Press Release
VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced plans to showcase a variety of exciting anime properties at the 2015 Licensing Expo. The 2015 Licensing Expo is the world’s largest and most influential annual licensing industry event and takes place June 9th – 11th at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. VIZ Media will be located in Booth #K177.
VIZ Media is the master licensee for the massively popular NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime and manga (graphic novel) series and the North and Latin American master merchandise licensee for the celebrated anime property, DORAEMON. The company also is the North American master merchandise licensee for products based on the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE and TERRAFORMARS anime series. VIZ Media actively oversees the licensing and development of a comprehensive range of products based on a wide array of celebrated anime properties across several key consumer categories.
For 35 years the Licensing Expo (www.licensingexpo.com) has connected the world’s most influential entertainment, character, fashion, art and corporate brand owners and agents with consumer goods manufacturers, licensees and retailers. Licensing Expo is the preeminent event for the global licensing industry. 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 2015 Licensing Expo include:
DORAEMON (Rated ‘TV-7’)
DORAEMON is one of the most beloved character properties worldwide. The animated comedy series depicts the adventures of Doraemon, a blue robot cat from the 22nd century, who travels back in time to help a boy named Noby using various secret gadgets procured from his 4th Dimensional Pocket. Episodes often offer lessons for young viewers about honesty, cooperation, courage, and respect.
DORAEMON marks its 45th Anniversary in 2015 and continues to be a major worldwide franchise with over $500 million in annual global retail sales and over 600 active licensees. The DORAEMON brand debuted last year in North America, with a robust list of partners spanning all categories – toys, apparel, stationery, food and beverage and more – and the partner list continuing to grow. Doraemon recently also appeared at the annual Washington, D.C., Sakura Matsuri, New York City’s Japan Week, and numerous events around the country, expanding the brand’s consumer visibility and capturing the imagination of a new generation of fans.
Visit the official DORAEMON web site at: doraemon.com or Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/DoraemonUS.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (Rated ‘TV-14’)
Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga properties. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens, in print and digital editions) and animated counterpart (NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN) are some of VIZ Media’s most successful titles and have captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America.
The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN brand continues to grow with new partners and licensed categories, including 3D mugs, bath and household items, high fashion, figures, auto accessories, electronics and more. The latest feature film, THE LAST: NARUTO THE MOVIE, debuted theatrically with great success this spring in North America, and will expand to Latin America this month. In Latin America, NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN enjoys widespread popularity, and VIZ Media has teamed with prominent partners to develop the property into strong multimedia brands localized for the burgeoning market.
More information on NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at: Naruto.com.
JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE
In the JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE anime series, the Aztecs – the people of the sun – once prospered in ancient Mexico. They had a bizarre stone mask that brought eternal life and the power of a domineering ruler to he who wore it, but at some point, the mask disappeared without a trace. Years later, in the late 19th Century, when men’s lifestyles and outlooks on life were quickly changing, Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando meet, and the stone mask binds them to a rather curious fate…
TERRAFORMARS
In TERRAFORMARS, after humanity’s first manned mission to the Red Planet was lost a second expedition arrives. The explorers prepare to exterminate the cockroaches that were used to transform the Martian environment, but are shocked to discover that the insects have mutated into giant, aggressive humanoids with one overriding goal – exterminate the humans! However, this crew of explorers has each undergone the “Bugs Procedure,” terrifying experimental surgery designed to make them more than human…
Other VIZ Media anime properties available for license include:
BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE TRILOGY
BLEACH
DEATH NOTE
INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT
K
LAGRANGE: THE FLOWER OF RIN-NE
NARUTO
NARUTO SPINOFF: ROCK LEE AND HIS NINJA PALS
TIGER & BUNNY
VAMPIRE KNIGHT
ZETMAN
For more information on these and other VIZ Media anime properties, please visit: www.viz.com/anime.
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 ONE PIECE, 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. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.
