ICv2 has generated several days’ worth of fodder for the MangaNet by compiling a list of the Ten Most Powerful People in Manga. Here’s the list:
1. Kurt Hassler, Graphic Novel Buyer, Borders Group
2. Hidemi Fukuhara, Chief Executive Officer, Viz Media
3. Stuart Levy, Founder, CEO, Chief Creative Officer Tokyopop
4. Dallas Middaugh, Associate Publisher of Manga, Del Rey
5. Jim Killen, Graphic Novel Buyer, Barnes & Noble
6. Mike Richardson, CEO & Publisher, Dark Horse
7. Mike Kiley, Publisher, Tokyopop
8. Yumi Hoashi, EIC & VP of Magazine Division, Viz Media
9. Hikaru Sasahara, CEO, Digital Manga Publishing
10. Masashi Kishimoto, Creator of Naruto
So, it’s all publishers and book buyers, except for Kishimoto. No one from the anime world, although we’ve been reading about the boost that a Cartoon Network show can give a title; no one from the direct market; no one from Amazon or The Right Stuf. Also, no one from the blogosphere or the scanlation community. I know these areas are hard to quantify, but most people in the industry seem to acknowledge that scanlations help drive acquisitions. And I don’t see a lot of ads for manga; most people hear about it through blogs and news sites. Of course, blogs only have a certain audience. Kids seem to pick up on titles through word-of-mouth; perhaps the most powerful people in the manga industry are really eighth-graders, and we just don’t know it. Or librarians, who were early adopters of manga and often set up manga and anime clubs to keep kids interested.
Lists like this are just made to be criticized, of course, and David Welsh and Simon Jones both have some comments to make. Incidentally, last July, the Love Manga crowd took a stab at creating this list and I want to note that David Welsh correctly chose Hassler, Killen, Kiley, and Middaugh, and David Taylor named Hassler, Killen, Kiley, Middaugh, and Akins.
ICv2 also listed the top ten manga properties:
1. Naruto
2. Fruits Basket
3. Kingdom Hearts
4. Full Metal Alchemist
5. Loveless
6. Death Note
7. Bleach
8. Tsubasa
9. Absolute Boyfriend
10. Negima
To which my reaction is: Loveless? Absolute Boyfriend? Huh? Neither of these titles has made the USA Today Booklist. People don’t clog the internet talking about them; if web chatter is the metric, then Nana and Hot Gimmick would definitely be on the list. ICv2 says these are the “best selling properties” but it’s hard to know how they calculate that. Chain stores and direct market? Single-volume sales or sales for an entire series? Or maybe ICv2 knows something I don’t. (Probably.) Apparently all is revealed in their Retailers’ Guide to Anime and Manga, which I’m obviously going to have to track down, not only to learn their reasoning on both these lists but also for the article on shoujo anime.
Loveless Vol. #1 I know did REALLY (and surprisingly) well. I know vols 1 & 2 both placed on the Top 10 BookScan charts. In fact, I think Vol 1 was on the Top 10 for at least 3 weeks.
I remember that too, Jarred, and it’s also done well in the Direct Market. Vol. 2 was 31st in May’s GN chart, and Vol. 1 was 40th in February.
OK, OK, I give. Loveless belongs on the list. But it’s sort of weird that their power brokers are so bookstore-centric and the top manga list is purely DM. Because Loveless never cracked the Booklist—I checked.
Maybe they got it confused with the Brian Azzarello western?
1. Jack (substitute your name here)
2. Kurt Hassler, Graphic Novel Buyer, Borders Group
I’m the most important person in manga. Me, you and everybody else that hands over hard earned cash.
That’s why I always say support the series you love and raise a ruckus on the internet when you’re let down.
I’d add Nana to the list also for the sheer amount of liscenced material that could be brought over stateside. Considering what I’ve seen of its popularity, I’m surprised Viz hasn’t brought over the Nana anime or the live-action adaptaion.