PR: Viz Media Opens New Year With New Releases, Digital Titles

Otome to Meteo © Meca Tanaka
2013/HAKUSENSHA, Inc.

Commence 2015 With Digital Launch Of 5 Exciting New Manga Titles And Updates To 17 Other Ongoing Series; Take Advantage Of Special Holiday Digital Promotion Until January 15^th

VIZ Media opens 2015 and offers fans a fun way to begin the New Year with fresh digital manga for January.

The company also has extended its holiday digital manga promotion thru January 15^th. Take advantage of this special opportunity to save up to 70% off on digital manga volumes across scores of favorite series featured on VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App. Many volumes are available for only $1.99 each. Also check other digital manga partner sites for similar special pricing.

Readers can look forward to the launch of five brand new manga titles throughout the month, including the shojo series, METEOR PRINCE, DRAGON BALL Z creator Akira Toriyama’s quirky comedy JACO THE GALACTIC PATROLMAN, and the release of SHIRAHIME-SYO and DUKLYON: CLAMP SCHOOL DEFENDERS, by the legendary manga creative team of CLAMP. Also scheduled to make its digital debut in January is the post-apocalyptic cyber thriller, THE THIRD.

Additional digital manga updates for the month include 17 new volumes for other acclaimed titles including the exciting not-to-be-missed series finales for JOJO’s BIZARRE ADVENTURE: PART 1 – PHANTOM BLOOD (Digital MSRP: $10.99), Mouryou Kiden: Legend of the Nymph (Vol. 3), and Mikansei No. 1 (Vol. 2), Other continuing series receiving January updates include CASE CLOSED (Vol. 53), KISS OF THE ROSE PRINCESS (Vol. 2), LUCKY STAR (Vol. 7), MY LOVE STORY!! (Vol. 3), NISEKOI (Vol. 10), ONE PIECE (Vol. 73), SGT. FROG (Vol. 2), two volumes of VIDEO GIRL AI (Vols. 10-11), ZONE-00 (Vol. 4) and many more!

Shonen Duet: Naruto GN 67 and One Piece GN 72

Today, I'm tackling two Weekly Shonen Jump titles at the same time: the newest English releases of Naruto and One Piece. 

I would have had Bleach in the mix, but as far as I can tell, volume 62 hasn't been released yet. Which is a shame, as the cover for that book looks great.

Naruto volume 67 by Masashi Kishimoto: Obito has shocked the ninja world by absorbing Ten Tails into himself and transforming into the ultimate jinchuriki. But what is the extent of Obito’s power, and can he even control it? Naruto and Sasuke will have to team up with the revived Hokage to even stand a chance!

This volume is basically more fighting between the allied ninja forces and Obito, who has now become a bigger threat after becoming Ten Tails' schizophrenic jinchuriki and putting his plan of destroying the known world. In response, Naruto and Sasuke and the once dead Hokage make the most unlikely team as they pull out all the stops with improved techniques, pausing occasionally to bicker as they often do.

Book Sprites: Two Shonen, One Reaction

Some times, you have time to write a 1,000+ word review of a single book. Some times, you just don't. For those times, we have Book Sprites, compact book reviews for the discerning reader with no time to lose.

Spoilers for recent events in Naruto and One Piece lay beyond this point!

I've got the newest volumes of Naruto and One Piece, so this post is Shonen Jump heavy. They have two things in common: they're both from long-running shonen series in WSJ and their respective new books are decent but not mind-bendingly fantastic. Although, for two series that have handily passed past fifty volumes and still go on, it's not a bad thing to have less than awesome books.

Naruto volume 66 by Masashi Kishimoto. This volume has the much heralded return of Team Seven: Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. And while the reunion involves a lot of epic moments in ninja technique and really shows the levels that Sakura and Sasuke have reached since the time skip, it lacks a bit of the emotional resonance I was hoping for.

PR: Viz Media Launches Limited Time Promo Sale Of Three Shonen Titles

BLEACH © 2001 by Tite Kubo/SHUEISHA Inc.

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES A SPECIAL DIGITAL PROMOTION ON THREE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST MANGA SERIES

First Volume of BLEACH, NARUTO And ONE PIECE Available With Special Digital Pricing For A Very Limited Time Only

VIZ Media celebrates May Day with a special digital promotion of three of the world’s most popular, critically acclaimed manga. For a very limited time, starting on Thursday, May 1^st 2014. The first volume of each series will be on sale for $1.99.

FOR ONE DAY ONLY!! on Thursday, May 1^st, Volume 1 of creator Tite Kubo’s supernatural series – BLEACH – will be available digitally for only $1.99 (U.S. / CAN).

During the Rest of May

Volume 1 of the smash hit ninja action series, NARUTO, along with the high seas pirate adventure, ONE PIECE, will also be available digitally for only $1.99 (U.S. / CAN) through May 31^st.

Manga Review: One Piece GN 69

One Piece volume 69
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Viz Media/Shonen Jump
200 pages

S.A.D.: Things are looking grim on Punk Hazard as deadly gas set off by a mad scientist envelops the island. Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hats are on a mission to both take down Caesar Clown and escape to safety before the gas can get them! (Source: Viz Media)

The Punk Hazard story arc could have easily been an all-for-nothing waste of an arc, inconsequential at the end of the day and with no real effect on Luffy and his crew. At this point, such an assessment would be totally wrong! If anything, Punk Hazard - and this volume - may turn out to be one of the more important turning points in the series. And for a manga quickly coming upon the big 7-0 in terms of volumes, the fact that it still has so many twists yet to be pulled shows that Oda knows exactly what he's doing.

Manga Review: One Piece GN 68

One Piece volume 68
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Viz Media/Shonen Jump
192 pages

Pirate Alliance: As the adventures continue on Punk Hazard, Luffy decides to strike up an alliance with Trafalgar Law. But can he convince the rest of the Straw Hats to go along with it? And will this new team be formidable enough to take down Caesar Clown? (Source: Viz Media)

This latest volume of One Piece is all about team work. W-wait, don't click away just yet! It's team work in the sense that a bunch of people who wouldn't normally be caught dead in the same room must now work together if they want to survive the experience. That's exactly what we have when the Straw Hats find themselves in alliance with newly made warlord of the sea, Trafalgar Law, and they all end up having to work with Smoker and Tashigi and their fellow Navy cronies.

The reason for all of this? Caesar Clown, a maniacal morally lacking scientist whose experiments with deadly gases threatens to destroy all life on Punk Hazard once and for all. His gas robe makes him look like the heavily mascara-wearing cousin of a certain smoke monster, and his killer gas makes other One Piece villains look like kindergarten class goons. In other words, Luffy and his crew have their hands full saving Punk Hazard from CC's scientific antics.

Manga Review: One Piece GN 67

One Piece volume 67
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Viz Media/Shonen Jump
219 pages

Cool Fight: Now that they’ve reached the New World, the Straw Hat pirates are up against things they’ve never seen before! Dragons, centaurs and deadly samurai are just the tip of the iceberg compared to the true dangers of Punk Hazard! Can Luffy and his mates uncover the dark secrets of this mysterious island?! (Source: Viz Media)

It's a given that One Piece is a bizarre series. Of the triumvirate of titles that make up Weekly Shonen Jump's main trio, Eiichiro Oda has managed to create the manga which bests both Naruto and Bleach in terms of expansive world-building and strange new civilizations and creatures. Of course, after sixty-plus volumes, Oda has become a master at keeping things fresh and interesting. He pretty much has to in order to keep his loyal and monster-sized following reading and buying every new installment of Luffy's adventures.

This latest story arc, however, really takes the cake. I mean - dragons? Centaurs? Samurai, with or without torsos? Giant kids and talking smoke-liquid people and weather-defying islands - oh shoot, is this an episode of Lost? No, it's still One Piece, and somehow it all makes sense when you read it.

Manga Review: One Piece 62 & 63

One Piece volume 62 & 63

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Viz Media/Shonen Jump

200 pages

Spoiler warning: Review contains spoilers for these two volumes of the One Piece manga, and small spoilers for events leading up to them.

Luffy and the Straw Hat crew board their trusted ship and head under the sea towards Fish-Man Island. However, getting in their way will be fierce pirates, underwater volcanoes, and a humongous sea creature! (Source: Viz Manga)

The Fish-Man Island arc is like a calming, lovely breath of fresh air after the dire blood-soaked events of the war between the World Government and the greatest pirates on the sea. Well, I didn't say it was particularly uneventful, as even under the sea things aren't what they seem. 

But the Straw Hat Gang is back together after a multi-year time skip and once again having oddball adventures in their ship. Oh, and Sanji keeps having noxious nosebleeds that threaten to wipe him out.

PR: Bakuman & One Piece Box Sets Coming Fall 2013

ONE PIECE © 1997
by Eiichiro Oda/SHUEISHA Inc.

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES EXCITING SHONEN JUMP MANGA BOX SET DEBUTS FOR FALL 2013

Catch Pirate Adventures In A New ONE PIECE Box Set And Manga Industry Drama In The Complete BAKUMAN。Box Set

San Francisco, CA, February 27, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has just announced new manga (graphic novel) acquisitions scheduled for Fall release under its popular Shonen Jump imprint. The upcoming releases include the complete BAKUMAN。series box set, and a box set collection of the first part of the ONE PIECE saga.

BAKUMAN。BOX SET · Rated ‘T’ for Teens ·

MSRP: $159.99 U.S. / $159.99 CAN · Available October 1^st 2013

Discover the mystery of manga-making in the bestselling series by Tsugumi Ohba, the creator of the hit series DEATH NOTE, available for the first time in a complete box set. The Box Set includes Volumes 1 through 20, plus the bonus mini-comic “Otter No. 11,” along with a full-color, two-sided poster.

In BAKUMAN。, 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? Also catch BAKUMAN。in the pages of VIZ Media’s Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine.

Manga Review: One Piece GN 61

One Piece volume 61

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Viz Media/Shonen Jump

200 pages

Spoiler warning: Review contains major spoilers for the Paramount War arc as well as events of volume 61 of One Piece. Read on with caution!

Romance Dawn For The New World: Determined to become stronger and challenge the toughest seas in the world, Luffy and his crew decide to go into training. When they finally reunite years later, they will meet brand new enemies and adventures!

It’s the official start of a new era, a new story arc. This feeling of fresh beginnings is evident in every scene in this latest volume. It’s understandable; consider how the Paramount War arc ended. Several major players dead, our hero in emotional shambles, and our fearless team of Straw Hats disbanded across the globe. The only way to go from there is up.

That is exactly what Eiichiro Oda does with the opening of the New World arc. After issuing his mysterious challenge to the whole world, meant for his beloved nakama, Luffy has reclaimed his purpose and sense of self. He has come back from the brink of despair and loss to become the captain his crew – and the world – needs, if he is to be the king of all pirates. And with his return, the gears of the world of pirates and the Navy and everyone else start turning again. In the words of Doctor Horrible, it’s a brand new day.

Manga Review: Naruto GN 54; Bleach GN 38; One Piece GN 60

It seems like fate (or perhaps hitsuzen) that I should get volumes of the holy trinity of Weekly Shonen Jump titles at the same time, right? So naturally, I’ll review them all in the same post!

Review warning: Post contains spoilers for Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece's latest volumes. Read on with caution!

Naruto volume 54

Author: Masashi Kishimoto

Viz Media/Shonen Jump

192 pages

Viaduct To Peace: Naruto and his team engage in an intense battle with the Akatsuki organization as both sides seek the power to determine the future of their land. Internecine fighting weakens the Akatsuki, but will their dark forces sideline Naruto?

Maybe the previous volume set my expectations too high, but this latest book was only pretty good. Considering how much is going on at this point in the story, however, ‘pretty good’ isn’t good enough. 

For a story that should be going full-steam into an oncoming ninja war, it’s being hampered by a bloated cast and too much going on at once. Kishimoto is having a hell of a time juggling all his characters and plot threads, and it shows.

Interesting News Piece Of The Day

I could not make this up if I tried, you guys. At least he has good taste in shonen manga?


Crunchyroll: Man Arrested For Simultaneous Theft Of All 64 "One Piece" Volumes.

Police in Shizuoka apprehended a 26-year-old in Fujieda as the suspected thief of all 64 volumes of One Piece.

Source Yomiuri Online points out that stacking 64 volumes reaches a height of over three feet (1 meter) and weighs nearly 22 pounds (10 kilograms).

You can definitely fit that in a Boston Bag, though, which is what two employees noticed the suspicious-looking fellow carrying the evening of December 23rd. However, the store was busy, so it wasn't until the next morning they noticed the shelf that used to contain One Piece was empty. When they checked the security camera tapes they could see him cram the manga by ten volume handfuls into the bag and then walk calmly out of the store. 

Manga Review: One Piece GN 59

One Piece volume 59

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Viz Media/Shonen Jump

208 pages

Spoiler warning: Review contains major freaking spoilers for the events of volume 59 of One Piece. Read on with caution – or else!

After risking everything he had to save his brother, Luffy experiences heartbreak as Ace dies in his arms. Whitebeard will make one last stand against the Navy forces but when the epic pirate war finally comes to an end, the entire world will be shaken!

I certainly can't be faulted by thinking that the title of chapter 577, "Outrageous Events One After The Other", is an accidentally apt statement describing the series as whole - not as an insult, per se, but as a reasonable point about the line of events that have led up to this recent arc of the Paramount War, in which pirate and Navy forces clash with unprecedented force as one condemned man's life hangs in the balance. Except that, as those who remember the cliffhanger for the previous volume know, that condemned man's life is no longer in the balance; it has been extinguished, and the shockwaves from his death are what propels the rest of this volume to startling new heights of violence and raw emotion.

Just look at the book's own synopsis for a clue at how important this book is. "The entire world will be shaken"? For once that is the understatement of the century. As this most recent volume of One Piece shows, the entire series will never be the same.

PR: ONE PIECE Digital Speed Up Begins, Limited Time 20% Off Vol 1's!

ONE PIECE © 1997
by Eiichiro Oda/SHUEISHA Inc.

VIZ MEDIA KICKS OFF DECEMBER WITH DIGITAL MANGA SPEED UP FOR ONE PIECE

Latest Update For VIZManga.com And The VIZ Manga App For iPad, iPhone And iPod Touch Includes Limited Time Volume 1 20% Off Promotion Starting December 7th

VIZ Media delivers a festive dose of digital sparkle as the 2011 Holiday Season begins with the latest update of manga (graphic novels) titles available on VIZManga.com and for digital download on the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad^®, iPhone^® and iPod^® touch.

The SHONEN JUMP DIGITAL WARP starts today for ONE PIECE, with the release of Vol. 59, available the same day the print version debuts, along with the digital first of ONE PIECE Vol. 60. This will be quickly followed by the digital first debut of ONE PIECE Vols. 61-62 on December 12^th. The SHONEN JUMP DIGITAL WARP is a ‘speed-up’ of selected titles to bring U.S. readers up-to-date with Japanese releases and prepare for the January 2012 launch of VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA, North America’s only near-simultaneous digital manga magazine.

The SHONEN JUMP DIGITAL WARP also continues for Masashi Kishimoto’s hit ninja series NARUTO, with Volume 56 now available, and for Tite Kubo’s supernatural action saga, BLEACH, with Volume 52 debuting on December 12^th. NARUTO Vols. 54-55 and BLEACH Vols. 49-51, are also available now, ahead of the print editions.

December 7th will also see the kick-off of a special limited time promotion that makes all Volume 1 manga titles available for up to 20% off (regular prices range from $4.99 to $9.99). This offer will run until midnight PST on December 12th. 

Manga Review: One Piece GN 58

One Piece volume 58

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Viz Media/Shonen Jump

208 pages

Spoiler warning: Review contains major freaking spoilers for the events of volume 58 of One Piece, especially the ending. Read on with caution – or else!

With Whitebeard injured, the Navy launches a counterstrike to finish the pirate rebellion once and for all. And as the three Navy Admirals stand in his way, Luffy will need one last trick if he hopes to save his brother Ace from being executed.

Dear folks who still labor under the delusion that One Piece is primarily a humorous shonen series with not a single serious bone in its body: I present to you the Paramount War arc, which truly builds up to a horrifying peak in this volume. And this truly is a war, one between the pirates and the Navy with Luffy caught in the middle, someone who just wants to save his brother. 

But Luffy just may end up being an essential part of this war in the end, considering his impressive lineage not to mention his awesome powers inherited from the Gum-Gum Fruit. Whether you are on the side of the pirates or of the Navy, this volume is momentous for both readers and characters alike – and definitely cannot be missed for anything.

Manga Review: One Piece GN 57

One Piece volume 57

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Viz Media/Shonen Jump

208 pages

Summit Battle: All-out war has broken out between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Navy. Whitebeard’s crew is said to be the most powerful in the New World, but they’ll have their hands full against the Navy Admirals and the remaining Warlords of the Sea. Meanwhile, can Luffy reach Navy headquarters in time to save his brother Ace?

Spoiler warning: Review contains some spoilers for the events of volume 57 of One Piece.

The Paramount War arc reaches an astonishing peak as the sea surrounding Ace’s execution becomes jam packed with ships of pirates and Navy folk alike, along with the Warlords and their lackeys, in a knock-out overwhelming battle that threatens to out shadow Ace’s own predicaments and reshape the current age of pirates as we know it. Meanwhile, somewhere in the background, Luffy is still fighting to reach his brother and hopefully save his life. In short, it’s a pretty big deal. This volume is non-stop battles of epic proportions among dozens of major players in the war on the water and if there is one thing you can not accuse this 57^th book of is being uneventful, not at all.

Read the rest of the review after the jump!