Alvin Lu, formerly senior v-p and general manager, has been promoted to executive v-p of publishing of Viz Media, the largest North American publisher and distributor of manga and anime. Lu began his career at Viz in 2000 as editor-in-chief of Pulp magazine and since that time has worked to oversee the growth of Viz media manga and graphic novel publishing program.
Besides working as liason between Viz Media’s Japan-based parent companies—Viz is co-owned by Shogakukan, Shueisha and Shogakukan Productions in Japan—and its San Francisco-based U.S. headquarters, Lu has worked to oversee the launch of Viz’s digital publishing and original graphic novel production.
“Manga is more than a term that translates as ‘comics from Japan’,” said Lu. “It’s a unique art form with its own grammar, history, and pedigree. Increasingly, it’s become a visual language that can be read by young people around the world and a form for young artists to aspire to. I see Viz Media as being at the heart of the global migration of the language of manga.”
