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Posts Tagged DMP

Pretty in Pleats – Project H Licenses New Crossdresser Hentai

Pretty in Pleats - Project H Licenses New Crossdresser Hentai

It was Tateno on Twitter last week, but  hentai went to another social media outlet as Digital Manga announced their newest license via Facebook:

Will You Be My Cute Crossdresser? – Mitohi Matsumoto

Digital Manga will be releasing this new title through their Project-H imprint. It will be available in both print and digital editions, with the latter for $17.95/US, $19.99/CAN in October 2014. Digital Manga previously released Mitohi Matsumoto’s My Cute Crossdresser, and though I’m not 100% sure if it’s a direct sequel or not, Digital Manga does say it’s connected.

When My Cute Crossdresser was first announced, I was eager to read it. Cute crossdressing boys in sexy situations? Yes, please! Unfortunately, it wasn’t very interesting. But… not bad. I liked it enough that I’ll be buying Will You Be My Cute Crossdresser, but I’ll be going into it with more accurate expectations. It’s got a little perviness, and a sprinkle of boys’ love written from a male-gaze perspective , and not the more raunchy material I was assuming from its Project-H imprint. It’s an odd little concoction of genres but entertaining all the same.


Digital Manga Tweets Tateno with Two New Boys’ Love Titles

Digital Manga Tweets Tateno with Two New Boys' Love Titles

It’s not the title I recently wrote my hopes for, but Digital Manga shows we’re still on the path of potential when they announced licenses for two new manga series:

A Murmur of the Heart – Makoto Tateno
A Waltz In The Clinic – Makoto Tateno

Both titles are boys’ love one-shots, and are scheduled for release as print and digital editions. When? Still a mystery. Digital Manga announced both licenses via their Twitter account earlier in the month.

Not only do these titles have the creator in common – who has had many of her works released in English over the years – but they both also cater to readers looking for some physical physicians. Of course it helps they share the same characters and locale. A Waltz in the Clinic follows a hospital resident who falls for a patient he meets while avoiding the advances of a physician in his department. In A Murmur of the Heart, that same physician is inspired to explore his feelings for a surgeon when he sees the resident he was chasing fall into a relationship of his own.

Amazon.jp has some preview pages up for A Murmur of the Heart, while we’ve reviewed a number of Makoto Tateno’s titles here on Kuriousity. Her titles are always lukewarm for me – I never think they’re all that great, but I’ve rarely found them bad. They sure are books I read! I’d be lying if I said the hospital theme didn’t pique my interest a little more than usual though.


DMP Deals in Body Guard Drama with Kou Yoneda’s Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai

Kou Yoneda's Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai

Digital Manga took to Twitter on Friday to announce a new boys’ love license:

Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai – Kou Yoneda

Contrary to most license announcements, Digital Manga announced this one with the original Japanese title, Saezuru Tori wa Habatakanai (囀る鳥は羽ばたかない). It’s a little odd to have a license announced without giving the English name, but I assume one’s coming. Currently they have no release date for the title either but did confirm it would be available as both print and digital editions.

Digital Manga has previously released Kou Yoneda’s No Touching At All, which Shannon Fay thoroughly enjoyed. Here’s hoping this newest work lives up to the expectations! SuBLime also recently announced their own Kou Yoneda license, NightS, which they’ll be releasing in January 2014.


Digital Manga Goes Big With Acquisition of the Tezuka Library

Digital Manga Places Dibs on the Tezuka Library

One of the biggest pieces of manga news at Anime Expo earlier this month came from Digital Manga Publishing, who announced that they’ve called official dibs on Osamu Tezuka’s entire available library for publication – to put it simply.

I’m rarely surprised to see companies grab onto a Tezuka title, but having someone step up to lay claim on them all was a bit of a shocker. There aren’t a lot of details on what this deal – which partners Digital Manga with Tezuka Productions – entails, but we do know it encompasses both series that have never been published in English and titles that have.

This, of course, is no small task. As the well-earned bearer of the title God of Manga, Tezuka has (according to Wikipedia) over 700 titles under his beat, equating to thousands and thousands and thousands of individual pages. Digital Manga couldn’t confirm any specific series, despite the umbrella of ‘all’, but did say they were now the official distributor of his titles in English.

Digital Manga has released a few of Osamu Tezuka’s titles including Unico, Barbara and Swallowing the Earth. The majority of Tezuka titles released in English have been done by Vertical Inc. including Princess Knight, Black Jack and Buddha. Viz Media previously released a few Tezuka books, including Phoenix, while Dark Horse published series including Astro Boy and Metropolis. Recently a new company, Kansai Club, had a successful Kickstarter to fund Tezuka’s The Crater, which they had hoped would be the first of more Tezuka titles they release. Might not be so after this.

Currently the majority of titles will be released digitally – likely through DMP’s website, eManga – while the occasional book may see print via more Kickstarter campaigns. I’ll cross that moral-highroad again when we come to it. Digital Manga has said that any title already released in English will not be considered for print editions. Fortunately there’s little shortage of those previously printed (Amazon CAN/US) that are still available, and more still upcoming such as Vertical Inc’s release of Twin Knight.

So where does that leave Tezuka readers now? Had Vertical Inc. not already stated they had no plans to license more older titles, I’d lament this DMP news as it’d mean no more Tezuka titles in Vertical’s more than capable hands. Now, however, there is some comfort in knowing that many of Tezuka’s yet-to-be-published work could yet be made be available in English. With the majority of his best known titles already released in English, it’s also good that his titles now rest in the hands of a company with a fairly well established digital distribution set-up. I don’t see a market big enough to support print for most of the titles we’ve yet to see, and boy are there a lot of them, so digital seems the way to go. Plus, as much as I love adding to the bookshelves, the potential for hundreds and hundreds more from one creator? I think that’s a job better suited to my iPad.

Digital Manga says more news about this massive acquisition will be coming in the next few weeks, so we’ll see what new details and title-specific news comes with it.


Yaoi-Con To Resume in 2014 with Return to San Francisco

Yaoi-Con To Resume in 2014 with Return to San Francisco

There are too many anime & manga conventions to cover them all, but I make exceptions for a show like Yaoi Con as the only one in North America owned by a manga publisher. It’s an interesting combination. The internet was surprisingly silent over how Yaoi Con 2012, the first event held by Digital Manga, went, but the absence of a 2013 show spoke a lot on its own.

Digital Manga recently announced, however, that Yaoi Con will be returning in 2014. While there is no specific date or location, what they have confirmed is that the show will be returning to San Francisco in the Fall. After years of the boys’ love dedicated event being held there, Digital Manga moved the show to Long Beach. While we can’t blame them for wanting a location more convenient for their staff, the decision didn’t go over so well with veteran attendees or volunteers.

Who knows, maybe 2014 will be the year I attend and cross Yaoi Con off my bucket list. Will it bounce back bigger and better? Time will tell, and I think a lot of that will be determined for attendees by what guests they announce for the show.

Digital Manga also announced they were returning to print early by announcing the availability of Tyrant Who Falls in Love (Vol.08) and Ze (Vol.07) on their own retail site, Akadot. As this only applies to those who can buy from Akadot, I consider it a minor comfort. For the rest of us, the date on retailers, such as Amazon (CAN/US), remains August.


Digital Manga Announces Return to Print with Two New Licenses

Digital Manga Announces Resume of Print with Two New Licenses at Fanime

Do you remember the time when all of Digital Manga‘s boys’ love books were in print? Sometimes it feels like only yesterday I was unwrapping the plastic from a new volume of Tyrant Who Falls in Love, and other times it feels like ages ago. And, yes, the irony of their company name to the woes of them going almost entirely digital for a while does not escape me.

Digital Manga’s print hiatus is soon coming to an end, and the company confirmed upcoming dates along with announcing two new licenses at their recent panel at Fanime:

Apple and Honey – Hideyoshico
Apple and Honey: His Rose Colored Life – Hideyoshico
Wolf Magic – Natsuki Zippo

All three titles are one-shots, with the first two connected by some overlap in the collection of short stories that make them up. This is the first time either artist has had works released in English. Digital Manga hasn’t yet given dates for their publication. It seems likely all three books will be published under the company’s June imprint.

According to Digital Manga’s release schedule, their next boys’ love book in print will be the one shot, A New Season of Young Leaves. The release schedule also includes updated release times for most of their upcoming titles. While SuBLime‘s excellent book selection has done a great job filling the hole left by Digital Manga’s hiatus, I am glad to see the company back to its’ BL book roots and will definitely continue purchasing what they put out as they become available again.

Other little news tidbits from the panel include word that DMP will, at some time in the future, be releasing the last volume of Vampire Hunter D and the second volume of Castle Mango. They also said that they do plan to have Yaoi-Con back for 2014 (it was cancelled for 2013), but do not yet have a date or location. Digital Manga also plans to slow their licensing over the next six months and launch some new Kickstarters in the new year.

Credit for the details goes to AnimeNewsNetwork and Deb Aoki.


Otaku USA: On The Shelf – April 10, 2013

Otaku USA: On The Shelf - April 10, 2013

New books! New books! New books! … and that’s all the cleverness I can offer today. But you can read all about this week’s new releases over at my On The Shelf article for Otaku USA. Enjoy!

Case Closed (Vol.46) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Excel Saga (Vol.25) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Itsuwaribito (Vol.08) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Loveless 2-in-1 (Vol.03) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Oh My Goddess (Vol.44) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Tiger & Bunny (Vol.01) [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]
Unico [Amazon CAN, Amazon US, RightStuf]


Swag Bag: Prequel, Vampires and Caramel Pudding

Swag Bag:  Prequels, Vampires and Caramel Pudding

Swag Bag time! I had a little shopping hiatus the past month, but, believe me, I’ve made up for it in the last couple weeks. So, without further ado, here’s the first of a few Swag Bag posts to cover it all!

To start things off with a dose of boys’ love, I bought the Digital Manga oneshot, Caramel. My first impression was that the little guy has really silly looking hair. Second impression was it looks adorable. Both were correct – the little guy had silly hair and the story was super sweet, albeit a little sad being so short.

My impulse purchase of the day was Dark Horse‘s Blood-C (Vol.01). I don’t have any real interest in the Blood franchise, and my knowledge of this anime stops at CLAMP’s involvement. Still, the cover was really nice and the interior artwork looked good too. It looks very CLAMP-like actually, I’d say very likely inspired by their more recent works such as Tsubasa. We’ll see how the monster hunting itself entertains as I read it.

Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden (Vol.11)

Something that is never impulse and always a must-have-right-now is Naoki Urasawa’s work. This week that was 21st Century Boys (Vol.02). It’s the last volume in the 20th Century Boys story. It’s so weird knowing this series is now done after all these years. I’ve already read this final volume and I’ve gotta say… I can’t remember who ‘that’ is. Oops. Time to re-read!

It never stops being weird buying a new volume of Fushigi Yugi though, such as this week’s Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden (Vol.11). Now this is a series I’ve been reading a long time. It was one of my first manga from back in the Animerica Extra days of serialization. This prequel series only has one volume left, however, and the downside to it being a prequel is we all know how it’s going to end. So sad! But it’s so good.

Then it was meta territory with Bakuman (Vol. 18) – manga about making manga! This series is fantastic; I adore every volume, even with the awkward romantic subplots. This volume addresses the intensity of manga deadlines when the two leads launch yet another series. How many pages a month!? Freaky.

I finished off my Viz Media purchases with Pokemon Adventures (Vol.15) and Afterschool Charisma (Vol.07). There was quite a wait since the last volumes of each but fortunately neither are especially complicated in the plot department (though telling the clones apart in Afterschool Charisma isn’t always easy).

And then what’s a week without an omnibus? I’m a few months late on this one but I was pleased to buy Young Miss Holmes (Casebook 3-4). The first volume was cute with this precocious niece of Sherlock Holmes solving mysteries. I loved the short cameo from the dowdy Sherlock and Watson as well.

And then lastly for manga I had to nab a digital copy of Sword and Mist, released by SuBLime. It’s a digital only release but I’ve made my peace with these as an occasional thing, and I can’t deny that SuBLime puts out a great product. This title was a must have because it’s by Hayate Kuku. She’s only had one other series released in English – Love Sickness by Digital Manga – but I really loved it. Her masculine characters and sense of humor reminds me a lot of one of my BL favorites, Naono Bohra, who unfortunately hasn’t been as embraced by English publishers as I’d like. In any case, Sword and Mist! It’s got manly men, assassins, feudal China and cross-dressing – how could I resist?

The Adventures of Superhero GirlAnd then finally was a new book by a friend of mine, Faith Erin Hicks. Out now from Dark Horse is a hardcover, full color compilation of her web comic, The Adventures of Superhero Girl. It’s been a while since I read these comic strips so it’s been fun re-experiencing all the funny in-jokes about comics and super heroes. It’s an entertaining and worthwhile purchase for sure, and I’m looking forward to finishing it cover to cover again.


Handling Hentai: An Interview With Project-H

Project-H

One of the fastest growing parts of the North American manga industry last year also seemed to be the one that flew under many radars – Digital Manga’s Project-H. Hentai might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve been surprised to see it discussed so lightly in the world of manga mavens. Even boys’ love, though while generally not as pornographic, seems to get it’s fair share of talk time.

Since it was announced back in mid 2011, Project H has been a swiftly growing part of its parent company. In 2012, they announced dozens of new books that would be published under it and, unlike the titles DMP has been announcing under Digital Manga Guild, almost every Project-H title is licensed with intent to print. With the cost-saving decrease in printing these days, the sheer volume of these books going to print is both a surprise and impressive.

I’ve been watching the imprint grow, and while my interest in the titles themselves have been hit or miss (like any other set of books out there), I remain intrigued by their apparent success.

With these thoughts in mind, I reached out to Digital Manga’s VP of Sales & Distribution, Yoko Tanigaki, who was able to answer a few questions about Project H’s past, present and future.

Read more…


Digital Manga Licenses New Boys’ Love, Deadlock

Deadlock

Belated license post time!  Late December, Digital Manga announced that they’d licensed a new boys’ love manga:

Deadshot – Saki Aida & Yuh Takashina

Digital Manga previously released Saki Aida’s light novel series, S, though this looks to be the first time Yuh Takahina’s work has been released in English. Based on the covers I see on Amazon.jp though, I hope it’s not the last! Deadshot follows a wrongly accused enforcement offer who accepts an FBI deal requiring him to find a certain criminal in prison in exchange for leniency.

It seems a little odd reading about a new boys’ love license from Digital Manga given how close this came on the heels of their hiatus news. However, given that announced titles don’t tend to see print within 6 months anyway, it works out well for them that they can continue announcing new titles without any immediately foreseeable delay in the new titles’ release. All the same, it’s rather bittersweet as we await those already partially completed on our shelves…


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