Second printing of titles from VIZ Action, Editor's Choice and Shôjo categories represent epitome of the genre.

San Francisco, Calif, March 18, 2004 -- VIZ, LLC, one of the leading publishers and distributors of manga and anime content for North American audiences, announced today the release of second editions of several of its manga series that represent some of the best selling, most loved and popular titles within the genre.

The titles being reprinted for a second time will cover diverse selections from VIZ's Action, Editor's Choice, and Shôjo categories. Second edition titles from VIZ's Action catalog include INUYASHA, RANMA 1/2, BASTARD!!, BATTLE ANGEL ALITA, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, and VIDEO GIRL AI. VIZ Editor's Choice second editions include Rumiko Takahashi's MAISON IKKOKU and Hayao Miyazaki's NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. The tremendous popularity of shôjo manga, or comics aimed at young girls, has also spurred VIZ to release second editions of BANANA FISH, REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA, and Yû Watase's CERES, CELESTIAL LEGEND and FUSHIGI YÛGI.

As part of VIZ's continuing mission to popularize manga domestically, all of these titles remain true to the artistic and narrative layouts of the original editions, but are now being offered with new, lower price points -- in most cases between $8.95 (USD) and $9.95 (USD) -- in order to make these selections available to more readers nationwide. With first editions now out of print or largely sold out, VIZ hopes that these second editions will help create new legions of fans and entice existing ones to explore manga titles they may have previously missed. The new second editions began shipping in February with various new titles becoming available each month through fall 2004.

For fans of Academy Award®-winning anime and manga dynamo Hayao Miyazaki, the second edition of NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND proves a special treat. The 7-volume masterpiece, which many have called the best graphic novel ever produced, accurately reproduces the rustic sepia ink artwork from the original story that ran in the pages of Animage magazine in the early 80s. The second editions are also presented in a new, extra-large book size and each of the seven volumes will feature a beautiful fold-out poster drawn by Miyazaki. Volume 1 released in February 2004 the remaining volumes will be released on a monthly basis with Volume 7 releasing in August 2004.

The popularity of action and shôjo stories from Rumiko Takahashi and Yû Watase continues to grow. Second editions of RANMA 1/2, MAISON IKKOKU, and INUYASHA showcase the captivating artistic and storytelling abilities of Takahashi, and reinforce why she is one of the most prolific and popular female manga artists of all time. Equally comparable are the second editions of Yu Watase's CERES, CELESTIAL LEGEND and FUSHIGI YÛGI that feature her signature stylized character designs and fantasy-based plots. These shôjo manga have attracted legions of both female and male fans, and both titles have made the Top Ten for graphic novel sales according to Nielsen BookScan.

"The printing of these second editions validates the continuing fervor with which domestic audiences have embraced the manga genre," states Liza Coppola, vice president of marketing for VIZ. "We are pleased to offer captivating content from artists and storytellers of such high caliber. VIZ is committed to making manga available to every demographic within North America and the availability of these second editions will make that a reality by servicing existing fans with proven favorites and attracting new ones with unique and compelling content."

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