VIZ Media, LLC, the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has detailed a wide array of brand new manga and prose novel acquisitions that include several notable titles to be launched during the Winter and Spring 2016 seasons.
The acquisitions were announced this past weekend at the 2015 Anime Expo, the largest dedicated anime convention in the U.S. New shojo manga titles include Shuriken and Pleats, the new series by Vampire Knight creator Matsuri Hino; and Behind the Scenes, a dramatic new comedy by Bisco Hatori, the famed creator of Ouran High School Host Club.
The highly anticipated post-series spin off to the world’s most popular ninja comic, Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring joins the Shonen Jump catalog. Also joining the lineup will be School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei, a high school litigation series with story by Nobuaki Enoki and artwork by Takeshi Obata, the acclaimed artist of Death Note, All You Need is Kill, and Bakuman. With the debut of Dragon Full Color: Freeza Arc, fans can experience Akira Toriyama’s bestseller in a whole new way.
Finally, from the Haikasoru imprint, literary fans can look forward to the debut in Spring 2016 of The Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Dawn, the first volume of the classic space opera novel series that translates the European wars of the 19th Century to an interstellar setting and that won the Seiun Award for Best Science Fiction novel in 1987.
“Comedy, drama, and futuristic sci-fi action are on tap for next year with the launches of these forthcoming new series,” says Leyla Aker, Executive Vice President, Publishing. “We look forward to announcing more details on these titles soon and to fans and readers diving into each of the exciting new releases next year!”
New Winter 2016 Acquisitions:
Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring
Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Winter 2016
Naruto was a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. Then he channeled that energy into learning amazing ninja techniques and saving the world! Now Naruto has achieved his dream of becoming the greatest ninja in the village, and his face sits atop the Hokage monument. But new troubles are bubbling up in the shinobi world…
Shuriken and Pleats, Vol. 1
Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Winter 2016
Created by Matsuri Hino, the renowned creator of Vampire Night, Merupuri and Captive Hearts (all available from VIZ Media), when the master she has sworn to protect is killed, Mikage Kirio, a skilled ninja, travels to Japan to start a new, peaceful life for herself. But as soon as she arrives, she finds herself fighting to protect the life of Mahito Wakashimatsu, a man who is under attack by a band of ninja. From that time on, Mikage is drawn deeper into the machinations of his powerful family.
New Spring 2016 Acquisitions:
Behind the Scenes, Vol. 1
Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Spring 2016
Behind the Scenes is a dramatic new comedy from Bisco Hatori, the creator of Ouran High School Host Club and Millennium Snow! Ranmaru Kurisu comes from a family of hardy, rough-and-tumble fisher folk, and he sticks out at home like a delicate, artistic sore thumb. It’s given him a raging inferiority complex and a permanently pessimistic outlook. Now that he’s in college, he’s hoping to find a sense of belonging. But after a whole life of being left out, does he even know how to fit in?!
Dragon Full Color: Freeza Arc
Rated ‘A’ for All Ages · Debuting Spring 2016
Akira Toriyama’s original, bestselling series is now available in a full-color version! After his epic battle with Vegeta, Son Goku must obtain the wish-granting Dragon Balls in order to resurrect their fallen allies! Their search will take them all the way to the planet Namek where the evil Freeza and his minions are slaughtering the Namekians in order to fulfill Freeza’s wish for immortality. What will it take to defeat this great evil?
The Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Dawn
Debuting Spring 2016
This latest Haikasoru literary release was authored by Yoshiki Tanaka and launches a highly anticipated series of novels. In the 36th Century humanity has conquered the galaxy and colonized countless star systems. The Galactic Empire, modeled along Prussian lines, and the democratic Free Planets Alliance are at war, and the fate of every human being in the universe hangs in the balance. This classic Japanese space opera, which was adapted into a legendary anime, is finally available in English for the first time.
School Judgment: Gakkyu Hotei, Vol. 1
Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuting Spring 2016
In order to curb the crime running rampant in the elementary school system, a new solution has been enacted in the form of the School Judgment System. Now the young students themselves will be responsible for solving the issues that befall them. But are they up for the task?
For more information on manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit For more information on other anime and manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit 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 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.
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