Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.<\/p>\n
More Matsumoto!<\/p>\n
GO GO MONSTER anyone? Ask Viz to make It happen…<\/p>\n
EDIT: August 1st 2008: Here’s the official VIZ PR.<\/strong><\/p>\n VIZ MEDIA’S TEKKONKINKREET <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n BY TAIYO MATSUMOTO <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n WINS 2008 EISNER AWARD <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Edgy Series About Two Miscreant Boys\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Adventures In A Surreal Metropolis Is The Only Japanese Manga Title To Win This Year<\/span><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n San Francisco, CA, August 1, 2008 <\/span><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u201c <\/a>VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced that its manga, <\/span>TEKKONKINKREET<\/span><\/cite>: BLACK & WHITE<\/span><\/cite>, by acclaimed creator Taiyo Matsumoto, won a <\/span><\/cite><\/span>2008<\/span><\/em> Eisner<\/span><\/em> <\/strong>Comic Industry Award<\/span><\/em> <\/span>for the <\/span><\/cite>Best U.S. Edition of International Material \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Japan. Named<\/span> for pioneering writer and comic artist Will Eisner, the awards recognize exemplary comics, graphic novels and other pop writings and are given each year as part of the annual Comic-Con International convention. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The manga, which is published by VIZ Media<\/span><\/cite> under its Signature imprint, was also the inspiration behind the Tekkonkinkreet<\/span><\/cite> animated feature film from Sony Pictures<\/span><\/cite> directed by noted visual effects artist and producer Michael Arias<\/span><\/cite> (The Abyss<\/em>, Princess Mononoke<\/span><\/cite>, The Animatrix<\/span><\/cite>).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n TEKKONKINKREET<\/span><\/cite>: BLACK & WHITE<\/span><\/cite> presents a gritty depiction of urban and social chaos surrounding a pair of outcast kids. Orphaned on the mean streets of Treasure Town, Black and White steal and fight to survive but remain fiercely loyal to each other. The result? The citizens of Treasure Town are afraid of them, the police are afraid of them, and even the local yakuza gangsters are afraid of them\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6and when a crime boss known as the “Rat<\/span><\/cite>” returns to Treasure Town, a confrontation is set to occur.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n VIZ Media released TEKKONKINKREET<\/span><\/cite>: BLACK & WHITE<\/span><\/cite> in August 2007 and bundled all three volumes of the original series into a new, premium omnibus edition that includes a color poster insert and 12 additional full-color manga<\/span><\/cite> pages \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the first time these pages were published in the U.S. An insightful interview with Michael Arias<\/span><\/cite> and screenwriter Anthony Weintraub<\/span><\/cite> is also featured in the foreword. TEKKONKINKREET<\/span><\/cite>: BLACK & WHITE<\/span><\/cite> is rated \u00e2\u20ac\u0153M\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for Mature Audiences and has a Suggested Retail Price of $29.95. In addition to TEKKONKINKREET<\/span><\/cite>: BLACK & WHITE, Matsumoto\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s other notable works include BLUE SPRING<\/span><\/cite> and NO. 5<\/span><\/cite> (both published by VIZ Media) and<\/span><\/cite> PING PONG<\/span><\/cite>, which was also adapted into an award-winning live action film that is available domestically from VIZ Pictures.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We are extremely honored to have TEKKONKINKREET<\/span><\/cite>: BLACK & WHITE<\/span><\/cite> recognized by the comics industry with this notable award,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d says Alvin Lu, Vice President, Publishing, VIZ Media. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Taiyo Matsumoto<\/span><\/cite> has won international critical acclaim for his honest and unflinching depictions of young peoples\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 lives and for his unique, immediately recognizable art style that blends both Japanese and European influences. We invite everyone to explore this award-winning series now available in a gorgeous omnibus edition from VIZ Media!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n About VIZ Media, LLC <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone \u00a0(415)\u00a0546-7073\u00a0; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at <\/span>www.VIZ.com<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n ###<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. More Matsumoto! GO GO MONSTER anyone? Ask Viz to make It happen… EDIT: August 1st 2008: Here’s the official VIZ PR. VIZ MEDIA’S TEKKONKINKREET BY TAIYO MATSUMOTO WINS 2008 EISNER AWARD \u00c2\u00a0 Edgy Series About Two Miscreant Boys\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Adventures In A Surreal Metropolis Is The Only Japanese Manga Title To Win This Year \u00c2\u00a0 … <\/p>\n