So VIZ Media is scheduled to have an invite-only event at New York Comic Con– I’m already on the list, but today they issued a press release announcing the general contents: they’ll be introducing Stan Lee and ULTIMO, Stan’s project with Shaman King mangaka Hiroyuki Takei, whose first issue (a special standalone 32-page prologue titled Jump Sq. II) hits Japan the same day as the event– April 18th.

VIZ Media will host a special press event at the 2008 New York Comic-Con on April 18th, the very day the SQ.II ULTIMO issue goes on sale in Japan. The event, attended by Stan Lee, Takanori Asada (Editor, Jump SQ.), and SHONEN JUMP Editor-in-Chief Marc Weidenbaum, will highlight the collaboration and shed further light on the development of ULTIMO and the partnership with Hiroyuki Takei, as well as announce exciting news not yet shared regarding this title.

So technically speaking, VIZ hasn’t said that they’re licensing it, but odds are good that the “exciting news” involves the English release, presumably in Shonen Jump. There’s also some talk of the story of ULTIMO:

The ULTIMO story: High above Farmless City, citizens are stunned by the sudden appearance of two floating figures. Are they human boys, monolithic robots, or something much more strange? As the battle ensues between them, destruction and devastation falls on the hapless city. One figure is Vice, and seems to be as evil as his name implies. The other is Ultimo, intent on trying to stop Vice from wreaking more havoc. But who are Vice and Ultimo really? Where did they come from? A new mystery begins with the fate of the world possibly hanging in the balance!

So, I didn’t have time to really speculate when I posted about it earlier, but given the lack of its mention in the press release and the nearness of the con (the 18th-20th), it looks like the American Anime Awards are not happening at NYCC this year, if at all– and the official website is gutted at best.

Now, I’ll be the first to say that the awards last year were iffy. They seemed to have things nominated from last year, five years ago, fifteen years ago…I think shows released within the last year should be the cutoff. I’d also like it if the nomination process was open to more than just the companies’ various PR departments. But none of that is unimproveable.

Then again, the company that put it together– ADV –kinda has bigger things to worry about right now, I guess.

A press release announcing NYCC’s anime-related guests and events is being circulated. First up is T.M.REVOLUTION, aka Takanori Nishikawa, who you may know for performing on the soundtracks of Rurouni Kenshin, Gundam SEED, and Gundam SEED Destiny.

Need more? How about some premieres? Code Geass, Lucky Star, Victorian Romance Emma, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and Amuri in Star Ocean will all premiere at NYCC.

I’m willing to bet that the premieres of Geass and Lucky Star will be dubbed; Emma is a sub-only release to begin with so there is no dub. For The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, I have no idea; ditto for Amuri. (If you noticed that all of these premieres are Bandai Entertainment except for Amuri and Emma, bonus points for yoU!)

The rest of the press release is right here.