Quite a few interesting things made their way onto my bookshelves over the last month. In particular, I had a bit of luck when it came to out-of-print manga in August. I was able to find nice, relatively cheap copies of Sake Jock, a collection of underground Japanese comics published by Fantagraphics in 1995, and Manga, another manga sampler released sometime in the early 1980s. (I first learned about Manga when Jason Thompson covered it as part of his House of 1000 Manga column.) As for preorders that I’m especially happy to have in my hands, Shigeru Mizuki’s Kitaro and Kyoko Okazaki’s Helter Skelter: Fashion Unfriendly were both released in August. I’m also thrilled that SuBLime’s license rescue of Youka Nitta’s Embracing Love has begun. (It’s one of my favorite yaoi series and it will finally be released in its entirety in English!) And speaking of yaoi: Guilt|Pleasure has released One of These Nights, the third prequel to its series In These Words. If you find In These Words too dark but love Jo Chen’s artwork (which is fantastic), do give the prequels a try; they have a different, lighter tone. Another book that I’m particularly excited about is Manga: Introduction, Challenges, and Best Practices, edited by Melinda Beasi and presented by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The guide’s general release will actually be in December, but you can pick up an early copy from CBLDF at various conventions or from its website. Manga is a great resource; look for a review of it here soon!
Manga!
Attack on Titan, Volume 6 by Hajime Isayama
Battle Angel Alita: Last Order, Omnibus 1-2 by Yukito Kishiro
Blue Morning, Volumes 1-2 by Shouko Hidaka
Bunny Drop, Volume 9 by Yumi Unita
Dorohedoro, Volume 10 by Q Hayashida
Embracing Love, Omnibus 1 by Youka Nitta
Eyeshield 21, Volumes 24-25, 35-37 written by Riichiro Inagaki, illustrated by Yusuke Murata
Fairy Tail, Volume 29 by Hiro Mashima
Helter Skelter: Fashion Unfriendly by Kyoko Okazaki
How Good Was I? by Yamatogawa
Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki
Knights of Sidonia, Volume 4 by Tsutomu Nihei
Library Wars: Love & War, Volume 10 by Kiiro Yumi
Manga edited by Masaichi Mukaide
Nana, Volume 21 by Ai Yazawa
No. 6, Volume 2 by Hinoki Kino
Otomen, Volume 16 by Aya Kanno
Ring X Mama, Volume 1 by Joji Manabe
Sake Jock edited by Adam Glickman
Sankarea: Undying Love, Volume 2 by Mitsuru Hattori
Tough Love Baby by Shiuko Kano
X, Omnibus 6 by CLAMP
Comics!
Blue Is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh
One of These Nights by Guilt|Pleasure
Strangers in Paradise Omnibus by Terry Moore
Smut Peddler by Various
Light Novels!
Fullmetal Alchemist, Volumes 2-3 by Makoto Inoue
Novels!
Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation by Yoshiyuki Tomino
Anthologies!
The Melancholy of Mechagirl: Stories and Poems by Catherynne M. Valente
Nonfiction!
Manga: Introduction, Challenges, and Best Practices edited by Melinda Beasi
Anime!
Berserk: The Golden Age, Arc II: The Battle for Doldrey directed by Toshiyuki Kubooka
Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine directed by Sayo Yamamoto
This Boy Caught a Merman directed by Soubi Yamamoto
Tsuritama directed by Kenji Nakamura
Thanks for the info on In These Words. I’d seen the pre-order offering at Amazon.de by Tokyopop DE and was wondering what it was. Having browsed their store and site I’d agree that the prequels are probably something I can handle easier, heh.
Yeah, I know quite a few people for whom In These Words is too much—too twisted, too violent. The prequels, however, feature a much healthier relationship and are even rather sweet at times.