture of Riffing

In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000

from McFarland:

In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essays on Film, Fandom, Technology and the Culture of Riffing
Edited by Robert G. Weiner and Shelley E. Barba

277 pages $40 softcover (7 x 10)
14 photos, notes, bibliographies, index
ISBN 978-0-7864-4532-5 Ebook ISBN 978-0-7864-8572-7 2011

The award-winning television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988-1999) has been described as “the smartest, funniest show in America,” and forever changed the way we watch movies. The series featured a human host and a pair of robotic puppets who, while being subjected to some of the worst films ever made, provided ongoing hilarious and insightful commentary in a style popularly known as “riffing.” These essays represent the first full-length scholarly analysis of Mystery Science Theater 3000 — MST3K — which blossomed from humble beginnings as a Minnesota public-access television show into a cultural phenomenon on two major cable networks. The book includes interviews with series creator Joel Hodgson and cast members Kevin Murphy and Trace Beaulieu.

Robert G. Weiner is associate humanities librarian at Texas Tech University. His works have been published in the Journal of Popular Culture, Public Library Quarterly, Journal of American Culture, International Journal of Comic Art and Popular Music and Society. He lives in Lubbock, Texas.

Shelley E. Barba has written for Texas Library Journal. She is a metadata librarian at Texas Tech University.

Order now at Amazon.com:
In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essays on Film, Fandom, Technology and the Culture of Riffing (US)

Pre-order at Amazon.ca:
In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essays on Film, Fandom, Technology and the Culture of Riffing (Canada)

Or order directly through the McFarland website.
Order Line: 800-253-2187

VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump Website Offers Exclusive New Content and Celebrates “SJ Heroes Week” Online

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced that its Shonen Jump website will feature a special week-long “SJ Heroes Week,” during which it will publish a different manga (graphic novel) hero profile online every day from March 27th to April 1st.

The SJ Heroes Week coincides with the new commemorative 100th issue of Shonen Jump magazine, which is on sale now. Fans and subscribers can log on to the Shonen Jump website at ShonenJump.com for fresh daily updates of all-time favorite manga heroes. A second round of Shonen Jump Heroes, to be featured in the upcoming May 2011 print edition (on sale April 5th), will post on the website during the second half of April with expanded entries for each manga character. This content further extends the magazine’s new subscriber initiatives featured on the Shonen Jump website.

Shonen Jump’s print and website redesign for 2011 welcomed the new decade with a fresh, contemporary look and notably expanded content. These new features complement several digital subscriber-only premiums, as well as the online debut of a brand new manga series, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (rated ‘T’ for Teens). This is Shonen Jump’s first title to be serialized digitally on ShonenJump.com. The redesigned site offers fresh content updated daily that includes special Manga Spotlight Features, Manga Profile Features, Anime Episode Updates, Weekly Fan Art submissions, Trading Card Game Tips, Video Game Features and much more!

“Shonen Jump magazine is the most popular manga magazine today, with over a million readers in its original language version in Japan, as well as hundreds of thousands of fans in the U.S.,” says Joel Enos, Shonen Jump Senior Editor. “And now Shonen Jump is expanding its online coverage with new daily updates to give readers more of what they want — features on manga, anime, card games and video games, plus exclusive online manga content for subscribers. During the next two months, we’ll also profile Shonen Jump heroes from a variety of Shonen Jump’s most loved manga series. From international sensations like Naruto and One Piece to beloved classics like Dragon Ball, we will spotlight every SJ hero that ever came out in the U.S. in either graphic novel format or in the magazine!”

For more information on Shonen Jump Magazine and other Shonen Jump titles, please visit ShonenJump.com.

March Manga Madness Continues with Debut of “Dragon Ball Z” for the VIZ Manga App for iPad

from VIZ Media:

March Manga Madness is fully underway as VIZ Media continues to offer readers special promotions and new manga (graphic novel) titles available exclusively for the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad mobile device. The latest round of updates features debut of the classic action manga Dragon Ball Z, as well as new updates for 8 other acclaimed manga titles currently available.

Fans should also stay tuned for an exciting digital manga first as Bakuman Volume 4 prepares to debut on the VIZ Manga App on March 28th, ahead of the print edition’s national release on April 5th.

As part of the March Manga Madness promotion, all Volume 1 manga titles are available this month for only $0.99 each (instead of $4.99). After shopping, fans are invited also enter to win a $50 iTunes gift card by taking the VIZ Manga App survey. By the end of March the VIZ Manga App will feature more than 100 manga volumes available for download.

Creator Akira Toriyama’s much-loved manga classic, Dragon Ball Z (Rated ‘A’ for All Ages), debuts on today with Volume 2 to be available before the end of the month. After years of training and adventure, Goku has become Earth’s ultimate warrior. And his son, Gohan, shows even greater promise. But the stakes are increasing as even deadlier enemies threaten the planet. Dragon Ball Z is the ultimate science fiction-martial arts manga.

Additional new manga volumes available this week include:

Death Note Vol. 9
MeruPuri Vol. 3
Naruto Vol. 18
Natsume’s Book of Friends Vol. 2
One Piece Vol. 18
Rosario + Vampire Vol. 2
Rurouni Kenshin Vol. 9
Toriko Vol. 3

The VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with a downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad are featured.

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.

Big-Screen Board-Games: The Warhammer Movie

from GeekChicDaily:

We’re all a little tired of video-game movies, right? For every Mortal Kombat, there’s a Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. Sure, the Resident Evil movies keep chugging along, but that’s mainly because we love to watch Milla Jovovich doing gun-fu, which has almost nothing to do with the games themselves.

So rejoice: the movie industry has moved along to the next big thing. Tabletop games! Sound silly? Yeah, until you look at the actual details. Peter Berg, who directed The Rock’s best movie (The Rundown) is almost done with his Battleship flick starring Liam Neeson and Rihanna. Ridley Scott’s getting ready to pass go and collect more than $200 on a theatrical adaptation of Monopoly. But beating them all to the punch is Ultramarines, a snazzy all-CG feature based on Warhammer 40,000.

Set in the 41st century, Ultramarines sees a squad of genetically enhanced warriors answer a distress signal on a distant planet, only to discover that forces far beyond what they expected are at work. Terence “General Zod” Stamp voices squad leader Captain Severus, while John Hurt plays the mysterious chaplain who sent the distress call. As the movie is unrated, what ensues allows plenty of blood to be shed, and, uh, wars to be hammered out.

The only way to see this film, however, is by ordering the DVD online. Loaded with a bonus disc and a companion graphic novel, it’s an ultra-sweet deal.

The Guild: Season 4, Episode 12: Guild Hall

Buy Season 4 on DVD

Season 5 coming Summer 2011!

The Guild’s problems come to a head INSIDE the game!

Buy Guild Stuff:
Comic Book
T-Shirts
Spires of Dragonor Poster
and More

Connect with The Guild:
Twitter
Facebook
watchtheguild.com
Official Fan Podcast knightsoftheguild.com

The Guild: Season 4, Episode 11: Hostile Takeovers

Buy Season 4 on DVD

Season 5 coming Summer 2011!

Vork refuses to put his honor aside; Zaboo does something right for a change.

Buy Guild Stuff:
Comic Book
T-Shirts
Spires of Dragonor Poster
and More

Connect with The Guild:
Twitter
Facebook
watchtheguild.com
Official Fan Podcast knightsoftheguild.com

VIZ Media’s Haikasoru Imprint Launches a New Out-of-This-World Adventure with “Rocket Girls: The Last Planet”

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the release today of author Housuke Nojiri’s science fiction adventure, Rocket Girls: The Last Planet. The new paperback edition is the second in the Rocket Girls series, is published under the company’s Haikasoru imprint, and carries an MSRP of $13.99 U.S. / $15.99 CAN.

Haikasoru publishes some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy stories for English-speaking audiences. The imprint is the first to launch in North America with a dedicated focus on Japanese science fiction.

When the Rocket Girls accidentally splash down in the pond of Yukari Morita’s old school, it looks as though their experiment is ruined. Luckily, the geeky Akane is there to save the day. Fitting the profile — she’s intelligent, enthusiastic, and petite — Akane is soon recruited by the Solomon Space Association. Yukari and Akane are then given the biggest Rocket Girl mission yet: to do what NASA astronauts cannot and save a probe headed to the minor planet Pluto and the very edge of the solar system.

“We’re very excited to announce the release of the latest installment of the Rocket Girls series from the award-winning author Housuke Nojiri,” says Nick Mamatas, Haikasoru editor. “It’s the perfect combination of hard science fiction and teenage hijinks — a novel that harkens back to the Golden Age of science fiction while being hip and fresh. We’ve heard from so many fans about the original Rocket Girls, and look forward to readers jumping on board to find out what happens when the Girls help out, and butt heads with, no less than NASA itself.”

Author Housuke Nojiri was born in Mie, Japan, in 1961. After working in instrumentation control, CAD programming, and game design, he published his first work, The Blind Spot of Veis, based on the video game Creguian, in 1992. He gained further popularity with subsequent works the Creguian series and also for the Rocket Girls series. In 2002, he published Usurper of the Sun (also available from Haikasoru), which ushered in a new era of space science fiction in Japan. After first appearing as a series of short stories, Usurper won the prestigious Seiun Award for the best Japanese science fiction novel of 2002. His other notable works include Pendulum of Pinieru and Fuwa-Fuwa no Izumi.

For more information on Rocket Girls: The Last Planet and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit the dedicated website at haikasoru.com.

March Manga Madness for the VIZ Manga App Continues with a Digital Manga First – “Bakuman” Volume 4 Will Debut Ahead of Print Counterpart

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media continues the March Manga Madness event for the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad mobile device and entices fans with an exciting digital manga first — Bakuman Volume 4 will debut on the VIZ Manga App on March 28th, ahead of the print edition’s national release on April 5th. To celebrate, Bakuman Volume 1 will be available for FREE download for 24 hours only starting at 12PM Pacific Time today, when Bakuman Volume 3 debuts. The VIZ Manga App is free through the iTunes Store and manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application.

Also debuting today is Hiroshi Shiibashi’s paranormal fantasy adventure series, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan. Volume 1 will be available for download for only $0.99. The latest VIZ Manga App update also features new additions to 9 other popular VIZ Media series currently available.

The VIZ Manga App will surpass 100 volumes available for download by the end of March. As part of the March Manga Madness promotion, all Volume 1 manga titles are available this month for only $0.99 each (instead of $4.99). After shopping, get entered to win a $50 iTunes gift card by taking the VIZ Manga App survey.

Bakuman (Rated ‘T’ for Teens) is written by the author of Death Note, Tsugumi Ohba, with artwork by Takeshi Obata, the artist known for series such as Death Note, Hikaru no Go, and Ral Grad. The story follows average student Moritaka Mashiro, who enjoys drawing for fun, but when his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world?

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (Rated ‘T’ for Teens) is a new shonen manga from creator Hiroshi Shiibashi. While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He’s three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then Rikuo transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.

Additional VIZ Media manga volumes available this week include:

Bakuman Vol. 3
Bleach Vol. 10
Captive Hearts Vol. 3
Claymore Vol. 5
D.Gray-man Vol. 6
Dragon Ball Vol. 16
Naruto Vol. 17
One Piece Vol. 17
Otomen Vol. 4

The VIZ Manga App is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with a downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. The app is free through the iTunes Store, and manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad are featured.

For more information on the VIZ Manga App, please visit VIZ.com/apps/.