MangaBlog

ICv2 has the latest Bookscan graphic novel figures for the week ending June 25, and here’s a surprise: Naruto is really, really hot. In fact, all 10 volumes were in the top 17. With vol. 8 of Fullmetal Alchemist and vol. 6 of Death Note shouldering onto the chart as well, Viz took nine of the top ten spots. Megatokyo (NOT a Viz title) debuted at number 19. Love Manga has the actual chart; the lone non-Viz title in the top ten is Loveless, which is interesting as I wouldn’t consider that a mainstream series.

David also did one of his in-depth analyses of manga sales for the first half of 2006, and it’s well worth a read. The executive summary is that, as above, Viz rules, but by comparing 2005 figures to 2006, David spots a larger trend, the narrowing of the market. Or at least, the narrowing of the top ten chart, with Viz taking 68.8% of the slots in 2006.

No, I’m not there, but Pata is, and he made it to CLAMP’s much-anticipated appearance:

their actual arrival was an absolutely electric moment, a swelling of anticipation that manga’s most well-known and yet most infamously reclusive artistic team had finally revealed itself to the Western world. For many fans, this was what they had come for. Seeing the quartet show their workspaces and answer questions was almost anti-climactic as a consequence, but there was no doubt, that this was manga and anime history being made, in this time and place.

In other AX news, Seven Seas announced two new manga licenses, Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl by Akahori Satoru and Kodomo no Jikan by Watashiya Kaoru. Love Manga follows up with cover images and (in the comments) a link to more about Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl.

At MangaCast, Ed has the rundown on the two new Broccoli titles, Galaxy Angel II and KonKonKokon. Again, David Taylor is quick off the mark with covers and comments.

It’s a new month, so a new issue of Comic Foundry is up. Actually, they’re trying something new this month: adding new content in the middle of the month, which I think is a great idea. The newest crop of stories includes a brief intereview with Svetlana Chmakova, in which she reveals what she’s reading and watching when she’s not working on the next volume of Dramacon.

Anime Expo news: At MangaCast, Ed Chavez casts a critical eye on the LA Times article that revealed that Anime Expo is really all about the manga. He agrees with some parts of the articles but challenges others, including the assertions that manga sales have been increasing by 100% per year and that manga readers tend to be young girls.

Manga calling: The Japan Times reports that cell phones are becoming the electronic medium of choice for manga readers, overtaking computers and PDAs. Although more prose works are available, manga accounts for more than half of all e-book downloads. With prices going down and quality going up, the trend is expected to continue.

Remember the Japanese manga website 464.jp? A few months ago, the three proprietors were arrested for illegally scanning manga and posting them on the site, where they were offered to readers for a fee. Well, the site is going legit; according to ComiPress, the proprietors (it’s not clear who they are) are negotiating with manga publishers regarding copyrights and also allowing new manga artists to join the site.

ComiPress is really proving to be a valuable site to those of us who don’t read Japanese. They have just posted two translations of articles about Japanese creators: a transcript of a talk by Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure manga-ka Hirohiko Araki and an interview with the creators of Fate/stay night, which started as a doujin and is now an anime and PS2 game.

Here’s a little treat to start the weekend off right: a preview of Ode To Kirihito by Osamu Tezuka, which will be released by Vertical in October.

Newsarama interviews Fred Lui of DMP about Project X, the graphic novel about the development of Nissen Cup Noodles. I note with delight that other titles are planned in the Project X series, one on the Datsun Fairlady Z and one on 7-11.

ComiPress translates an article that speculates how manga would be different if it were published in color. David Taylor has some additional thoughts.

At ICv2, Naomi Nowak’s Unholy Kinship is being plugged as like manga only better:

Although it does feature Japanese-influenced visuals and concentrate on relationships with a shojo-like fervor, Unholy Kinship is far more serious than the vast majority of high school romance manga and, while it is aimed at female readers, it is clearly targeted at an older, more mature audience. Unholy Kinship also differs from manga in several other key ways — it is printed in full color and it manages to tell its story in just 112 pages.

At Love Manga, David has saved me the trouble of responding to that.

The Right Stuf is taking over Tokyopop’s online shop.

Manga arrives in Coraopolis, PA. I can’t make fun of these local-paper articles as I’m in the middle of writing one right now. What impresses me about this article, and about the librarians I’ve been talking to, is the enthusiasm with which they have embraced anime and manga. I grew up in the era when libraries were fairly forbidding places; they seem a lot cooler now.

This article about host clubs is notable for the comment of one of the employees:

“I’m not very bright, so this is the only way I can make a lot of money,” says Manato, his dyed-brown hair pulled up in a partial top-knot and wearing a subtle smidgen of lipstick.

Volume 3 of MangaBlogCast is up on the MangaCast site. It’s short and sweet, so enjoy! Here are the show notes and links:

Love Manga is back!

Anime Expo mania begins
Go!Comi brags about swag
CLAMP will be there
Manga creep watch: LA times does a first-ever ad supplement on anime and manga

UC Irvine offers a manga course

School’s out
Tokyopop partners with LA libraries
Manga’s big in Minnesota, too

Is the backlash beginning?
Christian bulletin board counters “yaoi warning” with reasonable discussion
My take: don’t panic
Canadian customs scans traveler’s manga

New titles watch
Kurogane
Oyayubihime Infinity
Kurosage Corpse Delivery Service

Jack and I are taking next week off, but we’ll be back in two weeks with lots more MangaBlogCast. In the meantime, stay tuned to MangaBlog and MangaCast for the latest news, reviews, and commentary.

Best link of the day: Mely visits the Shoujo Manga: Girl Power! exhibit at the Pratt Institute and takes detailed notes with her usual critical eye.

Naruto drops to number 86 on the USA Today booklist, but the boy is showing staying power—this is his fifth week on the list.

Anime Expo is almost upon us, and the exhibit hall is sold out. Manga publishers in attendance will include ADV, Broccoli Books, CMX, Digital Manga, Go! Comi, TokyoPop, and Viz. Here’s the Viz PR on the expo, which includes the enticing words “advance release manga.” Oh, and in case you haven’t heard, CLAMP is gonna be there. Even the LA Times realizes it’s all about the manga. As always, Pata has the best rundown.

Not going? Maybe this will make you feel better. And you can still check the video feeds from home at AX Backstage.