VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, thrilled a packed audience during its official panel at New York Comic Con this past weekend as it announced the acquisition of the North American home video and product licensing rights to the celebrated film, BLAME!
VIZ Media will release BLAME! as Blu-ray and DVD Editions, featuring an Art Gallery, and a Blu-ray exclusive “Making of BLAME!” documentary. The film was directed by Hiroyuki Seshita, who also brought the world the complex, sci-fi action of Knights of Sidonia and Ajin: Demi-Human. BLAME! debuted on NETFLIX this past May.
In BLAME!, an “infection” in the past has caused automated systems to spiral out of order, resulting in a multi-leveled city structure that replicates itself infinitely in all directions. Now humanity has lost access to the city’s controls, and is hunted down and purged by the defense system known as the Safeguard. In a tiny corner of the city, a little enclave known as the Electro-Fishers is facing eventual extinction, trapped between the threat of the Safeguard and dwindling food supplies. A girl named Zuru goes on a journey to find food for her village, only to inadvertently cause doom when an observation tower senses her and summons a Safeguard pack to eliminate the threat. With her companions dead and all escape routes blocked, the only thing that can save her now is the sudden arrival of Killy the Wanderer, on his quest for the Net Terminal Genes, the key to restoring order to the world.
“BLAME! blends apocalyptic action and hard science fiction with the story of man’s struggle against technology,” says Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media’s Director of Animation Marketing. “We are thrilled to add this film to VIZ Media’s home media collection and look forward to presenting BLAME! to fans this spring.”
BLAME! was originally serialized as a manga series in Kodansha’s Afternoon magazine from 1997 to 2003. It was the debut work of creator Tsutomu Nihei, who went on to win the 39th Kodansha Manga Award for his series, Knights of Sidonia. Nihei is also known for his work on the sci-fi manga series, BIOMEGA (which is published in English by VIZ Media).
BLAME! was produced by Polygon Pictures, the Japanese 3DCG animation studio widely renowned for its award-winning work on shows like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Transformers: Prime, as well as the acclaimed Knights of Sidonia series.
For additional information on anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit VIZ.com.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan’s largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.
Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at VIZ.com.
