Pink review

Pink Story & Art by Kyoko Okazaki Review

Living her daily life with her pet crocodile and moonlighting as a prostitute, Yumi’s life is anything but ordinary. One day, she meets a young man who turns out to be her mother’s much younger lover. As the two become entwined with one another just how will their lives change? And will it be for the better or the worse?

Pink is a rather fascinating tale riddled with intriguing characters. Perfectly paced, Pink is easy to become sucked in to. The art is probably one of the book’s weaker points though I am not sure if that is so much the fact the book is 25 years old or not. The ending alone makes the book well worth the read however the book also has a great sense of humor.

Pink’s art may not have dated well but its story has, ringing just as true today as when it was written. At one volume, this series is not a huge commitment which also works to its advantage. In conclusion, Pink is a nice read well worth the reader’s time.

Rating: 9/10

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Pink is available in print from Vertical Inc.

VIZ MEDIA’S NEON ALLEY BEGINS A NEW ERA FOR DIGITAL ANIME AND DELIVERS THE BEST IN FREE DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING

VIZ MEDIA’S NEON ALLEY BEGINS A NEW ERA FOR DIGITAL ANIME AND DELIVERS THE BEST IN FREE DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING

Online Anime Streaming Brand Offers New Free On-Demand Options Also Available With Hulu And Hulu Plus Including Episodes Of BLEACH, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, RANMA ½ And More!

San Francisco, CA, March 31, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, is officially relaunching NeonAlley.com April 1^st as the new home and consolidated online destination for FREE streaming anime content in the U.S. The new NeonAlley.com will deliver the hottest in subbed and dubbed digital series, simulcast world premieres, exclusive on-demand access, and a massive legacy catalog of new as well as classic favorites (in HD when available).

The new Neon Alley streaming destination will be available on demand to U.S.-based fans for FREE at NeonAlley.com. It will also be available anytime, anywhere across many different devices, including PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Roku, Chromecast, and a variety of other mobile devices through the subscription-based Hulu Plus Video-On-Demand service. Additional details on Hulu Plus-enabled devices can be found at http://www.hulu.com/plus/devices. For a limited time, fans who visit NeonAlley.com can receive a free 2-week trial to Hulu Plus – please check out the site for details.

“VIZ Media begins a new era for fans across the U.S. as we present the all new free Neon Alley online destination, focused on delivering the best in compelling digital anime content,” says Brian Ige, VIZ Media Vice President of Animation. “Supported by our media partner Hulu, Neon Alley offers a variety of rich programming combined with the ease and flexibility of on-demand access, with web and mobile device interoperability across all major platforms. We look forward to delighting new and veteran fans alike with even more exciting new programming announcements in coming months!”

VIZ Media invites anime fans to join the Neon Alley launch celebration with a special “Raven’s Watch and Win” contest running from April 1^st to April 6^th.  Sign up for a FREE NeonAlley.com membership (current members are also eligible) and watch each day’s “Raven’s Pick of the Day” episode. Just leave a comment after the show ends and be automatically entered to win fun anime prizes that include Neon Alley gift bags, DVDs, assorted collectables and other premiums. The previous day’s winners will be announced each day. For full details and rules, please visit: viz.com/na_sweepstakes.

Each month, fans can look forward to limited time, specially curated Neon Alley selections of full-length anime feature films, and April kicks off with an exciting double feature. BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING and BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC II – THE BATTLE FOR DOLDREY will be available on Sunday, April 6^th for one-week-only, until April 12^th, presented with easy-to-use selections for dubbed and/or subbed dialogue options.

Neon Alley will host over 1,200 subtitled and dubbed episodes of smash and fan-favorite shows, including BLEACH, BLUE EXORICIST, RANMA ½, MAGI, VAMPIRE KNIGHT, with new episodes added each week. Don’t miss the Neon Alley subtitled debut of GARGANTIA ON THE VERDUROUS PLANET on April 15^th. The premiere of the dubbed version of the sci-fi action adventure anime will follow later in the year. April is also a great time to watch the subtitled versions of BLOOD LAD and COPELLION in preparation for the forthcoming dub episode debuts. The new Neon Alley will also bring fans entire seasons of dubbed series on-demand at the same time – perfect for marathoning at your leisure – starting with the April 1^st launch of Season One of both BLEACH and INUYASHA, with subbed options available as well.

Other Neon Alley Weekly Programming Highlights Include:

Tuesdays	NARUTO (dubbed) Starting April 8th, catch the original from the very beginning with a newly added episode every week
Wednesdays	BLEACH (dubbed) The fan favorite Soul Reaper adventures continue with 2 new episodes weekly RANMA ½ (subbed) Catch 4 newly re-mastered premiere episodes of the classic anime comedy action series in stunning HD.
Thursdays	NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Simulcast Premiere (subbed) Don’t miss the latest new adventures of the world’s most popular ninja to fans on the same day as the Japanese premiere! New episodes premiere each week.
Fridays:	RANMA ½ (dubbed) Dub fans can catch 2 HD episodes of the martial arts comedy each Friday
Saturdays:	NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Exclusive Dub Premiere Catch the world premiere of the newest ninja adventure presented with dubbed English dialogue!

Additional information on Neon Alley is available at: www.NeonAlley.com.

For more information on anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit: www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.

Stealth Symphony Chapter 5 review

Stealth Symphony Chapter 5 Story by Ryohgo Narita, Art by Yoichi Amano Review

                Stealth Symphony seems to follow a pattern a chapter of showcasing a quirky character followed by another which spews exposition. As we are on an odd number the latter is the case for this chapter. To the series credit it has a legitimately interesting cast. That being said it goes up and down like a yo-yo when pacing is involved ranging from slow to glacial every other chapter.

                The art is well done and the twist at chapter 5’s end hopefully shakes up what is quickly becoming a tedious pattern. The rocky note the series is starting on is also bringing into question how long it will last in a magazine that cancels series quite frequently. Again to the Stealth Symphony’s credit the characters profiled are legitimately intriguing and the direction the series will go in the future is a mystery but whether the latter is due to great writing or the author themselves not knowing is up in the air. 

Stealth Symphony Chapter 4 review

Stealth Symphony Chapter 4 Story by Ryohgo Narita, Art by Yoichi Amano Review

               

As of chapter 4 the series continues to falter in everything but the artwork. The plot is moving at a glacial pace and the series as a whole feels more and more awkward with each passing chapter. The promise at the end of a chapter of what I presume to be a cat girl leaves me less optimistic about future chapters.  The series also has one other major problem: it’s heavy on exposition.

                 Instead of actually having the artwork show the world we get very text heavy pages which disrupt the flow. This is a shame because it seems to be an interesting enough world to explore. Again, to the series’ credit the characters other than the protagonist are intriguing but the series has some serious ironing out to do if it wishes to live up to its potential.

Rating: 4/10

Stealth Symphony is available from Viz Media.

Stealth Symphony chapters 2 & 3 review

Stealth Symphony chapters 2 & 3 Story by Ryohgo Narita, Art by Yoichi Amano Review

                Chapters  2 and 3 of Stealth Symphony are different as night and day in terms of quality. While chapter 2 is bogged down by swathes of exposition chapter 3 focuses on the infinitely more interesting supporting cast and has a bit of action. That being said, at this point the series is still mostly relying on what it could potentially become. It sort of feels like the series is meandering a bit by the third chapter and that’s does not often bode well for a series.

                The promise of new characters in the third chapter’s final moments potentially stirring things up could stir up what has been by and large a stale series thus far and the glint of action is enough for the time being at least. The series shows more promise in its third chapter than it did in its first two. That being said, it has been kind of a mixed bag. All there is to do now is wait and hope it further improves.

Rating: 6/10

Stealth Symphony is available from Viz Media. 

Suzuka Episodes 1-5 review

Suzuka Episodes 1-5  Directed Hiroshi Fukutomi, Produced by Studio Comet Review

When Yamato moves to Tokyo he finds himself living in his aunt’s apartment complex. He soon meets a girl named Suzuka and a girl he met once as a child named Honoka. Naturally romance is in the air!

Suzuka is if nothing else a decent romance thus far that being said it has little else going for it. The voice acting is subpar especially for the male lead at least in the English dub. Most of the series problems stem from the main character, Yamato, who just really does little more than serve as the audience`s insert character. To be fair at least a few member of the rest of the cast are far more interesting.

Outside of the ending credits there`s really nothing interesting going on visually. The lack of fan service for the most part is certainly a plus though. The series other main problem aside from the male lead is that it seems to squarely focus on the romance which would be fine except Yamato has the personality of a wall and thus the romance alone cannot carry the series. In conclusion, Suzuka is very much a middle of the road type of show. If pure romances with Gary-Stu self-insert characters is your cup of tea this might be the series for you. If not, you might want to search elsewhere for your entertainment.

Rating: 5/10

Suzuka is streaming and is available on home video from Funimation. 

ADVENTURE AWAITS WITH VIZ MEDIA’S FALL 2014 MANGA ACQUISITIONS FROM THE SHONEN JUMP AND VIZ SIGNATURE IMPRINTS

ADVENTURE AWAITS WITH VIZ MEDIA’S

FALL 2014 MANGA ACQUISITIONS FROM THE SHONEN JUMP AND VIZ SIGNATURE IMPRINTS

Upcoming Releases Include Debuts Of ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM, JACO THE GALACTIC PATROLMAN, RESIDENT EVIL And ONE PIECE BOX SET 2

San Francisco, CA, March 4, 2014 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, announces the acquisition of several thrilling new manga (graphic novel) titles that are scheduled for release beginning in Fall 2014 from the company’s popular Shonen Jump and VIZ Signature imprints.

Fans will want to catch the manga volumes collected in ONE PIECE BOX SET 2 in November, followed by the launch of the alien-in-the-homeroom action comedy ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM in December. Manga master Akira Toriyama, widely known for creating DRAGON BALL, will have the North American release of his newest work, JACO THE GALACTIC PATROLMAN, in January 2015. The VIZ Signature imprint will also thrill gaming and horror fans with the launch in November of a tie-in manga series taking place in the world of the smash hit RESIDENT EVIL video game.

“Manga fans will have an action-packed array of new titles from our Shonen Jump and VIZ Signature imprints to look forward to this winter,” says Leyla Aker, Vice President, Publishing. “There will be plenty to captivate readers, from the crazy carnival ride of ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM, to the debut of Akira Toriyama’s DRAGON BALL tie-in JACO THE GALACTIC PATROLMAN, to high-seas adventure in the new ONE PIECE BOX SET 2 and zombie attacks in RESIDENT EVIL.”

ASSASINATION CLASSROOM and JACO THE GALACTIC PATROLMAN will debut in print and also digitally on VIZManga.com and the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad^®, iPhone^® and iPod^® touch, Android-powered smart phones. They will also be available on the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo ereaders, as well as in the iBooks and GooglePlay Stores

New Shonen Jump Manga Titles

ONE PIECE BOX SET 2: SKYPEIA AND WATER 7 · Rated ‘T’ For Teens ·

MSRP: $185.99 U.S. / $185.99 CAN · Available November 2014

Catch all the high seas pirate adventure in the second premium manga box set of ONE PIECE, one of the most beloved and bestselling manga series of all time! The new set includes Volumes 24-46, which comprise the third and fourth story arcs of the series, Skypiea and Water Seven. Also included are the "Strong World" mini-comic and a full-color double-sided poster.

ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM · Rated ‘T+’ For Older Teens ·

MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Print & Digital Available December 2014

A humorous and action-packed story about a class of misfits who are trying to kill their new teacher – an alien octopus with bizarre powers and super strength! The teacher has just destroyed the moon and is threatening to destroy the earth – unless his students can destroy him first. What makes things more complicated is that he's the best teacher they've ever had! The bimonthly ongoing series will also be available digitally.

JACO THE GALACTIC PATROLMAN · Rated ‘T+’ For Older Teens ·

MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN · Print & Digital Available January 2015

Akira Toriyama, manga legend and creator of DRAGON BALL and DRAGON BALL Z, is back with the quirky comedy JACO THE GALACTIC PATROLMAN! Retired scientist Omori lives alone on a deserted island while continuing his research into time-travel. His quiet life is interrupted when galactic patrolman Jaco crash-lands and decided to move in with him. Can Jaco get along with the old man long enough to save the earth from a dangerous threat? The debut volume features new, bonus DRAGON BALL Z content related to the parents of Goku, the hero of the best-selling manga.

New VIZ Signature Manga Titles

RESIDENT EVIL · Rated ‘M’ For Mature Audiences ·

MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN · Available in Print November 2014

The highly virulent C-virus became a global disaster, but where did the outbreak start? In this five-volume manga prequel to the hit Resident Evil 6 game with story and art by Naoki Serizawa, the terrifying origins are revealed. At the prestigious and elite Marhawa High School in Singapore, a female student suffers a horrifying transformation. Called in to investigate, Professor Doug Wright and his nephew Ricky find themselves caught up in a deadly and growing tragedy. As things get rapidly out of hand, Chris Redfield and his team from the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance arrive on the scene, while behind it all a mysterious figure looms.

For more information on these or other manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan.  Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.  VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.