Video Podcast: It's An Otaku Thing Episode 2 -"The Otaku Rises"

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On episode 2 of "It's An Otaku Thing." Justin rises from a state of shock of watching the Anime movie "Harmagedon." Fandubs, Anime Villains, Olympic Gods Manga style, and of course Kingdom Hearts. Running time 55 Mins. Of course we do not own footage of DBZ or TeamFourStar spoof. 


Loss Of A Comic Book Icon

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                                                 Joe Kubert passes away at age 85


Hey Otakus and Geeks Fans, Today we morn the loss of a comic book icon Joe Kubert. Kubert was one of the creators of Sgt. Rock, a World War II Army soldier character that debuted in 1959, as well as the prehistoric Tor, one of the first comics presented in 3-D. He also famously drew Hawkman, starting in the 1940s. Here is a quick history about Mr Kubert:

Kubert was born September 18, 1926 to a Jewish family in a shtetl called Yzeran (Jezierzany), in southeast Poland (now Ukraine). He emigrated to Brooklyn, New York City, United States, at age two months with his parents and his two-and-a-half-year-old sister Ida. Raised in the East New York, neighborhood, the son of a Kosher butcher, Kubert started drawing at an early age, encouraged by his parents.
In his introduction to his graphic novel Yossel, Kubert wrote, "I got my first paying job as a cartoonist for comic books when I was eleven-and-a-half or twelve years old. Five dollars a page. In 1938, that was a lot of money". Another source, utilizing quotes from Kubert, says in 1938, a school friend who was related to Louis Silberkleit, a principal of MLJ Studios (the future Archie Comics), urged Kubert to visit the company, where he began an unofficial apprentice and at age 12 "was allowed to ink a rush job, the pencils of Bob Montana's [teen-humor feature] 'Archie'". Author David Hajdu, who interviewed Kubert and other comics professionals for a 2008 book, reported, however, that, "Kubert has told varying versions of the story of his introduction to the comics business at age ten, sometimes setting it at the comics shop run by Harry "A" Chesler, sometimes at MLJ; however, MLJ did not start operation until 1939, when Kubert was thirteen".
Kubert attended Manhattan's High School of Music and Art. During this time he and classmate Norman Maurer, a future collaborator, would sometimes skip school in order to see publishers. Kubert began honing his craft at the quirkily named Harry "A" Chesler's studio, one of the comic-book packagers that had sprung up in the medium's early days to supply outsourced comics to publishers.

* Joe Kubert history from Wikipedia


Myself and the staff at Otakus and geeks would like to send our condolences to the Kubert Family.

 
                                                          R.I.P Joe Kubert  (1926-2012)

 

The Wizard Of Oz (Graphic Novel Review)

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The classic story of "The Wizard Of Oz" is told again for a new generation. This time the story is told in the form of a graphic novel with illustrations from artist Ben Caldwell. The graphic novel for the most part sticks very closely to the original tale. Classic characters like the Scarecrow, Tinman and the Lion return. However the tale while following the same format keep it fresh some with new characters and interpretations. For example Dorothy is a little more brave and bold. The Tinman has a mustache and you get a more background story on how he became the Tinman. This Wizard Of Oz has a little darkness to it. It's not too dark that your kids won't be able to read it. However there are times when The Wicked Witch becomes truly wicked. Not to give too much of a spoiler, but capturing the Lion and sentencing him to starvation really shows how wicked she is. Overall the story is enjoyable to read and the new characters such as the Mouse Queen, and a different twist on our favorite flying monkeys are a welcome addition. The theme of each character remains. The Lion must find the courage, Tinman must find the heart, Scarecrow the mind, and Dorothy must learn the importance of helping others. 

 The art style I really did adore. This looks like it would have been made into cartoon. Caldwell style is simply amazing and I love his design on Dorothy she is innocent looking, but she gets tough when she has too. The environments come alive with each page. Caldwell's Emerald City has a great concept which you will see with the glasses the characters wear walking through the city. It gives a new meaning to Emerald City. The art has great use of colors and it has a unique interpretation on the characters we love. It's like reading a cartoon. Overall this is a good interpretation of The Wizard Of Oz. I would have like to see more of the Munchkins and more of the importance of the slippers. Otherwise it's time to take another trip to Emerald City and fall in love once again with these characters. 

 Final Grade A+ - With The Wizard Of Oz you can't really go wrong. This adaption has a little more dark approach to The Wicked Witch. The characters have more backstory and it looks great. 





The Art of Video Games" Debuts in Florida at Boca Raton Museum 10/24

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The Boca Raton Museum of Art will be the first museum in the nation to host the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s groundbreaking exhibition, The Art of Video Games, following its enormously successful presentation in Washington, D.C.

Running from October 24, 2012 through January 13, 2013, the Boca Raton exhibition, presented by FMSbonds, Inc., explores the 40-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium, focusing on striking graphics, creative storytelling, and player interactivity. During its stay in South Florida, the Boca Raton Museum of Art will offer a variety of associated programs and educational opportunities for visitors of all ages and interests.

The Art of Video Games

The Art of Video Games is a groundbreaking exhibition exploring the legacy of video games as a medium for artistic expression. Curated by Chris Melissinos, former chief evangelist and chief gaming officer for Sun Microsystems and Founder of PastPixels, the exhibition will give viewers an opportunity to explore the evolution of video games since they were first introduced 40 years ago. The Art of Video Games focuses on the interplay of graphics, technology, and storytelling.

“Video games are a prevalent and increasingly expressive medium within modern society,” said Melissinos. “In the 40 years since the introduction of the first home video game, the field has attracted exceptional artistic talent. Video games, which include classic components of art, offer designers a previously unprecedented method of communicating with and engaging audiences by including a new element, the player, who completes the vivid, experiential art form by personally interacting with the game elements.”

The exhibit highlights some of the best games for 20 gaming systems ranging from the Atari VCS to the Playstation 3. It will feature 80 video games presented through still images and video footage. In addition, the galleries include video interviews with developers and artists, historic game consoles, and large prints of in-game screen shots. Five featured games, one from each era, will be available in the exhibition galleries for visitors to play for a few minutes to gain some feel for interactivity. The playable games – Pac-Man, Super Mario Brothers, The Secret of Monkey Island, Myst, and Flower – will demonstrate how players interact with the virtual worlds, highlighting innovative new techniques that set the standard for many subsequent games.

Silenced Review

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Gang In-ho, who is working to earn money for his daughter's surgery, is appointed to a school for hearing-impaired children in Gwangju. But what he discovers there is an ugly truth: the children are being physically and sexually abused by their teachers. When he decides to fight for the children's rights and expose the crimes being committed at the school, In-ho teams up with human rights activist Seo Yu-jin. But he and Yu-jin soon realize the school's principal and teachers, and even the police, prosecutors and churches in the community are actually trying to cover up the truth.

Kingdom Hearts 3D Review

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It has been a long time coming. Months of anticipation, months of speculation have finally come to an end. The road to Kingdom Hearts 3 has come to it's conclusion. The last stop on the road to KH3 is Kingdom Hearts 3D for the Nintendo 3DS. How does the last filler for Kingdom Hearts hold up? Is it a hit or miss? Or should we stay asleep?

 Story - Sora and Riku enter the Sleeping Worlds to take the Mark Of Mastery Exam to become true Keyblade masters. Sora and Riku must travel to the seven sleeping worlds and unlock the keyholes in order for the worlds to wake up. However a new foe called "Dream Eaters" which have two forms Nightmare and Spirits are there to aid or stop them from achieving this goal. That is pretty much the story in a nutshell. If I say anything else it will be spoiling the experience. However I will say that the story definitely leads to Kingdom Hearts 3. In pure Kingdom Hearts fashion the story gets complex and knowledge of the previous games will be needed. Thankfully the game provides a glossary on all the previous games to get new comers and veterans up to speed. The story is all over the place in Kingdom Hearts 3D but it will all come together in the end.

 Gameplay - The gameplay is probably one of Kingdom Hearts best. It maintains it's basic mechanics with a few new additions that make the gameplay more fun. The usual hack and slash, level up mechanics are in tact. However the new addition of the Flowmotion system is really fun to use and abuse. The Flowmotion system allows Sora and Riku to get the upper hand on the enemies by using the environment around them. Bounce off of walls and do a powerful attack, use the poles to do a spin move attack, and many more. The Flowmotion system also makes traveling through levels quicker. Another great addition is the use of Dream Eaters. The friendly companions replace Disney characters as you allies, even though the Disney characters are missed, the Dream Eaters surely make up for the absentees. Each Dream Eater has their own special abilities, strengths and weakness. You can have three Dream Eaters at a time, each aiding you in some shape or form. In addition to using the Dream Eaters you will also have to take care of them. I found this to be a game in itself. As Sora or Riku you have the responsibility of feeding the Dream Eaters, training theme, giving them new abilities and making sure they morale level with you is in sync. During my gameplay  I didn't take care of them too much. It's not a huge factor but it will make battles a lot less stressful if you level them up properly and take care of them. Finally for the Dream Eaters throughout the game there are recipes scattered all over the seven worlds. These recipes can be use to create more Dream Eaters each with different set of powers. It's fun trying to find all the Dream Eaters and what recipes can be combine with others to make new ones. The last addition to the game is the Drop element. The Drop is used to switch the characters at anytime during the gameplay. I wasn't a big fan of it a first because it gives you a time limit on how long you can play with Sora or Riku. However I did like that it brought a strategy element to it on when you should drop and go to the next character. A little tip drop before you do a boss battle otherwise if your time is up, expect to fight that boss all over again. That was probably my biggest complaint about the game.

 The game will take about 15 to 20 hours to beat depending on the difficulty. You travel to seven different worlds some new and some old. The level designs are good and pretty linear so you don't get lost like previous installments, but it does give you room to explore. Square Enix made great use of the touchscreen making it useful in battle, but not so much that it takes away from the original Kingdom Hearts design. Overall the gameplay is solid. The game sticks to the basic but gives us something new and refreshing.

 Gameplay Video -

 Graphics - Kingdom Hearts 3D is the best looking RPG on the 3DS. It might even be the best looking game on the 3DS next to Resident Evil Revelations. This game you must play in full 3D in order to get the feel of the game. The games strongest graphics is TRON Legacy. This is when the graphics can even rival some of the strongest Nintendo Wii games. Detail is the name of the game on this level the joys of the Lightcycles, the close up shots on Kevin Flynn are phenomenal. It truly will blow you away.

 Sound - The voice acting is solid all around from Disney favorites like Mickey, Goofy and Donald. To the returning cast of Sora and Riku and many others who I won't spoil. The performances bring heart and add more emotion to the game with the help of the composition by Yoko Shimomura. The music is awesome as always from tracks like "Dearly Beloved", "Riku Theme", "Organization XIII" and many more. Most of the tracks are from previous games with some new orchestrated feel to it. The only disappointment is that Daft's Punk's music was not featured for the TRON Legacy level.

 Replay Value - With recipes to gather, a secret ending to unlock and a New Game + mode. Kingdom Hearts 3D has a lot of replay value. The game story will have you playing it at least twice to grasp the full complex plot. This game is not a one trip deal.

 Final Grade A-/9.0 - Kingdom Hearts is back in full form and on full course for one epic conclusion. The set pieces are now in place for the grand finale. Kingdom Hearts 3D is an awesome experience with solid gameplay, solid music, and emotional story that will have you cheering for the heroes. This is one game you don't want to miss.




J-Pop Summit Festival In S.F. To Host Japanese Fashion Events

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The 2012 J-POP Summit Festival, which takes place across the city’s Japantown district on Saturday and Sunday, August 25th and 26th. Catch the latest inspired designs from cutting edge Japanese brands such as Liz Lisa, h. NAOTO and Baby, The Stars Shine Bright as they stage several fun and free fashion shows and contests throughout the weekend. For event schedule, please visit www.j-pop.com.

The J-POP Summit Festival is honored to welcome Japanese fashion brand, Liz Lisa, for a first-ever appearance in the United States. Founded in the popular Tokyo shopping district of Shibuya, the Liz Lisa brand is built upon a fashion fusion of retro-meets-trendy, infused with a touch of feminine luxury and sensuality to accentuate the wearer’s charm and allure. During the 2012 J-POP Summit, Liz Lisa will host a pop-up boutique inside the NEW PEOPLE retail store offering an array of fashions and unique accessories for sale. Shoppers that spend at least $50 at the boutique will also enjoy free Liz Lisa eyelash makeup on-site by the brand’s official girls team that flying all the way from Tokyo to join in the festival.

Liz Lisa will also host a rose flower-inspired “Shibuya Girls Fashion Contest,” scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 25th at 1:00pm on the Main Pagoda Stage at Peace Plaza. Attendees that feel they that are the best example of a Shibya Fashionista are invited to participate in the contest and show their style at the J-POP Summit Festival! For entry information, check http://www.j-pop.com/2012/liz-lisa-fashion-contest. Prizes will include gorgeous Liz Lisa items. More information on Liz Lisa is available at: http://www.lizlisa.com/en.

Harajuku fashion will also bloom at the festival. Edgy Harajuku fashion brand, h. NAOTO has issued a call to potential female models to participate in their special live J-POP Summit fashion show showcasing the latest Autumn and Winter collections from the new FRILL and GRAMM clothing lines. The show will take place on Saturday, August 25th at 3:00pm on the Main Pagoda Stage in Japantown’s Peace Plaza. FRILL is the brand’s new Lolita-inspired line, while GRAMM is h. NAOTO’s romantic and more organic, “mori” (meaning forest) girl-inspired brand. More information on h. NAOTO is available at: http://www.hnaoto.us.

World renowned Lolita fashion brand Baby, The Stars Shine Bright has been a favorite with festival attendees since the very first J-POP Summit in 2009. The popular brand, which hails from the trendy Harajuku district of Tokyo, opened its first boutique in the U.S. in 2009 at NEW PEOPLE. For the 2012 J-POP Summit, Baby, The Stars Shine Bright invites fans to attend and participate in an Alice In Wonderland-themed fashion contest and show scheduled for Sunday, August 26th at 2:30pm on the Main Pagoda Stage at Peace Plaza. For entry information, please visit: http://www.j-pop.com/2012/baby-fashion-contest/.


New Dragonball Z Movie Trailer For 2013 Release

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Well the wait is finally over. The New Dragonball Z movie is not only confirmed but given a release date. Not much is known about the plot, but check out this quick teaser. I love how the animation looks for this one, it seems that we will get a DBZ unlike any other before it. 


VIZ Manga Series Will Debut Simultaneously In Print And Digitally

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Beginning today, all VIZ Manga releases will debut on Tuesdays. In addition, digital volumes of current releases will debut on the same day as its print debut. This will also include future VIZ Media titles available from the NOOK Store™ for the Barnes & Noble NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet. 

The VIZ Manga App is available for free through the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store, and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume. More than 80 series and 700 volumes are currently available for download. Plus, don’t miss the VIZ Manga End of Summer Sale going on now until August 20, 2012, saving fans up to 20% Off all series available on VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga app for the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and now Android phones!

Today’s Day-and-Date VIZ Manga Releases Include:

AI ORE! Vol. 6
BAKUMAN Vol. 13
BLEACH Vols. 44-45
DAWN OF THE ARCANA Vol. 5
NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN Vol. 10
PSYREN Vol. 6 - Debuts one month before street date of Sept. 4th!
TEGAMI BACHI Vol. 10
TORIKO Vol. 11
ULTIMO Vol. 7
YU-GI-OH! GX Vol. 9

Additional Titles Debuting Today On VIZ Manga Include:

THE GENTLEMEN'S ALLIANCE Vol. 8
HIKARU NO GO Vol. 12
HUNTER X HUNTER Vol. 13
KEKKAISHI Vol. 32
LIBRARY WARS Vol. 3
ORESAMA TEACHER Vols. 3-4
OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB Vol. 15
SEIHO BOYS HIGH SCHOOL Vol. 7
SHAMAN KING Vol. 7


LiSA’s Upcoming Single “crossing field” is Coming to America

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Here is some J-Pop News from our friends at Aniplex.

Aniplex of America is set to release the Sword Art Online opening single “crossing field” by LiSA here in North America. The upcoming single release will be available in three different versions including a Regular, Limited and Anime Edition. Both the Limited and Anime Edition will include a Bonus DVD featuring the textless opening from Sword Art Online. These releases will be imported and will be available on August 14th. In addition, the official digital downloads of “crossing field” will be available on iTunes and Amazon on August 21st. Pre-orders for these releases are now open.


For detailed information, please visit:
http://www.aniplexusa.com/lisa/


All of LiSA’s Releases can be pre-ordered and purchased at:
Right Stuf: http://www.rightstuf.com/rssite/main/

Here is LiSA Music Video "Oath Sign"






Olympics 2012 Fashions

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My my my Otakus & Geeks! I have truly missed my fam during this break. But what better way to come back than to talk the hits & misses of this year's Olympics fashions.

From Team Japan to the ever controversial Team USA, I'll be spending the next few Sundays during the 2012 Olympics to see what we can gather about these hits & misses and how to do some everyday wear with any of these looks to make them complete HITS! ... who knows?! Some of these looks could definitely show up in Lolita.

So far, here are my basic hits & misses ... join in & let me know yours since we'll be digging into this yumminess and all of the geeky fashion ways it may have brought with it!

                                                           Undecided         HIT 
                                                                       HIT        HIT
                                                                       HIT        Undecided

                                                                             Miss         Miss


                                                            Undecided         HIT
                                                     Undecided         Undecided

                                                 Undecided         Undecided
Of course HITS are what they are ... and nothing's gonna change my mind. Misses can be changed, some are growing on me the more I look at them, but it could just be because I have to keep looking at them. These undecided picks can definitely go either way, so I'll probably watch those a bit closer in action to make any final decisions.

What's your fashionable thoughts? Email me at imani@otakusandgeeks.com
Until next week
~je t'adore!



The Venom Cosplay Photos That Facebook Banned

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Hey Otakus and Geeks fans Sean (True Comic Fan), I came across and article on Bleedingcool.com about Cosplay Photos banned on facebook. Now my personal opinion, the photos aren't any worse than what people put up on Facebook every day. Check out the Photos and let me know what you think.

*original article from Bleeding Cool.com Written on August 2, 2012 by Rich Johnston*

Link: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/08/02/the-venom-cosplay-photos-that-facebook-banned/

Durarara!! Limited Edition BD Lunch Box Set Releases On October 30th 2012

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Aniplex of America Inc. announced that the hit anime series Durarara!! will be released in a Limited Edition BD Lunch box Set on October 30th, 2012 and will be available through anime distributor RightStuf.com and official retailers (http://aniplexusa.com/retailers/). Available only in a limited quantity, this highly anticipated release is another example of the company’s objective to bring the highest quality experience for the North American fans. The Durarara!! Limited Edition BD Lunch Box set features the entire series (24 TV episodes +2 OVAs) on 5 Blu-Ray Discs, an exclusive booklet featuring bonus interviews and artwork, a double sided poster and other bonus extras. This release is a US and Canada Exclusive and available while supplies last.

Pre-Order here: http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/OTJsicl-eNrPsCT0q2/browse/item/95935/4/0/0



YOUNG JUSTICE SEASON ONE REVIEW

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Hey Otakus and Geeks Fans, Sean (True Comic Fan) here.  Today I’m doing a long over due review of Young Justice. Now for those of us who have been feining for a new DC animated series since the ending of Teen Titan, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited, Young Justice will give you the fix you need. As always here is a synopsis of the series:
The pilot episode (later re-broadcast as the opening two episodes of season 1) aired a month prior to the debut of the regular series and introduced four characters: Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Speedy. It established their desire for greater recognition and respect, namely, a promotion from sidekicks to full-fledged superheroes. Met with opposition from their respective mentors in the Justice League, Batman, Aquaman, Flash, and Green Arrow, the protégés react in different ways. Speedy resigns from being Green Arrow's partner and begins calling himself Red Arrow.
The others seek to persuade their mentors of their worth by secretly taking on a Justice League mission to investigate the Cadmus building. During their infiltration of Cadmus' headquarters, the three heroes find a clone of Superman named Superboy. After the discovery, the team finds out Cadmus is creating living weapons called Genomorphs. The episode deals with this revelation, the origin of Superboy, and how this relates to a mysterious group of people called The Light (Cadmus's Board of Directors). In the end, Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Superboy negotiate with Batman to organize a covert operations team as a practical contrast to the Justice League whose celebrity status makes it difficult to maintain secrecy. After consulting with his colleagues, Batman establishes Young Justice in a secret cave on a secluded island. Here the teens are trained and mentored by the Justice League. Miss Martian makes an appearance at the end of the episode and joins as the fifth member.
Synopsis from Wikipedia  



Review Young Justice Season 1
As a fan of the comic book series I have to say the writers have done an excellent job with season one. The storyline has a new twist and drama every episode, which keeps you coming back every week. I had my doubts in the beginning because the team roster is different from the comic (original comic roster Superboy, Tim Drake/Robin and Bart Allen/Impulse) but the writers really made it work with storyline.








One of the most interesting thing about season 1 is the relationship between Superman and Superboy. When they first meet after Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad free Superboy from a secret a Cadmus facility, the Justice League arrive and Superman is less than happy to see a clone of himself. Superboy tells them that “ He’s a clone made from Superman’s DNA, Created to replace him should he perish or destroy him should he turn from the light.”







Another highlight from season 1 is the agenda of the mysterious organization called the LIGHT. They are the group behind Project Cadmus and the Superman Clone. It’s revealed later in the season (to the viewers) that The Light has been behind a lot of the weird events happening all over the world.







Overall I have to recommend Young Justice to anyone who is looking for a new animated series to watch. Right now anyone looking to catch up or watch the series for the first time can check it out Season 1 on DVD. My final grade for season 1: A+







Check out the Young Justice Comic Series.
By Sean Tucker/Writer

VIZ Media's End Of Summer Digital Manga Sale

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Here is some news from our friends at Viz Media:

DIGITAL MANGA SALE OFFERING UP TO 20% OFF ON ALL VOLUMES ON VIZ MANGA APP AND

VIZ Media gives readers a fun and affordable way to wrap up the summer reading season with a just-announced “End of Summer” sale on ALL digital manga (graphic novel) titles currently featured onVIZManga.com and available for digital download through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone®and iPod® touch, and now also for Android-powered smart phones!

For a limited time, fans can catch up on favorite series and dive into new ones with this special promotion, which starts today running through 20th, offering up to 20% off on over 700 digital manga volumes and 80 different series (Reg. MSRP: $4.99).

Included in the “End of Summer Sale” and not to be missed is the debut of Volume 8 of the hit Shonen Jump Advanced series – BLUE EXORCIST. The latest volume of the paranormal action adventure series is available now to VIZ Manga readers more than 3 months ahead of the print counterpart’s North American release on November 6th!

Newly released VIZ Manga volumes include:

BAKUMAN Vol.12
BLEACH Vol. 43
BLUE EXORCIST Vol. 8
DR. SLUMP Vol. 9
HONEY & CLOVER Vol. 3
HONEY HUNT Vol. 6
KIMI NI TODOKE Vol. 10
LIBRARY WARS Vol. 3
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION Vol. 3
STEPPING ON ROSES Vol. 8
THE PRINCE OF TENNIS Vol. 11
WILD ONES Vol. 1
YU-GI-OH! GX Vol. 8
ZOMBIE POWDER Vol. 4 - Final Volume!

The VIZ Manga App is available for free through the iTunes Store and Google Play Store, and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume. More than 80 series and 700 volumes are currently available for download with new series and volumes added regularly.