VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION IN 2015 BAY AREA BOOK FESTIVAL

The Largest Manga Publisher In The U.S. Will Showcase A Wide Variety Of Manga, Art Books And Other Acclaimed Titles At Literary Festival Taking Place In Berkeley, CA Next Month

San Francisco, CA, May 28, 2015 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, proudly announces its support and participation in the first-ever Bay Area Book Festival, set to take place the weekend of June 6-7, 2015 in downtown Berkeley, CA.

VIZ Media will exhibit and offer for sale a wide selection of its published titles throughout the festival, including art books, graphic novels, manga and other noteworthy releases from the Perfect Square, Studio Ghibli and Haikasoru literary imprints, as well as contemporary titles from the VIZ Signature collection.

The Bay Area Book Festival is FREE to attend and will take place from 10:00AM to 6:00PM at Civic Center Park and 12 surrounding themed blocks in downtown Berkeley. Exhibitors will include publishers, indie bookstores, literary and literacy organizations, library services, writing programs, book artists, authors, and more. A variety of indoor and outdoor activities and exhibits aimed at adults, teens and children also will be offered. More than 150 local, national, and international authors will be reading, debating, and presenting in great spaces, both indoor and outside, throughout the Downtown Arts District as well as selected venues on the UC Berkeley campus. Full details on the Bay Area Book Festival are available at: http://www.baybookfest.org.

VIZ Media titles to be offered at the 2015 Bay Area Book Festival include:

THE ART OF PRINCESS MONONOKE · $35

This special hardcover edition features insightful interviews, concept sketches, character art and finished animation cels from the critically acclaimed fantasy action film by Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki. Released in 1997, Princess Mononoke was the first Hayao Miyazaki film to break into the American mainstream. The journey from initial idea to the big screen is captured here in stunning detail and also includes a look at Miyazaki’s original concept art and the use of computer graphics technology in the film’s production.

PRINCESS MONONOKE: THE FIRST STORY, by Hayao Miyazaki · $35

An oversized, lavishly illustrated storybook featuring original watercolor art by legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, This is the original Princess Mononoke story created by Miyazaki in 1980 while he was first conceptualizing the landmark animated film that would later be released to universal acclaim seventeen years later. As an initial version of the tale, it offers a new and different perspective from the final version presented in the film. After a long, exhausting war, a samurai lost in a forest encounters a giant wildcat – a mononoke. The beast saves his life, but at the price of his daughter's hand in marriage... 

BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED, by Koushun Takami · $17

In a dystopian future Japan, forty-two junior high school students are outfitted with weapons and bid to kill one another until there is only one left standing! Koushun Takami's notorious high-octane thriller envisions a nightmare scenario: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when it was first published in Japan – where it became a runaway best seller – Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21^st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world.

THE BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK: Essays on the Cult Classic Novel by Koushun Takami · $16

The cult phenomenon Battle Royale has been lauded as a masterpiece and decried as exploitative gore, but it’s always remained in the public consciousness. This collection of essays by some of the best science fiction, horror, and thriller writers working today, including Brian Keene, John Skipp, and Catherynne M. Valente and more. Each essay explores the depth, details, and controversies surrounding BATTLE ROYALE in an intelligent, highly accessible fashion. 

HELLO KITTY, HELLO 40: A CELEBRATION IN 40 STORIES · $30

The hardcover full-color anthology features a notable line-up of some of Hello Kitty’s biggest fans paying tribute in the best way they know how: through their stories and art. Contributors include the award-winning creators of the Tiny Titans series, Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani; Brian Smith, co-creator of the New York Times bestselling series Stuff of Legend; Gene Luen Yang, award-winning author of American Born Chinese and Boxers and Saints, and Uglydoll co-creator David Horvath. Everyone has a tale to tell about the cute little girl who speaks from her heart. Matt and Jennifer L. Holm, award-winning creators of the Babymouse series also authored the introduction.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA A LINK TO THE PAST · $20

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST is based on the beloved, internationally bestselling video game originally released for Nintendo’s Super Nintendo Entertainment System™. This comic book version by Shotaro Ishinomori (Cyborg 009, Kamen Rider) was first serialized in Nintendo Power magazine and later collected into a graphic novel. Long out-of-print, this stunning, full-color edition is available once again for the first time in more than two decades!

not simple · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · $15

Manga creator Natsume Ono’s not simple follows Ian, a young man with a fractured family history, as he travels from Australia to England and on to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his beloved sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian's experiences in a novel titled not simple.

SUNNY, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · $15

What is SUNNY? Sunny is a car. Sunny is a car you take on a drive with your mind. It takes you to the place of your dreams. SUNNY is the story of beating the odds, in the ways that count. It’s the brand-new masterwork from Eisner Award-winner Taiyo Matsumoto, one of Japan’s most innovative and acclaimed manga artists. The new release is translated by noted visual effects artist and Tekkonkinkreet film producer Michael Arias (The Abyss, Princess Mononoke, The Animatrix). 

VAGABOND, VIZ Big Edition Vol. 1 · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · $20

Shinmen Takezo is destined to become the legendary sword-saint, Miyamoto Musashi – perhaps the most renowned samurai of all time. For now, Takezo is a cold-hearted killer, who will take on anyone in mortal combat to make a name for himself. This is the journey of a wild young brute who strives to reach enlightenment by way of the sword--fighting on the edge of death.

For more information on these and other award winning manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit 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 digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, 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.