It’s that time again! The end of the month is fast approaching which means another giveaway at Experiments in Manga is now underway! This month’s giveaway features Queen Emeraldas, Volume 1 by Leiji Matsumoto as published in English by Kodansha Comics. (It’s a hardcover!) The second and final volume of the series will be released later this year (I believe it’s scheduled for July), so this giveaway is a great opportunity for a chance to win the first volume to give the series a try. And, as always, the giveaway is open worldwide!
I have been a long-time fan of speculative and science fiction of all types, but I do seem to particularly fond of those that somehow involve space. Taking that into consideration, it probably shouldn’t be too surprising that manga about space travel and exploration especially tend to appeal to me. When Leiji Matsumoto’s Queen Emeraldas was licensed it immediately caught my attention. Not only does it take place in space, it’s also a series from the 1970s. “Classic” manga aren’t frequently released in English (unless they’re by Osamu Tezuka), so that aspect of Queen Emeraldas interested me, too. And indeed, I enjoyed the first volume a great deal.
So, you may be wondering, how can you a copy of the Queen Emeraldas, Volume 1?
1) In the comments below, tell me about your favorite manga set in space. (Don’t have a favorite or have never read one? Simply mention that instead.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).
And there you have it. Everyone participating in the giveaway can earn up to two entries and has one week to submit comments. If needed or preferred, entries can also be sent directly to me at phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. The comments will then be posted here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on May 3, 2017. Good luck!
VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address in the comment form, a link to your website, Twitter username, or whatever. If I can’t figure out how to get a hold of you and you win, I’ll just draw another name.
Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Queen Emeraldas Giveaway Winner
I’ve only read one spacey manga so far, and that was Trigun!
https://twitter.com/Ichiban_Alex
I feel like space kind of works better in anime than manga, imo, but I do love my space epics. For manga, there’s of course Toward the Terra and half of the Phoenix chapters (including one, of course, called “Space”). 2001 Nights is also a really good collection of space stories that was well worth tracking down! And we’ve also got Planetes, in a new, easier to find and not out of print format courtesy of Dark Horse. I also really wish Space Brothers would get a print release (maybe in two in ones, but I’d line up to buy it!) There’s also some classy scifi shojo from Moto Hagio, like A,A’ and They Were Eleven that are excellent. I recall Jyu Oh Sei involving space too, but I thought that one was just ok.
Of course, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, though it may be a novel, simply must be mentioned because it’s just so good.
I also believe that Twin Spica deserves special mention, because even though there’s maybe two pages actually in space in the whole manga, the dream about going into space and how it guides the characters thoughts and feelings makes space very prevalent in this earth bound series.
Please Save My Earth has a ton of space elements I love and involves psychic powers and reincarnation, so I am there! The OVA, while short, was also excellent for what it did adapt (which was about 1/3rd of the series)
I second all of Ash Lynx’s recommendations! Vintage shoujo manga is especially good for fun, creative sci-fi settings. One that hasn’t been mentioned yet is Moon Child. I didn’t have the chance to read through the entire series before CMX went under, but what I did get to read of it was utterly insane in the best way possible.
I remember liking the one volume of Saturn Apartments that I read and wanting to read more, but unfortunately my library didn’t get any of the other volumes so I never got to read more. I don’t know if Soul Eater really counts as an outer space manga, but it does have an arc or two that takes place on the moon. And shout out to Gankutsuou. It’s one of my favorite anime of all time, but the manga is… subpar.
I’ve never read any space manga before, but I’m working my way through watching the Leijiverse. :)
1. I actually don’t think I’ve read any manga set in space, but I’ve really enjoyed some space themed anime series like Heroic Age and Galaxy Railways.
2. I tweeted about the giveaway as @Bamboopanda27
Thanks for the awesome giveaway! :)
a manga set in space? of course i have!
1. my favs is a Outlanders (manga) , 1985.
“the one and obviously classic vintage 80’s i liked as far. it’s a space opera, more comedic, a little action/bloody, and a fanservice on that era!
the manga was created by Johji Manabe which i really know it has many fans on america or around in the world. the popularity was not only for Outlanders series but others manga created by johji manabe like Caravan Kidd, Capricorn, and this one! the combination of this Outlander story had a impact for Space opera, sci-fi, and more.
The story is about a man named Wakatsuki Tetsuya the journalistic photographer. at that time the earth has been made a BIGGEST WHOLE great invasion by aliens, Tetsuya must faced the danger around her, and also there a alien girl named Princess Kahm, she is the invaders of the earth and she the heroine on this series.
Outlanders manga is really awesome to read it’s like i’m reading back to 3×3 Eyes, Yu yu Hakuso, or something like that. it was already licensed in american by Dark Horse Comics, and has a OVA Animation that already have a VHS licensed from 1986 by U.S. Renditions.
and the most interesting thing it had a Standalone game from Famicom released 1987, it has amazing Soundtrack music on the game! a whole story is a whole life adventure for us!
2. and here my twitter account @keke_094 https://twitter.com/keke_094 good luck for everyone!:)
woopss i’m to hyped for replied my favs “danger around him” to be sure. ;)
I haven’t read any space manga, but my favorite space anime would probably be Heroic Age.
I’m a huge Leiji Matsumoto fan, so i guess any random choice would do, since most of them are set in space, but i’ll pick Galaxy Express since it’s his most cohesive and poetic work, outer space is just an excuse to show the many facets of humankind, a truly beautiful work.
http://www.twitter.com/ookkty1
Planetes. The correct answer is Planetes. Everybody else is wrong. ;)
With the exception of Knights of Sidonia and Sugar Sugar Rune, all of my favorites have already been mentioned… so I’ll take this opportunity to list some of the worst manga in English i can think of set in space. ;)
Kouga Yun’s Earthian,
Hiroyuki Asada’s Tegami Bachi,
Kyungok Kang’s In the Starlight,
Yutaka Izubuchi and Takeaki Momose’s RahXephon (honestly who can say if it’s terrestrial or not?),
Hideyuki Kikuchi’s Vampire Hunter D,
Ryo Akitzuki’s Stellvia,
Yoshiyuke Tomino and Mizuho Takayama’s Mobile Suit Gundam: Blue Destiny,
Kanan’s Galaxy Angel Party,
Sirial’s Milkyway Hitchhiking,
Star Trek: The Manga,
Tantric Stripfighter Trina,
… Terra Formars? *ducks*
I don’t read many manga set in space but I had read a bit of ēlDLIVE. ēlDLIVE was made by the same author that wrote Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I really liked Katekyo Hitman Reborn so I checked out ēlDLIVE. It was alright.
Twitter: @Sevolsyob
First thing to come to mind: Planetes. I loved that manga so much, I remember being super disappointed when I started watching the anime with its added wacky hijinks and side characters. (It grew on me later, but man, it was a shock at first.)
Only read Thunderbolt and Gundam Origin, but I have enjoyed both
To pick something no one has mentioned yet, Astra Lost in Space by Kenta Shinohara is a great mystery-adventure with fantastic characters, including rare representation of an intersex character in a shonen manga. You can read it for free on Viz’s website! – https://www.viz.com/shonenjump/chapters/astra-lost-in-space
twitter: @LumRanmaYasha
For me it’s already mentioned Jyu-oh-sei which was not only “ok” in my book. But it was shoujo i would like to read always.
RTed @busha69
I’m afraid I haven’t read a manga set on space yet, but I’m about to read Planetes by Makoto Yukimura. Hope Queen Emeraldas is the next one! :)
I actually haven’t read a manga in space, mainly because I wouldn’t know where to begin, bonjour this series looks lovely!
My Twitter handle is Tuwonwon, should I win.
Bonjour? What a bizarre autocorrection.
Sadly I never read any manga set in space, but I remember growing up with Alabator (French name,is it the same I. English? And Goldorak cartoons on TV.
Would love to discover The Queen, I remember seeing that book in French over here.
I am @lirenbulles on Twitter
Planetes was really good, loved the Toy Box crew, still one of my favorite spaceship designs. The page with the rose always gets me
I haven’t read any manga set in space, but I did watch all three seasons (and the two movies that occurred between season 2 & 3) of Star Blazers.