Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 1Media Release -- VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced that several of its manga titles have made the list of 2010 Great Graphic Novels For Teens by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA).

The noteworthy list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens was presented at the ALA Midwinter Meeting last week. The VIZ Media manga, recommended for those ages 12-18, meet the criteria of both good quality literature and appealing reading for teen readers.

The VIZ Media titles making the list included:

CHILDREN OF THE SEA Vol. 1 · by Daisuke Igarashi · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

KIMI NI TODOKE Vol. 1 · by Karuho Shiina · rated 'T' for Teens

KIMI NI TODOKE Vol. 2 · by Karuho Shiina · rated 'T' for Teens

OOKU: INNER CHAMBERS Vol. 1 · by Fumi Yoshinaga · rated 'M' for Mature Audiences

OTOMEN Vol. 1 · by Aya Kanno · rated 'T' for Teens

MIXED VEGETABLES Vol. 1 · by Ayumi Komura · rated 'T' for Teens

PLUTO Vol. 1 · · by Naoki Urasawa · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

PLUTO Vol. 2 · · by Naoki Urasawa · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

PLUTO Vol. 3 · · by Naoki Urasawa · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

SOLANIN · by Inio Asano · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

TEGAMI BACHI: LETTER BEE Vol. 1 · by Hiroyuki Asada · rated 'T' for Teens

WE WERE THERE Vol. 1· by Yuki Obata · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

WE WERE THERE Vol. 2 · by Yuki Obata · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

WE WERE THERE Vol. 3 · by Yuki Obata · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

WE WERE THERE Vol. 4 · by Yuki Obata · rated 'T+' for Older Teens

"We're very pleased to announce this diverse collection of manga titles that have been recognized by YALSA's 2010 Great Graphic Novels For Teens, with 3 making it to the top ten." says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President Sales & Marketing for VIZ Media. "These series were created by some of the most imaginative minds in the manga genre and offer readers great stories ranging from science fiction and historical-based drama to romantic shojo and slice-of-life graphic novels aimed at female readers. YALSA provides librarians with valuable tools and information to help them select compelling titles for readers, and we invite them to consider these series which have been recognized for their innovation and quality."

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the U.S. leader in selecting books, videos, and audio books for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, go to www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists.

For more information on these and other manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.viz.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and website at www.VIZ.com.