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Internet-splunkage today stumbled me upon a post from user saaria on the AarinFantasy forums, that states Digital Manga has confirmed the cancellation of Yura Miyazawa’s Love Syndrome. Amazon has the book marked for a May 2009 release but the title is not present on Digital Manga’s website.
I shot out an e-mail to Digital Manga for confirmation on this, but in the meantime took to looking if there may be other unknown casualities.
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Awaken Forest – Yuna Aoi
Published by June (DMP)
A warning to readers looking for romance and fluff: you won’t find it here in this collection of short stories. Any attempts at it was superficial at best, a light coat of sugar overtop much darker themes, including incest, rape and violent bullying. Those stories that did end with a semblance of romantic joy were the least likeable in the whole batch, in full because they didn’t feel justified or believable.
The first story was the most notable example of this, where the age-old ‘love at first sight’ excuse is used to have two men fall incomprehensively in love with one another. The obstacle, if you would call him that, in their way is a younger brother who treats his elder sibling as a slave in retribution for a past injury. The story was surprisingly dark and twisted for something I went into expecting the usual boys’ love romance, and admittedly I found that made for an engaging read as the issues formed between the brothers made up the bulk of the story’s attention. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for the relationship haphazardly formed between the two leads, which was laughable at best, and thrown in for good-yaoi-measure in the end.
With following stories of sadistic bullies and abusive masters, it’s a bit hard to see why Digital Manga would pick up such a title and slide it into their June imprint, which (though with a few exceptions) is more the romantic or comedic variety of boys’ love. While some readers may find the content of Awaken Forest unsettling, for those who can stomach it, they do prove the real spark to the chapters.
If only the half-hearted attempts at romance, bad by even stereotypical boys’ love standards, weren’t there to spoil what otherwise could’ve been a darkly satisfying read of twisted psyches. An engaging read for those looking for some harsher content, and willing to put up with its slogging romances, but a definitive no for those looking for light-hearted material who would likely be offset by the abusive nature of the stories.
Review written May 6, 2009 by Lissa Pattillo
Book provided by Digital Manga for review purposes
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Author: Yuuki Kousaka
Manga-ka: Midori Shena
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: March 2008
Synopsis: “Though Katsuya only spent one summer with brothers Kazuki and Shio, the impression that the beautiful Shio left was one that would last a lifetime. Truth be told, even after 12 years, Katsuya still can’t get Shio out of his head. So quite impulsively, Katsuya goes off to Tokyo and applies to the company that Shio helped found. The reunion he had hoped for comes unexpectedly, when he is forced to share a dorm with Shio himself! Acting cold and aloof, however, the Shio of Katsuya’s dreams is not the same as the real Shio. Can Katsuya pick up the pieces of his shattered dreams and start over?”
Sweet Admiration is the story of Katsuya, a country boy who moves to Tokyo for work. The first thing Katsuya does is plan to meet with a childhood friend, Kazuki, in hopes of finding a place to stay while he awaits his company’s housing development. However, things don’t work out as planned; that is, until things suddenly take a turn in his favour when his new boss places him with a roommate in the “company dorms”, with someone Katsuya has had on his mind since childhood: Kazuki’s older brother, Shio.
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Manga-ka: Toko Kawai
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: March 2009
Synopsis: “Chiaki Sakaguchi appears to be a sociable, popular high school senior, but he carries a dark secret with him that he can tell no one about – not even his closest friends. When Chiaki meets fellow student Eiji Yukimura – an under-achieving social misfit – for the first time, he believes he’s found someone who can understand his inner pain. As the two become closer, Chiaki learns that Eiji has a secret also – a secret so dark, it threatens to overshadow his own. United by common dysfunction and angst, Chiaki and Eiji begin to search for pleasure together beyond their pain.”
Notably heavier than your usual boys’ love fluff, Cut is the story of two young students whose dark pasts have left their toll both mentally and physically. Their growing love for one another becomes a gateway to a kind of peace that neither has known before and together they weather the storm of their own personal issues.
Digital Manga’s DMPBooks.com is the next new-layout successor to their company’s main company website. DMP is Digital Manga’s signature line-up of books, generally whatever isn’t boys’ love. The new website includes a forum being used between their Digital Manga, DMP, Doki Doki and eManga sites, and features that we’ve been seeing over at DigitalManga, such as the surveys, easy-to-find new release lists, updated search functions for their library and a streamlined blog. They currently have a survey asking visitors what they think of the new look.
A new blog post also confirms andofficially announces two new DMP titles: Yashakiden: The Demon Princess and Taimashin: The Red Spider Exorcist. A listing for Taimashin was first spotted on Amazon in February.
And finally, in celebration of these two new licenses and the upcoming third volume of Vampire Hunter D, DMP is offering a chance to win multiple prizes for those who pre-order Hideyuki Kikuchi’s book. Vampire Hunter D swag includes lots of autographed goodies, from manga volumes to illustration cards.
As for me, I’m happy to see another of Digital Manga’s sites get a long overdue overhaul, though I find this one isn’t as sleek on the loading time as DigitalManga.com. None the less, the change is welcomed, the new licenses look interesting and I hope that its a good indication of shiny, organized things to come for 801Media.com and Junemanga.com.
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Manga-ka: Makoto Tateno
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: July 2008
Synopsis: “After resorting to out-and-out blackmail to satisfy his desire, Minami realizes his failure to live up to the hero he portrays on television – but the damage may already be done. In real life, he and his co-star Sawada now resemble the arch-enemies they play on “Trans-Dimensional Warriors Airguard.” Despite the show’s success, the icy air between Sawada and Minami is starting to become noticeable. Enter Takagi, an ex-boyfriend and former co-star of Sawada’s, who joins the cast to play a special guest role. Will Sawada and Takagi’s complicated history create even more tension on the set?”
The trials of volume one have left Minami torn, struggling to move on from his desires for co-star, Sawada. After a one-night stand, Sawada tells Minami that he has no interest in him and only slept with the co-star because it’s sex and Minami had been so persistent (resorting to blackmail). In attempts to distract himself, Minami becomes involved with another actor on the television production. Cue the arrival of Takagi, a kind and talented actor who was also Sawada’s previous co-star and lover.
A few things of note today while I attempt to finish one of the way-to-many partially finished reviews sitting on my desktop :)
Amazon.ca has a listing for Kambayashi Chohei’s science fiction light novel, Yukikaze. As there’s no artist listed, I’m making the assumption it’s the light novel and not a manga (not sure if one exists?). New news, old news, either way it’s good news for fans like me! I absolutely loved the anime and have awaited the day I’d get a chance to read the original novel. According to Amazon, that day will be January 19, 2010.
Freelance manga adapter, Ysabet, has a LiveJournal post with a credits correction pertaining to the upcoming volume two of Shinobi Life. Contrary to the book, adaptation credit goes to her while the translation was done by Lori Riser. Also, Ysabet lives in the same city as me so how cool is that? Pretty darn cool because Halifax is awesome like that.
Speaking of LiveJournal, Digital Manga has taken to the community site with two accounts for its imprints: one for June Manga and another for 801Media. They also have another account, june_manga_chat, where they invite questions and discussion pertaining to their titles, while the other two accounts seem primarily for newsletter and preview-type posts. (Source: The Yaoi Review)
And speaking of Digital Manga, their imprint 801Media has recently announced the winners of their 801-chan Contest. Entrants were invited to script short 4-panel strips as seen in the back of their books starring the imprints mascot characters. Six winners were chosen (including myself, yay!) and they’ll all have their scripts drawn into the full-colour strips by the original artist and the strips will then be published in future releases. Congrats to all the winners!
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Manga-ka: Isaku Natsume
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: December 2007
Synopsis: “Akimoto has just started his high school career at Miya High and is burning with enthusiasm; he is overjoyed to finally be able to meet his long time Judo idol Saitou! Akimoto has watched Saitou ever since his middle school days, but the real Saitou isn’t matching up to the Saitou of Akimoto’s dreams. Foul mouthed, with a bad attitude and superiority complex, Saitou has decided to use Akimoto’s admiration against him and turn him into his slave. Saitou also hides a dark secret, and when it’s revealed, what will Akimoto think of him then?”
In Dash, we’re introduced to Akimoto, a high school freshmen with a love of Judo. Attending his school as a senior is Saitou, Akimoto’s idol after watching him flawlessly win a Judo competition a few years ago. Eager to get closer to him and see him in action again, Akimoto tries to befriend Saitou, and it works to a point, but there barely seems enough room for Akimoto next to Saitou’s ego.
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Manga-ka: Nabako Kamo
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: April 2008
Synopsis: “Kanan is a passive sort, whose timidity has a way of irritating anyone around him with half an ounce of self-respect. When investigating an upstairs apartment leak, he discovers the source is something beyond his wildest fantasy-a mermaid?! That’s Mr.Mermaid, thank you very much. Kaioh is aquatic royalty, with tears of pearl and a selfish, bullying attitude bigger than the ocean. One look at submissive Kanan, and Mr.Mermaid knows he’s found someone to wait on him hand and foot!”
Kanan is passive, submissive and generally walked over by everyone. One day he heads home only to discover his apartment is soaking wet after an upstairs tenant leaves the water running. Much to his surprise, said upstairs tenant is actually a mermaid (or merman as the case would be), and after being kicked out of his apartment, the mermaid moves into Kanan’s bathtub. Not only does the mermaid, Kaoih, start ordering Kanan around for food and service, but it also turns out he’s literally a ‘royal’ pain in the butt.
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Manga-ka: Takashi Kanzaki
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: January 2009
Synopsis: “Kou is staying at the dorm of Seiran Academy High School to prevent himself from acting on his love for his sweet and meet stepbrother Naruki. But Naruki follows him to Seiran! Now, Kou has to protect Naruki not only from himself, but from other students who want to have innocent Naruki for themselves. Enter Yoshino, Kou’s roommate, with his brilliant plan – hypnotize Naruki into becoming someone who can defend himself. Kou reluctantly agrees, but the result blows his mind! Now, every time Naruki is aroused, he develops a split personality – seme-Naruki, who will take any chance to top anyone, but most especially Kou!”
Double Trouble is a comedic tale of boys’ love that plays almost entirely on the idea that guys never have anything but sex on the brains. I’ll leave the validity of the statement alone, but at least say that it’s a focus that works well in the book’s favour. Cue the mild incest and love triangles!
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