Verizon Wireless Adds TOKYOPOP Manga Video Channel to V CAST

Verizon Wireless announced the addition of TOKYOPOP to its V CAST Video channel line-up. The new channel offers 15 to 20 short videos each week from TOKYOPOP's popular manga entertainment, including manga videos known as imanga, anime clips, and other popular Asian-influenced entertainment.

"We are seeing a groundswell of interest in manga and other Asian-influenced entertainment content right now. Our relationship with TOKYOPOP serves as another proof point to our commitment to deliver the best snack-sized entertainment available on mobile phones to Verizon Wireless customers," said Ryan Hughes, vice president of digital media programming for Verizon.

Videos from TOKYOPOP featured on V CAST include the Bizenghast manga movie; Rave Master, and PiNMeN anime series; and FMW: Live-Action Reality-Based Sports which shows hard-core wrestling straight from Japan.

Bizenghast is based on the original manga by M. Alice LeGrow with music by Divine Madness and Kissing Violet. The movie tells the story of a young girl named Dinah who moves to the forgotten town of Bizenghast, where she uncovers a terrifying collection of lost souls that leads her to the brink of insanity.

Rave Master is a popular animated series that aired on Cartoon Network directed by Takashi Watanabe (Slayers, Lost Universe). The series tells the story of Haru Glory, a teenager who has to stop an evil society called Demon Card that is threatening the whole civilization. With the help of a transforming sword and his magical guide Plue, Haru embarks on a quest to find the five missing RAVE Stones which hold the key to victory over the Dark Bring.

Produced by Geneon Entertainment, PiNMeN tells a story about aliens from outer space who are awfully credulous at how easy it is to deceive humans.

TOKYOPOP is a distributor and creator of manga-orientated content in English, German, and Japanese. The company is incorporated in Tokyo, Japan, with its headquarters in Los Angeles, California and branches in the UK and Germany.