ComiPress translates an interview with manga-ka Leiji Matsumoto on the importance of copyright:
Manga artists are eternally “ronin” (freelance samurai), holding only pens instead of swords. It is extremely hard, almost impossible to become independent as a creator. There are no pension schemes or retirement lump-sums. Nobody knows when you would lose everything and fall into the abyss.
Matsumoto is concerned not only about Internet piracy but also the possibility that the term of copyright will be shortened, depriving his heirs of his manga-generated income.
Robin Brenner of No Flying, No Tights, has some thoughts on the latest comics vs. manga article and gender-bending manga.
At Okazu, Erica posts a nice article about light novels.
Over at Tokyopop, ChunHyang72 has another manga minute, with lots of linky goodness from Tokyospace and beyond.
In the wake of the Doraemon debacle, Yaoi Suki has an informative column on doujinshi.
Tina Anderson posts an interesting discussion of genres from AMLA.
Lots of Avril Lavigne interviewage at Manga Punk, including chats with Make 5 Wishes artist Camilla d’Errico and someone from packager House of Parlance, as well as a brief interview with Terry McBride, CEO of Lavigne’s management company.
Manganews wraps up yuri week with an interview with a scanlator for Lillilicious and reviews of Revolutionary Girl Utena, Between the Sheets, and vol. 1 of Hatsukoi Shimai.
In case you missed it, Same Hat rounds up the manga Simpsons pictures that have been floating around the web, along with the story of what has been happening to the creator (interviews, job offers).
David Welsh completes all three versions of Train Man and decides which one he likes best.
Anime Boredom interviews Alex de Campi, writer of Kat and Mouse. (Via Beedlejuice.)
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin checks out Gals!
Adam Stephanides has an interesting post about Jacaranda, which was nominated for an award at Angouleme. It’s about a tree that destroys Tokyo. No really.
The Manga Junkie thinks about how she developed an interest in yaoi.
Double vision: Mariko Kato reviews Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S. for The Japan Times.
A new magazine, Monocle, will be debuting soon in Britain, and it will feature its own manga:
One of those paper stocks is used for a magazine within a magazine, a manga we have commissioned in Japan. Starring our own Monocle hero, Niels Watanabe, it’s a political thriller set in 2010. It means we are the only Western magazine with a full-time manga editor in the office.
The RUSH blog links to a preview of Venom Fang.
CLAMP member Mokona has completed an art book about kimonos.
At the BasuGasuBakuhatsu Anime Blog, Hung reviews vol. 1 of Rozen Maiden and vol. 6 of Kamui. Active Anime’s Holly Ellingwood checks out an early offering from 801 Media, The Sky Over My Spectacles, and Christopher Seaman reviews vol. 5 of Pastel. Jarred Pine finds vol. 1 of InuBaka to be a collection of tired cliches. Connie has been busy at Slightly Biased Manga, posting reviews of vols. 4 and 5 of Lupin III, vols. 6 and 7 of From Eroica with Love, and vol. 5 of Nana. At Mangamaniaccafe, vol. 2 of VS: Versus and vol. 1 of Shaman Warrior are on the menu. Comicsnob goes all shoujo and reviews vols. 1 and 2 of Tail of the Moon.
Yeah, I say Yaoi Suki’s post at the LJ com here:
http://community.livejournal.com/yaoisuki/68237.html
It sort of did what Simon was warning most people not to do when he touched on this subject at the Icarus blog…I don’t think this is a case where all doujinshika need to run for the hills, but it is certainly a warning to those looking for profit from works that don’t belong to them.