If you ask a manga reader from the mid-2000s what the big 3 manga were, chances are you’d hear the following responses: Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece. It’s now a decade later. Naruto has ended. One Piece is still going strong. And Bleach… Well, Bleach is still going.
Shinbun Saturday: Science Fiction Manga Beginnings and Endings
Naruto writer to possibly delve into science-fiction for next project Masahi Kishimoto discussed his post-Naruto career with a Japanese magazine, briefly mentioning his tentative plans to work on a science-fiction themed manga. While nothing is completely set in stone– It hasn’t all been worked out, and I haven’t showed my editor yet, but I’ve already…
Shinbun Saturday: Reflections on History in Manga
Manga artist’s rendition of war experiences on exhibit Shigeru Mizuki’s manga Soin Gyokusai Seyo! (Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths) and Rabaul Senki (Memories of Rabaul) explored the experience of war through semi-fictional characters, but a recent exhibit at Chofu City Culture Hall brings his personal memories of World War II to a new audience. Mizuki’s work is placed in…
Shinbun Saturday: New Life for a Fan Favorite
Fan favorite gets manga adaptation Good news for Baccano! fans! We may never get a second season of the anime, but we are getting a manga adaptation later this year. Based on the light novels by Ryohgo Narita, Baccano! tells the story about a group of alchemists and an elixir that grants immortality against a…
Load Your Cannons! 5 Memorable Manga Ship Wars
I love fandom. I hate fandom. It’s an object of my eternal adoration, and it’s a source of my constant frustration. Navigating fandom is like walking through a minefield. Surprise racism. Unexpected misogynism. Bi erasure. There are so many pitfalls waiting to trip you up. But you know where the biggest danger of fandom lies?…
Shinbun Saturday: A Campaign to Bring a Classic WWII Manga to Schools
Last Gasp Books launches Barefoot Gen Kickstarter Earlier this week, Last Gasp Books launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a hardcover edition of Barefoot Gen by Keiji Nazakawa. The aim is to raise $36,000 in order to print 4,000 copies to be distributed to schools and libraries. Based on the mangaka’s real-life experiences, the classic…
Shinbun Saturday: Eluding Government Bans and Facing IP Laws
Classic science fiction manga coming to North America Move over, Udon Entertainment. Classic manga fans were granted a boon this past week at Otakon with Kodansha announcing their licensing of 1978 series Queen Emeraldas. The series follows Hiroshi Umino as he sneaks onto a spaceship to escape from Earth. It will mark Queen Emeraldas’ first…
My Left or Your Right? The Newbie Friendliness of Manga
Picture, if you will, a fresh-faced fan walking into a comic book store on Free Comic Book Day. She picks up a haul of titles that look interesting. Hey, it’s free! Perfect opportunity to try something new out, right? Included in that haul is a sampler put out by a North American manga publisher. How awesome!…
Shinbun Saturday: Star Wars Gets the Ukiyo-e Treatment, Thanks to Fans
School Live and the positive relationship between manga sales and anime series If anyone ever doubted the purpose of anime, the team behind summer success Gakkou Gurashi!, or School-Live! might have some insight to share with them. With the release of the anime in early July, sales of the manga have seen a substantial increase,…
Shinbun Saturday: Versailles Comes to North America
An unlicensible manga comes to North America at last SDCC wasn’t quite the same licensing bonanza as Anime Expo, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t a couple major items of note. The biggest manga news to come out of the con is that Udon Entertainment licensed The Rose of Versailles. North American manga publishers tend to…
Shinbun Saturday: The Pirate King Retains His Throne
Barnes & Noble expands manga and graphic novel section On the heels of news that comics sales are up, the brick and mortar bookstore announced that due to customer demand, it would be doubling its space dedicated to manga and graphic novels. The increase would allow stores to keep backlist titles on the shelves longer…
Cats, Ninjas, Otaku, and a Company Returns from the Dead: Anime Expo 2015
While some of us gorged on barbecue and watched fireworks this past weekend, others braved the L.A. traffic to hit Anime Expo, the largest manga and anime convention in North America. A dizzying number of industry announcements were made over the span of four days but don’t worry. WWAC has got you covered! Here are…