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News, reviews and features with a focus on manga, self-published works and a Canadian perspective. Enjoy fulfilling your Kuriousity!

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Author Archive for Lissa Pattillo

PR: Viz Media Debuts 07-Ghost Manga Series

WARRIOR GHOSTS AND ANCIENT GODS COLLIDE IN GOTHIC FANTASY ADVENTURE 07-GHOST MANGA SERIES, NEW FROM VIZ MEDIA

Emotionally Complex Characters And An Action-Filled Story Will Appeal Equally To Shojo And Shonen Manga Fans

San Francisco, CA, November 12, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has announced the launch on November 13th of its latest manga (graphic novel) series with the debut of the gothic fantasy action series 07-GHOST. The new series, written and illustrated by Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara, is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

The paths of one evil god, two rival empires, three unlikely bishops and seven brave ghosts converge in the destiny of Teito Klein, a boy who vows to master a powerful artifact known as the Eye of Mikael in order to lay bare the secrets of the world’s – and his own – murky past. All Teito wants is to forget his dark past as an orphan and slave and to graduate from Barsburg’s military academy with his best friend Mikage. But when an overheard state secret triggers treasonous memories, he’s forced to flee from the very empire he once sought to defend!

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Review: Bakuman (Vol. 16)

Bakuman (Vol. 16)

Author: Tsugumi Ohba
Manga-ka: Takeshi Obata
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: November 2013

Synopsis: “Eiji Nizuma announces that if he can top the Weekly Shonen Jump survey results for ten straight weeks, he will have one of the manga series in the cancelled. But which series does Eiji want to cancel? And what will Ashirogi and the other manga creators do to stop him?!”

I’ve always liked Eiji Nizuma. If for any real reason, it might simply be because I’ve never had any reason to not like him. This volume bumped the indifference up to legitimate affection, however, as we get to see a very commanding and even selfish side to him. He’s always been confident, hardworking and interested in the well-being of the other artists, but I was really surprised by some of the decisions he made here in the sixteenth volume.

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Otaku USA: On The Shelf – November 7, 2012

Otaku USA: On The Shelf - November 7, 2012

Where, oh where, is all the time going!? November 7th? Really? Yikes… This is looking like a big month for new manga releases and week one is definitely starting out with a bang. Over two dozen new releases!

You can read the full list and my thoughts on a number of them over at my On The Shelf article for Otaku USA.

Ai Ore (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Air Gear (Vol. 26) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bakuman (Vol.16) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bleach (Vol.50) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bleach (Vol.51) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Blue Exorcist (Vol.08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Claymore (Vol.21) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
GTO Early Years (Vol.15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Heroman (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Kamisama Kiss (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Kimi Ni Todoke (Vol.15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Mardock Scramble (Vol. 06) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Naruto (Vol.59) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Box Set [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Negima (Vol. 36) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Neon Genesis Evangelion (Vol.13) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
One Piece (Vol.65) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Oresama Teacher (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Ouran High School Host Club Box Set [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Psyren (Vol.07) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Rosario Vampire Season II (Vol.10) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Sailor Moon (Vol. 08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Strobe Edge (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Tegami Bachi (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Vampire Knight (Vol.15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
We Were There (Vol. 15) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]

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PR: Viz Media Launches New Shoujo Manga Series Strobe Edge

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES NEW SHOJO MANGA SERIES STROBE EDGE

Captivating New Manga Series Captures The Thrill And Drama Of A Girl’s First Love

San Francisco, CA, November 6, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, gives shojo manga (graphic novel) fans a brand new series with the release of Io Sakisaka’s STROBE EDGE. The first volume debuts today under the Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and carries an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

What is love, anyway? Ninako Kinoshita’s friends tell her it’s one thing, but Ninako wonders what this mysterious feeling really is. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Ren Ichinose, a handsome, enigmatic guy that all the girls worship. With just a few words and a smile, he changes her entire world…

Read more…


PR: Viz Media Announces Release of Ouran High School Host Club Box Set

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF
OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB
MANGA BOX SET

Box Set Collects Entire 18 Volumes Of The Gender-Bending Bestselling Manga Series And Features Exclusive Premium

San Francisco, CA, November 5, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, tantalizes shojo manga (graphic novel) fans with the release of the OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB Box Set on November 6th. The new box set bundles Volumes 1-18 of the bestselling manga series and also includes a special notepad featuring full-color character art.

The OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB Box Set will be released under VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry an MSRP of $139.99 U.S. / $159.99 CAN.

OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB was created by Bisco Hatori and has been a bestselling series in North America since its debut. In this screwball romantic comedy, Haruhi, a poor girl at a rich kids’ school, is forced to repay an $80,000 debt by working for the school’s swankiest, all-male club – as a boy! There she discovers just how wealthy the six members are and how different the rich are from everybody else.

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Otaku USA: On The Shelf – October 31, 2012

Otaku USA: On The Shelf - October 31, 2012

Belated Happy Halloween! Only two new volumes of manga were shipped to store shelves this week, but I’m sure both are must-haves for many out there. You can read about them at my weekly On The Shelf article for Otaku USA.

Awkward Silence (Vol. 02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
The Flowers of Evil (Vol. 03) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]


PR: Viz Media Announces the Release of Nausicaa Manga Box Set

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF
NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND
DELUXE MANGA BOX SET

Hayao Miyazaki’s Acclaimed Manga Fantasy Adventure Offered In A New 2-Volume Hardcover Box Set That Arrives In Time For The Start Of The 2012 Holiday Season

San Francisco, CA, November 1, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, is proud to announce the release of the NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND Deluxe Box Set, which collects all 7 volumes of the original celebrated manga (graphic novel) series by Hayao Miyazaki into 2 new hardcover editions packaged in a special illustrated slipcase. A full-color double-sided poster is also included and each volume features 8 full-color page inserts.

The NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND Deluxe Box Set is scheduled for release on November 6th, is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and carries an MSRP of $60.00 U.S. / $67.99 CAN. A movie adaptation is also available on DVD and Blu-ray from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

In a long-ago war, humankind set off a devastating ecological disaster. Thriving industrial societies disappeared. The earth is slowly submerging beneath the expanding Sea of Corruption, an enormous toxic forest that creates mutant insects and releases a miasma of poisonous spores into the air. At the periphery of the sea, tiny kingdoms are scattered on tiny parcels of land. Here lies the Valley of the Wind, a kingdom of barely 500 citizens; a nation given fragile protection from the decaying sea’s poisons by the ocean breezes; and home to Nausicaä.

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PR: Neon Genesis Evangelion Vol. 13 Debuts Simultaneous to Japan

VIZ MEDIA DELIVERS DOUBLE-DOSE OF
NEON GENESIS EVANGELION MANGA, INCLUDING PRINT & DIGITAL DEBUT OF LATEST VOLUME THE SAME DAY AS JAPAN

Volume 13 Of The Legendary Sci-Fi Action Series Debuts November 2nd; New 3-In-1 Omnibus Launches November 13th And Features Full-Color Bonus Pages

San Francisco, CA, October 30, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, delivers an exciting double-dose of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION to manga (graphic novel) readers in November with the release of the series’ newest installment – Volume 13 – as well as the launch of the first volume of a new 3-in-1 omnibus edition of the venerable sci-fi action saga.

NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, Volume 13 is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens and will be released on November2nd with an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $13.99 CAN. The volume will also be available digitally for $4.99 U.S. / CAN through VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App for iPad®, iPhone®, iPod® touch, Android-enabled devices, and Kindle Fire. A free preview of the series may be read at http://www.vizmanga.com/reader/479.

The opening volume of the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION 3-in-1 omnibus series bundles Volumes 1-3, is also rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens, and will debut on November 13th with an MSRP of $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN. Each volume will feature stunning full-color artwork.

Japan’s most controversial anime series is over…but not the manga version of NEON GENESIS EVANGELION! Series co-creator Yoshiyuki Sadamoto’s personal interpretation of the iconic Evangelion characters and story is sure to intrigue new and old fans alike. In 2015, the “Angels” have returned, and Shinji Ikari, a fourteen year-old child of the new Earth, is forced by his father Gendo – commander of the secret organization NERV – to pilot a monstrous biomechanical weapon called “Evangelion” to match the Angels’ fearsome power…

In the latest Volume 13, the world hangs in the balance as NERV pilot Asuka fights to survive an onslaught of Evas determined to destroy her. Shinji rushes to help, but he may be too late. Deep inside the NERV command center, Dr. Ikari is about to set in motion the last act of the Instrumentality Project. Everything has gone according to Ikari’s plans so far, but even he cannot foresee the role Shinji will play in determining the future!

Yoshiyuki Sadamoto is one of the founding members of the animation powerhouse Studio Gainax and is the acclaimed character designer for THE WINGS OF HONNEAMISE, NADIA, and the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION animated series, as well as many other anime, illustration, and art projects. His NEON GENESIS EVANGELON art book, DER MOND, is also available from from VIZ Media. NEON GENESIS EVANGELION is Sadamoto’s only full-length manga series.

Read more…


Yaoi Con 2012: Digital Manga Deals Out New BL, Pups and eManga News

Digital Manga Announces New Manga Titles at YC 2012

Along with being the host for this year’s Yaoi Con, Digital Manga Publishing was also present still as publisher with licenses to announce and word of big changes coming to their online digital manga store, eManga.

Digital Manga’s new for-print license announcements were:

As Many as There Are Stars – Matsumo Miecohouse
Does the Flower Bloom? – Shoko Hidaka
Kinoko Inu, the Mushroom Pup – Kimama Aoboshi
(A) New Season of Young Leaves – Venio Tachibana & Akeno Kitahata

Admittedly I was surprised by how little Digital Manga Publishing how to announce, especially at what is now pretty much their convention. It wasn’t even all boys’ love they announced either, and while that’s not in itself a bad thing, this was Yaoi Con after all. And then there’s the fact that what is likely their biggest announcement – Shimotsuki Kari’s Brave 10 (pictured above on the left) – will be digital only and published via their quality-inconsistent, Digital Manga Guild.

As Many as There Are Stars is a boys’ love one-shot by an artist being published for the first time in English. I can’t say much about it except for a really cute cover staring a very androgynous looking lead (Amazon.jp). A New Season of Young Leaves is another one-shot boys’ love book (Amazon.jp), which I can’t say anything about concretely past there’s likely students, one has glasses and they very, very likely will be romantically involved. Yep!

As Many as There Are Stars by Matsumo MiecohouseDoes The Flower Bloom is a multi-volume boys’ love series by Shoko Hidaka, who has had two books released by DMP in the past (Restart & Not Enough Time). Currently the series is three volumes long and stars a budding relationship between a college student and older salary man who bond over a magazine they both read.

The two series DMP announced that aren’t boys’ love are Kinoko Inu and Brave 10. Granted, Brave 10 does seem ripe with boys’ love subtext and is also by the same creator of BLU’s Madness. I would be most interested in this one if not published via DMG, which combines two of my very few pet-peeves about manga publishing – digital only and poor quality control. Kinoko Inu is a one-shot title (though it does look to have a follow-up volume) starring a chubby little dog with a mushroom head decoration. And it’s… pink? Said ‘mushroom pup’ pictured in this post’s header image and that’s all I’ve got on it (DMP – please start including synopsis with all your licensing announcements, please and thank you!). Cute though, definitely looks cute.

DMP also announced new volumes of titles they’re currently publishing – Depression of the Antiromanticist (Vol. 02), Hey, Class President (Vol. 05), ZE (Vol. 08-11) and Itazura na Kiss (Vol. 12).

Digital Manga also announced that eManga will be going through a big transformation that will include being able to download their manga after you purchase it, giving readers a lot more control over how and where they read it. I don’t purchase digital manga often, but when I have purchased manga volumes it’s only been via DRM-free files that I can read freely on my iPad without internet dependence . Plus, no more point system! I’m a lot more likely to explore DMP’s digital-only library when they relaunch eManga this way, so I’m looking forward to seeing what they roll out in November.


Otaku USA: On The Shelf – October 24, 2012

Otaku USA: On The Shelf - October 24, 2012

Brides, breasts, blood and butlers! But not all in the same book. I don’t think… I haven’t read them yet. But I will soon! Yesterday saw a small but fun stack of new books out including Bride of the Water God (Vol.12) and Black Butler (Vol. 11).

You can read the full list of new manga volumes and my thoughts on some choice picks over at the usual spot, Otaku USA’s On The Shelf!

Black Butler (Vol.11) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Black God (Vol.17) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bloody Monday (Vol.08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Bride of the Water God (Vol.12) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Disappearance of Nagato Yuki Chan (Vol.02) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Durarara!! (Vol.04) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Gantz (Vol.25) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Pandora Hearts (Vol.12) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Triage X (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]


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