Manga Xanadu

I’ve been an anime and manga fan for long time, and there have been some titles that were thought to be more far off dreams than actual candidates for licensing. One of those dreams was getting anything from Leiji Matsumoto, co-creator of Space Battleship Yamato, and creator of Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, and Queen Emeraldas among many others. At best, all we had were 5 volumes of the second Galaxy Express 999 manga series published by Viz back in the late 90s-2000s. But now, it seems the flood gates have opened as new licenses are being announced left and right.

Viz Media has some surprising (and not so surprising)  licenses at Anime Expo over the 4th of July weekend, spread over their various imprints. Dragon Ball Super was a no brainer, and the print release of Yu-Gi-Oh Arc V should be as well. There were some nice surprises though too, with a new shojo, a new Mobile Suit Gundam set in the Universal Century timeline, and to those waiting for Rose of Versailles, the box set of Revolutionary Girl Utena.