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Viz Graphic Novels

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Viz has provided us with a slew of new graphic novels. More info in the PR:
BENKEI IN NEW YORK, COMPLETE COLLECTION, GRAPHIC NOVEL

San Francisco, CA (1/10/01)—Viz Comics is proud to announce the May 2001 graphic novel release of Jinpachi Mori and Jiro Taniguchi's thrilling crime drama, Benkei in New York. From the pages of PULP comes a mosaic of stories about love, hate, and a man who deals in adauchi—vendettas.

Manga doesn't get any more noir than this. Benkei is just another expatriate Japanese artist living in the Big Apple. Or so it appears. As these diabolical, hard-boiled stories show, surface impressions aren't always what they seem. Flashbacks delve into sordid, secret past lives, and old scores, long festering, emerge without warning, asking to be settled. And Benkei's secret? Maybe it's just that he's the only artist in town who's isn't dreaming of being a hitman-for-hire. He is one!

Each self-contained episode in this complete Benkei collection is a tightly-plotted, beautifully rendered, and psychologically harrowing ride into the heart of urban darkness. The alleys of New York City may be some of the dirtiest, most dangerous places in the world, but who could know that just as much darkness lies within its mansions and skyscrapers also? Benkei knows. Every hard-boiled tale of revenge is rendered in the tight-lipped, fine-line style of the estimable Jiro Taniguchi, one of the creators of Hotel Harborview. Haggis, anyone?

Benkei in New York, Complete Collection is written by Jinpachi Mori and drawn by Jiro Tanaguchi. It is 168 pages long and retails for $15.95 in the USA and $24.95 in Canada.

JACKIE CHUN MIGHT HAVE GOKU LICKED! BUT IT AIN'T OVER TILL THE GIANT MONKEY SINGS!

DRAGON BALL, VOL. 5
GRAPHIC NOVEL

San Francisco, CA (1/10/01)—Viz Comics is pleased to announce the May 2001 graphic novel release of Dragon Ball, Vol. 5, the latest installment of Akira Toriyama's hilarious and exciting series that spawned the hugely popular Dragon Ball Z animated series, now running on Cartoon Network's Toonami anime block.

Meet a naïve young monkey-tailed boy named Son Goku, whose quiet life changes when he meets a girl named Bulma who is on a quest to collect seven "Dragon Balls" which summon an incredibly powerful dragon that grants one wish. But the precious orbs are scattered all over the world, and Bulma needs Goku's help (and his super-strength)! Along the way, Goku comes across Kame-Sen'nin, the mighty martial artist, and competes in the Tenka'ichi Budôkai, the tournament to determine the greatest fighter in the world!

In This Volume: The battle between Goku and Jackie Chun for the title of Greatest Martial Artist Under the Heavens rages on without either gaining a clear advantage! But wait! Is that a moon I see rising over there? Goku's transformation almost turns the Tenka'ichi Budôkai into a disaster until Jackie Chun destroys the moon itself! Who will take home the title in this over-the-top battle? Then, Goku sets out alone to look for his grandfather's Dragon Ball and soon makes enemies with the murderous Red Ribbon Army. But, after crashing his jet in the frigid north, Goku must take on the full force of Colonel White and the Red Ribbon Army if he wants to get the next Dragon Ball and save the mayor of a local town! It's Goku versus Colonel White and his legions of cronies at Muscle Tower!

Akira Toriyama's style is one that's immediately identifiable, even among a sea of other manga artists—no one does it quite the same.

Toriyama traces his origins as an artist to his elementary school days, watching Astro Boy and winning a contest with a drawing of 101 Dalmatians. Before creating Dragon Ball, Toriyama was known for his manga Dr. Slump, a story of a robot girl and her antics with her inventor's family. Toriyama lives in Tokyo, Japan.

Dragon Ball, Vol. 5 is written and drawn by Akira Toriyama. It is 192 pages long and retails for $12.95 in the USA and $20.00 in Canada.

HEARTBROKEN ANGELS, VOL. 2
GRAPHIC NOVEL

San Francisco, CA (1/7/01)—Never has any guilty pleasure been so rewarding! Viz Comics is pleased to announce the May 2001 release of Heartbroken Angels, Vol. 2, the final compilation in one of the most outrageous manga ever seen this side of the Pacific!

Four-panel manga are the Japanese equivalent of American newspaper comic strips—but you won't find Heartbroken Angels on the comics page of YOUR newspaper. Ripped straight from the pages of Pulp, these hilarious, deeply disturbing manga about crime, perversion, and good-ol' sex could only come from the mind of rock-'n'-roll fan/manga artist, Masahiko Kikuni and cover such subjects as…
· Otaku Lolita-complex!
· Insane medical operations!
· The trials and tribulations of the Poor and Obscure!
· Yakuza—even gangsters have feelings.
· Homosexual frogs!
· Religious persecution!
· Schoolyard swordsmen!
· Bathhouse fantasies!
· Fart jokes!

With all this and more, you'll thank your Lucky Charms that Heartbroken Angels isn't just another watered-down manga about some guy with a crush on some girl who pilots a giant robot while training to be the greatest martial-artist in the world. We promise! Heartbroken Angels Vol. 2: Where cute manga characters perform abominable acts that would make a hardened criminal flinch!

Heartbroken Angels, Vol. 2 is written and drawn by Masahiko Kikuni. It is 144 pages long and retails for $15.95 in the U.S.A. and $24.95 in Canada.

EL-HAZARD, VOL. 1


San Francisco, CA (11/10/00)—Viz Comics proudly announces the May 2001 release of El-Hazard, Vol. 1, an all-new manga full of sorcery and adventure based on the hit animated series from Studio A.I.C., the creators of Tenchi Muyô!.

Good-natured Makoto Mizuhara was liked by all—a fact that arrogant class president Jinnai could not abide. But that was before he met a strange woman in the depths of Shinonome High School and was whisked away to the even stranger world of El-Hazard! Along for the ride, Jinnai, his sister Nanami, and teacher Masamichi Fujisawa also join Makoto. While Makoto and company befriend the royal family of Roshtaria and the Muldoon Priestesses, Jinnai has allied himself with the seductive Deva, queen of the hive-like Bugrom Empire. The former Earthlings find themselves changed by their new environment as well and have developed strange supernatural powers. Now, with the fate of the kingdom Roshtaria and all of El-Hazard in the balance, three factions vie for control of the most feared weapon ever created… the Demon-Goddess Ifurita!

In This Volume: Makoto Mizuhara is a high school student who has been transported to the fantastic world called El-Hazard where he encounters beautiful priestesses with elemental powers, Demon-Gods, ferocious giant bugs, and his classmate Katsuhiko Jinnai, who is intent on using the powerful dark forces of El-Hazard to take over this strange world. Not alone in his journey though, Makoto is accompanied by Mr. Fujisawa, a high school teacher and purveyor of fine alcohol, and Nanami Jinnai, Katsuhiko's money-savvy sister. Will Jinnai succeed or will he destroy El-Hazard in his quest for ultimate power? Will Makoto be able to stop him? Will they ever make it back home? There's no place like home, there's no place like home…

El-Hazard, Vol. 1 is written and drawn by Hidetomo Tsubura. It is 168 pages long and retails for $15.95 in the USA and $24.95 in Canada.

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