MangaBlogCast #2 is up at the MangaCast site, with a special exclusive report on AnimeNEXT by our own Jack Tse. ComiPress follows up with interviews with Jack, Ed Chavez, and me.
Here are the links for the stories in this week’s podcast:
What’s up with ADV?
This week, the blogosphere had a group vent about ADV. Fans are frustrated because the company has licensed a number of popular series (Yotsuba&!, Aria, Gunslinger Girl) but only released a handful of volumes of each. Manga doesn’t seem to be a big priority with ADV these days.
Honolulu Star-Bulletin story on ADV
ADV’s manga website
ADV’s press release on Anime Expo
Kenshin calls it a life
The long-running series Rurouni Kenshin wraps up next month with volume 28, but the franchise continues with a Kenshin novel and a rare extra story in the September Shonen Jump. And to avoid Viz taking a sudden tumble into red ink, the publisher is starting a new series, Buso Renkin, by the same author.
Rurouni Kenshin comes to an end (press release)
Rurouni Kenshin info on the Viz website
Death Note rules
The Death Note movie opened in Japan on June 17, which inspired this excellent article on the Death Note phenomenon.
Mainichi story on Death Note
Japanese blogger reviews the Death Note movie
Milestones
Three manga reach 30-year mark
Viz turns 20
Shoujo Beat’s first anniversary: David Welsh interviews Yumi Hoashi
People are talking about…
Barb Lien-Cooper’s article, “12 Reasons Why Manga Is Not a Gateway Drug to Western Comics”
Lyle Misaki’s five reasons why it could be
New titles watch
Sequels to Kingdom Hearts and Gunsmith Cats
“Shoujo” version of Densha Otoko
Harlequin relaunches its manga line
From a lurker who finally decided to post a comment: I’ve just recently started to watch anime and read manga-between your site and Tangognat, I’ve gotten some really good suggestions!
I’ve only just finished volume 2 of Death Note, but I’m really enjoying this series! If a movie or anime series ever was available here in the US, I’d definitely watch it.
A friend of mine just introduced me to Rurouni Kenshin (it’s his favorite anime). I didn’t realize how much was already out there…guess I have a ways to go! :)
Welcome, Romana1! One of the nice things about both these these series is that since they’ve been out for a while, you can sit down and read a bunch of volumes all at once, and really get a sense of the story. We discovered Death Note when volume 5 was out, and my husband and I just binged on it. If 28 volumes of Rurouni Kenshin threatens to bankrupt you, check your library system—we get a lot of books through inter-library loan.
By the way, if you like Death Note, you may enjoy Monster and ES.^^