VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE GLOBAL DIGITAL RELEASE OF NEW INTERACTIVE eBOOK EDITION OF PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ

Available In 51 Countries, Gorgeously Illustrated Enhanced Art Book Traces Master Manga Artist Takehiko Inoue’s Fascination With The Legendary Catalan Modernist Architect Antoni Gaudí

San Francisco, CA, October 8, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, is proud to announce the global release today of a stunning new interactive eBook version of PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ.

This insightful illustrated travel diary and art book—by the famed artist and manga (graphic novel) creator of SLAM DUNK, REAL, and VAGABOND—is comprised of prose, sketches, and color illustrations inspired by his encounter with the work of Catalan master architect Antoni Gaudí. The enhanced eBook will feature interactive video footage of Takehiko Inoue’s travels. PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ is available in English for $12.99 worldwide from the iBookstore and all 51 countries it serves.

PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ traces an inspiring journey by one of the world’s foremost manga artists to Spain, where he became captivated by the work of Antoni Gaudí (1852 - 1926), the famous Spanish architect and leader of Catalan Modernism. Takehiko Inoue had long been obsessed with the architecture of Antoni Gaudí, and PEPITA is a travel memoir about Inoue’s travels to the Catalan region of Spain, the people he meets, and the stunning architecture he experiences. At the core of the journey is the massive Gaudí-designed Sagrada Família, an iconic Roman Catholic cathedral located in Barcelona and a perennial news item as it remains under continual construction after more than a century of work. The new eBook edition incorporates video footage from Inoue’s trip as well as other enhanced content and interactive multimedia elements created by Live2D technology.

Creator Takehiko Inoue states, "My manga was created with the intent that it would be released on paper in a physical format. But with the digital edition of PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ, I felt it would show a new form of expression available only on a tablet."

“The enhanced PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ eBook edition is VIZ Media’s first foray into the world of interactive digital books and opens a new range of possibilities for future e-publishing ventures,” says VIZ Media's Vice President of Publishing, Leyla Aker. “Inoue’s hyper-realistic style shines in this gorgeous edition that is extremely well-suited to the digital medium. The new video footage adds another dimension to Inoue’s contemplation of Gaudi’s work and the architecture, nature, and religion of his beloved Catalonia.”

Takehiko Inoue is the creator of one of the most popular manga of all time, SLAM DUNK (rated ‘T’ for Teens), which has sold over 100 million copies worldwide and is published in North America by VIZ Media. He followed the success of that series with VAGABOND, a fictional account of the life of samurai Miyamoto Musashi, and REAL, a manga series about wheelchair basketball. VAGABOND (Rated ‘M’ for Mature) and REAL (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) are both also available from VIZ Media. The print edition of PEPITA: TAKEHIKO INOUE MEETS GAUDÍ is available worldwide and was published in spring 2013 by VIZ Media, who also released Inoue’s SUMI (INK) and WATER collections in 2008.

Takehiko Inoue is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and the Media Arts Festival Award. In addition to his work on manga, Inoue has worked on several television commercials, created character designs for video games, and is the founder of a scholarship to foster Japanese basketball talent.

For more information on other Takehiko Inoue 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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© I.T. Planning, Inc. © Nikkei Business Publications, Inc 2011

First published in Japan by Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. 

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