Tokyopop CEO Stu Levy roiled the waters at Facebook over the weekend when he asked readers if they would support a third volume of Hetalia that would be sold through “limited” retail channels. The post got almost 1,000 “likes,” but the reaction in the comments was decidedly mixed, with many readers saying they would prefer Levy allow the license to pass to another publisher and asking for new volumes of other series, including a few that were just one volume away from completion when Tokyopop stopped operations earlier this year. In a second post, Levy clarified that “limited” refers to the retail channels and said that vol. 4 would be published as well. Tony Yao and Johanna Draper Carlson post their responses at their blogs.
The Manga Bookshelf team is bullish on Sailor Moon as they discuss their Pick of the Week.
The denizens of Manga Village look at the past week’s new releases.
At MTV Geek, I take a look at the latest updates and new additions to JManga.com.
Erica Friedman publishes a manga reader’s manifesto on digital publishing: She wants simultaneous print and digital releases, platform-independent digital manga, and an end to regional restrictions. Hear, hear!
David Welsh asks his readers to name the most versatile manga creators.
Former Tokyopop editor Tim Beedle explains how the 9/11 attacks led (indirectly) to his career in manga.
At Rocket Bomber, Matt Blind posts his calculations for manga sales rankings (online sales, including pre-orders) for the weeks ending Sept. 4 and Sept. 11.
Connie has a license request at Slightly Biased Manga: Zetsuai 1989/Bronze: Zetsuai Since 1989.
Kristin files a con report from Anime Fest in Dallas.
There is now an English version of the ComiPo! manga creation software, although it’s for PC only—no Macs.
Congratulations to Khursten Santos, who has been blogging at Otaku Champloo for five years now! Khursten takes the opportunity to talk about the evolution of the manga scene in the Philippines.
News from Japan: A manga adaptation of the Final Fantasy Type-0 role-playing game is in the works. Three Steps Over Japan has some pictures of the magazine section of a local bookstore, featuring lots of manga magazines.
Reviews: The Manga Bookshelf bloggers look over some new releases in their latest set of Bookshelf Briefs.
Rebecca Silverman on vol. 1 of Animal Land (ANN)
Michelle Smith on vols. 1-6 of Arata: The Legend (Soliloquy in Blue)
Rebecca Silverman on vols. 8-10 of Black Bird (ANN)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 8 of Butterflies, Flowers (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
John Rose on vol. 1 of Cage of Eden (The Fandom Post)
AstroNerdBoy on vol. 14 of Fairy Tail (AstroNerdBoy’s Anime and Manga Blog)
Leroy Douresseaux on Finder, vol. 3: One Wing in the View Finder (The Comic Book Bin)
Julie Opipari on Gandhi: A Manga Biography (Manga Maniac Cafe)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 6 of Kurozakuro (The Comic Book Bin)
Alex Hoffman on La Quinta Camera (Manga Widget)
Chris Kirby on La Quinta Camera (The Fandom Post)
Matthew Warner on vol. 6 of Ultimo (The Fandom Post)
Anna on vol. 1 of Wandering Son (Manga Report)