MangaBlog

Back in December, I moderated a panel discussion on manga at MoCCA, with Del Rey editor Dallas Middaugh, translator Mari Morimoto, Kinokuniya manager John Fuller, and letterer/designer Brad Foltz. In case you missed it (hey, December is a busy month), hike on over to the Ninjaconsultants’ LJ, where they have posted their recording of that evening’s discussion, along with the introduction to Manga Zombie.

David Welsh interviews Michael Perry of Aurora Publishing about that company’s strategy for the American market. Aurora is the American arm of the Japanese publisher Ohzora, and Perry talks about their choice of titles, licenses from other publishers, and retail issues.

Back at home base, David thumbs through the latest Previews to pick the best of the summer comics.

Ed Chavez rolls out this week’s otaku-riffic new manga list at MangaCast.

Avalon’s Willow, of Seeking Avalon, has an interesting post on Claymore and the fact that it features a group of women who all have blond hair and wear the same uniform and yet all look different. (Via The Hathor Legacy, via When Fangirls Attack.)

The Japan Times notes the French release of the wine manga Kami no Shizuku (The Drops of the Gods).

Tokyopop is among the publishers donating YA novels and graphic novels to pediatric hospitals on April 17, which is Support Teen Literature Day. (Via giapet.)

A couple of people have linked to this blog post asking “Is manga porn?” As a couple of people noted, it’s a bogus question. Is the internet porn? Furthermore, the examples of supposedly provocative manga don’t seem to be from actual manga; they look like anime to me, or stand-alone art. They’re slick, generic, and in color. Finally, I’m not sure this particular group of moms is one to talk, when the very next slideshow is “Matt Damon: People’s Sexiest Man Alive.”

Reviews: Jessica Severs of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review enjoyed vol. 1 of Hotel Africa, but Deb Aoki of About.com thinks the translation is clumsy. Ben Leary reviews vol. 1 of Haruhaze Bitter Bop, John Zakrzewski enjoys vol. 1 of Yozakura Quartet,, and Danielle Van Gorder reads vol. 2 of Ai no Kusabi and vol. 4 of Black Sun, Silver Moon, at Anime on DVD. Tiamat’s Disciple provides an overview of vols. 1-10 of RG Veda. Lissa Pattillo reviews vol. 4 of Wild Adapter on Kuri-ousity. D.M. Evans checks out vol. 3 of Wild Adapter at Manga Jouhou. Rachelmanija reviews vol. 1 of Chicago, apparently an older title. Skullduggery has a lengthy, positive review of Bride of the Water God at Zombie Underground. (Last two found via When Fangirls Attack). Julie reads vol. 3 of Alive at the Manga Maniac Cafe. At Okazu, Erica Friedman takes a break from sneezing to explain why she doesn’t like the “moe Yuri” vol. 4 of Yuri Hime S. Holly Ellingwood reviews vol. 2 of Bride of the Water God and vol. 3 of Gunsmith Cats Burst, and Scott Campbell takes on vol. 3 of Shugo Chara! at Active Anime. Ferdinand reviews vol. 1 of Element Line at Prospero’s Manga. Matthew J. Brady loses his macho-ness to vol. 9 of Nana at Warren Peace Sings the Blues. Leroy Douresseaux checks out Death Note 13: How to Read at The Comic Book Bin.

John Jakala explains why he likes Franken Fran, which alas is available only in scanlation.

Lori Henderson makes her picks from this week’s new manga at Manga Village.

At Manga Life, Fruits Basket translators Alethea and Athena Nibley share their insights on Ayame Sohma.

Alert Deb Aoki checks the Yen Press news section and finds some tidbits, including a mystery panel, Judith Park’s book signing at NYCC, and a preview of James Patterson’s Maximum Ride.

ICv2 has some details on the recent news that Viz is licensing the two-volume Legend of Zelda manga.

At Japanator, Dale North isn’t too happy to find a raised tag in the manga at Borders, but the commenters don’t seem to concerned. FWIW, I have never had a problem with them, as they aren’t very sticky.

On the USA Today best-seller list, vol. 28 of Naruto moves from number 39 to 52, and vol. 19 of Fruits Basket slips from 34 to 65. ComiPress has the Japanese manga rankings from Tohan.

News from Japan: ANN reports that a Slayers Revolution manga will start up in the next issue of Dragon Age magazine. And the Japan Times reports on the Cultural Affairs Agency’s advisory panel’s discussions on exporting Japanese culture to the rest of the world, as if some of that ground was still left unturned.

Reviews: New reviews up at Comics Village include Lissa Pattillo on vol. 2 of Nightmares for Sale, Charles Tan on vols. 1-3 of Kare Kano (omnibus edition), Dan Polley on vol. 4 of Mamotte! Lollipop, Sabrina on vol. 5 of Lunar Legend Tsukihime, and Lori Henderson on vol. 3 of The Guin Saga Manga. Ken Haley checks out vol. 1 of Zombie Fairy at PopCultureShock’s Manga Recon blog. Connie reviews vols. 2, 3, and 4 of The Drifting Classroom at Slightly Biased Manga. Holly Ellingwood reads vol. 5 of My Hime and vol. 2 of Psycho Busters at Active Anime. Lissa Pattillo enjoys vol. 1 of Pet Shop of Horrors Tokyo at Kuri-ousity. At the Manga Maniac Cafe, Julie is reading vol. 8 of Inubaka: Crazy for Dogs. Over at the Sunny Side Up Anime Blog, huamualan03 reviews vol. 1 of Kaichou wa Maid-sama. Deb Aoki reviews vol. 1 of Blood+ at About.com. Tangognat posts short takes on vol. 1 of Pearl Pink and vol. 1 of B.O.D.Y. There are more reviews up at Manga Life: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane on vols. 1 and 2 of Gakuen Alice, Joy Kim on vol. 1 of Honey and Clover, Shannon Fay on vol. 1 of After School Nightmare, and David Rasmussen on Nancy Drew, vol. 7: The Charmed Bracelet. Nick highly recommends vol. 1 of Metro Survive at Hobotaku. Tiamat’s Disciple possts some “thoughts and impressions” on vol. 1 of Kaze no Hana. Michelle Ramonetti reads vol. 1 of Pearl Pink and Danielle Van Gorder checks out vol. 2 of Vanilla at Anime on DVD. Erica Friedman has a few thoughts on vol. 3 of Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora at Okazu. Ferdinand reviews vol. 1 of Ral Ω Grad at Prospero’s Manga.

In this week’s PWCW, Kai-Ming Cha writes about the Viz/Marvel teamup and interviews Dan Pink about his manga career guide Johnny Bunko and Brigitte Koyama-Richard about her new book One Thousand Years of Manga. The staff also compiles the April top ten list, which is topped by Diary of a Wimpy Kid but is otherwise mostly manga.

Watch for Johnny Bunko to get lots of attention from mainstream publications. The Wall Street Journal likes it, although their reference to manga as “this dodgy sub-basement of literature” put me off a bit. (But I like their idea of a sequel about the mortgage business—Mr. Pink, I believe you have found your new book.) Diane Stafford of Kansas City.com picks up on it as well, and Marci Alboher interviews Pink for the NY Times Shifting Careers blog. Finally (for today), Pink has posted a video trailer for the book.

At Comics Should Be Good, Danielle Leigh celebrates her birthday with a wish list of not-so-unreasonable demands, mostly that publishers publish their books and do it on time. Over at Precocious Curmudgeon, David Welsh adds a few wishes of his own.

David also takes a look at this week’s new comics.

Sharp-eyed Lissa Pattillo notes that 801 is warning readers that some of their books may be in short supply, because apparently they are not going to go back to press after the run is sold out. She also notes that the Clover omnibus is listed as being from Dark Horse, not Tokyopop, the original publisher. Neither publisher seems to have the title listed at their site yet, so it’s too early to tell.

Christopher Butcher posts some freaky Junko Mizuno art.

The third episode of the Cloverfield web manga has been translated.

Erin Finnegan has come to rely on Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga for more than just manga criticism. Should we be worried?

At Okatu Champloo, Khursten resumes her series on the history of Shonen Jump and fujoshi with a post on the years 1990-94.

While the weak dollar may put a damper on your vacation, Yamila Abraham notes that there’s a silver lining for companies like Yaoi Press.

Diamond Comics has handed out their Gem Awards, and Viz won the Manga Publisher of the Year award, while vol. 14 of Naruto took Manga TP of the Year.

News from Japan: According to ANN, Kodansha’s Morning 2 magazine (sponsor of the international manga competition) is going from irregular/bimonthly to monthly publication. Sister publication Morning will publish a one-shot manga by Kaiji Kawaguchi, whose Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President was nominated for an Eisner award.

This is not manga, but it’s too good to miss: I’m a big fan of Cameron Stewart’s Sin Titulo webcomic, so I’m mighty pleased that my Digital Strips colleague Jason Sigler has posted an in-depth two–part interview with Mr. Stewart.

Reviews: Sean T. Collins reviews Tekkonkinkreet at All Too Flat (via Journalista). Michelle is not too impressed with vol. 4 of Maison Ikkoku at Soliloquy in Blue. Rob Vollmar reviews vol. 1 of Kingdom of the Winds at Comics Worth Reading. Julie Rosato reads the novel Little Darling and Sakura Eries checks out vol. 5 of Kitchen Princess at Anime on DVD. Lissa Pattillo reviews Family Complex at Kuri-ousity. At Okazu, Erica Friedman reads vol. 8 of Maria-sama ga Miteru. Connie reviews vol. 4 of Apothecarius Argentum and vol. 17 of Astro Boy at Slightly Biased Manga. Julie posts reviews of vol. 1 of Land of the Blindfolded and Necrataholic at the Manga Maniac Cafe.

Found on the Viz blog:

Though I think you are the better of the Manga Publishing companies out there, I have to say that the quality of your products has gone done hill. I am talking mostly about Shonen Jump, which having after reading since its american release, have decided to stop. The main reason would be the amount of space that Naruto and Bleach take up. I took some time out of my saturday afternoon to read the newest jump in my local Borders, only to find that Naruto takes up about half the magazine!

[Emphasis mine, spelling and capitalization errors in the original.] I like the fact that this person admits to reading the magazine without paying for it and even sounds a bit put out—Shonen Jump impinged on his busy Saturday! Check the post for Viz’s cute April Fool’s gag as well.

Kate Dacey mines the best of this week’s new comics for her Weekly Recon at PopCultureShock’s Manga Recon blog.

Newsarama’s Pulp Secret video, which consists of three guys standing around talking about comics, takes on manga this week, with discussions of Fairy Tail, Hikaru no Go and Iron Wok Jan, and the difference between manga and “mainstream” comics readers. (H/t: Charles Tan.)

Super shopper John Jakala finds yet another site for discounted manga.

News from Japan: Banri Hidaka, creator of VB Rose and Tears of a Lamb, will start a new manga series in the April 19 issue of Hana to Yume.

Otaku Champloo takes a look at the Japanese TV show Manga Genba.

This is really only tangentially related to manga, but I like the thoughtful article the Anchorage Daily News wrote about the kid who got in trouble for copying pictures of nude women from a Manga Mania book and bringing them to school. The writer goes beyond the usual theater of outrage (“Porn!” “Censorship!”) and talks not only to school officials and the family of the “artist” but also to an adult who was in a similar situation several years previously, as well as her teacher. The final quote from the kid in question is chilling:

“I was proud of the drawings until I got into trouble,” he said. “I didn’t really care about them after I got in trouble, and I haven’t really wanted to draw anything like that since.”

Wacom is holding its second anime/manga contest for residents of Western Pacific countries.

Anime on DVD, a site that I really enjoy and link to a lot, has just been sold to Mania.com.

Reviews: Lianne Sentar has an interesting review of The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese, an unlicensed title by After School Nightmare creator Setona Mizushiro, at Sleep Is For the Weak. Lissa Pattillo takes a good look at vol. 7 of Air Gear at Kuri-ousity. At Mecha Mecha Media, John T says vol. 4 of MPD-Psycho is where the series starts to make sense. James Fleenor reviews vol. 1 of Doors of Chaos at Anime Sentinel. At Active Anime, Holly Ellingwood checks out vol. 4 of The Gentlemen’s Alliance + and Scott Campbell reviews vol. 13 of Megaman NT Warrior. Dave Ferraro is disappointed by vol. 2 of Gyo at Comics-and-More. Tiamat’s Disciple reviews Rizelmine and vols. 1-6 of Crescent Moon. J. Caleb Mozzocco reviews a stack of manga at Every Day Is Like Wednesday. At the Manga Maniac Cafe, Julie reads vol. 10 of Moon Child and vol. 7 of Baby & Me. Danielle van Gorder reveiws vol. 1 of Aria and Ron Quezon takes a look at vol. 3 of Chinese Hero at Anime on DVD. Ferdinand doesn’t much care for vol. 1 of switch at Prospero’s Manga.

That’s right, Tezuka’s creation was born on April 7, 2003, according to Ryan of Same Hat, and he has the Google.jp logo to prove it.

At About.com, Deb Aoki interviews Yuna Kagesaki, the creator of Chibi Vampire.

Doujinshi 101: David Smith explains it all to you at IGN. (Via ComiPress.) Also via ComiPress: Kodansha has set up a comic portal on the web.

Numbers, numbers, numbers: At Comicsnob, Matt Blind once again analyzes online manga sales to come up with the top 500 sellers, the midlist top 500, the top 50 series, and a publishers’ scorecard. Then he wraps it up with a post about global manga and how it is selling.

Erica Friedman rounds up the week’s yuri news at Okazu, including word of a new title.

John Jakala decides he may have been a bit harsh in his original reassessment of The Drifting Classroom.

Starving artist, manga-style: Canned Dogs reports on Shounen Sunday artist Wakaki Tamiki’s complaints about his low pay.

The Yaoi Review looks forward to some of this month’s new yaoi releases.

At Kuri-ousity, Lissa Pattillo spots the listings for some new manga: The Aoi House and Clover omnibuses (omnibi?) and the cover of Happy Yaoi Yum Yum.

At Comics Worth Reading, Johanna Draper Carlson notes the cancellation of the josei title Talking About, which was scheduled to be published by Netcomics in June.

ANN reports that the Japanse serialization of Beck is coming to an end.

Reviews: David Welsh devotes his Flipped column to a nice long look at Emma and reviews Wild Ones back at Precocious Curmudgeon. The Avid Book Reader just couldn’t put vol. 1 of Battle Royale down, despite the violence. At Active Anime, Holly Ellingwood reviews vol. 10 of Tsukuyomi Moon Phase, The First Stage of Love, and book 1 of the Psycho Busters novel, and Rachel Bentham reads vol. 29 of Boys Over Flowers. Greg McElhatton critiques vol. 1 of Metro Survive at Read About Comics. Michelle is disappointed by vol. 23 of Hana-Kimi at Soliloquy in Blue. At Manga Xanadu, Lori Henderson catches up with the last four issues of Shonen Jump. Briana Lawrence reads King of Debt and Matthew Alexander checks out vol. 28 of Oh My Goddess at Anime on DVD. Manga Maniac Julie reviews Hot Steamy Glasses at the MangaCast, and back at the Manga Maniac Cafe she checks out vol. 8 of ES: Eternal Sabbath and vol. 2 of Pumpkin Scissors. Erica Friedman reviews the lesbian Japanese manga KOOLS and digresses into a discussion of josei manga versus Ladies’ Comics. Sakura Kiss reviews vol. 1 of Yakuza in Love at The Yaoi Review. Anne Cain checks out vol. 1 of Sunflower at Manga Jouhou. At Slightly Biased Manga, Connie looks at vol. 11 of Skip Beat, vol. 16 of Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 1 of Honey and Clover, vol. 1 of Devil’s Bride, vol. 15 of Berserk, and vol. 11 of XXXHolic. Ferdinand reads vol. 1 of Monkey High at Prospero’s Manga. Chloe Ferguson gives an A to vol. 6 of After School Nightmare at PopCultureShock’s Manga Recon blog. EvilOmar posts some brief manga reviews at About Heroes. Tiamat’s Disciple reviews vol. 3 of Spiral. Theron Martin reviews the novel vol. 2 of The Twelve Kingdoms at ANN.

Well, we must have been a pretty intimidating looking jury pool, because 17 defendants pleaded guilty rather than face us! Seriously, this must happen a lot, because we got a lecture beforehand on how even if we don’t serve in an actual trial, the fact that there are several juries’ worth of people ready to serve each day keeps the court system moving along. I wish doing my civic duty could always be as easy as spending a couple of hours in an uncomfortable chair reading Hotel Africa and Mushishi.

John Jakala has an excellent post on the difficulties of finding comics to love—sometimes they don’t exist, sometimes they’re just hard to find.

On the other hand, Lori Henderson has no trouble finding some appealing titles in this month’s Previews, and at Comics Village she finds more in this week’s new comics list.

The MangaCast crew also post their picks from this week’s new manga.

The Manchester Evening News covers a manga exhibit.

At the Icarus blog, Simon (NSFW) Jones answers questions from readers about how the manga biz works.

ICv2 has a little more on the Stan Lee manga project, including the news that the first story will run in Jump SQ II in Japan and that more details will be announced at NYCC.

The ANN folks have found a listing for a Legend of Zelda manga from Viz on Right Stuf.

Sabrina has a con report on Anime St. Louis up at Comics Village.

ComiPress has the Japanese manga rankings from Tohan. At MangaCast, Ed has the Taiyosha charts plus lots of commentary.

Reviews: Julie reviews vol. 1 of Dark Metro and vol. 3 of Dragon Eye at the Manga Maniac Cafe. At it can’t all be about manga, Cathy reads the novel and manga Be With You Rob Vollmar recomments vol. 3 of Phoenix at Comics Worth Reading. Michelle finds lots to like about vol. 1 of Honey and Clover at Soliloquy in Blue. There’s a new set of reviews up at Comics Village: Lori Henderson on vol. 8 of Kaze Hikaru, Dan Polley on vol. 1 of Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time and vols. 1 and 2 of Fairy Tail, Lissa Pattillo on vol. 3 of Innocent Bird, and Charles Tan on vol. 1 of Portus. Back at Kuriousity (note new URL!), Lissa Pattillo finds vol. 11 of XXXHolic to be more of the same, but she has no complaints. Matthew Alexander gives vol. 1 of Manga Sutra a mixed review, and Greg Hackmann is more positive about vol. 3 of Mushishi, at Anime on DVD.