By Jason A. Hill

VIZ Media releases a new free iPad app which fans of its massive manga collection can enjoy reading on the iPad. In a press release Tuesday, VIZ announced the new app, which will feature three of its most successful manga franchises: Naruto, Dragon Ball, Bleach and Death Note, which will be available for free download for a limited time.

San Francisco, CA, November 2, 2010 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced its long-awaited digital manga (graphic novel) application for the Apple iPad mobile device, launching today for FREE download through the iTunes Store. With this launch, the VIZ MANGA APP instantly becomes the leading destination to read Japanese manga on the iPad, with a downloadable library of the most popular manga series in the world.

The VIZ Manga app will launch on its first day with five legendary manga series: Bleach, Vols. 1-2; Death Note, Vols. 1-2; Dragon Ball, Vol. 1; Naruto, Vols. 1-2; and One Piece, Vols. 1-2, as well as the recently launched Bakuman, Vol. 1. In Week 2, the shojo fan favorite Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 1, joins the lineup. All volumes will be available for purchase and download directly within the application for $4.99 per volume. In addition, Death Note, Vol. 1, will be available as a free download for a limited time only. Readers are encouraged to check the app regularly, as new additions to the store and free Chapter 1 previews of other forthcoming manga series for the iPad will also be featured and added on a frequent and regular basis.

“Fans have been clamoring for an official manga-dedicated app from the moment they heard of the iPad’s existence,” says Alvin Lu, Senior Vice President and General Manager of VIZ Media. “It’s easy to see how manga and the iPad make for a perfect and natural fit. The VIZ Manga app is a great start, and this is just the beginning of manga’s brave new world. Look for plenty more developments to come.”

For more information on the VIZ MANGA APP, please visit www.VIZ.com/apps/.

Jason A. Hill is the Founder, Owner and Editor In Chief of Movies I Didn’t Get.com. He is a film critic and writer of articles and film reviews covering a variety of genres and film news that have been syndicated to many sites in the film blogosphere. He specializes in independent film in the US and Asia.

For more information please contact Jason at JasonAHill@MoviesIDidn’tGet.com.