MangaMagazine.net Unveils iPad App for Anywhere, Anytime Comics Access

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MangaMagazine.net, a digital comic publishing platform, today unveiled its InkBlazers iPad app, making the site’s diverse range of comics accessible on-the-go. Whether your interests are action, adventure, romance, fantasy, sci-fi or anything else, the sleek interface packages all MangaMagazine.net original content for easy, swipeable, page-turning functionality in a user-friendly layout that facilitates the discovery, sharing and reading of new comics. Available as a free download through the iTunes store, InkBlazers lets fans access their favorites anytime, while giving the site’s comic creators another platform on which to distribute their content.

“As a huge comics fan since childhood, I’ve always been frustrated by how difficult it was to engage with my favorite authors and discover new and exciting content,” said Victor Chu, MangaMagazine.net CEO and co-founder. “Through MangaMagazine.net and our InkBlazers app, we are shaking up the publishing industry and helping fans explore countless new Web comics and manga from some of the most talented artists on the Web.”

Founded in early 2012, MangaMagazine.net has amassed more than 55,000 registered users, who are made up of both comic fans and artists. The site gives artists full control over the editorial direction and rights to their work, while also giving them the opportunity to monetize their content through revenue sharing and e-commerce. Artists who have demonstrated a certain level of success – as determined by a series of criteria that takes into consideration staff selection, number of fans and other statistics – are promoted to the site’s Feature Tier. The top performing Featured comics are then selected for the Premium Tier where the artists can earn income from a $20,000 monthly pool as well as receive additional advertising, merchandise and marketing support. By tapping into feedback from the vast network of comic fans, artists can learn and adapt via crowdsourcing, helping them move through the tiered system and strengthening the reader bond and their content.

“Since publishing my work on MangaMagazine.net, I have significantly increased my fan base,” said Wave, creator of ERA IBUKI. “With the new iPad app, I can now offer my current fans a medium to read, share my work anytime, from anywhere. The app also provides potential new fans with a platform to easily and quickly search and discover my work.”

InkBlazers offers both free and premium access; those seeking up-to-date access on premium content will be automatically charged $2.99 per month or $11.99 every six months. Free users will have access to any premium content uploaded after a two-month lapse.

Premium content will be available for free to all users in the two weeks following the launch of the app.  Every 5,000 downloads will extend the free access by another two weeks. To download the app, click here: http://ow.ly/mtNYj


Ducktales Remastered: Duckumentary (Behind The Scenes Look)

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Capcom released today behind the scenes footage of the making of the upcoming remake of Ducktales for the NES. This behind the scenes look is called "The Duckumentary” which goes behind the scenes with the developers at WayForward. The series of videos (beginning today and released every other week until the game’s launch) chronicles the creative process of bringing back Scrooge McDuck and one of the most cherished 8-bit titles of all time to current generation gaming platforms. Additional “Travel Tip” videos from Launchpad McQuack will begin releasing next week and up until “launch.




Her Universe Releases AMC's "The Walking Dead" Apparel

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If your a geeky girl who likes geeky clothes from the sci-fi genre and more, chances are you have heard of "Her Universe." Today "Her Universe" has added another great franchise to their already amazing collection, this time you will have a chance to have some cool "The Walking Dead" apparel. 

 "The Walking Dead" by Her Universe collection, featuring images, characters and phrases from "The Walking Dead" series on fashion tops, leggings, hoodies and dresses, will be available online at HerUniverse.com, San Diego Comic-Con and select retail outlets beginning this summer. "There is certainly an expanding fan base of women who faithfully watch 'The Walking Dead' and this collection of unique apparel and merchandise is targeted just for them," said Her Universe founder, Ashley Eckstein. "I am a huge fan of 'The Walking Dead' and I was thrilled with the opportunity to design Zombie fashion for fangirls. The story lines on this show are very emotional, compelling and addicting! As a fan, I am excited to have more apparel options made for women." 

 Here are some pics below and don't forget to check out HerUniverse.com








Two New Featurette​s from Edgar Wright's THE WORLD'S END

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Check out the new featurettes from Edgar Wright's(Scott Pilgrim vs The World)  new film "The World's End. The film stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Here is a brief synopsis of the film. 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hell bent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King, a 40-year old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their home town and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub, The World's End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind's. Reaching The World's End is the least of their worries.


THE WORLD'S END - "The Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy"
 THE  WORLD'S END - "Director At Work" Featurette


Weekly Shonen Jump In Multiple New International Territories

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WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP debuts the innovative digital manga (graphic novel) magazine in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa starting on July 4th. WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is VIZ Media’s weekly digital serial anthology that features the latest chapters from a variety of popular manga (graphic novel) series on the same day they appear in the Japanese Weekly Shonen Jump magazine.

Issues in the new territories will be available every Monday at 10 am Pacific Standard Time through the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Newsstand App available for the Apple iPad®, iPhone and iPod touch. WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP currently features the latest installments of some of the world’s most popular manga series including ONE PIECE, NARUTO, NISEKOI, BLEACH, TORIKO, WORLD TRIGGER and coming soon, JACO THE GALACTIC PATROLMAN by Akira Toriyama, released each week to English readers on the same day as their general release in Japan. Monthly series such as BLUE EXORCIST and YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL debut on the closest Monday after the Japanese release. Also serialized in the anthology is ONE-PUNCH MAN as well as a new color version of DRAGON BALL.

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP International Subscription Pricing:

o    UK - £1.99 / month
o    Ireland - 2,69 € / month
o    Australia - $2.99 (AUD) / month
o    New Zealand - $4.19 (NZD) / month
o    South Africa - R24.99 / month

“The launch of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP in these new territories is an important milestone for international manga publishing, and will give English reading fans in these countries access to the same award winning content contained the Japanese edition appearing on newsstands the same day,” says Andy Nakatani, Editor-in-Chief. “VIZ Media is committed to the global growth of the Shonen Jump brand and to utilizing digital technology and innovation to deliver manga content in the best possible way to readers everywhere. We look forward international fans joining the global WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP movement!”

In North America, WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is available as both an annual subscription (for $25.99/year) and monthly subscription (for $2.99/month). Annual subscriptions are available from vizmanga.com and in the VIZ Manga App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® or iPod® touch, Android-enabled tablets, as well as the Kindle Fire. Annual members receive exclusive YU-GI-OH! promotional trading cards throughout the year (cards are not available to iPad Newsstand subscribers or in overseas territories), and access to additional magazine content, including creator interviews and insightful promotional videos. Current subscribers can also access their account via the Newsstand App.


Geeks Who Do Music: EP Review - Jowin Actually Has Friends by Jowin

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One thing I love is listening to my fellow geeks music. A while back we feature hip hop artist Jowin in our Geek Who Do Music section (/www.otakusandgeeks.com/akusandgeeks.com/2011/10/cosplay-girl-videos.html). Many geeks will know Jowin from his hit song "Cosplay Girl." Jowin is back with an all new EP "Jowin Actually Has Friends." The 5 song EP is smooth, creative, fun and it's something hip hop fans should check out. 

 The EP opens up with a smooth, relaxing track "Can't Stay Away" it's a great opener with cool vocals and lyrics. It does a great job of setting the tone of the EP. The next track is when Jowin starts showing his lyrical skills with the song "Commute." The song paints imagery of Jowin traveling and trying to tune out his surroundings. The song chorus is catchy and the lyrics are spot on for the concept Jowin is going for. The next track is absolutely my favorite track of them all. The third track "All Alone" is the show stealer of the EP. The song's catchy amazing jazzy beat grabs you from the first ten seconds, and the chorus song by artist FYUTCH is fitting for the track. Jowin uses some geeky references in this song which he clever manages to weave into the concept of the song. Jowin and FYUTCH chemistry is what makes this song work, they play off each other styles very well and with clever lyrics and great production this is the must listen track on the EP. The final two tracks "Please Save Mii" and "Stranger" are two great songs to close the EP.

 Final Thoughts: "Jowin Actually Has Friends" is a wonderful EP. It makes you want more tracks from Jowin and see what else he will come up with in the future. Each song concept fits, the features are just as talented and the production will make true hip hop fans smile. It is a valid effort and showcase on someone I believe is just warming up.

 Track listing & Ratings

 1.Can't Stay Away (4.5/5)
2. Commute (4.5/5)
3. All Alone feat FYUTCH (5/5)
4. Please Save Me (4.5/5)
5. Stranger (4.5/5)

 Final Grade: 4.5/5 AWESOME!

 Download and Buy The EP Here
http://jowin.bandcamp.com/album/jowin-actually-has-friends

All Alone By Jowin


Follow Jowin On Twitter
https://twitter.com/iamjowin

Like Jowin on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/iamjowin






The Garden of Words Review

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Takao, who is training to become a shoemaker, skipped school and is sketching shoes in a Japanese-style garden. He meets a mysterious woman, Yukino, who is older than him. Then, without arranging the times, the two start to see each other again and again, but only on rainy days. They deepen their relationship and open up to each other. But the end of the rainy season soon approaches.


Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies (New Screenshots)

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Check out some new screenshots and new details on the upcoming Phoenix Wright game coming to the Nintendo 3DS.

 Details: Trucy Wright - young magician, up and coming Attorney and adopted daughter of Phoenix Wright returns in the latest case to be revealed in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies. Trucy and Apollo Justice attend an event in the village of Nine-Tales Vale and meet Trucy’s friend, Jinxie Tenma who works as a maid at the mayor’s mansion. Disaster strikes as a murder is discovered. The only clues to be found are a collection of feathers and strange footprints. Could this be the workings of the legendary demon Tenma Taro? Players will need to use all their investigative skills to search crime scenes for clues, present and review the evidence in court and challenge witness testimonies using the all new ‘Mood Matrix’ function. As the story unravels, players will meet a set of unique characters that has become a trademark of the Ace Attorney series; ranging from Phineas Flich, the mansion’s caretaker, to new detective on the scene Bobby Fulbright. The courtroom drama goes into session this Fall when Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies arrives on the Nintendo 3DS.

Screenshots

Cloud Stife Outfit DLC Preorder For Lighting Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

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Cloud Stife is back, well sort of. Square Enix announced today that Cloud's DLC will be available for those who preorder the game. The outfit DLC will also include Cloud Strife’s legendary weapon, the Buster Sword, Soldier’s Band, the victory fanfare and finishing animation from FINAL FANTASY VII. Specific abilities that come with the Cloud outfit and weapon will be announced at a later time. The DLC will be available at launch from the Games Store on the Xbox Live® online entertainment network for the Xbox 360® games and entertainment system from Microsoft and via PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation®3 system.

Trailer

Screenshots


Dusk Maiden of Amnesia Review

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At the Private Seikyō Academy, there is a legend that all students have heard. Sixty years ago, there was a girl who for some reason, was left behind in the old, abandoned school building to die. Teiichi Niiya one day meets a beautiful, mysterious girl named Yūko Kanoe at the old school building and gets a surprise—she's the ghost of the girl who died 60 years ago, but does not remember her past or how she died. Teiichi becomes determined to help her remember, and together, they seek the truth behind the gruesome legend.



Oreimo 2 OVA Premieres At Otakon

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Aniplex of America Inc., in collaboration with Otakon Inc., has announced that the final three episodes of Oreimo 2 will make its worldwide debut at Otakon in Baltimore, MD on Friday August 9th. Following the announcement that the episodes are scheduled to stream worldwide on Crunchyroll on August 17th, Otakon will be the first to screen the OVA episodes 14 through the final episode 16 before its initial airing in Japan. The Oreimo 2 OVAs will be shown in HD on August 9th, Friday Afternoon at 3PM*. To celebrate this special event, Oreimo Author Tsukasa Fushimi, Director Hiroyuki Kambe and Editor Kazuma Miki (ASCII MEDIA WORKS Inc.) will be in attendance as special guests at the world premiere. In addition, there will be a talk session immediately *Scheduled airing time subject to changefollowing the Oreimo 2 OVA screening and an autograph session hosted by Otakon.

 For those who can’t attend the premiere event at Otakon can still watch the Oreimo 2 OVAs on 
Crunchyroll starting August 17th. Crunchyroll will host a limited screening event between August 17 and 
August 31 this year. Crunchyroll Premium users will be able to view all 3 OVAs immediately while free 
users are able to view it one-week after immediate Crunchyroll broadcast. In addition, from July 17 to 
August 31, both the regular season of Oreimo 2 and its corresponding OVAs upon its August 17th 
broadcast on Crunchyroll, will be available to world-wide audiences except for those in: Japan, Korea, 
China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Algeria, Monaco, and Tunisia.
The entire season of Oreimo 2 (Episodes 1-13) is currently available for streaming on the Aniplex 
Channel, Hulu and Crunchyroll. 

 A synopsis on Oreimo 2: Kyousuke Kousaka is a high schooler who 
has been leading a quiet, humdrum life. However, his life is turned upside-down when his little sister, 
Kirino, comes to him for "life counseling." It turns out that Kirino, a well-rounded winner in life, has 
many otaku-ish hobbies and loves anime and games. Kyousuke sincerely takes on Kirino's request to 
tackle life counseling. And so, as more and more people get involved--including Kuroneko and Saori 
Vageena, whom Kirino met via social networks; Kirino's friends, Ayase and Kanako, and Kyousuke's 
childhood friend, Manami--changes to their icy cold brother-sister relationship begin to appear. After 
they overcome the crisis of Kirino suddenly leaving to study abroad, what kind of craziness will her "life 
counseling" cause next?

 “We are very excited to host the world premiere of the Oreimo 2 final episodes at Otakon” says Hideki 
Goto, the president of Animation Business of Aniplex of America. “We would like to thank Otakon for 
this opportunity to watch the finale of Oreimo 2”
For more information on the Oreimo 2 worldwide premiere event, please visit: 
www.AniplexUSA.com/oreimo


Lenni Reviews: Ink by Amanda Sun

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Imagine life as you know it ends and you are dropped in a strange country where you barely know the language and a strange boy at school has drawings that come to life and attack you. Welcome to the life of Katie Greene; the unfortunate heroine of Amanda Sun's "Ink." After Katie's mother dies, she's sent to Japan to live with her aunt. With a rusty grasp of the language and customs, Katie struggles through school and tries to make some friends. She finds herself attracted to the resident bad boy, Tomohiro, who has these strange moving sketches.

This novel reads like a shojo manga; lost girl meets lost boy, one of the two is magical. and they fall in devoted love faster than the sakura bloom and fall. Most YA novels are following this pattern these days but the premise is very original and kept me reading despite how unrealistic the romance was to me. 

The love story was the only part of this book I didn't have complete fun with. I loved the descriptions of regular life in Japan as Katie gets used to an entire new set of cultural norms. Even adjusting to the food was noted which was fascinating. You really get the sense of friction and frustration as a complete gaijin is thrust into a world she barely understands. However, ALL the boys wanna know Katie, she's just the girl everyone wants to date. I'm sure there's the draw of the exotic; the excitement of a foreign girl with blonde hair as a fresh transfer student is bound to draw the attention of all the other kids. But I still had trouble finding the romance believable. They were in love and willing to die for one another so fast, I had to take a moment to catch up.

Then again, I think the same about most shojo manga and the stories are designed to be that way; a light, whirlwind romance with the spice of danger of the supernatural. It's a fun, simple read that will talk to the heart of every young girl dreaming of an otherworldly bishonen to fall in love with. I recommend this to any fan of shojo who is looking for a novel along the same lines.

Can't get enough of Lenni's writing? See more here.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Coming To J-Pop Summit Festival

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The 2013 J-POP Summit Festival, San Francisco’s annual celebration of Japanese pop culture, music, fashion and film, celebrates its 5th anniversary by announcing its expansion – to Union Square – as celebrates this year’s theme, “Make Kawaii Universal!!” with a special live concert on Sunday, July 28th from 2:00pm-4:00pm, featuring one of Japan biggest J-Pop stars – Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

 Presented in partnership with Union Square Live presented by the City of San Francisco, the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival will take downtown San Francisco by storm with “cute” J-Pop as a complement to the Festival’s core location, taking place Saturday and Sunday, July 27th and 28th. A variety of live bands, fashion shows, anime and live-action film premieres, Guest of Honor appearances, vendors and a special POP GOURMET Sake Tasting event are scheduled. Additional details on J-POP Festival events and programming are available at: 
www.J-POP.com.

An integral part of the theme of J-POP SUMMIT 2013, “kawaii” is a universally celebrated Japanese word that means “cute” or “loveable” and has become a prominent aspect of modern Japanese popular culture and expressed prominently in fashion, music, anime, games, characters, and cosmetics. The word has also become part of daily youth vernacular and is widely used to comment on style and fashion.

 “The celebration of the J-POP Summit spreads beyond Japantown this year and we are very excited to bring a special edition of the festival to Union Square, led by one of Japan’s biggest pop stars, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu,” says Seiji Horibuchi, the President/CEO of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. and Chairman of the J-Pop Summit Festival Committee. “By having this opportunity to present the essence of Kawaii Culture to a mainstream and demographically diverse area of the city, we hope to deliver the spirit and creativity of this unique pop culture phenomenon to even more people.”

 Kyary Pamyu Pamyu personifies the style and sound of Tokyo’s fashion Mecca – Harajuku.
Born in Tokyo 1993, she began as a model for several Harajuku fashion magazines when she was still in a high school and her unique looks and bizarre language and behavior caught Japan’s, and soon the world’s attention. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu released her major debut, MOSHI MOSHI HARAJUKU in August 2011 from Warner Music Japan, and the music video for its single “PONPONPON,” has been played over 50 million times on YouTube. Her first full-album, Pamyu Pamyu Revolution, was released in May 2012. In February 2013, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu began a world tour and recently released her sixth single, “Invader Invader,” in May.

 Una was formally a charismatic shop assistant in Harajuku and began her modeling career as a model by getting a snapshot taken by a fashion magazine in 2010. It didn't take her long to begin appearing regularly in numerous fashion magazines. With her beautiful looks, edgy style, and perfectly balanced body proportions, she represents a new type of Harajuku model capable of expressing not only kawaii style but also showcasing other cool aspects of Harajuku culture. This iconic figure of the Harajuku street scene will also debut her first musical single, "Juicy Juicy," on August 14th. 

 Kylee is an upbeat 19 year-old pop singer/songwriter currently signed to Sony Music Japan and has become a fast-rising multi-cultural star that is developing a major following in both the U.S. and Japan. Kylee has been featured in the U.S. on the Today Show, and her second single, "missing/IT'S YOU," released in 2010, was featured heavily in a commercial for online apparel retailer NISSEN. In 2011 she performed for an audience of more than 50,000 people at an official Major League Baseball game and has also sang for President Barack Obama.

 The 22-year-old Japanese human beat-box, Daichi, began teaching himself his amazing skill beginning at the young age of 10. Without using any instruments or machines, Daichi can make more than 50 different sounds using his voice, and moreover, can play rhythm beat and sing melody at the same time. Daichi is known internationally for his talents and he has opened for the likes of Boys II Men and collaborated with numerous singers, dancers, DJs and performers.

 Founded in 2005, Union Square Live brings free music, dance, circus, theater, outdoor movies and other entertainment to Union Square Park for everyone's enjoyment. Held April through October, most programs are presented on Wednesdays at 12:30pm and 6pm and on Sundays at 2pm. 



Let's Play: Fatal Frame

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The new Let's Play of 2013 kicks off with Fatal Frame. Each week I will upload a two or three parts. Here is a brief synopsis of Fatal Frame 1. After having received almost no news about her brother Mafuyu for over a week, Miku Hinasaki goes to the defunct Himuro Mansion to search for him. The only trace she finds of him is their mother's old Camera Obscura, which Mafuyu brought with him. Realizing that she is now trapped in the mansion, Miku continues searching for her brother – and a way out.

  Let's Play Fatal Frame (Part 1)

Part 2 Part 3

VIZ Media Brings Anime To Licensing Expo

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VIZ Media returns to Las Vegas for the 2013 Licensing Expo with a robust catalog of some of the world’s top anime properties. The 2013 Licensing Expo is the world’s largest and most influential licensing industry event and takes place June 18th-20th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. VIZ Media will be located in Booth # A137.

 The annual Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com) is the licensing industry's premier trade event for leveraging properties and brand equity to develop merchandise, Licensing Expo attracts more than 400 exhibitors representing more than 5,000 brands and properties in entertainment; sports; fashion and apparel; publishing; art and design; automotive; animation/anime; home and housewares; and lifestyle. Attendees from more than 80 countries represent the world's leading retailers, licensees, manufacturers, distributors and licensing agents.

 Anime properties VIZ Media will highlight at 2013 Licensing Expo include:

 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)
NARUTO has become the hottest animated series across North America and is one of VIZ Media’s most successful manga and animated properties in terms of sales. NARUTO has aired on TV since 2005, and is currently the most watched anime program on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block. On HULU, the 500+ subtitled episodes have reached over 200 million views. In addition, digital downloads are available on all major platforms including iTunes, Xbox, Amazon, Google and Xbox. NARUTO’s continuous popularity has brought more than 1000 consumer products to the U.S. market, including video games  from Namco Bandai (7 million copies sold), graphic novels from VIZ Media (127 million copies sold), and trading card games from Bandai America (10 million packs sold).

 In May 2013, the first official fan-designed t-shirt contest took place. The contest’s success resulted the immediate interest from numerous retail buyers. VIZ Media continues to secure new licensees and expand to new product lines, ranging from digital products to food and beverage items.

 More information is available on the official website at VIZ.com/naruto.

 BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE TRILOGY (Rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences)
Based on the bestselling medieval dark fantasy manga (graphic novel) series created by Kentaro Miura, the BERSERK animation is beloved by not only anime and manga fans, but also holds a large following in the action-fantasy world. To date, 31 million BERSERK graphic novels have been sold worldwide. The trilogy has been nominated for multiple international movie awards for its extreme precision, and dynamic graphics.

 The first two movies screened at a special premiere event in San Francisco in Spring 2013, and the third film will debut Summer 2014. Figures and accessories made in Japan are currently available in the U.S. High-end collectors figures are scheduled for released in early 2014.

 For more information on the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy, please visit the official Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/BerserkFilm.

 ACCEL WORLD (Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)
Based on award winning novel (3.5 million copies sold in Japan), ACCEL WORLD takes place in the year 2046 when the virtual world becomes reality. All 24 subtitled episodes are available on Hulu and the series is top rated in the Science Fiction Anime category. In addition, 100,000 copies of Namco Bandai’s Accel World PSP and PS3 games have sold in Japan.  Currently apparel, accessories, and figures are available in the US market.  ACCEL WORLD continues to venture into new item categories in 2013.

 For more information on ACCEL WORLD, please visit: VIZAnime.com/accel-world.

 K (Rated ‘T’ for Teens)
From GoHands, the studio that brought you the cyberpunk anime film series Mardock Scramble, and the enigmatic writers’ collective GoRA Project comes K. The highly anticipated series revealed little information on the plot until the its simultaneous debut in 54 countries in 2012. Upon its release, K instantly attracted the attention of a wide fan base. The first K publicity event in Japan resulted in attendance exceeding 250% of capacity, and sold out of 5000 event tickets in 15 minutes. All 13 episodes are currently streamed on Hulu and are top ranking in the Action Adventure Anime category.

 For more information about K, please visit VIZAnime.com/k.

 Additional VIZ Media anime properties available for license include:

 BLEACH
DEATH NOTE
INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT
LAGRANGE: THE FLOWER OF RIN-NE
NARUTO
NARUTO SPINOFF: ROCK LEE AND HIS NINJA PALS
TIGER & BUNNY
VAMPIRE KNIGHT
ZETMAN


Lenni Reviews: Rogue Touch by Christine Woodward

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(Image Source)

Rogue is my favorite character. In fact, I stopped reading X-Men comics for years because I felt she didn't get enough screen time to warrant my money. That changed but now I'm broke. So, when Rogue Touch by Christine Woodward came across my desk, I was excited but reticent. It's just a kick in the chest when your favorite character and childhood idol gets a crappy novel but I went into this novel with an open mind.

This novel explores the life of a young Anna Marie; a runaway who's mutant powers have just manifested and left her boyfriend Cody in a coma. Eighteen and barely making it, she encounters fellow outcast James outside the bakery where she works just standing there watching her. After getting fired and her boss accidentally touching her skin, she goes on the run and encounters James doing the same. Together, they crisscross the country, getting closer but also getting into trouble.

Woodward absolutely nailed a young and lost Rogue, already feeling lonely and heartbroken in a world she can never touch. You just want to hug her; even though that would probably kill you. The poor girl can't catch a break so it's almost a relief when she says "Screw it" and bolts out of town with the handsome and mysterious stranger. The set up is pretty standard romance novel fair; guy with hidden secrets and girl with hidden secrets meet up, fall in love, and their secrets inspire wacky hijinks. Typical but certainly not boring or sappy. Rogue was always a warmhearted woman in the comics and it shows through in this novel with how she wants to get close to her fellow fugitive help him with his "I'm an alien being hunted by my own kind" problem.

I was rooting for these two with "Young Turks" stuck in my head. The story is told in Rogue's voice and I was very grateful to have the prose written out instead in her thick southern accent. While endearing, such accents can be difficult to read at times and using my imagination to hear that smexy southern drawl was much better and allowed me to flow right through the very evenly paced and tight writing. Just like any romance involving Rogue, all you want is for everything to turn out ok because they are so obviously attracted to one another but, as is wont to happen in this genre, the universe quite literally will not let them be.

There is a coming of age aspect to this adventure and it's a fun road trip story, even with the danger. I was excited to find out how it would all turn out and enjoyed every minute. If you like Rogue and you like a little romance with your mutants than you can't really go wrong with Rogue Touch. I enjoyed it and I think you will, too.

Rogue Touch will be released on June 18th, 2013.
Can't get enough of Lenni's writing? See more here.