Viz Media’s HAIKASORU Imprint Releases Its First Titles

Looks like Masumi has been busy: Evelyn sent along email word that the Japanese Import imprint Haikasoru has gotten two titles out the door – All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka (great name!) and The Lord of the Sands of Time by Issui Ogawa (ok name, great title!)

Reading the author’s names kind of reminds me of walking through a mega car lot – but I’m sure that we’ll all get used to it with time (after all, what the heck kind of a name is Asimov?).

Sad to say, I really don’t know much about either author – but I am looking forward to the learning experience.? We’re finally beginning to get some cross-cultural flow back in the opposite direction (I’m strongly tempted to liken the current situation to digestive processes – something along the lines of suggesting that we’ve been shitting on the entire world up till now and the world has decided that now we need to eat – but that might be a bit too strong. Some neocons are still lurking about and they might accuse me of denigrating Amurika…)

I’ll take it on faith for now that Viz/Haikasoru have chosen a few seasoned and interesting authors for their roll-out.

Here’s some eye candy – the covers of the first two:

I have to say the packaging looks pretty nice too – anime sensibilities, touch of the East, but still recognizably SF/fantasy oriented.

Haikasoru is trying an interesting experiment – translating great and popular Japanese SF into English.? What with all the complaints about the genre losing its way or stifled by punchbowl turds or whatnot, it can’t do anything but help to have our minds polluted by a different viewpoint – and given the stereotypical Japanese penchant for downsizing things, efficiency and technical prowess, well – it IS science fiction.? It can’t help but be good.

Here’s the official press release from VIZ Media:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW VIZ MEDIA SCIENCE FICTION IMPRINT HAIKASORU RELEASES DEBUT TITLES
ALL YOU NEED IS KILL AND
THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME

Innovative New Publisher Of Japanese Science Fiction Offers First Two Inaugural Titles This July

San Francisco, CA, June 26, 2009 ? VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry?s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announces the debut later this month of the first two titles from its new Haikasoru imprint. ALL YOU NEED IS KILL and THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME will both be released nationwide on July 21st.

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL was called, ?science fiction for the adrenaline junkie,? by bestselling author John Scalzi (author of Old Man?s War) ?while THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME presents a time travel adventure through ancient Japan, the Second World War, and the 26th Century.? These two novels represent flagship titles for Haikasoru, the first imprint in the U.S. dedicated to Japanese science fiction and fantasy in translation.

ALL YOU NEED IS KILL by Hiroshi Sakurazaka
Cover illustration by Yoshitoshi Abe
Price: $13.99 U.S. / CAN $16.00
When the alien Gitai invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he finally sees something different, something out of place?a female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji?s escape or his final death?

THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME by Issui Ogawa
Cover illustration by Bukichi Nadeara
Price: $13.99 U.S. / CAN $16.00
Sixty-two years after human life on earth was annihilated by rampaging aliens, the enigmatic cyborg Messenger O is sent back in time with the mission to unite the humanity of past eras?during World War II and in ancient Japan, even back at the dawn of humanity?in order to defeat the alien invasion before it begins. But amidst a future shredded by war, love also waits for O. Will O save humanity only to doom himself? THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME was nominated for the prestigious Seiun Award, the leading award for Japanese science fiction, the winners of which are selected each year by members of the Japanese National Science Fiction Convention.

?SF, manga and anime fans will definitely enjoy these debut titles from Haikasoru,? says Masumi Washington, Editor-in-Chief of Haikasoru at VIZ Media. ?These novels present science fiction that is engaging, imaginative and exotic and we?re very excited to offer a whole new genre of Japanese literature to readers in the U.S.?

Haikasoru is scheduled to publish twelve books a year and launches in the summer of 2009 with four titles: THE LORD OF THE SANDS OF TIME by Issui Ogawa, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, ZOO by Otsuichi, and USURPER OF THE SUN by Housuke Nojiri.

For more information on Haikasoru please visit the dedicated website at www.haikasoru.com

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan?s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.