And by fiction, I assume novels? Light novels, perhaps? Audry hasn’t told us much yet but a new forum on their site posted a few days ago dropped an ever so subtle hint:

“What’s this new section doing here?  What’s it for?  Is Go! going to publish fiction???  Keep checking back to find out more!”

Personally, I’d love it if they tried their hand at some light novels. They already do a fantastic job with both the choice and treatment of their manga series, so I’d really like to see the same dedication go towards a medium that’s still struggling to find its place here.

A little late for my initial post, but I finally got my photos from Fan Expo 2008 all uploaded. So if you’re interested in larger versions of the pictures I included in my short write-up, along with a bunch of others, I’ve got thumbnails to them all posted under the cut. Be warned, fairly image heavy page!

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Manga-ka: Sanae Rokuya
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: June 2008

Synopsis: “Yasuharu, unwilling to assume the responsibility of successor to the throne, escapes from the castle and assumes a peaceful, anonymous life. But can one really escape his fate? One day, he saves the life of a foreigner named Jiei. Asked why he has come to this land, the foreigner places a hand on Yasuharu’s throat and whispers, “I have come to kill you.”"

Red is the story of a runaway Prince named Yasuharu. Unable to handle the pressure of taking the throne, he hides away in town trying to live an anonymous life. Protecting his secret is a law officer who was once a guard in Yasuharu’s palace, and a young man that the Prince took into his home after first running away. Things are disrupted one day when Yasuharu saves a foreigner named Jiei, a man who is actually (and openly) an assassin there to kill him.

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Author: Eiji Otsuka
Manga-ka: Housui Yamazaki
Publisher: Dark Horse
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: November 2007

Synopsis: “The corpses that are Kurosagi’s client base usually died not too long ago, for reasons that gruesomely obvious. But when the ominous Mr. Nire returns with a modern-day mummification series, what they’re gonna do is go back… way back, as the kids kick Egyptian Old Kingdom school! Then, travel from the past into the future of death, as they uncover the cold business behind some cryonic frozen heads!”

In this fifth volume of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, the team continues to find corpses in some of the most unlikely places. First, a deceased elderly man leads the group to a desolated town that fell victim to a serial-murderer years ago, and after that they have to deal with a new find discovered in a sarcophagus.

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As I said, here’s a little write-up of some observations and comments from my recent trip to Fan Expo 2008. So if you’re interested in a manga/anime focused peek, then… enjoy?

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Manga-ka: Tsuta Suzki
Publisher: DMP
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: June 2008

Synopsis: “Akio Yamane’s ancestors have died young for generations, and he despises the cursed lineage his family has given him. Then one day, Akio falls ill! But when he unknowingly summons a protector god, a man with long ears and a tail appears before him, completely naked!”

A Strange and Mystifying Story is suitably named. Akio’s family has been cursed for many generations and everyone eventually dies from different incurable diseases. With his Grandfather’s passing, Akio becomes the last living member in the family but soon falls ill himself. Lonely and upset, Akio heeds his Grandfather’s last words and finds an old tooth hidden inside an incense stand. Out from the tooth came a great wolf-demon who tells his new master he has been serving his family for generations and can cure his disease if Akio should wish it of him.

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A con-presence* and now a site redesign? An upcoming revival? Who knows. In a perfect industry-world for eager fans, BeBeautiful and DramaQueen staffers would hold hands and skip down the road of manga releases together, saving us the effort of eyeing them both seperately with similar scrunity and curiousity.

*Edit: I should clarify that the con-presence is as of now a rumour and unconfirmed. While BeBeautiful remains listed as a supporter at Yaoi Con and Yaoi Jamboree, they have no known official schedule for con attendance in the future.

Manga-ka: Yoshiki Nakamura
Publisher: Viz
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: July 2006

Synopsis: “Kyoko knows she’s not plain and uninteresting, no matter what Sho says. With the help of a little makeover, Kyoko’s ready to exact her revenge. But first she needs to land an audition, and she sets her sights on the agency where Sho’s lead rival works. Her persistence pays off, but her broken heart turns out to be a disadvantage. Kyoko has lost the will to love anybody, let alone fans she’s never met. Can the agency see past this problem to Kyoko’s true star potential?”

Skip Beat, volume one, begins the story of Kyoko, a small-town girl who follows her childhood friend to Tokyo as support on his road to fame. While her friend, Sho, steadily reaches his goal of success and popularity, Kyoko discovers that she was asked to tag along as a housemaid over any sort of emotional or romantic support. Heartbroken and angered, Kyoko decides to get vengeance on Sho in the only way she thinks would really hurt him: become a celebrity and become more popular than him.

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Time for a quick little manga round-up on this August Wednesday, this last Wednesday before back to school. Horrifying thought.

DramaQueen spokesperson, Taisa (though she reminds readers she’s not really an official staff worker anymore), continues to tell fans there’s a sliver of hope for a company revival, but now isn’t against suggesting fans check out some scanlations in the meantime. This is light of the continuing fact that DQ doesn’t look keen to delivery anything, books or news, anytime soon. If anything, scanlations might be all that’ll hold fans’ interest until a time when either DramaQueen gets their act together, or drops the license so a more reliable company can pick them up. Readers may remember that it wasn’t too long ago that DQ issued cease and desists to scanlation groups offering translated version of their license, Tyrant Who Falls in Love.

 ”In the mean time… I personally take no issue with responsible scanslation use, and I think that at this point DQ would take no issue with it, either.” – Taisa

The DQ forums have been a little busier than usual as of late but certainly not without anything less negative or new to say as tempers continue to run hot and patience running thin.

 Shonen-Ai-Samurai, a BLU spokesperson on their forums, has let their readers know that the light novels Flesh & Blood, by Natsuki Matsuoka, will not be seeing publication due to costs and a bad light-novel reputation with other companies. With DMP being the big distributer, and seemingly having a pretty good run with them, I wonder whose experiences they’re going by? Presumably Tokyopop’s line of light novels, several of which have been cancelled or infinitely suspended. Never underestimate the economic power of boys’ love fans though, BLU! (news via Gia) 

 Leave it to Viz to show publishers how it’s done when it atleast comes to effeciency and information. Amazon.com has nearly all their releases up to mid-May 2009 listed, and though that’s nothing new, the fact they all come with finished cover art and synopsises sure is. Wish I could say the same for some other companies’ books, especially when company websites aren’t always the best tended to… Guess I’m saying thanks, Viz? Even if now the nine month wait seems all the longer when I can stare at those shiny covers in anticipation.

The listing for Viz’s series Oishinbo is also up with some definitive clarifaction about their treatment of the 130+ volume series. As has been mentioned time and time again since the license announcement, there’s no way could be releasing the entire run, right? This may be old news but those who, like me, may’ve missed it, the series looks like it’s getting a thick one-shot treatment made up of “the best stories from the hundred-plus volume series … compiled into A la Carte editions, arranged by subject.” Looks like an interesting read to me! And much less daunting for my shelves than 130 books.

 In light of the death of Iris Print, Tina Anderson has recieved a portion of the remaining copies of her book, Only Words. She’s now selling copies of the book, signed, on Amazon for less than the original cover price. If you’re looking for a copy of her boys’ love story, definately stop over there and pick one up while you can (while I lament Amazon.com’s pricey and self-preventive shipping costs to Canada).

 Via Yaoi Press’s Twitter, the Tokyopop manga viewer now has a 22-page preview of the upcoming fourth, and final volume, of Winter Demon. That is some gorgeous looking artwork, if I do say so myself! I’m definately looking forward to it. Fans should pop over there for the sneak-peek! 

 And finally, after an initial wait period and two newstand-released issues, Yen Plus is now offically open for subscriptions. While there was momentary pause caused by an insecure website, the Yen Press staff assure their readers the site is now secure and ready to take their orders.

Manga-ka: Natsumi Makai
Publisher: Tokyopop
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: April 2007

Synopsis: ”While on their journey, Cooro and the others pass through large and lively Maggie Vil. The soft-spoken town leader, Maggie convinces Cooro and company to go watch the world-famous coliseum games. Senri and Husky join the games after getting caught up in all the action. It seems too much action could be a bad thing. Will Cooro and the others find their way out of the coliseum?”

So as I was reorganizing my bookshelf the other day, I discovered a surprising gap books three and five of +Anima! Seems I’d somehow missed it and hadn’t noticed. Of course this was a problem quickly rectified. With it being a neatly contained story, I can see how I didn’t catch on when reading through, but that didn’t diminish its entertainment value!

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Manga-ka: Kiyohiko Azuma
Publisher: ADV Manga
Rating: All Ages
Released: July 2007

Synopsis: “Having already tackled such diverse topics as cicadas and global warming, Yotsuba is back and ready to face a whole new set of challenges. See as she strives to master the complexities of rock-paper-scissors! Feel as she becomes one with the water during a weekend of fishing. Be confused as she tries to get money from strangers to buy her groceries!”

There’s nothing quite like sitting down for another volume of Yotsuba&! Summer continues through volume four as Yotsuba, and her family and friends, go up against groceries, trout and a little heartbreak.

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It figures that an announcement like this would be made just as I was getting on the plane! Anyhoo, Viz Pictures announced this past Friday that the first live-action Death Note movie will be playing in select theatres across Canada on September 15. The movie already played in movie theatres down in the States a little while back. The movie is due out on DVD in North America on August 29th and tickets to showings will be bundled in with the film going for $29.99. The Empire Theatres website has a list of the theatres that’ll be playing this first installment.

Also, in partnership with Viz Media, the east-coast convention Animaritime is hosting a contest for tickets! So if you’re in the Moncton, New Brunswick area ,and would like to win a two-person pass, than head on over there and take a stab at the trivia contest! The convention has also begun accepting applications for new staff members and volunteers so definately fill out a form and send it in if you’re interested in joining our team!

Manga-ka: CLAMP
Publisher: Del Rey
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: August 2008

Synopsis:
“In the world of Infinity, Princess Sakura has become a Chess Master and the other travelers are her pieces. But the Mafia is running the game, and they don’t care if Sakura’s opponents break the rules or murder Sakura’s companions! Why is Sakura so determined to risk everything?”

After the drama in the previous volume, Yuko feels its time for the band of travellers to finally know what’s going on. The results of previous events still affect everyone harshly, including the world around them, before Mokona transports them all to a new dimension for more trials ahead.

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After a couple day absence at Fan Expo, I’m back at home, many manga-richer and good an’ tired. I’ve got tons of e-mails and comments to catch up on but I’m plowing through them. I’ll be caught up soon enough! Expect some round-ups of my trip in the near future including an overview of the convention from my perspective and some interesting, and random, observations I made along the way.

And continued thanks for your interest and support in my site everyone! It’s a wonderful feeling coming back home to so many thoughtful comments and e-mails that don’t try to sell me cheap watches and male-enhancements.

Edit: Also, from the comments on my post Thumbs Up? Thumbs Down?, I’ve decided to leave my reviews as is for now. Maybe in the future I’ll apply some sort of easy one-look method to determine my opinion of the book overall, but for now I’m happy that people don’t seem to have a problem with my lack of them. Comments were greatly appreciated!

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