#IReadsYou DVD Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT Volume 1

VAMPIRE KNIGHT Volume 1 (2010)

• Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens • MSRP: $19.97 US / $28.99 CAN •
DVD Release Date: July 20, 2010
Studio: VIZ Media
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC (Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1)
Number of discs: 1
Language: English and Subtitles: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only)
Running time: 96 minutes; Rating: Not Rated
ASIN: B003JSSPU2

Contents:  Vampire Knight anime – Episodes 1-4

Vampire Knight is a shojo manga written and drawn by Matsuri Hino.  It was published from January 2005 to May 2013 in the Japanese comics magazine, LaLa.  VIZ Media published an English-language adaptation of Vampire Knight as a 19-volume paperback graphic novel series from January 2007 to October 2014 under its Shojo Beat imprint.

Japanese animation studio, Studio Deen, produced an anime series “Vampire Knight,” based on the manga.  It aired in Japan for two series in 2008.  VIZ Media and Warner Bros. originally released the “Vampire Knight” anime in English via a series of DVD releases, including 2014's Vampire Knight: The Complete Series.

In 2010, Warner Bros released the first collection, Vampire Knight, Vol. 1, which presents “Vampire Knight” Season One, Episodes 1 to 4.  The episodes are as follows:  #1 “Night of Vampires,” #2 “Memories of Blood,” #3 “The Fang of Penitence,” and #4 “Trigger of Condemnation.”  Back then, VIZ Media sent me a copy of Vampire Knight, Vol. 1 for review purposes.  This is an updated version of that review I wrote over a decade ago.

Vampire Knight is set at Cross Academy, a private boarding school.  Cross Academy has two classes:  the Day Class (the human students) and the Night Class (the vampire students).  At twilight, the Day Class students return to their dorms and cross paths with the Night Class on its way to school.  The Day Class doesn’t know the school’s dark secret that the Night Class students are vampires, but the Day Class girl students are madly in love with the boys of the Night Class

The story focuses on Yuki Cross, the adopted daughter of Headmaster Kaien Cross.  She partners with Zero Kiryu, a human student who struggles with the vampire’s thirst, and the two are the Guardians of the school, patrolling the hallways and school grounds to protect the Day Class students from the vampires.  Yuki and Zero form a kind of love triangle with Kaname Kuran, a pure blood vampire who is basically the unquestioned leader of the Night Class.  The series follows various intrigues related to the conflict between human and vampire, and the story also delves into the pasts of the three leads.

The four episodes included in this first DVD release introduce the plot, setting, characters, and mythology of Vampire Knight in such an easy and friendly way.  It will not be long into the first episode that the viewer will believe that she is well on her way to knowing and then loving these characters.  The series favors the Night Class over the Day Class, which seems to exist to praise and worship the Night Class.  The vampires are beautiful, sexy, and sassy, and their air of confidence is infectious.  The Day Class cast of characters is mostly dull.

The star, of course, is Yuki Cross.  In a series like Vampire Knight, what is needed is a character that is probably more nosy than curious and also brave enough to go where others will not go.  That will make viewers want to follow her quest and investigations, and Yuki will have the viewers hanging onto her.  The two male interests, Zero Kiryu and the vampire Kaname Kuran, are also quite good.  Their aloof, cocky natures are attractive, and if it is possible for an animated character to have a screen presence, they both have that.

The quality of the animation is good.  It emphasizes style and stylishness over movement and features vivid colors, lush background details, and elegant sets.  This look is perfect for the Gothic moodiness and romantic melodrama that defines the look and feel of Vampire Knight.

Vampire Knight, Vol. 1 will reveal some secrets, expose Zero’s affliction, and give viewers a shocking look at a kind of vampire that isn’t a sexy, laid back student.  While aimed at young women, Vampire Knight is a surprisingly engaging melodrama and will please anyone interested in soap operas – with vampires.  This is a cool take on vampire fiction similar to the tales of vampire romance that readers will find in Young Adult book series such as Twilight and Vampire Kisses.

EXTRAS:  This is a no frills DVD without any extras, although viewers are offered the option of watching episodes in Japanese with English subtitles or dubbed versions with voice actors providing English dialogue.

A-
7.5 out of 10

Updated review:  Thursday, December 17, 2020: by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT: Memories Volume 4

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES VOL. 4
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1076-8; paperback (March 2020); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight is a vampire romance and shojo manga from creator Matsuri Hino.  It was first serialized in the shojo manga magazine, LaLa, from 2004 to 2013.  It was collected in 19 tankōbon (similar to a graphic novel), and VIZ Media published the manga in an English-language edition as a graphic novel series under its “Shojo Beat” format.

Vampire Knight is set in and around Cross Academy, a school for vampires (the “Night Class”) and humans (the “Day Class”) and focused mostly on the following characters: Headmaster Kaien Cross; his stepdaughter, Yuki Cross, a pure-blood vampire; Zero Kiryu, a human suffering from the curse of the vampire; and Kaname Kuran, the progenitor of a pure-blood vampire family line.  At the end of Vampire Knight, Kaname sacrifices his body to create new vampire-killing weapons for the vampire-hunting Hunter Society and then, sleeps for a thousand years.

A few years after the end of the original series, Hino began producing a series of “special chapters.”  These “Memories” are chapters that recount the events which occurred during Kaname's slumber.  VIZ Media publishes Vampire Knight: Memories annually as a single-volume graphic novel.

Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 4 opens with the story, “Dark Shadows of the Underground.”  It is a precarious time in the relationship between vampires and humans.  A mysterious group calling itself the “Vampire King” has launched a terrorist campaign of bombings.  Yuki and Zero are determined to capture the Vampire King, a mission that will take them deep into the underground areas beneath the city.  With the help of Maria Kurenai, a young leader in the Hunter Society, they close in on the quarry.  Their target, however, is also prepared for them and has plans to take prisoners.

In “One Step After a Hundred Years,” Yuki realizes just how shocking what she blurted out to Zero is.  What will she do about what she said?  Is she willing to join Zero in a life-changing event?  Finally, in the stories, “The Hope Inside a Photo Album” and “Goodbye and Hello,” a rabble-rousing human mayor of a nearby city pulls a publicity stunt that leads to Headmaster Cross making a decision that will have momentous consequences.

[This volume includes the bonus story, “The End of a Certain Lady;” the one-page comic, “Memories of Little Consequence;” and “Editor's Notes.”]

I am a fan of the Vampire Knight manga, although I did not like the final graphic novel, Vampire Knight, Vol. 19.  As for the Vampire Knight: Memories manga, the various chapters have been of uneven quality.  Some are exceptionally good, while others run the gamut from good, to bad, to average. The graphic novel collections have been good, especially Vol. 2, and Vol. 3 stood out by focusing on romance.

Vampire Knight: Memories Graphic Novel Volume 4 picks up on a theme and plot line that began to play out in Vol. 3 – the rising tensions between humans and vampires after a period of peace between the two races.  Vol. 4 is filled with tense stand-offs, kidnappings, rescues, subterfuge, suspicion, bombings, and mad scientists.  There is also some romance and a shocking turn of events that I do not want to spoil.  I can say that in the chapters that comprise Vol. 4, creator Matsuri Hino has brought back the mystery and the violence and the romance and the drama that were the highlights of the best chapters in the original run of Vampire Knight.

Tetsuichiro Miyaki (translation) and Nancy Thislethwaite (English adaptation) do stellar work conveying the deep feelings of love and family between characters like Yuki, Zero, Headmaster Cross, and Ren and Ai (Yuki and Kaname's children).  They also capture the heartfelt emotions, the sadness, and the sense of hope that define the end of Vol. 4.  Inori Fukuda Trant's lovely and quiet lettering emphasizes the drama with power that lingers after the final page.

Fans of the original series would serve themselves well to obtain this fourth volume of Vampire Knight: Memories, especially if they have not really followed the series since its English-language debut in 2017.  Vol 4 is a winner for sure.

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.


----------------------

Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT: Memories Volume 3

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES VOL. 3
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0515-3; paperback (July 2019); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight is a vampire romance and shojo manga from creator Matsuri Hino.  It was published in the magazine, LaLa, from 2004 to 2013.  It has been collected in 19 tankōbon (similar to a graphic novel), and VIZ Media has published the manga in the United States as an English-language, paperback graphic novel series.

A few years after the end of the original series, Hino began producing a series of “special chapters.”  These are episodes of Vampire Knight that take place after the events depicted in Vampire Knight Volume 19, which contained the final chapters of original manga.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language translation of the new chapters in a graphic novel series, Vampire Knights: Memories.

Vampire Knight focuses on Yuki Cross, a student at the vampire (the “Night Class”) and human (the “Day Class”) school, Cross Academy.  Headmaster Kaien Cross is her stepfather, but Yuki eventually learns that she is a pure-blood vampire.  Her first love interest is Zero Kiryu, a human suffering from the curse of the vampire.  Yuki eventually falls in love with Kaname Kuran, a pure-blood vampire.  At the end of Vampire Knight, Kaname sacrifices his body to create new vampire-killing weapons for the vampire-hunting Hunter Society.

Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 3 opens with the chapter, entitled “Bond.”  Yuki and Zero encounter old friends, now aged, and new enemies.  All that pales next to the strength of their bond, and now, they have decided to become a couple.  In “Memories of Those Who Have Gone,” Kaien Cross reminisces about the photographs he took and the memories they recall.  Vampires Ruka and Akatsuki become engaged in the story, “Wedge,” and they marry in “Till Dust Do Us Part,” which also finds Yuki and Zero make decisions about their relationship.

[This volume includes the bonus stories, “A Vampire Who Claims that Friendship is the Source of Life” and “What is to Come;” a four-panel manga, “Memories of Little Consequence;” and “Editor's Notes.”]

In general, I enjoyed the Vampire Knight manga, although I was not a fan of the final graphic novel, Vol. 19.  I liked the first volume of the Vampire Knight: Memories manga, but I thought the second volume was stronger.

Vampire Knight: Memories Graphic Novel Volume 3 maintains the increase in the quality of drama that Vol. 2 presented.  I like that Cross Academy is back in play, but I am also intrigued by the increasing tensions between various factions of humans and vampires.  Intrigue will apparently yield acts of terrorism, double-dealing, double agents, and perhaps, some kind of biological warfare.

Best of all about Vol. 3 is the romance.  We have a wedding, a beautiful one that occurs at night.  The new state of affairs between Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu promises a resurgence of Vampire Knight.  How long will this “sequel” last?  Hopefully, it will last several more volumes – if love and war are the order of the Day (Class) with the creatures of the Night (Class).

A
8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

------------------

Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT: Memories Volume 2

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0024-0; paperback (August 2018); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight is a vampire romance and shojo manga from creator Matsuri Hino.  It was published in the magazine, LaLa, from 2004 to 2013.  It has been collected in 19 tankōbon (similar to a graphic novel), and VIZ Media has published the series in the United States as a series of English-language, paperback graphic novels.

A few years after the end of the original series, Hino began producing a series of “special chapters,” episodes of Vampire Knight that take place after the events depicted in Vampire Knight Volume 19, which contained the final chapters of Vampire Knight.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language translation of the new chapters in the graphic novel series, Vampire Knights: Memories.

Vampire Knight focuses on Yuki Cross, who eventually learns that she is a pure-blood vampire.  Her first love interest is Zero Kiryu, a human suffering from the curse of the vampire.  Yuki eventually falls in love with Kaname Kuran, a pure-blood vampire.  At the end of Vampire Knight, Kaname sacrifices his body to create new vampire-killing weapons for the vampire-hunting Hunter Society.

As Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 2 opens, Kaname experiences the events that occurred during his thousand-year slumber as memories.  While Kaname sleeps, Yuki and Zero begin a romance and contemplate marriage.  However, vampires begin threatening Zero because he is a vampire hunter, and they do not want him tainting, Yuki, their “pure-blood” princess.

Can Yuki and Zero overcome the forces arrayed against them?  Meanwhile, vampire scientist and inventor, Hanabusa Aido, begins a doomed romance with Sayori Wakaba, a young human woman.  Can either of them really accept the fact that Sayori will suffer the fate of all humans – to die one day, while Zero will not.

As I wrote in my review of the first volume of the Vampire Knight: Memories manga, I did not like the end of the first Vampire Knight manga, especially the “death” of Kaname.  In general, however, I really liked the series, and I enjoyed the prettiness of creator Matsuri Hino's art.

Vampire Knight: Memories Graphic Novel Volume 2 is a little stronger than the first volume.  The series is now more a melancholy supernatural romance, purely so.  The original series deals with the politics of Cross Academy, a school attended by vampires and humans who did not know that vampires attended.  Vampire Knight also focuses on the internal politics and intrigue of vampires and Hunters.

The new series is quite a bit different.  I like its focus on themes of love, family, and obligation.  The five chapters contained in this second volume also deal with how complicated relationships can be and with the fragility of life, especially that of humans.  If fans did not get enough of Vampire Knight, Vampire Knight: Memories is a worthy second serving.

A
8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------------------

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JUN182886    WARHAMMER 40K KNIGHTSBLADE PROSE NOVEL SC    $16.00
JUN182887    WARHAMMER 40K LUKAS TRICKSTER PROSE NOVEL SC    $16.00
JUN182889    WARHAMMER 40K WAR ARMAGEDDON PROSE NOVEL SC    $21.00
JUN182883    WARHAMMER HORUS HERESY BURDEN LOYALTY PROSE NOVEL SC    $18.00
MAY181573    WW PARADISE ISLAND YR TP JET POWERED JUSTICE    $4.95
MAY181576    WW PARADISE ISLAND YR TP UNBREAKABLE BRACELETS    $4.95
MAY181574    WW TALES OF PARADISE ISLAND YR TP LEGENDARY LASSO    $4.95
MAY181575    WW TALES OF PARADISE ISLAND YR TP TIARA & TITAN    $4.95

Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT Memories Volume 1

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9430-9; paperback (August 2017); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight was a vampire romance and shojo manga from creator Matsuri Hino.  It was published in the magazine, LaLa, from 2004 to 2013.  It was eventually collected in 19 tankōbon (similar to a graphic novel) and was also published in the United States (by VIZ Media).

Vampire Knight: Memories is a collection of four short stories that continues the world of Vampire Knight.  Written and drawn by Matsuri Hino, these stories delve into the past of some characters, and also explores the relationships between new characters and old.

The series was set in and around Cross Academy, a private boarding school with two classes:  the Day Class and the Night Class.  At twilight, the Day Class students returned to their dorm and crossed paths with the Night Class.  They did not know that the Night Class students were actually vampires.

The series lead was Yuki Cross, the adopted daughter of school headmaster, Kaien Cross, but she later learned that she was also a pure-blood vampire.  Her first love interest was Zero Kiryu, a human suffering from the curse of the vampire.  Together, Yuki and Zero were the Guardians of the school, patrolling the hallways and school grounds to protect the Day Class humans from the Night Class vampires.  Yuki eventually fell in love with Kaname Kuran, her fiancé who was raised as Yuki's sibling.  At the end of Vampire Knight, Kaname sacrificed his body to create new vampire-killing weapons for the Hunter Society.

As Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 1 opens, a peace has been established between the Hunters and the few remaining vampires.  Kaname continues to sleep in an ice coffin, and Yuki has given her heart so that he can be revived as a human.  Yuki and Zero begin a new relationship.  Yuki's birth daughter, Ai, and her adopted son, Ren, seek to learn more about Kaname.  Memories contain four stories that tell about life during the 1,000 years of Kaname's slumber in an ice coffin.

I was not crazy about the end of the Vampire Knight manga, especially the “death” of Kaname.  In general, however, I really liked the series, and I enjoyed the prettiness of creator Matsuri Hino's art.

Vampire Knight: Memories Volume 1 contains four manga short stories:  “Life,” “I Love You,” “Love's Desire,” and “Between Death and Heaven.”  The most poignant segment of this volume is the “Seiren's Side Story” part of “Between Death and Heaven,” which reiterates that while the vampire leads of this series are adorable, most other vampire characters are monsters.

If I understand correctly, there will be more of these “Memories” stories, which I hope is the case.  A lot happens in a thousand years, and there are a number of shocking deaths and demises in the stories of Memories Vol. 1 that need some narrative expanding.  These four stories are, for the most part, a really good addition to Vampire Knight, and I think fans will want to read them and want to read more.

A-
7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------

Review: Matsuri Hino Presents LAST NIGHT - Vampire Knight Illustrations

MATSURI HINO PRESENTS LAST NIGHT: VAMPIRE KNIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7605-3; hardback (October 2014); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
44pp, B&W, $15.99 U.S., $18.99 CAN, £9.99 UK (for graphic novel and art book set)

Vampire Knight is a shojo manga series written and drawn by manga creator, Matsuri Hino.  VIZ Media recently published the final graphic novel collection of the series with the release of Vampire Knight Volume 19, on October 14, 2014.  Vol. 19 was released in a regular edition graphic novel and also a “Limited Edition” with an alternate cover.  The Limited Edition is actually a two-book collection that includes a hardcover mini art book entitled, Matsuri Hino Presents Last Night: Vampire Knight Illustrations.  [The Vampire Knight “Night Class” Manga Box Set 2, to be released November 4, 2014, will also include a copy of Last Night.]

Last Night contains over 40 full-color illustrations drawn and colored by Hino.  Most of these illustrations appeared in LaLa, the Japanese manga magazine in which Vampire Knight was originally serialized.  Many of the series' characters appear in these illustrations, but the characters which are most depicted are, of course, Vampire Knight's (un)holy trinity of and love triangle:  Yuki Cross, Zero Kiryu, and Kaname Kuran.

Is the packaging price of Vampire Knight Limited Edition 19 money well spent?  Well, my generous VIZ Media rep gave me both the single-volume regular edition and Limited Edition set.  The Limited Edition costs $6 more than the regular edition, and Last Night is worth the extra six bucks, especially if you, dear reader, are a fan of Matsuri Hino's illustrations.

Hino's moody, pouting, and contemplative vampires are gorgeous.  Other than their school uniforms, little of the characters' clothing could be “off the rack,” unless the clothes are off a rack found in an acclaimed fashion designer's personal work place.  These are fashion icon vampires.  As we leave the world of Vampire Knight, Last Night is the kind of neato item we might grab before we turn off the lights on our way out.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for October 1, 2014

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

MAY141546     ACG COLL WORKS ADV INTO UNKNOWN HC VOL 09     $47.99
JUN141386     ACG COLL WORKS ADV INTO UNKNOWN SLIPCASE ED VOL 09     $64.99
JUL141004     ADVENTURE TIME #32     $3.99
JUN140986     ADVENTURE TIME MATHEMATICAL ED HC VOL 04     $34.99
JUL141044     ALONE GN VOL 02 MASTER OF KNIVES     $11.95
JUL141051     AND THEN EMILY WAS GONE #3 (MR)     $3.50
JUL141045     ANTARES TP VOL 05     $11.95
JUL141483     ARMOR HUNTERS #4 CVR B FOWLER (AH)     $3.99
AUG141710     ARMOR HUNTERS AFTERMATH #1 REG CVR BERNARD     $3.99
JUN141284     BABY SITTERS CLUB GN VOL 02 TRUTH ABOUT STACEY NEW PTG     $10.99
JUL140928     BAD KIDS GO TO HELL TP VOL 02 (MR)     $14.99
JUL141281     BIRD & SQUIRREL GN VOL 02     $8.99
JUN141339     BLACK METAL OMNIBUS GN     $24.99
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JUL140046     HCF 2014 ANGRY BIRD COMICS MINI COMIC PACK     PI
JUL140040     HCF 2014 ARCHIE BETTY & VERONICA MINI COMIC PACK     PI
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JUL140050     HCF 2014 LITTLE BATTLERS EXPERIENCE MINI PACK     PI
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AUG141470     HIP HOP FAMILY TREE GN BOX SET 1975-1983     $59.99
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FEB142548     MINECRAFT OFFICIAL MOJANG CONSTRUCTION HANDBOOK HC     $7.99
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AUG141426     PLUME V2 #1     $2.99
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JUL140999     REGULAR SHOW #15     $3.99
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AUG141163     ROBOCOP 2014 #4 (MR)     $3.99
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JUL140751     SING NO EVIL HC GN     $24.95
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JUL140843     SONIC UNIVERSE #68 REG CVR (NOTE PRICE)     $3.99
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AUG141863     VIXENS VAMPS & VIPERS LOST VILLAINESSES OF GOLDEN AGE COMICS     $16.95
JUN141330     WASTE OF TIME #2 (MR)     $4.99
AUG141173     WOODS #6     $3.99
JUL140833     WORLD OF ARCHIE COMICS DIGEST #43 (NOTE PRICE)     $4.99
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MAGAZINES
JUN140925     BLEEDING COOL MAGAZINE #12 (MR)     $4.99
JUL141740     CINEFEX #139     $12.50
AUG141955     COMIC SHOP NEWS #1424     PI
JUN141681     DC BATMAN AUTO FIG MAG #41 THE RETURN #1     $20.00
JUL141703     DC BATMAN AUTO FIG MAG #42 NEW ADV OF BATMAN ANIMATED SERIES     $20.00
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MAY141851     MARVEL FACT FILES #37 CASSANDRA NOVA COVER     $6.00
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JUN141688     MARVEL FACT FILES #41 ELECTRO COVER     $6.00
JUN141689     MARVEL FACT FILES #42 ENCHANTRESS COVER     $6.00
JUN141690     MARVEL FACT FILES #43 SHANNA THE SHE-DEVIL COVER     $6.00
JUN141691     MARVEL FACT FILES #44 THANOS COVER     $6.00
JUL141712     MARVEL FACT FILES #45 DOMINO COVER     $6.00
JUL141713     MARVEL FACT FILES #46 DARK PHOENIX COVER     $6.00
JUL141714     MARVEL FACT FILES #47 MARY JANE COVER     $6.00
JUL141715     MARVEL FACT FILES #48 CLASSIC IRON MAN COVER     $6.00
APR141670     MEGAMI JUL 2014     $16.60
APR141671     NEWTYPE JUL 2014     $16.00
MAY141874     RUE MORGUE SPECIAL #2 HORROR MOVIE HEROES     $14.95
AUG141968     SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #94     $8.95

BOOKS
JUL141700     ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONS HC VOL 03 SHOULDNT YOU BE IN SCHOOL     $16.00
JUL141626     ART OF JIM BURNS HYPERLUMINAL HC     $34.95
AUG141847     ART OF PINTURERO SC (MR)     $14.95
AUG141752     ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT HC     $24.99
APR141077     ART OF VAMPIRELLA DYNAMITE YEARS HC     $39.99
JUL141641     BATMAN YEAR BY YEAR VISUAL CHRONICLE HC     $50.00
AUG141885     COMPENDIUM OF FANTASY ART TECHNIQUES STEP BY STEP GUIDE SC     $29.99
AUG141886     DIGITAL PAINTING TECHNIQUES SC VOL 06     $49.99
MAY141825     GREMLINS GIZMO MINATURE KIT     $9.95
JUL141701     I AM ALBERT EINSTEIN YR HC     $12.99
JUL141678     JAMES BOND ENCYCLOPEDIA UPDATED ED HC     $40.00
AUG141906     NICOLAIDES NATURAL WAY TO DRAW SC NEW PTG     $16.95
AUG141471     SUPERTRASH SC HERMAPHRO CHIC MOVIE FETISH ART (MR)     $29.99
AUG141698     UDON ART OF CAPCOM COMP ED HC     $79.99
JUL141696     WALKING DEAD MMPB VOL 03 FALL OF GOVERNOR PT 1     $7.99
JUL141697     WALKING DEAD POSTER COLLECTION VOL 02     $24.99
JUL142582     WARHAMMER 40K FALSE GODS MMPB NEW ED     $9.99
APR141540     WEIRD OH WORLD ART OF BILL CAMPBELL SC     $39.99

Vampire Knight: Origin Metal Jacket

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 18

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, and you can follow me on Twitter or even contribute to my Indiegogo campaign.

Vampire Knight: Underground Tablets

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 16

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Vampire Knight: Return to Cross Academy

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 15

I posted a review at ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

VIZ Media Offers New Releases for Holiday Season

VIZ MEDIA SHOWCASES A DIVERSE COLLECTION OF NEW MANGA RELEASES TO MAKE UNIQUE GIFT SELECTIONS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

New Releases For BAKUMAN｡, BLUE EXORCIST, DEATH NOTE, D. GRAY MAN, NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, VAMPIRE KNIGHT And More Among The Best-Loved Series That Are Sure To Top Holiday Wish Lists

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, offers a wide variety of unique art books and manga (graphic) releases – several of them brand new series – that make ideal gift selections for even the most discriminating fan this holiday season.

From the debut of Natsume Ono’s TESORO and the brand new shojo series, DAWN OF ARCANA, by Rei Toma, to a box set of the recently concluded FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, to the latest editions of popular ongoing titles including BAKUMAN｡, BLUE EXORCIST, DEATH NOTE BLACK EDITION, NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, and the recently launched PSYREN, there will be plenty of aspiring young manga artists, spirit bending exorcists, royal romantic intrigue, charming stories of bonds between friends & family, tales of alchemy and more to complement everyone’s holiday season this year. And for the fan that has been especially good all year, don’t miss two gorgeously illustrated art books for D.GRAY-MAN and VAMPIRE KNIGHT. Each is filled with vivid character art, concept drawings, and insightful artist commentaries and also includes a full-color poster.

BAKUMAN｡,Vol. 8 · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN· Available December 6th
Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world?

BLUE EXORCIST, Vol. 5 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available December 6th
Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth – the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin’s veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself. Can Rin fight demons and keep his infernal bloodline a secret? It won't be easy, especially when drawing his father’s sword releases the demonic power within him!

D.GRAY-MAN ILLUSTRATIONS · MSRP: $21.99 U.S. / $25.99 CAN · Available December 6th
Enter the fictional 19th-century world of D. GRAY MAN with lavish color artwork from its creator, Katsura Hoshino, showcasing her graphic novel and magazine covers and more! Additionally, this book features insightful Q&As between Hoshino and two manga creators who inspire her: Takeshi Obata, the artist behind HIKARU NO GO and BAKUMAN and the smash hit DEATH NOTE; and Osamu Akimoto, the creator of Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen Mae Hashutsujo. Kochira has been serialized in the best-selling boy's manga magazine in the world, Weekly Shonen Jump, for 35 years and is the magazine’s longest-running manga series. Edition also includes an exclusive, double-sided, full-color poster.

DAWN of the Arcana, Vol. 1 · Rated “T” for Teens MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN· Available December 6th
Princess Nakaba of Senan is forced to marry Prince Caesar of the enemy country Belquat, tantamount to becoming a hostage. While Caesar is pleasing to the eye, he is also selfish and possessive, telling Nakaba outright: “You are my property.” With only her attendant Loki at her side, Nakaba must find a way to cope with her hostile surroundings, her fake marriage...and a mysterious power!

DEATH NOTE BLACK EDITION, Vol. 6 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN· Available Now!
Don’t miss the final omnibus volume of the Black Edition series collecting DEATH NOTE Volumes 11 and 12. Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects – and he’s bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal…or his life?

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST MANGA BOX SET · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $219.99 U.S. / CAN · Available Now!
This best-selling action series is now available in a complete manga box set! Includes volumes 1-27, plus extras such as Fullmetal Alchemist Novel: The Ties That Bind and a full-color, two-sided poster. Over a 20% savings over buying the individual volumes!

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical ""auto-mail"" limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother's bodies...the legendary Philosopher's Stone.

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, Vol. 6 · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available December 6th
While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He's three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then Rikuo transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.

PSYREN, Vol. 1 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Available Now!
Ageha Yoshina just got transported to a warped alternate dimension where you've got to fight your way back to our world – or die trying. "Save me!" Those were Sakurako Amamiya's last words to her friend Ageha Yoshina before she mysteriously went missing. Now Ageha's on a quest to find her. He's convinced that the mythical Psyren Secret Society has something to do with the recent rash of disappearances. And now he seems to be caught up as a player in their very deadly game...

TESORO · Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN · Available November 15th
TESORO is a treasure of 14 charming stories about family, friends, couples and unexpected bonds. Written by Natsume Ono over ten years, this is the long-awaited collection of her early work, including numerous illustrations and previously unpublished stories!

THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT · MSRP: $24.99 U.S. / $28.99 CAN · Available Now!
Cross over into the mysterious and deadly world of VAMPIRE KNIGHT with the lush, full-color artwork of Matsuri Hino. This hard cover edition includes an extensive gallery with author comments, a how-to tutorial, and an exclusive poster.

Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

X 3-In-1 DELUXE Collectors Edition, Vol. 1 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN · Available Now!
X, the epic series from CLAMP, is now available in this deluxe collector’s edition. The pages have been recomposed in the original right-to-left reading order and restored to the highest quality. Each volume contains three of the original graphic novels, along with gorgeous, full-color illustrations never before published outside Japan!

Kamui Shiro is a young man followed by mystery. Taken from Tokyo by his mother when only a child, Kamui left behind his dearest friends—the gentle Kotori and her brother Fuma—in the aftermath of a terrible incident that claimed their mother's life. Returning to Tokyo following his mother's death, Kamui is a changed young man – moody and distant to his old friends, yet determined to protect them from the dark forces that swirl around him. It turns out that he is the nexus of a great cataclysm to come, and the inheritor to a strange destiny that could decide the fate of the entire world.

For more information on VIZ Media manga titles, please visit: http://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 http://www.viz.com/

Leroy Douresseaux on THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MATSURI HINO ILLUSTRATIONS

THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MATSURI HINO ILLUSTRATIONS
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION & ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4005-4; hardcover; Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
94pp, Color, $24.99 U.S., $28.99 CAN, £16.99 UK

Matsuri Hino is a Japanese manga artist or mangaka. She made her debut in 1995 with a one-shot manga. Her first series, Captive Hearts, which began publication in 1999, was about a young man bound to a teenaged girl via a family curse. Hino is now most famous as the creator of Vampire Knight.

Vampire Knight is a popular shojo manga that first appeared in January 2005 in LaLa magazine, a Japanese manga publication. Vampire Knight became a media franchise with the publication of light novels, video games, and two 13-episode anime series, among other things.

VIZ Media is Vampire Knight’s English-language publisher, releasing the series in a graphic novel format, beginning in 2006. The company recently published the 13th English volume of Vampire Knight (October 4th). VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the Vampire Knight Official Fanbook, a guide to the manga that is filled with illustrations, trivia, and general information.

VIZ Media also recently published The Art of Vampire Knight: Matsuri Hino Illustrations. Originally published in Japan in 2010, this hardcover, full-color book is exactly what the title declares on the cover: the art of Vampire Knight as presented through illustrations by Hino depicting characters from the Vampire Knight manga.

Vampire Knight is set at the private boarding school, Cross Academy, where there are two classes – the Day Class and the Night Class. The Day Class students are humans. When they return to their dorms at twilight, the Day Class doesn’t know that the Night Class students that are on their way to school are actually vampires. Vampire Knight’s main character is Yuki Cross, the adopted daughter of Headmaster Kainen Cross. Yuki’s earliest memory is of being attacked by a vampire.

There are two co-leads. One is Zero Kiryu, a human suffering the curse of the vampire. Yuki and Zero are Guardians at Cross Academy; they patrol the hallways and school grounds to protect the students of the Day Class from the vampires. The other co-lead is Kaname Kuran, a pureblood vampire who is the leader of the Night Class. Yuki is attracted to Kaname, and the two actually have a connection revealed later in the series.

Quite a bit of the movie Underworld (2003) takes place at the mansion of a vampire coven. Most of the vampires in the film are sleek and sexy; hair is cool platinum blonde or dark and sexy dangerous. They lounge around their posh estate, with its Gothic flourishes, in icy luxury.

The Art of Vampire Knight is a catalog of similar images. There are vampires in tuxedos, Goth-Loli girls, Victorian fashions, Pre-Raphaelite touches, etc. Actually, much of what Matsuri Hino presents is a blending of many styles, but an artist must take her influences and create something that is uniquely her own, even with its familiar elements. Hino has certainly done that.

The two-page spread on pp 40-41 is oddly familiar, with its wings-as-drapery, but Hino fans know this can only be Hino. Illustration meets fashion design, and the art of Vampire Knight is born. Vampire Knight fans, get this book. Clutch it to your bosoms. You might even want to… get down with it… so to speak.

A

Vampire Knight: Distant Memories

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 13.

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.

"The Art of Vampire Knight" Coming in September

VIZ MEDIA DEBUTS THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT

New Hardcover Edition Features Captivating Artwork From The Bestselling Manga Series By Matsuri Hino

VIZ Media invites fans to savor the lavish, gothic-inspired illustrations of manga (graphic novel) creator Matsuri Hino in THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT, scheduled for release on September 6th. The new hardcover edition will carry an MSRP of $24.99 U.S./$28.99 CAN.

THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT is an ideal companion to the bestselling manga series, and contains your favorite images in color plus never-before-seen artwork in the United States. The new book features an extensive character gallery with author comments, a how-to tutorial, and an exclusive full-color VAMPIRE KNIGHT poster.

Cross over into this mysterious and dangerous world of vampires with the lush artwork of Matsuri Hino. VAMPIRE KNIGHT takes readers to Cross Academy, which is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorms, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy’s dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

VAMPIRE KNIGHT (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) was created by Matsuri Hino, who burst onto the manga scene with her debut title, When This Dream Is Over, in LaLa DX magazine. With the success of subsequent series such as CAPTIVE HEARTS and MERU PURI (both published in the U.S. by VIZ Media), Hino has established herself as a major force in the world of shojo manga. VAMPIRE KNIGHT is currently serialized in LaLa magazine. VIZ Media also offers the VAMPIRE KNIGHT anime series on DVD and episodes are available online through its innovative video streaming web destination at VIZAnime.com.

For more information on the VAMPIRE KNIGHT manga and to read free manga previews online, please visit http://www.shojobeat.com/.

Announcing VIZManga.com

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES VIZMANGA.COM

Extension of VIZ Media’s Digital Platform Expands Manga Audience to All Web Users in U.S. and Canada

San Francisco and San Diego, CA, July 22, 2011 – VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in the North America, announced the launch of VIZManga.com at their 25th Anniversary Party in San Diego during the annual Comic-Con International convention. The website joins VIZ Media’s existing digital manga platform and launched with 40 series currently available on the VIZ MANGA App for iOS devices, including the wildly popular titles NARUTO, BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB and VAMPIRE KNIGHT. With this expansion of the platform, fans can browse and access their digital manga from VIZManga.com and through the VIZ Manga Apps for the iPad™ and iPhone™/iPod™ touch. With one account, registered users will be able to view their purchases across even more devices than ever.

“Our digital publishing team wants manga to be available to as many fans as possible, no matter what device or digital experience people prefer,” said Brian Piech, Vice President, Digital Publishing. “Making our extensive library of the best titles direct from Japan available on VIZManga.com is a natural extension of our current VIZ MANGA apps available on all iOS devices. One purchase can now be read across multiple devices.”

VIZ Media’s digital manga platform allows for universal access for fans from their iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or now, VIZManga.com. Pricing for manga titles on the web will be identical to the VIZ MANGA app. The first chapter of all manga titles will be available as a free preview. Through July 31st, all Volume 1 manga titles will be 40% off.

The VIZ Media digital platform now has an online destination for reading manga on desktop/laptop computers and on Android-powered devices with built-in web browsers. The VIZ Manga App continues to be the top app for reading manga on iOS devices and features a rapidly growing library of the most popular manga series in the world, currently offering 40 series and over 300 volumes, with new additions and free Chapter 1 previews added weekly.

For more information, visit http://www.vizmanga.com/ or www.VIZ.com/apps.

Vampire Knight: Yuki Cross Will Go Kervorkian on Your Ass

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 12

I  posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).

March Explodes with VIZ Media Titles for the iPad

MARCH MANGA MADNESS LAUNCHES FOR THE VIZ MANGA APP FOR THE iPAD

VIZ Manga App Surpasses 100 Volumes Milestone in March; All Volume 1’s Available For Download in March For Only $0.99

VIZ Media continues to rapidly expand its online library of manga (graphic novel) titles available from the FREE VIZ MANGA APP for the Apple® iPad™ mobile device. By the end of March, over 100 volumes will be available for download. To celebrate, a special March-only promotion will launch that makes all Volume 1 manga titles available for only $0.99 (instead of $4.99).

After shopping, also enter to win a $50 iTunes gift card by taking the VIZ Manga App survey. The latest updates for the first week of March feature new additions to 8 of the 16 popular VIZ Media series currently available. More special offers will be announced throughout the month and users should check the App frequently for new announcements.

The VIZ MANGA APP is available for FREE through the iTunes Store and manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume. The VIZ MANGA APP also now features a new software upgrade (Version 3.0), which delivers better functionality including bookmarks, improved storage, navigation, and the ability to browse-by-series in the "My Manga" library. Push notifications will also automatically notify users when new volumes of favorite bookmarked titles are added.

Sixteen series are now available on the VIZ Manga App; manga volumes available this week include:

BAKUMAN｡ Vol. 2
BLEACH Vol. 9
CAPTIVE HEARTS Vol. 2
CLAYMORE Vol. 4
D.GRAY MAN Vol. 5
DEATH NOTE Vol. 7
DRAGON BALL Vol. 14
MERUPURI Vol. 2
NARUTO Vol. 15
NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS Vol. 1
ONE PIECE Vol. 15
OTOMEN Vol. 3
OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB Vol. 3
RUROUNI KENSHIN Vol. 7
TORIKO Vol. 2
VAMPIRE KNIGHT Vol. 4

The recently launched VIZ MANGA APP is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with a downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad are featured.

For more information on the VIZ MANGA APP, please visit www.VIZ.com/apps/.

New VIZ Media Manga for the iPad

VIZ MEDIA DEBUTS NEW MANGA ON THE FREE-TO-DOWNLOAD VIZ MANGA APP FOR THE iPad

VAMPIRE KNIGHT, OTOMEN, OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB And RUROUNI KENSHIN Join Lineup of Legendary Manga Series Available

VIZ Media announces the launch of VAMPIRE KNIGHT (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (rated ‘T’ for Teens), OTOMEN (rated ‘T’ for Teens), and RUROUNI KENSHIN (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), available now from the VIZ MANGA APP on the Apple® iPad™ mobile device. The VIZ MANGA APP is available for free download through the iTunes Store, and all manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada directly within the application for $4.99 per volume.

The recently launched VIZ MANGA APP is the leading application to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with a downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad are featured.

Other series now available for download on the VIZ Manga App include volumes from BLEACH (rated ‘T’ for Teens), BAKUMAN｡ (rated ‘T’ for Teens), DEATH NOTE (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens), DRAGON BALL (rated ‘T’ for Teens), NARUTO (rated ‘T’ for Teens), and ONE PIECE (rated ‘T’ for Teens).

In OTOMEN, a romantic comedy by creator Aya Kanno, Asuka Masamune is a guy who loves girly things--sewing, knitting, making cute stuffed animals and reading shojo comics. But in a world where boys are expected to act manly, Asuka must hide his beloved hobbies and play the part of a masculine jock instead. Can Asuka ever show his true self to anyone, much less to Ryo Miyakozuka, the girl that he's falling for?

In the screwball romantic comedy OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB by Bisco Hatori, 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...

Action, romance, and historical intrigue help make Nobuhiro Watsuki's RUROUNI KENSHIN, the tale of a wandering swordsman set against the backdrop of the Meiji Restoration, one of the most popular Shonen Jump titles among fans to date! Himura Kenshin, once an assassin of ferocious power, is now a humble rurouni, a wandering swordsman fighting to protect the honor of those in need.

In fan favorite hit VAMPIRE KNIGHT, by Matsuri Hino, Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

For more information on the VIZ MANGA APP, please visit www.VIZ.com/apps/.

VIZ Media Announces New Titles for Spring and Summer 2011

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES NEW MANGA ACQUISITIONS FOR SPRING & SUMMER 2011

 

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announced the forthcoming releases for Spring and Summer 2011. The diverse new lineup offers something for everyone, from the supernatural adventures of NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN and BLUE EXORCIST, to the rough-and-tumble action of TENJO TENGE, to a slice-of-life peek at the tenants of an apartment in Italy in LA QUINTA CAMERA, to the long-awaited artbook of the hit VAMPIRE KNIGHT series.

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN Volume 1 • Rated ‘T’ for Teens • Shonen Jump • MSRP: $9.99 US / $12.99 CAN • Available February 1, 2011

While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He's three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then Rikuo transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.

BLUE EXORCIST Volume 1 • Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens • Shonen Jump Advanced • MSRP: $9.99 US / $12.00 CAN • Available April 5, 2011

Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth—the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin’s veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself. Can Rin fight demons and keep his infernal bloodline a secret? It won't be easy, especially when drawing his father’s sword releases the demonic power within him!

TENJO TENGE Volume 1 • Rated ‘M’ for Mature • VIZ Signature • MSRP: $17.99 US / $21.00 CAN • Available June 21, 2011

By popular demand, VIZ Signature presents an all-new publication of a fan favorite—now 100% faithful to the original and in 2-in-1 editions featuring 16 pages of full-color art!

Knuckle-busting brawls, badass babes, and the toughest student body ever to mix it up under one roof. Welcome to Todo High, where the only rule is: get strong or get schooled. Soichiro Nagi and Bob Makihara have always been the meanest street brawlers around. When they enter Todo High they plan on carving out a reputation as the strongest fighters in their new school—easier said than done in a place that's dedicated to training its students in the art of combat!

LA QUINTA CAMERA • Rated ‘T’ for Teens • VIZ Signature • MSRP: $12.99 US / $14.99 CAN • Available July 19, 2011

A charming suite of linked stories from the acclaimed author of not simple and House of Five Leaves, set in an apartment in Italy. In four of the rooms live four single men with singular personalities. Into this peculiar ménage steps an exchange student, the new tenant of the fifth room. Brought together by chance, friends by choice, they pursue their dreams together as the days drift gently by.

THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT • Shojo Beat • MSRP: $24.99 US / $28.00 CAN • Available September 6, 2011

Cross over into the world of VAMPIRE KNIGHT with the lush, full-color artwork of Matsuri Hino. This deluxe hardcover edition includes an extensive gallery with author comments, a how-to tutorial, and an exclusive poster.

For more information on these titles, or others from VIZ Media, please visit http://www.viz.com/.