VIZ MEDIA’S PERFECT SQUARE IMPRINT ACQUIRES YO-KAI WATCH MANGA SERIES
Japan’s Massive Hit Action Series About A Boy That Can See Japanese Yo-kai Launches in the U.S. This Fall
San Francisco, CA, April 6, 2015 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the acquisition of a new manga (graphic novel) property – YO-KAI WATCH.
The supernatural comedy adventure series is inspired by the explosively popular YOKAI WATCH video game created by LEVEL-5 for the Nintendo 3DS and launched to wide acclaim in Japan in 2013. The YO-KAI WATCH manga will be published under the company’s Perfect Square imprint, written and drawn by Noriyuki Konishi under the guidance of the LEVEL-5 team. This
September, the phenomenal franchise is finally coming to North America
with the launch of the YO-KAI WATCH manga series, fueled as well by the
debuts of anime and toy products around the same time.
Yo-kai, inspired by the yokai of
Japanese folklore, are not ghosts or monsters or creatures. They can’t
be seen by the human eye, but they’re everywhere, and whether they're
phantoms or everyday objects discovering their higher purpose, Yo-kai
personalities are distinctly humanlike!
The YO-KAI WATCH manga will
be rated ‘A’ for All Ages and will be available exclusively in print on
a bi-monthly basis. In Japan, the series originally appeared in Coro Coro Comic magazine, published by VIZ Media parent company Shogakukan, and won both the 60th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2015 and the 38th Kodansha Manga Award in the Best Children’s Manga category in 2014.
Nathan Adams is just an average kid until the mysterious
Whisper gives him a device that allows him to see what others cannot,
Yo-kai of all shapes and forms! Now, armed with the Yo-kai Watch,
Nathan, Whisper and their new invisible friends embark on an all new
supernatural adventure!
“The
whole YO-KAI WATCH cast of characters, especially Jibanyan, Komansan
and Whisper, already have huge followings in Japan, and now North
American fans get to join the fun,” says Joel Enos, Senior Editor. “The
manga’s a fun and zany take on traditional Japanese Yo-kai, and the
watch that lets Nathan see and summon them is especially fun. The series
will appeal to readers of all ages!”
YO-KAI WATCH manga artist Noriyuki Konishi hails from Shimabara City, Nagasaki Pref., Japan. He debuted in 1997 with the one-shot title, E-CUFF, which appeared in Monthly Shonen Jump Original. He is also known for manga adaptations of AM Driver and Mushiking: King of the Beetles, along with Saiyuki Hiro Go-Kû Den!, Chôhenshin Gag Gaiden!! Card Warrior Kamen Riders, and Go-Go-Go Saiyuki: Shin Gokûden.
VIZ
Media’s pop-culture centric Perfect Square imprint focuses on
delivering comics, manga, graphic novels and other books with an
emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering
themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of both
young readers and the young at heart.
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 ONE PIECE, 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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