Viz Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as Viz LLC. In 2005, Viz LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current Viz Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and Shogakukan's licensing division Shogakukan Productions (ShoPro Japan).
Reception
Viz Media was awarded the Manga Publisher of the Year Gem Award by Diamond Comic Distributors in 2007. Viz also received an award for Manga Trade Paperback of the Year for its release of the fourteenth volume of the Naruto series.
Publication style
By 2002 Viz Communications kept some publications in the original right-to-left format, while in other publications it mirrored pages from Japan's right-to-left reading format to fit the Western left-to-right reading style. During that year Dallas Middaugh, the senior marketing manager of Viz, stated that the left-to-right version of Neon Genesis Evangelion outsold the right-to-left version of Neon Genesis Evangelion on a three to one basis; Middaugh concluded that readers wanted "an easy reading experience." Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragon Ball, requested that his work, labeled as Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z in the Viz versions, be published in the original right-to-left format. Vagabond was printed in right-to-left to preserve historical accuracy. Middaugh said that younger readers of Dragon Ball adapted to the right to left format more easily than their parents.
Viz has censored some of its titles. Some titles, such as Dragon Ball, were published in both censored and uncensored forms.
Publications
Shonen Jump
Shonen Jump is a shōnen manga anthology that debuted in November 2002, with a January 2003 cover date. Based on the popular Japanese anthology Weekly Shōnen Jump, published by Shueisha, Shonen Jump is retooled for English readers and the American audience and is published monthly, instead of weekly. It features serialized chapters from seven manga series, and articles on Japanese language and culture, as well as manga, anime, video games, and figurines. In conjunction with the magazine, Viz launched new imprints for releasing media related to the series presented in the magazine, and other shōnen works. This includes two new manga imprints, an anime DVD imprint, a fiction line for releasing light novels, a label for fan and data books, and a label for the release of art books.
Prior to the magazine's launch, Viz launched an extensive marketing campaign to promote the magazine and help it succeed where other manga anthologies in North America have failed. Shueisha purchased an equity interest in Viz to help fund the venture, and Cartoon Network, Suncoast, and Diamond Distributors became promotional partners in the magazine. The first issue required three printings to meet demand, with over 300,000 copies sold. It was awarded the ICv2 "Comic Product of the Year" award in December 2002, and has continued to enjoy high sales with a monthly circulation of 215,000 in 2008.
Published series
Manga
- 2001 Nights
- 20th Century Boys
- A, A Prime
- A.D. Police: Dead End City
- Absolute Boyfriend
- Adolf
- Afterschool Charisma
- Aishiteruze Baby
- Alice 19th
- All My Darling Daughters
- The All-New Tenchi Muyo!
- Angel Sanctuary
- Aqua Knight
- Arata: The Legend
- Area 88
- Ashen Victor
- B.B. Explosion
- B.O.D.Y.
- Baby and Me
- Backstage Prince
- Bakegyamon
- Bakuman
- Banana Fish
- Baoh
- The Cat Returns
- Basara
- Bastard!!
- Battle Angel Alita
- Battle Angel Alita: Last Order
- Beast Master
- Beauty is the Beast
- Beauty Pop
- Beet the Vandel Buster
- Benkei in New York
- Beyblade
- The Big O
- Bio Booster Armor Guyver
- Biomega
- Black Bird
- Black Cat
- Black Jack
- Black Lagoon
- Bleach
- Blood: The Last Vampire 2002
- Blue Exorcist
- Blue Spring
- Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo
- Bokurano: Ours
- Boys Over Flowers
- Buso Renkin
- Butterflies, Flowers
- Cactus's Secret
- Captive Hearts
- Case Closed
- Ceres, Celestial Legend
- Cheeky Angel
- Chicago
- Children of the Sea
- Claymore
- La Corda d'Oro
- Earl Cain
- Crimson Hero
- Cross Game
- Crying Freeman
- D.Gray-man
- Dance till Tomorrow
- Death Note
- Dengeki Daisy
- Descendants of Darkness
- Detroit Metal City
- Di Gi Charat
- Dogs
- Dorohedoro
- Doubt!!
- Dr. Slump
- Dragon Ball
- Dragon Ball Z
- Dragon Drive
- The Drifting Classroom
- Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President
- Eat-Man
- El-Hazard
- Excel Saga
- Eyeshield 21
- Fairy Cube
- Fall in Love Like a Comic!
- Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M
- Fist of the North Star
- Flame of Recca
- From Far Away
- Full Moon o Sagashite
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- Fushigi Yūgi
- Gaba Kawa
- Galaxy Express 999
- The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross
- Gestalt
- Getter Robo Go
- Gimmick!
- Gin Tama
- Golgo 13
- Grand Guignol Orchestra
- Grey
- Gun Blaze West
- Hana-Kimi
- Haou Airen
- Happy Happy Clover
- Happy Hustle High
- Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time
- Hayate the Combat Butler
- Heaven's Will
- Here is Greenwood
- High School Debut
- Hikaru no Go
- Honey and Clover
- Honey Hunt
- Hoshin Engi
- Hot Gimmick
- House of Five Leaves
- Hunter x Hunter
- [[I''s]]
- I.O.N
- Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit
- Imadoki!
- Inubaka: Crazy for Dogs
- InuYasha
- Itsuwaribito
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
- Jormungand
- Kamikaze Girls
- Kamisama Kiss
- Karakuri Dōji Ultimo
- Kare First Love
- Kaze Hikaru
- Kekkaishi
- Kimi ni Todoke
- Kingyo Used Books
- Kirby
- Kurohime
- Kurozakuro
- The Law of Ueki
- The Legend of Kamui
- The Legend of Zelda
- Legendz
- Love Com
- Macross II
- Magical Pokemon Journey
- Mai, the Psychic Girl
- Maison Ikkoku
- MÄR
- Marionette Generation
- Medabots
- MegaMan NT Warrior
- Mermaid Saga
- MeruPuri
- Midori Days
- Millennium Snow
- Mixed Vegetables
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
- Monkey High!
- Monster
- Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation
- Nana
- Natsume's Book of Friends
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- No Need for Tenchi
- Nora: The Last Chronicle of Devildom
- Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
- O-Parts Hunter
- Ogre Slayer
- Oishinbo
- One Piece
- One-Pound Gospel
- Ōoku: The Inner Chambers
- Oresama Teacher
- Otomen
- Ouran High School Host Club
- Patlabor
- Phoenix
- Please Save My Earth
- Pluto
- Pokémon
- Pokémon Adventures
- Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure!
- Pretty Face
- The Prince of Tennis
- Project ARMS
- RahXephon
- Ral Grad
- Ranma ½
- Read or Die
- Read or Dream
- Real
- Reborn!
- The Record of a Fallen Vampire
- Red River
- Revolutionary Girl Utena
- Rin-ne
- Ristorante Paradiso
- Rosario + Vampire
- Rumic Theater
- Rurouni Kenshin
- S • A: Special A
- Saikano
- Saint Seiya
- Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura
- Samurai Crusader
- Sanctuary
- Sand Chronicles
- Sand Land
- Saturn Apartments
- Sensual Phrase
- Sexy Voice and Robo
- Shakugan no Shana
- Shaman King
- Short Cuts
- Short Program
- Short-Tempered Melancholic
- Silent Möbius
- Skip Beat!
- Slam Dunk
- Socrates in Love
- Solanin
- Spriggan
- St. Dragon Girl
- Steam Detectives
- Stepping on Roses
- The Story of Saiunkoku
- Strain
- Strawberry 100%
- Street Fighter II
- Sugar Princess
- Switch
- Tail of the Moon
- Tegami Bachi
- Tekkonkinkreet
- Tenjho Tenge
- Time Stranger Kyoko
- Togari
- Tokyo Boys & Girls
- Toriko
- Toshokan Senso
- Tough
- Train Man: Densha Otoko
- Tuxedo Gin
- Ultimate Muscle
- Ultra Maniac
- Urusei Yatsura
- Uzumaki
- Vagabond
- Vampire Knight
- Video Girl Ai
- W Juliet
- Wanted
- Wāqwāq
- We Were There
- Wedding Peach
- Whistle!
- Wild Ones
- Wolf's Rain
- X
- Xenon
- Yakitate!! Japan
- Yumekui Kenbun
- YuYu Hakusho
- Yu-Gi-Oh!
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist
- Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
- Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium World
- Yu-Gi-Oh! R
- Yume Kira Dream Shoppe
- Yurara
- Zatch Bell!
- Zoids: Chaotic Century
- Zombiepowder.
Anime
- Bleach
- Blue Dragon
- Boys Over Flowers
- Buso Renkin
- Ceres, Celestial Legend
- Corrector Yui
- Cross Game
- Death Note
- Deko Boko Friends
- Flame of Recca
- Full Moon o Sagashite
- Grandpa Danger
- Great Dangaioh
- Hikaru no Go
- Honey and Clover
- Honey and Clover II
- Hunter x Hunter
- Hyde & Closer
- I"s
- I"s Pure
- InuYasha
- InuYasha: The Final Act
- Kekkaishi
- Key the Metal Idol
- Maison Ikkoku
- MÄR
- MegaMan NT Warrior
- Mega Man Star Force
- Mermaid Saga
- Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory
- Monster
- Nana
- Naruto
- Naruto Shippūden
- Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge
- Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
- Ogre Slayer
- One-Pound Gospel
- Please Save My Earth
- The Prince of Tennis
- Project ARMS
- Ranma ½
- Reborn!
- Saikano
- Sanctuary
- Strawberry 100%
- Trouble Chocolate
- Vampire Knight
- Vampire Knight Guilty
- Zatch Bell!
- Zoids: Chaotic Century
- Zoids: Genesis
Anime films
- Adieu Galaxy Express 999
- Bleach: Memories of Nobody
- Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion
- Bleach: Fade to Black
- The Cat Returns
- Death Note
- Death Note: The Last Name
- Densha Otoko
- Detroit Metal City
- Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf
- Fatal Fury 2: The New Battle
- Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture
- Galaxy Express 999
- Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
- Grey: Digital Target
- Honey and Clover
- InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time
- InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass
- InuYasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler
- InuYasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island
- Kamikaze Girls
- L: Change the World
- Love*Com
- Nana
- Nana 2
- Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
- Naruto the Movie 2: Legend of the Stone of Gelel
- Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom
- Naruto: Shippūden the Movie
- Naruto Shippūden 2: Bonds
- Ping Pong
- Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea
- Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior
- Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew
- Ranma ½: Big Trouble in Nekonron, China
- Ranma ½|Ranma ½: Nihao My Concubine
- Sanctuary