No iPad, no problem: now read VIZ Media manga on your computer or your Android-powered phone.
Since October, 2010, VIZ Media has been adding titles to it’s iPad manga app, and in the last few months expanded to the iPod and iPhone. While a great step in legal digital manga, this still left people without an Apple device, well, empty-handed.
Not any more. At the company’s panel at 2011’s San Diego Comic Con, VIZ Media announced the creation of VizManga.com. This website gives manga fans access to the same books from the 40 different series found on the iPad and iPod apps, like Naruto, Bleach and Ouran High School Host Club. The manga is also available at at the same price (generally $4.99 a book). Buying manga on one device also allows you access on all the others, so any manga bought on your computer or Android phone can also be read on the iPad, at no extra charge.
The first chapter of every series is available for preview before purchase. But to celebrate the new website, and to help get you hooked, VIZ Media is also offering every volume 1 manga title at 40% off, making most of them only $2.99 a book through July 31.
Read the press release below for more details.
VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES VIZMANGA.COM
Extension of VIZ Media’s Digital Platform Expands Manga Audience to All Web Users in U.S. and Canada
San Francisco and San Diego, CA, July 22, 2011 – VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in the North America, announced the launch of VIZManga.com at their 25th Anniversary Party last night in San Diego during the annual Comic-Con International convention. The website joins VIZ Media’s existing digital manga platform and launched with 40 series currently available on the VIZ MANGA App for iOS devices, including the wildly popular titles NARUTO, BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB and VAMPIRE KNIGHT. With this expansion of the platform, fans can browse and access their digital manga from VIZManga.com and through the VIZ Manga Apps for the iPad™ and iPhone™/iPod™ touch. With one account, registered users will be able to view their purchases across even more devices than ever.
“Our digital publishing team wants manga to be available to as many fans as possible, no matter what device or digital experience people prefer,” said Brian Piech, Vice President, Digital Publishing. “Making our extensive library of the best titles direct from Japan available on VIZManga.com is a natural extension of our current VIZ MANGA apps available on all iOS devices. One purchase can now be read across multiple devices.”
VIZ Media’s digital manga platform allows for universal access for fans from their iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or now, VIZManga.com. Pricing for manga titles on the web will be identical to the VIZ MANGA app. The first chapter of all manga titles will be available as a free preview. Through July 31st, all Volume 1 manga titles will be 40% off.
The VIZ Media digital platform now has an online destination for reading manga on desktop/laptop computers and on Android-powered devices with built-in web browsers. The VIZ Manga App continues to be the top app for reading manga on iOS devices and features a rapidly growing library of the most popular manga series in the world, currently offering 40 series and over 300 volumes, with new additions and free Chapter 1 previews added weekly.
For more information, visit http://www.VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.
[…] this year’s San Diego Comic Con, manga publisher VIZ Media announced VIZManga.com, a website that let’s manga fans buy and read digital copies of various VIZ Media manga, like […]