[/floatl]Star Bulletin: Viz presents novel ideas for expansion
It's time for yet another comparison between the haves and have-nots in the manga industry -- a comparison that's rapidly becoming "Viz versus everyone else." Viz, which shall henceforth be known in this space as "the House of 'Naruto'" for its signature moneymaking franchise, announced last week that it would be launching a new line of translated Japanese science fiction and fantasy novels. The new Haikasoru imprint will launch starting with two books in July and two books in September...Whether the Viz touch will translate into sales remains to be seen in a market that largely hasn't taken to Japanese novels as much as manga unless there's some tie-in to a major anime or manga franchise. The last high-profile attempt, Tokyopop's "Pop Fiction" line in 2006, fizzled and flopped, with none of the multivolume series -- "Twelve Kingdoms," "Scrapped Princess" and "Kino no Tabi" -- getting anywhere near finishing their respective serializations. That Viz would launch a new imprint in tough economic times also seems a bit risky...more...
