PR: Viz and Perfect Square Acquires Yokai Watch Manga

Japan’s Massive Hit Action Series About A Boy That Can See Japanese Yo-kai Launches in the U.S. This Fall

San Francisco, CA, April 6, 2015 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the acquisition of a new manga (graphic novel) property – YO-KAI WATCH.

The supernatural comedy adventure series is inspired by the explosively popular YOKAI WATCH video game created by LEVEL-5 for the Nintendo 3DS and launched to wide acclaim in Japan in 2013. The YO-KAI WATCH manga will be published under the company’s Perfect Square imprint, written and drawn by Noriyuki Konishi under the guidance of the LEVEL-5 team. This September, the phenomenal franchise is finally coming to North America with the launch of the YO-KAI WATCH manga series, fueled as well by the debuts of anime and toy products around the same time.

Yo-kai, inspired by the yokai of Japanese folklore, are not ghosts or monsters or creatures. They can’t be seen by the human eye, but they’re everywhere, and whether they're phantoms or everyday objects discovering their higher purpose, Yo-kai personalities are distinctly humanlike!

The YO-KAI WATCH manga will be rated ‘A’ for All Ages and will be available exclusively in print on a bi-monthly basis. In Japan, the series originally appeared in Coro Coro Comic magazine, published by VIZ Media parent company Shogakukan, and won both the 60^th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2015 and the 38^th Kodansha Manga Award in the Best Children’s Manga category in 2014.

Nathan Adams is just an average kid until the mysterious Whisper gives him a device that allows him to see what others cannot, Yo-kai of all shapes and forms! Now, armed with the Yo-kai Watch, Nathan, Whisper and their new invisible friends embark on an all new supernatural adventure!

“The whole YO-KAI WATCH cast of characters, especially Jibanyan, Komansan and Whisper, already have huge followings in Japan, and now North American fans get to join the fun,” says Joel Enos, Senior Editor. “The manga’s a fun and zany take on traditional Japanese Yo-kai, and the watch that lets Nathan see and summon them is especially fun. The series will appeal to readers of all ages!”

YO-KAI WATCH manga artist Noriyuki Konishi hails from Shimabara City, Nagasaki Pref., Japan. He debuted in 1997 with the one-shot title, E-CUFF, which appeared in Monthly Shonen Jump Original. He is also known for manga adaptations of AM Driver and Mushiking: King of the Beetles, along with Saiyuki Hiro Go-Kū Den!, Chōhenshin Gag Gaiden!! Card Warrior Kamen Riders, and Go-Go-Go Saiyuki: Shin Gokūden.

VIZ Media’s pop-culture centric Perfect Square imprint focuses on delivering comics, manga, graphic novels and other books with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of both young readers and the young at heart!

Additional information on titles published by Perfect Square is available at www.PerfectSquare.com.

For more information on other 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.