VIZ MEDIA OFFERS FANS A BOUNTY OF HOLIDAY MANGA RELEASES

Wish List Releases Include New Shojo Series, Manga Box Sets New Omnibus Editions, And Adorable Gift Books

San Francisco, CA, November 19, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, gives fans plenty to choose from as it offers a diverse selection of manga (graphic novel) titles that will make thoughtful gifts to suit any budget this holiday season.

The 2012 holiday manga selection features the launch of the brand new shojo series DEMON LOVE SPELL, as well as the recent debut of STROBE EDGE. Shojo fans can further enjoy the celebrated series, OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB, in a fabulous new 18-volume box set edition. VIZ Media will also release Hayao Miyazaki’s celebrated manga, NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND, in a special new box set.

The intense psychological manga masterpiece, LOVELESS, resumes after a four-year hiatus with the release of the new Volume 9, as well as a new 2-in-1 omnibus edition of the series’ first 2 volumes. NEON GENESIS EVANGELION fans can look forward to the release of Volume 13 of the acclaimed sci-fi action series, as well as the launch of a new 3-in-1 omnibus edition. Finally, gaming and pop culture fans can also look forward to the release of the STREET FIGHTER® X SANRIO: WORLD VIEW hardcover gift book and STREET FIGHTER® X SANRIO: STICKER BOOK.

NEW MANGA BOX SETS:

NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND Box Set · Rated “T” for Teens ·

MSRP: $60.00 U.S. / $67.99 CAN · Available Now! 

The NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND Deluxe Box Set collects all 7 volumes of the original celebrated manga (graphic novel) series by Hayao Miyazaki into 2 new hardcover editions packaged in a special illustrated slipcase. In a long-ago war, humankind set off a devastating ecological disaster. Thriving industrial societies disappeared. The earth is slowly submerging beneath the expanding Sea of Corruption, an enormous toxic forest that creates mutant insects and releases a miasma of poisonous spores into the air. At the periphery of the sea, tiny kingdoms are scattered on tiny parcels of land. Here lies the Valley of the Wind, a kingdom of barely 500 citizens; a nation given fragile protection from the decaying sea's poisons by the ocean breezes; and home to Nausicaä.

OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB BOX SET · Rated “T” for Teens ·

MSRP: $139.99U.S. / $159.99 CAN · Available Now! 

OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB was created by Bisco Hatori and has been a bestselling series in North America since its debut. In this screwball romantic comedy, Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich kids’ school, is forced to repay an $80,000 debt by working for the school’s swankiest, all-male club – as a boy! There she discovers just how wealthy the six members are and how different the rich are from everybody else. The new box set bundles Volumes 1-18 of the popular manga series and also includes a special notepad featuring full-color character art.

New holiday shojo manga:

DEMON LOVE SPELL, Volume 1 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available December 4^th 

In this series by celebrated manga creator Mayu Shinjo (AI ORE!, SENSUAL PHRASE), Miko is a shrine maiden who has never had much success at seeing or banishing spirits. Then she meets Kagura, a sexy demon who feeds off of women’s feelings of passion and love. Kagura’s insatiable appetite has left many girls at school brokenhearted, so Miko casts a spell to seal his powers. Surprisingly the spell works – sort of – but now Kagura is after her!

STROBE EDGE, Volume 1 · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available Now! 

Creator Io Sakisaka’s STROBE EDGE asks the timeless question, “What is love?” Ninako Kinoshita’s friends tell her it’s one thing, but Ninako wants to discover this mysterious emotion herself. When she meets Ren Ichinose, a handsome, enigmatic guy worshipped by all the girls at her school, she finds her heartbeat quickening with excitement! Is Ninako about to experience the many facets of love?

OTHER VIZ MEDIA RELEASES:

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION 3-in-1, Volume 1 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN · Available Now! 

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, Volume 13 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens ·

MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available Now! 

Japan's most controversial anime series is over...but not the manga version of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION! Series co-creator Yoshiyuki Sadamoto's personal interpretation of the iconic Evangelion characters and story is sure to intrigue new and old fans alike. Catch the first 3 volumes of the series in a new 3-in-1 omnibus edition that also features stunning full-color artwork.

In the latest EVANGELION Volume 13, the world hangs in the balance as NERV pilot Asuka fights to survive an onslaught of Evas determined to destroy her. Shinji rushes to help, but he may be too late. Deep inside the NERV command center, Dr. Ikari is about to set in motion the last act of the Instrumentality Project. Everything has gone according to Ikari's plans so far, but even he cannot foresee the role Shinji will play in determining the future!

LOVELESS 2-in-1, Volume 1 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens ·

MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN · Available Now! 

LOVELESS, Volume 9 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens ·

MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN · Available Now! 

In LOVELESS, Ritsuka Aoyagi is alone in the world – never fitting in at school and alienated from his own past by a fragmented memory. When his beloved older brother Seimei is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to find answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names. LOVELESS 2-in-1 omnibus edition also includes 6 full-color pages, as well as 50 pages of bonus comics and insightful artist commentary from Yun Kouga previously not published in North America.

STREET FIGHTER® X SANRIO: WORLD VIEW · MSRP: $12.99 US / $14.99 CAN · Available November 13^th

Life is not a video game. But don’t you sometimes wish it was? The characters of Street Fighter video game series, with the help of Hello Kitty and Friends, have lived through countless battles and learned many life lessons along the way. Now you can learn how to live like a warrior too!

STREET FIGHTER® X SANRIO: STICKER BOOK · MSRP: $7.99 US / $9.99 CAN · Available November 13^th

The two legendary brands – Street Fighter and Sanrio – come together in the coolest sticker book ever with more than 65 stickers, bumper stickers, and paper doll stickers featuring Street Fighter characters as well as Hello Kitty and Sanrio Friends.

For more information on these and other 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 monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine 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.

###

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION © khara・GAINAX