Boxing Day news and notes

Here’s your worthwhile read for the day: At Yaoi 911, Alex Woolfson analyzes a survey of readers of translated yaoi and points out some interesting conclusions drawn from both the questions and the comments section.

The MangaCast team picks the best of this week’s new releases.

Among the missing: Ed Chavez updates his list of manga that are cancelled or simply in limbo and notes who he would like to pick up the licenses. Kris follows up with a wish list of her own at Manic About Manga.

The retrospectives are coming! The retrospectives are coming! At The Anime Almanac, Scott VonSchilling takes a look back at manga and anime in 2008 and hazards a few predictions for 2009. David Welsh lists his favorite continuing series of 2008 at Precocious Curmudgeon. Deb Aoki gives her best continuing series list as well at About.com, and she throws in her nominations for best magazine and worst manga, winding up with this trenchant comment:

Can someone tell me who are these hordes of mysterious “fans” who are clamoring for more Princess Ai, while I’m left waiting in vain for Suppli Volume 4? Siigh.

Word!

Christopher Butcher read all 18 volumes of Monster in one sitting, and he has some comments and some questions at Comics212.

In what may be an ominous sign, Johanna Draper Carlson reports that one publisher is cutting back on review copies.

The Telegraph takes a look at office-themed manga.

Yamila Abraham of Yaoi Press reflects on her decision to go with Diamond Book Distributors as YP’s distributor.

Matt Blind runs the numbers at Rocket Bomber, with a look at the top 500 manga (online sales), new releases and pre-orders (with a note that it’s awfully confusing out there right now as to what is coming out when), emerging trends report, and the rankings summary.

Translator Tomo Kimura enjoys her first taste of mahjong manga.

News from Japan: At Anime Vice, Gia reports that Suzumiya Haruhi-chan no Yuutsi, a chibi gag manga based on The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, is outselling the original. ANN reports on new launches by Minoru Toyoda (Love Roma), Yuki Tanaka (Jinja no Susume), and Tsutomu Nihei (Blame!). Here’s another one: Mai Nishitaka, creator of Venus Capriccio, has a manga in the works called Cyboy, about an attempt to create the perfect male. And in the city of Sakai, the public library has reversed a decision to restrict circulation of boys-love manga that was made after a library user complained that allowing the books to circulate freely was harmful to children and somehow constituted sexual harassment and a burden on the taxpayers as well. ANN also lists last week’s comics rankings.

Reviews: Ed Sizemore thoroughly enjoys vol. 1 of Mao-Chan at Comics Worth Reading. Ed Chavez has a podcast review up of Red Blinds the Foolish, the latest manga from est em, at MangaCast. Alex Hoffman gives vol. 1 of My-Hime a low grade but Lori Henderson gives thumbs up to vol. 1 of Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning at Comics Village. Connie posts reviews of vol. 14 of Hikaru no Go, vol. 10 of Monster, vol. 17 of Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 3 of Category: Freaks, vol. 4 of Variante, and vol. 1 of Sounds of Love at Slightly Biased Manga. Erica Friedman critiques vol. 2 of Day of the Revolution and Clover at Okazu. Tangognat checks out Castle of Dreams, a thick collection of short manga by Masami Tsuda, the creator of Kare Kano. Emily’s randomness generator turns up Himitsu no Oniisan at Emily’s Random Shoujo Manga Page. Kethylia reads the light novel Passion: Forbidden Lovers. Matthew Alexander gives a good review to vol. 1 of Vagabond (the VizBig edition) and Adrianne Hess enjoys vol. 1 of Burst Angel at Mania.com. Bill Sherman wraps up a long-running series with his look at vol. 27 of Iron Wok Jan at Blogcritics. Michelle Smith reviews vol. 4 of Monster at Soliloquy in Blue. Tiamat’s Disciple has a one-word reaction to vol. 1 of Higurashi: When They Cry: Awesome! However, he does elaborate a bit after that. Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlante reviews vols. 9 and 10 of Love*Com and posts short takes on a number of other books at Manga Life. Lissa Pattillo checks out vol. 2 of Blank Slate and guest reviewer Marsha Reid takes a look at vol. 7 of Angel Diary at Kuriousity. Julie reads vol. 4 of Parasyte and Make More Love and Peace at the Manga Maniac Cafe. Kris reviews the Dany & Dany artbook Dark Dreams as well as Black Sun and Object of Desire at Manic About Manga. At Stop, Drop, and Read!, Diana Dang gives her take on Ultimate Venus, After School Nightmare, and Bound Beauty.

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