Manga Village

Every week, the Manga Villagers will go through the new releases for the week and pick out the titles they are most looking forward to reading. Whether it’s buying or just window shopping, check out what we’re looking at every week!

With 2011 in the rear view mirror, the Villagers look back at some of the titles, publishers and events that made the past year good (or bad). What was your favorite new title(s) of the year? Connie: There are a lot of different titles, so picking, say, Lychee Light Club over Sakura Hime is tough, since I like them both, but one ran in Ribon (for little girls) and the other in Manga Erotics F.  Lychee Light Club was probably my favorite one-shot this year, a great and very shocking book full of violence and objectionable content, but with amazing art and a manic, intense plot.  Sakura Hime was probably my favorite general audience title, if general audience can mean people who read magical girl series.  I’m a fan of Arina Tanemura, and while I’m not an instant convert on all her books, Sakura Hime was quite good, and I’m enjoying the setting and mythological ties so far. But my favorite title this year was probably Wandering Son.  I have a hard time talking about Wandering Son, because I feel anything I say won’t do the story enough justice.  It’s simply a nice, quiet book about pre-teen classmates exploring their…

The new year starts out short but strong with Kodansha releasing the next round of new titles, including the surprisingly fun title Monster Hunter Orage. Viz has a nice mix of shonen and shojo titles including a countdown to the last print Shonen Jump and the next One Piece Color Walk art book as well as a new title for the kids, Fluffy Fluffy Cinnamoroll. The List: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS Wandering Son Volume 2 HC, $19.99  **Weekly Pick** KODANSHA COMICS Cage Of Eden Volume 3 GN, $10.99 Love Hina Omnibus Volume 2 TP (Kodansha Edition), $19.99 Monster Hunter Orage Volume 3 TP, $10.99 Negima Omnibus Volume 3 GN, $19.99 VIZ MEDIA Black Bird Volume 12 GN, $9.99 Dengeki Daisy Volume 8 GN, $9.99 Fluffy Fluffy Cinnamoroll Volume 1 GN, $7.99 Kimi ni Todoke From Me To You Volume 12 GN, $9.99 Naruto Volume 54 TP, $9.99 One Piece Color Walk Volume 2 TP, $19.99 One Piece Volume 60 TP, $9.99 Oresama Teacher Volume 6 GN, $9.99 Psyren Volume 2 GN, $9.99  **Weekly Pick** Rosario + Vampire Season II Volume 7 TP, $9.99 Shonen Jump Volume 10 #2 (February 2012), $4.99 Skip Beat Volume 26 TP, $9.99 Yu-Gi-Oh Gx Volume 8 GN,…

2011 ends quietly as just two publishers have books coming out this week, but with some key titles for fans. Dark Horse makes it to 20 on the ultra-violent Gantz, and oh my goodness, is that a 40 on Oh My Goddess?! Kodansha releases their two kid friendly titles Animal Land and Tokyo Mew Mew, while Air Gear breaks the 20 volume barrier as well. Here’s to looking forward to another great year in manga in 2012! The List: DARK HORSE COMICS Gantz Volume 20 TP, $12.99 Oh My Goddess! Volume 40 TP, $10.99  **Weekly Pick** KODANSHA COMICS Air Gear Volume 21 GN, $10.99 Animal Land Volume 3 GN, $10.99 Bloody Monday Volume 3 GN, $10.99  **Weekly Pick** Tokyo Mew Mew Omnibus Volume 2 TP, $14.99 Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei Volume 12 GN, $10.99  **Weekly Pick** Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Volume 3 GN, $10.99 The Picks: Connie’s Pick:  I have to admit, my overwhelming favorite for the week is Oh My Goddess! 40.  While I normally enjoy the series in a sitcom-sorta way, the recent story arc has actually been really good, since it makes use of the fact that the characters are goddesses and demons and whatnot.  Plus, more of Hild…

It’s a short but varied week filled with good last-minute gifts. One of Del Rey’s last titles, xxxHOLIC, releases its penultimate volume this week. Vertical releases the second volume of its vintner saga, Drops of God, while Viz shows it’s eclectic side a little something from its Signature and Media lines. Good reading all around. The List: DEL REY MANGA xxxHOLiC Volume 18 GN, $10.99 KODANSHA COMICS Mardock Scramble Volume 3 GN, $10.99 VERTICAL Drops Of God Volume 2 GN, $14.95  **Weekly Pick** VIZ MEDIA Dorohedoro Volume 5 GN, $12.99 Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 27 TP (Of 27), $9.99  **Weekly Pick** Tenjo Tenge Volume 4 GN (Full Contact Edition 2-In-1), $17.99 YEN PRESS Betrayal Knows My Name Volume 2 GN, $18.99 Kobato Volume 5 GN, $11.99 My Girlfriend’s A Geek Volume 5 GN, $11.99 Spice And Wolf Volume 5 GN, $11.99 The Picks: Justin’s Pick: Mardock Scramble has proved interesting, if not necessarily anything new, and Dorohedoro is still a powerhouse of a manga with terrific art-presence, but this week I’m picking up Drops of God, if only because I still can’t tell if it’s tongue in cheek or deadly serious when it comes to the world of wine (or both!);…

End of the month means a small list, and this month is no exception. There are multiple publishers, but with only a few books each. Kodansha continues more former Del Rey titles, and Viz has the new Pokemon movie adaptation. But the big news is the return of disturbing thriller from Dark Horse MPD-Psycho. Just in time for Christmas!

Yen Press is the publisher to check out this week while you chow down on that Turkey, and left over turkey sandwiches, turkey casserole and what ever other concoction the cook in your home will try to do to make the leftover palatable. If gossiping girls, zombies, ninja or teenagers with god-like powers can’t help, then consider calling on the power of the moon, with the help of Kodansha’s release volume 2 of both Codename Sailor V and Sailor Moon. The List: KODANSHA COMICS Codename Sailor V Volume 2 TP, $10.99 Ninja Girls Volume 8 GN, $10.99 Sailor Moon Volume 2 TP (Kodansha Edition), $10.99 YEN PRESS Gossip Girl The Manga Volume 3 For Your Eyes Only GN, $12.99 High School Of The Dead Color Omnibus HC, $49.99  **Weekly Pick** Innocent GN, $11.99  **Weekly Pick** Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya Volume 10 GN, $11.99 Melancholy Of Suzumiya Haruhi-Chan Volume 4 GN, $11.99 Nabari No Ou Volume 8 TP, $11.99 Omamori Himari Volume 5 GN, $11.99 Sumomomo Momomo Volume 10 TP, $11.99 The Picks: Justin’s Pick: Over the objections of my daughter (who would prefer that I pick Sailor Moon every day of the week and twice on Sundays), I’m going with…

Viz is gearing up for the holiday season with three box sets this week of titles that if you missed, you should rectify. They also have a mix of Shonen Sunday and Signature titles. Kodansha releases a few more former Del Rey titles including the well received Arisa and Digital Manga has more BL for the fujoshi in you/your life.

It’s a big BL week with a long list from Digital Manga Publishing including the well received Mr. Tiger and Mr. Wolf. Kodansha is also dabbing in the BL genre with the second volume of Until the Full Moon. Viz releases some Shonen Sunday titles as well as two titles for kids; the latest Pokemon Black and White and the hardback Mameshiba Love Winter. The List: DIGITAL MANGA PUBLISHING Bad Teacher’s Equation Volume 2 GN (Of 5), $19.95 Border Volume 2 GN, $12.95 Great Place High School Student Council Volume 3 GN, $12.95 Mr Tiger And Mr Wolf Volume 1 GN (Of 2), $12.95 Only Serious About You Volume 1 GN (Of 2), $12.95 Private Teacher Volume 1 GN, $12.95 Seven Days Volume 2 Friday-Sunday GN (Of 2), $12.95 Yakuza Cafe GN, $12.95 KODANSHA COMICS Until The Full Moon Volume 2 GN, $10.99 UDON ENTERTAINMENT Mega Man Gigamix Volume 3 TP (Of 3), $13.95  **Weekly Pick** VERTICAL Princess Knight Volume 1 GN (by Osamu Tezuka), $13.95  **Weekly Pick** Twin Spica Volume 10 GN, $10.95  **Weekly Pick** VIZ MEDIA Dogs Bullets And Carnage Volume 6 TP, $12.99 Inuyasha Volume 9 GN (VIZBIG Edition), $17.99 Mameshiba Love Winter HC, $12.99 Pokemon Black…

The beginning of a new month usually means a depletion of the wallet as so many new titles come out. Viz has the longest list as usual, with their shonen and shojo releases, including the soon-to-end Shonen Jump magazine. Kodansha isn’t doing so bad, as it fills in Del Rey’s spot very easily and debuts another old title with an omnibus and a new translation, Tokyo Mew Mew. Veritcal releases the Usamaru Furuya adaptation of one of the all-time bestselling novel in Japan, No Longer Human.