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Archive for October, 2008

License Fortune Telling… But Not Really

Look at all the possible pretties to line our bookshelves!

Back in March of this year, Tokyopop sent out a lengthy remove list to scanlators and download sites through it’s German branch, Tokyopop Germany, (or atleast that’s where I picked up on it first). On that list were 230 manga titles, many of which had been licensed at the time, both by TP and other publishers, while a number of them had not. Well, I kept my hands on that list (due mostly to me being a computer packrat) and I periodically went and checked off titles that were licensed over the past year since then, just for kicks I guess. In these last seven months I’ve crossed off quite a few new titles, the majority of which were picked up by Tokyopop.

I went back this morning to add the newest slew of Tokyopop pick-ups as posted on Amazon over the month, and noticed that my remove list had dwindled down to a mere 23 yet-to-be-licensed titles. While the list in no way guarantees that these titles will be licensed, it’s sure been a good little fortuneteller in its own right thus far, showing a good array of titles Tokyopop, in particular, has had (or still has) on the bargaining table.

I know I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Amatsuki, Harlem Beat and Rose of Versailles (alongside my wishes for a big Sailor Moon manga revival thanks to the yet-to-make-any-announcements English branch of Kodansha. … please, Kodansha?).

Under the cut, I’ve provided the list for any other curious, with titles crossed off indicating they’ve been licensed (feel free to correct me on any mistakes!). What purpose does it serve? Maybe very little, but for those keeping their fingers crossed for some of the remaining titles, may it offer some light at the end of the hopeful tunnel :)

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Bleach Movie: In Theatres October 20th!

Bleach: Memories of Nobody

A reminder to Canadian anime fans; the first Bleach movie, Bleach: Memories of Nobody, will be playing in select theatres across the country tomorrow, October 20th. Even if you’ve seen the movie, there’s nothing quite like watching it on the big screen. Remember, the more you go to anime in the theatre, the more you’re supporting it and up the chances of more being played!

While I’m not sure of what kind of special events are happening elsewhere, I know the Bayer’s Lake Empire Theatres in Halifax will be having a special Bleach cosplay contest before the showing so those interested should definately show up a bit early for some fun and prizes :)


Review: Loveless (Vol. 08)

Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Yun Kouga
Publisher: Tokyopop
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: September 2008

Synopsis: “Seimei is back. But his words aren’t filled with the happiness of a brotherly reunion. Spells blazing, it’s Beloved versus Beloved as Nisei and Soubi match up for the battle of a lifetime. Meanwhile, Soubi’s past with Ritsu sensei is finally revealed, and Ritsuka will have to decide once and for all where his loyalties lie–with a scarred sacrifice or his mysterious (and malevolent?) older brother…”

Everything starts coming full circle in volume eight of Loveless. Everyone’s on the hunt for Seimei, and Soubi’s past with him and Ritsu is revealed. Ritsuka and Seimei’s long-awaited brotherly meeting is finally coming about but as teams collide in battle, the cast needs to survive first.

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Good Reads for Halloween (Part One)

Though for the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting reviews for books I believe readers will find entertaining in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, they’re of course only the tip of the iceberg for what those looking for a good scare or mystery can find out there! So on the weekends from now until then, I’ll be posting some summarized series recommendations (in no particular order), for series I’ve enjoyed that fit the theme. You can check out the first batch of ten after the cut and expect some more next week! Enjoy, and feel free to make recommendations for fellow readers in the comments :)

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Review: Metro Survive (Vol. 02)


Manga-ka: Yuki Fujisawa
Publisher: Dr. Master
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: June 2008

Synopsis: “A glimpse of hope comes to the survivors as they are joined together with another party that was stranded in the upper basement. However, their relief is short-lived as they see no signs of resce and the shortage of food creeps up on them. Frustration ensues. After a hostile takeover by the other party’s leader, Mishima and his party are threatened to leave the basement back to the Metro. How long will they be able to survive in the rodent-infested Metro?”

As one would unfortunately suspect, things get a lot worse before they can get better here in volume two of Metro Survive. After a run in with another group of survivors leaves the main cast in an even more desperate situation, a cave reveals one of the greatest strokes of luck they’ve had since the massive earthquake struck the city of Tokyo and left them trapped. Unfortunately it doesn’t take long for the same selfish and conniving group who trapped them in the barren lower levels in the first place, to learn of their discovery and come to claim it for their own.

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Review: Psychic Power Nanaki (Vol. 03)


Manga-ka: Ryo Saenagi
Publisher: Tokyopop
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: July 2008

Synopsis:
“The heart-thumping, vein-draining conclusion! When a suspected vampire escapes from a mental institution, Paranormal Task Force members Nanaki and Ao are on the case again – except this time, they have to cooperate with the regular police! Are they doomed to become the vampire’s next meal?”

The third and volume final volume of Psychic Power Nanaki puts Nanaki and his aforementioned psychic powers to work against a suspected vampire. When the priest accused of murdering his victims while drinking their blood escaped from the mental institution that held him, the hunt is on for Nanaki and Ao as their paranormal investigation group, Lock, is put on the case.

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Countdown to All Hallows Eve

Happy (Early) Halloween!What’s Halloween if not a chance to dress-up, decorate and appreciate some spooks, ghouls and chills? So from now until Halloween (October 31st), Kuriousity is going to have this Halloween make-over! Along with that, reviews from here until then are going to be for books I think manga readers would enjoy in the spirit of the day. Expect some witches, ghosts, creepy murders and other supernatural mysteries to keep you on your toes this Halloween ’08!


Review: Moon Boy (Vol. 04)


Manhwa-ga: Lee YoungYou
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Released: September 2008

Synopsis: “Myung-Ee succeeds in enraging the student council – especially Sa-Eun – by confronting them about Yu-Da. But when the Black Rabbit is kidnapped during the school festival, she finds herself transported to a strange place… with none other than Sa-Eun! As an attack from an unexpected assailant forces the two enemies into a corner, will they be able to put their differences aside and fight for their lives together?!”

Myung-Ee confronts the student council about their intent to sacrifice her old friend, Yu-Da. However she discovers that Yu-Da may see her as just a much a nuisance as her enemies do too. That doesn’t stop her from wanting to help however, which is a good when Yu-Da is kidnapped during the school festival.

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Review: Sugar Milk


Manga-ka: Jaryu Dokuro
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: April 2008

Synopsis: “For as long as we could remember, we have always been together. So it seemed only natural to assume this would last forever…But it might actually be by my fault that it all started to slip away… With seven heart-wrenching stories, this is Jaryu Dokuro’s long awaited first book.”

Sugar Milk is a seven-story compilation of boys’ love from Jaryu Dokuro. Three of the chapters are connected to the two featured on its cover while the others are short, unrelated tales of lust and love.

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More TP on Amazon

A few new titles that’ve popped up since last Saturday, listed as being published in summer 2009 by Tokyopop:

Zone-00Zone-OO (Vol. 01)
Kyujyo Kiyo

Bloody Kiss (Vol. 01)
Furumiya Kazuko

Summoner Girl (Vol. 01)
???????

There’s also a listing up for the fourth volume of the series, Kingdom Hearts II, due out in August 2009. Tokyopop still has an artbook for Kingdom Hearts listed but the October 2008 date has been pushed back to January 2009.


Review: One Thousand and One Nights (Vol. 05)


Author: Jeon JinSeok
Manhwa-ga: Han SeungHee
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: September 2008

Synopsis: “Sultan Shahryar and Sehara escape from the palace! On the road, they meet two other runaways – a girl named Aisha and her tutor Alex. Aisha and Alex are in love, but her parents object to their union. When Aisha’s father sends some men to capture them, the Sultan has to decide whether to help them or turn them in…”

In this volume of One Thousand and One Nights, Sehara and Shehryar leave the palace to find some much needed relaxation near the sea. There they meet a runaway girl and her tutor who fled her home to escape being summoned by Shehryar and becoming another of his victims. Sehara wishes to help but Sultan Shehryar sees no merit in it so it’s only a matter of time until interests collide.

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CSI: Tokyopop

CSI Chibi

Artwork above done by the talented ~AndLatitude!

ICv2 posted news this morning that Tokyopop will be putting out an OEL manga based on the popular television series, CSI: Las Vegas. The release date is planned for September 2009 and the book will be called CSI: Interns. It follows a group of young interns working at the Las Vegas crime lab, under the instruction of the series’ Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows, when one of their friends ends up being a body on the morgue table.

I’m a big CSI: Las Vegas nut so I feel more than slightly obligated, and happy, to spread the word here. Who cares if it’s another semi-desperate pop-culture milking scheme such as the likes of their Star Trek and Battlestar Galatica releases? It’s fun none the less! The art will be done by Steven Cummings, the artist behind Tokyopop’s Patheon High, and I look forward to seeing his rendition of the lab and its canon characters. This kind of potential entertainment helps to slightly take the edge off my saddness that William Peterson (Gil Grissom)’s role on the show will soon be coming to an end. Well now atleast we’ll have manga, Gil! Hopefully much like some of the wonderfully entertaining CSI doujin I’ve seen from Japan over the years, scarring RL slash aside.


Review: The Moon and the Sandals (Vol. 02)


Manga-ka: Fumi Yoshinaga
Publisher: DMP
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: June 2007

Synopsis: “The loveable characters of The Moon and The Sandals saga begin a new chapter in their lives. Kobayashi and Toyo have both successfully started their careers, Hashizume now heads his own restaurant and Rikuko is studying to be a doctor. But amidst all this seeming success, old issues still lurk below the surface, waiting to be resolved. Question is… will the gang be able to muster enough maturity to finally settle old scores?”

The story continues as we follow the two couples established in the first volume. Older lovers, Hashizume and Rikuko continue to live together as married men (or the closest thing to), while the younger couple Kobayashi and Toyo’s relationship continues to be a little bumpy but they’re no less in love. The two couples may have found soul mates in each other, but of course that doesn’t mean they’re perfect!

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Happy Thanksgiving 2008!

thanksgiving2008.jpg

Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians out there! May your long weekends be full of family, friends, fun and turkey :)

From me to all my site visitors, thank you! The feedback, thank-yous, kind words and new friends have made running this blog a blast over the last year. The fun I have posting and sharing with all of you is one of the many things I’m thankful for. Well wishes to all this crisp, Autumn weekend!


TP’s Summer 2009 on Amazon

During my Amazon sifting today, I came across a bunch of new Tokyopop listings for summer 2009, including some (to my knowledge) new licenses that haven’t been announced and some titles that had been fear cancelled but have several future volumes to look forward to.

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