‘Tis the season for lists of the best comics and graphic novels of 2009, an event I always enjoy more as a spectator than as a provider. I would feel comfortable listing my favorite comics of the year, but some pocket of insecurity blocks me from using the word “best.” Fortunately, ‘tis also the season to nominate titles for the 2010 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards.

As you might recall, there was some disgruntlement over the rather narrow field of manga nominees in last year’s Eisner slate. This came on after a couple of years where there was a healthy sprinkling of comics and creators from Japan throughout the roster. While complaining afterwards is always fun (it’s the peak pleasure of “Best of” season, after all), I thought it certainly couldn’t hurt to throw out some suggestions for various Eisner categories while it might still make a difference.

Just looking at the aforementioned “Best of” lists, we can be reasonably certain that at least two titles are locks for some form of Eisner nomination: Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka (Viz) and Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s A Drifting Life (Drawn & Quarterly). They’re the two comics from Japan that have appeared most frequently on lists of the best comics and graphic novels of 2009. They’re fine choices and among my favorite new works from 2009, but their respective inevitability makes me disinclined to dwell on them too much, except to recommend that A Drifting Life be nominated in the Best Reality-Based Work category.

I make that suggestion because 2009 saw a whole lot of extraordinary comics from Japan, so the real estate in the Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material – Japanese category will be costly indeed. To start, there’s Urasawa’s other series in current release, 20th Century Boys, which I actually prefer to Pluto. I’m not saying it’s a better comic point by point, but I enjoy reading it more. It may lack Pluto’s seriousness of purpose and craftsmanship, but it’s compulsively readable and friendlier. Perhaps the solution is to nominate Urasawa in the Best Writer/Artist – Drama category or to nominate Pluto in the Best New Series slate. Urasawa has popped up in a variety of categories in the past, and I see no reason for that trend to stop now.

Of course, I would hope that there’s room in the Best Writer/Artist roster for Takehiko Inoue, who has three series currently in English release, all from Viz: samurai epic Vagabond, available in regular and VizBig editions; shônen hoops classic Slam Dunk; and the achingly good, criminally underappreciated Real, which examines the lives of wheelchair basketball players. If the judges can’t bring themselves to give Inoue a Writer/Artist slot, I urge them in the strongest possible terms to save a space in Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material – Japanese or Best Continuing Series for Real, because it’s one of the finest comics currently in release, magnificently drawn and faultlessly written.

On the subject of magnificently drawn and beautifully written manga, this will be judges’ final opportunity to recognize Kaoru Mori’s breathtaking period drama, Emma (CMX). The tenth and final volume came out earlier this winter, offering a satisfying conclusion to the driving storyline and a sentimental farewell to the rich cast of supporting characters that made this series so rewarding. Intelligent, meticulously researched, emotionally resonant, and all-around glorious, a lot of people are going to miss this book terribly.

In a rather different vein, one devoid of delicacy or refinement but brimming with genius, please don’t forget Junko Mizuno’s subversive Little Fluffy Gigolo Pelu (Last Gasp). Mizuno is a household name, assuming that household name counts a hardcore comics omnivore among its residents. She should be more famous, with her inimitable aesthetic and subversive sensibilities, and Pelu could be the book that pushes her over the top. It’s a profane, hilarious look at the intersection of sex, love and obsession from the perspective of a sentient space ovary. It’s the comic equivalent of a hallucinogen mixed with an amphetamine, and it’s my favorite new manga of 2009. But I would also hope that there’s room for Daisuke Igarashi’s Children of the Sea (Viz), the first release in that publisher’s tremendously promising SigIKKI imprint of alternative manga. It’s a contemporary environmental fable with absolutely immersive artwork and subdued storytelling all around.

Speaking of the SigIKKI iprint, I see nothing that would prevent anyone from nominating the SigIKKI site in the Best Anthology category. One of the great pleasures of 2009 has been the ability to read new chapters of around a dozen exciting, alternative manga titles each Thursday. Beyond the extraordinary quality of some of the comics in rotation (many of which will be likely Eisner candidates when they see print), the whole thing strikes me as a very forward-looking initiative, a smart and generous loss leader to build an audience for books with perhaps marginal commercial potential.

Back on the subject of taking your last chance to recognize worthy work, judges might also do something really nervy and give a slot in the Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material – Japanese to Natsuki Takaya’s Fruits Basket (Tokyopop). Commercial success has never been a barrier to nomination in the past, and Fruits Basket is so much more than the piles and piles of money it made. It was a wrenching and lovely series throughout, and it ended with all of the grace and emotion its fans had every reason to expect. The Eisners haven’t nominated a shôjo title in this category since Fumi Yoshinaga’s Antique Bakery in 2007. (And while it’s not shôjo, nor is it explicitly for teens, keep an eye on Yoshinaga’s Ôoku from Viz for 2011. It’s off to a promising start, but I suspect it will hit its full stride next year.)

Of course, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Fruits Basket was nominated in the Best Publication for Teens category, which manga could handily pack from top to bottom and still have partisans crying out at the injustice of some exclusion or another. I’ll limit myself to one suggestion for this category, Karuho Shiina’s Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You (Viz). It’s a hilarious romantic comedy about an outwardly creepy but inwardly sparkly girl trying to make friends on her own terms. It seesaws smartly between laughter and tears and speaks to the odd kid out.

Moving down the age scale, someone really should recognize Yen Press for rescuing Kiyohiko Azuma’s Yotsuba&! from publishing limbo. It was nominated in 2008 in the Best Publication for Kids category (or whatever it was called back then), and another nomination is in order. It’s still one of the funniest, freshest comics around, following a green-haired girl as she experiences the world’s many wonders, from riding a bike to running errands. Of course, it wasn’t conceived for kids, but who cares? And if you, like me, don’t read as many comics for kids as you feel you should, you can always check out this marvelous list of the year’s best from Good Comics for Kids.

Given that it’s so damned funny, Yotsuba&! might also sit comfortably in the Best Humor Publication category, but I have other plans there. The first involves a nomination for Kiminori Wakasugi’s hilariously distasteful Detroit Metal City (Viz), about a would-be emo-pop crooner forced to moonlight as a vile, death-metal front man. The second involves a nomination for Koji Kumeta’s dense satire, Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei: The Power of Negative Thinking (Del Rey). Beyond being a master class in the art and science of translation, this is a very funny book.

Jiro Taniguchi is a good writer, and he’s a positively magnificent illustrator, so I would recommend he be nominated as Best Penciller for his work on The Summit of the Gods (Fanfare/Ponent Mon), written by Baku Yumemakura. For reinforcement, Taniguchi sturdily wrote and gorgeously drew A Distant Neighborhood (Fanfare/Ponent Mon).

I can’t quite bring myself to recommend Inio Asano’s What a Wonderful World! (Viz) for a major category; there’s some outstanding work contained in these two volumes of short stories, but a goodly portion is merely very good. I’d have no reservations about suggesting “A Town of Many Hills” from the first volume for the Best Short Story prize, as it shows Asano at the peak of his considerable powers.

I’m not really worried that Taiyo Matsumoto’s GoGo Monster (Viz) will be neglected. It’s just too good. The only question is in which categories it will be nominated. To my thinking, it’s eligible for Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material – Japanese, Best Graphic Album – Reprint Material, and Best Publication Design. Judges may want to limit that last possibility to new designs rather than stateside reproductions, but the packaging is extraordinary.

None of the Eisner categories will be easy to limit, but I suspect that Best Archival Collection will be particularly difficult. I’m not going to make it any easier. A year without a nomination for a work by Osamu Tezuka would just seem odd, and Vertical has been providing a valuable service (and really entertaining comics) by releasing a steady stream of Tezuka’s excellent medical melodrama Black Jack. At least some of the material in culinary classic Oishinbo (Viz), written by Tetsu Kariya and illustrated by Akira Hanasaki, is 20 years old, and all of it is lively, informative, and enriches the scope of Japanese comics available in translation and available comics in general. If it doesn’t qualify for the archival award, put it in the Best Edition of Foreign Material – Japanese. Just put it somewhere. Beyond being very, very good on strictly qualitative terms, Susumu Katsumata’s Red Snow (Drawn and Quarterly) gives readers a glimpse of a different kind of gekiaga, a category of dramatic comics for grown-ups previously defined by the aforementioned Tatsumi.

Entries for Eisner consideration are due March 8. Publishers, get cracking. Judges, get reading.

I’m not going to lie, this is probably one of my most-looked forward to posts in a while, because I love getting the word out about any light/Japanese novels that I can so that they’ll do well and we’ll get even more! Seriously, I did this post super quick compared to the other ones. After this has been up for a few days, I think I’m going to do a feedback post with some of my ideas for making this easier next time and to get your input too! :] Hope you all enjoy!! (And a semi-warning, cuz there’s a whole lot of Haikasoru fangirling going on past this cut.) (And of course the super-long tag list warning again, haha.)

Unless noted otherwise, these are stand-alone novels.

The Book of Heroes by: Miyuki Miyabe
January 19, 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $23.99
From the publisher: A young girl travels into a magical world to save her brother from real-world bullies. L to R (Western Style). When her brother Hiroki disappears after a violent altercation with school bullies, the young Yukiro finds a magical book in his room. The book leads her to another world where she learns that Hiroki has been possessed b a spirit from the Book of Heroes. She visits the magical Nameless Land, where she is told how to save her brother, and is sent back to Earth with a young monk named Sora and the magical book, now a mouse named Azu. Yuri has to piece together the mystery of Horiko, and has a library of powerful magic books at her disposal to do so! When her brother Hiroki disappears after a violent altercation with school bullies, the young Yukiro finds a magical book in his room. The book leads her to another world where she learns that Hiroki has been possessed b a spirit from the Book of Heroes. She visits the magical Nameless Land, where she is told how to save her brother, and is sent back to Earth with a young monk named Sora and the magical book, now a mouse named Azu. Yuri has to piece together the mystery of Horiko, and has a library of powerful magic books at her disposal to do so!
My ramblings: I’m getting the new Haikasoru reprint of Miyabe’s Brave Story for Christmas (I’m bad and I snoop), so hopefully I’ll love it just as much as I expect to love this. (oh, check out the official cover in this post the Haikasoru site/blog, it now has lovely gold ink for the title and author name). On a sort of similar note, Viz seems pretty confident about Miyabi’s work, since Brave Story did get a reprint and The Book of Heroes is the first of the Haikasoru titles to be printed in hardcover, which makes me even more excited about both of them. Nick Mamatas (Haikasoru editor) calls it both fantasy and anti-fantasy, which makes me even more curious about the story, though all this talk about The King in Yellow makes me feel like I need to read the source material for that now (apparently it’s available as a free e-book from Project Gutenburg, so I should get on that before I get the novel).

Yukikaze by: Chohei Kambayashi
January 19, 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $14.99
From the publisher: More than thirty years ago a hyper-dimensional passageway suddenly appeared… the first stage of an attempted invasion by an enigmatic alien host. Humanity managed to push the invaders back through the passageway to the strange planet nicknamed “Faery.” Now, Second Lieutenant Rei Fukai carries out his missions in the skies over Faery. His only constant companion in this lonely task is his fighter plane, the sentient FFR-31 Super Sylph, call sign: YUKIKAZE.
My ramblings: So…I hadn’t actually heard of Yukikaze before this (apparently it has a 5-episode anime adaptation and the fact that Viz licensed this is awesome), but I still think it looks awesome even if I hadn’t seen the anime (though it certainly makes me want to watch the anime now too!). I’m always up for more scifi, and apparently this is some top notch stuff, so thanks Viz/Haikasoru! ;]

Chibi Vampire by: Tohru Kai and Yuna Kagesaki
Complete at 9 volumes
Volume 6 March 30, 2010
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Karin Maaka can bite a throat like a proper vampire, but where others of her kind need hot red blood, she has too much of it! Every month, she’s compelled to inject blood into her victims the way a snake injects venom. And her handsome classmate Kenta Usui makes her feel like she’s is going to spurt blood like a geyser. Talk about embarrassing! When Karin’s latest victim turns out to be as rich as he is good looking, it causes hilarious chaos at her school. Will she ever live in peace? The much talked-about manga is now a supernatural-love-comedy-mystery novel starring our favorite clumsy blood injector, Karin!
My ramblings: I haven’t read the Chibi Vampire/Karin series, but since Tokyopop is finally putting out another of the light novels, I might just have to now, because this certainly looks good for their other light novels!

Gosick by: Kazuki Sakurakaba
Ongoing with 9+ volumes
Volume 2 March 2, 2010, Volume 3 June 30, 2010
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Kazuya finds a classified ad inviting descendants of the gray wolf to return home to the summer festival. Remembering rumors that Victorique was the gray wolf reborn, he shows her the ad – and she reveals she was charged with murdering the mayor and banished from the village at the age of fifteen, and now she’s come to prove her innocence…
my ramblings: Thanks to sylphalchemist for mentioning this one!! I haven’t read the first volume, but the cover sure makes me want to go back and get it before volume 2 comes out so I can read it when it does.

Kieli by: Yukako Kabei
Complete at 9 volumes
Volume 2 March 2010, Volume 3 September 2010
US publisher: Yen Press
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Kieli is a reclusive girl isolated by her ability to see ghosts. Her only friend is her “roommate,” Becca, the precocious spirit of a former student still residing in Kieli’s dorm. Everything in Kieli’s life changes suddenly when the girls meet the handsome but distant Harvey who, like Kieli, can see ghosts. He also turns out to be one of the legendary Undying, an immortal soldier bred for war now being hunted by the Church. When Kieli joins Harvey on a pilgrimage to lay to rest the spirit of a corporal possessing an old radio, as unlikely as it seems, she feels she may have finally found a place where she belongs in the world. And in Kieli, Harvey may have found a reason to live again.
My ramblings: I kind of just skipped over the first volume in this series, but am now thinking about getting it in time for the second one, since it looks rather interesting, and I’m sure since it’s from Yen Press it’s probably got a pretty darn good translation. I know there was a preview in Yen+ for 3 issues, but at the time I couldn’t find the magazine in stores near me and I don’t have a subscription, so unfortunately I can’t say anything about the actual novel yet. And I actually like the cover for this; it’s completely different from the Japanese cover, but it’s not as bad as the Spice and Wolf cover, it actually kind of reminds me of the covers for the House of Night series (take that as you will, since they’re not the best novels out there, though fairly interesting).

Slum Online by: Hiroshi Sakurazaka
March 16, 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $13.99
From the publisher: Reality bites for college freshman Etsuro Sakagami, but on the MMO Versus Town he’s a karate master who can handle anything. Who will be his greatest opponent-the seemingly invisible Slasher Jack, or his would-be girlfriend Fumiko? Etsuro Sakagami is a college freshmen who feels uncomfortable in reality, but when he logs onto the combat MMO Versus Town, he assumes the personality of “Tetsuo,” a karate champ on his way towards becoming the most powerful martial artist around. While his relationship with new classmate Fumiko goes nowhere, he spends his days and nights online in search of the invincible fighter Slasher Jack. Floating in between real and virutal, at last, Etsuro finds himself face to face with his most powerful opponent…
My ramblings: I have a kind of love/hate relationship with good ‘ole Hiroshi Sakurazaka, since he wrote All You Need is Kill, which I reviewed a few months back (and didn’t necessarily love), but he’s also the one who wrote the source novels for Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou (anime from last season that’s streaming on Crunchyroll), which I actually enjoyed (though I know it wasn’t terribly popular). Slum Online looks to be more like Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou than All You Need is Kill, so I think I’ll like it a lot more (and I’m definitely going to give it a chance).

The Stories of Ibis by: Hiroshi Yamamoto
March 16, 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $15.99
From the publisher: In a world where humans a minority and androids have created their own civilization, a wandering storyteller meets the beautiful android Ibis. She tells him seven stories of human/android interaction in order to reveal the secret behind humanity’s fall. The story takes place centuries in the future, where the diminished populations of humans live uncultured lives in their own colonies. They resent the androids, who have built themselves a stable and cultural society. In this brutal time, our main character travels from colony to colony as a “storyteller,” one that speaks of the stories of the past. One day, he is abducted by Ibis, an android in the form of a young girl, and told of the stories created by humans in the ancient past.
The stories that Ibis speaks of are the 7 novels about the events surrounding the announcements of the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in the 20th to 21st centuries. At a glance, these stories do not appear to have any sort of connection, but what is the true meaning behind them? What are Ibis’ real intentions?
My ramblings: Check out a preview of the novel here at Words Without Borders! I haven’t gotten around to reading the preview yet (bad me!), but the frame story of this novel really intrigues me.

The Twelve Kingdoms by: Fuyumi Ono
Complete at 7 volumes
Volume 4 (Skies of Dawn) March 2, 2010
(Volume 5 – March 9, 2011, Volume 6 – March 8, 2012, Volume 7 – March 7, 2013)
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: US $19.99
General story from wikipedia: The Twelve Kingdoms tells several stories from the world of the Twelve Kingdoms, located on several islands accessible through magic. On the islands, magic works and societies similar to classical China exist. While the inhabitants of the Twelve Kingdoms are aware of the existence of our world, the reverse is not true.
My ramblings: I keep having to tell myself that this series hasn’t been put on hiatus yet by Tokyopop, it just comes out at one volume a year! It’s such a long time to wait for such a fantastic series! The only problem I have with this volume is that Tokyopop has once again upped the price (to $19.99!!), but as long as the paper quality is better in this volume than the last one (and I think it should, since Tokyopop seems to have fixed the paper problem recently), I’ll be extremely willing to pay for it! It’s absolutely worth it to buy the hardback versions of these novels and not wait another year for the paperback version.

Trinity Blood: Rage Against the Moons by: Sunao Yoshida and Thores Shibamoto
Complete at 6 volumes
Volume 4 (Judgement Day) April 27, 2010
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: TBD (assumed to be US $10.99)
From the publisher: Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the war between humans and vampires rages on. While a group of vampire extremists manipulates events to ensure the war’s continuation, a Vatican special ops group called AX, must use everything–even a vampire who preys on the blood of other vampires–to protect the peace effort.
My ramblings: I really hope Tokyopop keeps putting these out! I finally made it to the halfway point in the both series (Reborn on the Mars and Rage Against the Moons), and would really like to be able to finish them both. Hopefully the fact that ROM 3 (review likely coming soon ;] )was just published a few months back means that Tokyopop is finally taking these off of hiatus!

Loups-Garous by: Natsuhiko Kyogoku
May 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $16.99
From the publisher: Virtual reality. Murder. Werewolves. And teen girls! In a future where nothing is as it seems, can old legends come true? In the near future, humans will communicate almost exclusively through monitors, making real interaction a rarified and weak occurance for those living in a near totalitarian society. In this new world of communication, children are only allowed to interact personally on school grounds. So when a serial killer starts slaughtering junior high children the communication routes go under futher surveillance. And despite all the safeguards put in place to avoid physical interaction, the killer’s latest victim turns out to have been in contact with three young girls: Mio Tsuzki, a certified prodigy; Hatsuki Matsuno, a quiet but opinionated classmate; and Ayumi Kono, her best friend. And as the girls get caught up in trying to quell curiosity under such terrorist scrutiny, Hatsuki learns that there is much more than meets the eye of their monitored communications.
My ramblings: Viz just keeps getting novels and manga right before an anime adaptation is announced. Sup with that? ;] But in all seriousness, and this is probably going to actually sound silly, but werewolves seem to be the new vampires, so this is probably going to do just fine here.

The Next Continent by: Issui Ogawa
May 18, 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $16.99
From the publisher: Humanity is returning to the moon, but this time the mission is Japanese, and in private hands for commercial purposes. The year is 2025 and Otaba General Construction—a firm that has built structures to survive the Antarctic and the Sahara—has received its most daunting challenge yet. Sennosuke Touenji, the chairman of one of the world’s largest leisure conglomerates, wants a moon base fit for civilian use, and he wants his granddaughter Tae to be his eyes and ears on the harsh lunar surface. Tae and Otaba engineer Aomine head to the moon where adventure, trouble, and perhaps romance await.
My ramblings: The Lord of the Sands of Time (reviewed here), also by Ogawa, was one of the first two novels from Haikasoru, and I absolutely love it! I actually hoped for more from Ogawa in my review, and Viz /Haikasoru is sure delivering. If The Lord of the Sands of Time is any indication, this novel is sure to be fantastic also.

Spice and Wolf by: Isuna Hasekura
Ongoing with 13+ volumes
Volume 2 June 2010, Volume 3 December 2010
US publisher: Yen Press
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: The life of a traveling merchant is a lonely one, a fact with which Kraft Lawrence is well acquainted. Wandering from town to town with just his horse, cart, and whatever wares have come his way, the peddler has pretty well settled into his routine—that is, until the night Lawrence finds a wolf goddess asleep in his cart. Taking the form of a fetching girl with wolf ears and a tail, Holo has wearied of tending to harvests in the countryside and strikes up a bargain with the merchant to lend him the cunning of “Holo the Wisewolf” to increase his profits in exchange for taking her along on his travels. What kind of businessman could turn down such an offer? Lawrence soon learns, though, that having an ancient goddess as a traveling companion can be a bit of a mixed blessing. Will this wolf girl turn out to be too wild to tame?
My ramblings: Now, I know there’s been a lot of fuss about the cover (and even I don’t love it), but it’s still awesome that Yen Press is willing to take the chance to publish this (and they are even going out of their way to print more of the original covers for people who buy them online). I can’t wait to buy the first volume soon and then the next 2 next year.

Zaregoto by: NISIOISIN
Complete at 9 volumes
Volume 2 (The Kubishime Romanticist) June 22, 2010
US publisher: Del Rey Manga – FAUST imprint
Price: US $9.99
From wikipedia: Ii-chan is invited to a party by a classmate, but the next day one of the guests is found dead.
My ramblings: I really hope this finally gets published! It keeps getting pushed back by Del Rey and that made me really sad, since the first volume is a great read, and I think now that people have had more exposure to NISIOISIN (through the Bakemonogatari anime and the upcoming Katanagatari anime, the xxxHolic novel (from Del Rey, the Death Note novel (from Viz), and both volumes of Del Rey’s own FAUST anthology), it will likely do better than the first volume (I’m assuming that it didn’t sell well and that’s why the second volume keeps getting pushed back). Actually, I recently looked at the Random House website (of which Del Rey Manga is an imprint) and it actually has the volume up for pre-order with the cover, which it didn’t even just a few days ago, so things are definitely looking up for Zaregoto volume 2!!

Haruhi Suzumiya Series by: Nagaru Tanigawa
On Hiatus with 9+ volumes
Volume 3 (The Boredom of Haruhi Suzumiya) July 1, 2010
US publisher: Yen Press and Little, Brown Books
Price: US $14.99 (hardcover), US $8.99 (paperback)
From the publisher: On the outside she’s just another cute outsider, starting high school as a freshman, in a suburban city where nothing exciting happens and no one understands her – until she meets Kyon. Although Kyon’s been warned away by all of his friends that Haruhi has left a trail of broken lives behind her, he decides to befriend her and that’s when the unexpected happens. Haruhi, it turns out, is a lot more than she seems, and the group of students she’s organized to help her search for the extraordinary in the world turns out to be exactly what she’s was looking for: A time traveler, an alien, and an esper. But here’s the catch, they can never let Haruhi know what they are or the world may end!
My ramblings: I loved the first volume of this series (still need to get volume 2!), and can certainly see why the anime does so well (2 series and an upcoming movie is certainly nothing to laugh at), though I do hope that Tanigawa gets around to finishing the series before Yen Press and Little, Brown catch up in the English releases. (side note: it looks like the third volume will still be getting the simultaneous hardback and paperback treatment, which is awesome!)

Harmony by: Project Itoh
July 20, 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $14.99
From the publisher: In the future, Utopia has finally been achieved thanks to medical nanotechnology and a powerful ethic of social welfare and mutual consideration. This perfect world isn’t that perfect though, and three young girls stand up to totalitarian kindness and super-medicine by attempting suicide via starvation. It doesn’t work, but one of the girls–Tuan Kirie–grows up to be a member of the World Health Organization. As a crisis threatens the harmony of the new world, Tuan rediscovers another member of her suicide pact, and together they must help save the planet…from itself.
My ramblings: ( haha, I tipped ANN off to this and Rocket Girls. xD ) Ok, in all seriousness, this novel looks really good! Though it’s certainly sad that the author died of cancer shortly after finishing the novel (which he apparently wrote in the hospital)! D: The novel won the 30th Nihon SF Taishō Awards from the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of Japan, so I think it’s safe to say that it’s probably pretty darn good.

Rocket Girls by: Housuke Nojiri
Complete at 4 volumes
Volume 1 July 20, 2010, Sequel Fall 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $13.99
From the publisher: Yukari Morita is a high school girl on a quest to find her missing father. While searching for him on the Solomon Islands, she receives the offer of a lifetime—she’ll get the help she needs to find her father, and all she need do in return is become the world’s youngest, lightest astronaut. Yukari and her teen friends, all petite, are the perfect crew and cargo for the Solomon Space Association’s launches, or will be once they complete their rigorous and sometimes dangerous training.
My ramblings: Another novel that has an anime adaptation and apparently this has 3 sequels, one of which, according to the Haikasoru catalog for summer ‘10, will be published later in 2010!! So there’s another one for the list. ;] Nojiri is the author of another Haikasoru title, Usurper of the Sun, so it’s probably pretty good too. I’m not sure if Viz/Haikasoru will be publishing all 4 of the novels or just 2 of them, but it looks pretty definite that at least 2 of them will be published (it’s also possible that they’re putting 2 volumes in each of their volumes [like a 2-in-1 omnibus], though probably not terribly likely).

My Girlfriend’s A Geek by: Pentabu
Complete at 2 volumes
Volume 1 September 2010, Volume 2 March 2011
US publisher: Yen Press
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Taiga is a college student who’s always scraping by. All he wants is a part-time job and a cute girlfriend. So when he spies a “help wanted” sign outside an office and a hot girl inside, he takes the job, no questions asked. Everything goes well, prompting him to steel his courage and ask Yuiko, a full-time employee at the office, out on date. And when she asks him if it’s okay that she’s a “fujoshi,” he tells her it’s fine out of sheer excitement. But poor Taiga has no idea how much trouble he’s just gotten himself into!
My ramblings: Well…I’m not sure whether or not to be insulted by the summary (cuz it sounds kind of fun, but maybe a little insulting possibly?)… but it’s a legit shojo light novel, so I’m absolutely checking it out! Plus it seems like it will be more funny than insulting, from the very end of that summary. Apparently the people at Yen Press said that it’s a bunch of blog posts from the guy about his girlfriend, so that should be an interesting format to see. And the Japanese cover is pretty and non-animanga-ish already, so Yen Press shouldn’t be changing it too much. ;] (I’m just kidding, I promise, though I really don’t think they’ll have to change this one, since it looks like the kind of cute book that would sell well with pre-teen/teen girls already.)

The Ouroboros Wave by: Jyouji Hayashi
September 21, 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $14.99
From the publisher: Ninety years from now, a satellite detects a nearby black hole scientists dub Kali for the Hindu goddess of destruction. Humanity embarks on a generations-long project to tap the energy of the black hole, and found colonies on planets across the solar system. Earth and Mars and the moons Europa (Jupiter) and Titan (Saturn) develop radically different societies, with only Kali, that swirling vortex of destruction and creation, and the hated but crucial Artificial Accretion Disk Development association (AADD) in common.
My ramblings: I’m not really too sure about this one, since I can’t really find anything about either the author or novel anywhere, but I’m willing to give it a chance, especially since Viz likens it to Bradbury, which is certainly a good thing!

Summer, Fireworks, and My Corpse by: Otsuichi
September 21, 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Haikasoru imprint
Price: US $14.99
From the publisher: Two short novels, including the title story and Black Fairy Tale, plus a bonus short story. Summer is a simple story of a nine-year-old girl who dies while on summer vacation. While her youthful killers try to hide the her body, she tells us the story—from the POV of her dead body—of the boys’ attempt to get away murder. Black Fairy Tale is classic J-horror: a young girl loses an eye in an accident, but receives a transplant. Now she can see again, but what she sees out of her new left eye is the experiences and memories of its previous owner. Its previous deceased owner.
My ramblings: More Otsuichi! (Is it bad that I keep fangirling over him when I haven’t even actually read anything from him? I think it is…I really need to get Goth, ZOO, and Calling You!) Plus I like the idea of two short stories in this one volume; it makes me feel like I’m paying less for more (even though that’s not really the case, haha). It makes me laugh that Haikasoru calls this their “Halloween Special” in the seasonal catalog since it’s in the vein of “dark fiction/horror/ghost stories” and coming out a month before Halloween.

It’s been a while since I’ve looked at anything other than Skip Beat!, to tell the truth, but one of my genuine favorite series is a Manhwa titled “Girl Queen.”  I think it was originally named “The Little Queen,” but since it’s been licensed by TokyoPop, I haven’t found it by any other name.  The other night, I read the last release “Girl Queen 7″ and wondered whatever happened to my Amazon.com pre-ordered volume 8.  It was supposed to be released a year ago, and it hasn’t!  In fact, there are tons of rumors that many titles have been “dropped” due to recent cutbacks (read: our crappy economy).

According to Tangerine Dreams and Comics 212, a ton of titles, including popular Beck, Ciel, Fruits Baskets and many more titles (check out Comics 212 for a full list) are on hold, indefinitely, because talks are not going well for TokyoPop.  They’re not going well at all.

At this point, I’m starting to tear my hair out because I bought all of Little Queen (volumes 1-7) and Little Queen 8 is the last volume that I need to complete my collection.  I’m currently looking to buy some copy at Amazon.co.uk for twice the price… But even then, that won’t complete my collection.

The terrifying thing for me is that I’m really thinking about scanslating it.  If I can find a Korean translator to do the real work for me, I’ll clean, edit and typeset the whole thing.  It’s frightening how determined I am, in part because I’m so outraged that we’re here again.  This series is technically licensed, but TokyoPop put scanslators back in the same situation we were in before.  If they’re incapable of making the series that we’re interested in available to us, there’s gotta be something that we can do, licensed or not.

I support Skip Beat! scanslations despite being licensed because at the rate that they’re releasing official American releases of Skip Beat!, they’ll never catch up to the Japanese releases of Skip Beat!.  Little Queen should’ve been finished a year ago.

My computer works!! Apparently the IT at school is actually good for something, haha. I lied…my computer died again, so I have to take it back to IT tomorrow… BUT I GOT MY JOB BACK!! Another company bought the theatre that I used to work at and the new manager called and asked if I wanted my job back (which of course I did!). So basically I’m going on a manga/light novel spending spree the day after Christmas in Borders, haha.
I wasn’t really sure what to call this, but basically this part is series that are ending that are exciting, artbooks, special manga compilations, etc. Basically everything that isn’t a new manga series/oneshot coming out. Oh, and a warning for lots and lots of CLAMP. xD

Akira by: Katsuhiro Otomo
Complete at 6 volumes
volume 2 January 2010
US publisher: Kodnasha Comics
Price: US $24.99
From the publisher: IN THE 21ST CENTURY, Neo-Tokyo has risen from the ashes of a Tokyo obliterated by a monstrous psychokinetic power known only as Akira, a being who yet lives, secretly imprisoned in frozen stasis. Those who stand guard know that Akira’s awakening is a terrifying inevitability. Tetsuo, an angry young man with immense—and rapidly growing—psychic abilities, may be their only hope to control Akira when he wakes. But Tetsuo is becoming increasingly unstable and harbors a growing obsession to confront Akira face to face. A clandestine group including his former best friend sets out to destroy Tetsuo before he can release Akira—or before Tetsuo himself becomes so powerful that no force on Earth can stop him.
My ramblings: From reviews I read of the first volume, Kodansha’s new version of this series is basically the same as the old Dark Horse version, but it’s still nice that it’s being reprinted if you didn’t get it the first time around.

Fruits Basket Ultimate Edition by: Natsuki Takaya
Complete at 23 volumes (assumed 11/12 omnibus volumes)
Volume 4 January 2010, Volume 5 June 2010
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: US $14.99
From the publisher: Can’t Miss Collector’s Item: It’s Furuba–The Ultimate Edition! Featuring a premium hardcover treatment with Fruits Basket Volumes 1 & 2, this beautiful hardcover includes interior color art and a new cover.
My ramblings: Heck yes! I have the first three of the Ultimate Editions and I’m so glad that Tokyopop will be publishing more of them, since I love the hardback and having my manga all the same format, haha. The color pages are also a definite plus for the so-called “Ultimate Editions” (they are nice, but there are some things that Tokyopop could have done to fix them up a little more, like do some reworking on the translations and type-setting). I really hope that people continue to buy the Ultimate Editions, since Tokyopop said in one of their Tokyopop Insider webcasts that they are pretty much dependent upon if they sell well (which I know is usually the case, but especially so for something that was on hiatus).

V.B. Rose by: Banri Hidaka
Complete at 14 volumes
Volume 7 January 2010, Volume 8 May 2010
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Something old, something new, something velvet, something blue…Shocked and heartbroken when her beloved older sister announces that she’s pregnant and getting married to (in Ageha’s mind) the most boring man alive, Ageha stumbles onto the job of a lifetime–helping to make her sister’s wedding dress. Velvet Blue Rose is a super-exclusive bridal design shop run by Yukari and Mitsuya, two super-hot guys. When Mitsuya, the pattern-maker at V.B. Rose, hurts his hand, will Ageha jump in to save her sister’s happy dream of marriage, in spite of her own reservations? Frills and fancy fill this blissful new series from the creator of I Hate You More Than Anyone and Tears of a Lamb!
My ramblings: I’ve read so many good reviews of this series, and I know plenty of people will be glad to know that the series is off of the semi-hiatus Tokyopop had put it on.

Beast Master by: Kyousuke Motomi
Complete at 2 volumes
Volume 2 February 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Leo’s 18th birthday is around the corner, but celebrating seems impossible as someone is after Leo’s life! Can Leo overcome the dangers of his past? Or will this beast-like boy be separated from his beloved “master”…forever?
My ramblings: This is one of the series that I plan to buy on my post-Christmas manga binge, as I haven’t seen a bad review of the series yet! Everyone seems to love it, and I wanted to be able to include it on this list somehow, though it doesn’t really need the publicity, since like I said, it’s gotten plenty of great reviews. I hope if it is as good as everyone says that this will lead to more Kyousuke Motomi series being licensed, as I’ve heard great things about their (from what I’ve heard, it’s a male mangaka writing shojo, but for some reason Viz has him listed as a her on their site?) newest series Dengeki Daisy too.

Chobits (omnibus edition) by: CLAMP
Complete at 8 volumes (2 omnibus volumes)
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 2 May 2010
US publisher: Dark Horse
Price: US $24.99
From the publisher: Some people buy their personal computers based on style . . . and in near-future Japan, the hottest style for your “persocom“ is shaped like an attractive android! Poor student Hideki, fresh off the farm and trying to get into a Tokyo university, has neither money nor a girlfriend — then finds a persocom seemingly discarded in an alley. Taking the cute robot home and activating it, Hideki finds her affectionate, but amnesiac, able only to say the word “Chi” — and so he names her. But who is this strange new persocom in his life? Instead of being his digital assistant, Hideki finds himself having to teach Chi how to get along in the everyday world, even while he and his friends try to solve the mystery of her origins. Is she one of the urban-legendary Chobits — persocoms built to have the riskiest functions of all: real emotions, and free will?
My ramblings: I’m going to buy this right when it is available, because I absolutely love the series and don’t have it and because the Clover omnibus put out by Dark Horse was so amazingly top-notch it’s not funny. This is the perfect way to get even more fans for this series.

High school Debut by: Kazune Kawahara
Complete at 13 volumes
Volume 13 February 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: When Haruna Nagashima was in junior high her life consisted of playing softball and reading comics. But now that she’s going to high school, Haruna decides to put all of her energy towards getting a boyfriend and having the high school romance of a lifetime. To help in her quest, she enlists cute upperclassman Yoh Komiyama to coach her as she eschews her jock tendencies and turns herself into the kind of girl who can catch a guy. Yoh agrees, with one catch: Haruna had better not fall for him!
Yoh faces a difficult choice: should he go to university all the way in Tokyo or stay near Haruna? Haruna wants to support Yoh’s decision no matter what, but will her high school romance end with his graduation?
My ramblings: This series is absolutely fantastic! If you haven’t read it, you should definitely get on that! And now that the whole thing will be available in English legally, you can go marathon the series quickly. I really hope that Viz licenses Kazune Kawahara’s newest series Aozora Yell, as it’s really good too from the few chapters I’ve seen of it.

Karakuri Odette by: Julietta Suzuki
Complete at 6 volumes
Volume 2 February 2010, Volume 3 June 2010
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: What does it mean to be truly human?…Odette is a lovely android built by Professor Yoshizawa. Curious to find out what it’s like to be human, she convinces the Professor to enroll her in high school. And thus, with a new group of friends in tow, Odette sets out to discover the true meaning of life as a human, where even the simple stuff is an adventure! A touching slice-of-life comedy, Karakuri Odette does nothing If not uncover the incredible possibilities of the “human” spirit!
My ramblings: Another series that I plan of getting in my after-Christmas manga binge, this series didn’t get a lot of attention when it was first licensed (or at least, I don’t remember it getting any sort of attention when it was), but people have gushed over the series since reading the first volume, and Viz even picked up on that and licensed Suzuki’s newest series Nice to Meet You, Kamisama. From what I’ve heard this is definitely a series not to be missed.

Remember by: Benjamin
Complete at 1 volume
February 2010
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: US $14.99
From the publisher: When is letting go of your inhibitions worth the risk? International graphic novel artist Benjamin uses his trademark painterly style to depict moving portrayals of love and loss that get at the heart of what it means to throw your heart into life, no matter the consequences.
My ramblings: The first few pages of this are already up on Tokyopop’s website, and while it’s kind of hard to read them due to the fact that they’re so small (even when using the full screen function), the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! I’m pretty sure this will be a full color publication (the preview is full color, and I don’t think it would be quite the same without the colors). Tokyopop has apparently published other works by this artist and my interest has definitely been piqued, as it’s beyond lovely work!

CLAMP in America by: CLAMP and Shaenon Garrity
Complete at 1 volume
March 23, 2010
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Price: US $27.99
From the publisher: CLAMP in America is a history of CLAMP from their humble beginnings as doujinshi (fanzine) creators to international manga superstars, including: a detailed guide to their work, from RG Veda to Tsubasa, and beyond; behind-the-scenes looks at how the members of CLAMP work, together and separately; CLAMP’s part in the explosive success of manga in America, and the effect of their manga on U.S. distribution and marketing; their work with American publishers; their 2006 visit to America; interviews with the American manga creators they’ve influenced; and interviews with the editors and publishers who have had the opportunity to work with CLAMP.
My ramblings: I’m personally really interested getting this, I think it’ll be really, really interesting to see basically everything about CLAMP in one book. Plus, from what I’ve heard Del Rey went directly to CLAMP for the idea, and they were all for it (the cover is even a CLAMP original).

Itazura na Kiss by: Kaoru Tada
Incomplete at 12 omnibus editions
Volume 2 March 2010
US publisher: DMP
Price: US $16.95
From the publisher: Kotoko passes the college entrance exam and gets accepted to the same college as Naoki and their first semester has just begun. Kotoko’s excited and looking forward to spending more time with Naoki, thinking it’s the beginning of her new and happy school life! But no! Now she has competition! And her competition is tall and beautiful, smart, good at sports…Oh my god, she’s practically perfect!…and she is also after Naoki! Is Kotoko ready to take on a nemesis?
My ramblings: I loved the anime for this series, but I’m a little learey about getting into the manga, because I know I’ll like it and then be left hanging due to the author’s untimely death…but I do know that it’s a great series other than the probable cliff-hanger ending, and DMP is doing this in omnibus versions, so you’ll be able to get more Itazura na Kiss goodness in one go.

The Gentlemen’s Alliance† by: Arina Tanemura
Complete at 11 volumes
Volume 11 April 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Haine goes to Shizumasa and Takanari’s grandfather, the head of the Togu family, to ask him to release the twins from their fate. He tells her she must pass the same trial the twins went through for determining the Togu heir. Haine agrees, but little does she know that a former friend is now out for her life.
My ramblings: It shouldn’t really come as a surprise that I would include the last volume of The Gentlemen’s Alliance in my list of manga. I just love the series, and I really, really want Viz to license more Arina goodness too!! (Please, please get MisuFo and Sakura Hime Kaden!) The ending of this series is almost bittersweet. It’s the first Arina series that I really followed (I got KKJ after they were all released), from the preview in Shojo Beat to the final volume, it makes me kinda sad actually…but the first editions come with a special postcard!!

The Ghost in the Shell volume 2: Man-Machine Interface by: Shirow Masamune
Complete at 1 volume
April 2010
US publisher: Kodansha Comics
Price: US $26.99
From ANN: Taking place a few years after the first Ghost In The Shell manga. The Major has been missing since then and Ghost in the Shell 2 follows the mysterious Motoko Aramaki as she runs an investigation into a incident at an organ factory and it’s consequences. she’s on the run to clean up the mess and save herself in the process Meanwhile the former members of section 9 investigate Motoko to find out who she really is.
My ramblings: Again, from what I’ve heard, this is probably going to be the same as the Dark Horse version, but it’s still Ghost in the Shell, and therefor worth getting if you don’t have it already (which I don’t). I am a little scared by the price though…It only has 320 pages (a normal volume of manga usually has around 200), which makes me wonder what exactly you’re paying for…

Okimono Kimono by: Mokona of CLAMP
Complete at 1 volume
April 21, 2010
US publisher: Dark Horse
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Here’s an exciting and charming addition to the CLAMP collection of works! CLAMP artist Mokona loves the art of traditional Japanese kimono. In fact, she designs kimono and kimono accessories herself and shares her love in Okimono Kimono, a fun and lavishly illustrated book full of drawings and illustrations, interviews (including an interview with Ami of the J-pop duo Puffy AmiYumi!), and even short manga stories from the CLAMP artists.
Fans of CLAMP will love Okimono Kimono for the personal glimpse of Mokona’s kimono obsession, and people who love the traditional Japanese arts will appreciate the love and detail Mokona puts into her work.
My ramblings: This is basically Mokona’s excuse to show off her extensive kimono collection, with Kobato on the cover (side note, there’s going to be a Kobato figure based on the cover image, which isn’t really news, but still fun). I’m certainly not complaining, because it looks fun, and the few inside scans I’ve seen (on the Japanese site for the book) are really neat!

YOTSUBA&! volume 8 by: Kiyohiko Azuma
Ongoing with 9+ volumes
Volume 8 April 2010
US publisher: Yen Press
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Yotsuba is a strange little girl with a big personality! Even in the most trivial, unremarkable encounters, Yotsuba’s curiosity and enthusiasm quickly turn the everyday into the extraordinary!
My ramblings: I haven’t read any of this series, but it seems like the general consensus that Yen Press saved a great series. I did read Azumanga Daioh, so I can have a sort of general idea of the series, and I’m guessing that it’s absolutely hilarious. Plus, good ole Yen Press has re-published the first 5 volumes, plus published volumes 6 and 7, which fans were waiting for since ADV (who had the original license and stopped after volume 5) went under. On a side note, Yen Press is also releasing an omnibus version of Azumanga Daioh sometime this month, with a brand new cover (it looks super nice and the image wraps around the whole thing, front and back).

AX: A Collection of Alternative Manga by: Various artists
Anthology with an unknown number of volumes
Volume 1 July 2010
US publisher: Top Shelf Productions
Price: US $29.95
From the publisher: A groundbreaking introduction to the most creative and cutting-edge works of Japanese independent comics, presented in English for the first time, AX is the premier Japanese magazine for alternative comics. Published bi-monthly for over ten years, the pages of AX contain the most creative and cutting-edge works of independent comics in the world’s largest comics industry. Now, Top Shelf presents this collection of stories from ten years of AX history, and features work by such visionaries as Yoshihiro Tatsumi, Akino Kondoh, Kazuichi Hanawa, and Shinichi Abe.
My ramblings: I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Top Shelf Productions before finding this on Amazon, but this looks like it could turn out to be a really interesting and well done publication. It seems to me to be the equivalent of many of the IKKI manga, or the manga version of FAUST, both of which I highly suggest.

Mangettes: Gate 7 by: CLAMP
Yet to start
Volume 1 August (?) 2010
US publisher: Dark Horse
Price: TBD
From the publisher: Between our conscious, waking world and the subconscious state of slumber, there is a thinly veiled plane of lucid dreaming. While the conscious state belongs to individuals, the hidden plane of dreams is one shared by all human minds, past, present, and future. Yet only a few have ever possessed the power to enter this secret realm at will – where a war is being waged to control the waking world. For our earthly wishes and desires are not our own, but under the manipulation of these unseen masters of dreams. The heroine of Gate 7 is Hana, a high-school girl hailing from Kyoto, the daughter of a temple caretaker. Her peaceful ways give her the self-control to act in the hidden realm. But Hana can only reach it through the strange beast that acts as her totem in the world of dreams – and her companion on a journey to confront the puppeteers of our reality!
My ramblings: Last I heard, Dark Horse doesn’t even know when this will come out. It basically hangs on whenever CLAMP feels like doing it…It was first announced in 2007, so here’s hoping it will really come out sometime in 2010!

Vampire Knight Official Fanbook by: Matsuri Hino
Complete at 1 volume
September 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
From the publisher (general series summary): Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy’s dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!
My ramblings: I’m certainly getting fed up with the most recent chapters of Vampire Knight, but it’s pretty awesome that Viz is bringing over the fanbook for the series, since I do love Hino’s artwork and am looking forward to seeing the other things that are included in the fanbook (I think there are color pages in the Japanese version, and really hope they’re in the Viz version if that’s true). Here’s hoping Viz will get the novels too (since it’s the goodness that was Vampire Knight [theoretically without the emo-ness that it's become]).

Cardcaptor Sakura (omnibus edition) by: CLAMP
Complete at 12 volumes (4 omnibus volumes)
Volume 1 TBD 2010
US publisher: Dark Horse
Price: TBD
From ANN: One day Sakura Kinomoto accidentally opened a book containing dozens of magical cards called Clow Cards, and they scattered around her hometown of Tomoeda. Sakura was chosen to be the master of these cards and has been enlisted by the sun-based guardian Kerberos to use her magic and reclaim these cards before they make any more trouble in town. She is encouraged by her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, and she meets a rival cardcaptor, Syaoran Li, who is a direct descendant of the creator of the Clow Cards.
My ramblings: I can’t wait to get this series! I’m a terrible fan and only have like 3 random volumes of the original 12 (granted I did read most of them in the library, so I’m not that terrible of a fan). Also, it makes me happy that this will be 4 omnibus version instead of 3 (with 3-in-1 instead of 4-in-1), for a few reasons; first the binding on Clover is not great, so I don’t think it could handle it unless they improve that in future versions…and also since that puts the first half of the series in 2 volumes and the second half in another 2 volumes. I’m really excited to see the covers that Dark Horse puts on these, since I didn’t realize how different the Tokyopop versions were from the originals until  I saw the original, and I think the original looks a whole lot better (though I don’t really mind the Tokyopop version)!

Magic Knight Rayearth (omnibus edition) by: CLAMP
Complete at 6 volumes (2 omnibus volumes)
Volume 1 TBD 2010
US publisher: Dark Horse
Price: TBD
From ANN: Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu, girls from separate schools, find themselves linked together as they fall through the floor during a field trip to the Tokyo Tower. They land in a place called Cephiro, where their will controls what happens. They meet with Guru Clef and find out that they were summoned to save Princess Emeraude who has been imprisoned by High Priest Zagato. They learn magic and acquire weapons on their quest to save Cephiro from the evils of Zagato.
My ramblings: Since I only have one random volume of this series, I’m especially glad that this is one of the series that Dark Horse will be giving the omnibus treatment. Apparently Dark Horse has decided to publish Magic Knight Rayearth as one omnibus (3-in-1), and then Magic Knight Rayearth II as another omnibus (3-in-1), which I love, since it’s the most logical thing to do with the series, and it gives you what I’m assuming is a full story in each volume. Also (and this is a little ridiculous), but I’m excited to see Mokona’s original appearance (even if it can’t talk in this series). And good timing on the part of Dark Horse, since the remastered anime is being released on DVD starting in January (here on Amazon).

I’m not too sure how accurate this information is.  I was looking around on some forums when someone posted this link:

http://www.aaaanime.com/manufacturer/Books/Tokyo+Pop.html

The link shows the series being released by Tokyopop and future release dates.  Surprisingly there were light novels listed!

• Full Metal Panic #4 [2/1/2010]
• Good Witch of the West #3 [1/30/2010]
• Gosick #2(?) [3/13/2010]
• Trinity Blood #4: Rage Against the Moons [5/11/2010]
• Trinity Blood #4: Reborn on the Mars [1/1/2011] (!?)

If this turns out to be true, then SWEET! I’ll love Tokyopop a little more.
If this turns out to be someone’s idea of a sick joke, I hope you get gonorrhea you twisted bastard! I took microbiology so I know what that stuff does to people! (and if you’re female, it’s even worse because you rarely have noticeable  symptoms while your pelvis breaks apart!) >:O

Rant aside, only time will be able to verify if Tokyopop’s light novel line will continue.

[Update] Trinity Blood: Rage Against the Moons #4 has been added on rightstuf for May 2010! Price: $10.99
[Update] Gosick #2 is on righstuf for March 2010! Price: $12.99 (granted this was already up there but still!)

by Kazusa Takashima
Publisher: Tokyopop
Release Date: September 2009
List Price: $10.99  Page Count: 208

Summary: (From Tokyopop)

Meet Kujou Yamato. Sure, on the outside, he appears to be your average teen, pursuing love and happiness in his school’s hallowed halls… The problem is on the inside: Kujou is really Kaito, the prince of the demon realm, who has escaped to the human world to avoid a marriage he wants no part of. Kaito’s dad, furious, sends a clumsy trio of demons to retrieve him, and a mad love chase ensues… But it’s going to take a lot of luck and cleverness to avoid being dragged back home! From Kazusa Takashima, the creator of the popular Man’s Best Friend, comes a devilish comedy of errors set in the most evil of places: high school!

My thoughts:

The art style is the winner here in this slapstick shoujo romance.  There is plenty of action and rich textures to make the visual story very engaging.   And of course as you would expect of any shoujo series, the boys are all beautiful.  I’ve never read any of Takashima’s previous works, Wild Rock and Man’s Best Friends, so I don’t know how this compares.  Unlike Man’s Best Friend this is not a straight up Yaoi, but it there is a pretty suggestive friendship forming between Kaito/Kujou & his friend the older, taller Taiki.

The story is pretty shallow and short though.  There is a glut of villains all trying to find the missing prince and drag him back to hell; however, the only way to confirm the prince’s identity is by a tattoo on his back.  This degenerates a series of repetitive shenanigans as the bad guys try various angles to get Kaito/Kujou naked.  Everyone is pretty sure Kujou is Kaito and are aware that other demons are also investigating him.  I can’t fathom why they wouldn’t just nab him and drag him back to hell.  Is proper identification really all that necessary?   It’s a shame because the volume started off strong.  I enjoyed the humor the first time; it just wore thin by the end.

Much as I loved the art style, this one probably won’t be on my list to continue at that $10.99 price point. (I like supporting the manga sales at the brick and mortar stores over Amazon.)  Maybe.  I say that…but I really want to see Kaito/Kujou’s true form.

Oops!! Turns out I forget some shojo works, so I compiled them into another list. And yes, attack of the tag cloud again. xD Hope you enjoy this third installment of manga coming out in 2010. It’s mostly CMX and Yen Press offerings (since I somehow forgot them the first time around…). I’m not sure when the next post will be out (it will be random other manga-related things), since I’m going to have a crazy rest of this week and next week is “dead week” at school, but hopefully it won’t take too long. After that is the final post (about light novels). Check out the manga after the cut!!

All My Darling Daughters (Aisubeki Musumetachi) by: Fumi Yoshinaga
Complete at 1 volume
January 2010
US publisher: Viz Media – Viz Signature imprint
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Yukiko, a salarywoman in her thirties, still lives with her mother Mari. But their relationship suffers a sudden change when Mari announces that she’s getting married–to an ex-host and aspiring actor who’s younger than Yukiko. Yukiko, convinced he’s out to fleece her mom, can’t stand to stay in the house and decides to move in with her boyfriend.
My ramblings: I think this looks fantastic, and I really want to try it. I haven’t heard anything about it online, but I still think it looks fantastic. Plus it’s on the Viz Signature line, which probably means that it is really good.

The World I Create (Boku no Tsukuru Sekai) by: Ayami Kazama
Complete at 1 volume
January 2010
US publisher: CMX
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Collection of 4 episodes of students at a high school for “Projectionists,” people who can create four-dimensional illusions. Eight students form bonds and relationships while honing their skills for fame and fortune. Ritsuki and Yuzuru are in danger of failing their final exam until they practice together and bring out the best in each other, falling in love along the way. Kinoto is an introverted freshman who maintains equipment for Projectionists, but he ends up becoming a project partner with sassy Soyoka, a junior student who has lost almost all of their Projecting power. Imai is working on his senior project, but is continually sabotaged by Suzume, a girl he accidentally insulted. Imai’s powerless younger brother thinks Projectionists are elitist snob, and this convinces his Projectionist girlfriend to almost give up training – but later he changes his mind and supports her to becomes a Projectionist.
My ramblings: This sounds kind of strange, but cute at the same time. It doesn’t really sound like anything particularly inventive, but I might check it out anyway.

Alice in the Country of Hearts (Heart no Kuni no Alice) by: Quinrose and Hoshino Soumei
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 2 March 2010, Volume 3 June 2010
US publisher: Tokyopop
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: In this inventive retelling of the “Alice in Wonderland” story – manga-style – Alice wakes up to find a white rabbit wearing clothes. The rabbit forcefully drags Alice into the rabbit hole, where he turns into a young man with rabbit ears and leads her into a frightful world, where the fairytale-like citizens wield dangerous weapons for an insidious cause…Unable to return home, will she be able to happiness in a world full of danger and beautiful young men?
My ramblings: This is one title I have heard good things about. I think Alice in Wonderland re-imaginings are fun, so this is probably a definite buy for me. And I’ve heard a lot of other people say that’s it’s a definite buy too.

Stolen Hearts (Toraware Gokko) by: Miku Sakamoto
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 2 May 2010
US publisher: CMX
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: It was a simple accident. Shinobu spilled milk on Miharu’s bag that contained a kimono. All she had to do was apologize to him. But it’s a real challenge because Miharu is known as the tallest and meanest person in the class and everyone is afraid of him! Miharu tells Shinobu that the kimono is very expensive, so she must make it up to him. But how? Shinobu must wear a kimono and help Miharu to hand out advertisement of his grandmother’s antique kimono shop everyday after school. At first, she’s somewhat reluctant, but she begins to enjoy the experience and finds herself coming to like Miharu. Gradually, Shinobu notices how sensitive Miharu actually is, not the mean person that everyone–including herself–thought him to be. Soon, Shinobu realizes that she has fallen in love with Miharu.
My ramblings: This one sounds really cute! It seems like fairly typical shojo fare (the guy is scary, the girl ends up liking him), but I still think it sounds cute.

My Darling! Miss Bancho (Ah! Itoshi no Banchousama) by: Mayu Fujikata
Ongoing with 5+ volumes
Volume 1 March 2010, Volume 2 July 2010
US publisher: CMX
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Souka and her recently divorced mother move to a new place to start over. In looking for a school to enroll in, Souka decides to leave her preppy, private high school behind and transfers into a technical high school. To her surprise, she’s the only girl student in the entire school! The first day of school is nothing like she ever imagined — boys crashing through the window, fighting for all they are worth. One day, the school’s current “Bancho” (a term for a gang leader) ambushes Souka. Determined to protect her, Yu, one of the classmates, comes to her rescue, but Yu ends up in a struggle. Trying to help, Souka swings her book bag and ends up taking down the Bancho herself! What Souka didn’t know was that when someone takes down the class’ leader, you became the leader of that class. This wasn’t a role she was expecting for herself, but will she be able to relinquish it?
My ramblings: This kind of reminds me of a reverse AAA, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing (I tend to like Haruka Fukushima), and it looks really cute, so I think I’m going to try at least the first volume. I find it hard to believe that she’d really be the only girl in the school, but hopefully it’s played off better than it seems.

Dragon Girl by Toru Fujieda
Complete at 5 volumes
volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 August 2010, Volume 3 November 2010, Volume 4 February 2011, Volume 5 May 2011
US publisher: Yen Press
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: An all-boys high school goes co-ed, and though the boys are excited to have girls in their midst, they’re still a little wary about the girls horning in on previously all-male territory. But fiesty, fierce Rinna Aizome won’t take no for an answer; as the daughter of the school’s most legendary ouendan (cheerleading squad) member, she’s determined to show the boys and her father that anything they can do, she can do better! But the road to the ouendan is full of hurdles…can Rinna clear them all?
My ramblings: I know some people would complain about the title (apparently the whole “dragon girl” thing is offensive? I wasn’t aware until I read a rant somewhere), but I think it looks alright. I’m not so sure how trying to make a cheerleading squad relates to dragons or dragon girls, but I’m willing to give it a try based on the cute cover.

Nadeshiko Club by: Miku Sakamoto
Complete at 7 volumes
Volume 1 June 2010
US publisher: CMX
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Reo is a clumsy high school girl who can’t cook, sew, or clean, as good home-making ladies should be able to. One day, her boyfriend breaks up with her because she’s not skilled in the home economics traits women should possess in his mind. He tells Reo to join the “Homemaking Club” if she wants him to give her a second chance. Disappointed, yet determined, Reo decides to join the school’s infamous “Homemaking Club” to learn and polish up her ‘homeliness’ to win her boyfriend back. Among the students, the club in question is known for the merciless members who demand extreme patience and strict discipline to learn etiquette. Needless to say, Reo is reluctant and intimidated to attend the first club meeting, but when she gets there, she is surprised. The only four club members who await her are all gorgeous boys. It’s no joke, these four guys are tough, and they make sure Reo learns everything she needs!
My ramblings: I’m pretty sure I’ve heard good things about this series online, or at the very least I’ve heard things about it, and it sure sounds like fun.

Beyond Twilight (Hyakki Yakoushou) by: Ichiko Ima
Ongoing with 18+ volumes
Volume 1 June 2010
US publisher: Aurora Publishing
Price: US $10.95
From the publisher: Since birth, Ritsu has inherited the ability to see spirits and demons from his novelist grandfather, a sort of sixth sense. However, when his grandfather passes away, he loses the protection he had when under his care and ends up forming a contract with a demon named Blue Storm.
My ramblings: I have quite a few reservations about this…first off, I’m almost positive that the only thing Aurora has published this year has been the first volume of Queen of Ragtonia and that’s not very promising for them. To go along with that, I’m afraid that Aurora wouldn’t be able to put out all 18+ volumes, and it’s always depressing to have to stop a series mid-way (Tokyopop I’m looking at you!). And also, this doesn’t really seem like the kind of manga I normally read. It does kind of remind me of Natsume Yuujincho in some ways based on the summary, but it seems different enough that it’s not the kind of thing I’d normally pick up.

Ugly Duckling’s Love Revolution (Otometeki Koi Kakumei Love Revo!!) by: Yuuki Fujinari
Complete at 4 volumes
Volume 1 July 2010
US publisher: Yen Press
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Everything is pretty average about Hitomi; she’s an average student, has an average brother, average looks …the only thing that makes her stand out is her weight. Weighing in at 220lbs, she’s no elegant swan. But this wasn’t always the case! When she was younger, she would take part in children’s beauty contests and bring home all sorts of prizes. It was only when her sweet tooth took over that she gained all the weight. So when Hitomi moves into her older brother’s apartment, she discovers that his neighbours are the five hottest boys at her school! And when they decide to get Hitomi back to her cute and pretty roots by helping her stay away from sweets and lose weight, it’s a recipe …for disaster!
My ramblings: I’m not going to lie, this one just looks rather weird… I’m not going to lie, I’m overweight, and it’s cool that the big girl is getting some hot guys (cuz trust me, it doesn’t happen in real life :[ ), but it still sounds just really weird…

The Phantom Guesthouse (Meguru Kakuutei) by: Nari Kusakawa
Complete at 1 volume
August 2010
US publisher: CMX
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: One summer day, Sasafune visits his grandfather’s house and finds an unfamiliar manuscript left on the desk. He starts reading it and all of a sudden he is transported to a strange place where his grandfather is waiting. His grandfather explains that they are at the “inn of imagination”–the hotel written in the script. Whoever reads it is invited to this imaginary place for a reason. Sasafune proceeds to experiences the novel as a live show: he sees and feels what’s written in the script, but he learns upon check-out that he must pay the hotel charge by giving a little bit of his soul. By doing so, his presence will be inked into the novel and he becomes part of the tale. Whatever is written on the manuscript happens in this imaginary place and whatever happens at the guesthouse will automatically be added to the manuscript to ensure that the story continues.
My ramblings: I think the art on this is kind of cute, in a strange way. Apparently CMX has a lot of Naru Kusakawa’s works and I think I’m going to have to try this oneshot so I can see if the longer series are worth getting into.

Tableau Gate by: Rika Suzuki
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
Volume 1 August 2010
US publisher: CMX
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: High school student Satsuki Hikawa lives alone in a mansion while his grandfather, who is his only other living family member and an art dealer, travels all over the country. One day Satsuki’s grandfather sends him an art book that is called Tablet. Each page in the book seems to represent different tarot cards, but most of the symbols are missing. Soon after receiving the book a mysterious girl storms in to Satsuki’s home and claims that she is the owner of the Tablet and tells Satsuki all of the missing symbols must be found and returned to the book before “they” make any mischief. In order to find and return the symbols, Satsuki must call out the right symbols to defeat the escaped ones. Any symbols that he returns to the book will become his servants. Will Satsuki be able to find and capture all of the symbols that ran away?
My ramblings: I always love a good fantasy, and though the first cover looks a little strange, I might just check this out to see how the story goes.

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, Volume 2 June 2010, Volume 3 September 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: Koichi Sumimaru
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Tokyopop
April 2010
Price: US $12.99
From Mangaupdates: A collection of .hack parody in 4 koma format.
Serialized in .hack//GU The World Magazine.
My ramblings: 4koma are usually cute, and .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, Volume 2 August 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. Oh, and damn good timing on the part of Viz, since this recently had an anime adaptation announced.

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, Volume 2 August 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, Volume 3 September 2010
Price: US $10.95
From the publisher: In a Tokyo in the not too distant future, a young girl studies deligently with ambitions of soon attending space academy. And yet, everytime she looks up to the stars with tremendous hope for the future, there is a sense of melancholy in her heart. A sadness surrounds Asumi, as the very concept of space exploration has profoundly changed her life for as long as she can remember. But she is not alone. A young man wearing a lion’s mask is always beside her. He speaks of the constellations and galaxies as if he they were home. He knows what it is like to love the stars. Now in spirit he will forever be with Asumi guiding her on her path to space where she hopes to be reunited with the spirits of not only her space traveler friend, but the mother she lost more than ten years ago.
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. And holy crap that proposed cover is adorable!!!!

Neko Ramen by: Kenji Sonishi
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 (Hey! Order Up!) 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: US $12.99
From the publisher: Welcome to Casetta dell’Orso, a quaint little restaurant in the heart of Rome. The food’s delicious, but the handsome staff of bespectacled gentlemen is the real draw. Follow these dashing men home and witness their romances, heartaches, hopes and dreams in this delightfully whimsical continuation of Natsume Ono’s beloved Ristorante Paradiso.
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 will be 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!

Peepo Choo by: Felipe Smith
Ongoing with 2+ volumes
US publisher: Vertical
Volume 1 July 2010
Price: US $12.95
From mangaupdates: Milton, who lives in downtown Chicago, is a hardcore otaku. He admires Japan for producing his favorite manga. Gill spent his time in prison, and now he is a comic shop owner with an attitude in the town. Morimoto, a young yakuza called “Rockstar,” is a rising star of the yakuza world in Japan. He is addicted to American TV dramas. One day, Milton wins a chance to go to his dreamland Japan.
My ramblings: I looked into this series a little bit, and basically it’s the ultimate otaku series…and I’m not kidding, just look at that summary! I think it will most certainly be interesting, but with the cover, I’m not sure how well it will sell… It’s interesting to note that the English cover is completely different from the Japanese one.

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: US $9.99
From the publisher: Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world? Moritaka is hesitant to seriously consider Akito’s proposal because he knows how difficult reaching the professional level can be. Still, encouragement from persistent Akito and motivation from his crush push Moritaka to test his limits!
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. And again, great timing with the recent announcement of the anime.

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.

Mathieu Mariolle & Aurore Demilly
Vol. 1-2
2009
Tokyopop

Pixie is a two volume graphic novel published in United States by Toykopop. It follows the adventures of Pixie, a young red-haired thief, Prince Ael, a young prince with the power to move through dreams, Elvynn, a spellcasting warrior and Balor, a wise werewolf. Together they are trying to stop Ankou from unleashing his terrible machine on the different worlds.

Didn’t that sound like any other review? LOL I picked up this series at my local Barnes and Noble store. Why? Because I like the illustrations. That is usually the reason why I pick up graphic novels, the pictures. If the illustrations don’t catch my eye, I probably will not buy it. I know that sounds awful, but it’s the truth. (Same goes for most books I’ve picked up.) Now that’s not to say that I buy everything with cute illustrations or that it is the only reason I pick up books or comics. It is the leading reason, not the only one. Got it? Great.

The Good

• I love the art! (Have you gotten that fact clear yet? LOL) The colors are rich and vibrant. It has that fantasy look down. Glowing-sparkling fairies and what-nots. Beautiful creatures: mermaids, fairies and even dragons. What can I say? Aurore Demilly is an excellent artist! If you’re not familiar with her work, please visit her website. She has excellent pieces in her gallery. (like the one below)

• The story: one thief helping out a confused prince. Classic. I love that they’re not perfect characters (ok, they’re kind of typical). Pixie is the typical do-first-ask-later hero that has a lame plan for every situation. But I like the idea of having the ability to control your surroundings with your dreams. What if I dream that I was a mermaid and woke up under the ocean? What if I have a really ugly nightmare and wake-up in that scenario? You have to admit, it’s an interesting idea.

The Bad

• This comic is a translation. Pixie was originally published by Delcourt in France. When I was reading it, it seemed that in some instances some of the context was “lost in translation”. Or I got the feeling that it was translated literally and that the meaning didn’t come across as intended. Really, it comes across as a bad translation.
• The action moves way to fast. One moment you are trapped in a jail cell; the next you are roaming around the palace halls. The ending is rushed.

Parting thought: I took French in high school and then one semester at the university, so technically I can read the original French version of this comic. What stops me? The prices. I wish I could afford to buy a lot of French comics. They have some gems over there that I know I would love. Maybe I should purchase some through Amazon.

:::::::::::::::::::::

Links:

Toykopop
Aurore Demilly

Time for a look at this week’s ComicList:

CMX expands its line of endearing shôjo with the debut of Asuka Izumi’s The Lizard Prince. It’s about the complications that arise when a princess falls in love with a prince who occasionally turns into a lizard, and I really enjoyed the review copy that CMX sent. It’s one of those romantic series that’s more about sustaining a relationship in the face of obstacles than the advent of a romance. Strong-willed Princess Canary and softie Prince Sienna know they love each other; it’s just petty details like her reptile-averse mother, his mysterious background, and his not-entirely-controllable transformations that keep their happiness from being absolute. Part of the charm of the series is that Canary and Sienna really seem to enjoy tackling problems and working through them. Izumi’s art is very attractive, and she’s got a cheerful sense of humor that makes the stories breeze by.

This one’s been in bookstores for over a month, but if you confine your graphic novel purchases to specialty shops, this is the week you can pick up Masayuki Ishikawa’s Moyasimon (Del Rey). Country boys Tadayasu and Kei enroll in agricultural college in the big city, where weirdness awaits. Tadayasu can see and speak to bacteria (or at least hear their chirpy prattle), making him an object of particular interest to the professor and handful of fellow students who know of his ability. Hard science and low comedy combine as Tadayasu and Kei learn about the power of bacteria and their sometimes disastrous impact on the digestive system. The series gets off to a solid if not riotous start, and I’ll certainly stick around to see how it develops. [Update: Johanna Draper Carlson has a theory on why it took so long for this book to reach shelves, along with a review.]

Fanfare/Ponent Mon delivers two titles this week. There’s the second and final volume of Jiro Taniguchi’s A Distant Neighborhood, which I reviewed here. It’s very likable stuff, beautifully drawn by Taniguchi.

There’s also the English-language debut of Willy Linhout’s Years of the Elephant. It’s about the aftermath of a young man’s suicide and the devastating impact on his family. According to the publisher, “The book was initially intended as self therapy to help Linthout deal with the loss of his son however, the originally modest project unleashed a flood of reactions and therapists now use the book as a recognised aid for coping with grief.” I picked it up at SPX, and I will duly move it to the top of the pile of things to read.

Tokyopop makes me really happy by continuing its slow-but-appreciated roll-out of new volumes of Ai Morinaga’s Your and My Secret, in this case the fifth, a license originally held by ADV then left to limbo. It’s more mistaken-identity comedy about a horrible girl and a meek boy who switch bodies and alternately recoil at or revel in the consequences. For bonus points, this volume features a school trip to Hokkaido, one of my very favorite settings for manga and a place I hope to visit someday.

I’m intrigued by This Ugly Yet Beautiful World just based on its title. It’s a manga adaptation by Ashita Morimi of an apparently popular anime by Gainax/Konomini Project. It sounds like your standard “dweebs meet amnesiac space princess” fare, but it’s got a great title. (Seriously, does Japan have an agency that deals with amnesiac space princesses? They could use one.)

I had a fruitful trip to the bookstore the other day, so I thought I’d celebrate by cranking out a couple of quick reviews:

Cat Paradise volume 2, written and illustrated by Yuji Iwahara, Yen Press: After a fairly straightforward introductory volume, I was a bit surprised at how meta things got this time around. As the student council and their loyal cats continue to protect the world from demonic forces, Iwahara focuses on council member Tsukasa, who is a creepy little dork. He likes girls a lot, but he likes them in a patronizing way. This allows that thing where a creator can sort of mock a character that leers and condescends and teases while still featuring the leering and condescension and teasing. The criticism of the character, if that’s actually the intent instead of just giving part of the demographic a gateway character, is pretty thickly veiled. So the fan service is at a higher level than it was the first time around, and there’s also an increase in what might be called irrevocable violence. (Soft-hearted cat lovers beware.) I’m also of two minds on heroine Yumi. On one hand, it’s believable that she’s not a warrior by inclination and that she’d find these dangerous situations terrifying. (And I like that her milder nature leads her to question the council’s decisions and methodology.) On the other, she has a tendency to simper that can be a little grating. Still, there’s a lot to like in the series, particularly Iwahara’s concept of napping as a super-power.

V.B. Rose volume 4, written and illustrated by Banri Hidaka, Tokyopop: After three volumes told largely from heroine Ageha’s perspective, it’s nice to spend one getting the point of view of her love interest, wunderkind gown designer Yukari. In a lot of romantic fiction, you only get the protagonist’s point of view, and the feelings of the object of that character’s desire are left opaque. That’s a perfectly fair approach, as it allows the creator to increase reader identification with the protagonist. After all, that’s how we all approach romantic entanglements, wondering if our feelings are reciprocated until the moment when we find out for good or ill. While Ageha, with her exuberance and excitability, is more than character enough to carry the romantic tension, it’s nice to see Hidaka reveal that Yukari is almost as complicated and not just a love object. (I say “almost” because Ageha has enjoyed three volumes of focus, and it’s unfair to expect Yukari to catch up so quickly.) For bonus points, Hidaka gives us more scenes with Ageha’s frighteningly poised friend Mamoru and her deceptively adorable brother. This sibling dynamic isn’t anything new, but I always enjoy it. And nice as it is to have a well-developed central couple, it’s even better to have them in the middle of an engaging crowd of friends and family.

I’m changing things up a bit today with the Kawaii Piccy~ Instead of a photo, I present to you today a fanart! I stumbled across this yesterday at Tokyopop Art. It’s a piece of Mami done by a member there named michelle0611, who also has a DeviantArt under this same username. She once had a full-resolution of this uploaded there, but unfortunately it’s gone. But here’s the Tokyopop Art version~

Here’s the page where I found it at~ All credits to michelle0611 of Tokyopop and DeviantArt.

There aren’t very many debuts in the November 2009 Previews catalog, but there are plenty of new volumes of excellent ongoing series. Let’s start with the new arrivals, though:

Dark Horse releases Okimono Kimoni, written and illustrated by Mokona with assistance from the rest of CLAMP. “a fun and lavishly illustrated book full of drawings and illustrations, interviews (including an interview with Ami of the J-pop duo Puffy AmiYumi!), and even short manga stories from the CLAMP artists.” So that’s your “eye-popping-ly pretty” alert for the month. (Page 43.)

I like Greek Mythology, and I thought George O’Connor’s Journey Into Mohawk Country had a lot of strong points. So I’ll definitely give O’Connor’s Olympians Volume 1: Zeus, King of the Gods (First Second) a look. “In OLYMPIANS, O’Connor draws from primary documents to reconstruct and retell classic Greek myths. But these stories aren’t sedate, scholarly works. They’re action-packed, fast-paced, high-drama adventures, with monsters, romance, and not a few huge explosions.” (Page 232.)

Alice in the Country of Hearts (Tokyopop), written by QuinRose and illustrated by Hoshino Soumei (Tokyopop) is triggering my “weird but crack-y” sensors: “Alice, who has fallen asleep in her garden, wakes up to find a white rabbit wearing clothes?! The rabbit forcefully drags Alice into the rabbit hole, where he turns into a young man with rabbit ears and leads her into a frightful world where the fairytale-like citizens wield dangerous weapons for an insidious cause… Unable to return home, will she be able to find happiness in a world full of danger and beautiful young men?” (Page 263.)

I can’t say that Mohiro Kitoh’s Bokurano: Ours is my favorite title in Viz’s SIGIKKI initiative, or even in the top five, but I’m always glad to see these titles see print, since it reassures me that the ones I really enjoy will follow sooner or later. “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.” (Page 273.)

And now for the new volumes and new editions:

Part one of my endeavor is shojo manga (and some series that are more on the josei side, I believe) coming out in 2010 (next is shonen/other manga). This started out as a list of shojo manga (that have their first volumes coming out next year) I thought would be good finds, and kind of turned into a list of all the shojo manga starting next year (that I know of)…apparently I’m not very picky… It’s still not all of them, but it’s a good majority of them.

And seeing how long this is (and only being part 1) should show you how easy it was for me to basically bankrupt myself on manga. xD

English covers were used if they could be found; if not the Japanese covers were used. They are arranged by release month and then alphabetically. If the Japanese name is commonly used in fandom, I put it in parentheses next to the official English title to help. I also used official summaries if I could find them, if not I used ANN, after that I went to myanimelist.net, and in some cases I had to go to mangaupdates.com.

I will gladly update this list if I’m missing something you think is going to be a good shojo manga find in the next year! :]

Happy Cafe (Shiawase Kissa Sanchome) by: Kou Matsuzuki
Complete at 15 volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 January 2010, Volume 2 April 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Welcome to the Happy Café, where romance and happiness are the specials of the day! Meet Uru: She’s a little short, a bit disorganized, often is mistaken for an elementary school kid, and lives by herself after her mother gets remarried. When she decides to pay the bills by working part time at the Happy Café, she meets Ichirou and Shindou, two of the most unsociable guys she’s ever met! And to make matters worse, it turns out that Uru is not exactly meant for the waitress world, as she’s a HUGE klutz. But as this hilarious shojo tale unfolds, 1 happiness–and even true love–might be lurking just around the corner…
My ramblings: This series just looks adorable, and looks like one that has a whole lot of potential, though I’m a little leery about the length, since 15 volumes can be a little tedious in some series. To be honest, I don’t know a lot about the story, but from the little that I do know, it should be fairly interesting.

Natsume’s Book of Friends (Natsume Yujincho) by: Yuki Midorikawa
Ongoing with 8+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 January 2010, Volume 2 April 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Takashi Natsume can see the spirits and demons that hide from the rest of humanity. He has always been set apart from other people because of his gift, drifting from relative to relative, never fitting in. Now he’s a troubled high school student who has come to live in the small town where his grandmother grew up. And there he discovers that he has inherited more than just the Sight from the mysterious Reiko.
My ramblings: I watched the anime on Crunchyroll, and it’s a fantastic series. The art in the original manga seems to be a little bit different from the art from the anime art based on the cover of the first volume, but it still looks great. I can’t wait to read the source material. And who doesn’t love Nyanko-sensei?!?

Crown of Love (Renai Crown) by: Yun Kouga
Complete at 4 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 2 May 2010, Volume 3 August 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: After a chance encounter, Hisayoshi ”Kumi” Tajima falls madly in love with teen idol Rima Fujio. Bewitched by her beauty, he only wants to get closer to her. As a fan, he lives in a separate world. But if he becomes a fellow idol…
My ramblings: Crown of Love is, from what I’ve heard, a fairly early work from Yun Kouga, this time a part of the Shojo Beat line from Viz. This isn’t a title I know much about, but Yun Kouga’s work is sure to be pretty at least. Hopefully it will live up to what little of Kouga’s works I’ve read (I think only a oneshot in FAUST, but it was absolutely fantastic!).

Panic × Panic by: Mika Kawamura
Complete at 2 volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher:  Mitsuki grew up as an only child at a Shinto shrine and works as a priestess after school. Kakeru, her childhood friend, is the son of a priest and lives across the street from her. Even though Mitsuki and Kakeru grew up together, they seem to never get along. After an encounter with a demon, Mitsuki and Kakeru discover that they are descendents of priests who sealed away demons that disrupted the natural order of life. The demons have become a problem again, but can Mitsuki and Kakeru overcome their differences to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors and seal away the demons?
My ramblings: I’m a little leery about adding this one, since I don’t see much about it online (it took a lot of searching to find a summary), but it looks cute, and I’ll try to check it out.  I don’t think this is going to necessarily going to be a series that will be a major hit, unless it’s one of those series that’s a sleeper hit. It does sound rather cliché though, which is a little off-putting, but that could be a plus if you know you like stories like it. And ok, after seeing the English cover, I’m almost definitely getting it, cuz it’s freaking adorable. xD

Portrait of M and N by: Higuchi Tachibana
Complete at 6 volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
Volume 1 February 2010, Volume 2 June 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: February brings us PORTRAIT OF M & N, starring two students in high school with something to hide. Created by the bestselling manga-ka of GAKUEN ALICE, Tachibana Higuchi, M and N refer to Mitsuru and Natsuhiko: she’s masochistic; he’s narcissistic. All they want is to be normal high school students!
My ramblings: I believe this is for slightly older audiences, as the M and N refer to masochist and narcissist, but it looks promising. I’ve read some good reviews of this series so far, so I think it should be fairly good, but I’m not entirely sure, since it’s not one you hear of much. The synopsis does seem rather interesting though, so I think I’ll check it out.

Cactus’s Secret (Saboten no Himitsu) by: Nana Haruta
Complete at 4 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 March 2010, Volume 2 June 2010, Volume 3 September 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Miku Yamada has a longtime crush on classmate Kyohei Fujioka. But no matter how many times she tries to show him how she feels, clueless Kyohei just doesn’t get it. Frustrated, Miku gives up on him, only to have him start calling her “Cactus” for being prickly when he’s around. Will Kyohei ever figure out Cactus’s secret?
My ramblings: This is Nana Haruta’s first manga to be published in the states, and I want everyone to get it, so that the chances of getting more of the adorable goodness that is Nana Haruta are better! I don’t really know much about this series itself, but I’m sure it’s great, from what I know of her other works. And how can you pass up that adorable cover?

Haru Hana The Complete Collection by: Yuana Kazumi
Complete at 3 volumes
US publisher: Tokyopop
March 2010
Price: US $16.99
From the publisher: HARU HANA tells the story of Hana Yamada, who has just moved to Tokyo and isn’t doing as well as she’d hoped. Her new school life starts poorly, and to compound her various problems, she breaks out in hives whenever a hot guy touches her!
My ramblings: Looks like another omnibus edition from Tokyopop, and the art looks adorable, so I think I’ll be checking out this 3-in-1. Apparently the “breaks out in hives from touching the other sex” is a much more common them than I though. I’ve seen it in Beauty Pop, Zodiac P.I., and MariaHolic and now this series. I didn’t realize it was so common. It’s kind of a strange theme to be so common. The series still looks cute, and since it’s just an omnibus, there’s not much to lose by picking it all up at one time.

Pink Innocent by: Kotori Momoyuki
Complete at 3 volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 March 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Cocona Sakuranomiya is a 16-year-old high school student who is wealthy and doesn’t seem to have a firm grasp of reality. She is in love with a boy name Renji, but he seems to be far more interested in his laptop and the stock market than girls… Cocona, who is used to getting everything her way, doesn’t know how to approach him properly. Will Cocona be able to capture his heart?
My ramblings: I looked around the internet and heard good and bad things about this series, but it looks adorable (though that hairstyle is crazy!), so I’ll try and check it out. I think the biggest problem people seemed to have with the series is that the main character is apparently a huge ditz, but I don’t think that’s always a bad thing, so hopefully it’ll turn out better than some people thing it is.

Stepping on Roses (Hadashi de Bara wo Fume) by: Rinko Ueda
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 April 2010, Volume 2 July 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: A rags-to-riches romance from the creator of Tail of the Moon! Poor Sumi Kitamura… Her irresponsible older brother Eisuke keeps bringing home orphans for her to take care of even though they can barely afford their own basic needs! Just when Sumi’s financial problems become dire, wealthy Soichiro Ashida enters her life with a bizarre proposition–he’ll provide her with the money she so desperately needs if she agrees to marry him. But can Sumi pull off fooling high society into thinking she’s a proper lady? Moreover, is it worth it to give everything up for this sham of a marriage?
My ramblings: I can’t emphasize enough just how good this series is. It definitely needs to be read by anyone who likes shojo manga! Sumi is a great heroine, and just look at Rinko Ueda’s art, it’s absolutely gorgeous! I’m so glad that Viz picked this up, and will definitely be buying it right when it comes out, job or no.

Flower in a Storm by: Shigeyoshi Takagi
Complete at 2 volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 May 2010, Volume 2 August 2010
Price: US $9.99
From the publisher: Love is like a storm. Riko Sassoku is trying to lead a normal high school life when Ran Tachibana bursts into her classroom carrying a gun and telling her that her life is now his. Ran, the richest, most powerful 17-year-old in Japan wants her as his wife, and he’s not taking no for an answer! If Ran can’t capture her by five o’clock the next day, he’ll give up on her, but he has all that money can buy at his disposal. However, Riko has one trick up her sleeve–she has superpowers!
My ramblings: This is only a two-volume series, and it looks interesting. To be honest, I wasn’t particularly interested until I saw the cover for the first volume, and the art is just so nice, that I really hope the story is just as nice. The fact that the heroine has super powers is kind of interesting, but I’m not sure how it’s going to play out in only 2 volumes, and I have a feeling it might be kind of rushed.

Songs and Laughter (Boku ga Utau to Kimi wa Warau kara) by: Natsuki Takaya
My Song, Your Smile, Just Because is listed as the title in this Press Release and says title subject to change and Amazon first listed it as Songs and Laughter but now as Songs to Make You Smile, so I’m not sure what the official title is yet. EDIT: Tokyopop said they’re still working on the title.
Complete at 1 volume
US publisher: Tokyopop
May 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: TOKYOPOP presents MY SONG, YOUR SMILE, JUST BECAUSE: STORIES FROM THE CREATOR OF FRUITS BASKET, filled with unforgettable tales from Takaya-sensei, including a side story to TSUBASA: THOSE WITH WINGS.
My ramblings: Another of Tokyopop’s Natsuki Takaya offerings trying to ride on the coat-tails of Fruits Basket, this time it’s a collection of one-shots. I know there’s a Tsubasa: Those With Wings side story, but past that I’m not sure what is included in this volume. I’m not really a huge fan of earlier Takaya art (her new/Hoshi wa Utau art is so much nicer), so I’m not sure if I’ll pick this up, though the Tsubasa: Those With Wings side story is rather tempting.

Yokai Navi Runa by: Miyoko Ikeda and Michiyo Kikuta
Ongoing with 3+ volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 May 2010
Price: US $10.99
From the publisher: Runa, an orphan, is a klutzy daydreamer. Her greatest treasure is an amulet that once belonged to her mother. There is a big secret behind the amulet. One day a boy and girl snatch the amulet from Runa, leading to a new life of adventure for Runa as she learns more about her mother’s mysterious legacy.
My ramblings: I have an old issue of Nakayoshi with this in it somewhere and I have some furoku for the series as well, which makes me want to try it out (a silly reason I know), but I haven’t really heard much about the series. The summary sounds rather all over the place, but I’m hoping that it’s not as crazy as it sounds. I’d like to try it, but I’m not completely sure yet. EDIT: Amazon is now listing the title as Fairy Navigator Runa.

Library Wars: Love and War (Toshokan Sensou: Love and War) by: Hiro Arakawa and Kiiro Yumi
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 June 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $9.99)
From mangaupdates.com: During the 31st year of Seika, the battle between the Library Force and the Media Improvement Committee reached a new level of violence. Each group has armed itself for either the freedom of expression or the “protection” of society from the bad influences of media. Kasahara Iku joins the Library Force with the intent of finding her “Prince” who helped her during a censorship exercise by the Media Improvement Committee and with her strong will of protecting books.
My ramblings: I am a huge fan of the Library Wars series, and the fact that even just the shojo version of the manga has been licensed is a huge plus (and heck, it’s the shojo manga version!)! The only thing that would make this better is if the novels were licensed too (here’s looking at you, Viz/Haikasoru). This is a definite purchase for me, but I have an unfortunate feeling it will only do well with people who are already familiar with the series.

Here I Am! (Koko ni Iru Yo!) by: Ema Toyama
Complete at 5 volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 August 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $10.99)
From the publisher: Hikage Sumino is shy and insecure about herself. Due to her introverted personality, she has a tough time making friends and spends most of her time alone. The only place Hikage feels comfortable expressing herself is on her blog. She has two friends online who support her emotionally. One day a popular male student, Hinata confesses his romantic interest to Hikage. As she grows closer to Hinata, Hikage starts to gain confidence. Will Hinata help Hikage overcome her insecurities and blossom into the person she always wanted to be?
My ramblings: From what I know of the premise of this series, it’s somewhat like Kimi ni Todoke. Hopefully it will be like Kimi ni Todoke in a good way, and be one of those series that just pulls at your heartstrings (again, in a good way). This is another series I haven’t heard too much about, but it looks like something I’d really enjoy and I’m hoping it’s as good as I expect it to be.
EDIT: amazon is now listing this as US $16.99, with 496 pages, which would make it an omnibus with and unknown number of volumes included.

Grand Guignol Orchestra (Guignol Kyuutei Gakudan) by: Kaori Yuki
Ongoing with 2+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 October 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $9.99)
From myanimelist.net: The beautiful singer Lucille and his orchestra invite you to the city of fear where puppets hunt down humans. The puppets are playing an oratorio of magic and illusions!
My ramblings: This is Kaori Yuki’s newest series (it’s only up to 2 volumes in Japan right now), and I think it will be a definite buy for any fans of either her or just gothic manga in general. Her art is always so gorgeous and detailed and her stories are usually fairly complex. From what I’ve seen of this particular series, it’s just as grotesquely beautiful as her previous series, and there’s actually a little bit of gender bending if I remember correctly. Again, a great asset to the Shojo Beat family.

Wild @ Heart (Wild Damon) by: Natsumi Ando
Complete at 3 volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Omnibus October 2010
Price: TBD
From myanimelist.net: A girl’s life s going to change because of her father who is an explorer. He always bring her presents and this time he brought a boy that he found living in a jungle and took him home. Now she has to take care of him and guide him as he tries to adapt to the city life.
My ramblings: I’m a little worried about this early work by Kitchen Princess and Zodiac P.I. author Natsumi Ando, since Amazon originally had it listed as just the first volume, but now lists it as Wild @ Heart 1/2/3 (though I certainly don’t mind omnibus versions, it’s a little strange) and it isn’t available for pre-order (though it is a little early). But hopefully Del Rey pulls through (I expect them too, since Kitchen Princess seems to be a big seller for them and they picked up ARISA just recently also) and we’ll get this early Ando work sometime next year.

ARISA by: Natsumi Ando
Ongoing with 2+ volumes
US publisher: Del Rey Manga
Volume 1 November 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $10.99)
From the publisher: Next fall, we’ll have another new title from the author of Kitchen Princess! Twin sisters Arisa and Tsubasa are separated by their parent’s divorce. The twins secretly exchange letters with each other during their separation. They are finally united after three years and Arisa asks Tsubasa to pretend to be her and spend a day in her school just for fun. At school everyone seems very nice to Tsubasa (who is pretending to be Arisa) and everything seems normal… until she finds a strange note in her sister’s shoe locker. When Tsubasa hands over the letter to Arisa, Arisa tries to kill herself by jumping out of a window. Arisa survives but remains in a coma. The letter read, “Arisa is a traitor.” After her sister’s suicide attempt Tsubasa is determined to unravel the mystery behind the letter and her sister’s suicide attempt so she continues to go to school as Arisa. Will she find out who sent the note and why it had such an effect on Arisa?
My ramblings: Natsumi Ando has a great record with manga, and I know this will be another big hit for her here in North America. This is certainly not a series I would give to a child, but it’s one that I don’t think shojo fans should miss. It’s one of the hot series in Nakayoshi right now, and there is certainly a reason for that (well, apart from the fact that it’s sort of riding on Kitchen Princess’s coat-tails), it’s really a great intriguing series!

Nice to Meet You, Kamisama (Kami-sama Hajimemashita) by: Julietta Suzuki
Ongoing with 4+ volumes
US publisher: Viz Media – Shojo Beat imprint
Volume 1 November 2010
Price: TBD (presumed to be US $9.99)
From ANN: Nanao Momozono suddenly becomes homeless after her dad disappeared and left a huge debt behind, which forced her to leave the apartment. On the street Nanao rescues a strange man from a dog. To thank her, he gives her his house, which proves to be a run-down shrine, inhabited by a hostile fox-eared young man. Confused and tired with no other place to go to, she decides to stay, but this proves to be more difficult than expected…
My ramblings: If the press surrounding Karakuri Odette is any indication, Viz’s decision to pick this title up from the same artist was a fantastic one (bet they’re kicking themselves over not getting Karakuri Odette too). The premise behind this series looks rather interesting to me, and I can’t wait to read it. If this is half as good as Karakuri Odette is (I’ve only read the preview on Tokyopop’s site, but it was really good), then this series should be another hit.

Bunny Drop (Usagi Drop) by: Yumi Unita
Ongoing with 6+ volumes
US publisher: Yen Press
Volume 1 March 2010, Volume 2 September 2010
Price: US $12.99
From the publisher: Returning to his family’s estate for his grandfather’s funeral, thirty-something bachelor Daikichi is floored to discover that the old man had an illegitimate child with a much younger lover! Needless to say, the rest of the family is shocked and embarrassed by this turn of events, and not one of them wants anything to do with the little girl, who refuses to say a word. In a fit of angry spontaneity, Daikichi decides to adopt her! But is living with an overgrown teenager who can barely take care of himself the key to making Rin come out of her shell?
My ramblings: This is definitely josei, and it looks like one of those stories that would just break your heart. Of course, it could go the other way and just be terrible, but I think this looks incredibly promising. From what I’ve read online it’s a very slow slice-of-life that is none-the-less fantastic.

Zodiac P.I. volume 1
by: Natsumi Ando
published by: Tokyopop
summary: Lili is just like any other normal girl – except that she can foretell the future! This “Zodiac P.I.” relies on horoscopes  and astrology to help her solve crimes and track down criminals. When Lili’s classmate is murdered, it’s up to the Zodiac P.I. to solve the case. With a little help from her friend Hiromi, she vows to track down the killer. When she suspects one of her own teachers is to blame, Lili must follow her instincts…and the stars…until she finds the truth. Once that case is behind her, Lili receives an anonymous letter alerting her to the presence of a ghost in a nearby piano school. When Lili goes undercover as a piano student to investigate, she soon stumbles upon a bloody crime scene and finds herself investigating yet another murder. Will the Zodiac P.I. be able to unravel this mystery before the killer strikes again? (from the back of the book)

Ramblings: On the second real page of this series (not counting things like chapter covers) you see a young girl being murdered. Yes, this series ran in Nakayoshi. It makes me wonder why things like this are appropriate for kids in Japan. Sure I think it’s an interesting series, but I’m 19 and can at least sort of handle things like murder (though who really wants to completely handle things like that?), but Nakayoshi’s main demographic is girls in the 9-13 range. Though I sure see the difference in Ando’s own stories as opposed to things she draws for other people (ARISA and this versus Kitchen Princess which she didn’t write, just illustrated). But enough on that, for now.

While it may seem like I didn’t like this volume all that much, I really did. Lili’s use of her “Star Ring” to solve crimes in fun and interesting to watch. Now, not many of the cases are going to surprise you in how they turn out (or at least only a few surprised me), but it’s still fun to see how Lili goes about solving them. Plus, Ando’s art is nice and clean. Not all fluffy like Arina’s art, but it look great none-the-less. The pages do tend to be a little on the cluttered side, but it’s not to the point where it makes it diffucult to read.

There were a few misprints in this volume (like a word left out on the first and second chapter cover pages, so that I’m not sure what the entire chapter titles are), but overall Tokyopop actually did a fairly good job on this. The difference between their beginning works (all the flipped ones), middle works (things like this), and their new titles (don’t even get me started) sure is telling. If Tokyopop were to put out more more titles like this one and do as good a job, I would definitely be buying more of their titles (well…once I procure a new job, that is).

Considering thier QC has been hit-or-miss, and they could save a ton of cash in the long run, I’m not surprised.

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