Fans of “INUYASHA: The Final Act” will be happy to know that the final episode will be available to view tonight on VIZAnime.com! OK, maybe you’re not happy to see the end of your favourite series, however the final episode is coming your way shortly after it has been shown in Japan!

After the many episodes and films that the manga series (written by Rumiko Takahashi) has spawned, the finale will be streamed on VIZANime.com – but what if you have no idea what the series is about? Read this synopsis to get the gist:

Pulled back in time to Japan’s ancient past, Japanese high school girl Kagome finds her destiny linked to a dog-like half-demon named Inuyasha, who remembers Kagome’s previous incarnation as the woman who killed him – and to the Shikon Jewel, or “Jewel of Four Souls,” which can fulfill the greatest dreams of any man or monster. Now Kagome and Inuyasha must work together to search for the scattered shards of the jewel before everyone’s nightmares are given the power they need to come true.

The final episode of “INUYASHA: The Final Act” is titled “Toward Tomorrow” and will be available to view on VIZAnime.com. If you would like to check out the Inuyasha manga or the other Inuyasha anime series then head over to viz.com for more.

You can also find other Rumiko Takahashi titles there, or you can visit the Rumic World website!

VIZ Media is proud to present VizAnime.com. A website recently launched that will premiere with over 400 episodes of VIZ’s most popular shows, including Bleach, Naruto Shippuden, Death Note, Inuyasha and Prince of Tennis.

The website will be completely free to use and have a customizable interface for users as well.

“A variety of interactive social networking tools and features also help foster an official online home and community for VIZ Media anime fans allowing them to connect on and discuss favorite shows, and offer ratings and opinions of various episodes.

Users can “follow” as many series as they like and choose to be notified each time a new episode is released, as well as keep track of the last episode they’ve watched. This makes it easy to stay current on series like INUYASHA or NARUTO, which feature more than 100 episodes.”

Check out VIZMedia.com and VIZAnime.com for more details.

This time we have vampires, ghosts, crime drama and teenage angst awaiting us. I won’t hold back – so what’s in store?

VIZ Signature releases include:

Children of the sea, Vol. 1 (available now) and Vol. 2 (available December 15, pictured – top right)

Rated ‘T+’ For Older Teens – $14.99 US / $17.50 CAN each

When Ruka was younger, she saw a ghost in the water at the aquarium where her dad works. Now she feels drawn toward the aquarium and the two mysterious boys she meets there, Umi and Sora. They were raised by dugongs and hear the same strange calls from the sea as she does. Ruka’s dad and the other adults who work at the aquarium are only distantly aware of what the children are experiencing as they get caught up in the mystery of the worldwide disappearance of the oceans’ fish. CHILDREN OF THE SEA is a surreal and riveting aquatic adventure from Daisuke Igarashi. Igarashi was given the Award of Excellence by the Japan Cartoonists Association in 2009.

GOGO Monster

Rated ‘T’ For Teens – $27.99 US / $36.00 CAN

Third grader Yuki Tachibana lives in two worlds. In one world, he is a loner ridiculed by his classmates and reprimanded by his teachers for telling stories of supernatural beings that only he can see. In the other world, the supernatural beings vie for power with malevolent spirits who bring chaos into the school, the students’ lives, and even nature itself.

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD!, Vols. 1-2

Rated ‘T+’ For Older Teens – $12.99 US / $16.00 CAN each

A poignant 2-volume collection of intersecting vignettes depicting twenty-something angst, WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD! explores the various ways that modern life can be at once ridiculous and sublime, terrible and precious, wasted and celebrated. In Volume 1, what begins with a college dropout bored of her mediocre routine soon becomes a fantastic series of stories about the unexpected ways that different lives intersect. Filled with magical realism in the face of the cold reality of daily modern life, at their core these stories are about young people discovering something precious amidst the chaos of existence. Volume 2 continues to explore similar themes including the cruelty of childhood, the delusion of adulthood, the endurance of death and how people find a way to remain resolute and laugh in the face of reality.

SHONEN SUNDAY, SHONEN JUMP, SHONEN JUMP ADVANCED and SHONEN JUMP FICTON goodies include:

RIN-NE, Vol. 1

Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens – $9.99 US / $12.99 CAN

RIN-NE is the brand new series from celebrated manga creator Rumiko Takahashi (INUYASHA). As a child Sakura Mamiya mysteriously disappeared in the woods behind her grandma’s home. She returned whole and healthy, but since then she has had the power to see ghosts. Now a teenager, she just wishes the ghosts would leave her alone! At school, the desk next to Sakura’s has been empty since the start of the school year, then one day her always-absent classmate shows up, and he’s far more than what he seems!

INUYASHA (VIZBIG), Vol. 1

Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens – $17.99 US / $24.00 CAN

Rumiko Takahashi’s epic manga adventure INUYASHA is given an omnibus VIZBIG treatment that combines the first three volumes of the smash hit series. Pulled back in time to Japan’s ancient past, Japanese high school girl Kagome finds her destiny linked to a dog-like half-demon named Inuyasha, who remembers Kagome’s previous incarnation as the woman who killed him – and to the Shikon Jewel, or “Jewel of Four Souls,” which can fulfill the greatest dreams of any man or monster. Now Kagome and Inuyasha must work together to search for the scattered shards of the jewel before everyone’s nightmares are given the power they need to come true.

YU-GI-OH! r, Vol. 1 (available now) and Vol. 2 (available December 1)

Rated ‘T’ for Teens – $9.99 US / $12.99 CAN

YU-GI-OH! R is the shocking sequel to Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duelist and the prequel to Yu-Gi-Oh!: Millennium World. When the follower of an old enemy returns to take revenge, Yugi Mutou must duel to save a friend’s life. But can he overcome the power of the three “Jashin,” the terrifying Evil God Cards? Bonus trading card in the first print run.

TEGAMI BACHI: LETTER BEE, Vol. 1

Rated ‘T’ for Teens – $7.99 US / $9.50 CAN

In a land of perpetual night, your heart is your light. In this imaginative steampunk adventure, Amberground is locked in darkness. A man-made star casts only a dim light over the land. The pitch-black wilderness is infested with Gaichuu—colossal insects with metal exoskeletons. The Gaichuu make travel between the cities of Amberground extremely dangerous. But thankfully the Letter Bees, a brave corps of messengers, risk their lives in order to keep the hearts of Amberground connected.

ROSARIO+VAMPIRE, Vol. 10

Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens – $9.99 US / $12.99 CAN

All around teenager Tsukune can’t get accepted to any high school, save one… but on his first day, he finds the rest of the rest of the student body doesn’t appear average in the least. Best of all, the cutest girl on campus can’t wait to fling her arms around his neck! Wait a sec’ – are those her teeth around his neck too? Tsukune’s going to have one heck of a hickey when he gets home from Monster Hugh! But does he have a chance in hell of raising his grades at a school where turf war isn’t between jocks and nerds, but between vampires and werewolves?

DEATH NOTE: L change the WorLd Novel

$19.99 US / $24.00 CAN

DEATH NOTE: L, change the WorLd introduces the unwritten chapter of DEATH NOTE and reveals how the legendary detective “L” (Kenichi Matsuyama) spends the final 23 days of his life. The story begins as L takes on the “Kira” case, in which countless criminals are dying under mysterious circumstances. L successfully solves the case and stops Kira, but only after sacrificing his life, leaving himself with only 23 days left to live. For his final case, L faces down a bio-terrorist group trying to wipe out humanity with a deadly virus ten times more potent than Ebola. As L tries to formulate an antidote with a scientist, he must also save the lives of two children who have no one else to turn to. The DEATH NOTE novel features the same format as the original Japanese printing with a hardcover and clear acetate jacket with metallic ink.

Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, VIZ Media:

“We’re offering up the best of the best just in time for the holidays,” says Gonzalo. “There are new series from manga heavyweights like Taiyo Matsumoto with GOGO Monster, and Rumiko Takahashi with her newest creation, RIN-NE and many more. For new and familiar fans alike, or perhaps for ones who simply love good stories with exquisite art, any of these titles will make an especially unique gift to fit almost any budget this year.”

If you need more information on any of these items, make a visit to www.Viz.com.

“INUYASHA brought creator Rumiko Takahashi renowned fame throughout the world and the series has been enjoyed by millions of readers in Japan and North America,” says Elizabeth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director, VIZ Media.

How does this edition differ from the standard, 5 x 7-1/2 graphic novel, you ask? The VIZBIG Omnibus edition of Inuyasha will still feature the original left-to-right manga style presentation, but the company’s SHONEN SUNDAY imprint has upped the ante with a whole-new spin on the fan-favorite. The 2002 award-winning series will be available in a larger, 5-3/4 x 8-5/8 size and packed with three volumes of the original graphic novel. The VIZBIG Omnibus Edition of Inuyasha is an exciting revival for long-time fans and newcomers alike to enjoy. Anyone interested in joining Kagome and friends on her quest to uncover her past and the powerful Shikon jewel may pick-up their copy for $17.99 U.S. / $24.00 CAN. The VIZBIG Omnibus Edition of Inuyasha is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens.

Episodes from the action-packed series conclusion – INUYASHA THE FINAL ACT – currently stream on ShonenSunday.com/anime and Hulu.com mere hours after they air in Japan. For more information on the INUYASHA animated series please visit www.ShonenSunday.com. Rumiko Takahashi is an artist who truly represents the very best from the world of manga.  Please visit the official North American web site for all Rumiko Takahashi related news and information located at www.TheRumicWorld.com.

The conclusion to the series will start showing on the 3rd of October on ShonenSunday.com/anime and Hulu.com (with subtitles), only hours after it has been shown to Japanese audiences! And every Saturday after that will bring you a new episode, so now you’ll have something else to do on Saturday nights huh?

For those unfamiliar with INUYASHA, you should know that it is an anime series based on a popular manga series by Rumiko Takahashi (creator of the popular series Ranma ½) and features the doglike half-demon InuYasha and the high school girl Kagome who is essentially master to InuYasha. For more concise information, be sure to visit ShonenSunday.com.

Ken Sasaki, Vice President Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media:

“INUYASHA is one of the longest running anime series in North America and we’re very proud to present the final episodes of this epic adventure to fans in the U.S. mere hours after episodes air in Japan,” says Ken. “Rumiko Takahashi created a classic with INUYASHA, and ShonenSunday.com/anime will be THE online destination where INUYASHA fans can watch all 167 previously available episodes, as well as follow the newest episodes from INUYASHA THE FINAL ACT!”

To catch “INUYASHA: The Final Act” make sure to drop by ShonenSunday.com/anime or Hulu.com on October 3rd. And remember that it’s rated “T” for Teens!

Also as an added reminder, you can check out Rumiko Takahashi’s new manga “RIN-NE” or her other INUYASHA offerings at ShonenSunday.com or try www.viz.com instead!

The long running and extremely popular series about a girl who can travel between worlds via the well in her yard and the demon she frees from a cursed arrow, INUYASHA, joins the broadcasting internet phenomenon today. INUYASHA is by far the most well-known of Rumiko Takahashi’s works. Based on the 56 volume manga that ran from November 1996 until June of 2008, the 167 episode anime will begin its Hulu streaming today with the first 32 episodes available. Each week more episodes will be added to the online catalogue.

Also coming to Hulu this week are NANA, two girls who share the same name but come from completely different worlds, and Honey & Clover, a romantic comedy involving an art group and the girl who enters their world and complicates it. Both of these anime series are based on manga series and have become successful franchises.

The first 11 episodes of NANA and the first 12 episodes of Honey & Clover are launching on Hulu today with more to come in the following weeks.

Images copyright Viz Media.

Anyway, just as we spent Friday, we spent the Saturday morning in line for [b]David Hayter[/b]. This time for an autograph! We were nowhere near close to the front of the line, despite being there 2 hours before even line-up time should have begun and we still had at least 4 hours ahead of us. As soon as they moved us into the Artist Alley where the real line was, some guy in line started blasting mem songs (ie: Rick Astley, Numa Numa…). I happened to have it on my iPod, so I made him play “Snake Eater” which made my day, strangely.

We met alot of awesome people in that line. We also met up with some friends who we were looking for for two days. Holla to the cool people who chatted with us about Metal Gear and Pokemon! We also met Mr. Hayter’s friend “Eric” (see future posting of David Hayter panel footage.)

We waited in line for what seemed like forever, if not for the small conversations about random stuff, I would have been passed out on the floor sleeping. He started blasting thru the line about an hour into signing the autographs and I was sure we wouldn’t get an autograph. But as AWESOME a person as Mr. Hayter is, he stayed there until every person (as far as I know) at least got to meet him. We got the special edition of the MGS4 strat. guide lithograph and the cover of MGS4 autographed, as well as some of our friend’s things, despite them limiting the sessions to 1 autograph each.

Ah well, it was a dream to talk to him, too bad all I could say was THANK YOU for staying.

After that fiasco we went with friends to the Exhibit Hall again. [b]Funny story…[/b] guess who we saw? One of the guys in front of us we were chatting with! He told us he was disapointed that we wouldn’t be able to meet him and he didn’t want to waste his time, so he left the line. We felt so bad when we told him that he autographed everything… he looked like he was going to cry.

At the exhibit hall, we checked out the new Naruto and Soul Calibur games. Got some footage of us actually playing too! (will hopefully be up soon) We got away with 2 Palkia and Dialga figures, a Knuckles, Link and Kirby plushie. I got a pair of the cutest Katamari earrings and the Shikon no Tama replica from InuYasha. We got a pair of Yu-gi-oh! Abridged shirts at a small gaming booth, along with a Paper Mario and Four Swords shirt for him, and a Kirby and L (DeathNote) shirt for me.

They were also having a mini-concert at the [b]Circus[/b] booth next to the Bandai one we were playing at.

We also stopped by the artist alley and spotted our own Chalcedony selling her wonderful crafts. We ended up leaving with a few badges from scuttlebutt.com.

I’ll take a group pic of all the AX schwag in the future.

We ended up hitting some of the most interesting panels on that day. We hit a [b]Disgaea[/b] panel, where they talked about the new Disgaea game (which looks amazing!) where they added new features to about every single aspect of the gameplay possible. They also displayed a new title that looked very good called “Witch’s Tale” I reccommend this game for anyone who liked the art style in Folklore. It was a very cartoony version of that game.

Next we hit the [b]Funimation[/b] panel where they read off the laundry list of anime they’ve aquired, including the lost title from poor ‘ol Geneon [b]“Hellsing Ultimate”[/b]. Therefore the rest of the panel was fans thanking Funi for being the saving grace of anime. Which is well deserved in my opinion.

The next thing we did was hop in line for the [b]“L: Change the World”[/b] movie, like 2 hours early. (And I’m glad we did, people were literally fighting for a spot in the theater.) Shout out to the people who kept me company in DS chat (Yo Dre and blakmajik! lol) This movie was in fact a work of pure fan lovin’ genius. I was very satisfied with the movie, though it was terribly spoileriffic for anyone who didn’t know how the series ended. There were some parts where the crowd was literally on their feet with excitement. I must say to anyone who just says to themselves “I’ll see it next time” at a con, you will enjoy it X10 surrounded by fans of the series.

Since I didn’t have to worry about Q&A with Q&J, we went home after that I think.

I hope I got all the details right, it was a week ago after all! Again sorry for being so late on the coverage and I hope to have vids and pics up soon!

Thanks for reading!
~Meg