Category: Announcements

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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Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CME_Media

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.

Battlestar Galactica: The Definitive Collection Available on Blu-ray May 12, 2015

Battlestar Galactica: The Definitive Collection [Blu-ray] includes over 4 hours of bonus features, including over 3 hours of deleted scenes from Battlestar Galactica: The Original Series. The collection also includes featurettes such as “Glen Larson on the Creation of Battlestar Galactica” and “Stu Phillips: Composing the Score” with an inside look at the creation of this remarkable production, and “Remembering Battlestar Galactica,” a 45-minute documentary illuminating the journey and impact of this ground-breaking series.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the Fastest-Selling Wii U Game Ever in North America

From Nintendo:

If you were going to diagram an equation for a record-breaking software launch, it would probably look something like this:
Popular Franchise (more than 14 million Super Smash Bros. games sold in North America)
+
Demand (it has been six years since the last Super Smash Bros. console game, plus the new game benefits from heightened awareness for the franchise coming on the heels of the Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS game)
+
Critical Acclaim (current Metacritic score of 93, making it the highest-rated original game of this generation, tied with last year’s Super Mario 3D World game)
+
Strong Reaction from Fans (current user score of 9.2 on Metacritic, becoming the eighth Wii U game to have a Metacritic score of 85 or higher AND a user score of 8.5 or higher)
=
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is now the fastest-selling Wii U title ever in the North American market (dethroning Mario Kart 8), with more than 500,000 physical and digital units combined sold during the three-day period of November 21 through November 23. “The Nintendo holiday is off to a great start, but there’s a lot of work left to do and a few more surprises in store for our fans,” said Pierre-Paul Trepanier, Nintendo of Canada’s new general manager and senior director. “With great deals coming on Black Friday and Cyber Monday and great content like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker launching next week, Nintendo will offer shoppers the best combination of fun and value this holiday season.”

Do your Holiday Wii shopping at Amazon.

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.

The Official Trailer for “Strange Magic” Makes its Debut!

The official trailer for “Strange Magic,” a new animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Touchstone Pictures, made it’s official debut today via an exclusive with Yahoo!

LINK:
https://www.yahoo.com/movies/strange-magic-trailer-george-lucass-new-animated-103199541212.html

“Strange Magic,” a new animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., will be released by Touchstone Pictures on January 23, 2015. “Strange Magic” is a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic, which created the CGI animation for 2011’s Academy Award®-winning film “Rango,” bring to life the fanciful forest turned upside down with world-class animation and visual effects.

With a story by George Lucas, “Strange Magic is directed by Gary Rydstrom (“Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation,” “Lifted”), produced by Mark S. Miller (associate producer “Mars Attacks!”) and executive produced by George Lucas, with a screenplay by David Berenbaum (“Elf”), Irene Mecchi (“Brave,” “The Lion King”) and Rydstrom. An extraordinary roster of film, television and Broadway stars lend their voices to “Strange Magic,” including Alan Cumming (CBS’ “The Good Wife,” Broadway’s “Cabaret”), Evan Rachel Wood (“The Ides of March”), Kristin Chenoweth (Broadway’s “Wicked”), Maya Rudolph (“Big Hero 6,” “Bridesmaids”), Sam Palladio (ABC’s “Nashville”), newcomer Meredith Anne Bull, Alfred Molina (“Chocolat”), Elijah Kelley (“Hairspray,” “The Butler”), Bob Einstein (HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Peter Stormare (“Fargo”). Well-known music producer Marius de Vries (“Moulin Rouge”) serves as both the musical director and composer.

Follow https://www.facebook.com/StrangeMagicMovie for more exciting news on #StrangeMagic!

Charlotte’s Song – Her story begins when the fairy tale ends…

Some of you BC film buffs and fellow geeks may remember a great short film from a few years ago featuring The Little Mermaid with a creepy Dust Bowl twist to it. The award winning short created by Jessica Clark Bojin and Lindsey Mann, directed by Nicholas Humphries, is getting a feature length makeover as Charlotte’s Song. Take a look at the trailer below and then head over to the official FACEBOOK page for some BTS photos and more info to whet your appetite. 

 

A young girl with a special gift comes of age during one of the most desolate periods in American history in this dark Dust Bowl fantasy, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” and starring Iwan Rheon.

Charlotte’s Song is the first in a slate of dark fantasy properties in development with Done Four Productions www.donefour.com

All Our Patent Are Belong To You

From the official blog of Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors:

Yesterday, there was a wall of Tesla patents in the lobby of our Palo Alto headquarters. That is no longer the case. They have been removed, in the spirit of the open source movement, for the advancement of electric vehicle technology.

Tesla Motors was created to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport. If we clear a path to the creation of compelling electric vehicles, but then lay intellectual property landmines behind us to inhibit others, we are acting in a manner contrary to that goal. Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology.

When I started out with my first company, Zip2, I thought patents were a good thing and worked hard to obtain them. And maybe they were good long ago, but too often these days they serve merely to stifle progress, entrench the positions of giant corporations and enrich those in the legal profession, rather than the actual inventors. After Zip2, when I realized that receiving a patent really just meant that you bought a lottery ticket to a lawsuit, I avoided them whenever possible.

At Tesla, however, we felt compelled to create patents out of concern that the big car companies would copy our technology and then use their massive manufacturing, sales and marketing power to overwhelm Tesla. We couldn’t have been more wrong. The unfortunate reality is the opposite: electric car programs (or programs for any vehicle that doesn’t burn hydrocarbons) at the major manufacturers are small to non-existent, constituting an average of far less than 1% of their total vehicle sales.

At best, the large automakers are producing electric cars with limited range in limited volume. Some produce no zero emission cars at all.

Given that annual new vehicle production is approaching 100 million per year and the global fleet is approximately 2 billion cars, it is impossible for Tesla to build electric cars fast enough to address the carbon crisis. By the same token, it means the market is enormous. Our true competition is not the small trickle of non-Tesla electric cars being produced, but rather the enormous flood of gasoline cars pouring out of the world’s factories every day.

We believe that Tesla, other companies making electric cars, and the world would all benefit from a common, rapidly-evolving technology platform.

Technology leadership is not defined by patents, which history has repeatedly shown to be small protection indeed against a determined competitor, but rather by the ability of a company to attract and motivate the world’s most talented engineers. We believe that applying the open source philosophy to our patents will strengthen rather than diminish Tesla’s position in this regard.