VIZ Media Delivers Home Media Debut Of JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE Anime Series

Posted by Justin D Williams

VIZ Media delivers kinetic action and adventure to anime fans with the home media release today of JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE Season 1. The new release presents the entire 26-episode opening season of the series inspired by the groundbreaking manga created by Hirohiko Araki (also published by VIZ Media; rated ‘T+ for Older Teens). JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE Season 1 encompasses the complete Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency story arcs. Season 1 is available to audiences as a Limited Edition Blu-ray Set and carries an MSRP of $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN.

Online anime retailer The Right Stuf is offering the set along with a “Word Effects” print, deep-purple cotton bandana as a special gift with purchase. Available while supplies last. The opening season of JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE is set in late 19th century England, where rivals and surrogate brothers Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando discover a mysterious stone mask. The mask is an artifact of an ancient Central American culture and is capable of granting its wearer eternal life, but only at a heavy price. As the dark powers of the Stone Mask are unleashed, the brothers’ actions will define legacies that span generations.

“Fans are going to be enraptured from the very first colorfully bombastic episode of JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE,” says Charlene Ingram,VIZ Media’s Director of Animation Marketing. “Don’t miss this limited edition Blu-ray debut of a series called “legendary” for a reason. We look forward to fans, both long-time and new, joining in on the riveting multi-generational adventures of this epic series!”

Blu-ray episodes are presented in full 1080p HD, 16x9 video and stereo audio featuring English and Japanese dialogue options.  All-new English subtitles have been created for the release. Notable bonus content for the Limited Edition Blu-ray includes a 168-page booklet featuring episode summaries, Director commentary, storyboard art and more, a digital character art gallery and collectible art cards based on art from the original Japanese Blu-ray releases.     The set comes in a fashionable hinged chipboard collector’s box resplendent with foil highlights.

VIZ Media is the master distributor for the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE anime series and also publishes print and digital editions of the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE manga series (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens). VIZ Media is also the North American master merchandise licensee for JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE.

Black Optioned For The Big screen

Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith 3, and Jamal Igle's creator-owned title Black has been optioned for film by Studio 8, according to Deadline. Recently published by Black Mask Studios after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Black Mask concerns a world where only black people possess superpowers.

Studio 8's Jon Silk will produce the film, alonside Osajyefo, Smith, and Black Mask's Matt Pizzolo.

No further details or projected release date for Black were reported.

INFO ON THE COMIC.

Last February A new series titled Black explores the science fiction superhero paradigm and delves headlong into issues of race and also simply being an everyday person. Created by former DC editor Kwanza Osajyefo and artist/designer Tim Smith III, Black will be a six-issue series beginning later this year illustrated by Jamal Igle with covers by Khary Randolph.

VIZ Media Releases K RETURN OF KINGS" ANIME SERIES

Posted by Justin D Williams

VIZ Media delivers the exciting next season of the beautifully animated action thriller, K, with the home media release of K RETURN OF KINGS on July 18th. The latest release presents the entire 13-episode second season of the acclaimed series and will be available to audiences as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and also as a Standard Edition DVD set. The series is rated ‘TV-14’.

Following the events of the feature film, K MISSING KINGS… The Green Clan JUNGLE has been spreading its influence, causing friction with the Red Clan HOMRA and the Blue Clan SCEPTER 4. The war escalates when the Green King, Nagare Hisui, sends his men to attack Kuro and Neko, forcing the return of the Silver King, Yashiro Isana. Reunited with his friends, Shiro reveals his plans for dealing with the Green Clan – an alliance of the Red, Blue and Silver Clans! But the Green King carries his own wild cards! Will the combined power of three kings be enough to stop Nagare Hisui from fulfilling his dark ambitions?

The K RETURN OF KINGS Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack features full 1080p HD resolution and 16x9 video and will carry an MSRP of $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN. Notable bonus features exclusive to the Blu-ray edition include clean opening and closing segments and a special Episode 13 Director’s Cut and a set of 13 full-color character art cards.

 The Standard edition DVD set will be offered with an MSRP of $39.99 U.S. / $52.99 CAN. Bonus features for the DVD edition include clean opening and closing segments.

“The gripping saga of an ordinary teenager that becomes embroiled in a deadly ongoing conflict between several clans continues in the exciting second season of K and audiences will not want to miss a single episode,” says Charlene Ingram, Director of Animation Marketing. “The dynamic mix of action, psychological drama, gorgeous animation and intriguing, multi-layered characters has made K a favorite series among anime fans and we look forward to audiences diving into this latest release!”

VIZ Media invites viewers to catch season one of K, available on home media as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and Standard Edition DVD sets, as well as the K MISSING KINGS feature film, which is also available as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and Standard Edition DVD set.

For more information on K or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit VIZ.com.

Cryptozoic and Don’t Panic Games Announce Release of Attack on Titan: The Last Stand

Posted By Justin D Williams

Cryptozoic Entertainment, leading creator of board games, trading cards, and collectibles, in partnership with Don’t Panic Games, today announced the July 26 release of Attack on Titan: The Last Stand. Based on the popular Attack on Titan anime series, this 2-5 player asymmetric board game puts one player in the role of a fearsome Titan, while the other players are brave Heroes trying to protect the Tower that guards the last human city. Designed by the award-winning Antoine Bauza and Ludovic Maublanc, the game requires strategic utilization of dice and features unique vertical gameplay, as the Heroes move up and down both the Tower and the 15-inch tall Titan Standee.

“Players are going to love the unique play experience crafted by Antoine and Ludo,” said Adam Sblendorio, Vice President of Creative at Cryptozoic. “They’ve captured the essence of an epic fight between humans and a monstrous Titan, creatively using a Titan itself as the setting for the battle.”

In Attack on Titan: The Last Stand, up to 4 players become Heroes, with choices including fan-favorite characters Eren, Mikasa, and Armin. Each Hero has a standee and a card with distinctive abilities that the player must utilize in order to take down the Titan. Teamwork is key to victory, as the Hero players need to work together to use Tactics Cards that have powerful effects. Players each roll five custom dice that let them move between the different Levels of the Titan and Tower, attack with Cannons or swords, and dodge devastating blows. Players can re-roll these dice as many times as they want, with one caveat: Every time they roll a Titan symbol, they lose that die.
 
The dice with the Titan symbol can be used by the Titan player, who can choose to be either a Basic, Destructive, Deviant, or Voracious Titan. During each round, the Titan’s first Action Card is placed face up, and the second one face down. Therefore, the Hero players know what the Titan intends to do with the first Action Card, and may try to thwart his plans by allocating the dice symbols shown on the card. But since the second Action Card is a complete mystery (and can be deadly), the Heroes may sometimes choose to suffer the effects of the first Action Card so they can keep their symbols for the hidden card.
 
If the Titan eats all 12 Citizens, destroys all six cannons, or crushes a Hero’s three hearts, humanity’s last stand fails and the Titan wins. Just like the anime, the Heroes can only win one way: They must kill the Titan by slashing his neck. With eight different Heroes and four Titans—each with a separate oversized card and deck—every game will be markedly different.

Attack on Titan: The Last Stand will be available at retailers nationwide July 26 for a suggested retail price of $40. 

Death Note Official Trailer (Netflix)

Posted By Justin D Williams

Check out the brand new trailer for the Death Note like action film coming to Netflix on August 25th. Intoxicated by the power of a supernatural notebook, a young man begins killing those he deems unworthy of life. Based on the famous Japanese manga. Death Note streams on Netflix August 25.

Armed Response Trailer Premieres

 Posted by Justin D Williams

Check out the new trailer for Armed Response coming August 4th starring Wesley Snipes, WWE Superstar Seth Freaking Rollins and Anne Heche. Check out the trailer.

A team of special forces soldiers approach the designer of a high-tech military compound to investigate the disappearance of another team guarding the facility.  The compound, known professionally as a Temple, is an artificial intelligence powered facility designed for interrogating high level prisoners.  Upon entering the Temple, the soldiers quickly find the earlier team horrifically slaughtered but no evidence as to who is responsible.

Almost immediately, the crew begins to experience strange and horrific supernatural phenomena as they attempt to uncover who killed the previous team.  Soon enough, they find a lone survivor, a dangerous terrorist who may hold the key to who killed the soldiers.  But as the story goes on, we’ll learn that there’s more to it than we’ve been told and a dark secret the soldiers share may hold the key to surviving The Temple.