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TOKYOPOP Inc. and Courtney Love have teamed up to produce the fantasy manga series, PRINCESS AI, featuring the character design of manga artist Ai Yazawa (PARADISE KISS) and the creative vision of D.J. Milky (KARMA KLUB). The story will follow a smart, talented and an irreverent young princess who utilizes the public stage as a form of self-expression and as a way to hide from her assailants.
Love said, "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. I'm very excited to work with TOKYOPOP, a company that is truly innovative in its approach towards crossing creative boundaries."
"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."
Love plans to incorporate PRINCESS AI imagery into her live stage show and music videos, which will coincide with the release of her new album, "America's Sweetheart," on October 28, 2003. Additionally, both Yazawa and Milky have been working with Love's lyrics to create the story and dialogue. The series is set for a 2004 release.
TOKYOPOP Inc. is the leading North American publisher of manga, with exclusive rights to hundreds of licensed and original book, video and music properties. Visit
www.TOKYOPOP.com for additional information.
