ICv2 lists the top 20 graphic novels for November. This list comes from Bookscan, so it reflects sales in bookstores, not comics shops, so it’s surprising to see that only 12 of the slots are filled by manga. On the other hand, the titles are no surprise: Fruits Basket, Naruto (twice), Yu-Gi-Oh GX.
And what does the best-seller list look like in Japan? Amazon.co.jp posts the top manga and light novels for 2008, and the top title is Nodame Cantabile, followed by Yotsuba&! The list is populated by plenty of other familiar titles, including Saint Young Men, which isn’t licensed here but seems to have built a following anyway.
Simon Jones (SFW today, for some reason) wonders what will happen when Naruto comes to an end—will the market have a lull and then rebound with the next superhit, as it does in Japan, or will the industry crash?
It’s an odd position to be in, to be simultaneously not big enough, and not lean enough to survive a long dry spell. But that might be a place where a few manga pubs are headed right now.
At Manga Life, translators Alethea and Athena Nibley present their Christmas wish list of manga they would love to translate.
Manga Recon senior editor Kate Dacey updates us on changes at the site, including naming Michelle Smith as manga editor.
One piece of sad news making the rounds is the demise of Comics Foundry magazine, after only its fifth issue. I’m one of those lucky people who contributed to it, so I’m extra sad; it struck me as having the potential to be the Spy magazine of comics, and that would have been a very good thing.
In other magazine news, Hazel picks the highlights from this month’s Otaku USA.
News from Japan: The manga Gakkou no Ojikan ends, and Stardust Wink, by Nana Haruta, begins.
Reviews: Deb Aoki has an advance look at the shoujo one-shot Heaven’s Will at About.com. Casey Brienza reviews vols. 3 and 4 of The Good Witch of the West and Carlo Santos takes a look at vol. 2 of Ghost Talker’s Daydream at ANN. Lissa Pattillo checks out Tomorrow’s Ulterior Motive at Kuriousity. At Prospero’s Manga, Ferdinand thinks younger readers will enjoy vol. 1 of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time more than he did. Sandy Bilus reads vols. 1 and 2 of Black Jack at I Love Rob Liefeld (via Journalista.) Connie reads vol. 1 of St. Dragon Girl at Slightly Biased Manga. Ed Chavez has an audio review of vol. 1 of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya at MangaCast. Nadia Oxford gives vol. 1 of Just Around the Corner a gentleman’s C+ at Mania.com. Shaun A. Noording checks out vol. 1 of Kyo Kara Maoh! at The Star of Malaysia.
We’re voting on the best manga of 2008 over at Comics Should Be Good:
http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/12/03/manga-before-flowers-name-the-best-manga-of-2008/!
Hi Brigid – thanks for the link!
In other magazine news, Hazel picks the highlights from this month’s Otaku USA.
Actually that’s last month’s issue. Issue #10 should now be in stores (I found some at my local Kinokuniya) and it features Gurren Lagann on the cover. Inside there are interviews with the director of Gurren Lagann Imashi Hiroyuki and Peepo Choo artist Felipe Smith; features on the Guyver, Nadia the Secret of Blue Water and One Piece; and tons of reviews.
The new issue also comes with a new low price of $5.99!
I love how the twins mentioned The Violinist of Hameln in their translating wishlist. It’s a completely brilliant yet thoroughly ridiculous manga that hits emotional highs and lows like nothing else. It makes me cry AND laugh hard enough to hurt myself, often within the span of about 30 pages.
Of course, the art in the early volumes in pretty dated, and the series is a whopping 37 volumes long. It’s also about musician superheroes. It will never, ever be available on North American bookstores. But it’s nice to dream!