SAN DIEGO, Comic-Con, July 17 -- Top U.S. manga publisher TOKYOPOP Inc. and Courtney Love have announced their collaboration on an original project fueled by the singer/songwriter's passion for manga. The shojo fantasy manga series -- "Princess Ai" -- will feature the character design of famed manga-ka Ai Yazawa ("Paradise Kiss") and the creative vision of D.J. Milky ("Karma Klub").
"Princess Ai" is the story of a smart and talented, yet controversial young woman who utilizes the public stage not only for self-expression but also to hide from her assailants. She is the princess of a mysterious, unknown land, who has escaped to our world and is now taking refuge in the bustling nightclubs of Kabushiki-cho.
"I have always loved the Japanese culture and the people. Princess Ai is a great character because she feels like my alter-ego, but in a fantasy setting," said Love. "I'm very excited to work with TOKYOPOP, a company that is truly innovative in its approach towards crossing creative boundaries."
With a new album, "America's Sweetheart," debuting on October 28th on Virgin Records and a tour to follow in November, Love plans to encompass "Princess Ai" imagery into various phases of her music -- both live and recorded video. Additionally, both Yazawa and Milky have been working with Love's lyrics to build the story and its dialogue. The series is slated for a 2004 release.
"We are very pleased that we could team up with one of the most influential rock stars of our generation and certainly one of the most colorful personalities," said TOKYOPOP CEO & CCO, Stuart Levy. "Manga is just the start. Look for animation projects, merchandise and other evolutions of 'Princess Ai' in the near future."
About TOKYOPOP
TOKYOPOP Inc. is the leading North American publisher of manga, the fastest growing segment within the publishing industry. With exclusive rights to hundreds of licensed and original book, video and music properties, the company has rapidly become a media convergence leader. TOKYOPOP has millions of books in print and publishes many hit manga series, including "Love Hina," "Chobits," "Rave Master," "Initial D," "GTO," "Battle Royale" and "Cowboy Bebop." The company pioneered Cine-Manga(TM), releasing titles such as "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Lizzie McGuire," "Spy Kids 2," "Kim Possible" and "Jackie Chan Adventures." TOKYOPOP television properties include "Reign: The Conqueror" and the upcoming "Rave Master," both airing on Cartoon Network. As a licensor, TOKYOPOP represents merchandising rights for "Rave Master," "Initial D," "Stray Sheep" and others. Visit www.TOKYOPOP.com for additional information.
