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Author: Yamila Abraham
Illustrator: Le Perruguine
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: January 27, 2010

Format: Downloadable eBook

Synopsis: “Jinady is thrust into the lurid intrigue of the human settlement protected by incubi. He’s hearing the name Rowan frequently. Who is this mortal who’s managed to get under the skin of a demon general, an incubus school teacher, the gruff demon Scor, and even the noble Figaru. Figaru deals with his own chaos back at the settlement, despite not having slept for weeks and having fed very little. When his demon general Vandrel tries to cast a spell on him the incubus decides he can punish Vandrel and feed at the same time.”

The opening chapter of this part utilizes some terminology within the context of the story that’s a little difficult to keep track of at first. Now taking place in the settlement that the troop who rescued Jinady have been travelling to, there’s some obvious societal set-ups and rules to get straight in order to understand the ramifications of what’s occurring. Whether it’s the decision to cast young men in the role of soldiers or as mates to the incubus who defend them, there’s a very set-in-place structure to the lives everyone here lives.

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Author:: Jin Zhou Huang
Manga-ka: Hiromu Arakawa
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: October 2009

Synopsis: “Legend speaks of seven heroes, each one bearing the power of one of the stars of the Big Dipper. Two of these stars are constantly in conflict, destined to battle and throw the world into chaos… Not that Taitou has ever paid much attention to old stories. Headstrong and defiant, he is the last in his village to complete his coming-of-age ceremony – a fact his sister Laila incessantly teases him about. When he is finally deemed worthy, he is presented with the Kenkaranbu, an ancient sword that can only be drawn by a true hero.”

Successful manga-ka often undertake side projects, – from Rumiko Takahashi’s publication of Maison Ikkoku while publishing weekly chapters of Urusei Yatsura, to the multiple projects often undertaken by CLAMP. With Fullmetal Alchemist being one of the biggest hits in the past decade among anime and manga fans, Hiromu Arakawa has decided to add herself to a list of famous multi-taskers with her own side project, Hero Tales. Published simultaneously with her Fullmetal Alchemist work, does it live up to the hype of her more well known title?

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Yen Press has had submission guidelines on their website for some time now but in their most recent issue of Yen+, they’ve published a more specific call for proposals from artists:

“Are you a professional artist working in a style heavily influenced by manga? Then YEN PLUS wants to talk to you! One of the primary aims of a manga anthology is to help to develop talent at a professional level, and YEN PLUS is no different. Going forward, we are going to be featuring short stories commissioned from professional artists and developed with the YEN PLUS editorial staff in the magazine. The goal is to give creators a feel for working with us (and vice versa), a sense of the experience of serialization in a monthly anthology, as well as exposure to a broad reading audience.

It’s worth pointing out that this is not intended to be a “pitch” for a long-running manga series. This is simply an exercise. YEN PLUS would likely request, among other things, first serial rights for inclusion in the magazine, the rights to display the work on our website promotionally as well as the first option to develop the concept with you into a longer project in the event of an enthusiastic response to the work. (It may not be a pitch, but you never know…SOUL EATER started out as a short story just like this!

Interested? Here’s what you need to do: Send a proposal for a 30 page manga story along with 5 to 10 completed sequential renderings of that story to the editorial staff of Yen Press.”

Karen already sums up what makes this sound like a pretty sweet deal for up-and-coming artists over at Japanator. Though there isn’t a lot mentioned here contract-wise, it does sound like Yen Press is more open to allowing creators to maintain rights to their work plus the proposal length sounds great – a perfect size for the editors at Yen to get an idea of what you’re proposing without the artist needing to spend months of their life putting an entire finished piece together. Amen to that!

Yen Press is currently publishing Canadian-creator Svetlana Chmakova’s Nightschool in their Yen+ anthology alongside their continuously growing library of books from around the world.

Author: Debbie Macomber
Author/Artist: Ryo Arisawa
Publisher: Harlequin K.K./SOFTBANK Creative Corp.
Rating: Older Teen (16+)

Synopsis: “When Hilary got a place on the San Francisco Symphony as a flute player, she decides to move into her own place to escape her restricted life with her over-protective mother. Although excited at her new found freedom, it doesn’t last for long. The next morning, the quiche she left in the fridge for breakfast was gone, her milk had been used and an unfamiliar bag was in the living room! As she stood confused, a handsome man she had never seen before appeared in front of her and says to her angrily “what are you doing in my house?”"

What begins as a classic bout for freedom turns sour when young Hilary discovers she has an unexpected addition to her new apartment – a male roommate named Shaun. Now living together due to a misunderstanding by their landlords, the two must overcome their differences and learn to make due. But don’t cry for these two young adults for they have the reader-expected romance to help smooth things over in this tidy 122-page package.

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Author/Artist: Nina Matsumoto
Publisher: Del Rey
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: November 2009

Synopsis: “Yokai are Japanese spirits, and young Hamachi is fascinated by them. Now he continues his quest deep into the Yokai realm in the hopes of finding Madkap, the kappa he believes has killed his grandmother. Armed with nothing but a sacred rope and a lucky kappa’s foot, Hamachi has made two friends to help him on his journey: Lumi the talking lantern, and newly awakened, the umbrella that once belonged to his grandfather! Their first stop is the home of the legendary fox spirit the Ninetails, who promises to help in Hamachi’s quest if Hamachi can retrieve three lost items. But can Hamachi really find them, or does the Ninetails just want Hamachi to fail so he can keep the human boy as a pet?”

This book of Yokaiden opens with a handy exposition for those who may be picking up this second volume prior to the first; told via a short comic. Though perhaps a little taxing to those already familiar with the story, it shows the artist’s attention to audiences of both sorts and does so in a manner more entertaining than a simple paragraph recap. Regrettably the new material doesn’t feel nearly as ingenious.

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MAN AND MACHINE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST
THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE
IN SCI-FI ACTION MANGA
BIOMEGA

San Francisco, CA, JANUARY 26, 2010 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, will debut the cyberpunk action manga series BIOMEGA on February 2nd. The new series, rated ‘M’ for Mature Audiences, will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint and will carry a MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

Zoichi Kanoe plunges into the depths of 9JO, a sprawling island city in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in search of Eon Green, a girl with the power to transmute the N5S virus. The deadly contagion is spreading across the world, turning humans into disfigured, zombie-like “drones.” But he’s not the only one looking for her. Agents of the Public Health Service’s Compulsory Execution Unit are also in hot pursuit, with sinister designs of their own. Zoichi and his trans-human allies have no time to waste; the countdown to the apocalypse has begun!

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Gardena, CA (January 26, 2010) – Pop Japan Travel is proud to announce a special opportunity for any anime fan as part of their forthcoming Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF) tour: the option to visit one of Japan’s most respected anime production studios, Studio Pierrot.

Founded in 1979, Studio Pierrot has produced some of the world’s most beloved anime titles, including Naruto, Bleach, Saiyuki, Fushigi Yugi, and many more. The studio tour will give anime fans a rare peek at how anime is produced and give them a chance to meet some of the creative talent that has helped produce it.

To commemorate this opportunity, Pop Japan Travel has launched a special contest on their YouTube channel, inviting anime fans to submit videos of their best questions for Studio Pierrot. The fan that submits the best question will receive their choice of three books courtesy of Digital Manga, Inc. and will get to visit Studio Pierrot free if they take the tour. Winners will receive a PJT credit towards a future tour if they cannot attend the TAF tour. The contest concludes on February 14, 2010.

The TAF tour is scheduled to take place from March 24 until April 1. The cost of the tour includes all accommodations, round trip airfare to Japan from Los Angeles, dinner in a cosplay-themed restaurant, transportation, professional bilingual tour guides, entrance fees to all activities, and a customized guidebook created exclusively for the tour. People interested in taking the tour may visit http://www.popjapantravel.com/ or e-mail popjapantravel@gmail.com to sign up. Applications received before February 1 will receive a $50 discount on their tour, and all applications are due by February 23.

Manga-ka: Rumiko Takahashi
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: January 2010

Synopsis: “Sakura and Rinne deal with the ghosts of an ancient warrior and a girl who drowned in the school swimming pool, but that’s just a warm-up! A wandering spirit leads them to a surprising confrontation, one that takes Sakura and Rinne on an even more amazing chase!”

A dead samurai longing for love, a troublesome school pool and a trip to the oddly corporate-looking hell are all in-store for Sakura and Rinne in this second volume of Rumiko Takahashi’s newest series. But while some fun scenes make for giggles, a lack of originality bogs it down under some deliveries that feel too formulaic to succeed at being forgivably nostalgic.

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Manga-ka: Hinako Ashihara
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: January 2009

Synopsis: “Ann’s junior high school reunion is coming up, and she hasn’t seen Daigo in two years. How will their reunion go? Then, finally, the story behind Ann’s engagement. Who is her fiancé…?”

One thing that impresses me about Sand Chronicles, especially in this volume, is how consistent that tone has been throughout. Ann might grow older and her life change, but the series always maintains its bittersweet atmosphere. It really is a slice-of-life drama – the characters go through good times and bad, and a happy ending isn’t guaranteed.

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VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF
DINOSAUR KING

New Manga From VIZ KIDS Imprint Will Delight With Imaginative Characters And Fun Storyline

San Francisco, CA, January 25, 2010 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the release of Volume 1 and 2 of the new VIZ Kids series DINOSAUR KING. This manga is rated ‘A’ for All Ages and will carry a MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN.

DINOSAUR KING by creator Yohei Sakai tells the story of Max who is obsessed with dinosaurs. He knows his Tapejara from his Pteranodon and can find fossils better than a trained paleontologist. When he discovers a stone tablet that transports him to the age of dinosaurs, it’s a dream come true—until it becomes a nightmare. From King, his new dinosaur friend, Max learns that an evil genius named Dr. Z has enslaved the dinosaurs so he can use their hidden powers to take over the world! Now Max has to defeat Dr. Z and his Alpha Gang to save the ancient beasts and life as we know it. Volume 1 will release February 2, 2010.

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A bunch of interesting news and previews this past week – what better way to spend a lazy Sunday than getting caught up on a bunch of them! From contests to continuations, there should be a little something for everyone in this lengthy round-up of the week’s what-have-yous:

RightStuf’s most recent sale is on Tokyopop books, including their boys’ love imprint, BLU. Until February 1st, you’ll save at least 33% on each book. Perfect time to get caught up some series and get your hands on the recent ones – which include lots of fantastic new licenses including Alice in the Country of Hearts and Deadman Wonderland.

More information about Yen Press’s upcoming adaptation of Twilight has been released. The book will be a hardcover edition costing $19.99. It’s already one of the top-selling books on Amazon right now! Entertainment Weekly has an image of the cover and an interior preview. On a related note, Shannon Garrity has a great – and amusing – post comparing Twilight with most modern-day shoujo manga.

Fans of the series rejoice – Descendants of Darkness (Yami no Matsuei) is returning! After an eight year hiatus the supernatural manga laced with all that glorious homoerotic tension (perhaps biggest understatement of the new year so far) will be returning to publication with the release of its twelth volume in Japan. Viz Media has the English license to the series and has published up to volume eleven, last released in 2006.

DeviantArt is currently holding a contest: Ponyo Make A Splash – Online Banner Creation Contest. They’re looking for ad banners designed for use on the website to promote the upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray release of Studio Ghibli/Disney’s Ponyo. There are four different banner templates for designers to submit banners in. As for the prizes, “…each of the four winners will recieve a $500 Visa gift card, a devWEAR bag of Winner’s choice, a copy of Ponyo on DVD, a devWEAR shirt of Winner’s choice, and a one year Premium Membership to deviantART.”

After the continuation was pushed back to Spring 2010in early 2009, it looks like Yu Watase is finally able to put Fushigi Yuugi’s prequel series, Genbu Kaiden, back into her busy production schedule! She posts about it over on her personal blog, though no complete translation is yet publicly posted of the entry. Viz Media has released the currently available nine volumes of the series. (via Manga Xanadu)

Lastly, the fairly-silent-in-recent-months publisher, GoComi has posted an update of their status via their forums. There isn’t a lot of specific news but they assure readers that despite some economic problems, they’re still plugging forward and going at it their best. Unfortunately a number of titles have gone on hold. You can read the whole post over there which also includes information of the potential future of their website community, the popularity of 07-Ghost and word about the status of books sold through their online store. (via @danielle_leigh1)

Author/Artist: David Ratte
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: August 2009

Synopsis: “In Sam’s world, pollution is such that everyone is forced to wear gas masks at all times. He lives with a lovely young woman whose face he has not seen in years. Though pollution still poses a few (arguably) negligible problems here and there, Sam finds the state of his world. . . normal!”

Yen Press has experimented with an assortment of colour French and Chinese comics in addition to translating black and white manga. Toxic Planet brings us another of these titles, this time a series of comic strips from French creator David Ratte. Darkly satirizing both polluters and environmentalists, Ratte has created a collection that walks a fine line between preachiness and parody.

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Author: Yamila Abraham
Illustrator: Barbara Apostolico/KOSEN
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: January 19, 2010

Format: Downloadable eBook

Synopsis: “Jinady starts to lower his guard with his mismatched group of rescuers. He’s even beginning to have his opinion toward incubi change due to the noble demon Figaru. He doesn’t pay as much attention to the other demon with them: the crass incubus Scor. Scor has noticed Jinady, however. He thinks the boy is too pretty not to have a taste of during their journey.”

The recently freed Jinady continues his journey to a safe haven along with the group who rescued him. Things are a little slow going in this chapter on the event-scale but it means more time for getting to know the characters – or at least them getting to know each other. The gruff Scor calls Jinady out for a midnight-rendezvous and Figaru finds incubus-relief with a passing demoness – but the real going-ons are between Jinady and Figaru whose budding attraction begins to take shape.

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Manga-ka: Naoki Urasawa
Publisher: Viz Signature
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: January 2010

Synopsis: “Pluto has destroyed six out of the seven great robots of the world, and the pacifist robot Epsilon is the only one that remains. Will Epsilon, who refused to participate in the 39th central Asian war, leave behind his war-orphaned charges to step onto the battlefield? It just might be that kindly Epsilon, who wields the limitless power of photon energy, will be Pluto’s greatest opponent of all!”

Reading Pluto has always been a predominantly emotional-journey. The suspense and mystery is there. The action and drama is near seamless. But among all this, it’s the characters who really pull you in and keep you there. Even the most seemingly unimportant character can look just so in one panel and steal your heart, or in most cases break it. This ninth volume is no exception to the consistent hold the series has held on many a reader. It delivers what could perhaps be the most brilliantly executed moment to date – and in turn easily the most devestating.

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Manga-ka: Naduki Koujima
Publisher: June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2009

Synopsis: “During a trip following a devastating heartbreak, Raoul meets the handsome Arabian prince, Asif! The prince is more radiant than the sun and Raoul finds himself captivated by Asif’s beauty. Despite Raoul’s vow never to let himself suffer heartbreak again, he wonders if this love is worth breaking his vow over. Filled with an endless supply of beautiful princes and valets, the popular Our Kingdom series brings you a delicious tale of exotic love!”

A spin-off of the multi-volume series, Our Kingdom, Arabian Nights follows the series’ antagonist-esque character, Raoul. Remaining envious of his same-age uncle, with whom he’s felt a lifetime of rivalry towards, the young man travels to Arabia to find solace away from his broken heart and spoiled little sisters. But love and trouble follows a boys’ love character everywhere so it doesn’t take long for him to become prisoner of the country’s attractive young prince, Ashif.

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