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Author Archive for Lissa Pattillo

Swag Bag – Secret Foods of Gatcha Host Club

Swag Bag

A new year, a new swag bag banner! There was no Swag Bag the last two weeks as the holidays overtook and my wallet’s funds went towards buying gifts for others instead of stocking bags with goodies for myself. But I’ve since bought a few books for myself so let’s see what’s on the reading stack this coming week and what buys marked the first of the New Year!

I’ve spent the last week marathoning the Ouran High School Host Club manga, flying through volumes 1-14 with lots of love. One of my new favourites for sure – absolutely adorable! That said, I was quick to ensure I then had the newest volume so I picked up Ouran High School Host Club (Vol. 15). It looks like Tamaki is finally going to figure something obvious out… for better or worse.

Next I picked up the first volume of The Secret Notes of Lady Kanoko which I bought purely upon hearing so many good things about it. Plus after reading so much Ouran I’m up for some more shoujo-y goodness. This is also the first new series I’ve bought that sports Tokyopop’s new graphic design work. It uses a lot of black and is pretty slick looking. I’m not sure how well it will compliment different series but for now the pink and black looks really nice.

Speaking of graphic design that looks really good, I bought the one-shot Not Love But Delicious Food Makes Me Happy. Firstly, crazy long name, but secondly I adore the job Yen Press did on the cover design. Very nice! The book itself is a semi-autobiographical story of ‘Y-naga’ relishing in her love for food, all of which is drawn in great detail.

And from the bargain bin at Strange Adventures (where all the books I’ve bought this week were bought from, as per usual!), I bought a volume of Gatcha Gacha. Reason being was Sean Gaffney’s apparently contagious affection for the series. We shall soon see if I join him in this upon finishing,.

Lastly, the second volume of Hetalia. I told myself I wasn’t going to, but after seeing Canada played a bigger role, I couldn’t help it… Mindless cute fun in small doses so not a buy I regret, just one I waffled a long while on if I cared enough to make. Apparently I do!

I also purchased a handful of books from Amazon.ca but those I’ll share once they arrive – doesn’t count until it’s in my hands! So what were your first purchases of the New Year?


PR: New Manga for the New Year! INUYASHA Final Vol on Jan 11th!

FATES ARE SEALED IN A FINAL SHOWDOWN AS EPIC MANGA ADVENTURE INUYASHA CONCLUDES

VIZ Media has announced the release of the final installment of Rumiko Takahashi’s longtime bestselling manga (graphic novel) series, INUYASHA, on January 11th. Fans won’t want to miss even a single page of the action in Volume 56, Curtain of Time, which is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens and carries an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. INUYASHA is published under VIZ Media’s Shonen Sunday imprint.

Kagome, a modern-day high school girl, is pulled into Japan’s ancient past! There, her destiny is linked to a dog-eared half demon named Inuyasha. Together, they battle evil demons who seek to acquire the shards of the legendary Shikon Jewel and wield its incredible power. But can Kagome and Inuyasha stop feuding with each other long enough to save the feudal or modern world–let alone both?

In the climactic showdown, the demon Naraku’s true intentions are finally revealed! Then, Kagome is swallowed up by the Meido. Is she finally beyond her friends’ reach? And will the final battle over the Shikon Jewel draw Inuyasha and Kagome together…or pull them apart forever?! Find out in the exciting concluding volume!

The spotlight on manga creator Rumiko Takahashi began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan’s annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another – MAISON IKKOKU ran from 1980 to 1987, RANMA ½ from 1987 to 1996, and INUYASHA from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include MERMAID SAGA, RUMIC THEATRE, and ONE-POUND GOSPEL. These, as well as her newest manga series, RIN-NE, are also published in North America by VIZ Media.

Also catch INUYASHA anime episodes – for free – on VIZAnime.com.

More information on INUYASHA, or other Shonen Sunday titles from VIZ Media, is available at www.ShonenSunday.com.


Super Savings: RightStuf Offers Fierce Savings on Seven Seas

RightStuf’s first big sale of the year (excluding their starting-in-2010-New-Years-sale) is 33%+ off of Seven Seas books! I know I don’t often see many sales on their books so this is a great opportunity to pick up some old titles or, for even more savings, pre-order some of their upcoming omnibus editions. The sale ends January 6, 2011.

My top recommendations from Seven Seas would be the first volume of Aoi House (the second volume and I aren’t on good terms) and Aoi House in Love! – a fun OEL series that plays around with fandom tropes; Hayate x Blade Omnibus – a silly but charming story of sword battles in all girls’ school that appeals to fans of Yuri; and the Strawberry Panic Manga Omnibus – a semi-serious tale of Yuri love also in an all girls’ school. I’d also love to recommend The Last Uniform as a super adorable Yuri story but alas it’s no longer listed on RightStuf’s website.

As for me, I’m looking forward to buying the first omnibus book of Kashimashi, the complete-series omnibus of Hollow Fields and the one-shot Voiceful.

You can check out their index for the full list of RightStuf’s Seven Seas’ offerings.


Viz Media Launches New Website and Leaves Much to Be Desired

Viz Media 2.0

Viz Media is starting the new year with a brand new website! And that is sadly where my enthusiasm ends.

I’d stated a short while back that I’d be continuing with my publisher website reviews, a longer than intended hiatus previously taken after several companies requested I wait. Viz Media’s website, or their old one at least, was my newest completed review, a rather frustrating irony in that so soon after I finished did this new site go up. But I digress, this is about the new site and naturally after finishing a review of their old site, and thoroughly going through my likes and dislikes of it to myself, I had presumptuously high hopes that I may see some of my complaints already addressed in this version when I saw it was live.

Alas… Viz Media, what were you thinking?

Read more…


Year in Brief Review – Manga Favourites of 2010

It’s New Years Day! And that means the end of 2010 has come and gone – the end of the first decade of the 2000s’, the end of another year of fantastic comics (upon other many wonderful things).

Just for a little living in the past on this first day of 2011, what better time to look back at 2010 with some favourites, surprises, disappointments and neat website tidbits. Sure it would’ve made more sense to have posted yesterday but who has time with all those celebrations going on… right?

Read more…


eManga Expands Creator Offering with Yayoi Neko’s Incubus

eManga: Incubus by Yayoi Neko

eManga has added a bunch of interesting new titles in this latter portion of 2010, notably a handful of new titles from artists outside of Japan, along with a new manga series exclusive to their site.

Most recent, and my most favourite, additions are the first two volumes of Yayoi Neko’s Incubus series. The print edition (currently up to volume three) has been published in its entirety so far by Kitty Media (after being picked up from Bang! Entertainment).

“Demonic beings longing to be human put Judas’ life at stake to possess the unique soul within him. The incubus Lenniel, has sworn to protect and defeat all who threaten the man he loves: the shy puritan Judas. But outside dangers are not all that threaten his human beloved. A painful past haunts Judas, preventing him from trusting anyone, especially Lenniel. This is an enemy the incubus is not sure how to defeat. How does one fight a crippling force that exists within another’s heart?”

I’m a fan of Yayoi Neko‘s work – it has an art style that offers something notably different than the vast majority of boys’ love released in North America (check out her website gallery). The first volume of Incubus also comes with a short called ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ (which was released originally by the artist in limited edition ‘floppy’ comic format) about a scientist and the robot he helped create with… well, it’s worth reading to get all the exact details.

Other new titles on eManga include the webcomic BL-hit, Starfighter, a sample edition of the artistically-gorgeous Teahouse (also a web comic) and Mizuki, which is a “never before released” shoujo by the creator of Wedding Peach.

Digital Manga sells its points “using a credit card at a typical rate of 1000 points for $10.”. Looking at a complete volume at 300 points, you’re only paying $3 for the rental (which lasts 72 hours). It’s a great deal for people who love to read a book once, especially when a second rental allows you unlimited time access (so about $6 a book for digital keeps).

While the addition of a variety of talented artists from around the globe is of course great, I also continue to be impressed simply by the amount of cross-publisher work being done with eManga. BLU (Tokyopop), Yaoi Press, Media Blasters and of course Digital Manga, all on one site – it’s quickly collecting all the boys’ love basics (plus some Harlequin thrown in there for good measure?). It’s a shame though that this collection of boys’ love, with its great prices in particular, isn’t able to be utilized on a more mobile platform. Even a digital-meh person such as myself wouldn’t be able to deny this kind of collection being in the palm of my hand instead of trapped on the internet-locked computer screen.


ANN Review: Ghost Hunt (Vol. 11)

ANN Review: Ghost Hunt (Vol. 11)

One of the more disappointing books I’ve read lately, I reviewed the eleventh (and possibly last) volume of Ghost Hunt for AnimeNewsNetwork.

This book was disappointing for a number of reasons but acting as pinnacle for the issues I’ve had with the series in this later half would be the jist of it. The art looks lazy and the word bubbles are haphazardly tossed around and the cast of characters feel so… flat. Mai was alright which is good since she was the only one really relevant in this one. Alas this wasn’t how I wanted my last manga-experience with this cast of ghost hunters to go.

Regarding the existence of a twelfth book, I really don’t know what to expect for the fate of this series’ final volume. Del Rey marketed this volume as the last but there is one more out in Japan, with this volume’s cliffhanger leading into it. Of course I’d love to read it – it looks like it would go into Naru’s backstory – but I’m not holding my breath. I am looking pleadingly at Kodansha Comic’s direction though. Please give the series one last chance to remind me why I loved it so much before, okay?


ANN Review: Genkaku Picasso (Vol. 01)

ANN Review: Genkaku Picasso (Vol. 01)

Boxing Day already? Amazing how long we plan, purchase and pace waiting for Christmas and then it’s over in a flash! I hope everyone who celebrates it had a Merry Christmas and enjoyable time spent with family and friends. Maybe even some manga under the tree perhaps?

With the new year coming up in a little under a week, it’s a good time for me to get caught up on posting to my AnimeNewsNetwork reviews here on Kuriousity (which as a reminder you can now find at kuriousity.ca!).

Back at the end of November my review for the first volume of Genkaku Picasso was posted. Overall I liked reading it, having fairly high expectations of all the things I’d heard of and read of Usamaru Furuya’s works before. The premise is really interesting – a boy granted the ability to help others by manifesting their inner-selves in his artwork – but it suffers from a very cut-and-dry episodic execution. A neat plot and generally entertaining characters balanced out with the tedious pacing well enough to make me look forward to the next volume, which should be out early February. More creepy in-story artwork and their androgynous artist to come!


PR: Shaman King Manga Finale New From Viz Media in January

AN EPIC ADVENTURE REACHES ITS CLIMAX IN SHAMAN KING MANGA FINALE, NEW FROM VIZ MEDIA IN JANUARY

VIZ Media unleashes the final volume of Hiroyuki Takei’s SHAMAN KING as the long-running manga (graphic novel) series reaches a grand climax. The concluding installment, Volume 32, (rated ‘T’ for Teens; MSRP: U.S. $9.99 / $12.99 CAN) hits nationwide on January 4th, 2011.

Yoh Asakura has spent years training for the Shaman Fight, an epic tournament to determine who will become the Shaman King and shape humanity’s future. Unfortunately for Yoh, every shaman in the world is also vying for the same prize.

Read more…


PR: Tokyopop Partners to Launch New Online Shop

TOKYOPOP Launches New Online Shop
Powered by MashON, Offers TextStream Print-On-Demand Books

New TOKYOPOP Shop launch features out-of-print titles through Baker & Taylor TextStream print-on-demand and new merchandise capabilities through MashON

LOS ANGELES, CA. – December 20, 2010 – TOKYOPOP, the country’s leading independent manga media company, Baker & Taylor Inc., the world’s largest distributor of physical and digital books and entertainment products, and e-commerce solution leader MashON, today announced the launch of the new TOKYOPOP Shop at www.TOKYOPOP.com. The new shop features manga-branded merchandise through MashON’s e-commerce solutions and thousands of manga titles, including titles that were previously out-of-print, such as Arm of Kannon, Gorgeous Carat, and Liling-Po.

This launch with TOKYOPOP is Baker & Taylor’s latest step in expanding TextStream’s presence in the publishing community. TextStream provides publishers with a full range of print-on-demand / print-to-order services and a wide variety of binding formats and trim sizes.

“TOKYOPOP has an amazingly loyal, passionate fan base, and offering print-on-demand will allow fans to complete their collections of their favorite series with volumes that had been out-of-print,” said Larry Bennett, Vice President of Digital Print Media for Baker & Taylor.

This partnership with MashON will allow TOKYOPOP to offer a wide array of merchandise with!! manga brand designs – already including iphone skins and mini-posters – with many new brands and products to be rolled out in the near future.

Read more…


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