Last fall at New York Anime Festival, I was one of a handful of bloggers who cornered Bandai Entertainment’s Marketing Director, Robert Napton, in the press room for an impromptu press conference. It was an inspiring conversation–something I didn’t expect coming from a company that exclusively licenses manga as an accessory to their anime releases–thanks entirely to Napton’s fervent interest in his manga line.
I haven’t had a lot to say about their manga releases so far. Volume one of Lucky Star, one of the titles that most interested me, was a disappointment (though a change in translators makes the prospect of newer volumes more palatable) and I (shamefully) haven’t yet dug into the other titles I have on hand. Still, this press release I received today gave me renewed hope in Bandai’s dedication to its small manga catalogue.
www.bandaientmanga.com
February 16, 2010 (Cypress, CA) – Bandai Entertainment Inc. announced today that it has launched a manga specific website, bandaientmanga.com. Previously manga information could be found at the company’s main site www.bandai-ent.com.
“The publishing line grew significantly in 2009, so we wanted to have a unique space for news and information about our upcoming releases,” said Robert Napton of Bandai Entertainment Inc.
He added, “We have some exciting releases this month such as Lucky Star Vol. 4, Gurren Lagann Vol. 4, Gundam 00F Vol. 2, and Code Geass Nunnally Vol. 4, all of which are previewed on the site. Check back frequently for more updates and release information,” Napton added.
For more information on Bandai Entertainment visit:
www.bandaientmanga.com or www.bandai-ent.com
About Bandai Entertainment Inc.
Bandai Entertainment Inc. is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings (USA) Inc. and the premier distributor of Japanese animation on DVD and programming for television broadcast in North America. Titles include Gundam 00, Code Geass: Lelouch of Rebellion, Lucky Star, Gurren Lagann, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, Escaflowne, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, My Otome, and many more.