VIZ Media Welcomes Studio 4ºC Founder Eiko Tanaka and Plans an All-Day BERSERK Celebration Source:
VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site:
berserkfilm.com (Japan) Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen
VIZ Media, LLC, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, invites fans attending 2012 Comic-Con International to join an exciting all-day celebration of all things BERSERK on Friday, July 13th as the company announces a special slate of activities to preview the forthcoming release of the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC (????? ?????) trilogy of anime feature films this fall. An appearance by the Founder/CEO of Studio 4ºC, which produced the new films, is scheduled in addition to an informative panel discussion. In addition there will be a very special, advance, on-site screening of BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING (????? ?????? ????, Berserk Oogon Jidai-Hen I: Haoo no Tamago, 2012). The film will formally debut later this year. The VIZ Media Comic-Con booth will be a hub of activity throughout Friday, July 13th as the company welcomes Studio 4ºC Founder, President and CEO Eiko Tanaka to the show. The recent BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy, based on the bestselling medieval dark fantasy manga series created by Kentaro Miura, was produced in Japan by Studio 4ºC. Tanaka is a prolific anime producer whose notable credits include work on Studio Ghibli’s MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO and KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE as well as producing director Katsuhiro Otomo’s MEMORIES and Michael Arias’s TEKKONKINKREET, which was awarded the Nipon Academy Award for Best Animated Film and nominated for an Oscar. She also took part in the production of Warner Brothers’ BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHT, the animated television program, THUNDERCATS, and Microsoft’s HALO LEGENDS. Eiko Tanaka will appear at the VIZ Media booth (# 2813) for a very special signing session at 3PM. Ms. Tanaka will also have a signing at the Dark Horse Comics Booth # 2615 at 2PM. Comic-Con attendees are further invited to an informative BERSERK panel discussion scheduled for Friday, July 13th from 5:30pm to 6:30pm in Room 32AB. Tanaka will be joined by VIZ Media staff for a rare interview session to find out what it really takes to transform this stark manga into a gripping animated feature. Fans will not want to miss the very special sneak preview of BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC II - THE DOLDREY WAR (????? ?????? ???????, Berserk Oogon Jidai-Hen II: Doldrey Kooryaku, 2012). Come early and receive fun BERSERK promo items; additional prizes also will be given away during the panel. BERSERK Day will be capped off with a special Comic-Con exclusive -- a live on-site screening of BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING, scheduled for 8:30pm to 10:30pm in Room 32AB. The film will be preceded by a special personal introduction by Eiko Tanaka. Combining a foreboding medieval European-insired setting with fantasy and exquisitely detailed swordsmanship, BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING follows lone mercenary Guts as he travels the land where a hundred-year-old war is taking place. His ferocity and ability to take down enemies attracts the attention of Griffith, leader of the mercenary group “The Band of the Hawk,” and Guts is recruited to the unit. Thanks to their continued victories on the battlefield, the bond between Guts and Griffith deepens, but despite all their success, Guts begins to question his reasons for fighting for Griffith’s dream. Unknown to Guts, this unyielding dream is about to bestow a horrible fate on them both. The
Berserk manga series, by Kentaro Miura, debuted in Japan in 1989 and quickly drew a devoted following, going on to sell more than 30 million copies worldwide. The series, still ongoing in Japan, has been published in North America and the UK, as well as in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Latin America. The
Berserk manga has also inspired a popular anime television series and has spawned a variety of related video games, collectable figures and toys, and music soundtracks, as well as the current BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy. For more information on the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy, please visit the official Facebook page at
facebook.com/BerserkFilm.
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 monthly manga anthology
Shonen Jump magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, 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.
For more information on BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC, please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan:
THE EGG OF THE KING, the first film in the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC trilogy, will have a special advance screening at Comic-Con. Image courtesy of VIZ Media. © Kentaro Miura (Studio Gaga), Hakuensha/Berserk Film Partners
