Viz Media Releases One Piece Color Walk Vol. 2 Art Book

New Full Color Art Book Features Illustrations From The Bestselling Manga Series Of All Time And Includes Works Never Seen Before Outside Japan
San Francisco, CA, December 15, 2011 – Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced the release of a new collection of manga (graphic novel) creator Eiichiro Oda's artwork from the bestselling pirate adventure, ONE PIECE, with the publication of the ONE PIECE COLOR WALK Vol. 2 on January 3, 2011. The new art book is rated T for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN.

Color images and special illustrations from one of the world's most popular manga are offered in this vivid new art collection. The book features behind-the-scenes info on how certain characters were designed and also includes an interview with Eiichiro Oda where he discusses his history and evolution as a manga artist. The book also includes a bonus postcard and in-bound full-color poster!

In the One Piece manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens), Monkey D. Luffy is inspired as a child to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But Luffy's life changes forever when he accidentally eats the cursed Gum-Gum fruit, and gains the power to stretch like rubber – but at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on an epic adventure... One guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world.

“ONE PIECE is the most popular manga series in Japan and continues to be the bestselling manga series of all time with more than 240 million volumes sold to-date,” says Alexis Kirsch, Editor. “This new edition of ONE PIECE COLOR WALK Art Book features a big selection of Eiichiro Oda's artwork rendered in vivid full color. Oda's illustrations are imaginative, playful, and often dramatic, and most have never been seen before outside Japan. We invite fans to savor all the character and cover art contained in this wonderful new edition!”

Eiichiro Oda began his manga career at the age of 17, when his one-shot cowboy manga Wanted! won second place in the coveted Tezuka manga awards. Oda went on to work as an assistant to some of the biggest manga artists in the industry, including Nobuhiro Watsuki (RUROUNI KENSHIN), before winning the Hop Step Award for new artists. His pirate adventure ONE PIECE, which debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1997, quickly became one of the most popular manga series in Japan and also enjoys a major worldwide following.

More information on the One Piece manga series is available at http://OnePiece.viz.com. The One Piece manga series may also be read digitally through the Viz Manga App for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, or through VIZManga.com for desktop/laptop computers or any internet-enabled device.

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.