VIZ Media had another productive con, snapping up season one of hit game-inspired anime Castlevania and a slate of promising manga titles and books inspired by a Hayao Miyazaki classic for its catalog. The news was shared during the publisher/distributor’s official panel at San Diego Comic-Con.
Inspired by the classic Konami game series and produced by Frederator Studios for Netflix (animation by Powerhouse in Texas), Castlevania is a dark medieval fantasy following the last surviving member of the disgraced Belmont clan, trying to save Eastern Europe from extinction by the vengeful hands of powerful vampire Vlad Dracula Tepes. In S1, embittered and excommunicated Trevor Belmont finds himself drawn into a battle for the survival of a region that has brought doom upon itself by taking away the one thing its greatest monster loved.
“We are very excited to announce VIZ Media’s acquisition of the Castlevania animated series,” says Brian Ige, VIZ Media’s Vice President of Animation. “The series has drawn a wide following and we look forward to giving new and existing fans the opportunity to add this adventure to their personal collections.”
“Castlevania is one of those unique series that had instant global recognition and popularity. Frederator is proud to have VIZ as one of our special global partners, singularly equipped to reach our fans across the world,” says Fred Seibert, President & CEO of Frederator Networks. VIZ has previously licensed publishing titles based on Frederator properties Bravest Warriors and Bee and PuppyCat.
The newly announced VIZ Media publishing slate includes:
MY HERO ACADEMIA: SCHOOL BRIEFS, By Kohei Horikoshi and Anri Yoshi
Debuts Spring 2019
The U.A. High School hero course teaches young hopefuls everything they need to become heroes. Between killer events like the sports festival and internships, there’s even a Parents’ Day! Life is never dull for the students of U.A. High!
URUSEI YATSURA, By Rumiko Takahashi
Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · Debuts Winter 2019
Revisit the acclaimed romantic comedy about an unlucky human boy who meets a beautiful space alien princess in this large trim size edition with all-new translations and new cover designs. In the series, Ataru Moroboshi’s supernatural encounters with the feminine kind all start when he’s chosen to play tag with an alien princess named Lum who invades the earth on her UFO. Ataru has 10 days to touch Lum’s horns or aliens will take over the earth! As it turns out, the game of tag is only the beginning of Ataru’s troubles, as he continues to attract strange encounters with otherworldly beings like beautiful snow spirit Oyuki and the sexy crow goblin Princess Kurama!
FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: THE COMPLETE FOUR-PANEL COMICS, By Hiromu
Arakawa
Rated ‘T’ for Teens · Debuts Spring 2019
Collects all of author Hiromu Arakawa’s beloved four-panel comic strips from the graphic novel series, her bonus strips from the anime DVDs of Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and rare strips from Japan! No joke is too cheesy and there are no sacred cows when Arakawa takes up her pen to spoof her own characters in this delightfully zany take on Fullmetal Alchemist!
THE ART OF NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND, By Hayao Miyazaki
Debuts Spring 2019
Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, based on his own manga, was released in 1984 and has been a cult classic ever since.
NAUSICCAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND PICTURE BOOK, By Hayao
Miyazaki
Debuts Spring 2019
In a long-ago war, humankind set off a devastating ecological disaster. The earth is slowly submerging beneath the expanding Sea of Corruption, an enormous toxic forest that creates mutant insects and poisonous spores. Beyond the sea lies the Valley of the Wind, a kingdom of barely 500 citizens and home to Nausicaä, who risks everything to save her people and bring peace and health to the valley. Includes sketches, developmental water colors, cel animation, and more.
More information about VIZ Media anime and publishing titles at www.viz.com.
