Here are Del Rey’s latest press releases on their newest titles and the CLAMP fan guide. I’m not a big CLAMP fan, myself, but I am a big Shaenon Garrity fan (if you haven’t read her Overlooked Manga Festival posts, well, cancel your appointments and check them out), so I’m looking forward to it.
DEL REY MANGA ANNOUNCES NEW ACQUISITIONS FOR SUMMER 2009
NEW YORK, NY – August 1, 2008 – Del Rey Manga, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced last week one of their biggest titles for the Spring 2009 lineup, as well as several new acquisitions that will launch in Summer 2009. Among the new releases are a spin-off to one of Del Rey Manga’s bestselling series, new shôjo and supernatural titles, and a fantasy manga novel series featuring work from some of manga’s biggest superstars.
Del Rey Manga Associate Publisher Dallas Middaugh says, “To bring the new Negima manga to the U.S. is a big thrill for us, and we’re very excited about all of our releases this span. The manga we’re publishing are getting better and better all the time!”
MANGA
Ken Akamatsu’s Negima! Master Negi Magi was one of the four series released at the launch on the Del Rey Manga imprint in 2004, and 18 volumes later, the series continues to be a bestseller for the imprint. Del Rey Manga is proud to announce the acquisition of NEGIMA! NEO, a second series featuring the 10-year-old boy wizard and the girls of Mahora Academy. With the story and original concept by Akamatsu, and art by Takuya Fujima, NEGIMA! NEO reimagines the original Negima! storyline, and is an adaptation of the Negima! anime. Negi’s attention is back on finding his father, the famous Thousand Master. NEGIMA! NEO is set for release in April 2009.
Del Rey Manga’s newest shôjo acquisition is ORANGE PLANET, a romantic comedy by Haruka Fukushima. ORANGE PLANET goes deep into the twists and turns of a secret love triangle. With Rui in love for the first time with her dreamy classmate Kaoru—but Rui’s adorable best friend, the boy next door, is secretly in love with Rui. Throw in the good-looking teaching assistant who moves into Rui’s apartment and you’ve got a recipe for an addictive, hip and funny manga. Fukushima made her manga debut in 1999 in Japan’s Nakayoshi Magazine with her award-winning manga Sakuranbo Kiss. ORANGE PLANET will be released in May 2009.
Those looking for a twist on the typical supernatural story can look to YOKAI DOCTOR, a mystery series with laughs. In YOKAI DOCTOR, Yuki Sato’s American debut, the world is full of ghosts that can only be seen by the supernaturally gifted. Two of the gifted are an exorcist and a “Yokai Doctor”—a boy with the power to heal ghosts and monsters! YOKAI DOCTOR will be released in June 2009.
MANGA NOVELS
Written by Yoshiki Tanaka, SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL features cover art and interior illustrations by manga superstar collective CLAMP. An action-packed fantasy, SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL follows the four Ryudou brothers—who all have secret superpowers. Someone has discovered the boys’ secret, and plans to use their powers to take over the world. In the process of trying to save the world the Ryudou brothers discover a long-kept secret their grandfather had concealed to his death—they can transform into dragons who control the four elements! Yoshiki Tanaka is also the author of the popular Japanese science fiction novel, The Galactic Heroes.
Two of CLAMP’s most popular titles, Tsubasa and xxxHOLiC, were two of four series featured during the launch of the Del Rey Manga imprint in 2004. Del Rey Manga will also be publishing an original fan guide about CLAMP, called CLAMP IN AMERICA, in July 2009. SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL will hit stores in May 2009.
DEL REY MANGA TO PUBLISH FAN GUIDE ABOUT SUPERSTAR MANGA CREATOR COLLECTIVE CLAMP
Publication to coincide with CLAMP’s 20th anniversary in 2009
NEW YORK, NY – August 1, 2008 – Del Rey Manga, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group is pleased to announce a new collaborative project, CLAMP IN AMERICA—a one-of-a-kind fan guide about the popular manga creators and their influence in the United States.
2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the world-renown manga creators. CLAMP consists of four female artists, Igarashi Satsuki, Mokona, Nekoi Tsubaki, and Ohkawa Nanase, who have created some of the most memorable and unique characters and storylines in the manga world. Since their debut in Japan in 1989, CLAMP has become one of the single most recognized names in manga. CLAMP has also been at the spearhead of the current flux and rise in popularity of Japanese anime and manga in the US, with titles such as Magic Knight Rayearth, X, Cardcaptor Sakura, and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles.
CLAMP IN AMERICA, an extensive one-volume work, will feature:
A history of CLAMP from their humble beginnings as doujinshi (fanzine) creators to international manga superstars;
A detailed guide to their work, from RG Veda to Tsubasa, and beyond;
Behind-the-scenes looks at how the members of CLAMP work, together and separately;
CLAMP’s part in the explosive success of manga in America, and the effect of their manga on U.S. distribution and marketing;
Their work with American publishers Tokyopop, Viz, Del Rey Manga and Dark Horse;
Their 2006 visit to America;
Interviews with the American manga creators they’ve influenced;
Interviews with the editors and publishers who have had the opportunity to work with CLAMP.
The launch of the Del Rey Manga imprint in 2004 included two CLAMP titles, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles and xxxHOLiC. Both titles continue to be among Del Rey Manga’s top bestselling series. Del Rey Manga Associate Publisher Dallas Middaugh helped make CLAMP IN AMERICA a reality.
“CLAMP was one of the greatest influences in the creation of the manga market in America, and it’s past time we took a closer look at how and why that happened,” says Middaugh. “On behalf of Del Rey Manga, I’m proud to be publishing this book and for the opportunity to work closely with CLAMP again.”
CLAMP IN AMERICA will be written by Shaenon Garrity, manga editor for Viz Media, award-winning webcartoonist and editor of the webcomics site ModernTales.com.