VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW MANGA SERIES ACQUISITIONS FOR 2016 RELEASE

Seven Exciting New Series Join VIZ Media’s Manga Roster For 2016 Including New Fantasy/Action, Sports And Shojo Manga Titles

San Francisco, CA, October 12, 2015 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, delivered a special sneak preview of forthcoming manga (graphic novel) titles as it announced the acquisition of several notable new series during its official panel held this past weekend at the 2015 New York Comic Con.

VIZ Media delighted a packed audience at New York Comic Con, the East Coast’s largest pop culture event, as it detailed 7 newly acquired series for the company’s popular Shonen Jump, Shonen Jump Advanced, VIZ Media, and Shojo Beat imprints. The new titles will launch during the Spring and Summer of 2016 and will include the supernatural/fantasy/action series 7TH GARDEN, BLACK CLOVER and MONSTER HUNTER, the sports series HAIKYU!! and KUROKO’S BASKETBALL, and a pair of shojo series, EVERYONE’S GETTING MARRIED and YONA OF THE DAWN.

“We are super excited to expand our shonen and shojo publishing catalogs next year with these new titles. Manga readers will want to jump into the assortment of fantasy, action/adventure, shojo romance and sports-themed releases we have planned for 2016,” says Hope Donovan, Managing Editor. “Stay tuned as we release additional information on each of these new series as the respective launch dates draw closer.”

New VIZ Media Manga Acquisitions:

7TH GARDEN · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · Debuting Summer 2016

In this series by Mitsu Izumi, Awyn Gardner will do anything to protect the beautiful mistress of the equally beautiful estate gardens he lovingly tends...even enslave himself to an also beautiful demon bent on world domination! The fight is on between angels and demons and humans for the world…and Awyn’s heart!

BLACK CLOVER · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Summer 2016

SHONEN JUMP's breakaway hit of 2015, a fantasy action-adventure about mastering magical powers. Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem – he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure – Asta will never give up! The series is also currently featured in WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP magazine.

EVERYONE’S GETTING MARRIED · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers ·

Debuting Summer 2016

In this new Shojo Beat manga series by Izumi Miyazono, successful career woman Asuka Takanashi has an old-fashioned dream of getting married and becoming a housewife. After her long-term boyfriend breaks up with her to pursue his own career goals, she encounters Ryu Nanami, a popular newscaster at PTV. Asuka and Ryu get along well, but the last thing he wants is to ever get married. This level-headed pair who want the opposite things in life should never get involved, except...    

HAIKYU!! · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

Debuting Summer 2016

Ever since he saw the legendary player known as the "Little Giant" compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has aimed to be the best volleyball player ever! He decides to join the team at the high school the Little Giant went to – and then surpass him. Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else?

KUROKO’S BASKETBALL: 2-IN-1 EDITION · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

Debuting Summer 2016

Kuroko Tetsuya doesn't stand out much. In fact, he's so plain that people hardly ever notice when he's around. Though he’s just as unremarkable on the basketball court, that’s where his plainness gives him an unexpected edge – one that lets him execute awesome moves without others noticing! And now that he's a high school student, he's on a mission to defeat each member of his legendary middle school team, known as the Miracle Generation.

MONSTER HUNTER · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

Debuting Spring 2016

In this new series based off the popular Monster Hunter video games, our heroes live in an age when monsters rule the world: soaring through the sky, treading the earth and filling the seas. Humanity survives on the fringes, relying on a special kind of hero to defend the people from danger – the Monster Hunter!

YONA OF THE DAWN · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

Debuting Summer 2016

The fantasy adventure shojo manga series that also inspired the fan favorite anime about a princess who’s on a quest to reclaim her throne! Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess of her kingdom. Doted on by her father, the king, and protected by her faithful guard Hak, she cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, Soo-won. But everything changes on her 16^th birthday when she witnesses her father’s murder! 

For more information on manga titles distributed and published by 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 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.