Category: Arts & Culture

“Star Wars Rebels” Season Finale Sneak Peek Video

Kanan and Ezra take on the Inquisitor in an epic lightsaber duel in the exciting season finale of “Star Wars Rebels” on Disney XD Monday, March 2nd

In the exciting season finale of Star Wars Rebels, the Rebels must infiltrate an Imperial fleet over Mustafar to save Kanan.  With the Imperials bearing down on them, the team receives help from an unexpected ally in “Fire Across the Galaxy” – an episode directed by Dave Filoni and written by Simon Kinberg!

 

The season finale of Star Wars Rebels, “Fire Across the Galaxy,” premieres Monday, March 2nd at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT FIRST on Disney XD!

VIZ MEDIA BECOMES THE NORTH AMERICAN MASTER MERCHANDISE LICENSEE FOR THE ACTION ADVENTURE SERIES JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE

 

A Wide Range Of Products Based On The Acclaimed Multi-Generational Fantasy Action Anime Property To Be Developed For The North American Market

 

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has been named the North American master merchandise licensee for JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE.

VIZ Media will oversee the licensing and development of a comprehensive range of products based on the celebrated supernatural/action/adventure anime property across several key consumer categories. The first of these new products are scheduled to be released later this year.

The JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE manga (graphic novel) series was created by Hirohiko Araki. In his long-running multi-generational adventure, there was once a mighty bloodline of heroes: the Joestars. In the 1880s, Englishman Jonathan Joestar gave his life to defeat Dio, a megalomaniacal vampire. Now, 100 years later, Dio is back, and Jonathan’s descendants seek to finally destroy their ancestral enemy once and for all.

In the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE anime series, the Aztecs – the people of the sun — once prospered in ancient Mexico. They had a bizarre stone mask that brought eternal life and the power of a domineering ruler to he who wore it, but at some point, the mask disappeared without a trace. Years later, in the late 19th Century, when men’s lifestyles and outlooks on life were quickly changing, Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando meet, and the stone mask binds them to a rather curious fate…

“We are extremely pleased to enhance the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE legacy with the licensing and development of a range of new products that will be a highlight of fans’ collections,” says Daisuke Aoki, VIZ Media’s Vice President of Licensing. “In Japan, JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE is one of the country’s longest running and popular properties. The dynamic adventure also enjoys substantial popularity in North America and similarly spans multiple generations of fans. We look forward to supporting the brand with a notable array of officially licensed products from a variety of manufacturing partners beginning this summer.”

VIZ Media’s SHONEN JUMP imprint recently announced the print and digital launch of the property’s original first manga story arc, JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE PART 1 – PHANTOM BLOOD, and plans to release JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE PART 2 – BATTLE TENDENCY in March. VIZ Media originally published the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE STARDUST CRUSADERS manga story arc, the third in the overall manga series, in print in 2005.

For more information on JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE or other licensed properties available from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF COPPELION ANIME SERIES

After A Catastrophe Contaminates Japan’s Old Capital, Three Genetically Engineered Girls Embark To Rescue Survivors; Complete Series Released As DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, brings the sci-fi action of COPPELION to fans as it announces the home media release of the 13-episode anime series as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack on February 3rd.

COPPELION will be released in a comprehensive edition containing 2 DVDs and 2 Blu-ray discs, offering 16:9 video and 1080p High Definition resolution, housed in an illustrated chipboard box, with an MSRP of $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN. In addition to the complete series, bonus features include clean opening and ending segments and original series trailers. A bonus COPPELION production art gallery is also included.

In the not-so-distant future, a catastrophic event has turned the old capital of Japan into a wasteland, forever changing the lives of its people. Decades later, three schoolgirls set foot into the now forsaken city. They are the Coppelion, genetically engineered humans created by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force to operate under the lethal conditions of the contaminated city. Trained since birth, the girls must use all of their skills and resources to carry out their one and only mission: to rescue those left behind.

“Ibara, Aoi and Taeko comprise the Coppelion, three genetically engineered girls that seek to rescue forgotten survivors in the smashes ruins of the Old Capital and uncover a dark secret about themselves in the process,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Marketing Manager, Animation. “This new Combo Pack release fittingly presents the gripping series in its entirety and gives fans the opportunity to add this lushly animated adventure to their personal collections.”

COPPELION is the animated adaptation of the popular manga series created by Tomonori Inoue, which ran in Japan in Monthly Young Magazine, and was produced by GoHands, the award winning studio that also produced the anime series, K (also distributed by VIZ Media).

For more information on COPPELION or other award-winning anime titles available from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

Creative Mind Energy’s The Gifted Hits Stores In Time For The Holidays

Graphic novel publisher Creative Mind Energy (CME) has announced that their premiere title The Gifted (Diamond Code: OCT141241) will be hitting stores almost a month early so it will be available for holiday purchases. Originally scheduled for January 7, 2015 the book will be available in the direct market December 10, 2014. It will be in book stores shortly after that. Customers looking to order Creative Mind Energy titles should contact their local retailer, or find a comic shop near them at www.comicshoplocator.com.

The first volume in an ongoing series, The Gifted, shows what life is like for animals struggling to survive in a world laid to waste by humanity’s violence, abuse and exploitation. Through the eyes of the lone wolf the reader gains a unique perspective experiencing first hand his desperation, hunger and fight for survival. Hand painted watercolors and minimal text is all that is needed to depict a strong and moving story in this graphic novel. This edition combines the first two volumes of the story that were convention sellouts. The second release from CME is called Dixie Vixens and releases in March 2015.

What others are saying about The Gifted!

“The Gifted is an exceptional work, something that both transcends the medium of comics and yet utilizes the medium to its fullest.”-BlackShipBooks.com

“While the Wassel’s script is nearly dialogue-free, the art is complemented by large and intentionally intrusive onomatopoeic words, and the result is a book that defies comparison to anything else I’ve read in recent years.” – ShelfAbuse.com

“One cannot gorge on THE GIFTED. This review took me so damn long to complete from UPS drop off to publishing because I saw care and craftsmanship from all parties. I was not going to sully this hard work with a phoned in write-up.”-Aintitcool.com

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VIZ MEDIA KICKS OFF CLASS WITH THE STELLAR NEW COMEDY SERIES ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM

A Class Of Misfit Students Must Save Mankind From A Destructive Alien Invader Who May Also Be The Best Teacher They Ever Had; New Action Series To Launch In Print And Digitally

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, delivers to domestic readers today one of the most popular new manga (graphic novel) series currently sweeping Japan – ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM.

This high school alien-teacher in the classroom action comedy by creator Yusei Matsui is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens and debuts in print under the Shonen Jump Advanced imprint. ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM Vol. 1 will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. Subsequent volumes for the continuing series are scheduled for print release on a bi-monthly basis.

The digital edition of ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM will also debut on December 2nd for $6.99 (U.S./CAN), across all platforms serviced by VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App. The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. The digital edition will be similarly available on digital storefronts for the Kindle, iBooks, GooglePlay, Kobo, ComiXology, and Nook.

A humorous and action-packed story about a class of misfits who are trying to kill their new teacher – an alien octopus with bizarre powers and super strength! The teacher has just destroyed the moon and is threatening to destroy the earth – unless his students can destroy him first. What makes things more complicated is that he’s the best teacher they’ve ever had!

“ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM is an over-the-top, action thrill ride that readers will definitely want to put on their manga hit lists,” says Annette Roman, Editor. “The series has drawn widespread acclaim in Japan where it is one of the top titles featured in Shonen Jump magazine. We invite readers to spend their winter semester at a high school unlike any other with a zany class of misfit students upon whom rests the future of humanity!”

Manga creator Yusei Matsui was born in Saitama Prefecture, Japan and has been drawing since elementary school. Some of his favorite manga series are Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Ultimate Muscle (all published in North America by VIZ Media). Matsui honed his talents working as an assistant to manga artist Yoshio Sawai, creator of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo. In 2005, he debuted his original series, Neuro: Supernatural Detective, in Weekly Shonen Jump. In 2007, Neuro was adapted into an anime series. ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan in 2012. An anime adaptation based on the manga series is set to debut in early 2015.

For more information on ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM and other manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

Cinenovel® Introduces Unique Novel/App “The Plunge of Icarus” Available now, exclusively at the iTunes/App Store

Independent content producer Cinenovel releases new genre Novel/App. An industry first, this highly unique visual- and audio-augmented literary work takes the tablet reading experience to a new level. Produced specifically to take full advantage of the capabilities of the iPad “The Plunge of Icarus” is a near-future fiction with an unusual theme that makes it a perfect platform to showcase this visual genre. The epic 500-frame download combines text and cinematic elements with sonic accompaniment and voice-over (both cancelable) to create a totally immersive reading experience. “The Plunge of Icarus” expands the definition of apps and reading on the iPad. Available exclusively on the iTunes/App Store for just $15.99. Download the Novel/App today at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-plunge-of-icarus/id896215337?mt=8.

Cinenovel founder Jeff Buchanan, an award-winning director, commented; “Cinenovel was created to develop and produce quality content for emerging platforms. As a lover of books I felt that evolving tablet technologies warranted giving ardent readers an alternative to traditional offerings, and Cinenovel was born. We are in a very unique position, being an independent, yet the first to take this approach to storytelling. Cinenovel is, first and foremost, a reading experience dedicated to honoring the tradition of the written word while embracing the future.”

Learn more about Cinenovel and The Plunge of Icarus at www.theplungeoficarus.com

About “The Plunge of Icarus”:
In the not too distant future, on the Isle of Crete in the Aegean Sea, a modern Mount Olympus has been resurrected as an Air Force superpower. The pilots here have been raised since birth to believe they are the new Greek gods, fighting a never ending war. Icarus is Olympus’ most decorated pilot. Calloused by battle the young flyer has never questioned what it is he does. All of that changes one day in a revelation high above the clouds that begins to unravel the labyrinth of mysteries surrounding the war. Icarus inadvertently discovers love as he is plunged into a conscience about killing.

Contains mature themes. Reader discretion advised.

About Cinenovel:
A selective, craft publisher Cinenovel is dedicated to making the highest caliber original stories and classics of literature accessible to a broad audience through its innovative, artful presentation. This tasteful blend of literature with visuals enhances the reading experience in dynamic new ways, on a scale never before seen with full-length fiction.

Dave Dorman Announces STAR WARS Holiday Print Sale

Chicago, IL–November 24, 2014–Dave Dorman, voted the #1 Star Wars Artist of All Time by the fans, is offering an online STAR WARS Holiday Print Sale of the remaining Artist Proofs he has available in his limited private inventory. This Holiday Sale will go from now through December 31st. Any orders placed by December 19th are guaranteed to arrive in time for Christmas, with free shipping worldwide.

The link to Dorman’s Star Wars Holiday Prints Sale is here: http://www.davedorman.com/2014swprintsforsale.shtml

Dorman recently announced on his blog that he would not be attending Star Wars Celebration 7, as he was not a chosen artist for Celebration, so this is the last opportunity for many to collect the pieces they wanted to add to their collection at Celebration. The pieces Dorman offers during his Holiday Sale include:

Breaking Ground: Imperial Base, Moon of Endor from Star Wars Celebration 6 for $75
A Slight Disturbance in the Force on the Battlefield of Hoth from Star Wars Celebration 5 for $75
Lord Vader’s Persuation of the Outer Rim Worlds to Join the Empire from Star Wars Celebration 4 for $125
Incident on the Jundland Wastes, Tatooine from Star Wars Celebration Europe for $100
Rise of the Sith from Star Wars Celebration 3 for $50
Plus many more Artist Proofs from his personal archives remaining from the duration he held a license with Lucasfilm.

VIZ Media Previews Forthcoming New BLEACH and NARUTO Mango Box Sets

Latest Box Sets For Iconic Manga Properties Are Scheduled For Summer 2015 Release; Each Set Features 20+ Manga Volumes Along With Exclusive Bonus Premiums!!

San Francisco, CA, November 24, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces exciting details for a pair of forthcoming manga (graphic novel) box sets that are sure to capture the attention of die-hard readers and fans of the popular BLEACH and NARUTO series.

Scheduled for release in the Summer of 2015, the BLEACH Manga Box Set 2 and NARUTO Manga Box Set 2 each contain 20 or more individual manga volumes, at a substantial savings over buying them individually. Exclusive bonus premiums, such as special mini-comics and full-color posters, are also included in each Box Set.

In addition, due to continuing fan demand, BLEACH Manga Box Set 1 and NARUTO Manga Box Set 1 will be available again January 2015. The BLEACH set contains the beginning 21 volumes of the first story arc, and the NARUTO set contains 27 volumes. Both sets are housed in sturdy corrugate display boxes, and also include a full color double-side poster and collectable booklet.

BLEACH MANGA BOX SET 2 * Rated “T” for Teens *

MSRP: $214.99 U.S. / CAN * Available July 2015!

The second BLEACH Manga Box Set offers fans the chance to own Volumes 22-48 at a substantial savings over buying them individually. Fans purchasing the Box Set will also receive an exclusive mini-comic containing the pilot story of the bestselling series along with a full-color, double-sided poster.

Ichigo Kurosaki never asked for the ability to see ghosts–he was born with the gift. When his family is attacked by a Hollow–a malevolent lost soul–Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping the tortured spirits themselves find peace. In the latest Box Set volumes, after finally rescuing their friend Rukia, Ichigo and friends return to their quiet lives in the world of the living. However, the peace is short-lived as new enemies arrive from the world of the Hollows. Aizen is back, and Ichigo may be the only one who can stop him for good!

NARUTO MANGA BOX SET 2 * Rated “T” for Teens *

MSRP: $174.99 U.S. / CAN * Available July 2015!

Naruto is a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. He’s got a wild sense of humor, but Naruto is completely serious about his mission to be the world’s greatest ninja! In the second NARUTO Manga Box Set, featuring Volumes 28-48, it’s been more than two years since Naruto left to train with Jiraiya. Much has happened while he has been away, and new threats to the ninja world have emerged. Can Naruto prove his worth and rescue his friend Sasuke? The new box set also will feature an exclusive mini-comic containing the NARUTO pilot story and a full-color, double-sided poster.

“These new box sets each receive a deluxe treatment and will become noteworthy additions to even the most discriminating fan’s manga collection,” says Alexis Kirsch, Editor. “Fans can catch the opening of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN story arc and also dive into electrifying supernatural adventures with the gang from BLEACH. Hours of manga reading fun and excitement are guaranteed with these new manga Box Sets. Don’t miss their release next summer!”

For more information on other anime and manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com <http://www.VIZ.com> .

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn
more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

New Adventures With Hello Kitty Surprise! and Delicious!

HelloKitty-03-Surprise

While Hello Kitty has been a constant fixture in pop culture since the 70s, I’ve never really looked into it because I was too wrapped up in my Star Wars and Star Trek action figures and reading The Warlord and Turok: Son of Stone comics to pay much attention to ‘cute’ stuff. I have so many friends of all ages who continue to just love Hello Kitty that I finally decided I needed to learn something about her other than how cute she is. I wanted to see just how she became so entrenched in geek and pop culture. Because Viz Media recently began a new series of Hello Kitty graphic novels on their Perfect Square imprint, I now have the opportunity to delve into the world of Hello Kitty and find out just what all the fuss is about.

I really didn’t know what to expect so was surprised (no pun intended) when I cracked open Hello Kitty Vol. 3: Surprise! and discovered there were no words other than titles and exclamations and that it was a collection of short stories from several authors and featuring various artistic styles. The first story, Fintastic Day At The Beach, was visually noisy with close frames on the characters and because I wasn’t familiar with the style, it took me a few moments to look it over and really start picking out the unfolding story. Without the use of words, Hello Kitty relies completely on its visual storytelling and with the exception of that first story, I think the creative team did a great job. I didn’t dislike the first story but it didn’t strike a cord with me (it did make me want to slap one of the characters though).

I did however find the rest of the stories entertaining and in some cases, heartwarming. As the title suggests, the common theme in each story is some sort of unexpected event or discovery (SURPRISE!). Of the 10 stories in this volume, my favorites were UP and Ghost Story.

In UP, Hello Kitty is reading a pop-up book with a tree coming out of it but its no ordinary pop-up book. She decides to climb the tree and has an adventure discovering the inhabitants of it. Being a book nut myself, I can really identify with opening a book and finding a world to explore within it but what really grabbed me in this story was the art work. Unlike the other stories, this story is completely illustrated  (with the exception of Hello Kitty herself) with what appears to be construction paper cut outs. It really gives the story more visual depth and I found myself going back to this story repeatedly just to look at the brilliant cut outs.

In Ghost Story, a lonely skeleton takes advantage of Halloween to dress up like a ghost and go out to enjoy the festivities.

Hello Kitty Vol. 2: Delicious! is a foodie’s delight. Every story features a food theme. My favorite stories in the collection are Sweet Dreams and Banana Split!

In Sweet Dreams, Hello Kitty dozes off while playing a Candy Land type of game and dreams of being in a world made of candy. When she wakes up, she immediately schedules a dentist appointment.

In Banana Split! Tim and Tammy, have been eating bananas but run into a problem when they get to the last one. After trying to come up with ideas to decide who gets to eat it, they finally agree to share but its too late as someone else ate it while they were busy debating.

The books are full of beautifully illustrated, lighthearted stories that are safe for any age child or adult and are printed in a high quality paperback binding. I’m sure any Hello Kitty fanatic will be pleased to add them to their collection.

You can purchase Hello Kitty online at Amazon or find it in your local bookstore.

Hello Kitty: Surprise!

Hello Kitty: Delicious!

Hello Kitty: Here We Go!

VIZ MEDIA’S PERFECT SQUARE IMPRINT DELIVERS JOYOUS NEW HELLO KITTY ADVENTURES WITH THE RELEASE OF HELLO KITTY: SURPRISE!

HelloKitty-03-Surprise

Expect The Unexpected In New Original Graphic Novel Release!

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, takes readers on a whimsical new outing from its Perfect Square imprint with the world’s favorite pop culture icon and her adorable friends in the debut of HELLO KITTY: SURPRISE! on April 1st.

The latest full-color release in the ongoing HELLO KITTY Perfect Square collection features seven new stories and three shorts centered around the theme of unexpected discoveries. HELLO KITTY: SURPRISE! reunites the
creative team of Jacob Chabot (HELLO KITTY, VOLTRON FORCE), Jorge Monlongo (HELLO KITTY, MAMESHIBA), and Ian McGinty (UGLYDOLL), along with special guest artist Anastassia Neislotova. HELLO KITTY: SURPRISE! is rated ‘A’ for All Ages and carries a print MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN. (Available for pre-order at Amazon)

A digital version is also available for $4.99 U.S. / CAN from the Perfect Square App, which has titles available for the Apple iPadR and iPadR Mini. The Perfect Square App is available from the iTunes store. Fans can also find a digital version for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo ereaders, as well as in the iBooks and GooglePlay Stores.

In HELLO KITTY: SURPRISE!, a day at the beach is more than just fun in the sun. A mysterious egg holds a tiny secret. Mama and Papa have a few secrets of their own. And a quiet afternoon with a good book is more exciting than Hello Kitty ever could have imagined! Plus, prepare to be amazed by Anastassia Neislotova’s tales of wonder!

“In this third Hello Kitty release from Perfect Square, we really took the opportunity to play,” says Traci Todd, Senior Editor, Children’s Publishing. “Not only are there surprises in the storytelling (Just in time for April Fool’s Day!), but a few unexpected characters show up as well. We hope readers have as much fun reading this volume as we had making it.”

Jacob Chabot is a New York City-based cartoonist, illustrator and writer. His comics have appeared in publications such as Nickelodeon Magazine, Mad Magazine, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Simpsons comics, and various Marvel titles. He has illustrated three HELLO KITTY titles as well as Voltron Force: Shelter from the Storm and Voltron Force: True Colors for VIZ Media. His comic series, The Mighty Skullboy Army, is published by Dark Horse, and in 2008 Chabot was also nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Book for Teens.

Comic artist, book illustrator and game designer Jorge Monlongo hails from Spain and combines traditional and digital techniques to create worlds in beautiful colors that hide secrets. SUPRISE! is his third HELLO KITTY title for VIZ Media/Perfect Square and his work has also been featured in several prominent magazines, including Rolling Stone.

Artist Ian McGinty resides in Savannah, Georgia, and his portfolio includes Adventure Time: Candy Capers (kaBoom!), Bravest Warriors (kaBoom!), HELLO KITTY (VIZ Media), UGLYDOLL (VIZ Media), and Suckers (Zenescope). He is also creator of Chomp! (Top Shelf).

Anastassia Neislotova is a happy artist and children’s book illustrator. She spends all her time creating nice illustrations and paintings, where she puts all her love and kindness. She loves making people smile. She feels very happy when her art can provoke positive emotions in people, and for this she is ready to draw forever. She also feels happy when feeding squirrels, stroking sausage dogs and eating up cream from cakes.

VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint focuses on delivering original comics, manga (graphic novels) and other children’s books with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of a whole new generation.

Additional information on titles published by Perfect Square is available at www.PerfectSquare.com.

For more information on other manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About Sanrio

Sanrio is the global lifestyle brand best known for pop icon Hello Kitty, who is celebrating her 40th Anniversary this year. Home to many endearing characters including Chococat, My Melody, Badtz-Maru and Keroppi, Sanrio was founded on the ‘small gift, big smile’ philosophy – that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since 1960, this philosophy has served as the inspiration for the broad spectrum of unique
products and experiences. Today, more than 50,000 Sanrio-branded items are available in over 70 countries and upwards of 15,000 U.S. retail locations including department, specialty, national chain stores and over 80 Sanrio
boutiques. For more information please visit www.sanrio.com and www.facebook.com/hellokitty.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

New Upcoming Shows, 3 Fates Figurines, Last Wolf Canvases & more!

from Strangeling: The Art of Jasmine Becket-Griffith:

MegaCon

March 21-23: Orlando, Florida

Jasmine returns to MegaCon at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida!  All Jasmine-related details can be found at her Megacon Facebook Event Page HERE.   For other MegaCon information, details, guest lineups, etc. visit the official site HERE.

Orlando Museum of Art: Going Baroque

April 3rd 6pm-9pm a First Thursdays Event in Orlando, Florida

Jasmine will be at the Orlando Museum of Art for their “Going Baroque” First Thursdays show on April 3rd!  She will be debuting one painting at this event – details can be found HERE

Jasmine’s Pop Gallery Princess Show

May 3: Pop Gallery Orlando at Downtown Disney, Florida

Jasmine is coming the evening of May 3rd (7-10pm) to Pop Gallery at Disney World’s Downtown Disney to debut three new Disney licensed paintings, featuring Ariel, a new Belle, and a new Cinderella.  The event page is HERE for more details!

WonderGround Gallery

July 12:  WonderGround Gallery at Downtown Disney, Anaheim, California

Jasmine is coming back to WonderGround Gallery at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney to debut new Disney licensed paintings, characters yet to be announced.  Stay tuned for details!

Dragon*Con

August 29-September 1st, 2014:  Atlanta, Georgia

Jasmine returns to the Dragon*Con Art Show at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia!  Visit the official site HERE.

Kansas City Renaissance Festival

August 30th – October 14th, Weekends, Labor Day & Columbus Day: Bonner Springs, KS

Strangeling:  The Art of Jasmine Becket-Griffith returns to our permanent gallery at the KC Renfest! Jasmine will appear in person during select weekends (stay tuned for details),  and her artwork will appear every weekend.
More Information Here

Avalon Faery Fayre in Glastonbury 2014

October 25th & 26th: Glastonbury, England, UK

Jasmine returns to Glastonbury for the October 2014 Avalon Faery Fayre!
Stay tuned at http://www.faeryevents.com for details.<

VIZ MEDIA PREVIEWS PERFECT SQUARE’S SUMMER AND FALL 2014 COLLECTIBLE RELEASES

Get Ready For The Launch Of Two BRAVEST WARRIORS Titles, And An Exclusive Anniversary Hardcover For HELLO KITTY®

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced a fun collection of new titles it has licensed and scheduled for release under the company’s Perfect Square imprint.

The forthcoming titles feature memorable characters and stories that are universally loved by a diverse cross section of adult, teen, and young adult readers. Fans can look forward to the launch of two fun releases from Perfect Square’s newest addition, BRAVEST WARRIORS, as well as an anniversary collectible for HELLO KITTY that are scheduled for release in print and digitally via the Perfect Square App beginning this summer and continuing into fall.

The Perfect Square App, available from the iTunes store, offers a wide variety of All Ages titles available for the Apple iPad® and iPad® Mini. Fans can also find digital versions of Perfect Square titles for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo ereaders, as well as in the iBooks and GooglePlay Stores.

“Each of our forthcoming titles will expand the Perfect Square catalog in a dynamic way, from the out-of-this-world and irreverent BRAVEST WARRIORS, to the anniversary companion book for the timeless HELLO KITTY,” says Beth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director, Perfect Square. “We look forward to issuing release dates and additional information on each of these exciting titles in coming months and to readers of all ages enjoying these new titles throughout the summer and fall.”

New Perfect Square 2014 Releases Include:

BRAVEST WARRORS PRESENTS: CATBUG’S TREASURE BOOK•
MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN • Print & Digital Available Summer 2014
In CATBUG’S TREASURE BOOK we see the world through Catbug’s unique perspective. Presented as a kind of scrapbook, the pages are filled with his playtime imaginings and souvenirs of his adventures with the Bravest Warriors. There’s no telling what will be revealed on the pages of Catbug’s Treasure Book!

BRAVEST WARRIORS: THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG •
MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN • Print & Digital Available Summer 2014
An amazing collection of artists venture to multiple dimensions to help you in…THE SEARCH FOR CATBUG! Catbug ate some weird new cubes of food that caused him to lose what little control he already had over his jump abilities! Now he’s careening through dimensions, unable to stop! Help the Bravest Warriors travel the galaxy and find Catbug. Just don’t eat any of those cube snacks or you might end up lost too!

HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40: A CELEBRATION IN 40 STORIES •
MSRP: $29.99 U.S. / $34.99 CAN • Print & Digital Available Fall 2014
Forty years ago, Hello Kitty stepped on the scene, and she’s had the world wrapped around her little red bow ever since. Here, some of her biggest fans pay tribute in the best way they know how: through story and art. From comic artists to muralists to toy creators, everyone has a tale to tell about the little girl who speaks from her heart. The new book also features an introduction by Babymouse co-creators Jennifer L. and Matthew Holm.

VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint focuses on delivering original comics, graphic novels and other books with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of a whole new generation.

Additional information on titles published by Perfect Square is available at www.PerfectSquare.com.

For more information on other manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.