It’s the busy season! I rounded up the manga news from Otakon (new Vertical series, Kodansha’s iPhone app and sale) at MTV Geek. Deb Aoki explains what’s going on at Shonen Jump Alpha—new additions to the lineup and the speedup of Blue Exorcist—as announced at San Diego Comic-Con, and Tony Yao takes a quick look at one new series, Takama-ga-Hara.
It’s 8/01—you know, Yaoi Day—and Khursten Santos explains how she has come to embrace, rather than shy away from, her fujoshi side. Khursten has also written a nice piece about her manga life.
The Manga Village team discusses their picks of the week.
I’m a bit late with this (sorry!) but Erica Friedman has this week’s yuri updates in the latest edition of Yuri Network News at Okazu.
Derek Bown’s latest Combat Commentary takes a look at the battles of One Piece.
Three Steps Over Japan takes a look inside Monthly Champion Red.
Matt Blind counts down the manga best-sellers for the week ending July 8.
News from Japan: Translator Tomo Kimura gives us a peek at the special silver spoons that come with different editions of vol. 4 of Silver Spoon. The Japan Times takes a look at the Kyoto Manga Museum. D.N. Angel creator Yurikiru Sugisaki and Dragon Head manga-ka Minetaro Mochizuki both have a new series in the works. Aloha Higa has announced that her Shirokuma Cafe is coming back after a hiatus announced in May. Infinite Stratos and its 4-koma spinoff are both coming to an end shortly. The final volume of Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (vol. 30, for those who are keeping track) will include 15 extra pages that weren’t in the magazine serialization.
Reviews: Carlo Santos turns a critical eye on a fresh batch of new manga in his latest Right Turn Only!! column at ANN.
AstroNerdBoy on vol. 4 of A Certain Scientific Railgun (AstroNerdBoy’s Anime and Manga Blog)
Erica Friedman on the July issue of Comic Yuri Hime (Okazu)
Sara K. on The Fox Volant of Snow Mountain (Manga Bookshelf)
Erica Friedman on Hadashi no Chimera (Okazu)
Julie on vol. 1 of Polterguys (Manga Maniac Cafe)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 18 of Ranma 1/2 (Blogcritics)
Kristin on Sakuran (Comic Attack)
I hope you’re not apologizing to me! But thank you, always, for your support. ^_^