An Outspoken Outsider With Amazing Singing Talent Tries To Fit In And Still Maintain Her Hard Edge In The Latest Manga Series From VIZ Media’s Shojo Beat Imprint

San Francisco, CA, February 8, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, debuts the poignant shojo manga (graphic novel) series, A DEVIL AND HER LOVE SONG, now available. The new title, published under the company’s Shojo Beat imprint, is rated ‘T’ for Teens and carries an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.

Meet Maria Kawai – she’s gorgeous and whip-smart, a girl who seems to have it all. But when she unleashes her sharp tongue, it’s no wonder some consider her to be the very devil! Maria’s difficult ways even get her kicked out of an elite school, but this particular fall may actually turn out to be her saving grace… Maria’s frank nature gains her more enemies at her new school, but her angelic singing voice inadvertently catches the attention of Yusuke Kanda and Shin Meguro. Can these boys mend her hardened heart, or will they just end up getting scorched?

“Maria Kawai, an outspoken and radically honest girl who struggles to fit in at a new school, is beautiful and has an amazing singing voice, but isn’t the least bit concerned with being nice or popular,” says Amy Yu, Editor. “When she gets bullied by fellow classmates, two boys step up to aid her—Yusuke Kanda, a cheerful and popular guy who always tries to avoid conflict, and Shin Meguro, a moody outsider who tends to keep to himself. All these characters are dealing with something that we all struggle with—trying to figure out who we truly are and accepting ourselves even though the community asks us to be someone we’re not. It’s an engaging new series that offers a lot of depth, and we’re proud to have it be a part of the Shojo Beat imprint.”

Manga creator Miyoshi Tomori made her debut in 2001, and her previous titles have included Hatsukare (First Boyfriend), Tongari Root (Square Root), and Brass Love!! Her current series, A DEVIL AND HER LOVE SONG, was featured in Japan in the popular shojo magazine Margaret.

For more information on A DEVIL AND HER LOVE SONG, or other shojo manga titles from VIZ Media, please visit ShojoBeat.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

There was no On The Shelf article last Wednesday because of a week without any new manga releases on my schedule list – how depressing was that? Well I guess we’ll accept those mini lulls now and again, especially with big release days like today following it up.

It’s Viz Media‘s big shipment of the month with nineteen new volumes of manga, including the first volume of A Devil and Her Love Song. You can read the full list of titles out this week over at Otaku USA’s On The Shelf article this week. Along with a slew of new volumes of shonen and soujo series, there’s also new volume of the well-loved Finder series from Digital Manga and two new of their Project-H books. Hopefully something for everyone – enjoy!

SuBLime – a boys’ love publisher in association with Viz Media – released their first digital titles today. While select SuBLime titles will be published in print, their premiering four titles – The Bed of My Dear King, Oku-san’s Daily Fantasies, Love Pistols (Vol.01) and Husband, Honeymoon are all digital-only. Upon purchasing, you’re able to download a PDF edition of the book(s).

A couple fans pointed on via Twitter and SuBLime’s website that Oku-san’s Daily Fantasies has been censored when compared to its run in Libre’s Be x Boy magazine. Genitals were removed/covered with the infamous-by-now blank glowing shape. SuBLime’s editor assured readers that they do not censor any of their titles and that these edits were done by the original publisher. They appear in SuBLime’s edition the same as they do in the original Japanese collected edition.

I hope these titles sell well for SuBLime – as the largest manga publisher in English, and with a lot of resources at their disposal, Viz Media is a company we definitely want to remain confident in the boys’ love market. I’m torn on their digital releases though – I don’t read manga digitally but I want to support titles in hopes they’ll actually be sent to the printers someday. A situation like this is where I think a fundraising program like Digital Manga has been doing would work better. SuBLime has already licensed the title, completed it and put it up for readers to preview and/or purchase to read in full at their discretion. A Kickstarter-like system could be used for readers who want it in print, where interest could be gauged with something more dependable than a simple poll, and serve as a pre-order system that only goes through if enough interest is shown. I’m not ready to pay for a digital copy I likely won’t read on the slim hope that means it gets printed but I would definitely pledge money towards a product presented like this to get published.

Manga-ka: Mitsuru Adachi
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: February 2012

Synopsis: “The arrival of a new year brings Ko’s last shot at Koshien closer at hand, but Akane Takigawa and her striking resemblance to Wakaba cause Ko’s heart to stir. Meanwhile, something happens to make Azuma and Aoba grow closer. Young feelings wax and wane in Ko’s third year of high school. To top it off, the Seishu baseball team gets a new coach?!”

This new volume of Cross Game arrives at the perfect time of year (though one could easily argue that any time of year is perfect for another stirring volume of Mitsuru’s Adachi baseball-driven character drama). With events spanning from early January to mid-February, the snow has begun to melt, the summer Koshien tournament is around the corner and love is undeniably in the air.

In volume five I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about the introduction of Akane, Ko’s new neighbour who bears a striking resemblance to the late Wakaba. It’s been cinched for me now that I love the direction she’s taking the story. Wakaba’s memory has always been something that drives everyone forward and simultaneously holds them back. Akane’s appearance invokes all the same memories but acts as a catalyst for moving people forward.

Akaishi’s feelings of love for Wakaba, for example, are stirred when he sees Akane yet his respect and care for Ko leads him to act as a sort of cupid for the two. It’s sweet but sad. Even Aoba comments that he’s throwing away what could be his ‘second chance’. Ko and Akane begin to grow closer (actual dates! …sort of?) and Azuma surprised me by openly expressing he has romantic feelings for Aoba. One of my favourite moments of the book is when Azuma consciously chooses not to correct an assumption Aoba made, one that works in his favour. It’s a move that while not really callous in nature, was an act just dishonest enough to emphasis the changing dynamics of everyone’s relationship. Everyone is so selfless in this series that this tiny detail sticks out and means a lot as a result. Even Aoba herself begins doing little things for Azuma that shows a careful balance of politeness and careful ‘testing-the-water’ responses to his confession.

On top of it all the casual nuance of Ko and Aoba’s reactions to the slow romantic evolution around them leaves me eager to finally see them open up to one another, while still also loving every moment of this slow burn. Their relationship maintains such an endearing combination of care, snarky teasing and silent understanding that I never seem to stop smiling when the two share page-time.

As everyone’s minds continously waver back to Akane, it occurs to me that a twist like this in another creator’s hands would be ripe for assumption – is Akane a long-lost twin to Wakaba? Is Akane ‘actually’ Wakaba? In Cross Game, I don’t entertain these notions past them coming to mind for but a moment. The series does such an amazing job of showing everyday life as a beautiful thing in it’s subtleties and it’s surprises. Akane is simply (but quite brilliantly) another one of those coincidences that makes life so interesting and I have no expectations, or want, of a giant plot-circling revelation. Mitsuru Adachi also casually slips in scenes of characters discussing Akane’s past just enough to quell any looming sense of mystery that might distract from the events happening now.

Adding a bit of kick to the story is a brief run-in with the rival baseball team who continues to garner a reputation for some underhanded recruitment methods. Aoba also takes a blow during practice that puts her in the hospital for some time. It preludes a scene where Ko and Akane discuss Aoba’s feelings towards being unable to participate in official baseball games because of her gender. “She’s extremely frustrated. Because she can’t play baseball… and because her absence doesn’t affect the team.” Everyone on their team knows that Aoba’s absence weighs on them for different reasons all the same, but that her determination, hard work and devotion ends her no where further than the bench is difficult to see. While I’d love to see an upset that allows her to take the pitcher’s mound herself, the skill synchronicity between her and Ko is being so well developed that it might almost be enough to sate us all one day (at least a little).

At two volumes a release in Viz Media’s omnibus editions, we’ve only got two volumes left until the end of Cross Game. I’m already feeling a foreboding sadness at it’s inevitable end but I’ve little doubt that future re-reads will prove nearly just as relaxing and satisfying as it is the first time through. Volume six really set a different tone for the story, not a shocking change, but one as intuitive and poignant as the character interaction itself. I can’t wait to see all these stirring emotions collide with the tension of the baseball season with their gloves on hand and hearts on sleeve.

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Book bought from Strange Adventures

Releases Based On The New The Film By Hayao Miyazaki’s Famed Animation Studio Include Film Comics, Art And Picture Books

San Francisco, CA, January 26, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, brings the miniaturized adventure of famed Studio Ghibli’s newest animated creation – THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY – to readers everywhere with a collection of ARRIETTY film comics, art and picture books set to debut on February 7th, 2012. THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY is scheduled for North American theatrical release on February 17th, 2012.

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY is based on the celebrated novel, The Borrowers, by Mary Norton and was produced by Studio Ghibli, the famed animation company founded by Hayao Miyazaki, which also created Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo. The new film, with planning/screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki and directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, will feature the voice talents of Bridget Mendler, Amy Poehler, Carol Burnett and Will Arnett for its English language release.

Arrietty isn’t your ordinary fourteen-year-old girl – she is small enough to make her home under the floorboards of a typical house, “borrowing” what she and her family need from the giants in whose shadows they live. A young boy named Shawn befriends Arrietty, but when adults discover the Borrowers, Arrietty and Shawn must work together to save her family.

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY PICTURE BOOK  Rated “A” for All Ages  MSRP: $19.99 U.S. / $22.99 CAN  Available February 7th, 2012
The colorful and easy-to-read THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY Picture Book is a full-color hardcover edition that will appeal to younger readers especially. The book uses the vividly colored animation cel art from the feature film combined with simplified text to retell the story of Arrietty and her adventures.

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY FILM COMICS  Rated “A” for All Ages  MSRP: $16.99 U.S. each / $19.99 CAN each  Available February 7th, 2012
The official 2-volume film comic of THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY re-tells the film’s story with vivid full-color frames.

THE ART OF THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY  Rated “A” for All Ages  MSRP: $34.99 U.S. / $39.99 CAN  Available February 7th, 2012
Co-founded by the legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli films enthrall and enchant audiences across the world. The Art of series gives fans the opportunity to follow their favorite film from initial concept to the silver screen, thanks to hundreds of sketches, concept drawings, and animation cels, plus in-depth interviews with the creators.

“Fans and readers of all ages won’t want to miss these new additions to VIZ Media’s Studio Ghibli Library of titles,” says Masumi Washington, Senior Director, Editorial. “Studio Ghibli has mastered the ability to tell poignant and engaging stories that captivate both children and adults, and their latest film, THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY, continues this tradition. Our forthcoming picture book and film comics are fun ways for young readers to visit the world of ARRIETTY while the gorgeous art book will be a must-have for the ardent Studio Ghibli fan or those who want to know more about the evolution of the film. Discover the adventures in-store for this band of ‘borrowers’ in these new releases scheduled for February!”

More information on VIZ Media’s Studio Ghibli titles is available at www.VIZ.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and website at www.VIZ.com.

New Wednesday! New comics! The shipment’s a bit light this week but three of the four titles are some of my favourite currently running series – Sailor Moon (Vol.03), Arisa (Vol.06) and Afterschool Charisma (Vol.05). Huzzah! You can see the full list of titles and read a bit about the volumes over at my On The Shelf article at Otaku USA.

This week some places also got shipments of Yen Press‘s big batch releases for the month. Diamond Comics is still behind on their shipments from Yen Press but you’ll see their slew of titles on next week’s list including the first volume of their new series, Durarara!. Look forward to it!

Better late then never for me posting about this week’s new manga, right? Otaku USA has my On The Shelf article posted with the list of what new manga made it to bookstore and comic shop shelves this past Wednesday.

The list is short and contains the bittersweet final volume of Kannagi. It’s not the series last volume, just the last we’ll see of it from Bandai Entertainment after last week’s news. That coupled with Media Blasters and now remaining anime companies suing each other, I think the North American anime industry is in desperate need of a hug. Fingers crossed 2012 treats manga companies better. Either way, the best hug you can give either industry is a purchase so get out there and hug, er I mean buy, away!

New Guide Offers Fans Essential NARUTO Character Info As Well As Never-Before-Revealed Data And Secrets

San Francisco, CA, January 12, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, opens the new year with the latest addition to its extensive library of NARUTO titles. NARUTO: THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER DATA BOOK is available now, offers essential information on key characters from the smash-hit action series, and includes 8 full-color pages. NARUTO: THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER BOOK is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.

A ninja knows all! And now you can too! Here’s all the intel you need on who’s who in NARUTO!.THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER DATA BOOK gives you all you need stay the expert on all things NARUTO. Whether you’re catching up, brushing up, or just getting started with the goings-on in ninja world, this handy, huge guide covers the whole story all the way to Volume 43 of the best-selling manga (graphic novel) series!

“NARUTO: THE OFFICIAL CHARACTER DATA BOOK is a treasure-trove of essential information that will be a must-read for both casual and die-hard NARUTO fans,” says Joel Enos, Editor. “Inside these pages, you’ll find never-before revealed data, secrets, and even a few scandals involving your favorite, as well as most-hated, shinobi. And fans won’t want to miss a new manga tale from NARUTO creator Masashi Kishimoto that you can’t find in English anywhere else!”

Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens) and animated counterpart (NARUTO rated ‘T’ for teens, and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN rated ‘T+’ for older teens), depicting the adventures of ninja-in-training Uzumaki Naruto, is one of VIZ Media’s most successful properties and has captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America. The NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN animated series are co-productions of TV TOKYO, VIZ Media parent company Shueisha Inc., and Pierrot Co., Ltd.

More information on NARUTO is available at www.Naruto.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

Cute Flying Long-Eared Pup With A Penchant For Cinnamon Rolls Takes Off For Colorful Adventures In New VIZ Kids Manga Release

San Francisco, CA, January 12, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, delivers some sweet high-flying fun with the debut of the VIZ Kids manga (graphic novel) property, FLUFFY, FLUFFY Cinnamoroll, available now. The colorful new adventure, with story and art by Yumi Tsukirino, is rated ‘A’ for All Ages, and will carry an MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN.

Meet the puppy with a tail like a cinnamon roll!

Cinnamoroll is no ordinary pup. He loves freshly baked cinnamon rolls and uses his long ears to fly high into the sky! With his friends Chiffon, Mocha, Espresso, Cappuccino and little Milk, he’s always on the lookout for a new adventure. In their first journey, Milk has disappeared through a mysterious door and only Cinnamoroll can save him! Will he find the courage to help his friend and still make it back to Café Cinnamon in time for tea?

“FLUFFY, FLUFFY Cinnamoroll is a whimsical all-ages manga adventure based on an adorable Sanrio character created by Chisato Seki,” says Traci Todd, Senior Editor, Childrens Publishing. “The cute floppy-eared pup is the latest character to join the VIZ Kids family, which also features MAMESHIBA, POKÉMON, and MR. MEN AND LITTLE MISS. Cinnamoroll is very popular in Japan, where he was the star of a 2007 anime feature film called Cinnamon The Movie. We hope this flying canine and his loveable friends will soon find a way into the hearts of readers everywhere with this fun manga story.”

Author and manga creator Yumi Tsukirino debuted in the Japanese magazine Ciao in 1996 with “Crystal Change!!” Her other works include PiPiPi ☆ Adventure, Piyo Piyo ☆ Clinic, Chamo Chamo ☆ Pretty♪, and several Pokémon manga, in addition to creating numerous manga short stories.

FLUFFY, FLUFFY Cinnamoroll was conceived by Chisato Seki who began her independent career after having worked for a publishing company. Seki is the author of the Cinnamoroll picture book titled Cinnamoroll and the Lost Puppy, which was published in Japan by Shogakukan.

For more information on FLUFFY, FLUFFY Cinnamoroll and other VIZ Kids titles, please visit www.VIZKids.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and website at www.VIZ.com.

Manga-ka: Bisco Hatori
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: December 2011

Synopsis: “Tamaki’s father and grandmother, the heads of the powerful Suoh Corp., are behind the Host Club’s suspension and the plan for Haruhi to be shipped off abroad. Now the Host Club members must pull out all the stops to save their beloved leader from his family’s infighting.”

We’ve arrived at the penultimate volume of Ouran High School Host Club – you’d think it was the end reading it though. It feels like all the stops were pulled out for this amazing climax. The romance, the friendship, the favours of acquaintances, the company power plays, the family struggles, medical breakthroughs and a race against the clock. No volume of manga I read throughout this entire year had me as giddy and tight gripped on the pages as this one.

Most impressive about this seventeenth book was how cinematic the pacing was. It brings everything together in a way that’s paced to get the utmost reaction from it’s readers and it darn well works! For those who’ve seen the anime, take the racing drama of the final episode and then multiple that by the dozens of additional plot points building over the span of the manga series. I would love to see an OVA based on this series’ end, and the layout of these pages read like a fantastic storyboard.

There are a slew of secondary characters brought in at just the right moment to aid the leads and show their appreciation. These scenes are heart-warming as well as nostalgic, especially with the manga being released over so many years in English. It’s fun seeing the story reach back to use some of it’s many character resources, and their individual resources in turn. Brief as these moments are, it’s great seeing these prior characters get some time to shine and remind us they haven’t been forgotten.

One of this book’s biggest triumphs, however, is probably that Bisco Hatori made me feel sympathy for Tamaki’s Grandmother, a feat I was skeptical could ever be possible. For all her actions, plotting and alliances, everything collapses around her here. All cards are on the table, all plots and purposes finally revealed – and it’s actually a surprise who gets the shortest end of the stick. His Grandmother is hit with the worst case scenario when it comes to her goals. Underhanded as some of her methods were, seeing someone’s hard work pulled out from under them like a rug, leaving them down on the ground, isn’t easy to watch.

Of course that’s not to say I didn’t still feel a lot of resentment and anger towards her, with the same being said for Tamaki’s Father as well. Well-intended as some of their actions were – be it for their company’s survival, a matter of pride or a skewed sense of family obligation – there’s no excuse for all the games they played and those they manipulated into playing them. The threats, the blackmail, the shutting down of the host club – Tamaki may have the love and patience to see past it but most others certainly don’t. One of the best individual moments is where a particular character reacts passionately to the situation, screaming out loud what so many characters and readers are thinking but don’t have the chance to say. It’s not who you’d expect either which makes it all the more effective.

Leave it to Haruhi to be the level-headed one amidst all the emotional and financial upheaval though. As things beyond her control erupt around them, inner monologue on her part does a great job showing her progression as a character. While outwardly it seems like she may not have changed that much, that in itself speaks a lot about how internal her changes have been, especially as someone who is always very into herself emotionally. The progression feels very believable. It leads up to a crescendo of actions that we know she wouldn’t have done when this all started. Bisco Hatori plays on this fact by having Haruhi dress like she did when introduced way back in volume one. Perhaps what impressed me most, however,was how much I believed her being in love with Tamaki. It’s something that I saw coming as an eventuality but was convinced there was no way it could be handled in a way so as to be believed. I was proven wrong!

Speaking of progression, Bisco Hatori’s artwork has come so far. It always hits me when I open a new volume and get a few pages in. It’s really cleaned up and solidified and this same kind of effective storytelling couldn’t have been done with the way it was drawn before. I love staring at all the artwork, from the way screen toning is darker but delicately used transparently over line art for hair and outfits, to how tidy the panel layouts have become while maintaining their original energetic charm. I really hope we see newer works from her after Viz Media’s run of Ouran is complete.

With so much happening in this book, it’s a wonder there’s another volume coming. I have trouble imagining it topping this one. Still, after all the excitement here, it’ll be great having a last volume to finish tying up any loose ends, few that honestly remain, and winding us down. Besides, who reading this series could read that final page and then handle thinking there’s no reactionary events coming? The opening pages of volume eighteen will be much anticipated indeed. The last volume of Ouran High School Host Club comes out in June 2012.

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Book bought from Strange Adventures

Diamond Comics is North America’s largest comic book distributor. If you have a local comic store in your area, it’s very likely they get their books from them. Every month Diamond releases a giant magazine, Previews, containing all the products they have – from comics, manga, DVDs and merchandise – that will be released starting in about two months’ time, giving retailers and buyers the chance to put their orders in before shipping dates.

I’ve been picking up the Previews magazines for years, oogling all the different books coming out from publishers and wondering how long until the stacks of Preview magazines I’ve yet to get rid of will crush me in my sleep. Starting now I’ll be writing about the different manga content published in Previews each month here on Kuriousity. This includes all the manga titles listed, the top Manga sellers as tracked by Diamond and mention of other things of interest I spot. With the small two month window, Diamond Previews has rarely been the source of new licenses but it’s a great reminder and showcase of all the books coming our way soon, plus the perfect time to get your orders in, whether through Diamond or at your online retailer of choice.

I’ll also be including with these monthly Preview posts a downloadable PDF that you can print off and check off the manga  you’d like to order. Then it’s as easy as bringing it into your local comic or book store – wherever in your area that orders in through Diamond Comics! Currently the list is just the names and does not include the Diamond order codes. I’ve never come across a store that requires them for ordering but if yours does, let me know and I’ll include them on subsequent files:

January 2012 Manga Previews Checklist (PDF)

You may continue reading at your own discretion for my thoughts, elaborations, random pictures and the Top 10 Selling Manga of November 2011!

With Free Comic Book Day 2012 coming up on May 5th, a handful of pages were dedicated to showcasing the comics created specifically for that day. For manga publishers, Drawn & Quarterly, Fantagraphics, Viz Media and Yen Press were all present. The only work strictly manga-related (though more specifically, manhwa-related) comes from Yen Press who are publishing a sample of their upcoming adapted book, The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel. Viz Media’s sampler is for their upcoming original comic based on the Voltron franchise – Voltron Force. Both books will be the FCBD standard of 32 pages. You can learn more about Free Comic Book Day (a gloriously annual event!) and the comics they’re offering this year on their website.

Next up is Dark Horse‘s section where the company traditionally has a batch of full-pages promoting their upcoming releases. This month they have a preview page of the second volume of their Avatar The Last Airbender sequel comic, The Promise. Volume one is due out this February and I can’t wait!

It’s been a while since I’ve read Adam Warren’s Empowered series but I was pleased to see it continues with volume seven on the way. The series is hilarious, chock full of pop culture jokes and super hero story spoofs. It follows a try-hard fails-bad super heroine named Empowered and her collection of allies, enemies and weird in-betweens. I was always impressed and extra entertained by the manga in-jokes including a healthy dash of playing around with boys’ love tropes and manga stereotypes to amusing, not offensive, effect. It’s a series I’ve got to get myself caught up on.

Dark Horse’s FLCL omnibus has a preview page and a May 16th release date for $19.99/US. “The complete FLCL manga adaptation – now with bonus color illustrations and remastered story pages!”. Also in their preview section was Bride of the Water God (Vol.11) which they promote as being a “Best-selling series in the United States and Korea!”. I guess that means it’s doing well? The second volume of Blood Blockade Battlefront is promoted a bit more humbly as “Sci-fi insanity from the creator of Trigun and Gungrave!”.

Here’s a fun piece of new Star Wars merchandise – a t-shirt with a coloured interior page from the Star Wars manga. It was released originally back in the late 90s with art by Toshiki Kudo. With the old-school manga take on the characters and the fun giant comic sound effects, I’m tempted to buy it!

Yen Press‘s manga-style adaptation of Soulless made the Previews’ featured section, as did Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s Fallen Words being published by Drawn & Quarterly. Both are one-shots and definitely on my to-buy list. Soulless really caught my eye after I read the sampler they had at NYCC 2011. The art is fantastic! Fallen Words also earns the Preview magazines’ “Certified Cool” stamp, meaning books they note as being especially worth checking out.

Just like when Tokyopop shuttered their doors unexpectedly quick, it’s sad seeing ads for upcoming volumes of Bandai Entertainment books. Here they have Kannagi (Vol.04) promoted which would’ve been released in March. We know from Bandai’s PR that this book has been cancelled.

Digital Manga continues to buy full pages to promote select upcoming titles of theirs as well. It’s great to see the worth is there for publishers to advertise their manga to the direct market. In this month’s previews, they have full page ads for Itazura na Kiss (Vol. 08), Replica (Vol. 02), Countdown 7 Days (Vol. 02) and Moon & Blood (Vol. 03). Of the four, I’m most excited for Replica and Countdown 7 Days which are definitely hidden gems I think more would like if they came across copies. These ads may become posters on my wall after I’ve put my orders in.

Onwards Towards Our Noble Death – which was originally released in April 2011 by Drawn & Quarterly – is featured in this Preview edition as a Star of the Month title. It’s another distinction in the magazine for a notable title. Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s A Drifting Life (which is going to a new printing) is also a Star of the Month. I really loved A Drifting Life so I’m glad it needs a second edition.  The creator’s four other one-shots are also featured - The Push Man, Abandon The Old in Tokyo, Black Blizzard and Good-Bye – so they should all still be available for you to order into your local store.

Kodansha Comics‘ has eight new volumes listed – Air Gear (Vol.23), Arisa (Vol.07), Bloody Monday (Vol.05), Cage of Eden (Vol.05), Gon (Vol.05), Deltora Quest (Vol.05), Love Hina Omnibus (Vol.03) and Sayonara Zesubou-Sensei (Vol.14). Adding to my frustration with the company, every synopsis is one generic to the whole series, saying nothing specific for the volume itself. Most are those used for volume one. It’s the same thing the company does on retail sites and even their own KodanshaComics.com. Drives me batty! I’ve contacted the company about it but haven’t heard anything back. Gon earned a special Kid-Friendly stamp while Sailor Moon (Vol.01) is re-listed as another Star of the Month.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a listing for One Peace Book‘s Breathe Deeply. The book caught me off guard when it appeared fully published and ready for the market at NYCC when news of the license hadn’t even been promoted. It’s good to see the dark medical one-shot get some wider market advertising, even if it’s description does start with the often groan-worthy “…begs readers to forget what they know about manga.”

Next up in the alphabetical publisher listings is Seven Seas Entertainment. They’ve got listings for Blood Alone (Vol.06) and Toradora! (Vol.04). Both volumes are listed at $11.99 which is a one dollar increase from the original $10.99 that the first two volumes had – I hadn’t even noticed the increase when I bought the third books. Uneven as the singles look next to the omnibus volumes on my shelf (I can’t help it, must be even!), I’m really eager for the new Blood Alone volume as they come out.

UDON Entertainment has a full page promoting the first volume of their upcoming Captain Commando manga. It looks and sounds pretty hilarious, touted as “The Return of Gaming’s Greatest Hero!”. It stars a “fighting force” consisting of Ginzu the Ninja Commando, Mack the Mummy Commando, Baby Head the Baby Commando and their fearless leader, Captain Commando. UDON hasn’t updated their own website in a while with schedule info so places like Diamond and online retailers have been the only real source for release dates.

Next up comes the Viz Media section which is usually a hefty multi-page addition to Previews. This time is no exception but it’s sad to see that almost all the artwork used is really low quality. It looks all grainy and pixelated. This isn’t a norm from them so I can only assume something went wrong between Viz and Previews this month. They’ve got a full page for Pokemon Black & White (Vol.05) and Voltron Force, then two-per-page splits for Blue Excorcist (Vol.07), Bakuman (Vol.10), Bleach (Vol.39), Rosario+Vampire: Season II (Vol.08), Nura Rise of the Youkai Clan (Vol.08), 20th Century Boys (Vol.20), Tenjo Tenge (Vol.06) and X 3-in-1 (Vol.02). It’s nice seeing the Will Eisner stamp next to 20th Century Boys though I do wish Viz Media would mix quotes up a bit – it’s getting old seeing the same Junot Diaz quote in every book and ad. All their other titles due out in March are listed with cover images, info and mini synopsis’s on a single page at the end of the larger preview sections. So many books! You can see the complete list in this month’s Manga Previews PDF.

Vertical Inc has three books listed - Drops of God (Vol.03), GTO: 14 Days in Shonan (Vol.02) and Twin Spica (Vol.12). This volume of Twin Spica is the last of the series and clocks in at a whopping 400 pages! The eleventh volume out this month also has 400 pages and while I’ll be sad to see the series end, it looks like it’ll be an experience to savour with two extra large books seeing it out.

Yen Press is the last-up with eight new books scheduled for March – Soulless, Bamboo Blade (Vol.12), A Bride’s Story (Vol.03), Bunny Drop (Vol.05), The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya-chan (Vol.05), Pandora Hearts (Vol.09), Spice and Wolf (Vol.06) and the newly begun, Is This A Zombie? (Vol.01). Is This A Zombie is listed as their Spotlight On title. Seeing the cover of Bunny Drop (Vol.05) with Rin now a teenager makes me fearful for that ending everyone is often complaining about. I’ve been assured it still sticks to its quality coming-of-age and family drama right up until the end though so I’ll be with it until the end! The synopsis for A Bride’s Story (Vol.03) also shows that the story will be shifting onto Mr. Smith for a while and his journeys away from the village we’ve be in so far.

Listed in the back of the Diamond Previews are the top selling titles from a variety of categories based on several months of sales tracking. This month they have the results for November 2011.

Top 10 Manga of November 2011:

1. Sailor Moon (Vol.02)
2. Codename Sailor V (Vo.02)
3. Negima! (Vol. 32)
4. Mega Manga Gigamiz (Vol.03)
5. MPD Psycho (Vol.10)
6. Claymore (Vol.19)
7. D. Gray Man (Vol.21)
8. Princess Knight (Vol.01)
9. Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Vol.10)
10. Fairy Tail (Vol.16)

Sailor Moon (Vol.02) also made spot 8/10 on the overall Top 10 Graphic Novels & Trade Paperbacks list. Nostalgic shoujo manga up there with the superheroes and zombies, and in the direct market as well. Great to see!

That’s it for the manga-content of Previews January 2012. If you’re interested in browsing through all the comics, anime, toys and games scheduled for March(-ish), I recommend going to your local comic store and picking up a copy. Until next month! Well… for a new Previews post anyway.

Manga-ka: Q Hayashida
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: August 2011

Synopsis: “Caiman and Nikaido return to the Hole, where Doc and Kasukabe manage to cure Nikaido of her deadly fungal affliction, but a prowler outside Central Hospital is watching and waiting for an opportunity to steal her away. Fujita returns to the Hole to finally kill Caiman himself. He gets close when he’s recruited for a baseball match between Central Hospital and Hole Peace Hospital, but his plans change when he spots an old friend. Meanwhile, in the Sorcerer’s dimension, a little accident transforms Noi into a hideous monster. It’s up to Shin to stop her before she kills everyone.”

Dorohedoro remains a wonderful mixture of delightful humour and ultra violence. It’s one of the best series of the past year and more fans need to be checking out. The franchise continues to counter your expectations as the entire cast indulges in a game of baseball, gives use insight into Shin and Noi’s pasts, and divulges more revelations as we learn about Caiman and Nikaido‘s respective ties to the Sorceror‘s realm. Meanwhile, horrible things continue to occur to Ebisu… or rather because of Ebisu in this volume.

Nikaido and Caiman’s fixation on food continues with several scenes set in restaurants. Most of the cast partakes in some form of eating throughout, whether it’s a delicious recipe to save Noi from killing them all, or a giant cockroach doing the unpleasant things one would expect of him. The series grounds itself in everyday events, making the chaos and horrific events seem mundane in the context of the Hole’s society. Caiman and co. fight for survival, but it’s more of an everyday occurrence, and the villains are never quite as evil as one would expect.

Ebisu in particular comes across as more of a spoiled, ditzy teenage girl, though perhaps that’s more of a sign of her continued magical brain damage. This element of the series comes to the forefront as we learn the sinister yet sympathetic origin of Shin and why he employs a hammer. His familiarity with the Hole becomes clear in this volume also, and his origin is a haunting tale straight out of any revenge manga, yet balanced by softer moments with Noi later on. Well, as soft as you can get with a woman who accidentally gets transformed into a horrifying monster.

The baseball game continues the strange breakdown of manga genres in Dorohedoro, which already squeezes in those food manga elements (I’m always hungry after reading it, even with the gore, because those Gyoza dumplings sound good!). With Ebisu and Fujita undertaking a sinister scheme to kill Caiman by joining the opposing team, the series fails yet again to take itself seriously. Like the previous boxing chapter, it still takes the baseball game quite seriously, with Fujita getting distracted from his mission and his and Ebisu’s status as a threat decidedly tossed aside. I continue to enjoy how Hayashida handles her female characters too, with Nikaido’s baseball skills just being a part of who she is. Ebisu continues her strange mixture of cute, evil and awful as she takes on the role of a baseball mascot.

Meanwhile, more mysteries of the series are solved. We get answers about Caiman, the Black Powder and more – yet they’re not quite what we expect, or aren’t as important as what they once seemed. More questions emerge about the characters’ past and relationships, as Hayashida creates a fun, engrossing read. One would of expected her to stretch these elements out, yet instead she deftly balances them and builds upon them, giving me a good feeling we’ll continue to enjoy this series throughout it’s run.

Currently it’s exceeded past ten volumes in Japan. I hope fans will support Viz Media’s edition, which has been solicited through to volume six, so we can continue to enjoy this mixture of food, gore and friendship. The publisher’s presentation continues to be solid. Though there are no colour pages as there were in the previous three volumes, the paper is still above average, thick and white. French flaps add a bit of class to the presentation. Combined with the larger SigIkki trim, it’s an excellent presentation and value, providing a better view of the detailed artwork and priced at just a dollar or two more than the majority of current manga releases.

Q Hayashida’s art continues to astound. Every page is Richard Scary-esque in it’s detail, as the cast scampers about the rundown Hole or explore the Sorceror’s realm, teaming with background characters and objects. The details never become overwhelming, instead presenting themselves in a balanced fashion that adds to the series’ mood and themes.

The excessive strangeness of Dorohedoro combined with the slice of life elements makes for a great experience, a definite break from the usual package of manga tropes. It’ll defy your expectations. Miss Hayashida, we hope you continuing your excellent batting average!

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Book bought from Strange Adventures

It’s the first manga shipment of 2012! Fantagraphics, Kodansha Comics, Seven Seas and Viz Media all have some goodies out this week. You can read all the titles over at my On The Shelf article at Otaku USA.

My top pick of the week is the long-awaited second volume of Wandering Son. I really enjoyed the first and it’s got great publishing quality too. A big hardcover book isn’t how I’d like all my books but for a special few it works beautifully. You can read Shannon’s thoughts on the first book in her review – Wandering Son (Vol. 01).

Manga-ka: Kubo Tite
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: December 2011

Synopsis: “Soul Reaper captain Shinji Hirako has uncovered Aizen’s betrayal, but it may be too late. As some of the Soul Society’s greatest Soul Reapers transform into Hollows, it will be up to Kisuke Urahara to save them. And back in the present time, the grand battle between the Thirteen Court Guard Companies and the remaining Espada finally begins!”

Fight, fight and fight some more! The newest big battle is finally underway with Shinigami versus Hollow. It’s a bout to protect the world from soul-sucking disaster at the hands of the conniving Aizen who has mastered evil smirks and betrayal alike. Ichigo and co are still duking it out in the Hollow world to save Orihime while angst and desperation abounds in the finale to Urahara’s flashback about the events that initially set everything into motion.

I really love how Kubo Tite continues to infuse his long battle sequences with humour. It’s really one of the big saving graces of Bleach. They’re not enough to ruin the tone amidst the greater scheme of things but make for refreshing pauses in the tension. In this volume, Yumichika (as seen on the cover) gets the most entertaining chapter that offers just such a break in the serious-business vibe permeating the rest of the book. In the last few chapters, he faces off against an equally egotistical individual who sports a hilarious character design. The two banter back and forth on who is the ugly one in one screamer fit after another, stress veins and insults abound. On the one serious side of the fight, this battle is the first time in a while we get to see Yumichika fight closer to his full potential utilizing the powers he keeps hidden from his teammates.

Scenes like this make me miss having more time to spend with the Shinigami characters we were introduced to earlier on, not to mention the main cast. Where’s Uryuu? Where’s Hanatorou? Bring back my favourites out of your cast of dozens upon dozens, Kubo! I’m glad this is likely the first of many such character-focused chapters we’ll see in upcoming volumes. Sure it means the battle will likely go on and on and on, but I don’t mind the way it’s broken up by giving individual characters the chance to strut their stuff.

This volume also finishes up the flashback arc to Urahara’s past and the ‘creation’ of the hollowfied Shinigaimi who were training Ichigo prior to his journey to Hueco Mundo. Major sympathies to Urahara for the events that transpired. His whole world collapses around him, and it’s all the more potent because of how well Kubo Tite built up the camaraderie between the Captains and their squads in volumes prior. It’s also impressive to see just how far back Aizen’s betrayal went – that guy’s been pulling the strings for a long, long time. I felt like this information could’ve been shared by Urahara sooner though – wouldn’t it have been nice for everyone to know the inevitable (second!) betrayal was coming? It shows either a lack of aid on Urahara’s part or simply no foresight to what was going to happen this far in as the story was written.

Back in the Hollow’s world, all the remaining players are conveniently healed up, hyped and ready to go. The path has been cleared for Ichigo to go round two with Ulquiorra who still holds Orihime hostage. While I’m interested in seeing how each of the current big events plays out, having them both separate is really splitting up the series. The lead characters of the story are being left behind to clean up the unresolved mess of Hueco Mundo while the now much more important stuff takes place elsewhere. You gotta catch up, guys! I really want to see everything and everyone mesh back together.

While reading Bleach, I’m consistently impressed by the work done by Viz Media’s staff to replace the sound effects with English equivalents. They do an amazing job of taking out the old ones and replacing them with visual and verbal equivalents – it looks great! You’d never know they weren’t originally there unless you already knew.

And so another volume of Bleach and another bout of testosterone and supernatural abilities comes to an end. There isn’t a whole lot new you can say for each volume but fans of the series will appreciate another solid addition to the story mixing plot, powers and unique individuals. Here’s hoping we see more of these elements collide in the next volume so the ball can really get rolling on super fight number… something.

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Book bought from Strange Adventures

There are no shortage of ‘Best Of’ lists this time of year. While I like popping around to different peoples’ sites and seeing what they thought, it’s a bit of a frustration that I can’t seem to write one myself. How people choose a solid list containing five or ten favourites, from across different genres and subject matters, is just something I can’t seem to muster the brain power for. Not enough conviction I suppose? There’s just so much to love!

But I can’t overlook the perfect chance to look back at all the great titles a year had to offer and 2011 had some really fantastic ones. So then where is this going, oh rambling one, you ask? My semi-traditional equivalent to the yearly best of – the random Lissa’s favourites and best-ofs list! Which really just means you get a lot more titles broken into a lot more categories so I can remain a lot more loving to a lot more series. And in some cases not so loving… From the Best Release Quality to the Favourite Fan Service and even to the most Gag Worthy – here are a bunch of my favourite titles from 2011!

Best Release Quality

While we’re not getting the same amount of individual volumes of manga as years’ past, the quality of releases keeps getting better. This year I was really impressed with Yen Press‘s work on A Bride’s Story which was a hardcover book sporting a beautiful full-colour, matte finish cover slip. It compliments the work perfectly!

Another nice hardcover book was Wandering Son which was released by Fantagraphics. The book was also printed at a larger than normal size making for a book that’s a bit tricky to fit on the shelf but really enjoyable to read.

Viz Media‘s softcover omnibus of CLAMP’s X series was also a treat with lots of full-colour, glossy pages inside. The series is also released in its original visual format for the first time in English.

Best Boys’ Love

My boys’ love buying was a bit smaller than usual this year as much of Digital Manga’s attentions shifted to digital releases and I began running into a lot of supply issues trying to buy physical copies from them (a definite downer of 2011!). Of the titles I did read though, two really stood out. The number one was Only Serious About You (Vol.01) – a really charming story that felt like Future Lovers meets Bunny Drop. The art was nice and the story so sweet and romantic, even with things remaining mostly platonic in this introductory volume.

Another boys’ love title that I loved was Rabbit Man, Tiger Man. I couldn’t resist the visual contrast between the small, cute doctor and the tall, scary yakuza! The story itself was a lot funnier than I expected and I was entertained by every page. The English adaptation stood out to me as being really good too, I loved some of the word choices. I really hope the rest of the series gets licensed.

Favourite Fan Service

While neither are new series to this year, the continuing Black Butler (Yen Press) and XXXHolic (Del Rey) win again for best fan service (the kind that appeals to me)! The suedo-romantic(?) tension between it’s lead male characters and the gorgeous clothing design and dark inking make them immediate must owns, complete with the occasional squeals and swoons. XXXHolic has been a more consistent wow factor volume after volume so it’ll be bittersweet seeing it end early this new year.

Best Second Chances

Re-releases, omnibus and new editions have became a fairly regular occurrence and the chance to revisit something missed is great. This year I was pleasantly surprised by Seven Sea‘s Blood Alone (Vol.01), an omnibus edition of the original first three volumes. It’s a great vampire story that steers clear of most tropes and focuses more on a subtle but poignant relationship between a young girl and her protector.

One of my favourite series of 2011 was Full Metal Alchemist. Though it’s been coming out for a number of years, I’d only just started reading it thanks to borrowing a friends’ copies. Viz Media celebrated the last volume of the series coming out by releasing a box set of the entire thing – all twenty-seven volumes! It’s a fantastic value. I highly recommend it, while also suggesting you avoid the omnibus editions which only cover the first nine volumes then stop.

Digital Manga‘s continuing editions of Kizuna have been great as well. In 2011 we finally got to the point in the omnibus editions where the original English edition by BeBeautiful had stopped. New content! I love that we have a second chance to purchase it, and now the whole thing at that!

Best (Worst?) Good-Byes

While 2011 saw some great series start, it also saw some of my favourites come to an end. The biggest and saddest goodbye goes to Vertical Inc‘s edition of Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack. This is one of my favourite manga series of all time and to finish reading the last volume was a sad experience indeed. It’s such a fun series and Black Jack himself is an amazing character. I’ve no doubt I’ll be re-reading it again and again.

Viz Media’s English edition of Full Metal Alchemist also came to an end. The pain of it ending was dampened by how I’d read the whole thing within a month leading up to it and because the ending was so, so good. I’m also thankful we got to read the entire story. I wish I could say the same for things such as Pet Shop of Horrors: Tokyo and Shinobi Life which we’ve had to say farewell to early because of Tokyopop’s shutdown. That wasn’t an easy goodbye in itself either – so unfortunate!

Top Can’t-Look-Away-Titles

Like watching a train-wreck and being unable to look away (as they say…?), sometimes there are those titles that are just dark, depressing and sort of scary. Bleak as they may be, the emotional rollar-coasting of reading them makes every page turn worth it. Vertical delivered two series that fit the description, both by Usamaru Furuya. Lychee Light Club is a one-shot with plenty of violence, sex and crazy, crazy people. I read it, loved it and honestly may never read it again. It’s just one of those kind of titles, you know? My signed copy sits proudly on the shelf.

Usamaru Furuya’s No Longer Human has been an experience as well. It’s more grim and dark than violent and shocking but I’m definitely in for the whole messy journey. I look forward to seeing how it finishes in 2012 with volume three what was started in 2011 with volumes one and two.

Getting to meet Usamaru Furuya and hear him interviewed at TCAF 2012 was also a big highlight of the year for me. Hopefully in 2012 I’ll be able to meet an idol with fewer than twenty minutes of self-psyching to work up the nerve to say hello – it could happen, right?

Most Long Awaited

Of all the English manga titles and trends started in 2011, I think it’ll be most known for bringing about two of the most long-awaited manga series of all time – Naoko Takeuchi’s Sailor Moon and Osamu Tezuka’s Princess Knight.

Kodansha Comics released the two volume prequel series, Sailor V, and the first two volumes of Sailor Moon – both are must haves for the magical-girl fans out there! Talk about a trip down nostalgia lane too. While Sailor Moon is one of the most well-known manga titles, Vertical Inc took the honour of releasing one of the very first. The company released both omnibus volumes of Princess Knight in 2011 so you can now buy the whole thing – prepare to enjoy!

As a big CLAMP fan, I was also thrilled to finally get the first volume of their new Gate 7 in my hands. With the title first announced years ago by Dark Horse, it’s been a much longer wait than any anticipated.

Hidden Gems of 2011

Two titles published by Digital Manga that I really enjoyed were Replica and Countdown 7 Days. Both are by Kemuri Karakara and are series it’s tricky to really nail down genre-wise. They’re very shonen in nature but more character-oriented with really nice artwork, less focus on stuff like fighting and ‘The power of friendship!’. Sort of like… D.Grayman, Arata the Legend, and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles – to name a few that come to mind first.

I really enjoyed both the series so far – great art, fun characters and some interesting stories. I heard little mention of either from the manga blogosphere or social media outlets though but I hope a lot of readers still got to check them out. I’m sure a lot of readers out where would enjoy them. Volume one of each were released in 2011 and I’m eager for the follow-ups in 2012.

Must-Own One-Shots

I love a good one-shot! When done well they’re a really satisfying experience, having either a nice collection of short stories or one solid piece planned for a one-go read. They’re also the easiest thing to suggest to new readers – short but sweet, without the commitment of multi-volume series. Of the one-shots published in 2011, my favourites were Natsume Ono’s Tesoro (Viz Media) and Taniguchi Jiro ‘s A Zoo in Winter (Ponent Mon). I’ve read works by both the artist’s before but these easily became my favourites of each. Both are high quality releases and have stories full of sincerity and compelling human drama – I highly recommend both!

Top Tear-Jerkers

I don’t consider myself quick to tears but sometimes a volume of manga manages to get me there. Goes to show you should always be ready with a hanky or two because you never know what tears a story may bring. Ouran High School Host Club (Vol. 17) was such a fun, high-energy and very satisfying read that I found myself tearing up from joy. That was a new one for me. I enjoyed it so much, seeing how far the series and characters have come. You can bet the last volume, due out in June 2012, will be one hard to say good-bye to.

My feelings were similar reading the last volume of Genkaku Picasso, also released by Viz Media. Picasso’s growth and acceptance of his new friends and their support for him was so touching. I never thought it’d be a series that would move me that much but, by the end of volume three, I was definitely wiping at my eyes to be able to see the pages.

Lastly, when it came to just downright heart-breakingly sad, Stargazing Dog from NBM Publishing won hands down. What made me cry wasn’t even always the sad parts, sometimes it was those bittersweet moments that predate them. It was no surprise to me that a book about the love and loyalty of a pet dog would be an emotional trip though. It’s a great read but definitely have your tissues ready for this one.

Yay-For-More-Coming Titles

We saw series start and end in 2011 but many others were just trekking their way through with more to come. My top-wanted series (because goodness knows there’re dozens of ‘em) that began in years past and have continued through 2011 and onward to 2012 are Kamisama Kiss, Bunny Drop, 20th Century Boys, Pokemon Adventures and The Tyrant Falls in Love. Saying good-bye to a year comes with a lot of good-byes in general but at least there are none for these yet!

Alas-Only-One Titles

Some continuing titles however, made their way through 2011 with unfortunately minimal appearances. A number of my favourite series only had one volume released over the entire year. While the books were great, the long wait is always tough. I’ve got my fingers crossed for more of Kaze Hikaru, Yotsuba&!, Berserk and The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service in 2012.

Most Redeemed

Along with the series that I already loved going into 2011, I also went into the year with a few series I was on the fence about. With several volumes of each throughout the year though, I was made a believer! While they each had some rough starts – be it too predictable, too slow or just painfully sexist, 2011 was a redeeming year for Rumiko Takahashi’s Rin-Ne (Viz Media), Kou Yaginuma’s Twin Spica (Vertical) and Tsugumi Ohba/Takeshi Obata’s Bakuman (Viz Media). Now I’ll be spending 2012 eagerly awaiting every new volume of these three.

Top I’m-Not-Sure-Why Reads

Most people have these kinds of reads – the ones where you really like them but you’re not really sure why. I went into 2011 not able to pinpoint why I love Viz Media’s Toriko and Kodansha Comics’ Air Gear so much and a year later I’m still not sure why. Both had several volumes out in 2011 and still the answer eludes me. One thing I do know though is I love Toriko more for the story, less for the art, and with Air Gear it’s the opposite. I guess as long as I still love reading them, it’s okay that 2011 held tight to their secrets!

Could’ve-Done-Withouts

Enjoyable as many reads were this year, there were some that I could have done without. They weren’t bad, per say, but I was left feeling so underwhelmed upon finishing that I felt my time and money could have been much better spent elsewhere. Blood Blockade Battlefront (Dark Horse), Drifters (Dark Horse) and Drops of God (Vertical) were all series newly started in 2011. While I usually give a series two volumes to impress, I think I’ll leave any future copies of these ones on the shelves for other more interested readers. Not necessarily bad, just not for me.

Most Gag Worthy

Alas where there is good and meh, there is also just outright bad. Thankfully I didn’t read too many stinkers this year but yikes, did the bad ever stand out when they did show themselves. While I don’t often regret reading a book, I got to that point with Ai Ore! (Vol. 01). With some of the most hateable characters I’ve ever read in a manga title, and the end of this first volume nearly earned the title a chuck at the wall. Why, Viz Media? Why?! Digital Manga’s The Beautiful Skies of Houou High was pretty bad also, but erred on the side of just being painful to read and falling short of being rage-inducing.

… and that’s it folks! My thanks to all the manga publishers, local retailers, fellow manga supporters and of course manga creators for a great 2011!