COPY WITH PERMISSION FROM VIZ MEDIA

Saturday - July 28, 2007

Shojo Announcements at the Shojo Beat Panel

B.O.D.Y by Ao Mimori
(May 2008 — quarterly)

Everyone thinks 16-year-old Sakura has weird taste in guys because she can't stop drooling over Fuji, the strong silent type who sits next to her in class. When she discovers he works for a host club—where women actually pay men to date them—will she finally wise up? Or will he leave his job to be with her? Or will she take a job at the club so he can quit and she can be with him...? Only one thing's for sure in B.O.D.Y.—you can't put a price on love!

Arina Tanemura News

ION
(April 2008 — quarterly)

Ion Tsuburagi chants the letters of her first name as a charm to bring good luck when she needs it. Then she meets Mikado Hourai, the president of the Psychic Powers Research Society at school, and touches a mysterious substance he's been developing. Now chanting "I-O-N" gives her telekinetic powers!

Time Stranger Kyoko
(June 2008 — quarterly)

Kyoko Suomi is the princess of Earth in the 30th century. Kyoko lives among the commoners, unwilling to reveal her true identity and ascend the throne. The king will allow Kyoko to live as she pleases if she can revive her twin sister Ui, who has been trapped in time since birth.

Short-Tempered Melancholic and Other Short Stories
(August 2008)

• Title story: Kajika Yamano is a female ninja whose job is to protect her family's legendary weapon. But when a boy she has a crush on tells her she should be more ladylike, she vows to give up all ninja deeds.
• This Love is Nonfiction: Yuri sends her pen pal Ryo a picture of herself—but it's really of her best friend Karin, who is prettier than she is. Now Ryo wants to meet her, so she has no choice but to send Karin instead!
• Rainy Afternoons Are for Romantic Heroines: Minori falls in love with Takato, a boy who shared his umbrella with her one rainy afternoon. Now she "forgets" her umbrella every time it rains in hopes of becoming closer to him.
• The Style of the Second Love: Mana secretly likes her friend's boyfriend, but Nakamura, a younger boy, is determined to win Mana's heart.

The Art of Full Moon o Sagashite
(Fall 2008)

Friday - July 27, 2007

SHONEN JUMP Announces the Next Stages of SJ Evolution

Thursday - July 26, 2007

VIZ BIG
CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE. GET VIZ BIG.

Time to change your perspective on manga with VIZ Big Editions—a new way of seeing and reading the world's best manga. VIZ Big Editions are omnibus packages of top-selling manga series in a premium presentation. Each opening volume contains the first three volumes of the original graphic novel series presented at larger trim size and with color pages. They're perfect introductions to manga for the reader who's looking for a way in—and a great way for seasoned fans to see their favorite titles in a new perspective.

• 3 volumes collected into one volume, featuring cool bonus content
• Price: $17.99
• Format: Soft cover with flaps
• Reading orientation: R-to-L
• Size: 5-3/4 x 8-5/8
• Release schedule: quarterly
• Bonus content may include: color manga, poster, interviews, character artwork, etc.

Launching with three of our all-time most popular series:

Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki
(Jan 2008 — quarterly)

• Originally 28-volume series
• Action, romance, and historical intrigue about a ronin
• Tale of a wandering swordsman set against the backdrop of the Meiji Restoration. Himura Kenshin, once an assassin (or hitokiri) of ferocious power, now fights to protect the honor of those in need.

Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
(May 2008 — quarterly)

• Originally a 16-volume series in U.S. (DB and DBZ were one 42-volume series in Japan)
• Action and comedy — DB and DBZ are the ultimate scifi martial arts manga
• Wry update of the classic Chinese Monkey King legend
• About a young monkey-tailed boy named Goku who is super strong. Goku's life changes when he meets a girl named Bulma and sets out to help her gather all seven Dragon Balls, which are scattered all over the world. If all seven are gathered, a powerful dragon will appear and grant one wish.

Dragon Ball Z by Akira Toriyama
(May 2008 — quarterly)

• Originally a 26-volume series in U.S.
• More action-packed than Dragon Ball
• Goku has grown up. Earth's ultimate warrior now has a son named Gohan who is even more powerful than his father. They battle time travelers, aliens, deities and the mighty Super Saiyans to save the universe.

SHONEN JUMP

Ral Ω Grad by Tsueno Takano and Takeshi Obata
(Feb. 2008 — release frequency TBD)

• From author Tsuneo Takano and the artist of Death Note, Takeshi Obata
• A young boy may be the only hope for saving the world.
• Set in a medieval fantasy world.
• In the midst of a meaningless war, a child is born during a bloody battle at the cost of his mother's life. From this baby comes forth a huge and powerful dragon born of shadow. Within minutes the dragon lays waste to the landscape, but a quick-thinking knight locks the baby in a cage of darkness, where he grows to be a young man, knowing only the kindness of his young female tutor. Until the day the Shadows attack and set him free...
• For fans of Blue Dragon and similar video games and anime

Death Note News

Death Note 13: How to Read
(Feb. 2008)

• Encyclopedic guide to the world of Death Note
• Character bios, storyline summaries, production notes and commentaries, interviews with creators Takeshi Obata (artist) and Tsugumi Oba (writer), bonus manga pages (prototype chapter)
• Collectible card that reveals L's real name!

Death Note: Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Case by Ishin Nishio
(Feb. 2008)

• Original story based on characters and concepts in the manga, anime and movies
• There's a serial killer loose in Los Angeles and super-sleuth L is on the case. Along with Naomi Misora, a former FBI agent, he helps the LA police solve the grisly crimes.
• Hardcover with beautiful dust jacket
• Author Ishin Nishio is a popular detective crime fiction writer in Japan

SHOJO BEAT

Trade paperbacks

Kamikaze Girls by Novala Takemoto
(Jan 2008)

Life in the boondocks of rural Ibaraki prefecture is anything but glamorous, and to escape her humdrum existence, Momoko, a "Lolita," fanaticizes about French rococo, dreams of living in the palace of Versailles, and decks herself out in the finest (and frilliest) of 18th century haute couture from an expensive Tokyo specialty store. Her dreams of an idyllic existence are rudely interrupted by the appearance of Ichigo, a tough-talking "Yanki" motorcycle-chick (on a tricked-out moped) who's part of a girls-only biker gang known as the Ponytails. Together, this unlikeliest of duos strikes out on a quest to find a legendary embroiderer, a journey that takes them to back-alley pachinko parlors, chic boutiques, and epic bike-punk battles. Novala Takemoto's hit novel Kamikaze Girls, already a cult-classic in Japan and the inspiration for an internationally acclaimed film of the same name, is more than a quirky coming-of-age tale, it's a new way of life.

Socrates in Love by Kyoichi Katayama
(Feb 2008)

Socrates in Love took the Japanese publishing industry by storm, becoming the all-time best-selling novel in Japan! Finally, U.S. readers will be able to experience the phenomenon that became the inspiration for a blockbuster movie, a hit TV show, and a popular manga. A national sensation that touched over three million readers, Kyoichi Katayama brought innocent love and romance to the forefront of Japan's ultra-hip mass market.

Be With You
(Feb 2008)

When Takumi's wife suddenly returns from the grave, he can't believe his eyes. How could such a thing be possible? Is she here to stay? Has love miraculously triumphed over death? As Takumi starts looking for answers to these questions, he discovers the secret of his wife's appearance is somehow linked to the past...and the future.

Manga

Be With You (manga) by Takuji Ichikawa
(Feb 2008)

When Takumi's wife suddenly returns from the grave, he can't believe his eyes. As he starts digging deeper and deeper into the mystery of her sudden reappearance, he discovers a secret that is somehow linked to the past...and the future. Is it possible to experience first love for a second time? The answer, as Be With You proves, is yes – a million times yes.

Honey and Clover by Chica Umino
(March 2008 - quarterly)

Takemoto lives in a run-down student apartment, where his greatest worry is when he'll next be able to afford to eat meat and whether he'll get to class on time. Along with his crazy cast of friends, Takemoto sets out to discover life and his true self. Set in a Tokyo art college, Honey and Clover blends comedy and pathos to bring to life a very unique set of individuals.

Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time by Tohko Mizuno
(April 2008 — every 4 months)

Akane is your typical teenage girl...until she swallows a Dragon Jewel, which transports her to the Heian period of ancient Japan! There in the city of Kyou, Akane learns that she has been foreordained to lead the people as the Priestess of the Dragon God!

Monkey High! by Shouko Akira
(March 2008 — quarterly)

After her politician father is disgraced in scandal, Haruna Aizawa transfers to a new school. Haruna is convinced that school life is just like a monkey mountain – all the monkeys form cliques, get into fights, and get back together again. She even meets a boy named Masaru who reminds her of a baby monkey!

Fairy Cube by Kaori Yuki
(May 2008 - quarterly)

Ian used to just see dead people. Now he is one. Trapped inside his own body by the Fairy Cube, Ian must now figure out how to stop the devious spirit Tokage from taking over his life, stealing his girl and ruining any chance he ever has of resurrection. By Kaori Yuki, popular author of Angel Sanctuary, Godchild and The Cain Saga.

VIZ MEDIA

Switch by Naked Ape
(March 2008 - bimonthly)

Kai Eto may look like a squeaky clean kid, but the Greater Kanto Narcotics Control Division's new investigator hides a violent alter ego and a dangerous past. Together with his stoic partner Hal Kurabayashi, Kai is assigned to track down and stop the distribution of a dangerous new drug – Dragon Speed.

Nightmare Inspector by Shin Hashiba
(April 2008 - bimonthly)

For those who suffer nightmares, help awaits at the Ginseikan Tea House, where patrons can order much more than just Darjeeling. Hiruko is a special kind of private investigator. He's a dream eater. And he'll rid you of your darkest visions... for a price.

The Record of a Fallen Vampire by Kyo Shirodaira (author) and Yuri Kimura (artist)
(May 2008 — quarterly)

Thousands of years ago, Vampire King Akabara Rosered Strauss lost both his kingdom and his queen. Since humans were unable to kill the queen, they sealed her away, erecting thousands of fake seals so that the king would never find her true location. Despite being pursued by relentless dhampires, Akabara continues to search for his queen to this day...