Warner Bros. reportedly hired a director and a screenwriter for Death Note movie

NO WAY!!!!!!

And it seems Zac Efron could be up for the role of Light again!

Deadline reports that Warner Brothers studio has reportedly hired writer/director Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang; writer, Lethal Weapon film series) to direct a live-action Hollywood film based on the classic manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

The report also states that Anthony Bagarozzi (of Black's upcoming film Doc Savage) and Charles Mondry will write the film's script.

Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the series from previous rights-owner Vertigo Entertainment in 2009, at which time screenwriter brothers Vlas and Charles Parlapanides were attached to the project.

(source: ANN, Deadline)

Viz Media will release online Shonen Jump supplement and sells downloadable manga

Viz Media announced in the December edition of the U.S Shonen Jump magazine that there will be an online supplement to the print publication, that will give you access to series such as Toriko, Bakuman, Nura, and Rise of the Yokai Clan. Subscribed users will have exclusive access through shonenjump.com.

"Legal" scanlations, anyone????

The publisher also announced that it will start selling manga through the iPad download application. Users can install the app itself for free, and volumes of six manga titles in the initial launch lineup cost US$4.99 each.

The titles that are available since this week are Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, the first volume of Death Note, Dragon Ball, and the first volume of Bakuman. More volumes of Bakuman, Ouran High School Host Club, D.Gray-man, Rurouni Kenshin, and Vampire Knight are planned to be added in the near future.

There's still no support for iPhone or iPod touch devices, but Alvin Lu, senior VP and General Manager, said that there was more to come.

Who is Tsugumi Ohba?: the possible origins of L Lawliet

It is believed that writer Tsugumi Ohba is no one other than Hiroshi Gamou, known by manga series such as Tottemo Luckyman, which had a popular anime in the 90's.

Another possibility is that it's Yuuko Asami, a Shonen Jump artist with titles such as Wild Half, Romancers and Jump Run. Given that Death Note was her first written manga, working with a pseudonym can be understandable.

And of course, there's also especulation on the possible idea that the L character is based on the physique and the personality of this mangaka, taking into account some elements such as:

-They use a pseudonym.
-Never been seen in public before.
-A snacks lover
-Thinking about things day and night.
-And the posture of sitting in a chair, hugging her (or his) knees.

In fact, he, (or she?) only communicates with the press through an avatar like this:

It's even hard to tell if it's a man or a woman.

Isn't this amusing? The fact that L could really exist in this world??? O_O

If she's actually a woman I can finally understand the whole yaoi KiraL going on XD

Who is Tsugumi Ohba? (Introduction)

For Death Note and manga fans in general, Tsugumi Ohba is the co-author of the classic, cult, and legendary story of Death Note.

The interesting and fascinating thing about mangakas is that few things are known about them, and even those things are known because they choose to be known to the public. They don't appear on TV, they are far from being celebrities or academically acclaimed official artists that win Nobel or Pulitzer prizes for that matter.

In fact, a mangaka's life is to remain a mistery, or something that apparently doesn't call anyone's attention. And it's not because it should be irrelevant, it's just that we know that mangakas are people like us, there's not this 'Hollywood and media' approach that we see with actors, or movie directors and writers, and that's perfect, in fact.

It would be horrible to see an artist like Kubo Tite get the same celebrity treatment as, say, J.K Rowling or Stephenie Meyer. You know there's something not right about it....