Action-Packed New Series Created By Two Legends Of Comics And Manga debuting in SHONEN JUMP magazine

Featuring Stan Lee and SHAMAN KING manga creator Hiroyuki Takei’s groundbreaking collaborative project –
ULTIMO!

Do not miss the July issue of VIZ Media's SHONEN JUMP magazine - available now featuring the debut of the serialization of the ULTIMO series

Originally announced to a packed house at a Press Conference at New York Comic Con in 2008, the serialization begins in the July issue of SHONEN JUMP magazine, ULTIMO represents a historic collaboration between comics legend Stan Lee, co-creator of many iconic superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, and unconventional author/artist Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of the popular multicultural adventure manga series SHAMAN KING, published in Japan by Shueisha and in North America by VIZ Media.

A press release is attached with all the details, I have also included the cover art.

Please feel free to let me know if you would like a copy of the magazine - or need additional information.


Erik Jansen

MediaLab

(714) 620-5017 / erik@medialab-pr.com



Press Release Is Attached And Also Follows Below:





VIZ MEDIA’S SHONEN JUMP MAGAZINE JULY ISSUE NOW AVAILABLE

FEATURING STAN LEE AND SHAMAN KING MANGA CREATOR HIROYUKI TAKEI’S

GROUNDBREAKING COLLABORATIVE PROJECT – ULTIMO


Running Action-Packed New Series Created By Two Legends Of Comics And Manga Begins With July Issue Of Monthly Manga Anthology



San Francisco, CA, JUNE 17, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the debut of the serialization of the ULTIMO series (KARAKURIDÔJI ULTIMO) in SHONEN JUMP magazine. Originally announced to a packed house at a Press Conference at New York Comic Con in 2008, the serialization begins in the July issue of SHONEN JUMP magazine, which is on sale now at retailers and newsstands nationwide.



ULTIMO represents a historic collaboration between comics legend Stan Lee, co-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 series, published in Japan by Shueisha and in North America by VIZ Media.



The ULTIMO back-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? Find out in the first chapter of ULTIMO!



“The addition of ULTIMO to SHONEN JUMP magazine marks this as a great time for both manga and comics, and we are very excited to be able to deliver this bold new story to fans every month,” says Grant Lowery, Editor-In-Chief of SHONEN JUMP. “The captivating character designs and action-packed story blend the best aspects of Western and Asian comic book traditions and will delight fans of both genres. We invite fans of both comics and manga to seize the opportunity to explore this groundbreaking new series!”



For over half a century, Stan Lee has been synonymous with superhero comics. In addition to co-creating countless memorable series and characters, including Spider-Man™, the Incredible Hulk™, 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 series SHAMAN KING debuted in Japan in 1998 and has been adapted into a popular animated television series The SHAMAN KING manga series is published in North America by VIZ Media and to-date has sold more than 400,000 copies in the U.S.; for many years it was also serialized in English in VIZ Media’s SHONEN JUMP magazine.



Lee’s own company, POW! Entertainment (Pinksheets:POWN.PK), worked with Jump SQ. parent company Shueisha and with JEA and Dream Ranch to facilitate the development of ULTIMO.



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



About POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, Inc.

POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, Inc. (Pinksheets:POWN.PK), an advanced media and entertainment company, 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.



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. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.

AVANT GARDE JAPANESE STREET FASHION LABELS OPEN BOUTIQUES AT NEW PEOPLE IN SAN FRANCISCO THIS SUMMER!

New Japanese Pop Culture Attraction Welcomes Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, Black Peace Now, and 6%DOKIDOKI Offering Edgy Clothing, Shoes And Accessories From Tokyo’s Hippest Fashion District, And SOU •SOU, A Kyoto Brand Introducing Cool “Tabi” Sneakers



San Francisco’s newest pop culture attraction welcomes four edgy Japanese fashion labels to – NEW PEOPLE – opening August 15th in the city’s historic Japantown at 1746 Post Street. A web site with full details is available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com



NEW PEOPLE brings creations from a new vanguard of Japanese designers inspired by everything from anime and science fiction to punk rock and Gothic Horror to Victorian England and 18th Century France.



Baby, The Stars Shine Bright leads the fashion scene as the ultimate “Lolita” brand, which is a modern interpretation of classic Victorian and Rococo apparel.







Black Peace Now has become one of the top rock and roll fashion brands for punk/gothic crossover in Japan.







6%DOKIDOKI presents a vivid, fabulously strange and colorful boutique that continues the label’s penchant for avant-garde and kitsch style that’s the essence of Harajuku girl culture.







SOU • SOU from Kyoto introduces Japanese classic “Tabi” work shoes with vibrant graphic patterns.







A press release with details on each of these exciting new labels making their U.S. debut and artwork for each label is also attached.



NEW PEOPLE is a striking 20,000 square foot structure that epitomizes the latest examples Japanese popular culture expressed though film, art, fashion, and a variety of specialty boutiques and ongoing monthly events.







The project, three and a half years in the making, celebrates its Grand Opening August.15th!



Please contact me for more information on these labels and the NEW PEOPLE opening gala that will be an amazing and memorable event!


Erik Jansen

MediaLab

(714) 620-5017 / erik@medialab-pr.com





Press Release Is Attached And Also Follows Below:



FIRST TIME EVER IN THE U.S.
AVANT GARDE JAPANESE STREET FASHION LABELS OPEN BOUTIQUES AT NEW PEOPLE IN SAN FRANCISCO THIS SUMMER


New Japanese Pop Culture Attraction Welcomes Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, Black Peace Now, and 6%DOKIDOKI That Offer Edgy Clothing, Shoes And Accessories From Tokyo’s Hippest Fashion District, And SOU •SOU, A Kyoto Brand Introducing Cool “Tabi” Sneakers



San Francisco, CA, June 9, 2009 – VIZ Pictures, a Japanese live-action film distributor and producer of the J-Pop Center Project, welcomes four edgy fashion labels to San Francisco’s newest permanent Japanese pop culture attraction – NEW PEOPLE – opening August 15th in the city’s historic Japantown.



Baby, The Stars Shine Bright and Black Peace Now will open their first U.S. boutiques at NEW PEOPLE on the second floor of the 20,000 square foot structure located at 1746 Post Street. In addition to the permanent attractions, a part of the short-term rotating retail program will include 6%DOKIDOKI and SOU • SOU.



Harajuku is a district of Tokyo which holds the attention of top designers as a trend-setters’ Mecca of the world, and birthplace to many urban fashion sub-genres such as Cyberpunk, Gothic Lolita, Visual Kei and anime-inspired Cosplay. NEW PEOPLE brings creations from a new vanguard of Japanese designers inspired by everything from anime and science fiction to punk rock and Gothic Horror to Victorian England and 18th Century France.



“Fashion is the latest medium to play a significant role in the ongoing evolution of Japanese popular culture that has captivated the world,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the founder and CEO of VIZ Pictures and the founder of VIZ Media as well as the J-Pop Center Project. “Anime, manga and Japanese film are internationally known and loved. With NEW PEOPLE, we celebrate all of those genres and we’ll also transcend them by giving the U.S. a look at entirely new sides of contents from Japan including these innovators of Harajuku fashion.”



Baby, The Stars Shine Bright leads the fashion scene as the ultimate “Lolita” brand, which is a modern interpretation of classic Victorian and Rococo apparel. BABY showcases its absolutely adorable clothing obsessed with frills, ribbons and colorful prints, along with its more androgynous and mystic line of attire, ALICE and the PIRATES. Baby, The Stars Shine Bright apparel was heavily featured in the critically acclaimed film Kamikaze Girls (also available on DVD from VIZ Pictures), which was based on the best-selling novel by Novala Takemoto. The label also has a store in Paris and makes its U.S. debut at NEW PEOPLE.



“There was no such thing as ‘Lolita-inspired fashion’ when I started this company,” says Fumiyo Isobe, Co-Founder and Designer of Baby, The Stars Shine Bright. “I like cute things like frill, lace, round collars, and delicate colors with a very princess-like look. Historical decorative styles like Rococo or Victorian influence my designs as well as music and fashion from the 70s and 80s and shojo manga (comics for girls).”



Black Peace Now has become one of the top rock and roll fashion brands for punk/gothic crossover in Japan. The designs incorporate punk and gothic themes to evoke powerful and exquisite silhouettes that can range from mild to truly wild. The company’s second line, Peace Now, offers a more casual, everyday look that still retains a cute, edgy style. Widely known, worn and celebrated in Japan, clothing by Black Peace Now has appeared in numerous music videos, films and TV dramas.



“We’re thrilled to have a new U.S. home-base in San Francisco,” says Kiyoshi Igai, a founder and CEO of Black Peace Now. “We look forward to meeting our U.S. customers, hearing their feedback on our designs, and seeing how Japanese pop culture will influence customers and also how they will share their inspirations with us.”



6%DOKIDOKI welcomes NEW PEOPLE visitors to a vivid, fabulously strange and colorful boutique that continues the label’s penchant for avant-garde and kitsch style and brings genuine Harajuku girl culture to the United States for the first time. 6%DOKIDOKI is a Technicolor array of crazy fun, crazy colors and bright designs that invites shoppers to join their happy-punk-rebellion



Sebastian Masuda, 6%DOKIDOKI’s Founder and Designer, looks forward to his two-month endeavor. “I’m very excited to see how this culture will be perceived, infused, and accepted in the US. This is also a great opportunity to communicate with American teens and expand this fashion movement and create new culture.



SOU • SOU from Kyoto introduces Japanese classic “Tabi” work shoes with vibrant graphic patterns. SOU • SOU’s combination of form-fitting soles and striking modern looks has a huge following, from dancers to the sneaker-obsessed. While new and fun, each shoe is crafted by hand, preserving the best traditional techniques.



NEW PEOPLE is a 20,000 square foot contemporary building located at 1746 Post Street in San Francisco’s Japantown (one of only three remaining in the country), an area steeped in more than a century of history. The structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that invokes a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination for the 21st Century.



A dedicated NEW PEOPLE web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com





About VIZ Pictures, Inc.:

Based in San Francisco, California, VIZ Pictures, Inc. distributes Japanese live-action films and DVDs, with particular focus on Japanese "kawaii (cute) and cool" pop culture. VIZ Pictures approaches each release from a J-pop fan's point of view to serve the manga and anime generation in North America. VIZ Pictures titles include DEATH NOTE, NANA, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, LINDA LINDA LINDA, PING PONG, THE TASTE OF TEA, TRAIN MAN: DENSHA OTOKO and others. The company will continue to offer the hottest visual entertainment straight from the "Kingdom of Pop" for audiences of all ages in North America. VIZ Pictures, Inc. is an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC, the San Francisco-based leading U.S. publisher of Japanese manga (comics) and merchandise licensor of Japanese animation such as the popular "NARUTO" animated TV series.

For more information please visit www.viz-pictures.com or www.viz.com

© 2006 VIZ Pictures, Inc



About The J-pop Center Project:

Launched by creative visionary Seiji Horibuchi, the founder and CEO of VIZ Pictures and the founder of VIZ Media, The J-pop Center Project develops and extends innovative creative alliances and collaborations across different media: film, animation, music, art and retail products. For more information please visit www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

VIZ MEDIA OFFERS A SELECTION OF INTRIGUING NEW MANGA SERIES FOR RELEASE THROUGHOUT THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2009

San Francisco, CA, JUNE 4, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, is previewing nine new manga series covering a variety of genres set to debut throughout the Third Quarter of 2009.



The upcoming releases feature titles that will appeal to a wide range of readers ranging from mature adult fans to adolescents, tweens and kids. New romantic debuts from the popular SHOJO BEAT imprint include Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, and BLACK BIRD, while new science fiction/fantasy manga releases will feature Ôoku: THE INNER CHAMBERS, Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, WāqWāq and CHILDREN OF THE SEA. A special trio of all-ages titles includes CHOCO MIMI, the first VIZ Kids manga series aimed specifically at young female readers, fun reptilian adventures with DINOSAUR KING, and the official film comic from the forthcoming Studio Ghibli film, PONYO, set to debut later this summer from famed director Hayao Miyazaki.



New Science Fiction/Fantasy Titles Include:



Ôoku: The Inner ChamberS, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences · MSRP: $12.99 US / $15.00 CAN · Available August 18

In Edo period Japan, a strange new disease called the Redface Pox has begun to prey on the country’s men. Within eighty years of the first outbreak, the male population has fallen to a quarter of the total female population. Women have taken on all the roles traditionally granted to men, even that of the Shogun. The men, precious providers of life, are carefully protected, and the most beautiful of the men are sent to serve in the Shogun’s Inner Chambers.



Ôoku: THE INNER CHAMBERS was created by Fumi Yoshinaga and won a special prize at the Japanese Association of Feminist Science Fiction and Fantasy’s 5th Sense of Gender Awards in 2005. Yoshinaga has won numerous other prestigious awards for her work, including the 2002 Kodansha Manga Award for her series ANTIQUE BAKERY and the 2006 Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence Award for Ôoku. She was also was nominated for the 11th and a winner of the 12th Osamu Tezuka Award also for Ôoku, and also nominated as Best Writer/Artist for the 2008 Eisner Awards.



Announced at 2009 Book Expo last week, ÔOKU: THE INNER CHAMBERS was chosen as one of the Hot Fall Graphic Novels for Libraries.



children of the sea, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens ·

MSRP: $14.99 US / $17.50 CAN · Available July 21

When Ruka was young, she once saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels inexplicably drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora, who both have the ability to breathe underwater. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea that she does. Ruka’s dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the ocean’s fish.



CHILDREN OF THE SEA was created by award-winning artist Daisuke Igarashi. His series, WITCHES received the Excellence Prize at the 2004 Japan Media Arts Festival while LITTLE FOREST was nominated for the 2005 Ozamu Tezuka Cultural Award. CHILDREN OF THE SEA is currently serialized in IKKI magazine, which has established itself as the home of some of the most innovative, bold, and compelling series in the world of contemporary manga. VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint and IKKI magazine have partnered to bring free previews of CHILDREN OF THE SEA and other stories to North American fans via a new web site at www.sigikki.com.



WāqWāq, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $7.99 US / $9.50 CAN · Available August 4

Living in constant fear of attack from machines, mankind depends on the cyborg Protector corps known as the Guardians to keep them from harm as they await the arrival of the Kami, a godlike savior with mythical red blood. One day, Shio, who is the son of a Guardian, finds a red-blooded girl! Could she be the Kami they've been waiting for?



WāqWāq is a new science fiction series by Ryu Fujisaki, who also created the mythology-based manga series HOSHIN ENGI. WāqWāq and HOSHIN ENGI both originally debuted in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine and Fujisaki has also been nominated for the prestigious Osamu Tezuka Manga Award.



Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

MSRP: $7.95 US / $9.50 CAN · Available September 1

In Amberground, a dangerous terrain where a man-made star casts a permanent twilight, young Lag Seeing aspires to become a Letter Bee, a postman entrusted to deliver the hearts of people separated from the ones they love.



Tegami Bachi: THE LETTER BEE features detailed and lush artwork by creator Hiroyuki Asada that brings to life a fantastic alternate world filled with innovative “steampunk” technology and imagery. The new series will further be highlighted in VIZ Media’s SHONEN JUMP magazine this summer.



Announced at 2009 Book Expo last week, TEGAMI BACHI: LETTER BEE was recently chosen as one of the Hot Fall Graphic Novels for Libraries.



New SHOJO BEAT Titles Include:



Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

MSRP: $8.99 US / $10.50 CAN · Available August 4

Sawako Kuronuma is the perfect heroine – for a horror movie! With her jet-black hair, sinister smile and silent demeanor, she’s often mistaken for the haunting movie character Sadako. But behind her scary façade is a very misunderstood teenager. Too shy to fit in, all she wants to do is make some friends. But when the most popular boy in class befriends her, she's sure to make more than just that--she's about to make some enemies too!



KIMI NI TODOKE: FROM ME TO YOU was created by Karuho Shiina who was born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan. Though KIMI NI TODOKE is only her second series following many one-shot stories, it has already racked up accolades from various "Best Manga of the Year" lists. Winner of the 2008 Kodansha Manga Award for the shojo category, KIMI NI TODOKE also placed fifth in the first-ever Manga Taisho (Cartoon Grand Prize) contest in 2008. An animated series is also in production in Japan. Bonus stickers are included in limited editions of Vol. 1.



Announced at 2009 Book Expo last week, KIMI NI TODOKE: FROM ME TO YOU was recently chosen as one of the Hot Fall Graphic Novels for Libraries.



BLACK BIRD, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens ·

MSRP: $8.99 US / $10.50 CAN · Available August 4

There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, but she wants nothing to do with magical realms and just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But all that changes one day when Misao is attacked by a demon. Her childhood friend Kyo suddenly returns to save her and tend to her cuts – with his tongue! It turns out Misao is the bride of prophecy, whose blood gives power to the demon clan who claims her. But most demons want to keep her power for themselves – by eating her! Now Misao is just trying to stay alive and trying to decide if she likes it when Kyo licks her wounds.



BLACK BIRD, winner of the Shogakukan Manga Award (2009) for Shojo, is the latest shojo series from Kanoko Sakurakoji. Sakurakoji’s debut title, Raibu ga Hanetara, was serialized in Bessatsu Shojo Comic magazine (currently called Betsucomi) in 2000. Her other shojo series, BACKSTAGE PRINCE, is also published domestically by VIZ Media.



New STUDIO GHIBLI Release:



PONYO FILM COMIC, Vols. 1-2 · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages ·

MSRP: $9.99 US / $11.50 CAN · Available August 4 ·

Vols. 3-4 Available September 1

From the Academy Award®-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki comes PONYO, a story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale “The Little Mermaid.” Already a box-office success in Japan, the story of a young and overeager goldfish named Ponyo (voiced by NOAH CYRUS) and her quest to become human features an outstanding roster of voice talent, including CATE BLANCHETT, MATT DAMON, TINA FEY, CLORIS LEACHMAN, LIAM NEESON, LILY TOMLIN, BETTY WHITE and FRANKIE JONAS as Sosuke, a young boy who befriends Ponyo.



The film from Walt Disney Studios will release on August 14, 2009. The official 4-volume film comics of PONYO re-tells the film’s story with vivid full-color frames.



New VIZ Kids Titles Include:



CHOCOMIMI, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages · MSRP: $7.99 US / $9.50 CAN · Available July 7

Meet Choco and Mimi, best friends in eighth grade. Choco is serious and reliable, while Mimi is silly and spoiled rotten--but they both have a flair for fashion! A new boy transfers into the girls' class, and he just might be Choco's type! Will a crush damage the girls' friendship?! Or will Mimi's crazy antics scare him away?



DINOSAUR KING, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages ·

MSRP: $7.99 US / $9.99 CAN · Available September 1

Max Taylor is obsessed with dinosaurs. He knows his Tapejara from his Pteradon and can find fossils better than a trained paleontologist. When he discovers a stone tablet that transports him to the age of dinosaurs, it’s a dream come true—until it becomes a nightmare. An evil genius named Dr. Z has enslaved the dinosaurs so he can use their hidden powers to take over the world! Now Max has to defeat Dr. Z and his Alpha Gang to save the ancient beasts and life as we know it.



DINOSAUR KING is the official manga tie-in for the top rated animated series seen on 4KIDS TV. The DINOSAUR KING property captivates millions of kids across North America and has spawned a variety of related video games and trading cards.

For a limited time Volume 1 will include an Upper Deck Dinosaur King trading card.



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. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.

Get those air guitars poised and ready as VIZ Media unleashes the wildest, shockingly funny manga - DETROIT METAL CITY!!!

Johannes Krauser II Is The Outrageous Demonic Front Man Of The Heaviest Death Metal Band In Japan But Off Stage He’s A Pop Music-Listening Wimp – Can He Ever Reconcile His Two Personas?



San Francisco, CA, MAY 26, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will delight rock and roll and manga fans nationwide with the debut of DETROIT METAL CITY on June 9th. The new manga series is rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences and carries an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $15.00 CAN. The first print run of volume one also contains limited edition tattoos.



Prepare to have your mortal soul devoured by the demonic Johannes Krauser II, front man for Detroit Metal City, the most outrageous death metal band on the Japanese indie rock scene! Soichi Negishi dreamed of moving to Tokyo and starting a bubblegum pop band, but now he’s fronting the most scandalous and demented death metal band in Japanese rock! Deep down, Soichi still dreams of acoustic guitars and trips to Paris, but when the makeup comes on and he transforms into his alter ego, Krauser II, not even the denizens of hell are safe from his soul-devouring death metal sound. Can Soichi reconcile his sensitive inner yearnings with his wild on-stage persona – the vilest hard rocker in Japanese (and possibly world) history?



DETROIT METAL CITY takes the zany rock antics inspired by films like Spinal Tap to hilarious new extremes in this witty series created by Kiminori Wakasugi. First appearing in the pages of Japan’s Young Animal manga magazine, the manga quickly became a national sensation. The series has already sold more than 2 million copies in Japan. The DETROIT METAL CITY animated counterpart has also gained a major following across North America. A live action version of the film was recently released in Japan featuring cameos by Gene Simmons (KISS) and Marty Friedman (Megadeth).



“The hilarious on- and off-stage antics of Soichi Negishi and his swaggering alter ego Johannes Krauser II promises to make DETROIT METAL CITY the most over-the-top, profane, and funniest hard rock manga satire to ever hit North American shores.” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President Sales & Marketing for VIZ Media. “We look forward to it resonating not only with manga readers but also with music fans who will relish this eccentric heavy metal adventure.”



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. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.

You are invited to visit www.sigikki.com and test out the beta launch of a brand new collaboration to bring comics the likes of which American audienc

IKKI is a monthly magazine published in Japan that has established itself as the home of some of the most innovative, bold, and compelling series in the world of contemporary manga. Since its launch in 2003 IKKI has built a catalog of titles notable for its diversity. From action to comedy to drama, from slice-of-life stories to surrealist fantasies, the one common thing these works share is an uncommon emphasis on creative quality and on pushing the boundaries of the norm.



In partnership with VIZ Media and its “VIZ Signature” line of graphic novels, IKKI is bringing the works of some of its top creators to the English-language audience via a groundbreaking online monthly manga magazine.



The first series featured in this launch is CHILDREN OF THE SEA by Daisuke Igarashi. Each month, new chapters will be offered online in their entirety, for free. After the completion of the online serialization of the first volume, CHILDREN OF THE SEA volume one will become available as a VIZ Signature graphic novel.



The list of future series to be serialized includes:

BOKURANO: OURS, by Mohiro Kitoh

HOUSE OF FIVE LEAVES, by Natsume Ono

DOROHEDORO, by Q Hayashida

I'LL GIVE IT MY ALL...TOMORROW, by Shunju Aono



Also, each month, new content—such as creator interviews, feature articles, news, and giveaways—will be posted on the site.



About CHILDREN OF THE SEA by Daisuke Igarashi:

When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does.



Ruka's dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans' fish.



Daisuke Igarashi is an award-winning manga creator who began his career in 1993. His series Majo received the Excellence Prize at the 2004 Japan Media Arts Festival and was nominated for the Fauve d’Or Best Comic Book Prize at the 2007 Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d'Angoulême. Little Forest was nominated for the 2006 Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize. His current series Children of the Sea is the winner of the 38th Japan Cartoonist Award and runs in IKKI magazine.



www.sigikki.com HURRY – GO CHECK IT OUT NOW!!!

And be sure to come back for updates and to check out the new series coming soon!



As always please feel free to contact me directly with any questions, I have also attached some artwork of the home page here for you to include with your story. If you need additional artwork please let me know. Please feel free to also post this new to your interested readers!



Best Regards



Erik Jansen

MediaLab

(714) 620-5017 / erik@medialab-pr.com





P.S.

(what exactly, does “IKKI” mean? Go to sigikki.com and find out!)

VIZ MEDIA RELEASES HISTORICAL BOOK - THE CENTURY OF THE BLACK SHIPS

Painstakingly Researched And Written By The Vice Governor Of Tokyo Examines How Japanese Popular Literature Shaped Public Opinion And Helped Move The Country Into The Modern Era



San Francisco, CA, May 18, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has published a notable nonfiction book that presents an unconventional view of Japanese-U.S. relations. The Century of the Black Ships is available now and was written by one of Japan’s most preeminent academics, Naoki Inose, who is also current Vice Governor of Tokyo. The Century of the Black Ships carries an MSRP of $27.99 U.S. / $32.00 CAN.



Meticulously researched, the new book offers insights from a variety of Japanese writers that gave voice to the anxieties of a nation headed towards war. Not just any war, but one that would eventually be fought against the United States. Beginning when U.S. Navy Commodore Matthew C. Perry first sailed into Tokyo Bay with his fleet of so-called “Black Ships” in 1853 and demanded Japan open itself to the West, Japanese novelists and military analysts, along with select foreign counterparts, wrote extensively of the coming conflict, creating a massive body of popular works through which Japan would debate its own passage, however violently, into the modern, globalized era. Many of these opinions have rarely been read outside Japan until now.



“Naoki Inose is one of Japan’s most acclaimed nonfiction writers and we look forward to those interested in the Second World War, Japan-U.S. relations, and Asian geo-politics discovering this insightful new edition that presents a new view of the events that led to the greatest military conflict in modern history,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President Sales & Marketing, VIZ Media.



Naoki Inose was awarded the prestigious Ōya Prize for nonfiction in 1987 for his book about the Emperor’s image, The Mikado’s Portrait. Writing on a wide range of topics ranging from literature to the economy, Inose’s meticulously researched works have explored a variety of themes related to Japan’s quest to enter the modern age. In 1996, he won the Bungei Shunju Reader’s Prize for his book, A Study of Japan, a richly documented examination of Japan’s public corporations that urged the need for structural reforms.



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. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.