Manhwa-ga: Kara/Woo SooJung
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: October 2009
Synopsis: “As No-Ah battles on with Toh, Eun-Gyo’s past life resurfaces and she emerges from the pagodas as Joo-Ji, the central blade of the Seven Blade Sword. Having chosen to abandon the balde and be reborn as a human, Joo-Ji (in Eun-Gyo’s body) is eager to reunite with her lover once again. But though he loved her in his past life, No-Ah is hesitant. If he accepts Joo-Ji, will he loose Eun-Gyo forever?”
Eun-Gyo awakes after being kidnapped but she doesn’t seem to be herself and No-Ah fights to protect her while confronting some harsh truths about their quest to collect the blade of the sword – shockers abound! Meanwhile Hu-Dong is going through some changes of his own though he doesn’t seem to be the only one on whom age has played a game. Yet on top of that, what perhaps seems most important in the long-run is that Eun-Gyo questions the often unquestionable by many a shoujo heroine – why has she accepted all this crazy magical, other-worldly stuff that keeps happening to her without question until now?
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Manhwa-ga: YoungHee Lee
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: November 2009
Synopsis: “Having delivered an angry ultimatum to his mother, Seung-Ha wanders the rainy streets aimlessly, only to end up sick in bed at Nan-Woo’s! But after a night of feverish dreaming in the Jung house, he walks out with what seems like a plan… a plan that doesn’t involve his family or Nan-Woo! Jay, on the other hand, is still on the fence about Hyun-Ho… even though Hyun-Ho isn’t quite ready to take no for an answer. Will Nan-Woo follow Hyun-Ho’s lead and follow her heart?”
Confronting his ailing birth Mother, Seung-Ha sets down his final words before taking to the typhoon soaked streets. Fever-ridden and depressed, he’s taken in by girlfriend Nan-Woo and her overzealous family. After a one night heal and a day of flipping off his own family, Seung-Ha has his eyes set on America to run away from that which he doesn’t want to deal with at home. To make sure he severs all ties it also means he needs to ensure that the feelings he’s managed to cultivate between himself and Nan-Woo are promptly squashed.
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Manga-ka: Kaim Tachibana
Publisher: Doki Doki
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2009
Synopsis: “Magazine editor Mamiya meets popular high school model Noeru Kisaragi for a story Mamiya’s working on. When Noeru suddenly tries to go down on Mamiya and makes sexual advances at him, Mamiya turns him down flat. But Mamiya’s loneliness starts to get to him and he decides to try starting over with Noeru on equal footing. Mamiya’s sincerity causes Noeru to open his heart as well, and before long the two begin to form a deep emotional connection, but…”
One problem I have with many yaoi manga is the sense they give that if a relationship isn’t some earth-shattering love-story to end all love stories, then it’s just not worth it. Not every couple has to be soul mates destined to be together forever and ever. This may make me sound like a cynical, unromantic grouch, but some love stories could really be helped by dialling back the melodrama. Boys Love is a good example of this.
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Here at Kuriousity we do our best to cover as many manga releases and genres as we can but it becomes more than apparent with so many great books out there to read that there’s just not enough hours in the day! So as of now we’re officially looking for a new reviewer to add to our team.
We’re currently looking for a Yaoi/Boys’Love Light Novel Reviewer. Chosen applicant(s) will not be expected to solely review light novels but that will be the focus of this position.
The role of reviewer is not paid but you will recieve copies of books to review and they’re yours to keep! All applicants must currently reside in Canada, be 18 years of age or older and of course have an interest in boys’ love, manga and writing.
Interested? Send your name, e-mail and an example review to reviews (a) kuri-ousity.com
Manga-ka: Eiki Eiki/Taishi Zaou
Publisher: DokiDoki
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: June 2009
Synopsis: “When art student Takashiro Tsuda chose to show his painting, Color, in a gallery exhibition, he never dreamed that an uncannily similar painting would hang next to his – with the same title, even. Works of art come from the deepest depths of an artist’s soul, so how can anyone else be expressing themselves so much like Takashiro? Filled with a yearning to find his artistic soulmate, Takashiro goes off to art school in Tokyo and meets classmate Sakae Fujiwara. Soon, Takashiro learns that this is the artist he’s been searching for – the one who created a Color so much like his own – but Sakae is a guy! Can such a profound connection between two people transcend gender and become something more?”
Takashiro is a young artist whose work has recently been displayed in an art gallery. However upon his visit he sees a very similar painting hanging next to it and immediately becomes enthralled with the idea of meeting its creator. When discovering that the painter Sakae-san is a young man, and soon a classmate at that, Takashiro’s quickly growing affections may’ve hit a speed bump but it’s only sent them flying.
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Manga-ka: Osamu Tezuka
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: August 2009
Synopsis: “Asuka takes Ryo to an amusement park where he plans to confess his feelings to her. Too bad all the rides Ryo wants to go on frighten Asuka! Can he overcome his fear for the sake of love?”
Asuka and Ryo continue their budding romance, a seemingly one-way affair that while now having feelings in the open still remains informally unpronounced. Asuka wants nothing more than to muster his courage to ask Ryo out while Juta continues to egg them on for fear that the inspiration for his secret-career as a manga artist will run dry.
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Manga-ka: Osamu Tezuka
Publisher: Vertical
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: August 2008
Synopsis: “Daigo Kagemitsu promises to offer body parts of his unborn baby to 48 devils in exchange for complete domination of the country. Knowing the child to be deficient, Kagemitsu orders the newborn thrown into the river. The baby survives. Callling himself Hyakkimaru, he searches the world for the demons. Each time he eliminates one, he retrieves one of his missing parts. Hyakkimaru meets a thief named Dororo, and together they travel the country confronting monsters.”
Demons, sharks, a hunt for a gold and a family reunion all await readers in this third and final volume of Osamu Tezuka’s Dororo. While the ending may not be enough to entirely satisfy its fans, the volume possesses enough of the good stuff to sate the desire for more demonic quests and snarky sidekick commentary.
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One part suggestion-implementation and one-part not being able to stick with one thing for too long, I’m both relieved and pleased to announce the new release schedule format here on Kuriousity!
Manga Release Schedules
Starting with January 2010 you can view the list of releases scheduled for that month and sort the list either by name, creator, publisher or rating. Also instead of posting one month at a time, I’ll now be updating the year’s worth of release lists as the information becomes available. It’s still got a few gaps in the info but it’ll be a continuously updated feature so drop by every now and again and see what new goodies have popped up!
Having spent today compiling these lists, I can definitely say that my paychecks have never been planned so many months ahead. My thanks to those who shared their thoughts regarding the previous incarnation of my release lists and to the creators of the incredibly useful plug-in that saved me hours of time on this format. Enjoy Kuriousity visitors – I hope it proves useful in all your purchase-planning endeavours :)
Manga-ka: Yuki Yoshihara
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: December 2009
Synopsis: “Choko Kuze is the sensible daughter of a venerable family who went bankrupt. She joins a real estate company as an entry-level office worker, but her eccentric boss is harder on her than anyone else in the company! After hearing him inadvertently call her “milady,” she realizes he was the young servant boy she knew as a child. At work he’s a tyrant, but after hours he insists on treating her like a lady of the nobility. Is romance even possible for a couple locked in such a crazy role reversal?”
The cover of Butterflies, Flowers is quick to invoke the thoughts of a deep love between two individuals, one adorned in a suit with his protective disposition and the other a lovely woman in a kimono laying in his embrace – is this a sweet tale of adult romance? You may be inclined to think so but flip the book over and you’ll quickly realize something quite amiss with your initial impressions.
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Found via Manga Xanadu, information about Tokyopop’s next webinar has been posted to their website. Scheduled to happen on Monday, November 30, the webinar will be directed live from Japan and will have Tokyopop editor Lillian Diaz-Przybyl interviewing the company’s CEO, Stu Levy, “in a discussion about the past, present and future of TOKYOPOP from a CEO perspective.”
Sounds like this has high potential to be an interesting and informative one, and though the exact time of the webinar has not yet been posted, I’ve got my fingers crossed it’ll prove convenient for a good number of us curious. Get your questions ready!
Manga-ka: Aya Nakahara
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: July 2007
Synopsis: “Risa Koizumi is the tallest girl in class, and the last thing she wants is the humiliation of standing next to Atsushi Ôtani, the shortest guy. Fate and the whole school have other ideas, and the two find themselves cast as the unwilling stars of a bizarre romantic comedy duo. Rather than bow to the inevitable, Risa and Atsushi join forces to pursue their true objects of affection. But will their budding friendship become something more complex?”
Above average in height, Risa Koizumi wonders if she’ll ever be able to enjoy the normalcy of an average stature. The only one who seems to understand her is Atsushi Otani, the shortest boy in their class. Seeing worlds from different views, and arguing on nearly every one, the two manage to come to an agreement when being in love is involved – as long as it’s not with each other.
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Manga-ka: Akira Himekawa
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: All Ages
Release Date: April 2009
Synopsis: “In a small village in Hyrule, a boy called Link has the mark of the Triforce on his left hand. It is a mark of destiny that once again leads Link on a fantastic adventure! Transported to the land of Holodrum, Link meets Din, the Oracle of Seasons. When a plot to steal the seasons from Holodrum unfolds, Link must battle the evil General Onox to save Holodrum and his friends from a terrible fate!”
The Link of this story isn’t as enthusiastic at the prospect of being a hero as those before him – in fact, the last thing he wants to be is a Knight in service to the throne. But, in an effort to find out what it is he really wants to do, he goes along with his Grandfather’s wishes and attends the Knights’ trial. Yet then he accidentally activates a trial of a different kind and is suddenly whisked across the countryside to a land in need of a hero.
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Manga-ka: Sakurako Hanafubuki
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: January 2009
Synopsis: “We first met superstar actor Koji Mizuhara and rising pop idol Kyo Ayukawa in “Junior Escort,” where a passionate misunderstanding led to true love. Now, the “Sweet Slave Scandal” series continues in this second installment, “Love Code.” Despite their hectic schedules, Mizuhara and Ayukawa still manage to keep their relationship happy and lovey-dovey. The future of their careers seems bright as well. Mizuhara is about to make his Hollywood debut and Ayukawa is about to record a music CD. But Mizuhara’s dark past and some jealous people will try to break this couple apart. And, in the end, Ayukawa needs to decide which is more important—his career or Mizuhara.”
Love Code is the sequel to the yaoi manga Junior Escort and continues the story of actor Koji Mizuhara and his pop idol boyfriend Kyo Ayukawa. I wasn’t a big fan of Junior Escort. I found it dull and I wasn’t looking forward to reading the next book in the series, but I’m glad I did, as Love Code is a vast improvement. It’s still not as good as it could be, but at least now I want to keep reading the series and see what happens next.
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PONYO, POKÉMON AND ZELDA DELIGHT YOUNGER READERS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON IN NEW BOOKS AND MANGA RELEASES FROM VIZ MEDIA
San Francisco, CA, November 16, 2009 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will delight younger fans (as well as their parents) this holiday season with a fun variety of age-appropriate titles based on popular anime and manga (graphic novel) properties.
The releases include a trio of books capturing the unique art and tender story of PONYO, the new animated film from the legendary Hayao Miyazaki. Fans of POKÉMON won’t be disappointed with a variety of the latest manga editions along with puzzle books and a new posterzine, and THE LEGEND OF ZELDA fans can also look forward to a brand new manga adventure.
“These are all titles that parents can select with confidence for younger readers,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra Vice President, Sales & Marketing, VIZ Media “From the gorgeously illustrated PONYO FILM COMIC and PICTURE BOOK, to the fun puzzles of LET’S FIND POKÉMON and the magical fantasy of THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, there are plenty of thoughtful selections to delight anyone on your holiday gift lists this year!”
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Omnibus releases are not a new thing to the manga world but with recent changes in the economy and buyer habits, they’re becoming more and common. In fact in the past year alone it’s become evident that more than a few publishers are turning more and more of their attention to the omnibus format.
With tactics changing, buyers shifting and bookstore shelves reorganizing, are the omnibus editions we’re seeing now just the beginning of a new era of manga publication – could they be the future of manga in print?
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