MangaBlog

This looks appealing: Death Note creators Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata have teamed up on another manga, this one about a young man who yearns to be a professional manga artist. Watch for previews in the May issue of Shonen Jump; the first volume will be out in August. If you’re curious, Carlo Santos reviewed the Japanese edition a year ago at ANN. Full details below the jump.

FIND OUT WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE IT TO THE TOP AS A MANGA CREATOR IN THE NEW SHONEN JUMP SERIES BAKUMAN。

Two Students Must Have Perseverance, Innovation And An Uncompromising Will To Succeed In The New Series From The Creators Of DEATH NOTE

San Francisco, CA, April 14, 2010 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the upcoming release of the manga series BAKUMAN。. The series, rated ‘T’ for Teens, will be released on August 3rd under VIZ Media’s popular Shonen Jump imprint and will carry a MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. Previews for the series will start to run in the May 2010 issue of VIZ Media’s popular monthly manga anthology – SHONEN JUMP magazine which is on stands now.

BAKUMAN。is written by the author of DEATH NOTE, Tsugumi Ohba, and the artwork is by Takeshi Obata, the artist known for series such as DEATH NOTE, HIKARU NO GO and RALΩGRAD. The story follows average student Moritaka Mashiro, who enjoys drawing for fun, but when his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world?

In the opening volume, Moritaka is hesitant to seriously consider Akito’s proposal because he knows how difficult it can be to reach the professional level. Still, encouragement from persistent Akito and the motivation from a girl he has a crush on help push Moritaka to test his limits!

“BAKUMAN。is an outstanding, behind-the-scenes manga about manga, and the artists who create it, written and drawn by the creative team that produced the DEATH NOTE series,” says Elizabeth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director at VIZ Media. “The series is a great read for all manga fans, and especially fun for aspiring artists.”

Born in Tokyo, Tsugumi Ohba is the author of the hit series DEATH NOTE. The writer’s current series BAKUMAN。is serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan.

Takeshi Obata was born in 1969 in Niigata, Japan, and is the artist of the wildly popular SHONEN JUMP title HIKARU NO GO, which won the 2003 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize: Shinsei “New Hope” award and the 2000 Shogakukan Manga award. Obata is also the artist of Arabian Majin Bokentan Lamp Lamp, Ayatsuri Sakon, Cyborg Jichan G, and the smash hit manga DEATH NOTE.

For more information on this title, and other Shonen Jump titles, please visit http://shonenjump.viz.com.

I will be away from the internet for a day or so as I’m heading out to Chicago for C2E2; being a lover of adventure, and a hater of airplanes, I’m taking the train, and stopping over in my home town of South Bend to see some folks. In the meantime, I’m handing the keys over to Melinda Beasi, who will be providing a guest review for your enjoyment tomorrow. If you are going to C2E2 and you want to get together, e-mail me at the address on the right or DM me on Twitter.

David Welsh, John and Gia, and Brad Rice look at this week’s new comics.

Danica Davidson interviews Peach Fuzz creators Linday Cibos and Jared Hodges at Graphic Novel Reporter.

Lori Henderson thinks Del Rey manga isn’t trying hard enough, in terms of titles and communication with fans.

News from Japan: Shonen Jump and Jump Square are both starting new spinoffs, and Ichijinsa will launch its WAaI! boys in skirts magazine, which targets “male maidens” on April 24.

Ken Haley and Sam Kusek discuss Anime Boston in part 2 of their con report.

Reviews: Kate Dacey posts short reviews of some new horror/fantasy releases at The Manga Critic. Laura posts her first impressions of three titles at Heart of Manga.

Danica Davidson on vols. 1-3 of Absolute Boyfriend (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Peter Gutierrez on The Art of Osamu Tezuka (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Eric Robinson on vol. 5 of Black God (Manga Jouhou)
Courtney Kraft on vol. 7 of Black God (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 8 of Excel Saga (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Snow Wildsmith on Love Knot and vol. 1 of Madness (Fujoshi Librarian)
Shaenon Garrity on vol. 1 of Portrait of M & N(About.com)
Andre on vol. 2 of Raiders (Kuriousity)
Deb Aoki on vol. 1 of Ratman (About.com)
Todd Douglass on vol. 1 of Ratman (Anime Maki)
James Fleenor on vol. 1 of Ratman (Anime Sentinel)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 1 of Red Hot Chili Samurai (The Comic Book Bin)
Anna on vols. 6 and 7 of Sand Chronicles (2 screenshot limit)
Danielle Leigh on vol. 1 of Spice & Wolf (Comics Should Be Good)

Kate Dacey checks out this week’s new releases at The Manga Critic.

Melinda Beasi rounds up the Korean comics scene in her latest Manhwa Monday post.

Twilight was the best-selling manga in comics stores last month, according to Diamond’s sales figures.

Hey, remember Kodansha USA? Where are they? Matt Blind digs around a bit and doesn’t find much—still no website—but he does learn that the release dates of the upcoming volumes of Ghost in the Shell and Akira have been pushed back—and KUSA does’t seem to have anything else in the hopper.

David Welsh posts the entries in his mixed emotions competition at The Manga Curmudgeon.

Vote for your favorite manga publisher at Manga Views!

The Center for Book Arts is hosting a garo manga exhibit beginning next week. (No city is indicated, but I’m guessing it’s New York.)

Ken Haley and Sam Kusek file part 1 of their Anime Boston con report at Manga Recon.

Reviews: The Manga Recon team posts another set of Manga Minis for your reading pleasure. Dave Ferraro posts some short reviews as well. If you read French, check out Jessie Bi’s review of Shigero Mizuki’s Mon copain le kappa at du9. Even if you don’t, it’s worth clicking over to get a peek at Mizuki’s art.

Jessica Severs on vols. 1 and 2 of Alice in the Country of Hearts (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
Eric Robinson on vol. 4 of Black God (Manga Jouhou)
Erica Friedman on vol. 2 of Comic Lily (Okazu)
Carlo Santos on vol. 10 of Fairy Tail (ANN)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 7 of The Magic Touch (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Kristin on vol. 1 of Maria Holic (Comic Attack)
Tangognat on Mugen Spiral (Tangognat)
Connie on vol. 6 of You’re So Cool (Slightly Biased Manga)

I’m not sure how I missed this, but Kai-Ming Cha has an excellent interview with Matt Thorn, who is editing a new line of manga for Fantagraphics, at PWCW. I liked this:

My approach is to publish smart, artistic but accessible work that is well translated and has high production values. This goes against the trend that was started by Tokyopop (who reached new audiences by cutting production costs and lowering the cost of trade paperbacks), but it also, in my mind, is the logical follow-up to that trend.

There’s a place in the world for both, IMHO.

According to the creators involved, Del Rey has canceled its Marvel manga series, X-Men: Misfits and Wolverine: Prodigal Son. Deb Aoki rounds up the X-Men story, which started from a tip at MoCCA and was confirmed on Twitter, and Wolverine: Prodigal Son writer Antony Johnson confirms the demise of his book on his blog.

More signs of life at DramaQueen: LadyQ goes on the forums to say that DQ will relaunch the global yaoi anthology Rush but “it will be a bit different.” Therefore they are offering subscribers the choice of rolling over the unexpired portion of their subscriptions to the new magazine or taking the value in credit for DQ books.

David Welsh wonders why the Eisner nominations for Best Publication for Teens never includes any manga, and he also comes up with his own slate for the Best U.S. Edition of International Material — Asia category.

Lori Henderson rounds up the week’s manga news at Manga Xanadu, and Erica Friedman posts another episode of Yuri Network News at Okazu.

Kate Dacey recommends ten manhwa you won’t want to miss at The Manga Critic.

Akemi takes a look at gender switches in manga in Myth and Manga.

ANN rounds up some new manga that have popped up on retail sites recently; no official announcements yet. Michelle Smith has more.

Daniella Orihuela-Gruber describes her life as a manga editor at All About Manga.

Johanna Draper Carlson test-drives the new Bento Comics website and finds a few glitches.

Melinda Beasi checks in with her con report on Anime Boston.

Jason Yadao rounds up some late additions to Kawaii Kon.

Erica Friedman is giving away two volumes of yuri manga to the person who comes up with the best guest list for an imaginary tea party.

Reviews: Ed Sizemore and Johanna Draper Carlson discuss Pluto in the latest Manga Out Loud podcast.

Lissa Pattillo on vol. 1 of Arata (Kuriousity)
Alan David Doane on Black Blizzard (Trouble With Comics)
Grant Goodman on vol. 1 of Hanako and the Terror of Allegory (Manga Recon)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 8 of I Hate You More Than Anyone! (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Connie on vol. 4 of Kimi ni Todoke (Slightly Biased Manga)
Rob McMonigal on vol. 1 of Land of the Blindfolded (Panel Patter)
Connie on vol. 2 of The Lapis Lazuli Crown (Slightly Biased Manga)
Johanna Draper Carlson on Manga for the Beginner: Chibis (Comics Worth Reading)
Ed Sizemore on Mechademia 4: War/Time (Comics Worth Reading)
Todd Douglass on vol. 2 of Mikansei No. 1 (Anime Maki)
Diana Dang on vols. 1 and 2 of Mixed Vegetables (Stop, Drop, and Read!)
Lorena Nava Ruggero on not simple (i heart manga)
Sean Gaffney on vols. 40 and 41 of One PIece (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Melinda Beasi on vol. 10 of One Thousand and One Nights (Manga Bookshelf)
Connie on vol. 1 of Otodama; Voice from the Dead (Manga Recon)
Lori Henderson on vols. 1-7 of Pichi Pichi Pitch Mermaid Melody (Manga Xanadu)
Greg McElhatton on Ristorante Paradiso (Read About Comics)
Julie Opipari on vol. 20 of Skip Beat! (Manga Maniac Cafe)
Deb Aoki on vol. 1 of Spice & Wolf (About.com)
Ai Kano on vol. 1 of Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee (Animanga Nation)

This post is late because there was so much news today that every time I thought I was finished, something new would come up. Like this: A manga publisher is on the block, and speculation is leaning toward Aurora, which just asked Netcomics to pull all its series off the site. Aurora fits the profile in the ad: it is a Southern California-based manga publisher founded in 2006 that is a direct subsidiary of a Japanese publisher. The only other publisher that fits those criteria is Viz, and I don’t think they are available for $300,000. Commentary from Simon Jones, Gia Manry, and ANN senior news editor Egon Loo, who states that Aurora is not for sale.

Speaking of wild speculation, Ed Chavez dropped some hints about Vertical’s new releases at Anime Boston last week, and the ANN forum has been churning out possibilities ever since.

The umpteenth article about Kami no Shizuku (Drops of the Gods), the wine manga, mentions something that is news to me: The creators say there will be an English version by the end of the year. Someone recently explained to me why this manga would never be published in the U.S., which means it’s about due—although “English version” could mean it will be published in any English-speaking country. It is published by Kodansha, which gives us a limited range of possible U.S. licensors and raises the possibility they might publish it under their Kodansha USA imprint. David Welsh is pleased. (Spotted by sharp-eyed Anna at 2 screenshot limit.)

The Eisner nominations are out today, and they are more manga-riffic than ever.

UPDATE: And I forgot to mention that Seven Seas has rescued two licenses, Gunslinger Girl and Blood Alone.

Lori Henderson rounds up this week’s kid-friendly comics and manga at Good Comics for Kids.

The NY Times best-seller list is up, and the usual suspects are there—Naruto, Bleach, and Black Butler, which is on the list for the 10th week—does nobody read my reviews?? At Early Word, Robin Brenner questions the inconsistencies in the list, noting that L: Change the World, a light novel, made the list but Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s A Drifting Life was listed as a softcover graphic novel, not manga.

Johanna Draper Carlson checks out the latest Previews and finds it full of cats.

David Brothers takes a look at Tsutomu Nihei, the creator of Noise and Blame!, whose most recent work is Wolverine: Snikt! Yes, that Wolverine.

Meanwhile, David Welsh has two new license requests, both from Hakusensha’s LaLa.

Kate Dacey paid a visit to the exhibit Korean Comics: A Society Through Small Frames, and she records her observations at The Manga Critic.

News from Japan: Say Hello to Black Jack manga-ka Shuho Sato has opened up his web manga site to other creators.

Reviews

Michelle Smith on Adolf 3: The Half-Aryan (Soliloquy in Blue)
Zack Davisson on vol. 2 of Alice in the Country of Hearts (Manga Life)
Connie on vol. 4 of Astral Project (Slightly Biased Manga)
Rob McMonigal on vol. 3 of Bleach (Panel Patter)
Snow Wildsmith on vol. 1 of Bunny Drop (Fujoshi Librarian)
Erica Friedman on vol. 1 of Gunjo (Okazu)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 14 of Hayate the Combat Butler (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Anna on vols. 1 and 2 of Love*Com (2 screenshot limit)
Charles Webb on vol. 1 of Maoh: Juvenile Remix (Manga Life)
Rob McMonigal on vol. 5 of Nana (Panel Patter)
Daniele Leigh on vols. 4-8 of Pluto (Comics Should Be Good)
Tangognat on vol. 1 of Ratman (Tangognat)
Richard Bruton on Red Snow (Forbidden Planet)
Lori Henderson on the April and May issues of Shonen Jump (Manga Xanadu)
Todd Douglass on vol. 11 of Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning (Anime Maki)
David Welsh on vol. 1 of Twin Spica and vol. 1 of Saturn Apartments (The Manga Curmudgeon)
Connie on vol. 10 of We Were There (Slightly Biased Manga)
Rob McMonigal on Yellow 2 Episode 1 (Panel Patter)
Rob McMonigal on vol. 3 of Yotsuba&! (Panel Patter)
Susan S. on vols. vol. 1 and 2 of ZE (Manga Jouhou)

The real reason I went to Anime Boston is that Ed Chavez asked me to be part of his manga bloggers’ panel, which also included Erin Finnegan, Vertical former intern Ko Ransom, AICN‘s Scott Green, Anime World Order‘s Clarissa Graffeo, and Anime Jump‘s Michael Toole. If you’re curious, or just have some time to kill, listen in on Erin’s podcast as Ed peppers us with questions and we totally muff them. A good time was had by all!

Also, check out my roundup of spring graphic novels at SLJTeen; several manga made the cut.

Kristin looks at manga in the April Previews in her Bento Bako Lite column at Comic Attack.

David Uzumeri has an interesting piece comparing Urasawa’s adaptation of Astro Boy (Pluto) with Grant Morrison’s re-imagining of Superman at Comics Alliance.

TCJ has the audio of Jason Thompson’s Sakura Con panel, The Secret History of Manga. (Link goes directly to audio.)

Matt Thorn has a lovely remembrance of manga-ka Shio Satoh, who died this week.

Dan Kois celebrates Pluto Day at The Awl, and he thinks you should, too.

Dan Kanemitsu states the case against expanding the definition of child pornography to include fictional images. (Via Simon Jones.)

At Same Hat!, Ryan continues his historical posts on manga with a piece on early colorists and a reprint of an essay by Fred Patten from an early edition of Mai the Psychic Girl.

Alethea and Athena Nibley write about the art and science of translation at Manga Life.

Amy Forsyth, who translated manga, including Azumanga Daioh, Kare Kano, and Yotsuba&!, for ADV, Tokyopop, and Yen Press, has died.

Tell Kate Dacey your favorite Tezuka character and you might win a copy of Ode to Kirihito. Also, David Welsh is giving away two Natsume Ono manga, not simple and Ristorante Paradiso, to readers who have mixed reactions to a given creator.

Also, David’s Shoujo-Shonen alphabet reaches the letter Y, where the offerings are getting pretty sparse.

If you’re going to be in San Francisco on Friday, check out Mecha Mania: Four Decades of Slam-Bang Sci-Fi Robot Anime, hosted by Otaku USA editor in chief Patrick Macias.

Reviews

Andre on vol. 3 of Bamboo Blade (Kuriousity)
Snow Wildsmith on vols. 1-5 of Bride of the Water God (Good Comics for Kids)
Michelle Smith on vols. 14 and 15 of Cheeky Angel (Soliloquy in Blue)
Todd Douglass on vol. 5 of Cirque du Freak (Anime Maki)
Connie on vol. 2 of Crown of Love (Slightly Biased Manga)
Julie Opipari on vol. 6 of Dance in the Vampire Bund (Manga Maniac Cafe)
Noah Berlatsky on vol. 1 of Dorohedoro (The Comics Journal)
Connie on vol. 1 of Dorohedoro (Slightly Biased Manga)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 10 of Fairy Tail (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Erica Friedman on vol. 1 of Flat & Flow (Okazu)
Lorena Nava Ruggero on vol. 9 of Honey and Clover (i heart manga)
Susan S. on The Lonely Egotist (Manga Jouhou)
Kae Dacey on vols. 1 and 2 of Ode to Kirihito (The Manga Critic)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 39 of One Piece (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 8 of Pluto (The Comic Book Bin)
Lori Henderson on Prisoner of the Tower (Manga Xanadu)
Diana Dang on vol. 1 of Rosario + Vampire (Stop, Drop, and Read!)
Connie on vol. 1 of Seimaden (Slightly Biased Manga)
Emily on Seiyuu Ka-! (Emily’s Random Shoujo Manga Page)
Connie on vol. 1 of The Summit (Slightly Biased Manga)
Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane on vol. 8 of We Were There (Manga Life)
Barb Lien-Cooper on vol. 7 of Yotsuba&! (Manga Life)