Manga Xanadu

Over the Labor Day weekend that traditionally ends Summer for most kids (though may schools start in August now), Yen Press announced several titles for both their new Yen On imprint of light novels and their regular manga line. Included in this license bonanza was both the manga and light novel series of Log Horizon and The Devil is a Part-Timer, the light novel series No Game No Life, Pandora Hearts Caucus Race, and the manga version of the Disney movie Big Hero 6. Log Horizon started in 2010 and follows the very familiar premise of 30,000 Japanese gamers being trapped in a fantasy online game world called Elder Tale. The story follows Shiroe, Naotsugu and Akasuki, three friends, as they band together to survive their new reality. Yeah, this screams Sword Art Online to me. But it seems to be doing well enough as it now has seven volumes out and 2 manga adaptation. Yen will publish the first light novel in March 2015. And speaking of manga series, Yen did announce the manga adaptation, just not which one. Though best bet would be on the straight adaptation Log Horizon. No date were announced for the manga. Like most…

At Sakura-Con last week, Viz Media announced the print and digital release of World Trigger, a digital Weekly Shonen Jump only title. It looks like a fun title, so I’m glad Viz is making it available finally to those of us who don’t subscribe to WSJ. More info available after the jump.

Yen Press just couldn’t want to get their new license announcements out. Just look at this list of titles, and its’ still early in the con season! What else are they going to have after announcing this impressive list?

Well, I have to say it’s about time Yen Press and Square Enix finally got on the digital bandwagon. Yen Press announced back in October at New York Comic Con that it would be announcing a digital strategy for the company, and nearly six months later, they finally have! I glad to see them moving away from proprietary apps and awful websites. Find out more after the jump.

Blue Exorcist made a splash when it debuted three years ago and was a hit among critics and fans alike. It joined Viz’s digital edition of Weekly Shonen Jump as a monthly series in 2012 and has been simu-publishing with Japan ever since. With the anime due to premiere on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim’s Toonami February 22, Viz Media is offering a discount on digital volumes 1-10 of the series for a limited time. I have the first volume I got for free for renewing with Shonen Jump Alpha, but I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. I should do that. The discounts are available through Vizmanga.com, the Vizmanga app, and partners Nook, Kindle, GooglePlay, iBooks and Kobo. For the best deal, go with Kobo or Kindle, if you can. Full press release after the jump.

This week I check out the top 10s from Vizmanga.com and the New York Times Bestsellers list, new license announcements from Seven Seas and Crunchyroll, some titles starting and ending, and a look at the Manga Taisho nominees. http://archive.org/download/MangaDomeEpisode42/MangaDomeEpisode42.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I very rarely talk about amine here, since this is a manga blog, but there are times when I’ll make exceptions. Just recently, the return of an anime I love has been announced. Viz Media has rescued Moribito: Guardian of the Sacred Spirit. This 26 episode series first aired in 2007, and had a difficult time in licensing here. Geneon first licensed it, but then halted their US distribution, and the license went to Media Blasters. It showed on Cartoon Network during their late night Adult Swim block, but it took a while for a full run to show there. Now Viz Media is running it as part of their Neon Alley network. Moribito: Guardian of the Sacred Spirit is based on the first volume from a fantasy novel series published in Japan in 1996. It is about a woman named Balsa, who, after saving the second prince to the Emperor, Chagum, is charged by the Queen to protect him. Chagum carries the egg of the water god. The Emperor sees him possessed by a spirit, and other spirit chase him to eat the egg he carries. Balsa takes the assignment. With her mad spear-wielding skills, and help from friends…

Nisekoi: False Love started as a digital only title for Weekly Shonen Jump and became a surprise hit for Viz Media. The digital volumes are consistent best sellers on the Vizmanga.com site, hanging on for several weeks, a feat usually reserved for big titles like Naruto, Bleach, Black Bird and Demon Love Spell. Now, the gang of Nisekoi are breaking through the digital barrier and coming to a bookshop near you. The print version of volume 1 will be available January 7, 2014, bringing with it the promise of making the New York Times Best Seller List. Find more details after the break.

  Manga at Japan Expo This week at look at some news, the Vizmanga price increase, top ten and new releases, and the new licenses Yen Press and Viz Media announced at Japan Expo last weekend. http://archive.org/download/MangaDomeEpisode21/MangaDomeEpisode21.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download

  This weeks I check out the Vizmanga top 10 for the last two weeks, and various news stories about titles ending and new titles beginning in the US and Japan, as well as more new licenses from Seven Seas Entertainment. http://archive.org/download/MangaDomeEpisode17/MangaDomeEpisode17.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download

  This week I look at all the manga announcements (or lack there of) from San Diego Comic Con 2013. http://archive.org/download/MangaDomeEpisode16/MangaDomeEpisode16.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This week I check out all the news from manga publishers Viz Media, Vertical Inc., Digital Manga Publishing, Right Stuf, Kodansha and Dark Horse Comics at Anime Expo and their announcements. http://archive.org/download/Episode14_201307/MangaDomeEpisode14.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download