Viz Communications, Inc. today announced its April product releases, which include the titles below:

COMICS
* Ongoing Monthly Series'

* The Big O, Part 1 #3 - Plotting to get the Big O out of the way once and for all, Beck enlists the help of a mad scientist who is an expert on the smallest things in Paradigm City - the lightning bugs that thrive in Paradigm's night air. Using their combined genius, Beck turns these tiny insects into a weapon that is the equal of a 20-story robot! But an innocent young girl with memories of a better time may become a victim of the struggle.

* Medabots Part 1 #1 & Part 1 #2 - Currently airing on the Fox Kids network, Viz will mark the English-language debut of the comic series with two-issue releases per month. From backyards to playgrounds to stadiums: kids and their pet robots called Medabots compete against each other in Robattles, hoping to ultimately earn the title of World Robattle Champion. Medabots are robots armed with an A.I. and an impressive collection of weaponry ready to Robattle and win! In fact, the more a Medabot battles, the more powerful it can become, and the more it stands to lose. Medabots that lose a battle yield some of their Medaparts to the winner, so every battle counts!

GRAPHIC NOVELS
* Dance Till Tomorrow, Volume 5 - Mr. Tachimi's plan to set-up Suekichi with Miyuki is progressing beyond anything he expected, but now he wants her to take it to the next level. When Miyuki bursts into Suekichi's apartment to tell him that she is pregnant, nothing could be more devastating to the college student especially since Aya showed up just minutes before to tell him the same thing. Then, faced with pregnancy and his feelings towards Miyuki, Suekichi decides to marry her. But with Aya and the gang around, can this possibly be a normal marriage?

* Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President, Book 5 - A labor strike turns Seattle into the latest political hot seat, and Yamaoka wants to use the situation to gain valuable electoral votes in November. Can the Senator make his move before his Republican opponent General Grant? And, as racial tension continues to grow in the South, so do the number of violent incidents against Yamaoka! But is he merely the innocent victim he appears to be? And, in the end, is there more to Yamaoka than his political platform and campaign promises? The moment of truth arrives when the nation casts its votes on Election Day.

* Galaxy Express 999, Volume 5 - A dark explosion rips apart the very fabric of space at Manmuto's Utopia as Darqueen selfishly destroys the next station for the Galaxy Express. But is the might of Space Battleship Yamato enough to seal the black hole caused by this explosion? Then, a giant battleship that nullifies all its surrounding space attacks the Three-Nine's next station, planet Aphrodite. Despite the odds against them, the remaining Space Knights of Aphrodite decide to make a valiant last stand against the black ship to attempt Three-Nine's escape!

* Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Volume 1 - Zeon ace pilot, Commander Char Aznable, thought he could foil the Federation's plan to build a mobile suit by attacking their research base on colony Side 7. He was wrong. With a prototype already active, the besieged Federation forces strike back using their new weapon, the mobile suit Gundam, with devastating consequences. Amidst the fighting, young electronics wizard Amuro Ray is determined not to let his friends and family die in the crossfire. But what can one boy do to repel a squad of mobile suit-clad invaders?

* Magical Pokémon Journey, Volume 5: Going Coconuts - Arbok asks Wigglytuff out on a date like no other - a run around an obstacle course! Can Arbok go the distance, or will Wigglytuff's challenge have it making tracks in the opposite direction? Plus, Hazel and Bulbasaur go to a health spa; Christmas for the Pokémon; Machamp in love; and more!

* Mobile Suit Gundam 0079, Volume 4 - Amuro and Ranba Ral face off in an air-to-air mobile suit battle for supremacy and only one can come out alive! Then, while en route to the gritty Eastern European front, the White Base encounters one of Zeon's most deadly teams of mobile suit pilots - the fearsome Black Tri-Stars. Clad in the most advanced enemy mobile suits yet, can Amuro, Kai and Hayato work together to defeat the Black Tri-Stars so the White Base may pass?

* Pokémon Adventures, Volume 5: Making Waves - Yellow's adventures take the young trainer and Pikachu seaside where they must solve a Pokémon migration mystery; take on the last remnants of Team Rocket; enter a surfing contest; battle Lance and his new Pokémon Dragonair; and finally find the secret base of the ultimate evil group of Pokémon masters, the Elite Four! Yellow has the help of Blue, Green and the good gym leaders, but will they be enough?

TRADE BOOKS
* Pokémon Gold and Silver Tales - Each book stars a different character, making the series irresistibly collectible. Written and illustrated in color by some of Japan's greatest writers and artists, Pokémon Gold and Silver Tales is created with the care and attention given to any classic children's books and will delight Pokémon-loving kids and parents alike.