Duelist Pack: Yusei 3 Available January 25

GET READY TO REV IT UP IN THE NEW YEAR AS
KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT
LAUNCHES Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s TRADING CARD GAME
Duelist Pack: Yusei 3

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (December 28, 2011) – The gift-giving isn’t over yet as Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (Konami) unwraps one more present to kick-off 2011 in style! Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME players get an opportunity to add more of Yusei’s favorite cards to their Decks, including cards from the newest season of the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s television series, as Konami releases Duelist Pack: Yusei 3. This 30-card Duelist Pack set includes eight new, never-before-seen cards, including four new monsters, two new Spell Cards, and two new Traps. That’s more new cards than any other Duelist Pack, ever! Duelist Pack: Yusei 3 will be available at hobby and retail locations nationwide January 25th.

TOKYOPOP's Gothic and Lolita Bible - Yes or No?

Dear Fans of the Lolita Fashion!

How many of you miss the Bible that was put out by TOKYOPOP?

How many of you want it back as much as I do?

Tokyopop Current Job and Internship Openings

Hello Everyone!

It's that time again!

Tokyopop has announced another round of internships. Not only that, but the company is seeking a couple of talented people for its job openings!

Viz Media, LLC Current Internship and Job Openings

Hello Everyone!

Check out the company's Spring 2011 Internship Program!

Below are the list of opportunities to check out -

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 13

Please read Part 12 of the interview before reading Part 13

Afterwards continuation

Final words from Stuart Levy that he would to add to the interview:

One topic I’d like to mention is how I approach the marketing of characters or stories that I create. I read online somewhere that some people think I spent a disproportionate amount of money marketing Princess Ai because I was the creator. While I didn’t respond to that particular blog entry, I thought it would make sense to explain here that in my capacity as CEO, it would be foolish for me to make decisions that were influenced by ego. I compartmentalize my different roles and segment my decision-making based on what’s appropriate for each role. Case in point: Princess Ai has sold very well not only in America but also worldwide. Fans seem to be attracted to Ai’s character on different levels – she strikes a chord. On the other hand, another story I created Juror 13 while receiving critical praise, did not generate any fan excitement, so TOKYOPOP decided not to spend incremental marketing dollars on it. In fact, one of my titles, Karma Club, was cancelled after the first volume due to poor sales! So, clearly, the company’s decision-making is not executed any differently on titles I create versus titles that I do not. I just wanted to clarify that point.

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 12

Please read Part 11 of the interview before reading Part 12

Afterwards

Looking back at his life as CEO and CCO, Levy has many dreams that he would like to see happen. He believes and hopes that in the next few years, the company, with “some exciting initiatives” will be in “the next level.” For him personally, “my dream is to produce one or more franchises across mediums including film – to produce characters that entertainment the world.”

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 11

Please read Part 10 of the interview before reading Part 11

Anime and Manga continuation

Yes, piracy and the advancement of technology is a competition faced by the industry: electronic reading devices, handheld devices, software and probably many others. “These challenges affect all aspects of entertainment, of course.” In regards to manga and anime from Japan, “there is an inevitable gap between first broadcast or publication in Japan and release of the English language version.” Levy personally believes that the key element to overcoming these challenges is to “embrace the new technology” by experimenting with “potential business models that may work.” However, according to Levy, “there’s no question that the entire industry will need to go through a significant change before overcoming these obstacles.” Another aspect that might be affecting the industry in the United States is the products itself.

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 10

Please read Part 9 of the interview before reading Part 10

Anime and Manga

Before starting TOKYOPOP, Levy started another company that was related to the anime and manga industry named Japan Online. “This company existed for a few years then eventually merged into TOKYOPOP.” It produced CD-ROMs, which “were the precursors to the Internet.” For example, the company had holiday card software products that were only available in Japan. These were based on anime titles such as Macross, Gatchaman, and Sailor Moon. In the mid-1990’s, Levy was the Japan correspondent for EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly). “That was a blast!” With his variety of experiences, there probably are some similarities and differences between all of it. He did learn quite a bit about the industry in Japan and the U.S., specifically about video games and software. Plus, he made connections with many professionals in the industry. However, “I was just starting out and still very “green” so of course I learned the basics back then and applied them when I started TOKYOPOP.”

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 9

Please read Part 8 of the interview before reading Part 9

Do You Still Feel the Same Way?

I read in a Time.com article that “Viz Media contends that true manga is made only in Japan--which isn't surprising, since Viz has access to Japanese titles. TOKYOPOP CEO Stu Levy disagrees: "Manga is like hip-hop. It's a lifestyle. To say that you can't draw it because you don't have the DNA is just silly."” I found it interesting that he mentioned “DNA” and “hip-hop.” After all these years, I wanted to know if Levy still felt the same way? If so, why? Boy did he give me a long explanation. Here it is:

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 8

Please read Part 7 of the interview before reading Part 8

Being CEO and CCO Part 2 continuation

Speaking of the difficulties of making a profit, how does he know whether or not a manga series under TOKYOPOP would become successful in the U.S.? Does the success from the country of origin, reflect the same situation as in the States? TOYKOPOP never knows if a series will be a hit or miss and sometimes, it can end with surprising results. “I think this is one of the facts of the entertainment business that many people I talk to agree upon – no one ever knows what will hit and what won’t. Of course, we try our hardest to find out in advance, partially by instinct, partially by polling the audience, partially by looking at the series’ original results (if it’s a license), but at the end of the day, we have to make a decision that isn’t always the correct one.”

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 7

Please read Part 6 of the interview before reading Part 7

Being CEO and CCO Part 2

Even though Levy had a rich amount of education, he did not know that his current career was the right path for him. The man followed his passion, and for him, his natural instinct is usually correct. People have criticized Levy for not continuing his career in law: “you could be making so much more money if you had stayed in law instead of starting a comic book company!” However, he believes that he “would have never had this much fun!”

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 6

Please read Part 5 of the interview before reading Part 6

Being CEO and CCO Part 1 continuation

Knowing that his career is not always going to be perfect, Levy always has worries. What worries him is what the future will hold and whether or not the dreams he has for TOKYOPOP will come true. Like many of us, money can be a concern, “especially in this economy!” If one does not make enough, one cannot pay the bills. For example: “when something is out of my control, which it usually is, I worry about the outcome. I worry about whether or not people will misunderstand something.” Along the way “many mistakes” are made, but “we are always trying to learn from those mistakes.” However, having worries does not stop Levy from doing what is necessary. So, what is his solution? “I compartmentalize the worrying, which turns into stress and then try to manage that stress. If you focus too much on the worrying, you will be too paralyzed to act.”

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 5

Please read Part 4 of the interview before reading Part 5

Being CEO and CCO Part 1

As stated earlier, Levy has two titles in TOKYOPOP, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer. Is he the “big guy” of the company or is there more to the titles than meets the eye? As Chief Executive Officer, his main focus is “company vision and strategic direction.” Levy is “ultimately responsible for all aspects of the business side,” including supervising the executives of the company, who run the operating units. As Chief Creative Officer, he oversees “the creative aspects of TOKYOPOP, such as high-level product development, branding, and intellectual property development.”

Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 4

Please read Part 3 of the interview before reading Part 4

TOKYOPOP continuation

Now a brand needs some kind of visual representation. Something that will leave an imprint in the minds of the audience, so one can say “Oh that’s TOKYOPOP!” without question. To all the fans out there, does one remember a head with headphones? It has been on the binding of TOKYOPOP manga and the defunct magazine from back then. Yes, I am talking about the Robo-fish. It all started a few years ago, with one of its designers, who came up with the recognizable image. “It has a bit of an attitude, I think, but it is still very cute. That’s certainly what I’ve experienced with pop culture in Japan, as well as manga specifically. So, everyone has loved that icon.” What about Princess Ai? She seems recognizable as a TOKYOPOP icon. Would one say that she is the “Mickey Mouse” of TOKYOPOP? “That’s an interesting question. I don’t think TOKYOPOP has a “Mickey Mouse” right now, but I do think at some point one of our characters will become very famous. I’m not sure if that will be Princess Ai or another character – I suppose only time will tell!”