Viz Announcements from Fanimecon

Viz announced at last weekend’s Fanimecon convention that they have licensed the 20 episode fantasy comedy anime TV series Trouble Chocolate, originally broadcast in Japan in late 1999, for American release.

Viz will be publishing English translated versions of the 5 volume Spirited Away film comics and the Animage Art of Spirited Away book. They will also be compiling an original American memorial book devoted to the film using stills from the film as well as Studio Ghibili’s original digital film materials.

As mandated by the Japanese licensor, Viz will resume the English language release of the X manga by CLAMP, but it will be released only in graphic novel form, not in monthly serial installments in comics or anthology magazines.

Viz again confirmed that they do own the American distribution rights to Hideaki Anno’s first live-action film, Love & Pop, a license first acquired nearly 4 years ago. The film is a study of teen-age prostitution in contemporary Japan.

There are no plans for a DVD release of Maison Ikkoku this year, at least.

Source: Anime on DVD