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Posts Tagged Japan Expo

Viz Media Revives and Bewitches with Licenses at Japan Expo

Viz Media Revives and Bewitches with Licenses at Japan Expo

There was more from Japan Expo before the weekend was done as Viz Media took the panel stage to announce two new series:

Phantom Thief Jeanne – Arina Tanemura
Spell of Desire – Tomu Ohmi

Phantom Thief Jeanne (also known as Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne) joins Viz Media’s already hefty library of Arina Tanemura titles, including the recent Sakura Hime and my personal favourite, Full Moon O Sagashite. PTJ is a license ‘rescue’ – CMX originally released the entire seven volume series before shutting down. For those of us who’ve never read it, or perhaps have been unable to find a particular volume to finish a collection after many, many years, will now have another chance to own the series in its entirety. The first volume is scheduled for March 2014.

“By day, Kusakabe Maron is an ordinary high school girl with more than her share of problems. But by night, she is Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne – the reincarnation of Joan of Arc! Her mission? Hunt down demon-possessed paintings and exorcise the evil spirits! But accomplishing this mission puts her in conflict with the authorities who only see her as a mysterious stranger vandalizing works of art. With only the help of angel-in-training Finn, she must survive high school during the day and fight evil by night!” – CMX, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne (Vol. 01)

Spell of Desire is a supernatural romance for older-than-the-usual audiences. Its’ creator, Tomu Ohmi,just had the first volume of their series, Midnight Secretary, released by Viz Media last week. Spell of Desire is currently four volumes long in Japan with the first English volume scheduled for August 2014.

The story stars a young woman named Kaoruko who runs a herb shop after losing her parents when she was young. Her world begins to change when a mysterious man named Kaname enters the shop and Kaoruko learns there is more to her family, her shop and herself than she ever knew.

Both these new series will be released under Viz Media’s Shoujo Beat imprint.
Credit for the news’ details goes to AnimeNewsNetwork


Yen Press Makes Their Own Impact With Light Novels, Sword Art Online and New Madoka Magica Manga at Japan Expo

Yen Press Announces Light Novels, New Madoka Magica Manga at Japan Expo

Word is that the new North American convention, Japan Expo: First Impact, is off to a slow start but at least one company – Yen Press – gave it the benefit of the doubt by saving some licenses to announce:

Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story – Magica Quartet/Hanokage
Sword Art Online Aincrad – Tamako Nakamura
Sword Art Online Fairy Dance – Tsubasa Hazuki

If these three titles look familiar, it’s because they’re all connected to recent popular anime franchises. You can currently watch the original Puella Magi Madoka Magica series on Crunchyroll, as well Sword Art Online.

PMMM: The Different Story is a spin-off of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and follows two of the characters, Tomoe Mami & Sakura Kyouko, in their own magical girl story. This three volume series is drawn by the same artist as the PMMM manga (read my review of volume one) and stars two of the original main characters. I’m hoping that equates to me enjoying it more than the recent Puella Magi Kazumi Magica – The Innocent Malice, which you can read my review for.

Sword Art Online Aincrad is the manga adaptation of the series, which was originally adapted from a light novel prior to getting an anime (more on that a few lines down!). The story follows some of 10 000 players trapped in a new virtual reality game where winning is the only way to survive and death there means death in the real world. Sword Art Online Fairy Dance is a sequel and continues the story of its leads trying to best the game’s hundred levels. This is the first time either artist has had a work released in English.

That wasn’t all at Japan Expo though. Yen Press surprised, and hopefully pleased, many readers by announcing two light novel series:

Accel World – Reki Kawahara/HIMA
Sword Art Online – Reki Kawahara/abec

Few publishers have been willing to take risks on light novels – which are niches in niches – but it seems Yen Press’s results with some of their previous light novels, including Haruhi Suzumiya and Spice & Wolf, has kept up the faith. Remember, readers, if you want them, then you have to support them!

Credit for news details goes ANN


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