Viz Announces The Release Of A Special Bleach Poster Magazine

Source: MediaLab

VIZ Media has announced the upcoming release of a special BLEACH Posterzine, which features 11 massive full-color posters inspired by the smash hit manga and animated series (rated 'T' for Teens) created by Tite Kubo.

Available exclusively through participating newsstands nationwide beginning December 2nd, the Posterzine carries an MSRP of $9.99 and includes two original creations made especially for this unique release. Each poster in the collection folds out to 16” x 22” and depicts the heroic Soul Reaper Ichigo and his friends as well as villains rendered in beautiful detail. This special publication will also include 2 free BLEACH sticker sheets and an iTunes gift card valid for a free download of episode 59 of the popular BLEACH animated series and access to an interview with the creator of BLEACH Tite Kubo (iTunes gift card valid in the United States only).

BLEACH follows the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a fifteen-year old student with the ability to see ghosts. His fate takes an extraordinary turn when he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper who shows up at Ichigo's house on the trail of a Hollow, a malevolent lost soul. Drawn to Ichigo's high level of spiritual energy, the Hollow attacks Ichigo and his family, and Rukia steps in to help but is injured and unable to fight. As a last resort, Rukia decides to transfer part of her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo. Ichigo, now a full-fledged Soul Reaper, and Rukia join together to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Christopher Boily, VIZ Media Sr. Director, Magazine Sales, Brand & Product Marketing, says of the release, “Building upon the incredible momentum and excitement which surrounded the first ever North American appearance of creator Tite Kubo at San Diego Comic-Con, we’re ecstatic to release this special collectable BLEACH Posterzine, which features two amazing images created exclusively for this publication by Studio Pierrot, which animates and produces the massively popular animated series. We look forward to fans visiting their local newsstand to pick up this special release!”

BLEACH is a tremendously successful multimedia property internationally. The manga has been licensed to more than a dozen countries, and over 50 million copies have been printed in Japan alone. In North America it is among the most popular titles in SHONEN JUMP magazine reaching close to 2 million fans each month, the manga graphic novels have been a sales hit and the popular animated series is viewed weekly by millions in the United States and Canada. This success has further spawned an array of related video games, apparel, action figures, trading cards and other merchandise.

More information on BLEACH is available at www.bleach.viz.com.

Viz To Release New Death Note, Bleach, And Naruto DVDs This Fall

Source: MediaLab

VIZ Media has announced an exciting array of new DVD releases for the 3rd Quarter of 2008 that expand some of the most popular animated series in North America.

The new releases include DVD Box Sets and Special Editions containing limited edition collectible figurines, as well as the latest single disc editions for popular series including BLEACH, NARUTO, and DEATH NOTE, as well as much-loved classics like INUYASHA, and RANMA ½.

DEATH NOTE Releases Include:

DEATH NOTE Volume 6 With Limited Edition Collector’s Figure · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · 4 Episodes · MSRP: $39.98 US / $49.99 CAN ·
Available August 26, 2008
The Yotsuba Group enlists an investigator to uncover L’s identity, while Misa, who’s been hired as their spokesperson, does some investigating of her own. When she discovers the identity of the owner of the Death Note, it’s a race between the killer and the task force — who will catch up to the other first? Time is of the essence, especially when the new Kira makes the trade for the Shinigami Eyes!

DEATH NOTE Volume 6 Standard Edition · Rated “T+” for Older Teens ·
4 Episodes · MSRP: $24.98 US / $34.99 CAN · Available August 26, 2008
DVD-only collection featuring episodes from the hit series, no figure included.

BLEACH Releases Include:

BLEACH Volume 11: THE RESCUE · Rated “T” for Teens · 4 Episodes ·
MSRP: $24.98 US / $34.99 CAN · Available Now!
While trying to evade the pursuing Soul Reapers and rescue Rukia, Orihime and Uryu are confronted by the captain of Squad 12, the despicable Mayuri Kurotsuchi, who plans on using them as guinea pigs for his experiments! Meanwhile, Yoruichi has revealed her true form to the astonishment of Ichigo and the others, and must use all her tricks and skills to keep her fellow intruders from losing everything for which they’ve fought so hard.

BLEACH Volume 12: THE RESCUE · Rated “T” for Teens · 4 Episodes MSRP· $24.98 US / $34.99 CAN · Available September 23, 2008
Lieutenant Momo Hinamori recalls her days in training at the Soul Reaper Academy, where she first met Captain Sosuke Aizen. In the present, the letter Aizen left for her at his death scene leads Momo to believe she has identified his killer... While Ichigo and Renji train with Yoruichi to achieve bankai, Rukia recalls a bit of her own past in a dream that she believes will prepare her to face her execution--which has been moved up to the next day!

NARUTO Releases Include:

NARUTO UNCUT, Vol. 9 SPECIAL EDITION BOX SET · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · 3 DVDs · MSRP: $69.98 US / $89.99 CAN · Available Now!
Naruto returns to the Hidden Leaf Village to find Sasuke, frustrated with Naruto's sudden growth, thirsting to fight to decide who the better ninja is once and for all. Kakashi stops the fight before the worst can happen, but soon Orochimaru's henchmen arrive in the village to lure Sasuke to Orochimaru with the promise of greater power, a promise Sasuke can't refuse. In order to retrieve Sasuke, newly appointed chunin Shikamaru forms a squad of genin, including Naruto, to pursue the terrifying Sound Ninja Four. Will they catch up before Orochimaru gets his hands on Sasuke? Let the chase begin. Special Edition Box Set comes with a Limited Edition Collectible: Summoning Creature – Manda.

NARUTO UNCUT, Vol. 9 STANDARD EDITION BOX SET · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · 3 DVDs · MSRP: $49.98 US / $64.99 CAN · Available Now!
DVD-only collection featuring episodes from the hit series, no collectible summoning creature included.

NARUTO Volume 25: THE BOND OF SHINOBI · Rated “T” for Teens ·
4 Episodes · MSRP: $19.98 US / $24.99 CAN · Available Now!
Naruto and Jiraiya head home with Tsunade and Shizune in tow, and the four stop at a hot spring resort for a little relaxation and an unexpected adventure. But at home again in Hidden Leaf Village, it's back to business. Tsunade's first task: heal the injured ninja. The others are successfully revived, but Tsunade has bad news for Rock Lee. While the village cheerfully prepares for Tsunade's inauguration as Fifth Hokage, Rock Lee must ponder the possibility that he will never fulfill his ninja dreams.

NARUTO Volume 26: THE RACE IS ON! · Rated “T” for Teens · 4 Episodes · MSRP: $19.98 US / $24.99 CAN · Available Now!
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura are on the ultimate mission: discover what Kakashi looks like behind his mask! Then, Tsunade sends Squad Seven to the Land of Tea and the village of Degarashi, where every four years two rival families hold a race to decide who will rule the village for the next four years. Jirocho, who represents the Wasabi family, asks the teammates to protect their runner, Idate. But the task proves difficult when Idate, who has nothing but contempt for ninja, takes off running the wrong way!

NARUTO Volume 27: THE BATTLE BEGINS · Rated “T” for Teens ·
4 Episodes · MSRP: $19.98 US / $24.99 CAN · Available September 2, 2008
Naruto has always thought of Sasuke as a friend, but when Sasuke awakens in the hospital to discover that Naruto has grown stronger, Naruto finds himself on the receiving end of Sasuke's fury. It's Chidori vs. Rasengan! Kakashi steps in to stop the battle, while in the shadows Orochimaru's Sound Ninja Four steal their way into the village with an offer for Sasuke he may not be able to refuse! Will the promise of greater power lure Sasuke away from everything he's known and everyone who cares about him – forever?!

NARUTO Volume 28: SOUND vs. LEAF · Rated “T” for Teens · 4 Episodes · MSRP: $19.98 US / $24.99 CAN · Available September 30, 2008!
News of Sasuke’s departure reaches the Fifth Hokage, who immediately gives new chunin Shikamaru his first mission as leader—bring back Sasuke! Shikamaru recruits some of his best friends for the job: Naruto, Choji, Neji and Kiba. With a chunin and four top genin on their heels, the sound Ninja Four race to get Sasuke over the border and into Orochimaru’s hands. The Leaf ninja use all their wiles to ambush the Four, but find themselves trapped in a giant dome of earth that’s sucking up every last drop of their chakra!

INUYASHA Releases Include:

INUYASHA SEASON 5 DELUXE BOX SET · Rated “T” for Teens · 5 DVDs ·
MSRP: $119.98 US / $149.99 CAN · Available Now!
Half-demon Inuyasha, modern-day schoolgirl Kagome and their companions face their deepest fears and worst nightmares as their quest to find the Sacred Jewel shards continues in this exciting fifth season box set. The deadly Band of Seven, a group of mercenaries executed for their crimes, have returned from the dead to wreak havoc, and Inuyasha is determined to stop them. But the battle leads them all to the sacred and mysterious Mount Hakurei, where a barrier not only renders demons, including Inuyasha, powerless, but also hides a terrible secret about their worst enemy—Naraku! The Deluxe Box Set includes 5 DVDs and also features a special “Sesshomaru Wall Scroll” and bonus Inuyasha footage.

INUYASHA SEASON 5 STANDARD BOX SET · Rated “T” for Teens · 5 DVDs · MSRP: $99.98 US / $129.99 CAN · Available Now!
DVD-only collection of the fifth season episodes, no wall scroll included.

RANMA ½ Releases Include:

RANMA ½ SEASON 7: RANMA FOREVER · Rated “T+” for Older Teens ·
5 DVDs · MSRP: $49.98 US / $64.99 CAN · Available Now!
It's not easy being teenage martial artist Ranma Saotome, but it's even worse when your martial-artist father Genma takes you from home at an early age to go on a decade-long training mission. He doesn't speak a word of Chinese, and yet he insists upon bringing you to the cursed training ground known as Jusenkyo, where falling into one of the many springs there instantly turns you into whoever – or whatever – drowned there last. And then, the two of you have this little accident...

From now on, a splash of cold water will turn your father into a giant panda, while you... well, you turn into a red-haired (and problematically well-built) female version of yourself. Hot water will reverse the effect, but only until the next time. What's a half-guy, half-girl to do?

Bleach Creator Tite Kubo Is Coming To Comic Con

Sources: Viz Media / Media Lab

Viz Media has announced that its SHONEN JUMP magazine will welcome prolific manga (graphic novel) creator Tite Kubo for a series of rare in-person appearances beginning on Friday, July 25 at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con International.

Mr. Kubo is the creator of the wildly successful manga series BLEACH and ZOMBIE POWDER. and this is the first time the artist will appear at a North American convention. Both series are published domestically by VIZ Media and BLEACH is currently serialized in SHONEN JUMP Magazine. Comic-Con International is renowned as the nation’s largest comic book and science fiction event and takes place July 24-27 at the Convention Center in San Diego, CA. VIZ Media will be located in Booth 4113.

Mr. Kubo is scheduled to appear throughout Comic-Con and to provide insight regarding his past, current and future projects on SHONEN JUMP magazine’s panel discussion and to further greet fans at VIZ Media’s booth and sign autographs twice on Saturday, July 26. Details will be issued shortly as times are still to be determined, but fans are also encouraged to regularly check http://www.shonenjump.com for updates.

Tite Kubo made his debut in 1999 with ZOMBIEPOWDER., a four-volume series serialized in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump until 2000. His second series, BLEACH, firmly established Mr. Kubo as major manga talent. Beginning its serialization in 2001, BLEACH remains a mainstay in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump and has spawned more than 300 chapters to-date. BLEACH was further named a winner of the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award in 2005. Published domestically by VIZ Media, BLEACH manga volumes have sold over 1.2 million copies to-date in the United States and the series is serialized monthly in SHONEN JUMP magazine. The title was further developed into a popular animated series that is distributed domestically by VIZ Media and seen weekly by millions on Cartoon Network.

Mr. Kubo begins his appearances on Friday evening at 8 p.m., when he is scheduled to make opening remarks at VIZ Media’s theatrical screening of the first BLEACH feature film, BLEACH THE MOVIE: MEMORIES OF NOBODY, scheduled to take place in a theatre in downtown San Diego. Seating is limited and convention attendees are encouraged to stop by the VIZ Media booth prior to the event to secure tickets, which will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

BLEACH, rated T for Teens, follows the adventures of Ichigo, a fifteen-year-old student with the ability to see ghosts. When his family is attacked by a Hollow—a malevolent lost soul—Ichigo encounters Rukia, a Soul Reaper, and inadvertently absorbs her powers. Now, he’s dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping tortured souls find peace. The pair encounters plenty of action as they investigate an intriguing range of spiritual mysteries and frequently run into all manner of malevolent and usually violent spirits and demons that are reluctant to return to their own world peacefully.

“VIZ Media and SHONEN JUMP magazine are privileged and extremely excited to welcome Tite Kubo to the 2008 Comic-Con International,” says Marc Weidenbaum, Editor-in-Chief of Shonen Jump Magazine and Vice President, Original Publishing, at VIZ. “His BLEACH and ZOMBIEPOWDER manga series have set new benchmarks in the field. BLEACH holds the attention of millions of fans internationally, and we look forward to offering those fans this very rare opportunity to interact with him personally. This is an incredibly rare situation when the manga creator of a weekly-serialized title is taking time apart from his busy work to visit with his fans outside Japan. I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate SHONEN JUMP’s 5th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of Weekly Shonen Jump, the Japanese magazine in which BLEACH is originally serialized. The enormous audience of manga fans at Comic-Con this year will truly have a hero around whom to rally.”

Ten lucky winners of a contest held by VIZ Media's parent company Shueisha, Inc., are also being flown from Japan to attend the Comic-Con Festivities as ambassadors from Shueisha and will participate in welcoming Mr. Kubo. Fans are encouraged to support BLEACH Day (Saturday) in their best BLEACH gear and will even have the opportunity to win great prizes if spotted in official BLEACH attire.

Viz Brings Manga To Australia And New Zealand

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced its continued global expansion with a new distribution agreement with Madman Entertainment to offer a wide variety of Shueisha manga (graphic novel) series to the burgeoning market in Australia and New Zealand. Shueisha Inc., is one of Japan’s largest publishers and is a parent company of VIZ Media.

Some initial VIZ Media titles to be published will include smash hit properties like NARUTO, set to debut in March, BLEACH, scheduled to launch in April, and DEATH NOTE, which will be introduced in May. Several popular shojo series such as THE GENTLEMEN'S ALLIANCE †, FULL MOON, LOVE*COM and NANA are also set for publication this year along with action favorites that include ONE PIECE, D. GRAY MAN, BLACK CAT and CLAYMORE.

Madman is Australia’s number one distributor of manga (graphic novels), with a wide range of popular titles already available, including some of the industry’s biggest licenses. In late 2006-early 2007, Madman was a key sponsor of the Tezuka – The Marvel of Manga exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria and the Gallery of New South Wales, and also launched a dedicated manga section on its website, www.madman.com.au.

“Madman is honored to be working with VIZ Media and their incredible range of manga brands, and thrilled at the prospect of introducing these to a wide range of readers in our territories," says Tim Anderson, Managing Director of Madman Entertainment. "Australian and New Zealand readers have developed a real thirst for manga and based on similar agreements forged in other rising markets, Madman looks forward to combining efforts with VIZ Media to offer the most comprehensive catalogue to date in these countries."

“Madman Entertainment has become a dominant player in the emerging Australian and New Zealand manga scene and we are excited to partner with them to bring some of the hottest titles to readers there." says Hyoe Narita, Executive Vice President, VIZ Media. "Manga has become a truly global entertainment medium and agreements like this will continue to provide innovative means to develop and establish international markets offering a range of compelling content."