Manga Xanadu

Matsuri Hino, creator of shojo series Vampire Knight returns to Viz Media’s Shojo Beat imprint with a new series about a school girl whose a ninja. This isn’t any kind of surprise. With the success Viz experienced with Vampire Knight, it was a no-brainer that her next series would be licensed here as well. I wasn’t impressed or interested in Vampire Knight, so I’m not feeling any impetus to pick this on up either. It’s gonna be a pass for me, but check out the first volume yourself if you like Hino’s work or are interested in any way.

At Tenbin Elementary, there is only one way to settle a dispute–in a court of law! All quarrels bypass the teachers and are settled by some of the best lawyers in the country…who also happen to be elementary school students. The accused this time is a boy named Tento. His crime? The murder of a beloved member of the classroom! Luckily for him, the state has sent him a defense attorney–Abaku Inugami. But is this wild young lawyer skilled enough to ronpa his client off the hook?

Just because the manga is done, that doesn’t mean the adventures in the world of Naruto are! This story takes place after the Great Ninja war and fills in some of the time between the end of the manga and sequel Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring. It also features Shikamaru, one of the more interesting characters from the manga. If you are already feeling the withdrawals of no new Naruto chapters, then this novel is just what you need.

February is the month that’s all about the romance, so their digital bundles this time are almost all from the Shojo Beat imprint. Demon Love Spell, Jiu Jiu, and Kaze Hikaru all have great deals. If your love is for games, then pick up one of the Hikaru no Go bundles. If you prefer your heart spurting blood, check out the new Viz Select title Judas, a former Tokyopop title that is more horror than honey.

I was never really interested in court room dramas until my daughter got me interested in Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney. Gakkyu Hotei can be best be described as a  younger reader version of Phoenix Wright, with the cases all occurring in school, and Inugami being the defense attorney who never loses. I read a few chapters in Weekly Shonen Jump and liked it so much I pre-ordered the first volume. Obata’s art and Enoki’s school appropriate cases make for an entertaining combination.

Viz Media starts off 2016 with some new digital title and quite the selection of bundles. They’ve rescued two more former Tokyopop titles, Saving Life and Kannazuki no Miko, both of which are also considered mature titles and won’t be available in their app. They are certainly interesting pick ups by Viz. I would never have expected Kannazuki no Miko to be one. May it was part of a digital package deal. I love the bundles they have this month. I recommend Godchild. It’s a good deal for the whole series. I’d love to get the Nura:  Rise of the Yokai Clan entire series, and wish they would do some bundles for the latter half of titles. I have Vol 1-10 of Kimi ni Todoke already. What I could really use is a Vol 11-20 package.

As 2015 comes to a close, so too did several manga titles, some that were only with us a little while, some that spanned some years.

With this final box set and epilogue volume, Viz Media gives a fond farewell to Naruto, one of their flagship titles of the 2000s. It’s hard to believe it is finally over, but Naruto‘s saga spanned 72 volumes, which is more than respectable for a shonen series. Even though I didn’t make it through whole series, I jumped off shortly after the time jump, I did enjoy the parts I did read. I wouldn’t mind going back to pick up where I left off. Though space constraints would dictate going digital.

There’s a lot of good stuff coming from Viz in the last two weeks of the year. If you haven’t been following the free chapters of Boys Over Flowers Season 2, then picking up the first volume is really the way to go, especially if the free chapters are limited. There are some really good bundles available this week. I highly recommend Cross Manage, and at $10 it’s a steal for the whole series! Also tempting are the Dragon Ball (the only good series) and Dr. Slump bundles. Next week, Otomen‘s first 5 volumes are up and also get a recommendation from me.

I don’t know what it is about them, but I’m drawn to titles that have delinquents who hide a softer side, so I’m looking forward to this release.  It’s got a lot of potential for misunderstandings, and mismatched friends. It’s a great way to start out the new year.

Viz ends their digital year with two new Viz Select titles and some bundle sales that will only last as week. Crown of Thorns is a new license from the creator of Boys Over Flowers. It’s only two volumes and perfect for the line. Returning is previous Tokyopop license The Man of Many Faces, a CLAMP two-volume series as well. The flash bundle sale for this week is tailor-made for shojo fans, and I would jump in on so many of them if I didn’t already own just enough to make the sale pointless. But Chibi Vampire, Library Wars, Dengeki Daisy, Red River, and Voice Over? All great titles! And the bundle for Nana next week is fantastic too. Jump on them if you can!

Vampires seem to still be an “in” thing as Viz Media release its newest shojo series Bloody Mary. But don’t let the names of the main characters fool you. This isn’t your typical, “supernatural hero seduces human heroine.” Mary and Maria are both guys, but with a teen rating, don’t expect any Boys Love action. It’s gonna be all talk and no action, which is just fine by me.