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Tuesday Twitter Treats – DMP and SuBLime Announce New Licenses

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Twitter Treasures From Digital Manga and SuBLime

Both Digital Manga Publishing and SuBLime had fans glued to social media sources tonight when representatives from both teased they’d be announcing a number of new licenses this evening. I was following them both via their Twitter accounts (DMP/SuBLime) for the news.

Digital Manga (blog post):

The Man I Picked Up – CJ Michalski (June)
With a Dictionary and No Skirt – Tomoyuki Enoki (Project-H)
Colorful Harvest – Ponkotsu Works (Project-H)
An Ideal Day to Fall in Love – Ponkotsu Works (Project-H)

CJ Michalski’s The Man I Picked Up is about a club-owner who finds an injured young man outside his establishment. It’s a one-shot, love-at-first-sight boys’ love story by the same creator as That Was Good, which DMP published last year.

With a Dictionary and No Skirt, Colorful Harvest and An Ideal Day to Fall in Love are all one-shot volumes as well, all three published under DMP’s hentai imprint, Project-H. Colorful Harvest is the story of a young man returning home to help with his family’s vineyards where he meets an old childhood friend.

SuBLime (blog post):

Kiss Ariki – Youka Nitta
Awkward Silence – Hinako Takanaga

Both these new boys’ love titles are scheduled for digital and print releases (yay!) with their first volumes due out this summer.

Kiss Ariki is currently being published in English by Animate USA on the Kindle. Since August 2010 they’ve published seven chapters. Presumably SuBLime will be doing their own translations and typesetting. Several other Youka Nitta titles have been released by Animate USA and other publishers over the years, including DMP’s White Brand and Otodama. Her series, Kiss Ariki, is about a yakuza’s son sent to a deserted island for his protection. Along with him is the son of his father’s second-in-command. Two young men + deserted island? You guess the rest!

Hinako Takanaga’s Awkward Silence is my favourite announcement of the night. As a huge fan of the creator’s work, I’ll always be happy to have more of her books to purchase. This title in particular I’ve been buying in French and I’m super excited to get a copy in English (my French reading skills are more than a bit rusty these days!). It’s an adorable story about a young man whose shyness leads to trouble speaking and expressing his feelings. When asked out by the classmate he has a crush on, he begins to open up to both him and his friends. Very cute and often funny! I’d recommend this series to those who enjoyed Hinako Takanaga’s Little Butterfly.

Categories: Digital Manga, Licensing, Manga, News, Project-H, Sublime, Yaoi/Boys' Love | Tags: Hentai, Hinako Takanaga

Sleepless Nights, In These Words – New BL Titles Scheduled For Print

By Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, February 18, 2012

2 Comments »

New BL Titles Scheduled for Print

A few different tidbits of boys’ love news rounded up from the week today. Always makes me happy when I can write up about more books heading to print!

Continuing a recent trend of license announcements, Digital Manga has posted news of their license for Sachi Murakami’s one-shot story collection, Sleepless Nights. The title is scheduled for both a digital and print release, with dates yet to be revealed. The book’s title story follows two men who, after sharing a sexual relationship when younger, meet years later and become roommates.

Over on Amazon, I also came across a listing for a print edition of Guilt Pleasure’s In These Words. The Guilt|Pleasure website confirms this book will have a summer release. As a big fan of Jo Chen’s artwork (Guilt Pleasure is her group name for her boys’ love work), I’m thrilled to see In These Words coming to print in English with some wider distribution. It’s listed as being published by Digital Manga’s 801Media imprint, also an exciting note for the branching out it symbolizes for the company. Digital Manga already offers several originally English-language titles on their digital eManga website such as a Teahouse preview and Yaoi Press books but this is the first time they’ve published one in print.

A text version of the story can be read over on the creator’s website and you can drool over her gorgeous artwork on the site’s blog. A short synopsis from their site for In These Words is as follows:

“Asano Katsuya is an US trained psychiatrist who had been recruited by the Tokyo Police Department to provide a profile through the victims’ data. Based on Asano’s profile and recommendation, an elaborate plan was put in place to lure the serial killer out. It was within months the plan bore a successful result. After three years and twelve victims, Shinohara Keiji was finally in the police custody. Shinohara had promised a thorough confession, however, on the absolute term that Asano has to be the one to receive it. Besides the curious request by the killer whom Asano was only familiar with on paper, disturbing nightmares began to plague him as soon as he was given the case…”

Yaoi Press – a publisher of boys’ love content from artists around the world – is returning to print publishing with a new title due out in the summer as well. The company has focused almost exclusively on digital BL novels via their Yaoi Prose (18+) imprint since 2009. Punishment is a one-shot graphic novel written by the company’s owner, Yamila Abraham, and illustrated by Yifeng Jiang. A synopsis and larger cover image for the book can be seen over on the Yaoi Press website. I’m really happy to see them returning to print publishing for a couple titles, and even more so that it’s a simultaneous return to fully illustrated releases.

And lastly, in digital BL news, SuBLime has released another title for purchase and download this past Valentine’s Day- Isaku Natsume’s Devil’s Honey. Originally scheduled for the same day, volumes two of Love Pistols and Husband, Honeymoon have both been pushed back to February 29.

Categories: Digital Manga, June, Licensing, Manga, Manhua, News, OEL/GlobalManga, Sublime, Yaoi Press, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

Erementar Gerade Re-Licensed By DMP For Digital Release

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, February 10, 2012

Erementar Gerade Re-Licensed By Digital Manga Publishing

Digital Manga Publishing announced via their Twitter Thursday night that they’ve re-licensed the manga series, Erementar Gerade (followed up with a post about it as well).

The series was originally released in English by Tokyopop under the name Elemental Gelade, but they stopped production of the series with volume twelve in August 2010. The series is eighteen volumes total and complete in Japan, but has a currently on-going sequel.

“After a routine raid, rookie air pirate Coud Van Giruet discovers a most unusual bounty: Ren, an “Edyll Raid,” is a living weapon that reacts with a human to become a fighting machine. As he realizes that Ren is even more prized than he thought, she is captured by an evil man who sells Edyll Raids on the black market. Can Coud and the agents of the Elemental Gelade Protection Agency team join forces and rescue her without killing themselves… or each other?” – Elemental Gelade (Vol. 01)

Having never read the series, and being unfamiliar with its selling history, I wasn’t sure what and where the demand was which prompted Digital Manga to pick it up. Is there a demand big enough to warrant a re-release? It became easier to understand why the company would take a risk on a title that never seemed to be a big hit when they announced via Twitter tonight that it would be digital only, starting from volume one.

Erementar Gerade is now scheduled to be a part of their Digital Manga Guild offerings where translation, editing and lettering will be done by the guild’s members instead of Digital Manga’s full-time or freelance staff. The title will then, if released the same as their other titles, be available through their eManga website and Amazon’s Kindle.

Any manga license announced as digital-only still leaves a big pit in my stomach as I make no secret of my heavy preference for print. Optimistically in this instance, at least, I’ve met and read of quite a few Kindle owners frustrated by the overwhelming amounts of boys’ love content compared to anything else available to purchase. It’s good to see these individuals will have some more different material to choose from in the future as Digital Manga branches out genres with their guild offerings. With questions coming up regarding the quality of the guild’s work varying wildly group to group (Twitter folks, always food for thought there!), it’ll be interesting to see if any further editorial oversight is given to a series that will likely face a much broader audience.

Categories: Digital Manga, Licensing, Manga, News |

Kodansha Comics To Release Sequel Series to Genshiken

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, February 10, 2012

Kodansha Comics To Release Genshiken Sequel

AnimeNewsNetwork reported that Kodansha Comics will be releasing the sequel to Genshiken – Genshiken: Second Season. A listing for volume one of the series appeared on both Amazon.com and Amazon.ca earlier this week.

Kodansha Comics will be releasing the prequel series in omnibus format with the first volume coming out this May. There’s no indication in the retail listings that Genshiken: Second Season will be released in a similar fashion, though the shipping weight does match the Genshiken omnibus (observation only!). Genshiken: Second Season is currently two volumes in Japan and on-going.

The series is a direct continuation of the original story (unlike it’s several spin-off series), which resumes the story of the Genshiken school club and the activities of it’s ‘otaku’ members.

Categories: Kodansha Comics, Licensing, Manga, News |

Digital Manga Licenses Shoko Takaku’s ‘I’ve Seen It All’ BL

By Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, February 4, 2012

3 Comments »

Digital Manga Licenses I've Seen It All

Digital Manga’s newsletter this week announced a new boys’ love title license – Shoko Takaku’s I’ve Seen It All. The series currently has two volumes released in Japan, though Digital Manga’s announcement doesn’t specify if their license is for the first or both.

09/02/12 Update: ANN has confirmed with Digital Manga that their license includes both volumes.

I’ve Seen It All is about a doctor who specializes in male genitalia. He spends his days helping men with a variety of issues and becoming more and more disenchanted with the notion that a male can be attractive between the legs. Enter a man named Asano! I’m sure you can guess the rest. You can read (in Japanese) a more detailed description and see a close up of the cover on Amazon.jp. Sounds pretty entertaining to me!

I still get nostalgic seeing Shoko Takaku’s work since their title Passion was one of the first boys’ love released in English (excluding Gravitation which had strong BL elements). It was thus the first BL title I bought. I still remembering running to the store from school to buy it the day it came out and being the first in my group of friends to proudly hold up a boys’ love book. Her work was thus the first BL to hit my bookshelves and the start of many more to come! Along with the four volume series, Passion, Digital Manga has also released two Shoko Takaku one-shots, Kissing and Shy Intentions.

There’s no news yet on when I’ve Seen It All will be published.

Categories: Digital Manga, June, Licensing, Manga, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

Digital Manga Licenses Recent Momoko Tenzen Title – Flutter

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, January 27, 2012

Digital Manga Licenses Momoko Tenzen's Flutter

As a little end of the week treat, Digital Manga announced via their Twitter account that they’ve licensed Momoko Tenzen’s one-shot, Flutter. It’s one of their most recent works, published in Japan just this past October. Digital Manga confirmed on their Twitter shortly after that Flutter is one of their standard licenses, meaning it’ll go to print and have a digital edition.

Flutter is about two businessmen who come into a relationship after being paired together on a project at work. The book also includes another short story titled Sleepless Siesta.

Digital Manga has released seven other Momoko Tenzen one-shots in the past and each one was under their boys’ love imprint, June. Flutter will presumably be published under the same imprint as well. If curious about the creator’s other works, Shannon has reviews posted for La Satanica, Ciao Ciao Bambino and Suggestive Eyes. I also wrote a review for Momoko Tenzen’s Manhattan Love Story.

Categories: Digital Manga, June, Licensing, Manga, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

Project-H Licenses New Hentai Title, Velvet Kiss

By Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, January 22, 2012

Project H Licenses Velvet Kiss

Digital Manga announced a new manga license early this weekend – Chihiro Harumi’s Velvet Kiss. The title has been licensed under their Project-H imprint which is for their hentai titles (18+ only!).

Velvet Kiss is currently four volumes in Japan. Digital Manga’s license is currently for the first two though there’s no info yet regarding when the first volume will be released. The series is about a young man who finds himself looking after a woman in lieu of paying off a large debt he owes.

(( Edit: The news of Velvet Kiss being licensed was previously announced back in November 2011. My mistake and apologies for forgetting I’d already posted on it, while Digital Manga themselves seems to have made the same ‘oops!’. Nothing wrong with some extra enthusiasm… right? ))

I haven’t had any luck getting copies of Digital Manga‘s Project-H books as of yet, with multiple titles currently released. The company’s books are tricky enough to get a hold of with release dates through their Akadot website varying by a couple months to bookstores and Diamond Comics. Project-H books seem to be doubly hampered by low print runs (which is not unexpected for this kind of title) that have left me on cancelled or waiting lists for Amazon, Chapters and the direct market since their first book was released mid-2011! I’ve heard from a few who’ve been able to get copies shipped their way though so the books undoubtedly exist, they just take a bit more effort than many it seems. If you’re ordering online, pre-ordering these titles seems your best bet to get a copy. You can expect a review or two here on Kuriousity for Digital Manga’s newest imprint as soon as me or my writers manage to find a book!

Categories: Digital Manga, Licensing, Manga, News, Project-H |

Digital Manga Launches Second Kickstarter for Tezuka’s Barbara

By Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, January 15, 2012

20 Comments »

Digital Manga Starts Kickstarter for Tezuka's Barbara

On Friday Digital Manga Publishing launched their second Kickstarter – a crowd-souring website that takes monetary pledges towards a goal. While DMP’s first project was to fund Osamu Tezuka’s Swallowing the Earth back for a second printing, this time they’re collecting pledges to go towards licensing and publishing a new Tezuka title – Barbara.

“Wandering the packed tunnels of Shinjuku Station, famous author Yosuke Mikura makes a strange discovery: a seemingly homeless drunk woman who can quote French poetry. Her name is Barbara. He takes her home for a bath and a drink, and before long Barbara has made herself into Mikura’s shadow, saving him from egotistical delusions and jealous enemies. But just as Mikura is no saint, Barbara is no benevolent guardian angel, and Mikura grows obsessed with discovering her secrets, tangling with thugs, sadists, magical curses and mythical beings – all the while wondering whether he himself is still sane.”

In only two days the company has received pledges totalling more than the $6500 they were asking for. Their press release states that additional rewards (extras for those who pledge more than the $25 cost of the book) will be released throughout the month leading up to the date they’ll be closing the drive and collecting the money (February 13th).

While those who pledge $25+ in this drive have been guaranteed copies of the book once it’s complete – scheduled for sometime in July 2012 – Digital Manga’s Ben Applegate has stated that copies will also be printed and distributed to bookstores as well. I’m grateful for this as it allows me to keep supporting my local businesses and avoid the $20+ I’d very likely end up paying just for the shipping of a single book to Canada through their service (which I’ve now learned is considered overseas? Choose a better word, USPS!). It also means those new to Tezuka or manga, or those curious but not willing to buy blindly, can still have a chance to flip through and make an informed decision. There’s no word on what size this print run will be though and it’s questionable how available this title will be when they need to seek outside funding from consumers just to finance it initially.

The last time Digital Manga used a Kickstarter drive to fund their operations I was skeptical and even after the first’s success, I still am. I’m thrilled to see another older title get a shot at English publication, let there be no question of that. But that Digital Manga is again using a system like Kickstarter – typically used by individuals or small groups without financial backers or partners that companies have – still just doesn’t sit right with me. While I shared my initial thoughts back in November, this second project prompted elaboration as I continue to try and pinpoint what this kind of move means to me and other manga readers.

PR: DMP Platinum Launches Groundbreaking Kickstarter Tezuka’s Barbara

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, January 13, 2012

Digital Manga is partnering with fans to produce a gripping, never-before-translated work by father of modern manga Osamu Tezuka!

Gardena, CA (January 13th, 2012) As part of its effort to accelerate the licensing and publishing of high-quality niche and classic manga in the United States, Digital Manga, Inc., today launched a campaign on crowd-funding site Kickstarter to translate Barbara by Osamu Tezuka, an adult drama never before published in English. For the next 30 days, fans will be able to pledge in exchange for a variety of rewards, including copies of Barbara and exclusive bonuses. If the target total of $6,500 is reached by the deadline (Feb. 12, 2012), production of Barbara will move forward.

The campaign follows on a previously successful Kickstarter project to fund a new print run of another work by Tezuka, Swallowing the Earth, which made more than 220% of its goal in November and December. (New copies of Swallowing the Earth will be available through Akadot.com in February.) If the Barbara campaign reaches its target, Barbara will be published under Digital Manga’s DMP Platinum imprint in a large paperback, 5 7/8″ x 8 1/4″, the same size as Swallowing the Earth.

Additional bonuses include a digital companion to Barbara available exclusively to Kickstarter backers, a limited-edition Tezuka tribute poster with original art screen-printed by Two Rabbits Studios in downtown Los Angeles and original T-shirts printed by Forward Printing in Oakland, CA. Final art for the posters and T-shirts as well as additional rewards will be posted on the Kickstarter page as the month progresses.

PR: Author of the Doujin Smash Hit Radio de Go! Creates New Manga for GEN!

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, January 13, 2012

GEN Manga Announces the Release of Let’s Eat Ramen

Let’s Eat Ramen appears in GEN 8 and will be available nationwide Jan. 2011!

NEW YORK, NY – GEN Manga Entertainment, Inc. announces the release of Let’s Eat Ramen in GEN 8. (GEN 8, 162 pages, black and white, 1.99) will be available Jan. 2011.

Nagumo is the author of the popular series Radio de Go! Making his debut in Manga Time Kirakira Carat in 2007 he has since made waves in the Japanese doujin community with his smash hit Radio de Go! Now Nagumo will be releasing a new original story for GEN Manga titled Let’s Eat Ramen.

Let’s Eat Ramen is the story of Saeki, a girl who loves ramen noodles. At last, she thinks that she has finally found the perfect ramen shop, but the problem is the shop is completely full of old regulars and she can’t get in. Will the timid Saeki ever summon the willpower to reach out and get the ramen that she desperately wants? An indie manga about the finer points of eating ramen noodles from the creator of the radio manga Radio de Go!, brought to you by genmanga.com.

Junji Ohno creates his second sassy new cover for GEN 8. Ohno made his debut at the age 19 in Weekly Shonen Magazine, and has been a regular contributor to numerous weeklies in Japan, such as Weekly Shonen Fang, Comic Bonbon, and Shonen Comic Champion. Ohno’s work includes: Shiritsu Justice Gakuen (1998), Hotshot, Axel Rex, and Spider Riders. Junji Ohno is the newest edition to GEN, America’s number one source for authentic doujin manga, where Junji will be making his American debut as the new cover artist.

Readers can also find consecutive issues available on Graphicly. Graphicly is available on numerous platforms, including the Nook, iphone, and Android.

PR: Animate USA Adds New Kindle Titles for January 2012

By Lissa Pattillo on Friday, January 13, 2012

ANIMATE USA – NEW RELEASES IN AMAZON KINDLE STORE

TOKYO, JAPAN – January 12th – Animate U.S.A., Inc. is excited to announce its monthly releases for January! New this month is a never-before-published story by You Higashino, “Theorem of Desire.” It continues the previously released story “Aphrodisiac Kiss.” Also available in January is the one-shot story “Platinum Pasta” by Youka Nitta and the continuation of Naduki Koujima’s popular “Selfish Love” series. “Platinum Pasta” and “Theorem of Desire” can only be found on the Kindle, so you can’t get them anywhere else!

For more information, go to www.animate-world.com and www.libre-pub.co.jp If one release from Youka Nitta isn’t enough to satisfy you, check out nittayouka.com for recent news, comments, wallpapers, and more. We don’t have an Ayano Yamane release this month, but you can always keep up with her on her website yamaneayano.com complete with updates, artwork, and author commentary! Support your favorite authors by visiting their websites!

January 2011:
Youka Nitta – “Platinum Pasta” KINDLE EXCLUSIVE!!!
You Higashino – “Theorem Of Desire” KINDLE EXCLUSIVE!!!
Naduki Koujima – “Selfish Love Vol.2 Part 4” KINDLE DEBUT

“Platinum Pasta” by Youka Nitta

It’s been a year since Mamiya opened up his Italian restaurant at a coastal resort. Stocking up on top-class ingredients from a fisherman named Ohsuga and an herb garden owner named Eiji, his restaurant has skyrocketed. Then one night, Mamiya happens to see a lover’s quarrel between Ohsuga and Eiji, and he begins to plan an intervention…

“Theorem of Desire” by You Higashino

Never before published in print, it’s finally out for the Kindle!
It’s the sequel to “Aphrodisiac Kiss.”
Ayashima was about to be attacked, but he was saved by Takamura.
Takamura’s kisses melt his stubborn heart from his painful past and draw out his sexual desire…

“Selfish Love Vol.2 Part 4” by Naduki Koujima

The Unexpected Climax!
Orito, the President of the Honors Society, won’t take “no” for an answer. He refuses to stop pursuing the affections of Ryuuya, the Vice President.

After all, according to Orito, the Vice President is supposed to be his “right hand man.” The advances keep escalating, and Ryuuya’s honor is at stake!

Will he remain pure and defiant, or will he give in to Orito’s strong and sensuous game of love?

Read more…

Categories: Boys-Luv.com, Licensing, Press Releases, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

NBM Confirms Publication of Araki’s Rohan at the Louvre

By Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Rohan at the Louvre

NBM Publishing has confirmed on their website that they’ll be releasing a one-shot from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures’ creator, Hirohiko Araki – Rohan at the Louvre. The title originally popped up on Amazon early this past Autumn.

The book will be hardcover and full-colour, clocking in at 128 pages. It’s due for release in April 2012 and will cost $19.99 (both US and CAN). It’s great to see newer titles are coming out with equal pricing across North America!

“Rohan, a young mangaka, meets a beautiful mysterious young woman with a dramatic story. Seeing him draw, she tells him of a cursed 200 year old painting using the blackest ink ever known from a 1000 year old tree the painter had brought down without approval from the Emperor who had him executed for doing so. The painting meanwhile had been saved from destruction by a curator of the Louvre. Rohan forgets this story as he becomes famous but ten years later, visiting Paris, he takes the occasion to try and locate the painting. Little does he know how violently powerful the curse of it is until he has the museum unearth it from deep within its archival bowels…”

Rohan at the Louvre is also available to purchase online at Amazon.ca. It was listed in this month’s Diamond Previews for ordering into your local comic store. The title is also available to purchase in French and you can see interior preview pages on the Amazon product webpage.

Categories: Licensing, Manga, News |

Digital Manga Gifts With New License – Secretary’s Job

By Lissa Pattillo on Monday, December 26, 2011

Digital Manga License's Secretary's Job

Digital Manga announced a new title license for their print line earlier this week, just in time to head off for holiday vacation – Miki Araya’s Secretary’s Job. It’s a one-shot title by the creator of Digital Manga’s previously released I’ll Be Your Slave. There are no further details on the imprint or release date, but it’ll likely be under the June line based on Miki Araya’s previous title.

Secretary’s Job is about a “legendary secretary” who is assigned to the son of a company’s president. An office romance springs from a sudden kiss. Also included in the book is another short story titled ‘Fried Rice’. The book was originally published in Japan this past September.

Categories: June, Licensing, Yaoi/Boys' Love |

SuBLimeManga.com Launches Website and Adds a New Title

By Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, December 22, 2011

SuBLime Website Launches

Just as promised when news of their existence was announced, SuBLime has launched their website this week. No titles are yet available to purchase but they have release dates listed for their first four titles due out January 31, 2011.

I really like the website’s design – simple, fast-loading and quite visually cute while simultaneously rather classy. There’s a newsletter you can sign up for, as well as registration for the site itself which will allow you to comment and purchase and download the digital editions when they’re available. The forum is currently marked as ‘Coming Soon’.

Tonight SuBLime also announced a new title – Iwamoto Kaoru and Fuwa Shinri’s Yebisu Celebrities. The first volume was originally released by BeBeautiful back in 2007. SuBLime will be releasing this five volume series digital-only, starting in March 2012. The story takes places at a design firm, one where only the talented and attractive are allowed, as the new part-timer catches his boss’s eye. As part of the new license, SuBLime will be doing some related giveaways in January when the staff returns from holiday vacation.

Categories: Licensing, Manga, Misc, News, Sublime, Yaoi/Boys' Love |