First off, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone else in the States!! Second off, I totally forgot my blog anniversary two days ago (even though warriorhope reminded me a couple times, I’m just way too forgetful for my own good…). xD So I guess we’ll just consider this as the celebration for that… Thirdly, sorry this took so long, I got caught up in school work and other real life things, so it took a whole lot longer than I expected it to. :[ Let’s see…other things, I have at least 3 more of these posts planned, one for more shojo that I accidentally passed over the first time (whoops), another for other manga to be excited about (like series finales, omnibus editions, etc), and one for Japanese/light novels. Hope you enjoy! : D Oh, and if you have any more series you know of that you’d like added to the series, please let me know! : D

Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji) by: Yana Toboso
Ongoing with 7+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 January 2010, Volume 2 May 2010, Volume 3 October 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: When a terrible fire claims his parents, Ciel Phantomhive must step up as the head of his father’s company and as Earl of Phantomhive Manor. It would be a lot for the young boy to handle were it not for his faithful butler, Sebastian. Ever at Ciel’s side, it seems there’s little Sebastian can’t do, whether it’s saving a dinner party gone awry or probing the dark secrets of London’s underbelly. He’s almost too good to be true…or at least, too good to be human…
My ramblings: The anime for this series is great, so I’m excited to be able to check out the manga, and the fact that Yen Press is handling it is another plus.

not simple by: Natsume Ono
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
January 2010
Price: US $14.99
From the publisher: Ian, a young man with a fractured family history, travels from Australia to England to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his beloved sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian’s experiences in a novel: not simple.
My ramblings: This seems to be a series that Viz was fairly happy about acquiring, and it looks interesting. Most of the Viz Signature series are really fantastic, so it’s probably worth checking out.

Bokurano: Ours by: Moiro Kitoh
Complete with 11 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 February 2010
Price: US $ 12.99
From the publisher: One summer, fifteen kids innocently wander into a nearby seaside cave. There they meet a strange man who invites them to play an exciting new video game. This game, he explains, pits one lone giant robot against a horde of alien invaders. To play the game, all they have to do is sign a simple contract. The game stops being fun when the kids find out the true purpose of their pact.
My ramblings: The first 5 chapters are already on sigikki.com, so I checked out the first chapter and it seems rather interesting. Seems like a slightly different take on the whole teens use giant robots theme.

Deadman Wonderland by: Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondou
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 1 June 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Ten years have passed since the Great Tokyo Earthquake, and the people’s memories of the disaster have faded. Ganta Igarashi, a middle school evacuee, has finally begun to live a normal life…That is, until the day “Red Man” appears at his school and Ganta’s fate is changed forever. His entire class is brutally murdered, and although innocent of the crime, Ganta is sentenced to death and sent to the bizarre prison known as “Deadman Wonderland.” An insane and brutal game of prison survival begins!
My ramblings: I myself am probably not going to be checking this out, since I’m not really all for blood and gore (which I’ve heard there’s quite a bit of), but it seems like a really interesting concept, and I’m guessing it’ll be at least somewhat of a hit for Tokyopop.

Arata: The Legend (Arata Kangatari) by: Yuu Watase
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shonen Sunday imprint
Volume 1 March 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: An action-packed shonen fantasy from the acclaimed author of Fushigi Yûgi! In a mythical world where humans and gods co-exist, Arata has the unfortunate honor of being the successor to the matriarchal Hime Clan. This means he has to pretend to be a girl or face death if his true gender is discovered! On the day of his inauguration, an assassination plot forces him to flee—and he somehow winds up in modern-day Japan! Meanwhile, a boy named Arata Hinohara gets sucked into the first Arata’s world and finds himself dealing with people after his life!
My ramblings: Yuu Watase was one of the first mangaka that I started to follow (I have most of her works in English), so I’m really excited that Viz picked this up. I’ve read what’s up on shonensunday.com already and it’s lots of fun. It’s a little different from normal Watase stuff, since it’s shonen, but it’s still great.

Hanako and the Terror of Allegory by: Sakae Esuno
Complete at 4 volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 March 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: The “No-mouth Woman,” “The Man Under the Bed,” and the “Human Faced Fish” are supposedly urban legends. But what few people know is that just at the moment when someone believes them to be true, they become reality and appear before them! Enter Daisuke Asou, a folklore detective who deals with such cases. He calls these fantastic creatures “allegories.” What’s a folklore detective to do?
My ramblings: This series seems rather strange, but kind of interesting at the same time. The story is definitely off the wall, but it seems like the kind of story that gets convoluted and loses itself, but since it’s already complete at just 4 volumes, maybe that’s not the case for this series.
EDIT: The first 17 pages of this series are up on Tokyopop’s site (at least for now).

Ristorante Paradiso by: Natsume Ono
complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Viz Media – Signature imprint
March 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: At the age of 21, Nicoletta travels to Rome to find her mother, Olga, who abandoned her long ago. Nicoletta finds her at Casetta dell’Orso, a charming little restaurant owned by Olga’s husband. The staff of bespectacled gentlemen welcomes Nicoletta warmly, but Olga’s reception is not so pleasant. Olga has never told her husband that she ever had children–and he must never know.
My ramblings: Since this was apparently popular enough to get an anime adaptation (now on Crunchyroll), I figure it must be pretty good (granted, that could be off, but…). There’s also quite a few of Natsume Ono’s works on this list (Viz has picked up 4 of them lately), so they must be pretty confident about her works. Natsume Ono’s art style seems interesting, and a little more graphic/cartoony that a lot of other works.

.hack//4Koma by: Sumimaru Koichi
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Tokyopop
April 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the Mangaupdates: A collection of .hack parody in 4 koma format.
Serializes in .hack//GU The World Magazine
My ramblings: 4koma are usually cute, and the .hack is a franchise that seems to do well for Tokyopop most of the time.

Diamond Girl by: Takanori Yamazaki
Ongoing with 3+ volumes
US publisher: CMX
Volume 1 April 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: To seek a quieter and happier life as an ordinary high school girl, Tsubura’s just moved from a big city to her grandmother’s house in the countryside. On the first day at her new school, she gets through an awkward introduction to her class, when, an errant baseball shatters the window from outside. To everyone’s surprise, Tsubura leaps into action, catching it and whipping it into the mitt of the pitcher below. Her rather acrobatic catch-and-throw makes boy students get down on their hands and knees and beg Tsubura to join their school’s baseball team. Although the boys have tried to get into the division championships, the team is too weak. For Tsubura, baseball is exactly what she wanted to avoid, so she flat out refuses to join the team. Will Tsubura bow to peer pressure and ultimately take the pitcher’s mound?
My ramblings: This reminds me of a mix of Saki and Taisho Yakyuu Musume, so I’m not too sure how it will turn out, but it looks at least somewhat interesting.

House of Five Leaves (Saraiya Goyou) by: Natsume Ono
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 April 2010
Price: US $ 12.99
From the publisher: Masterless samurai Akitsu Masanosuke is a skilled and loyal swordsman, but his naïve, diffident nature has time and again caused him to be let go by the lords who have employed him. Hungry and desperate, he agrees to becomes a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a gang called “Five Leaves.” Although disturbed by the gang’s sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi’s motivations are not what they seem. And despite his misgivings, the deeper he’s drawn into the world of the Five Leaves, the more he finds himself fascinated by these devious, mysterious outlaws.
My ramblings: Another of Ono’s works, this one is already up on sigikki.com, so I checked out the first few chapters and was definitely intrigued. The art is kind of hard to get used to, but the story is definitely interesting, and I’ll definitely keep reading.

Kingyo Used Books (Kingyoya Koshoten) by: Seimu Yoshizaki
Ongoing with 7+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 April 2010, Volume 2 October 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: A businessman discovers how his childhood memories can brighten his day. An art student finds inspiration. An archer hits a surprising bull’s eye. A housewife rediscovers romance. A teenager discovers his true self in the pages of a manga magazine. Welcome to Kingyo Used Books, a place where people find their dreams in manga…
My ramblings: I love reading this on sigikki. I’m afraid it’s the kind of series that might get repetitive, but right now I just love it!

Spice and Wolf (Ookami to Koushinryou) by: Isuna Hasekura and Keito Koume
Ongoing at 3+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 April 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Kraft Lawrence has been walking the lonely path of the itinerant merchant for seven years. His life changes forever when he meets Horo, the wolf-god of the harvest, and the two begin traveling together. Soon they discover a unique opportunity to exploit the depreciating silver currency of the kingdom of Trenni, but their plans go awry when a competing organization captures Holo and threatens to turn her over to the oppressive, monotheistic Church.
My ramblings: Again, I haven’t read or seen the novel, manga, or anime for this series yet, but I’m assuming that there’s a reason for the two seasons of the anime and how much people love it.

I’ll give It My All…Tomorrow by: Shunju Aono
Ongoing with 2+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Shizuo Oguro is living his dreams… sort of. A complete waste of a human life until now, 40-year-old Shizuo breaks free from the corporate rat race and charts himself a fairly random and new career course: to become a published manga artist. Sure, he lacks the talent, discipline, or any other skill necessary to become a success in the manga industry–but that’s not enough to stop Shizuo!
My ramblings: This series is a little too slice of life for my tastes, and I’m not really in the target demographic at all, but it’s alright for what it is.

KOBATO. by: CLAMP
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 May 2010, Volume 3 August 2010
Price: US $11.99
From the publisher: Hanato Kobato is on a mission: she has a wish she wants granted. To do this, she has to mend the wounded hearts of the people she meets on her journey and fill up a magical bottle with the suffering she has relieved. The only catch is, she can’t fall in love with any of the people she helps. It seems like that’s the least of her problems, though; Kobato has no clue how to mend hearts…especially since each person’s heart is different. So what’s Kobato to do? Well, she has Ioryogi-san, a cute blue dog with a seriously bad attitude, to help (read: nag and critique) her… Yikes! Looks like the road to getting her one wish is going to be a long and hard one. Will Kobato get her wish in the end? And just what is it that Kobato wants?
My ramblings: Kobato. is love! The character herself is adorable, and so far the series too is adorable! It’s more of the Cardcaptor Sakura-type CLAMP than series like Tsubasa or RG Veda, but it’s certainly got that sadness to it like the later series.

Maoh: Juvenile Remix by: Kotaro Isaka and Megumi Osuga
Complete at 10 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shonen Sunday imprint
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: High school student Ando has the special ability to make others say out loud what he’s thinking. But will this be enough to uncover Inukai’s secrets and stop the plot to control the city?
My ramblings: I read the first chapter on shonensunday.com and it was a whole lot more violent that I expected it to be, but it was also really, really interesting.

Polyphonica: Cardinal Crimson (Shinkyoku Soukai Polyphonica – Cardinal Crimson) by: Ichiro Sakaki and Tomo Hirokawa
Ongoing with 3+ volumes
US publisher: CMX
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: In Earth’s parallel world, Polyphonica, spirits and humans live together. Spirits survive on the music played by “Dantis”, humans who have the ability to play special music that summon the spirits. Dantis are highly respected in Polyphonica, and the higher the skills of a Dantist, the more powerful and obedient spirit can be summoned to serve the Dantist.
One day, a female spirit, Corticarte hears a song being sung by a young orphan named Phoron. She appears before Phoron and makes him a deal: the next time Phoron sings the song; she’ll appear and protect him from all manner of evil beasts and wickedness to come. Years later, Phoron attends Commandia Academy, a prestigious music school for Dantists, but he is a mediocre Dantist who has not been successful summoning spirits. Feeling melancholy, he offhandedly sings the song that called Corticarte years before, but his unconfident singing voice summons a bad-tempered, insanely jealous Corticarte that causes all kinds of problems around him at school!
My ramblings: OK, this one might just be me, but I really enjoy the Polyphonica anime, so I’m really excited about finally seeing some of the manga over here too!

Ratman by: Inui Sekihiko
Ongoing with 5+ volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $10.99
From Deb Aoki of manga.about.com (here): Ultimo and the X-Men aren’t the only manga-superhero comics combos out there. Sekihiko Inui, the creator of Comic Party and Murder Princess puts his own hilarious / action-packed manga spin on superheroes in this new 4-volume series. Ratman about a high school guy who gains superpowers thanks to some medical experiments gone awry. Will his new powers help him win the heart of the girl of his dreams, or will his numerous encounters with bumbling super-villains make him regret his transformation?
My ramblings: I don’t really know much about this series, but the title sure is interesting… I might just have the check out the first volume to see what in the world it’s about just because of the title.

Sasameke by: Ryuji Gotsubo
Complete at 5 volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 September 2010, Volume 3 December 2010, Volume 4 March 2011, Volume 5 July 2011
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Rakuichi Nagahama, age sixteen, is a former soccer whiz, back from three years in Italy and now attending Chikubushima Public High School. Rakuichi thinks he’s quit soccer for good, but reunions with childhood friends, chance encounters with gorgeous blonde girls, and other events of this nature get him back on the field…or not…
My ramblings: I really, really like the style based on the cover, and I don’t really have anything against sports manga (though I know a lot of people do), so I’m pretty sure to check this one out.

Saturn Apartments by: Hisae Iwaoka
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Far in the future, humankind has evacuated the earth in order to preserve it. Humans now reside in a gigantic structure that forms a ring around the earth, thirty-five kilometers up in the sky. The society of the Ring System is highly stratified: the higher the floor, the greater the status. Mitsu, the lowly son of a window washer, has just graduated junior high. Five years after his father disappeared and was assumed dead, Mitsu must take on his father’s occupation. As he struggles with the transition to working life, Mitsu’s job treats him to an outsider’s view into the living-room dioramas of the Saturn Apartments.
My ramblings: Another of the series already up on sigikki.com, this one is kind of sad…The first chapter alone gives off an air of sadness, but it was really interesting. I’m curious as to whether or not the volume will have the color pages.

Twin Spica (Futatsu no Spica) by: Kou Yaginuma
Complete at 16 volumes
US publisher: Vertical
Volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 July 2010
Price: US $10.95
From mangaupdates: This is a story about the teenage fantasies of Asumi, a girl who wishes to become an astronaut, and of her friends.
One day, Lion’s space vehicle fell from the sky and crashed, unfortunately killing Asumi’s mother. Asumi then met the spirit of Lion, who told Asumi many stories of space. By listening to these stories, Asumi was inspired to realize her dream of becoming an astronaut.
Embracing her dreams in her heart, Asumi is now in third grade of junior high school. It is time to decide her path for the future…
My ramblings: This series sounds sweet and Vertical always picks up things they think are the cream of the crop, so it’s probably definitely worth picking up.

Chi’s Sweet Home by: Kanata Konami
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Vertical
Volume 1 June 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $13.95
From mangaupdates: The adventures of Chi, a lost kitten taken in by a young couple with a toddler. While the family never intended to keep the kitten, Chi slowly claws herself a niche in their family: winning over everyone with her kitten idiocy and charm.
My ramblings: I didn’t watch the anime on Crunchyroll, since I thought it sounded kind of silly, but everyone seems to love this series, so maybe I was wrong. Vertical always does a good job with their works, so this is probably worth purchasing.

Neko Ramen by: Kenji Sonishi
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 June 2010
Price: US $10.99
From mangaupdates: International chain? Instant packaged cup-noodles? No chance! “Taishou” the cat is going to run a first-class noodle shop in this 4koma or die trying. But first, Taishou has to make ramen soup people can actually eat…! Will the taste improve? Can Taishou find hired help who will actually serve water, not just drink it? Could it be the Matrix Move will do the trick? And who is this new “cook”  Taishou has hired…?
My ramblings: Apparently this has just been listed on Amazon, and hasn’t been announced by Tokyopop, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they really have it. The anime is another on Crunchyroll, and I did watch this one, and I can say that it was rather amusing. A cat fixing ramen sounds silly, and well, it was silly, but silly in a good, funny way.

.hack//Link by: Megane Kikya and Cyberconnect2
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Tokyopop
June 2010
Price: US $10.99
From mangaupdates: The story takes place in the year 2020, just three years after the events of .hack//G.U.. The story will take place not only in the new version of “The World” known as “The World R:X” but in the real world as well. The lead character is a middle school student named Tokio Kuryuu. He lives a normal life as a gamer until a mysterious girl named Ayaka Amagi transfers to his school.
My ramblings: More .hack from Tokyopop, and really who’s surprised anymore? It looks interesting, and really, look at the creator’s name.

Omamori Himari by: Milan Matra
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 June 2010, Volume 2 September 2010, Volume 3 December 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Sixteen-year-old orphan Yuuto Amakawa has terrible cat allergies. So when he finds himself suddenly face to face with a beautiful girl who makes those allergies act up one morning, he’s left wondering about her identity. And when she saves Yuuto and his friends from a demon spirit with a very real, very sharp sword, she reveals herself as a sworn protector of the Amakawa family and a demon spirit to boot! Poor Yuuto, now that he’s living with an otherworldy samurai catgirl, his runny nose is the least of his worries!
My ramblings: This series certainly sounds interesting enough, and the anime is supposed to start sometime in January in Japan, so I think I’ll try to check this one out too.

Code: Breaker by: Akimine Kamijyo
Ongoing with 7+ volumes
US publisher: Del Rey
Volume 1 July 2010
Price: US $10.99
From mangaupdates: Sakurakouji Sakura is a girl who appears modest and graceful but in reality is skilled in martial arts. After witnessing a boy burning people with his blue flame, she is startled to see that the same boy is a transfer student, Oogami Rei. Oogami is a Code Breaker, one who “does not exist”. He is a seemingly cold-blooded killer who follows the principle of “an eye for an eye”, to “use evil against evil”. Convinced that killing is not right, Sakurakouji sets out to stop him and penetrate his icy heart.
My ramblings: I almost always love Del Rey’s manga, though they seem to be going down lately, so hopefully they’ll do well with this one.  This is the most recent work from Samurai Deeper Kyo author, so it should do fairly well.

Gente (Gente – Ristorante no Hitobito) by: Natsume Ono
complete at 3 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Volume 1 July 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $12.99)
From Deb Aoki of manga.about.com (here): Gente rejoins the crew of suave, older gentlemen who serve Italian food and charm women at Casetta Dell’orso restaurant and follows them in their day-to-day lives.
My ramblings: I think it’s great that Viz picked up the sequel to Ristorante Paradiso so quickly, and that there really won’t be any lag between the two series, since the original volume out in March and then the first volume of the sequel series comes out in July.

Nyankoi! by: Sato Fujiwara
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: CMX
Volume 1 July 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Since the day that Junpei kicked a soda can and accidentally knocked the head off of a cat statue on his way home from school, he’s been cursed with a spell that transforms him into a cat. The only chance he has to break the curse is by carrying out one hundred good deeds protecting cats in his town. To make matters worse Junpei is allergic to cats! The curse also allows him to hear conversations between his and other cats. Although he is ridiculed by his classmates for being able to “hear cats’ conversations,” it also brings him closer to Mizuno, a cute classmate that he has a crush on. Later, Junpei learns from a priest’s cat that he must not let any others know of his curse. The results would be two-fold: the bearer of the news would also be cursed and the curse would spread at a faster rate!
My ramblings: The anime  for this series is also adorable. It’s sort of a harem, but only in so much as there are quite a few girls. Junpei only really has his sights set on Mizuno, so in that sense it’s not really a harem, which is nice. And really, the cats are all just so much fun!

Shisso Holiday by: OSTUICHI and Hiro Kiyohara
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: CMX
July 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Mystery, intrigue, deceit and humor combine in this twisted tale of fake kidnapping plot gone awry. Young Nao’s widowed mother marries a rich husband. Things are looking up until her mother unexpectedly passes away. Nao’s situation turns even bleaker when her stepfather remarries a younger woman. Concerned about her standing with her new parents, Nao tests their level of commitment to her with a daring scheme: she’ll fake her own kidnapping! With the help of Kuniko, the new family maid, with her plot work? Will her stepparents make every effort to get her back? Or should Nao be more concerned about Kuniko? You’ll be guessing until the very end!
My ramblings: This is just a oneshot, and since OTSUICHI is the author, I’m definitely going to try and check it out. I actually haven’t read any of his works yet (I’m hopefully getting ZOO for Christmas), but everyone seems to love them, and I’m glad this little known work is getting published.

Bakuman. by: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
Ongoing with 5+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shonen Jump imprint
Starting in Shonen Jump in May 2009 issue, Volume 1 August 2010
Price: TBD (assumed to be US $9.99)
From mangaupdates:t’s not easy to become and live as a mangaka, as Mashiro knows from his late uncle.
At 9th grade, while trying to keep up with reality, school and then a normal job, he left his notebook with a sketch of Azuki, a girl he likes. Takagi, a first-rate student found it and tries to convince Mashiro to draw a manga with his story. Mashiro doesn’t like the idea and declines.
Takagi, however, sticks to his dream and found out that Azuki wants to be a voice actress and has already gotten a good reply from a production company. Takagi then brought Mashiro to her house and told her his dream… Mashiro then tells her that he will write a manga with Takagi and will ask Azuki to voice their anime.,
Out of confusion, Mashiro asks her if their dreams become reality, will she marry him? She says yes, only if their dreams become true, and not otherwise!! Now, the lives of wannabe mangakas begin!!!
My ramblings: Bakuman. is a lot of fun, from what I’ve seen of it, and I definitely suggest it! Super glad that Viz picked this one up. Though I’m sure it was kind of a no-brainer, since it’s from the creators of Death Note.

World Embryo by: Daisuke Moriyama
Ongoing with 5+ volumes
US publisher: Dark Horse
Volume 1 August 2010
Price: US $10.95
From mangaupdates: A deadly virus is spreading across mankind, turning humans into gruesome monsters known as ‘Kanshu’. Yet no one knows of their existence, except for the organization called ‘F.L.A.G.’, dedicated to hunting down and destroying the source of the infection. Its members possess extraordinary powers, capable of unleashing righteous fury on their enemies.
One day, a cell phone message from a dead relative leads estranged youth Riku Amami unwittingly into the conflict between F.L.A.G. and Kanshu – and to a mysterious cocoon that would change his life forever, for better or worse…
My ramblings: This one seems to be a fairly typical scifi story, but interesting none-the-less, and Dark Horse usually takes great care in their titles.

51 Ways to Save Her by: Usamaru Furuya
Complete at 5 volumes
US publisher: CMX
Volume 1 September 2010
Price: US $9.99
From ANN: February 23rd, 20XX. Looking for a job in the famous TV station at Odaiba, college senior Jin Mishima attended the recruitment orientation. Not far away from the station, Nanako Okano, a gothic lolita trying to attend a concert, found out that her friends tricked her about the concert ticket because of jealousy. The two bumped into each other and “reunited” — they were junior high classmates — moments before an earthquake of Richter Scale 8.1 turned the island (the entire metropolitan area, in fact) into ruins.
My ramblings: The art (from the cover at least) kind of reminds me of Death Note, but I’m not sure how far the similarities go.

OP 12

Nooooo, no, that is just bad. Especially toward the end, the cheery song completely ruins the scene or messes it’s ’serious’ tone up. Now the song isn’t bad, the begining was fine with me when they were just animating the covers from the manga chapters, but when the opening switched over to Ace going to Impel Down and stuff like that…that’s when it got terrible… the song, like I said ruins the ’serious’ tone of that part of the manga and Anime. Toei Anim. has been getting complaints as well, jut shortly after the episode aired. I’m kind of hping the OP will change soon, but you really don’t have to watch it, just skip over it, but it’s not like I’m watching the ONE PIECE anime anyways, I much prefer the manga honestly.

Bastard!! uno de los seinen más famosos y duraderos regresa. Y es que a la lentitud del autor, tenemos que sumarle el tiempo que se toma para redibujar parte de las viñetas de la edición revista a la versión tomo y para la edición en formato kanzenban. Kazushi Hagiwara regresa con la publicación del título en el que lleva trabajando desde el año 1988 para las revistas Shonen Jump y Ultra Jump, donde actualmente se publica.

El tan esperado regreso del seinen será en el número #01 de la revista Ultra Jump, que se pondrá a la venta el día 19 de este próximo mes de diciembre, coincidiendo con la salida del noveno tomo de la kanzenban.Además de esto, Bastard!! será la serie que encabece la revista en ese primer número del año, ya que contará con su presencia en la portada.Bastard!! ha acumulado en Japón hasta la fecha un total de 26 tomos en su edición en takobon, y 8 en su edición kanzenban. En España, Planeta ha editado un total de 25 tomos, y han declaro a través de las consultas de los lectores de su página web que les parece intersante la licencia de la edición en kanzenban.

Al fin después de mucho tiempo, el conocido manga Hunter X Hunter del mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi sera publicado en la Shonen Jump que sale a la venta el próximo 4 de Enero del 2010

En otras noticias Yabuki Kentarou, a menos de un año de haber finalizado con ToLoveRu, regresara a la Jump con una nueva serialización para Febrero del 2010

por otra parte Matsumoto Naoya se unira a los que publican regularmente en la Shonen Jump. En junio de este año dejo ver alos editores un oneshot que al parecer los convenció para ocupar el lugar que había dejado la cancelación de Akaboshi. El nombre de su manga sera Neko wappa!

Por ultimo, elcapitulo precuela del famoso manga y anime, el episodio zero (historia situada antes de las aventuras de Luffy), sera pulicado el 30 de Noviembre y tendra una adaptación en una OVA limitada de 3000 copias.

La publicación japonesa Shonen Jump ha develado que Final Fantasy XIII contará con un sistema para evolucionar las armas que utilizaremos.

Este sistema contara con más de 100 elementos o materiales para lograrlo y dichos materiales los podremos ir recolectando durante nuestro camino  o al eliminar enemigos, todo esto con la finalidad de dotar de más fuerza y experiencia nuestro armamento; otro dato que se dio a conocer es que al evolucionar nuestras armas estas podrán cambiar de aspecto.

Fuente | ºlaps3.comº

Matsumoto Naoya ha sido el elegido para incorporarse al plantel de privilegiados que publican regularmente en la Shonen Jump. El pasado mes de junio ya se dejó ver por el semanario con un One Shot que parece convenció a los editores para apostar por él para llenar el hueco que ha dejado la cancelación de Akaboshi.

Su nuevo manga se llama Neko wappa! Y con un estilo fresco y humorístico supone una bocanada de aire fresco en la Jump recuperando el espíritu gamberro del joven Toriyama.

Last week, I received the November edition of Yen Plus, and in it was a cute little story by George Alexopoulos called “Prom Night”, a Western independent artist/comics writer who has a nice little web portfolio you can check out. Earlier this year,  Yen Press published a one-shot by Queenie Chan which was surprisingly interesting. These two writers are just a small pinch of the talent out there that’s trying to get work published as independent comics writers.

George’s story reminded me of a little fact – that anthologies, like in Japan, are perfect for one-shots. In Japan, contests exist throughout the year that allow new and aspiring authors get their work into an anthology and have it graded by the readers. Readers pick what they like and what they don’t, and those stories that they end up liking the most oftentimes get turned into long-running manga series. For example, if the readers of Yen Plus liked “Prom Night,” they would be able to vote it up and see what happens. While “Prom Night” is a fairly one-minded short, its characters, who are all cute, awkward, and lovable, could definitely be part of a longer running series.

The question is though – what is the point of a one-shot manga in the US? The publishing world in the West is a lot different than the publishing model in Japan, and making one-shots available to the general reading public isn’t nearly as important if you aren’t going to do anything with them. Showcasing talent is an okay use of space, but I really want to read more of “Prom Night,” and I’m fairly certain that I’m not going to get to.

It interests me that anthologies like Yen Press and Shonen Jump have surveys that have ranking systems like the original anthologies, but I wonder if they use the information they get from the surveys is used to influence publishing decisions. As an aside, the survey in Yen Plus is a page of the anthology that you need to tear out and fill in and mail to Yen Press. It’s pretty flimsy paper (because the anthology is printed on low quality paper) so it doesn’t hold up very well.  It would be a better system if they could get one of the post-card inserts that sells subscriptions to be a survey card. I would definitely fill that out and put it in the mail. Survey postcards would be sweet, but digital works too – give readers a slip to vote in an online poll and offer a small prize (maybe a copy of an upcoming manga release) to a randomly-drawn participant (Viz does this with Shonen Jump, but Yen Press doesn’t do this with Yen Plus).

When Shojo Beat went down, it concerned me that manga anthologies might be going the way of the dodo here in the US, and I think that giving readers a say in what gets published and what gets cut is an essential move for any anthology. If, in some imaginary world, I was a Japanese manga reader and the Japanese version of Yen Plus released “Prom Night,” I could vote on it and know that my votes would count to whether or not it got published again. That’s power for the reader, and it increases the investment that your anthology subscribers have to your brands, as well as your manga licenses.

Getting this to work would require some tabulation and extra work for each publishing team, but the trade-off is a strong idea of the popularity of each series in an anthology within weeks of its publication.The strength of such a series popularity survey is unmeasurable – letting readers have a say in what they read is just another way that manga publishers can interact with the community, change their content for the better, and sell more copies.

The whole series is like this, but without puppets.

Now is the perfect time to start following One Piece, and I’ll tell you why.

One Piece is one of the most popular manga in history, with over 170 million copies sold over the past 12 years of its existence. It embodies the Shonen Jump spirit and takes it to the next level, combining epic action with silly comedy and a sweeping storyline that draws you in with its many well-developed characters. The main problem is that One Piece is so freaking long,  it’s hard to jump into the series without being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of it.

This year, though, VIZ Media and FUNimation are making it easy to be a One Piece fan, whether you’re a grizzled veteran or an interested newcomer.

It’s a refreshing change of pace, because American fandom of One Piece hasn’t had much support before – at least not to the level of its Shonen Jump co-stars Naruto, Bleach, and Yu-Gi-Oh!. VIZ Media’s releases of One Piece lagged far behind the Japanese manga, while the 4Kids dub was censored and edited into near-unrecognizability.

Now, both the anime and manga for One Piece are easier to find than ever before, between FUNimation’s official One Piece simulcast and VIZ’s initiative to have all of the One Piece manga released by June 2010. Both approaches are making serious headway on getting American fans caught up with the series without drowning them in new stuff.

On the manga side, VIZ is releasing about 5 manga volumes a month until they’re caught up to the present story arc – which is fine, because the manga is not only an enjoyable read, but it flies by really fast because it’s just so good. I managed to burn through just over 20 volumes of the Japanese release in a weekend, and I barely even noticed the passage of time because I was enthralled by the crazy adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates (full disclosure: I skipped the Skypiea arc, because I think it was not very good, but that’s the only part I skipped). It shouldn’t take very long at all to start reading One Piece and catch up, and I guarantee that you’ll love the light-hearted fun.

FUNimation has the harder job of getting fans caught up, but I can’t help but appreciate the good work they’re doing with the releases. Fans can watch the current story arc starting with the Sabaody Archipelago arc and going into the unbelievably good Impel Down storyline, and at the same time they can catch the origins as FUNimation releases a couple of the early episodes each week. The giant gap in the middle isn’t as big a problem as it could be, since you can appreciate vintage One Piece while you don’t feel like you have to lag behind the story. It’s easy to hit the ground running.

It’s easier than ever to become a One Piece fan, and you really should be, because One Piece just may be the best manga of the last decade-plus! Pirate adventures, silly antics, and gripping and deep storylines all combine into a wonderfully entertaining whole.

So what’re you waiting for? Start watching One Piece now and get caught up!

Yo!
Hoje vou falar sobre Dragon Ball, que é tão famoso quando Saint Seiya, e com certeza muitas pessoas também assistiram. O Post é bem grande, com resumos das sagas.

Dragon Ball foi publicado na Shounen Jump, de 1986 a 1997 (outro mangá antigo!), e é de autoria de Akira Toriyama (Toriyama Akira na ordem japonesa). Com o sucesso que fez, a TOEI ANIMATION produziu o Anime: Dragon Ball com 153 episódios que corresponde aos 16 primeiros volumes do mangá. Em seguida, foi produzido Dragon Ball Z com 291 episódios, que correspondem aos 26 volumes restantes do mangá.

Abertura Japonesa de Dragon Ball (Makafushigi Adventure)

Abertura Japonesa de Dragon Ball Z (Cha-La Head-Cha-La)

2ª Abertura de Dragon Ball Z (We Gotta Power)

Por causa do sucesso de Dragon Ball, a TOEI e a Shounen Jump fizeram Akira Toriyama continuasse escrevendo a série por muito tempo, por isso é tão longa.
Dragon Ball Z tem esse nome, pois Akira Toriyama queria que fosse a ultima fase da série Dragon Ball. E realmente, depois de mais de 10 anos desenhando Dragon Ball, Akira parou de desenhar, e o mangá de Dragon Ball acabou na fase Dragon Ball Z.  Então, a TOEI que não queria perder um de seus animes mais populares, criou a fase Dragon Ball GT de 1996 a 1997, com 64 capítulos e sem a participação de Akira Toriyama (por isso não existe no mangá).
No Brasil, Dragon Ball foi exibido pela primeira vez pelo SBT em 1996, e depois pela Globo, Animax e Bandeirantes. É uma pena que na nossa versão, muitas coisas ficaram cortadas.
Como vimos, Dragon Ball é uma série de animes dividida em 3 fases: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, e a ultima que não existe no mangá, Dragon Ball GT.

Abertura de Dragon ball GT (Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku)

E, pra quem gosta das aberturas em português, ou gosta de simplesmente relembrar os tempos em que assistia Dragon Ball aí vai um video com todas as aberturas no Brasil:

A série rendeu além de tudo isso, e de inumeros jogos, 16 filmes em Anime, e mais um em Live Action, chamado Dragon Ball Evolution. Dragon Ball Evolution é uma produção americana, adaptação ao anime Dragon Ball, e teve estreia esse ano. E também existe a fase Dragon Ball Kai, que nada mais é que um Remake de Dragon Ball Z, que está sendo produzido este ano, e que tem planos de ser feita em 100 capítulos contra 290 da versão original.

A história de Dragon Ball é basicamente, leia: basicamente (ou seja, não é só isso), a vida de Goku (um menino com cauda de macaco), que luta com muitos adversários, e faz muitos amigos durante a série. Porém, seu destino só muda quando ele encontra Bulma, que criou uma máquina para encontrar as Esferas do Dragão.
As Esferas do Dragão (Bolas de Cristal em Portugal) são 7 Esferas com estrelas dentro (de 1 a 7), que quando juntas, se o portador souber falar as palavras mágicas, invocam um dragão, Shen Long, que pode realizar um desejo a ele. Então, Goku que tem uma das esferas do dragão, deixadas por seu avô, vai com Bulma atrás das Esferas do Dragão. Essa fase tem bastante humor.

Dragon Ball Z começa 5 anos depois de Goku ter derrotado Piccolo. Agora, casado e com um filho chamado Gohan (que mostra ter uma força absurdamente grande como a de seu pai, no decorrer da história). Depois de algum tempo, aparece do espaço, um guerreiro alienigena chamado Raditz, que é o irmão de Goku, e diz a ele que seu nome não é Goku, e sim Kakarotto, que ele é de uma raça alienigena chamada Saiyajin, e que ele foi enviado á Terra para destruir todos os seres humanos, para que os Saiyajins vendessem a Terra por um bom preço. Goku havia sido encontrado por seu “avô” , que o criara; Goku era rebelde quando criança, porem depois de bater a cabeça numa pedra, mudou completamente seu comportamento. Revoltado, Goku parte para lutar com seu irmão, negando-se a acreditar naquela história, mas é vencido com apenas um golpe. Raditz então sequestra Gohan, filho de Goku, e diz que se ele não se aliar aos Saiyajins, os humanos e seu filho, morrerão. Depois de algum tempo, Goku se alia a Piccolo, e juntos eles derrotam Raditz. Goku morre nesta batalha. Quando Raditz estava morrendo, Piccolo conta a ele sobre as Esferas do Dragão, e diz que quando todas fossem reunidas, ressuscitaria Goku. O problema é que a raça Saiyajin ouve toda a conversa, por causa de um rastreador. Assim, vários Saiyajins começam a vir a Terra, em busca das Esferas do Dragão. A fase de Dragon Ball Z tem mais ação do que humor.

A fase de Dragon Ball GT, tem no começo o humor de Dragon Ball, e depois a ação de Dragon Ball Z. E essa ultima fase, conta a história de Goku (pra variar) que foi transformado novamente em uma criança por causa das Esferas de Estrelas Negras. Agora, ele, Pan (sua neta) e Trunks procuram pelas Esferas do Dragão novamente, por toda a galáxia.

Bom, então é isso. Esse é o GRANDE resumo Post de Dragon Ball!
Ja Ne!
Patrício.

]]> http://yonihon.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/cavaleiros-do-zodiaco-saint-seiya/ Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:07:22 +0000 Patrício http://yonihon.wordpress.com/2009/10/24/cavaleiros-do-zodiaco-saint-seiya/

Yo!

Bom, nem sei como começar a falar de Saint Seiya… Pois aposto que a maioria das pessoas que passarem por aqui já assistiram pelo menos uma vez, um pedacinho que seja de CDZ; principalmente os meninos, né? Mas vamos lá!

Bom, como o nome do post diz, Saint Seiya é conhecido como Os Cavaleiros do Zodíaco no Brasil e em Portugal.

O Mangá de Saint Seiya começou a ser produzido por Kuramada Masami em 1985, pela Shonen Jump. Em 1986, a série ganhou um Anime, que durou até 1989. Bom, não é de se espantar que CDZ seja tão antigo, dá pra perceber no anime (pra quem já assistiu), que há uma diferença do “desenho” e movimento em relação aos atuais. Mas quando eu fui me informar melhor sobre as datas pensei: Nossa, eu nem sonhava em nascer ainda, em 86.
Como todo mundo sabe, CDZ foi um dos responsáveis pela divulgação do anime pelo Brasil, e pelo mundo. A primeira temporada de CDZ foi exibida aqui no Brasil de 1994 a 1997, pela extinta TV MANCHETE, e depois por várias outras, inclusive pelo Cartoon Network. Em Portugal, começou a ser exibido em 1992 pela RTP, mas parou no capitulo 36, a pedido de pais que reclamaram do “excesso de violencia” no anime. Mas voltou a ser exibido pela SIC, em 1999. E depois pelo Animax.

Abertura brasileira/ Pegasus Fantasy (Fala sério, quem nunca ouviu Pegasus Fantasy?)

Abertura japonesa (A mesma coisa, só que em japonês, pra quem gosta de ouvi-los dizer: Pegasasu Fantaji [Pegasus  Fantasy])

Resumindo o começo do anime, podemos dizer que é assim: De 200 em 200 anos, a Deusa Atena vem a terra para impedir que outros Deuses dominem o mundo e os humanos. E para isso, ela conta com jovens cavaleiros que vestem armaduras sagradas. E juntos lutam contra as forças malignas. Na, história, Atena (Saori Kido) tem 5 cavaleiros, Seiya de Pégaso, Shiryu de Dragão, Hyoga de Cisne, Shun de Andrômeda e Ikki de Fênix.

A série de Anime de CDZ, teve 114 capítulos divididos em 3 sagas: Santuário, Asgard e Poseidon. O Mangá, de 28 volumes (no Japão) só rendeu 114 capitulos porque como o Anime foi lançado praticamente junto com o Mangá, a TOEI ANIMATION teve que inventar personagens, prolongar cenas de luta, dentre outras coisas, para render mais episódios; além da saga que não existia no mangá.

Volume 1 de Saint Seiya

O Mangá também foi dividido em sagas: Santuário, Blue Warriors, Poseidon e Hades. A saga Hades, é considerada a melhor saga pelos fãs. Porém, ela não recebeu uma versão em anime, o que deixou fãs infelizes pelo mundo todo por algum tempo. Então em 2002 a TOEI ANIMATION lançou a primeira OVA da saga Hades para DvD. A partir disso, Saint Seiya voltou a ser uma febre no Japão, e inúmeras OVAs foram produzidas até 2008, terminando a Saga Hades. Entretanto, o Mangá não parou por aí, e hoveram várias Sagas paralelas, como a Saga Episódio G, que contou com o roteiro de Kuramada Masami, e com os traços de Megumu Okada (o que causou grande interesse em fãs e em pessoas que não gostavam antes).

5 Filmes foram produzidos pela TOEI ANIMATION e pela BANDAI, sendo que o ultimo, Prólogo do Céu, foi o único com o roteiro escrito por Kuramada Masami (fazendo parte da cronologia da história). Além de vários jogos para videogames e PC, produzidos até hoje. Também existem os outros inumeros produtos com a marca Saint Seiya.
Para concluir, parece que Saint Seiya ainda vai surpreender a todos, com uma nova saga, ou uma nova fase, já que ainda existe uma legião enorme de fãs pelo mundo inteiro (diferentemente de mangás como Sailor Moon, que acabou de vez, CDZ continuou até o ano passado, e esse ano, quem sabe?).

Então é isso!
Ja Ne!
Patrício.

Yo!

Bom, vamos começar com uma noticia. A JBC anunciou no Comix Fest, que vai lançar em breve aqui em solo brasileiro o manga Hikaru no Go!
O Manga começou a ser publicado em 1998 pela Shonen Jump. O manga foi criado por Yumi Hotta, e ilustrado por Takeshi Obata (que também ilustrou Death Note e Bakuman).

Hikaru no Go, que significa mais ou menos “O Go de Hikaru”, conta a história de Shindou Hikaru, um garoto que aprende a jogar um tradicional jogo chamado Go, por meio dos ensinamentos de um fantasma que era antigo tutor do imperador. O sucesso dos 23 volumes em manga de Hikaru no Go, foi suficiente para criarem a versão em anime, que com 76 episódios, foi exibida de Outubro de 2001 a Março de 2003.

A história começa quando Hikaru encontra um tabuleiro na casa de seu avô, com sua amiga Akari. O tabuleiro estava manchado de sangue, mas só ele via a mancha. Hikaru tenta limpar a marca de sangue, mas um fantasma diz alguma coisa, e então assustado, Hikaru desmaia. Quando acorda, o fantasma conta sua história para Hikaru. Ele era o antigo tutor de Go de um imperador no período Heian. Devido a um acidente, ele morreu, e sua alma ficou presa dentro do tabuleiro de Go, pois ainda tinha assuntos pendentes.

O fantasma então, de nome Sai, que tem assuntos pendentes com o jogo Go, pede a Hikaru que o leve a um clube de Go. Eles vão, e depois de muita insistência, Hikaru joga com outra pessoa de sua idade, Akira. Na verdade, quem joga é Sai. Hikaru (Sai) vence, e depois descobre que Akira é o filho do maior jogar de Go da atualidade. Só que mal sabia ele que daí pra frente, Akira começaria a persegui-lo.

//EDIT: Como eu respondi pra Gih, que comentou no post, acho que podemos comparar Hikaru no Go com Yu-Gi-Oh. Não estou dizendo que são iguais, definitivamente. Só digo que a história é parecida, já que ambas histórias são sobre garotos que jogam um jogo, “controlados” por um “fantasma” de alguma era antiga. Apesar de Yu-Gi-Oh ser 2 anos mais velho que Hikaru no Go (Yu-Gi-Oh foi lançado em 1996).//

Bom, então é isso.
Espero que tenham gostado das novidades! Em breve mais um mangá para gastarmos nosso dinheiro!

Quoted from ANN:

Japanese moviegoers who see this year’s One Piece Film Strong World will receive the “0th volume” of Eichiro Oda’s One Piece pirate manga. Oda launched his manga about the young pirate captain Monkey D. Luffy in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine 12 years ago in 1997, but the manga in the upcoming “One Piece Kan-Zero” bonus gift will depict the world of One Piece of 20 years ago. In the real world, Oda was a junior high school student 20 years ago when he conceived of the earliest concepts of the pirate manga that would eventually become One Piece.

Oda-sensei is awesome.! ^_^

Bleach Poster

Fade to black  Kimi no Na wo Yobu (eu acho pelo o seu nome) é  o nome do 3° filme do bleach que foi lançado no dia 13 de dezembro de 2008 no Japão e o seu DVD foi lançado em 30 de setembro de 2009 com cenas extras do Ichigo ,Rukia e o Kon saindo para o mundo real.

Para quem nao conheçe bleach é um anime/manga shonen publicado na Shonen Jump escrito pelo Tite Kubo desde agosto de 2001 por enquanto tem 41 volumes(que já vendeu mais de 50 milhoes  de copias no japão) , 2 OVA’s , 3 Filmes e por enquanto 241 episodios (até a presente data), é transmitido no canal animax (brasileiro).Na minha opniao o que deixa bleach bem mais interessante são as musicas de abertura e de encerramento que quase todas são boas e tambem que cada volume do manga tem um poema sobre o personagem da capa .

A historia do bleach gira em torno do Ichigo kurosaki estudante bem diferente porque alem de ter cabelo laranja  e  encrenqueiro consegue ver os espiritos ,uma Shinigami* chamada Rukia aparece para combater um Hollow(que está atacando a familia do Ichigo) mas acaba ferida e nao conseguindo mais lutar, o unico jeito foi passar seus poderes para Ichigo proteger sua familia de um ataque de um hollow.Bleach segue a historia mostrando  o Ichigo controlando seu poder e enfrentando diversos tipos de inimigos desde os capitaes da soul society até os poderosos Arrancar’s(eu dei uma visao bem geral do enredo para nao dar “spoiler” para ninguem..desculpa se ficou muito vago).

3°filme bleach

Sinopse do filme :Tudo começa quando o capitão Mayuri é atacado por um ser misterioso com uma foice que de alguma forma “rouba” as memorias dele, ele desesperado sem saber onde ele está destrui parte do laboratorio provocando uma explosao e fazendo um casulo na Sereitei e todos os shinigamis de lá ficam com amnesia.

Rukia que via o acidente de longe é atacada pelo ser misterioso e perde suas memorias e seu “coração”(A existencia dela foi praticamente apagada), Ichigo no mundo real teve um mau presentimento e vai a loja do urahara saber o que aconteceu, depois de descobrir do acidente da soul society ele vai para lá saber o que realmente está acontecendo mas no momento que chega ninguem lembra dele ou da Rukia.

Agora Ichigo vai ter que saber onde está a Rukia e descobrir o porque de ninguem lembrar deles ? A pergunta fica o que vale mais as memorias ou o sentimento do coração?

Bleach 3

Opniao : Eu achei um filme bom nao teve muita luta (praticamente nenhuma) mas mesmo assim ele foi um filme mais profundo na historia mostrando o passado da rukia , suas ligações etc.. O que foi muito interessante, a musica de encerramento ficou muito legal e a ultima cena foi a melhor .. nao vou contar qual foi porque iria perder a graça mas só por ter visto ela valeu a pena..Assistam esse filme!!