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Hey gang! This month’s previews weren’t looking very hopeful at first, then I hit a publisher called NBM, an explosion of upcoming Viz Media titles, and some brand spanking new Vertical Inc. titles. It’s a good time to be a manga fan. Diamond’s July 2011 Previews catalog is out now, so let’s take a look at some upcoming manga titles! All product descriptions are from Previews unless otherwise noted.

Also, before we get rolling, some news. If you missed the PR posting, Digital Manga Publishing has teamed up with IDW Comics to start hosting and selling IDW Comics on eManga.com, a flash-based digital platform for reading comics. It’s an exciting partnership, so be sure to check it out! Anime Expo was this past weekend, and the most exciting news (for me, anyway) was the license announcement for the absolutely charming Kimi ni Todoke anime by NIS America. Over at VizAnime.com, Viz is premiering the final episode of the entertaining supernatural anime Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro. It’s a great show that I’d love to see get a physical print run, so check it out!

Kris’s Pull List:

A Strange and Mystifying Story volume 3, by Tsuta Suzuki. “With the ever looming family curse that has made him the last of his family line, Akio has come to count on his beloved Setsu, the family’s outcast demon guardian, to keep him safe. Love has blossomed between the pair, but fate still has more in store for the pair than a peaceful co-existence. Volume three of the popular forbidden love story between a therianthrope and his beloved master is here at last!” September 2011, $12.95, from Digital Manga Publishing.

No Longer Human volume 1, by Usamaru Furuya. “In honor of the 100th birthday of Osamu Dazai, Usamaru Furuya retells his most important work No Longer Human in modern day Tokyo where modern vices can bring ruin to the self-loathing. No Longer Human is considered Dazai’s masterpiece and ranks as the second-best selling novel in Japan.” September 2011, $10.95, from Vertical Inc.

Kamisama Kiss volume 5, by Julietta Suzuki. “After returning from a seaside vacation, Nanami is shocked to discover that the townsfolk consider her shrine abandoned. She decides to hold a summer festival for the local humans and yokai to revitalize the shrine’s reputation. But Tomoe is strangely reluctant. Can Nanami pull off the festival with a little help from her yokai friends, or will Tomoe’s naysaying spell disaster?” October 2011, $9.99, from Viz Media.

Skip Beat! volume 25, by Yoshiki Nakamura. “Kyoko’s Valentine’s battle with Reino has finally gained her Sho’s attention – but now it’s the last thing she wants! Sho is determined to make her obsessed with him, and shows up on set with an over-the-top gift to taunt her. But when Kyoko explains her true relationship with Reino, Sho makes an inexcusable move. Has he undone her years of healing in one fell swoop?!” October 2011, $9.99, from Viz Media.

Vampire Knight volume 13, by Matsuri Hino. “Yuki is attacked by another Pureblood outside a graveyard for meddling in the ways of the vampire society. Injured, she returns home to Kaname, who shares with her his past memories and the truth behind the Kuran family.” October 2011, $9.99, from Viz Media.

Seiho Boys’ High School volume 8, by Kaneyoshi Izumi. [Final volume…noooooooooo] “Is it written in the starts that girls named Erika will always break Maki’s heart? With betrayal and separation ravaging his relationship, love certainly isn’t easy for this Seiho boy. But as his second year of high school comes to a close, will he still somehow manage to find happiness?” October 2011, $9.99, from Viz Media.

X (3-in-1) volume 1, by CLAMP. “X, the epic series from CLAMP, is now available in this deluxe collector’s edition. The pages have been recomposed in the original right-to-left reading order and restored to the highest quality. Each volume contains three of the original graphic novels, along with gorgeous, full-color illustrations never before published outside Japan!” October 2011, $19.99, from Viz Media.

Maoh: Juvenile Remix volume 7, by Megumi Osuga. “Weakened from fighting and overusing his powers, Ando heads for a final confrontation with Inukai. Ando will risk everything to stop Inukai from reaching his objectives, but is it enough? And when the dust settles, the world will be changed forever.” October 2011, $9.99, from Viz Media.

Afterschool Charisma volume 4, by Kumiko Suekane. [Generic copy] October 2011, $12.99.

20th Century Boys volume 17, by Naoki Urasawa. “It is the third year of the Friendship Era. Darkness covers the earth, and the world is under the control of evil. The Friend has become President of the World, and he reigns from within the enclosed walls of Tokyo City. Most people believe in the Friend, but hidden below the surface is a small ray of hope.” October 2011, $12.99.

 

From Bandai Entertainment Inc.:

Code Geass: Knight volume 5, by various. [Final volume] “Code Geass Knight offers a humorous look at the male characters of the hit anime Code Geass, presenting outakes, what-ifs, and behind-the-scenes with everyone’s favorite Code Geass guys!” October 2011, $10.99.

From Del Rey:

xxxHolic volume 17, by CLAMP. From Amazon: “Watanuki no longer leaves the wish-granting shop he inherited from the witch Yûko. What’s more, he must help everyone who walks through its doors—even the monster that ate his eye! How can the still-inexperienced Watanuki handle what can only be called one dangerous customer?” September 2011, $10.99.

Also From Digital Manga Publishing:

Yakuza Café, by Shinano Oumi. From Amazon: “Take one innocent young man, left alone in the world after the grandmother who raised him died. Send him to an address relating to his father”s past. What? A sign? It reads… “Cafe Huzisaki Group”?! Welcome to the Yakuza Cafe, where love is unexpectedly on the menu. The super popular mangaka Shinano Oumi”s newest manga is now available in English for the very first time!” September 2011, $12.95.

Love Phobia volume 1, by Kokoro Natsume. “Ako finds a tragic scene that her parents were brutally murdered by vampire Koh. Ako is also attacked and sucked of her blood by Koh. But, at the same time, she also writhes with pleasure… Ako wakes up in Ko’s place after the incident and realizes she’s to become a vampire. Her body can’t deny the strong desire of blood sucking and Ko orders her to attack humans…. Ako’s only brother Yuya was waiting for her return but another villainous vampire Yui contacts Yuya for a malicious purpose….” September 2011, $12.95.

Kizuna Deluxe Edition volume 4, by Kazuma Kodaka. “Life changes are in the air for our couples as sudden events change everything. Ranmaru is called home by his grandfather, who wants him to return to the dojo and take up kendo again, despite his only partially recovery from the accident that cemented his bond to Kei. Meanwhile Kei has family troubles of his own. His half brother Kai appears to be running amok in the pleasure district, running with thugs that have nothing to do with the Sagano family’s syndicate. In the meantime, Araki is in Tokyo on syndicate business. Someone is messing about using their name, and it appears to be tied to an old grudge, the very one that put the young Kei’s life in danger and destroyed Ranmaru’s body. The bonds are becoming ever more knotted.” September 2011, $19.95.

Border volume 2, by Kazuma Kodaka. “When the JAT contact Yamato’s group about a new case, Tamaki finds a face from his past has come to haunt him. Will old wounds reopen as the man he escaped as a child reappears, this time involving innocent youths in human trafficking and drugs? Is it safe for Yamato, Tamaki, Kippei, and Sougo to proceed, or is there a rat in the ranks somewhere tripping off the other side? Crime and romance mix to raise the tension in the latest volume of Kadoka’s lates fan favorited series, Border!” September 2011, $12.95.

Rabbit Man, Tiger Man volume 2, by Akira Honma. “Small, mild mannered Dr. Uzuki is walking home from his job at the University’s teaching hospital one night when he encounters a man suffering from a gun shot wound. The emergency spurs him out of his usual timidity, and he valiantly works to save the delirious yakuza. All the yakuza named Nonami can remember is that an angel appeared in that dark alley, with a name that sounded like ‘Suzuki’ and who was attached to the University hospital. Nonami’s sudden appearance there and scheme to find the lovely woman who saved him in order to claim her as his own leaves Uzuki terrified. What’s going to happen if the yakuza finds his beloved is a man?” September 2011, $12.95.

From Fanfare/Ponent Mon:

The Summit of the Gods volume 3, by Yumemakura Baku, with art by Jiro Taniguchi. “Tsuneo Hase has died in an avalance attempting to climb K2 solo without oxygen, leaving Jouji Habu alone to face the next big challenge. Habu has disappeared in Nepal, as has the camera that may unlock Everest’s mystery, so Japanese photographer Fukamachi has to search anew for the man known as ‘Venomous Snake’ and he draws on an unexpected source for help.” September 2011, $25.00.

From Houghton Mifflin Company:

Mangaman, by Barry Lyga, with art by Colleen Doran. “Ryoko, a manga character from a manga world, falls through the Rip into the ‘real’ world – the western world – and tries to survive as the ultimate outsider at a typical American high school. Barry Lyga (Fanboy & Goth Girl) writes a metafictive masterpiece as manga meets traditional Western comic book style, while Colleen Doran (A Distant Soil) combines manga techniques and conventions with Western comic book storytelling to create a unique seamless – though not Ripless – comic hybrid that is by turns hilarious and heartbreaking.” November 2011, $18.99.

From Kodansha Comics:

Codename: Sailor V volume 1, by Koji Kumeta. “The prequel story to Sailor Moon puts the spotlight on Sailor Venus. This series has never been release[d] in the U.S. before, and fan demand for it has been high for years. Codename: Sailor V tells the story of Minako Aino, a 13-year-old middle school student, whose calm, normal life changes when she encounters a talking white cat with a crescent moon on its forehead. This cat introduces himself as Artemis and claims that Minako is a girl with the power to transform into the hero, Sailor V!” September 2011, $10.99.

Sailor Moon volume 1, by Naoko Takeuchi. “This is the one manga fans have demanded for years: Sailor Moon returns to American [sic] with new covers and an all-new translation! This is the biggest manga launch of 2011 from any publisher. Usagi Tsukino is a normal girl until she meets up with Luna, a talking cat, who tells her that she is Sailor Moon. As Sailor Moon, Usagi must fight evils and enforce justice, in the name of the Moon and the mysterious Moon Princess.” September 2011, $10.99.

From NBM:

Star Gazing Dog, by Takashi Murakami. “A moving manga that is a major best-seller in Japan. Oto-san is down and out. Life has conspired against him, nothing coming together the way he wished, so he sets out with his car to just get away from it all. All people around him have abandoned him in indifference but as we discover along with him, the one he can count on utterly and completely is a dog he just adopted who follows him blindly, faithfully and completely, to the end, lightening up his new adventure into the unknown.” November 2011, $11.99.

Mijeong, by Byun Byung-Jun. “In the cold city, young people’s lives cross and spark for brief moments in this remarkable graphic novel. From the girl who deals sensitively with an older man obsessed by youth to the group of friends who find their friend has committed suicide but feel the might get implicated, this engrossing collection of stories will transfix and move you deeply.” Re-offered, $19.95. [A fellow manga blogger directed me to her review of this book, and makes it sound outstanding, with beauty that this little blip doesn’t even remotely convey. I suggest taking a look.]

Run, Bong-Gu, Run!, by Byun Byung-Jun. “Off the train in the middle of winter at the station in Seoul, Bong-gu and his mother have come from a poor isolated area to search for Bong-fu’s [sic] father, who left without a trace. Dad had dreams coming from the country, hitting the big city. They didn’t quite work out. He had become too ashamed to show himself again. From desperation, the outcome of this story, however, will bring warmth to any heart, showing that the hope and love of humanity can even melt the cold indifference of our urban societies.” Re-offered, $15.95.

From Penguin Books:

Gandhi: A Manga Biography, by Kazuki Ebine. “Through his quietly powerful leadership and influential use of nonviolent resistance in India’s struggle against the British Raj, Mahatma Gandhi became one of the most revered figures of the modern era. While history has recorded Gandhi’s words and deeds, the man himself has been eclipsed by maxims of virtuosity that seem to have little resonance in our everyday lives. In Gandhi, Kazuki Ebine combines a gripping narrative with stunning illustrations to share Gandhi’s inspiring and deeply human story with a whole new generation of readers.” September 2011, $15.00.

From Seven Seas Entertainment:

My Boyfriend is a Vampire volume 1, by Han Yu-Rang. “Being beautiful is never easy, especially if you’re an 18-year-old boy like Ryu who is constantly mistaken for a girl because of his delicate good looks. Ryu is, in fact, anything but delicate. When Ryu stumbles upon strange happenings in the forest, he gets sucked into a world of vampire intrigue and sinister romance that he never knew existed. And he learns that there are worse things than being turned into a vampire – being turned into a girl!” September 2011, $15.99.

Dracula Everlasting volume 1, by Nunzio deFilippis and Christina Weir, with art by Rhea Silvan. “Nicholas Harker is an average teen who lost his parents in a tragic accident. When he learns he is the sole heir to a vast estate from a mysterious ancestor, his life will never be average again. Together with his new friend, Jill Hawthorne, Nicholas discovers that he is a direct descendant of Lord Dracula, and what’s worse, Dracula’s spirit is beginning to exert control over him. There are those from Dracula’s past who will stop at nothing to destroy Nicholas, and those who come to his aid and urge him to embrace his destiny. One loves him; the rest want to use him in a dark war where Nicholas’ very soul is the battleground!” September 2011, $10.99.

From Udon Entertainment:

Shigenori Soejima Art Works. “Featuring the elegant artwork of Persona video game artist Shigenori Soejima. This beautiful art book features Soejima’s best work from the various Persona games, other projects such as Stella Deus and Momoiro Taisen Pairon, and an exclusive interview with the artist himself.” October 2011, $39.99.

Also From Vertical Inc.:

The Drops of God volume 1, by Tadashi Agi. “Few comics have ever exhibited such sway over the economics of an industry as The Drops of God. The legendary wine comic that dictated wine prices worldwide is now available in English for the first time! A wine critic and his rival brother must compete against each other to determine who will inherit their father’s estate – a wine collection featuring 13 heaven blessed wines.” September 2011, $14.95.

Twin Spica volume 9, by Kou Yaginuma. [Generic copy] September 2011, $10.95.

Also From Viz Media:

Natsume’s Book of Friends volume 9, by Yuki Midorikawa. “Natsume learns that no good deed goes unpunished when an irate yokai accuses him of stealing her ring when she came to the Fujiwara house to get her name returned. Natsume thinks he knows where the ring has disappeared to, but can he find it in time, or will the place he’s come to think of as home be destroyed by the vengeful yokai?” October 2011, $9.99.

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan volume 5, by Hiroshi Shibashi. “Rikuo has successfully defended his classmates from the vicious inugami’s mad-dog attack. But that battle is just a hint of what’s to come. The sinister Tamazuki has remained in his human form so far, but now he’s unleashing his true form: a ferocious yokai leading the 88 Demons of Shikoku, a disciplined demon horde hellbent on taking the Nura clan out. With Nurarihyon missing, Rikuo must step up as a warrior and a leader.” October 2011, $9.99.

Psyren volume 1, by Toshiaki Iwashiro. “‘Save me!’ Those were Sakurako Amamiya’s last worlds to her friend Ageha Yoshina before she mysteriously went missing. Now Ageha’s on a quest to find her. He’s convinced that the mythical Psyren Secret Society has something to do with the recent trash of disappearances. And now he seems to be caught up as a player in their very deadly game…” October 2011, $9.99.

Blue Exorcist volume 4, by Kazue Kato. “While most of the students at True Cross Academy head home for the summer break, Rin and his classmates are sent to a training camp in the forest district, and the right to go on a real mission is riding on their performance! Locating and recovering their objectives in the woods is tough and will require teamwork, skill and more than a little magic – and Rin will have to learn to rely on this friends.” October 2011, $9.99.

Eyeshield 21 volume 37, by Riichiro Inagaki, with art by Yusuke Murata. [Final volume] “In this action-packed final volume, Team USA and Team Japan face off in a bid for the title of best youth football team in the world. Rivalries within Team Japan are put aside as Hiruma and Agon execute a complicated formation. Can smart strategy overcome the sheer physical dominance of the American team?” October 2011, $9.99.

Cross Game volume 5, by Mitsuru Adachi. “In the summer of his second year in high school, Ko and the Seishu baseball team must take on mighty Ryuou Gakuin and their genius slugger Keitaro Mishima. With everything on the line, will destiny find Seishu moving on to the next round? Later, new neighbors are setting up shop next to Kitamura Sports, and their daughter bears a striking resemblance to Wakaba…” October 2011, $14.99.

Kingyo Used Books volume 4, by Seimu Yoshizaki. “A disaffected boy searches for something to put a spark in his tedious life…and finds a manga that puts the fear of the devil in him.
A guy and girl can’t find anything they have in common – until they discover a mutual love of a certain gender-bending martial arts manga. And more!” October 2011, $12.99.

March Story volume 3, by Kim Hyung-min, with art by Yang Kyung-il. [Generic copy] October 2011, $12.99.

From Yen Press:

Witch & Wizard: The Manga volume 1, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet, with art by Svetlana Chmakova. “James Patterson’s bestselling fantasy novels brought to life by bestselling artist Svetlana Chmakova creator of Nightschool! Imagine you wake up and the world around you has changed in an instant. That’s what he has happened to Whit Allgood and his sister Whisty. They went to sleep as normal teenagers, and woke up as wanted criminals; accused of holding incredible powers they’d never dreamed possible and no, just how different they are, even if just beginning to be revealed in a strange new world.” September 2011, $14.50.

Bunny Drop volume 4, by Mizuki Nomura. From Amazon: “Between attending elementary school cultural festivals and treating colds, Daikichi Kawachi suddenly realizes that his once-solitary bachelor life now revolves almost entirely around Rin, his late grandfather’s illegitimate child whom he’s taken in. Spiraling into something of a life crisis, he starts to wonder if becoming a parent has put him on the fast track to old age. But a surprise visit from his cousin Haruko and her daughter Reina-chan and new friendships with fathers of his own age at Rin’s school, not to mention Kouki’s mother, go to show him that all parents are occasionally given to self-doubt and that caring for a child doesn’t make him any less his thirtysomething self… Seeing parenting from a host of different perspectives, Daikichi finally begins to grasp what it means to be a parent…” September 2011, $12.99.

With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child volume 8, by Keiko Tobe. [Final volume] “This final volume serves as a legacy to the late Keiko Tobe’s inspiring dedication to bring to light the hardships and joys of raising an autistic child to readers around the world and those whose lives know the struggles all too well. Sachiko has long known that the toughest place to find acceptance for him is within her own family. Sachiko’s mother in law still treats her grandson as a nuisance and sees him in many ways as deficient to his littler sister, Kanon. Will Sachiko’s renewed attempts to change her impression of Hikaru succeed?” September 2011, $11.99.

Misc.:

Good news for Vampire Knight and Black Butler fans – this volume of Previews contains all sorts of merchandise goodies for both series. These include: the Vampire Knight: Icon Binder Folder featuring Zero’s tattoo on the cover ($9.99); the Vampire Knight: Kaname Notebook ($9.99); Vampire Knight Playing Cards, a deck of regulation playing cards featuring characters from Vampire Knight ($5.99), and another deck of poker sized playing cards ($4.99); a Vampire Knight 1000-piece puzzle featuring Yuki, Zero, and Kaname ($15.99); an SD Vampire Knight Takuma plush ($14.99); a Vampire Knight Zero and Toga SD pin set ($5.99); a Vampire Knight cell phone charm in the shape of Zero’s tattoo ($6.99); a set of Black Butler magnetic bookmarks ($6.99); a Black Butler replica of Sebastian’s lapel pin ($15.99); a Black Butler wallet featuring the Phantomhive emblem ($21.99); Black Butler playing cards ($5.99); a Black Butler postcard set ($6.99); and Black Butler wristbands with SD Sebastian or Ciel ($4.99).

Emma: A Victorian Romance Complete Series DVD, from Nozomi Entertainment/Right Stuf. “In 19th-century London, class lines are sharply drawn, and the social standing to which people are born dictates the path their lives will follow. Emma, an honest and hardworking young maid, never felt her place in life to be a burden. But then she met William, a member of the gentry and the eldest son of a wealthy family. His warm smile and earnest affection threaten to capture her heart…but can love truly conquer all? Contains both Seasons 1 and 2 (34-episodes, plus the ‘Episode 0: Intermission’ re-cap/preview episode).” September 2011, $69.99.

Vampire Knight: Guilty Complete Series DVD, from Viz Media. “Yuki is torn between the two people she cares for most when Zero is accused of Shizuka Hio’s murder and Kaname refuses to attest to his innocence. Drawn deeper into the world of vampires, Yuki struggles to recall the events of ten years earlier but fails time and again, despite Zero’s help. Kaname continually evades Yuki’s questions, but when her visions of blood grow more frequent and intense, the past may come to light whether anyone wants it to or not!” Thirteen-episodes on two discs, September 2011, $49.95.

Trigun: Badlands Rumble, from FUNimation. “Vash the Stampede is a gun-slinging, red trenchcoat-wearing drifter with a giant bounty on his head. His biggest threat, however, may not be law enforcement, but an outlaw by the name of Gasback. 20 years ago, Vash unintentionally interefered with one of Gasback’s robberies, and now he’s back to even the score! Gasback has come to Macca City in a bold attempt to hijack one of their major installations and, as luck would have it, Vash has just arrived at the very same spot. Add to this already explosive situation a beautiful woman with a grudge, a pair of insurance agents, and Vash’s old buddy Wolfwood, and you have the makings of a slam-bang good time!” On Blu-Ray and DVD, September 2011, for $34.98 and $29.98, respectively.

Well, that’s it for this month (and what a month). Oh, and if you’re a fan of DC Comics, this month’s Previews presents all the new titles that will be launching in their reboot later this year, so be sure to check out their section.

Kris
kristin@comicattack.net
@girlg33k_kris