ICv2 summarizes the facts of the Broccoli USA dissolution, including a mention of their yaoi line, Boysenberry Books, which they introduced in 2007, just as the yaoi market began to level off. Meanwhile, operations manager Shizuki Yamashita is starting to shut things down:
All of the book licenses revert back to the Japanese publishers at the end of this year. And we are working w/ them so that the titles can be released by other US publishers sometime in the future. We are gathering all production material, including finished books that haven’t been printed yet, so that the new licensees will be able to use the materials if they choose to do so.
One Broccoli thing that seems to be unique is that they would send readers stickers and dust jackets on request. Shizuki says they will still send them out until early December. And she would be happy to send out promotional items to libraries and school clubs—click the link for more.
Simon Jones reflects on Broccoli’s demise:
But, with one exception, there does seem to be a common thread between all the manga publishers who’ve severely redacted their release schedules this year, or worse… they all made a play for the mainstream, middle ground manga readers. When one aims to appeal to a wide segment, be it through choice of licenses or a liberal number of imprints, it’s very difficult to develop enough of a personality to distinguish oneself in the market, especially one inhabited by some very dominant players.
(The banner on the Icarus blog is actually SFW for a change, but there are some small images on the home page that you might not want your boss to see.)
Here, maybe this will cheer us up: New York Magazine has a preview of Yuichi Yokoyama’s weird but interesting art-manga Travel. (Via Journalista.)
At du9, Xavier Guilbert interviews manga artist Tori Miki (in French).
News from Japan: Hayao Miyazaki to Taro Aso: Keep that manga habit in the closet, dude.
Reviews: Sam Kusek reviews vol. 1 of B.ICHI and Ken Haley checks out vol. 1 of Ghost Slayers Ayashi at Manga Recon. Kris reads Lovers and Souls and vol. 1 of Loveholic at Manic About Manga. Erica Friedman takes a look at vol. 1 of Papaya Gundan at Okazu. There’s a new manga out by Fruits Basket creator Natsuki Takaya, vol. 1 of Phantom Dream, and Julie gets a look at it at the Manga Maniac Cafe. Lissa Pattillo reviews vol. 1 of The 9Lives at Kuriousity. Scott Campbell reads vol. 19 of Negima! and Davey C. Jones checks out vol. 10 of Air Gear at Active Anime.