Archives for December 2010

Breaking: Square Enix launches online manga store


The link post is running late today due to some Christmas-related duties, but here’s the big news of the day: Square Enix has launched their online manga store. Now the pirates-versus-iTunes theory will be tested for sure, as a major publisher allows you to buy your manga cleanly and legally on the web, as opposed to skulking around scanlation sites.

I haven’t kicked the tires yet, but the lineup looks good: The first volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist, Soul Eater, Record of a Fallen Vampire, and Yumekui Kenbun: Nightmare Inspector are all up there, with second volumes either already in the store or coming soon. And they are offering all manga for $5.99 for a limited time. I hope they aren’t planning on charging more than that, as $5.99 is at the high end of what I would be willing to pay, frankly. You have to register to buy manga, but they have wisely opted to allow non-members to read free previews. Also wise: Including a forum for fans, which can become an attraction in itself.

Full press release after the jump. Go check out the site and let me know what you think of it in comments.

SQUARE ENIX LAUNCHES ONLINE MANGA STORE

Market-leading titles including Fullmetal Alchemist and Soul Eater
Now Available Via Digital Distribution

Special Sale Price Now Available for a Limited Time

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 17, 2010) – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in North America, today announced the launch of its online manga store, where users and fans can view electronic editions of popular Square Enix manga series, such as Fullmetal Alchemist® and Soul Eater®. Users can access the store through the SQUARE ENIX MEMBERS website, a free-to-register membership site operated by local subsidiaries of Square Enix (http://publications.na.square-enix.com/na/us/top).

Through the new service, SQUARE ENIX aims to provide a global audience with easy access to localized versions of its popular manga titles through streaming. Also, through cooperation with regional localization/publishing companies, SQUARE ENIX will endeavor to promote both print and online versions of its manga titles globally. Furthermore, it is the company’s aim for the official online distribution service to serve as a deterrent against illegal downloading and piracy.

Anchored by established series in the United States, the online distribution service will continue to provide manga titles that will appeal to readers of the region (further details outlined below). Starting today, the initial lineup in the United States will be four titles, including Fullmetal Alchemist and Soul Eater, available at the special sale price of $5.99 for a limited time. The first update is scheduled for January 11, 2011. New titles will be added bi-monthly after January.

The community services offered through the SQUARE ENIX MEMBERS website will not only allow members to enjoy manga titles, but also supply a public forum where fans can provide commentary and exchange opinions about their favorite series. The site will also have special offers where members can download free wallpapers. Non-members can get a taste of the Japanese manga experience as well through free previews of the first chapters from each of the available titles.

Square Enix is dedicated to creating new entertainment experiences via online communities, shopping sites and other Internet-based business operations, and digital distribution of manga is one such endeavor toward that goal. The company plans to continue delivering a wide variety of content to an expanding global customer base through numerous outlets and multiple forms of media.

The absurdities of the Youth Healthy Development Ordinance

At The Comics Journal, Roland Kelts discusses the absurdities of the amendments that the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly just passed to the Youth Healthy Development Ordinance, including the fact that it specifically mentions “manga and anime” and leaves photography untouched—so real child pornography remains legal, while drawn images are banned.

Melinda Beasi reveals her Pick of the Week at Manga Bookshelf.

Kate Dacey has declared Osamu Tezuka Appreciation Week at The Manga Critic, and she starts off with an essay about what she finds so compelling about his work and review of vols. 1 and 2 of Black Jack.

Melinda Beasi, Danielle Leigh, and Michelle Smith resume their discussion of Nana with volumes 15 and 16 in the latest installment of The NANA Project. And Melinda and Miichelle discuss some manga for girls in their Off the Shelf column.

David Welsh has some suggestions for Eisner nominations, and he also reaches the letter T in his Seinen Alphabet.

Tony Yao has been taking a look back at Japanese pop culture in 2010 at Manga Therapy; part three of the series is up now. And he posts photos from Sunday’s Anime and Manga Day at Kinokuniya, at which Kodansha Comic announced their new lineup.

Linda Thai continues her interview with Tokyopop CEO Stu Levy with a discussion of piracy and the lag between publication in Japan and the U.S. at Something Deeper.

Translators Alethea and Athena Niblye are the new team on Negima, and as they explain at Manga Life, it wasn’t easy keeping mum about it.

Daniella Orihuela-Gruber wraps up her 2010 guide to manga gift guides at All About Manga.

Ash Brown discusses buying manga at Half.com at Experiments in Manga.

The makers of ComiPo!, a manga-drawing software that includes pre-designed characters that users can customize and pose, plan to be release an English-language version in the spring.

News from Japan: Erica Friedman sings the praises of Nakayoshi, the oldest continuously published shoujo manga magazine in Japan and the home of Sailor Moon. The first chapter of Raiden-18, by Fullmetal Alchemist manga-ka Hiromu Arakawa, is online at Shogakukan’s Club Sunday site, and the second will follow shortly. These two chapters ran in Sunday GX magazine in 2005 and haven’t been republished since; the third chapter will run in the January issue of Sunday GX. ANN has the latest comics rankings from Japan.

Reviews: Todd Douglass looks at a stack of recent manhwa, many the final volumes of their series, at Anime Maki.

Lori Henderson on vol. 2 of Bunny Drop (Manga Xanadu)
Lori Henderson on vol. 3 of Children of the Sea (Comics Village)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 1 of Itsuwaribito (The Comic Book Bin)
Anna on vol. 1 of Kurozakuro (Manga Report)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 3 of Library Wars: Love and War (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
A Library Girl on vol. 1 of Millennium Prime Minister (A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)
Carlo Santos on vol. 9 of Real (Anime News Network)
Kristin on vol. 22 of Skip Beat and vol. 11 of Vampire Knight (Comic Attack)
Connie on vol. 5 of Sugarholic (Slightly Biased Manga)

Quick links

Wow! Linda Thai is up to part 10 of her interview with Stu Levy and still going strong!

The Comics Village team looks at the best manga of the past week.

Melinda Beasi links to an article about manhwa created for the rental market and some recent reviews in her latest Manhwa Monday post.

Masters of Manga is back in business, with a profile of Tokuo Yokota.

Alex Hoffman of Manga Widget and Kristin of Bento Bako Weekly present their 2010 manga gift guides.

News from Japan: I haven’t paid too much attention to Tokyo’s Healthy Youth Development Ordinance, which passed yesterday, but Erica Friedman takes a hard look at the potential effects on manga as well as the possible anti-gay motivation behind it at Okazu.

Reviews: Ash Brown looks at a week’s worth of manga reading at Experiments in Manga. Michelle Smith has short reviews of four Yen Press manga at Soliloquy in Blue.

Dave Ferraro on Ayako (Comics-and-More)
Shannon Fay on Azumanga Daioh (omnibus edition) (Kuriousity)
David Welsh on vol. 1 of Genkaku Picasso (The Manga Curmdgeon)
Julie Opipari on vol. 23 of Kekkaishi (Manga Maniac Cafe)
Anna on vols. 5/6 of Papillon (omnibus edition) (Manga Report)
Amy Grockl on vol. 1 of My Girlfriend Is a Geek (Comics Village)
Johanna Draper Carlson on the December Shonen Jump (Comics Worth Reading)
Lori Henderson on the November issue of Yen Plus (Manga Xanadu)

Kodansha’s big reveal

The big news of the week happened yesterday, when Kodansha USA announced its summer lineup. Del Rey fans can rest assured that a number of titles will continue serialization under the new regime, including Air Gear, Fairy Tail, Negima, Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, and The Wallflower. (Complete list is at the link.) Kodansha is also reviving a couple of older series, the wordless dinosaur tale Gon (last published by CMX) and Until the Full Moon (once licensed by Broccoli), by Fake creator Sanami Matoh.

New titles include

  • Monster Hunter Orage, by Fairy Tail manga-ka Hiro Mashima
  • Deltora Quest
  • The Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
  • The sci-fi mangaMardock Scramble
  • Animal Land by Zatch Bell creator Makoto Raiku
  • Bloody Monday, a thriller
  • Cage of Eden: “Battle Royale meets Lost by way of Negima!”
  • A new Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney manga series

According to Scott VonSchilling, who live-tweeted the event, Del Rey will continue to publish Tsubasa and xxxHolic under its own imprint, and other books that weren’t mentioned aren’t necessarily canceled—just not scheduled yet.

Responses from the commentariat: Lissa Pattillo has a good summary and commentary at Kuriousity, and Daniella Orihuela-Gruber dubs Kodansha “more than a deadbeat publisher,” although she cautions them that more is needed—more announcements, a big license, and fix up that website already. Sean Gaffney has observations on a number of the books and notes that the lineup “looks a lot like Del Rey with the name crossed out,” which is probably a wise choice. Johanna Draper Carlson counts the releases per month and notes a few Del Rey titles that are not on the list. Kate Dacey also weighs in and notes the need for a new website.

There was some other manga news this week, and Lori Henderson sums it up in her weekly news digest at Manga Xanadu. Erica Friedman brings us another edition of Yuri Network News at Okazu.

Sean Gaffney and David Welsh check out this week’s new manga.

At The Comics Journal, Roland Kelts talks to Peepo Choo creator Felipe Smith about manga and comics.

Linda Thai continues her interview with Tokyopop CEO Stu Levy at Something Deeper.

Kate Dacey asked readers of The Manga Critic to name their favorite food manga, and she comes up with a solid list of recommendations.

Ed Sizemore wraps up the Manga Moveable Feast with a podcast in which he, David Welsh, Sean Gaffney, and Erica Friedman discuss the main dish, One Piece.

You Higashino’s yaoi manga Hyper Loving a Maniac is being released on the Kindle in the U.S. at about the same time it is being published in print and digital form in Japan.

News from Japan: Details of the latest Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and anime, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexa, will be revealed in the February issue of V Jump magazine, due out on Saturday.

Reviews

Charles Webb on vol. 1 of 7 Billion Needles (Manga Life)
Connie on vol. 5 of Breath (Slightly Biased Manga)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 5 of Butterflies, Flowers (Comics Worth Reading)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 7 of Detroit Metal City (The Comic Book Bin)
Lissa Pattillo on Gaba Kawa! (Kuriousity)
Zack Davisson on Japan as Viewed by 17 Creators (Japan Reviewed)
Kate Dacey on Not Love But Delicious Foods Make Me So Happy! (The Manga Critic)
Connie on vol. 10 of Pet Shop of Horrors (Slightly Biased Manga)
Diana Dang on vol. 1 of The Story of Saiunkoku (Stop, Drop, and Read!)
Kristin on Sugar Milk and The Day I Became a Butterfly (Comic Attack)

Quickies

Daniella Orihuela-Gruber has some advice for manga publishers about going digital.

Jason Thompson takes a look at Battle Angel Alita in his latest House of 1000 Manga column at ANN.

Linda Thai’s interview with Stu Levy continues at Something Deeper.

Melinda Beasi recommends some manga folks to follow on Twitter and looks at some cold-weather manga, as winter closes in.

David Welsh finishes off the Manga Moveable Feast with a few final posts.

The Yaoi Review has the latest Animate yaoi releases for the Kindle.

News from Japan: Ten publishers, including manga giants Kodansha, Shueisha, and Shogakukan, have announced they will boycotting the Tokyo Anime Fair to protest the Tokyo government’s amendment to the Youth Healthy Development Ordinance, which would require the manga industry to restrict the sale of various materials to minors. Love Hina creator Ken Akamatsu has announced that he will release some of his rare early works online, for free, in PDF form.

Reviews

Brent Newhall on vol. 1 of Hikaru no Go (Otaku, No Video)
Anna on vol. 1 of Kamisama Kiss (Manga Report)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 3 of Seiho Boys High School (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Ai Kano on vol. 14 of Strawberry 100% (Animanga Nation)
Todd Douglass on vol. 9 of Yotsuba&! (Anime Maki)

Recent and future reading

Hikaru Sasahara of Digital Manga Publishing gives PWCW’s Kai-Ming Cha all the dope on the Digital Manga Guild, which will allow fans and amateurs to translate manga legitimately and pay a cut of the sales on the back end. Among other things, he names three of the publishers involved, all of whom, I believe, have done business with Digital in the past.

Michelle Smith and Melinda Beasi discuss some recent manga and the last days of Del Rey in their latest Off the Shelf column at Manga Bookshelf.

At the Manga Curmudgeon, David Welsh picks the most interesting manga out of the December Previews, and he also reaches the letter S in his seinen alphabet.

Lori Henderson presents her 2010 Manga Gift Guide at Manga Xanadu.

Reviews: Ash Brown has more short takes on recent reading, this time from the library, at Experiments in Manga.

Lori Henderson on vols. 1 and 2 of Alice the 101st (Comics Village)
Kate Dacey on vols. 1 and 2 of Bunny Drop (The Manga Critic)
Julie Opipari on vol. 4 of Children of the Sea (Manga Maniac Cafe)
Deb Aoki on vol. 1 of Genkaku Picasso (About.com)
Kristin on vol. 1 of Genkaku Picasso (Comic Attack)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 1 of Kamisama Kiss (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Lori Henderson on the December issue of Shonen Jump (Manga Xanadu)
Penny Kenny on vol. 10 of Vampire Knight (Manga Life)