Big licensing news today: Vertical announced they will be publishing Ai Yazawa’s Paradise Kiss. The five-volume series was originally published in the U.S. by Tokyopop, and marketing director Ed Chavez Tweeted that Vertical will publish it as three 300-page volumes with color plates, new covers, and a new translation.
JManga announced a number of new releases for next week, including three by est em that have already been published in English: Age Called Blue, Red Blinds the Foolish, and Seduce Me After the Show. They are also having a big Takao Saito promotion, with six new volumes up this week and a 100-point rebate on all purchases of works by the Golgo 13 creator.
Jason Thompson checks out Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack in his latest House of 1000 Manga column at ANN:
In a manga world where every artist tries hard to create the most memorable character with the craziest hair, Black Jack is an icon among icons. That scar. That hair (too bad it’s often concealed under a surgical cap). That suit. That job. It’s nothing special to have a hero that looks like a villain, but it’s incredibly rare to have a hero whose power doesn’t involve killing; the opposite, in fact. Black Jack, the outlaw doctor, has waded through as much blood as anybody, but he only cuts people open to make them better.
Erica Friedman reports in from Yaoi and Yuri Con (YaYCon) in the Netherlands.
Feast your eyes on Morgan’s wonderful, and wonderfully organized, manga collection at The Manga Critic.
Sara K. has some more lovely manhua goodness from The Condor Trilogy at Manga Bookshelf.
News from Japan: Manga-ka Oh! Great is winding up Air Gear after just five more chapters. Yumeiro Pâtissière returns for a one-shot in Ribon magazine.
Job board: Viz is looking for interns.
Reviews
Kelakagandy on vol. 7 of Arisa (kelakagandy’s ramblings)
Anna on vols. 1-3 of Cousin (Manga Report)
Kate Dacey on vol. 1 of The Earl and the Fairy (The Manga Critic)
Milo on vols. 1 and 2 of The Monkey King (Blog of the North Star)
Snow Wildsmith on vol. 1 of Skip Beat! (omnibus edition) (ICv2)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 21 of Slam Dunk (The Comic Book Bin)
Lissa Pattillo on Sun Fish Moon Fish (Kuriousity)
TSOTE on Tousei Gensou Hakubutsushi (Three Steps Over Japan)
I read on ANN that it’s to be 3 omnibuses, not 2.
Still, I rented this from the library, and it really didn’t do much for me. But when the libraries get the Vertical editions, I’ll check it out again I suppose.
You’re right about the number of volumes. Correction made! Thanks for spotting that.
I think, from the ANN article and the JManga newsletter, JManga is releasing est em’s Apartments of Calle Feliz/Happy End Apartment, not the others that were previously published. It looks like ANN was just listing those as examples of her other works.
Alas, still no license rescue for Aria.
Sigh.
I would be surprised if we ever see anymore Aria. Two publishers tried to make money on that title and failed. I can’t image anyone willing to lose money in this market.
Those publishers (ADV Manga and Tokyopop) collapsed under the weight of their own ambitions. (Didn’t ADV Manga have the rights to some 50-odd titles at one point? Also, Tokyopop said at one point that they sold out of their initial print run of volume 4 way back in the day.)
Yes, I know it’s a longshot, but if Paradise Kiss can be rescued, who’s to say that the same can’t happen for Aria? (Or Tsukihime? Or Ninin Ga Shinobuden? Or Kage Kara Mamoru? Or Those Who Hunt Elves?)
Much as I respect you, Ed Sizemore (oh grizzled veteran of manga), I’m still holding out hope, even if the odds are quite slim.