VIZ Media must be very proud of themselves because recently their publications have been mentioned in the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) list of 2010 Great Graphic Novels For Teens!

The list of VIZ titles mentioned includes:

• CHILDREN OF THE SEA Vol. 1 by Daisuke Igarashi (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)
• KIMI NI TODOKE Vol. 1 & 2 by Karuho Shiina (rated ‘T’ for Teens)
• OOKU: INNER CHAMBERS Vol. 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga (rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences)
• OTOMEN Vol. 1 by Aya Kanno (rated ‘T’ for Teens)
• MIXED VEGETABLES Vol. 1 by Ayumi Komura (rated ‘T’ for Teens)
• PLUTO Vol. 1-3  by Naoki Urasawa (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)
• SOLANIN by Inio Asano (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)
• TEGAMI BACHI: LETTER BEE Vol. 1 by Hiroyuki Asada (rated ‘T’ for Teens – pictured right)
• WE WERE THERE Vol. 1-4  by Yuki Obata (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens)

The list itself was divulged at the ALA Midwinter Meeting that was held recently, and all of the titles in the list are recommended for those in between the ages of 12 to 18. These VIZ titles also are accompanied by works from Dark Horse, Marvel, DC Comics, Yen Press and TOKYOPOP to name a few. For the full list of mentions, head on over to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists which includes films as well as books. Some of those items were also mentioned in our Holiday Guides last year – so it’s probably a good idea to keep an eye out when the time rolls around again!

Congratulations to our friends at VIZ for this latest achievement – we look forward to seeing what makes the list next year!

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.

“Letter Bee” first made an appearance in Japan’s monthly Shonen Jump magazine, and is now featuring in Jump SQ. It is also being featured in VIZ’s Shonen Jump magazine at the moment, and there is mention of the animated version being debuted in Japan at the annual Jump Super Anime Tour!

The story introduces us to the world of Amberground – a lplace where its wilderness is infested with Gaichuu (large insects with metal exoskeletons). Travelling is risky business thanks to these creatures, but luckily there is the the Letter Bees (a messenger corp) who are intent on keeping the cities of Amberground connected while risking their lives to do so.

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

“Hiroyuki Asada is a widely known and loved manga creator in Japan and we’re very excited to debut his newest series TEGAMI BACHI: LETTER BEE,” says Gonzalo. “This unique story blends visually captivating motifs of steampunk, an inventive mix of antique and futuristic technology, with the adventures of a boy who runs deliveries across a strange fantasy world. This manga has already captivated readers in the pages of SHONEN JUMP and we invite everyone to explore the manga’s debut volume in September!”

“Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee” will be available from September 1st. The series is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will be published under the company’s SHONEN JUMP imprint. It is expected to carry an MSRP of $7.99 U.S. or $9.50 CAN. Alternatively, Australian and New Zealand fans can expect to see it available on September 10th thanks to Madman Entertainment, for around $12.95AUS!

Of course you could always purchase it from RightStuf!

TEGAMI BACHI  © 2006 by Hiroyuki Asada/SHUEISHA Inc.