Viz Media Adds Inuyasha, Nana And Honey & Clover Episodes To Hulu

Source: Media Lab

VIZ Media has announced the availability of the INUYSAHA anime episodes (English subtitled) on Hulu.com beginning today. Hulu is an online video service that offers hit TV shows, movies and video clips at Hulu.com and other online destination sites, anytime in the U.S. The first 32 episodes of INUYASHA will launch today, with new episodes launching every week. To view INUYASHA please visit Hulu.com.

The launch of the INUYASHA episodes on Hulu is the latest expansion of VIZ Media’s ongoing plan to make available a variety of hit animated series through some of the most innovative web-based video streaming outlets. Hulu provides convenient 24/7 accessibility and offer users the freedom to legally share full-length episodes or clips via e-mail or embed them on other web sites, blogs and social networking pages.

About INUYASHA: Pulled back in time to Japan's ancient past, Japanese high school girl Kagome finds her destiny linked to a dog-like half-demon named Inuyasha, who remembers Kagome's previous incarnation as the woman who killed him - and to the Shikon Jewel, or "Jewel of Four Souls," which can fulfill the greatest dreams of any man or monster. Now Kagome and Inuyasha must work together to search for the scattered shards of the jewel before everyone's nightmares are given the power they need to come true.

“We’re very excited to launch INUYASHA, which has been a well loved series for many years, on Hulu,” says Ken Sasaki, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media. “The availability of these episodes will undoubtedly help continue to grow the online audience for INUYASHA as well as attract many new viewers. INUYSHA joins the many other popular anime series now available on Hulu. We invite fans to visit each week for a new exciting adventure of INUYASHA!”

INUYASHA a hit TV anime series based on the manga is by famed creator Rumiko Takahashi, who won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award for INUYASHA in 2002. Many of the Takahashi titles have been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. Takahashi’s manga, as well as the other formats her work has been adapted into, have continued to delight generations of fans around the world. Distinguished by her wonderfully endearing characters, Takahashi’s work adeptly incorporates a wide variety of elements such as comedy, romance, fantasy, and martial arts. Rumiko Takahashi is an artist who truly represents the very best from the world of manga. Please visit the new official North American web site for all Rumiko Takahashi-related news and information is located at www.TheRumicWorld.com.

VIZ Media publishes many titles by Rumiko Takahashi including the INUYASHA manga (rated ‘T+’ for older teens), ani-manga (rated ‘T+’ for older teens) and THE ART OF INUYASHA. For more information on the INUYASHA anime (rated ‘T’ for teens) please visit Inuyasha.viz.com. For more information on VIZ Media please visit www.viz.com.

VIZ Media has also announced the availability of the latest in great shojo anime from VIZ Media – NANA and HONEY & CLOVER on Hulu in the US beginning on 7/21/2009. Hulu is an online video service that offers hit TV shows, movies and clips at Hulu.com and other online destination sites, anytime in the U.S. The first 11 episodes of NANA and the first 12 episodes of HONEY & CLOVER will be included in the Hulu debut.

Based on the popular manga by Chica Umino, HONEY AND CLOVER is a romantic comedy about a group of art school students who try to find their way. But when an innocent and talented 19-year-old girl enters their lives, things get a lot more complicated as love triangles result. For more information on HONEY AND CLOVER please visit dedicated website at HoneyandClover.viz.com.

The NANA anime is based on the popular manga by Ai Yazawa, which has sold over 43 million copies in Japan, and is published in North America by VIZ Media under its SHOJO BEAT imprint. It is considered an all-time best selling shojo title from Japanese publishing giant Shueisha, and was the recipient of the Shogakukan Manga Award in the Girls' category. Its tremendous success further inspired two live-action feature films which are available on DVD in North America from VIZ Pictures

NANA follows the adventures of two girls, both named Nana. While they share the same name, they couldn't be more different. Nana "Hachi" Komatsu follows her boyfriend to Tokyo in the hopes of making a new start, while Nana Osaki, who arrives in the city at the same time, is a punk rock beauty who has the ambition of making it big in the world of rock and roll. Although these two young women come from different backgrounds, they quickly become best friends while chasing their happiness and dreams. For more information on NANA please visit the dedicated website at Nana.viz.com.

To view NANA (anime is rated ‘M’ for mature) and HONEY AND CLOVER (anime is rated ‘T+’ for older teens) episodes, please visit Hulu.com.

For more information on NANA please visit Nana.viz.com. For more information on HONEY AND CLOVER please visit Honeyandclover.viz.com. For general information on all VIZ Media properties please visit www.viz.com.

Viz Releases The Japanese Rock And Roll Filled Nana 2 On DVD

Source: Media Lab

VIZ Pictures has announced the release of NANA 2, the feature film sequel to the popular rock and roll drama NANA, which is based on Ai Yazawa’s best-selling manga (graphic novel) series. NANA 2 debuts on DVD on July 29, with an estimated retail price of $24.98.

In support of the release, VIZ Pictures is holding a special NANA 2 poster giveaway promotion. Fans are encouraged to visit the film’s dedicated official website at http://www.nanathemovies.com and enter the contest before August 20 for a chance to win a full-color poster featuring the cast of the film. Ten random winners will be selected.

NANA 2 continues to follow the highs and lows of two young beautiful women both named Nana. While they share the same name, they couldn't be more different. After meeting randomly on a commuter train, becoming close friends, and moving in together in the first film, NANA 2 focuses greatly on Nana "Hachi" Komatsu (played this time by Yui Ichikawa), who has become trapped in a love triangle with Takumi Ichinose, the bass player of her favorite band TRAPNEST, and Nobu, the handsome guitarist of The Black Stones. Things become really sticky because The Black Stones are fronted by the other Nana – Nana Osaki (Mika Nakashima), who continues to struggle to find musical success while she continues to harbor a secret relationship with TRAPNEST’s guitarist Ren, who was The Black Stones’ original bass player.

J-pop icon Mika Nakashima reprises her role as the punk rock beauty Nana Osaki and continues to develop that character’s conflicted emotions and hard exterior but sensitive inner self. Actress and model Yui Ichikawa is freshly cast as Nana Komatsu and adds a new dimension to the characters from the extremely popular shojo manga, which has become a social phenomenon in Japan. The film was directed by Kentaro Otani, who also directed the original NANA, with the original theme song produced by Takuro from the popular J-rock band GLAY.

NANA and NANA 2 were inspired by a wildly successful shojo manga (graphic novel) series of the same name by Ai Yazawa, which has sold over 22 million copies in Japan. The English version of the manga, rated 'M' (for mature) is published domestically by VIZ Media.

“NANA 2 builds on the engrossing drama and conflicted characters that made the original such a favorite with Japanese as well as domestic audiences and we are excited to now debut the sequel,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “There are some new faces in the cast of NANA 2 but they continue to present the compelling multi-layered personalities and complex romantic dramas that made the manga series such a critical and commercial success. And the film moves to a hip J-rock beat with a roster of hard rocking songs. NANA and NANA 2 continue to show the ability of a wide array of manga-based stories to make the successful leap to the big screen in areas outside the stereotypical science fiction or action genres. We look forward to fans of the NANA manga and the original film enjoying this next chapter in the saga.”

For more information on NANA, NANA 2 and other VIZ Pictures films please visit www.viz-pictures.com.

Viz Pictures To Screen Nana In Los Angeles And New York

Source: Viz Pictures

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced a pair of new theatrical runs scheduled for New York and Los Angeles of NANA, a live action film directed by Ootani Kentarou and based on the best-selling shojo manga (graphic novel) series by Ai Yazawa.

NANA will screen in Los Angeles, March 21-27 at the IMAGINASIAN CENTER and then in New York, April 4-10 at the IMAGINASIAN THEATRE. Press screenings for both locations are also planned and theater information follows at the end of this release.

NANA follows the adventures of two girls both named Nana. While they share the same name, they couldn't be more different. Nana "Hachi" Komatsu follows her boyfriend to Tokyo and hopes to make a new start, while Nana Osaki, who arrives in the city at the same time, is a punk rock beauty who has the ambition to make it big in the world of rock and roll. Although these two young women come from vastly different backgrounds, they quickly become best friends. What sets them apart, however, is the stark difference between their lives. One Nana comes from a small town, following her friends and boyfriend but ultimately looking for her own goal to obtain, while the other Nana has a single-minded aim to make her dream and band, the Black Stones, among the best in Japan.

NANA performed well at the Japanese box office upon its release in 2006, grossing more than 4 billion yen and staying in the Top 10 for several weeks. The main theme from the film, “Glamorous Sky,” took the number 1 spot on Japan’s Oricon charts in its first two weeks of sales and quickly sold over 450,000 copies. Another song from the film, “Endless Story,” took the number 2 spot on the same chart in its first week of release and sold over 300,000 copies. The English version of the manga series, rated 'M' for Mature readers has sold over 22 million copies in Japan, is published domestically by VIZ Media under its SHOJO BEAT imprint.

“NANA presents a realistic and sometimes gritty portrayal of two modern women searching for love, careers and a sense of purpose amidst the urban bustle of Tokyo,” says Manami Iboshi, Director, Marketing, VIZ Pictures. “The manga series on which the film is based has been critically acclaimed and demonstrates the versatility of manga-inspired plots to transition from print to film in such a compelling way. NANA was warmly received at its U.S. premiere at the 2007 New York Anime Festival, and we look forward to audiences in Los Angeles and New York enjoying the film.”

Theatre information:

LOS ANGELES
Press Screening: March 5, 2:00pm
Theatrical Screening: March 21-27
IMAGINASIAN CENTER
251 South Main Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 617-1033

NEW YORK
Press Screening: March 19, 2:00pm
Theatrical Screening: April 4-10
IMAGINASIAN THEATRE
239 East 59th Street (between 2nd and 3rd Ave.)
New York 10022
(212) 371-6682