ACF 1042: VIZ acquires license for anime action series "Tiger & Bunny"

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES PRODUCT LICENSE FOR
HOT NEW ANIME ACTION SERIES TIGER & BUNNY

A Washed-Up Veteran And A Rookie With An Attitude Team Up
To Become The Best And Worst Superhero Duo Of All Time!

VIZ Media has announced it has been named the exclusive U.S. product licensor for the new animated crime-fighting action series TIGER & BUNNY. The company will showcase the property to a variety of potential merchandise partners during the 2011 Licensing International Expo, held in Las Vegas, June 14th-16th, 2011. VIZ Media will be located in Booth #2481.

The Licensing International Expo is held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center and is the preeminent marketplace for the hottest international brands and properties. The vent features a show floor of more than 7,000 properties from all of Hollywood’s major film studios, global entertainment companies, Fortune 500 consumer brands, sporting teams, interactive properties, fashion labels, and cutting-edge artists and designers. The annual event celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2010.

TIGER & BUNNY currently simulcasts the same day it debuts in Japan on HULU (www.Hulu.com) and VIZAnime.com, the company’s own exclusive web destination for anime. TIGER & BUNNY Blu-ray currently rank Number 1 on Amazon Japan, and a wide variety of toys, collectables, and other products are already licensed for the Japanese market.

“We’re very excited to participate again at the Licensing International Expo, and this year we’ll showcase TIGER & BUNNY, a new series that has been the subject of tremendous buzz among fan circles,” says Tracy Hanchett, Director, Consumer Products. “With its multi-textured characters and unique blend of comedy and over the top action, the TIGER & BUNNY brand is ideally suited to a range of product merchandising options across all categories for the key male 14-25 demographic. We look forward to meeting with leading product partners at the show to explore the exciting range of possibilities for this hot new property.”

TIGER & BUNNY (rated TV-14) is directed by Keiichi Sato (director of KARAS), with original character designs by Masakazu Katsura, creator of the manga series, I”S and VIDEO GIRL AI (also published by VIZ Media). Stern Bild is a metropolitan city where superheroes called NEXT help to maintain peace. Sporting sponsor logos on their suits, these heroes work to solve cases and save people’s lives in order to earn Hero Points, while also helping to improve the public image of their corporate sponsors. Their activities are documented and broadcast by the popular show “HERO TV,” in which each superhero strives to become the “King of Heroes” of the year.

One such hero is Wild Tiger (real name Kotetsu T. Kaburagi), a veteran superhero who relies on his years of experience and instincts to fight crime. Though obligated to work for his boss’s best interest, Kotetsu follows his own code of honor and is even willing to cause destruction to public property for the sake of protecting the lives of his fellow citizens. Over time, he has grudgingly earned the nickname “Crusher for Justice.” Now, Kotetsu suddenly finds himself forced to team up with rookie hero Barnaby Brooks Jr.

To view the official trailer and to follow TIGER & BUNNY on the official Facebook page, visit http://www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny.

More information on TIGER & BUNNY and other animated titles from VIZ Media is available at www.VIZAnime.com.

ACF 955: "Tiger & Bunny" to premiere on VIZAnime.com on Saturday, April 2nd

LIFE ISN’T EASY WHEN YOU’RE A FULLTIME SUPERHERO

IN HOT NEW ANIME ACTION SERIES TIGER & BUNNY,

SIMULCASTING ON VIZANIME.COM

A Washed-Up Veteran And A Rookie With An Attitude Team Up

To Become The Best And Worst Superhero Duo Of All Time!

VIZ Media invites fans to dive into the crime-fighting action of one of the most anticipated anime series of 2011 with the simulcast premiere of TIGER & BUNNY on Saturday, April 2nd. The new series launches on VIZAnime.com, the company’s exclusive web destination for anime, the same day it debuts in Japan! New FREE weekly episodes (subtitled) will be available to stream on VIZAnime beginning at 12:00pm (PST) each Saturday.

TIGER & BUNNY (rated TV-14) is directed by Keiichi Sato (director of THE BIG O), with original character designs by Masakazu Katsura, creator of I”S and VIDEO GIRL AI (also released by VIZ Media). Stern Bild is a metropolitan city where superheroes called NEXT help to maintain peace. Sporting sponsor logos on their suits, these heroes work to solve cases and save people’s lives in order to earn Hero Points, while also helping to improve the public image of their corporate sponsors. Their activities are documented and broadcast by the popular show “HERO TV,” in which each superhero strives to become the “King of Heroes” of the year.

One such hero is Wild Tiger (real name Kotetsu T. Kaburagi), a veteran superhero who relies on his years of experience and instincts to fight crime. Though obligated to work for his boss’s best interest, Kotetsu follows his own code of honor and is even willing to cause destruction to public property for the sake of protecting the lives of his fellow citizens. Over time, he has grudgingly earned the nickname “Crusher for Justice.” Now, Kotetsu suddenly finds himself forced to team up with rookie hero Barnaby Brooks Jr.

“TIGER & BUNNY is the latest series from the famed anime studio, Sunrise, and we’re very excited to make it available to fans in North America exclusively through VIZAnime.com,” says Ken Sasaki, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of VIZ Media. “The inventive story matches a veteran hero who is dealing with all kinds of quirky personal and professional problems with a young partner who is impulsive and unmanageable. When they team up to fight crime, they also usually end up battling each other. TIGER & BUNNY is a fun new series that combines plenty action and humor with an exploration of an unlikely friendship, and we invite fans to catch the premiere!”

View the official trailer and follow TIGER & BUNNY on the official Facebook page, at http://www.facebook.com/TigerAndBunny. For more information on TIGER & BUNNY and other animated titles from VIZ Media visit www.VIZAnime.com.

ACF 222: I's DVD Box Set to debut March 24th from VIZ Media

Here's news of another animation release from VIZ:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will expand its library of animated properties with the eagerly awaited debut of I”s as a special two-disc DVD box set with an estimated street date of March 24th.

I”s is based on a popular manga series (Rated ‘M” for mature audiences) by Masakazu Katsura, published domestically by VIZ Media under its Shonen Jump Advanced imprint. The original I”s animated series, as well as a six-episode follow-up called I”s PURE, will be included this new DVD box set (rated “M” for Mature audiences) and carries an SRP of $29.98 US/$39.99 CAN.

Iori Hazuki is a beautiful high school girl with ambitions of becoming a model and actress. Ichitaka Seto is an indecisive sixteen year-old boy with a mad crush on Iori. Things become more complicated for Ichitaka when a childhood friend named Itsuki returns from living in the United States and ends up living at his house – and Itsuki is far from the shy and homely young girl Ichitaka remembers. Ichitaka must now reconcile his feelings for each girl and work hard to make sure that his angst-riddled personal life doesn't become any more dramatic. Put all three “I”s together and you have a tale of love, comedy, and dreams!

In I”s PURE, hapless Ichitaka continues to face endless obstacles that include pranks, misunderstandings, stalkers, and a romantic intervention as he continues to try and win the heart of his classmate and budding actress Iori. But most of all, Ichitaka tries to remain true to his feelings. Are these two "I"s destined to find happiness together, or does fate have other ideas?

Widely known in anime circles as the character designer for IRIA: ZEIRAM THE ANIMATION, a Science Fiction series about a sexy female bounty hunter, I”s creator Masakazu Katsura is also a popular manga artist celebrated for the buxom beauties and madcap stories that are a focal point of his work. His best-selling series VIDEO GIRL AI (which I really liked, says Dr. G) is also published domestically by VIZ Media.

“This zany and often unexpectedly sweet romantic comedy, understandably celebrated by fans of the original I”s manga, plays out wonderfully in this special 2-disc DVD box set,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President Sales & Product Marketing. “Creator Masakazu Katsura's quirky sense of humor and penchant for drawing appealing young ladies will make I”s a unique favorite. We look forward to fans of the manga exploring this new DVD box set and encourage audiences that have yet to discover the humor and fun of I”s to check out both the manga and the anime series from VIZ Media!”