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Archive for April, 2009

Publishers Take to Twitter!

By Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, April 21, 2009

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CMX

DelRey

Digital Manga

Funimation

GoComi

Tokyopop

UDON

Viz Media

Yaoi Press

Yen Press

As of today, Digital Manga has joined the numerous other manga/manhwa publishers on Twitter and in light of this, I felt like it was about time to share the pleasantly growing list.

For those new to the service, Twitter is “a real-time short messaging service” where users post their thoughts, news and general going-ons for their watchers to see in entries no longer than 140 characters. Its proven to be an excellant source of quick info and publishers have taken good note of this fact, offering mini press releases, hints, links and in-studio glimpses through their use of Twitter accounts. Oh and it’s also highly addicitive :) I’m also on Twitter along with lots of other fun–to–read bloggers. Take a look around and see who others are following: you’re bound to find lots of interesting accounts to check out including company employees, conventions and lots of people with similiar interests.

You can check out the manga and anime companies on Twitter at the links above. If there’s a relevant company on the list that I’ve missed, please don’t hesitate to let me know so I can add them (and watch ’em!).

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Categories: Misc

Review: Train*Train (Vol. 01)

By Lissa Pattillo on Monday, April 20, 2009

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Manga-ka: Eiki Eiki
Publisher: DokiDoki
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: April 2009

Synopsis: “Welcome to Minami-Kitazawa Station, where the trains run strictly on time, customer service is an important priority, and the staff is entirely made up of super good-looking guys! That’s the environment 18-year-old Asahi Saruta gets dropped in the middle of when he finds himself assigned there. Asahi’s goal is to one day become a train operator like his father, but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he’d have to deal with a group of strange co-workers like this. Even though Asahi may have been chosen more for his cuteness-factor than his job skills, can he rise to the challenge, or will the day-to-day mayhem of working in a train station cause him to reevaluate his career path altogether?!”

Cross together one-part pretty boys with two parts transit system and a dash of host club vibes and you have yourself Minami-Kitazawa: a train station where the young men running it aim to please and fangirls are more than happy to indulge in the attention. Customer satisfaction is the name of the game, even if they use some unique tactics to achieve it. Train*Train’s brand of comedy may not be for everyone, but if the plot strikes a chord of curiousity for you, than it’s well worth a read.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: DMP, Doki Doki, Manga

KuriKoma – “Different Crowds”

By Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, April 19, 2009

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Nobody gets me?

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Categories: KuriKoma

Review: Princess Princess +

By Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, April 18, 2009

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Manga-ka: Mikiyo Tsuda
Publisher: DokiDoki
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: April 2008

Synopsis: “Fujimori Academy students Kiriya Matsuoka and Tomoe Izumi have been chosen as this year’s princesses, but it’s going to take a lot of hard work to bring them up to speed. Enter former princesses Kouno, Shihoudani and Yutaka for a bit of princess training! Although Matsuoka and Izumi seem willing and able to take over the job of dressing up as girls and cheering at school events, they’re not exactly what you’d call “friends.” Can President Sakamoto and the ex-princesses convince Matsuoka and Izumi to bond for the sake of the school? Or will it take more than a common experience to bring two very different people together?”

A sequel to Mikiyo Tsuda’s series, Princess Princess, Princess Princess + introduces two new characters to the mix: kind and honest, plus financially well off, Tomoe Izumi, and the financially troubled and sensitive introvert, Kiriya Matsuoka. Entering their first year as students at the Fujimori Academy, the pair have accepted the positions of school Princesses for the year, hand-chosen as two who will dress up in girls’ clothes and provide moral support and shining smiles for all at the all-boys’ school.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: DMP, Doki Doki, Manga

Review: Alice on Deadlines (Vol. 03)

By Marsha Reid on Friday, April 17, 2009

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Manga-ka: Shiro Ihara
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: July 2008

Synopsis: “Poor Alice’s trouble seems to know no bounds when she has to deal with a shinigami worse than Lapan… (Is that even possible??) And she has a run-in with the king of the shinigami. Some days it doesn’t pay to be a girl trapped in the body of a skeleton…”

Take a perverted guy and turn him into a girl. Then turn some of his friends/comrades into girls as well and let them loose on the world. While they proceed to do inappropriate things to each other, blow stuff up, cry, whine and act completely obnoxious, they also try to tell a complicated story of deceit and betrayal. The dark and ominous company of Shinigami threatens to make this story interesting, but there’s little to no reason to fear that could ever actually happen.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Yen Press

Review: World of Quest (Vol. 02)

By Shevaun Morrison on Thursday, April 16, 2009

1 Comment »

World of Quest (Vol. 02) – Jason Tkruse
Published by Yen Press

This one was quite a treat to read. With every page in full color, and done in a delightfully cartoony style, I was smiling with every turn of the page. For a book pushed toward a younger audience, I have to admit that the story is full of interesting little twists and is absolutely full of imagination. The characters are interesting and I actually laughed out loud at some points.

The story follows the path of a legendary warrior known as Quest, along with the boy prince known as Nestor. Nestor is, as expected of a boy prince, quite full of himself and constantly complaining. Quest begrudges the need to protect him, but unfortunately he hasn’t got much of a choice in the matter.

During their travels through the terrible Forest of EDJ, an old friend of Quest’s joins them. With the griffon named Graer, they face a number of twists and turns with the Snarls before the prince finds out what his dagger is for. Unfortunately, almost immediately after figuring it out, they are attacked by the apparent leader of the villainous group that has been chasing them. The outcome of it is not good for our heros, and this chapter of the story ends off on quite the cliffhanger.

The next one is sure to be quite the read! (Editor’s Note: As of February 2009, World of Quest has been cancelled.)

Review written April 13, 2009 by Gizmo
Book provided by Yen Press for review purposes

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Yen Press

Review: Cynical Orange (Vol. 06)

By Marsha Reid on Wednesday, April 15, 2009

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Cynical Orange (Vol. 06) – JiUn Yun
Published by Yen Press

Walking down the bumpy path of being Ma-Ha’s girl has gained the cynically sweet, and dazzlingly beautiful, Hye-Min some friends, but it has also gained her a few enemies. Bora won’t hesitate to take her delusional broken heart out on the poor girl, and does so every chance she gets. While grade school antics drive Hye-Min to the brink, the once magical oasis, her oppa’s cafe piper, threatens to fall apart while she’s not even paying attention.

Volume five had me geared up for a new beginning and a change in the story, but six has me wondering how much filler we’re going to suffer through before that happens. Yun JiUn has this weird theme thing happening with the last few volumes I don’t remember happening before. It’s somewhat distracting as it feels like she’s more focused on keeping with the obscure fairy tale theme then progressing the story.

Few things of substance happen in this issue which feels more like an in depth flash back into the Hye-Min + Ma-Ha phenomenon then an actual volume from the series. Somewhat like a ‘the best of’ release of your favourite TV show, you want it because you’re a devote fan but part of you knows waiting for the box set would be better. There is, however, an amusing few pages from the author at the end, some of which was a bit too culture-based for me to understand but entertained me anyway.

With fingers crossed I softly whisper, tell me more about shin-bi, and pray if the next volume is to be another ‘best of’ compilation it can at least be from his point of view.

Review written April 14, 2009 by Marsha Reid
Book provided by Yen Press for review purposes

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: Hey, Class President! (Vol. 01)

By Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, April 14, 2009

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Manga-ka: Kaori Monchi
Publisher: 801Media
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: March 2009

Synopsis: “A present needs a running mate – and just like that, Kokusai appoints Chiga to be his vice-president! How did a slowpoke upperclassman like Kokusai win an election, anyway?! Sure he does seem to have an almost uncanny ability to attract stalkers, peeping toms and other degenerates, but Kokusai’s so helpless he can barely take care of himself, let alone a student body. It quickly becomes clear that Chiga’s major vice-president duty will be to keep Kokusai out of harm’s way, but is he up to the task? Furthermore, will all the time they have to spend together in student government cause Chiga himself to fall under Kokusai’s spell?”

Kokusai, soft-spoken and hardworking, is student-council president and he chooses the more stoic, keep-to-himself, Chiga as his vice-president. Far from only having their schoolwork to worry about however, Chiga and Kokusai must first overcome the irresistible allure of Kokusai to gropers on the train, perverts and stalkers.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: 801Media, Boys' Love/Yaoi, Manga

Review: Zombie Loan (Vol. 05)

By Shevaun Morrison on Monday, April 13, 2009

1 Comment »

Zombie Loan (Vol. 05) – Peach-Pit
Published by Yen Press

Here we have another installment in an interesting series, Zombie Loan. Though, as much as I have been enjoying the story, occasionally I have to take a minute to really look at the art. I do honestly enjoy the style of the series, but sometimes it’s a little inconsistent and the faces can become lopsided. Overall, though, it does seem far more balanced than the previous volume.

As for the story itself, our heroes have found where their friend and companion Shito is being held and have, of course, started busting zombie heads to go in and valiantly rescue him. Chika is his usual self when it comes to facing Shito, and though he does help his partner out, he does a half-assed job of it that is somehow his way of showing affection. Though the group does manage to find victory against the most recent enemy, Yoshizumi, it does end on a sad note.

While the members of Z-Loan celebrate with drinks and karaoke, we are given the chance to see a little bit more about just what Bekkou does. Remembering his true job as a ferryman, it’s actually quite interesting to see him interact with his coworkers. Not only does the plot thicken as they meet to speak about the recent surge of illegal zombies, but at the very end of the volume a surprising twist is given that is sure to give Michiru and the rest of Z-Loan crew trouble for the next volume!

Review written April 13, 2009 by Gizmo
Book provided by Yen Press for review purposes

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Yen Press

AmazonFail, Amazon.com Discriminates Against GLBT Content

By Lissa Pattillo on Monday, April 13, 2009

6 Comments »

Image from Bill Thompson (via GGYMeta)

For those of you who missed this fast-spread news over Easter Weekend, Amazon.com is being targeted for discrimination. Adult content, with particular emphasis on homosexual titles, began disappearing from Amazon’s search results and individual listings have had their Sales Rank (how well they’re selling comparatively on the site) removed.

My exploration of the issue and more information, including what you can do about it, can be read under the cut:

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Categories: Misc
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi