Tag Archives: hitoshi ariga

Usagi Yojimbo gets an all-new, full-color story arc in March 2025

Dark Horse Comics and Dogu Publishing have announced an all-new, full-color story arc of the iconic Usagi Yojimbo series launching in March 2025. In this latest saga, Usagi Yojimbo creator Stan Sakai continues to captivate readers with his unparalleled storytelling, compelling artwork, and legendary lettering.

Join Sakai and an array of stunning cover artists—including Mitsuhiro AritaEric TalbotHitoshi ArigaJennifer Meyer, and special three-part interlocking covers by the Escorza Brothers!—with this emotional new entry in the continuing tales of legendary rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi.

This latest series contains two complete stories across five issues. Up first in “Ten Thousand Plums,” when Usagi, Yukichi, and Gen are found wandering in a huge field of the Shogun’s prized plum trees, one of the Shogun’s samurai strongmen becomes immediately suspicious. With a series of strange events gripping the local village with fear, can their appearance be a mere coincidence? Or maybe they will stop the cycle of tragedy. Find out with another gut-punch ending from Stan Sakai!

In the two-part “Tabo,” Usagi and Yukichi find themselves among a band of pilgrims in search of the miraculous goddess known as “The Mother.” The skeptical ronin’s doubts recede as the desperate plight of their new friends unfolds, revealing the obstacles that stand between them and salvation. Will the goddess Kannon come to Tabo’s rescue? Discover the answers in this captivating and highly-personal two-part tale!

It’s an exciting new era for Dogu Publishing as the company continues to grow its publishing roster and expand its creative vision. To help lead this charge, Dogu is proud to announce the addition of Justin Eisinger, award-winning graphic novel author and editor, as the company’s first Editor-in-Chief. Best known for his work as co-author with George Takei on the graphic biography “They Called Us Enemy” and the just announced “It Rhymes With Takei,” Eisinger’s passion for inspired storytelling and knowledge of the publishing marketplace will help position Dogu for continued success.

Bringing years of experience from IDW Publishing where he climbed the ranks to Editorial Director, Graphic Novels & Collections, Eisinger worked with some of the industry’s most celebrated creators while the company transformed from scrappy upstart to industry mainstay. He brings a confident hand to talent relations and publishing strategy, using a deep understanding of the mass market publishing ecosystem, comic retailer mechanics, customer behavior, and trend analysis to provide indispensable perspective.

Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums #1 (of 5) arrives in comic shops March 5, 2025. Pre-order the first issue today for $4.99.

SDCC 2024: UDON announces Mega Man creator Hitoshi Ariga as a guest

UDON Entertainment has announced that legendary manga creator and character designer Hitoshi Ariga will join UDON at Comic Con 2024! Ariga-sensei will be signing autographs for fans, and debuting including all-new merchandise at the UDON Booth #100 at Comic-Con international: San Diego, July 24-28th, 2024.

Hitoshi Ariga will attend Comic-Con in support of all-new merchandise featuring his trademark action-packed illustrations being offered exclusively by UDON Entertainment at the event! Metal Cards, T-Shirts, and even original art shikishi commissions!

UDON Entertainment is the publisher of several of Ariga-sensei’s manga featuring Capcom’s Mega Man game and multimedia characterincluding Mega Man: MegamixMega Man: Gigamix, and the UDON original full-color manga series Mega Man: Mastermix, all of which are available now wherever great manga are sold.

This being Hitoshi Ariga’s first appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, the manga master will be signing for fans at the UDON Booth #100, on Friday July 26 and Saturday July 27. Each signing session will be for a total of 150 fans per day. Autograph tickets can be obtained at the UDON Booth (with purchase of selected Mega Man Merchandise).

Metal card fans rejoice! Udon will offer the all-new MEGA MAN ROBOT MASTERS LIMITED EDITION METAL CARD SET, featuring illustrations by Ariga-sensei! $60/set.

MEGA MAN ROBOT MASTERS LIMITED EDITION METAL CARD SET

Get the brand new GLOW-IN-THE-DARK MEGA MAN ZX T-SHIRT! $40

GLOW-IN-THE-DARK MEGA MAN ZX T-SHIRT

The all-new MEGA MAN ZX GOLD FOIL T-SHIRT also making its debut at the show, featuring sensei’s original artwork! $40

MEGA MAN ZX GOLD FOIL T-SHIRT

Ariga-sensei is also open to do a limited amount of pre-con-commissions on shikishi boards (Japanese signing boards) to be picked up on site.  Only 20 mini-size shikishi and 20 full size shikishi spots are available, in a first-come first-serve manner. Rules are strict.

In addition to the participation of Hitoshi Ariga at Comic-Con, UDON has several additional surprises and amazing appearances lined up for fans, including special signings featuring anime and character design legend Kenichi Sonoda (Bubblegum Crisis, Gunsmith Cats), art book and manga debuts, and amazing merchandise from across UDON’s partner brands! Many, many more announcements to come!

Mega Man Mastermix #1 Launches Quarterly this January

UDON is bringing the original Blue Bomber back to comic shop shelves with Mega Man Mastermix – a quarterly, 80-page comic series presenting Hitoshi Ariga’s classic Mega Man stories in color for the first time. Featuring colors by Josh Perez, the series launches in January 2018, and joins the celebration of the video game icon’s 30th anniversary!

The Birth of Mega Man! In a world where humans and robots live and work together, six powerful robots have suddenly turned against their programming and set their sights on causing chaos and destruction! Only one heroic robot stands in their path – Mega Man, the greatest creation of Dr. Light!

Mega Man Mastermix #1 sports two standard covers — CVR A by Hitoshi Ariga and Cover B by Jeffrey “Chamba” Cruz ( promotional artist for Capcom’s Mega Man Legacy Collection 1 and 2). Also available is a Blank Sketch cover (Cover C), and a Retailer Incentive cover (Cover D) by Rob “Robaato” Porter which homages a classic comic cover from the 1980’s.

Two exclusive covers will also be produced for the issue. The first is for Fried Pie Comics, and features Mega Man battling the enormous Yellow Devil robot (illustrated by Jeffrey “Chamba” Cruz). The second is UDON’s own online exclusive cover, showcasing four classic Mega girls – Kalinka, Plum, Splash Woman, and of course, Roll! Illustrated by Aki Li, this cover is available exclusively through FocusAttack.com.

Mega Man Mastermix #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere January 24, 2018.

SDCC 2012 – Shiftylook Announcements Comics, Animation and More

Namco Bandai just announced during the ShiftyLook Panel at San Diego Comic-Con this week three new webcomics titles and its first two web animation series. Announcements coincide with the re-launch of the ShiftyLook website and new retro-inspired logo. New titles will join nearly a dozen webcomics already available through ShiftyLook, including Bravoman, Dig Dug and Wonder Momo. All ShiftyLook content can be accessed online, free of charge at shiftylook.com.

Web Animation:

Bravoman: Cartoon of Unequaled Excellence (Working Title)
Director: Jim Zub
Writers: Jim Zub & Matt Moylan
Starring: Rob Paulsen
Release Date: 2013

ShiftyLook’s #1 webcomic makes the leap to animation in this action-packed adventure! See your favorites characters including Bravoman, Alpha, Anti-Bravo and Waya now in animated form. Starring world famous voice actor Rob Paulsen (Animaniacs).

Mappy: The Beat (Working Title)
Director: Scott Kurtz
Writers: Scott Kurtz & Kris Straub
Starring: Scott Kurtz & Kris Straub
Release Date: Late 2012

Mappy is a cop on the beat, keeping tabs on deadbeat video game characters. It’s primetime crime drama meets late night cartoon in the style of Kris & Scott’s wildly popular Blamimations. Can Mappy keep the peace on the streets, or will the wacky cast of washed-up video game characters get the better of him? Featuring art by Mary Cagle (Kiwi Blitz) and voiced by Scott Kurtz (PvP Online) & Kris Straub (chainsawsuit).

Webcomics:

Dragon Spirit
Writer: Erik Ko & Jim Zub
Aritst: Steven Cummings
Release Date: September 2012

The 80’s vertical-scrolling arcade classic is back in this comedic sword & sorcery adventure.

Golly! Ghost!
Writer & Aritst: Chris “Elio” Eliopoulos
Release Date: July 2012

The 1990 cult classic arcade shooter gets revived in all-ages webcomic form by Chris “Elio” Eliopoulos.

Klonoa
Writer: Jim Zub
Aritst: Hitoshi Ariga
Release Date: August 2012

Klonoa, lead character from the classic platformer, makes his return as a webcomic by writer Jim Zub with world famous mangaka Hitoshi Ariga.