VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES TIGER & BUNNY MANGA SERIES—OFFICIAL TIE-IN TO SMASH HIT ANIME

Action-Packed Series Features Corporate Superheroes And An Unlikely Friendship Between A Washed-Up Veteran Crime Fighter And A Rookie With An Attitude

San Francisco, CA, April 11, 2013 – What would a future look like where corporate-sponsored superheroes battle evil – and often each other – for reality TV ratings? Find out in the TIGER & BUNNY manga (graphic novel), now available from VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America. The new series, published under the VIZ Media imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens and carries an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. Volume 1 also features 4 pages of additional full-color character art.

The TIGER & BUNNY manga features artwork by Mizuki Sakakibara and is based on the smash hit animated series, created by the famed Tokyo-based anime studio Sunrise, that has thrilled legions of fans across North America on VIZ Media’s Neon Alley, VIZAnime, and Hulu. The 26-episode anime sci-fi/action adventure notably features character and hero designs conceived by Masakazu Katsura (VIDEO GIRL AI and I"S; both available from VIZ Media) that are also carried over to the new manga property.

The TIGER & BUNNY manga series introduces readers to super-powered humans, known as NEXT, that appeared in the world 45 years ago. Some of them fight crime in the city of Stern Bild while promoting their corporate sponsors on the hit show HERO TV. The people love their superheroes, even if they don’t completely understand them, and not all of the NEXT use their powers for good. Veteran hero Wild Tiger has years of experience fighting crime, but his ratings have been slipping. Under orders from his new employer, Wild Tiger finds himself forced to team up with Barnaby Brooks Jr., a rookie with an attitude. Overcoming their differences will be at least as difficult for this mismatched duo as taking down super-powered bad guys!

“TIGER & BUNNY updates the classic superhero story of good versus evil with a fun new twist, and offers a tale of a young cocky upstart who is reluctantly partnered with an experienced veteran crime fighter, and how these two completely opposite personalities must put their differences aside and work together as a team,” says Mike Montesa, Editor. “The new series also presents an entirely new take on the world of reality TV and corporate underwriting as this mismatched duo become unlikely friends and cohorts tasked with taking down an assortment of super-powered bad guys! Take the journey to Stern Bild city in this intriguing new series where the action takes off from the very first page!”

VIZ Media also offers TIGER & BUNNY Set 1, a 2-disc anime set available on DVD (MSRP of $44.82 U.S. / $43.24 CAN) and Blu-ray (MSRP of $54.97 U.S. / $66.15 CAN), which features Episodes 1-13 of the 26-episode action/sci-fi series. TIGER & BUNNY Set 2 offers the concluding half of the series and is scheduled for release in May.

More information on the Tiger & Bunny anime is available at: www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny and VIZAnime.com/tiger-and-bunny/

For more information on manga titles available from VIZ Media, please visit 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 INUYASHA, 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.

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