Bleach creator leaves social media
Fans of the series were caught off-guard by Tite Kubo’s sudden departure from Twitter on September 10, sans a specific explanation from the creator. Kubo’s only message was “[Notice] Tomorrow night, after about 24 hours I will delete my Twitter account. Until that time, please direct message me.” His account was deleted the next day. Shounen Jump had previously reported that fake photos of Kubo were being circulated, and that legal action would be taken if they continued to be spread.
Five manga publisher/distributors looking to expand further into overseas markets
Kodansha, Kadokawa, Shueisha, Shogakukan, and Animate (a retail chain) have formed the Japan Manga Alliance with the aim of providing manga, anime, and character merchandise to the international market. A physical branch of the JMA will be opening in Thailand, with success in that market possibly leading to expansion into other countries. The JMA hopes to dissuade rampant media piracy in Thailand by supplying easier legal means for fans to access their goods.
Yen Press licenses manga prequel
The North American manga publisher announced earlier this week that they’ve licensed Akame ga Kill! Zero by Takahiro and Kei Toru. A prequel to Takhiro’s series, Akame ga Kill!, Zero focuses on titular assassin, Akame.
Barefoot Gen Kickstarter reaches campaign goal
Last month, Last Gasp Books launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a hardcover edition of the classic manga for schools and libraries. They reached their $36,000 goal earlier this week. Barefoot Gen draws upon mangaka Keiji Nakazawa’s experiences at the end of World War II and the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
Editor talks Attack on Titan
A recent interview with Attack on Titan editor Shintaro Kawakubo revealed some details about the juggernaut manga. Apparently, it took a year for Hajime Isayama and him to reach an accord regarding the direction of the series. I know the editorial process with developing manga can be very involved but that sounds intense!