32-Page Sampler Of Best Selling Monthly Manga Anthology Features Groundbreaking Adventure Created By Stan Lee And Hiroyuki Takei

San Francisco, CA, April 30, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will participate in the annual 2009 Free Comic Book Day – Saturday, May 2nd – with a special 32-page SHONEN JUMP sampler (rated ‘T' for Teens) featuring a chapter of Ultimo, one of the newest serialized manga adventures in the best-selling monthly manga anthology. Free Comic Book Day is held annually on the first Saturday in May when thousands of comic book stores, publishers and retailers give away select comic titles for free. The event is designed to reach out to those not yet familiar with comics and manga and also to preview exciting new titles to existing fans.

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Ten New Manga Series – Something For Everyone

San Francisco, CA, April 27, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced ten new manga series set to debut throughout the Second Quarter of 2009.

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Coming up on May 2 & 3 is Brooklyn Botanic Garden's 28th Annual Sakura Matsuri. Because sooo many anime/manga fans and cosplayers keep showing up every year, BBG keeps adding programs for us! Let's keep it going!! Spread the word!

- NYC's Largest Cos-Play Photo Shoot (new this year!) Thousands of festival-goers in costume will gather together under BBG's peerless flowering cherry trees for some unforgettable image-making.
- Misako Rocks! A Crazy Comic Life (new this year!), during which illustrator Misako Rocks!, known for her works Rock and Roll Love, Biker Girl, and Detective Jermain, will guide visitors through her colorful childhood in Japan and other sources of inspiration for her manga.

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Visit The Official Rumiko Takahashi English Language Web Site - TheRumicWorld.com On April 22nd For The Latest Work From One Of The Greatest Creative Forces In Manga

San Francisco, CA, Date April 15th, 2009 - VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announces the debut of a new manga series from legendary creator Rumiko Takahashi. The series, titled RIN-NE, will be launching simultaneously April 22nd exclusively in Japan in WEEKLY SHONEN SUNDAY magazine and online for North American audiences on www.TheRumicWorld.com, the brand new official North American web site for all Rumiko Takahashi-related news and information. Through this unprecedented collaboration, a new chapter of RIN-NE will be released each week for English-speaking manga fans to enjoy at the same time as their Japanese peers.

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SAN FRANCISCO (April 8, 2009) – Time to bust out that Sailor Moon or Pokemon outfit and celebrate otaku (anime fan) culture! Anime fans are in for a treat as the Anime Street Pavilion returns, once again, to the Asian Heritage Street Celebration on May 16, with a fun daylong program including an anime theme runway fashion show, an anime cosplay contest and masquerade, and Japanese rock performances.

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Top 10 Manga Volumes:

1. ↑35 (36) : Naruto 38 - Viz Shonen Jump, Mar 2009 [1712.8] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Naruto 35 - Viz Shonen Jump, Feb 2009 [1692.4] ::
3. ↓-2 (1) : Naruto 34 - Viz Shonen Jump, Feb 2009 [1688.5] ::
4. ↑1 (5) : Naruto 37 - Viz Shonen Jump, Mar 2009 [1655.2] ::
5. ↓-2 (3) : Naruto 36 - Viz Shonen Jump, Feb 2009 [1568.2] ::
6. ↑80 (86) : Vampire Knight 6 - Viz Shojo Beat, Apr 2009 [1494.9] ::
7. ↓-3 (4) : Naruto 33 - Viz Shonen Jump, Dec 2008 [1441.3] ::
8. ↑254 (262) : Rosario+Vampire 6 - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Apr 2009 [1391.1] ::
9. ↓-3 (6) : Naruto 32 - Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2008 [1370.2] ::
10. ↑35 (45) : Bleach 26 - Viz Shonen Jump, Mar 2009 [1352.9] ::

Top 10 Manga Series:

1. ↔0 (1) : Naruto - Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2003 [100]
2. ↔0 (2) : Bleach - Viz Shonen Jump, Jun 2004 [54.6]
3. ↔0 (3) : Fruits Basket - Tokyopop, Feb 2004 [51.52]
4. ↑1 (5) : Vampire Knight - Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2007 [47.26]
5. ↑1 (6) : Rosario+Vampire - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Jun 2008 [44.99]
6. ↓-2 (4) : Death Note - Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Oct 2005 [43.77]
7. ↑1 (8) : Warriors - HC/Tokyopop, Apr 2007 [31.27]
8. ↓-1 (7) : Chibi Vampire - Tokyopop, Apr 2006 [29.89]
9. ↑2 (11) : Ouran High School Host Club - Viz Shojo Beat, Jul 2005 [24.86]
10. ↑8 (18) : High School Debut - Viz Shojo Beat, Jan 2008 [23.67]

(commentary & full charts follow)

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NAOKI URASAWA'S MONSTER, SOLANIN, CAT EYED BOY And COWA! Among The Titles Nominated

San Francisco, CA, April 9, 2006 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announced today that four of their manga titles have been nominated in several categories for the 2009 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards, as unveiled by Comic-Con International on April 7, 2009.

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