So you probably remember a while back when VIZ announced the formation of VIZ Productions, a Hollywood-based arm of the company that would be working on developing live-action adaptations of VIZ(/Shueisha/Shogakukan) titles in the States. Shortly after that I was given the opportunity to ask Jason Hoffs, VIZ Productions’ Head of Productions, a few questions– and here are the results! The full interview is after the jump.

Gia Manry: Obviously the biggest question people have is “what titles are you working towards films of,” but since I assume we’ll know as soon as you can tell us, I’ll ask instead: how soon might we hear an announcement?

Jason Hoffs: VIZ Productions is working on several properties simultaneously. Because it takes some time to package creative elements, and get signed deals from studios, there is a lag time before we can officially make an announcement. We expect to announce some exciting new developments soon.

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The 21st Shogakukan Awards were held in Japan yesterday, and anime!anime! notes winners in the four categories: Kids, Shounen, Shoujo, and General Audience.

The outstanding General Audience manga were Takeshi Natsuhara’s swindler drama Kurosagi and Bambino!, Sekiya Tetsuji’s cooking manga which got a live-action drama adaptation in April ‘07. (Kurosagi had a drama adaptation in ‘06, and it looks like a live-action movie is hitting theaters in Japan this march, too.)

Baseball manga Daiya no A, by Yuuji Terajima, picked up the outstanding Shounen manga award, and the winner in the shoujo category was Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu (”I Dedicate my First Love to You”) by Kotomi Aoki, who some may know is also the mangaka behind Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru (”I’m In Love with my Little Sister”).

And finally, the winner in the kids’ category is Keshikasukun by Noriyuki Murase.

Original source: Shogakukan
Secondary source: anime!anime!