Go! Comi Announces The "Black Sun Silver Moon" Doujinshi Contest

In association with the New York Anime Festival and TheOtaku.com

LOS ANGELES, CA XX Aug 2007: Manga publisher Go! Comi in association with the New York Anime Festival and TheOtaku.com today announced the first contest devoted to manga fan-comics, known in Japan as doujinshi.

The contest is based on Go! Comi's best-selling manga series "Black Sun, Silver Moon," by Tomo Maeda. The series is the story of the complex relationship between the enigmatic zombie-hunting priest Shikimi and his apprentice Taki, who is destined to kill him.

Go! Comi invites all aspiring artists to create their own one-to-five page fan-comic based on the characters, situation, or world of "Black Sun, Silver Moon," then upload their entries to the contest section of TheOtaku.com, the Web's premiere site for manga, anime and gaming fan art and blogging.

In November, a selection committee will choose 15 finalists, whose manga will be put on display at the AnimeNEXT Manga Library at the New York Anime Festival, held December 7th through 9th. Festival attendees will be invited to vote for their favorites. The winner will be announced during the Anime Festival's Closing Ceremonies.

The winning comic will be published by Go! Comi in an upcoming volume of Black Sun, Silver Moon in 2008. The winning doujinshi will also be put on permanent display in the AnimeNEXT Manga Library, and the winning artist will receive a prize package of Go! Comi manga. All the finalists will also receive a copy of Art of Otaku from TheOtaku.com.

Go! Comi Creative Director Audry Taylor notes that doujinshi are becoming a worldwide phenomenon: "Every year hundreds of thousands of fans attends doujinshi events such as Comiket. The 'Black Sun, Silver Moon' Doujinshi Contest is an unprecedented opportunity for aspiring manga artists. It's the first fan-comic contest based on an ongoing Japanese manga, where the winning work will be published in an actual edition of the manga which inspired it. We are very excited to be working with the New York Anime Festival and TheOtaku.com to help the work of budding artists gain greater exposure."

To learn more about the contest, including the official rules and entry procedure, please visit: http://www.gocomi.com/BSSMContest/BSSMcontest.html

ABOUT GO! COMI:
In less than two years Go! Comi has become renowned for the excellence of its manga series and top production values. Among its publications are the BookScan best-sellers Tenshi Ja Nai!! and Her Majesty's Dog, Cantarella (a 2007 YALSA "Great Graphic Novel for Teens"), and the Eisner Award-nominated After School Nightmare. For more information, please visit www.gocomi.com.

ABOUT THEOTAKU.COM:
TheOtaku.com is the largest and most popular anime and video game art portal online, hosting the portfolios and blogs of tens of thousands of young artists. Become an otaku at TheOtaku.com.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL:
The New York Anime Festival takes place December 7-9, 2007 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan and is organized by Reed Exhibitions, the creators of New York Comic Con. The New York Anime Festival will showcase the best of anime pop culture, including the latest anime, manga, Japanese cinema, music, and games, and anime-influenced comics, animation, and films from around the world. The festival will feature exclusive and extensive screenings, a gala cosplay masquerade, sessions with the some of the biggest names in anime from Japan, Asia, and America, and explore the Japanese cultural experience with displays of both traditional and cutting-edge Japanese life.

The New York Anime Festival's Guests of Honor include Peter Fernandez, Corinne Orr, Kobun Shizuno, and Aimee Major Steinberger. The New York Anime Festival's musical guests include HAPPYFUNSMILE, UNICORN TABLE, and Voltaire. Further information and tickets can be found at www.newyorkanimefestival.com.