By Mat K.
Ohayo gozaimasu fellow anime fans. This week the manga news is small, but definitely still interesting. So let’s start with the big names. Vampire Hunter D the Manga Volume 4 comes in this week. I know with the 13th novel showing up just last week, all the D fans out there must be having a great December…or at least their friends know what to get them for Christmas. One Piece Volume 23 also makes it’s debut. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like it hasn’t been that long since the release of Volume 22, or maybe it’s just in relation to how long Shonen Jump books usually release. There is some news, in case some of you haven’t heard, if you remember the last couple years viz was playing catch-up with Naruto around the holiday months, but despite how we’ve come a long way with Naruto, the catch-up game will continue…with One Piece. That’s right, we’re expecting to reach the 30s maybe even as high as Volume 40 in the coming months.
Also making appearances this week are Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys Volume 6, and Ooku Volume 2. In case it’s been so long you’ve forgotten, Ooku is the new series by Fumi Yoshinaga about a town that’s stricken by disease, and the Shogun takes all the pretty men into his care and I suppose into his harem or something to keep them safe. And lastly on the books-of-interest list is Princess Ai: The Prism of the Midnight Dawn Volume 2. Courtney Love fans rejoice. This is definitely one of those weeks with a little something for everyone, goth loli, shonen ai, murder mystery, pirates and adventure, and vampires. What more could anyone ask for?
Also appearing this week are more collections. Rurouni Kenshin Viz Big Edition Volume 8 finally shows up, which mean’s we’re just about finished. Volume 9 will probably be one of those super fat editions with 4 issues instead of 3 crammed inside. Fushigi Yugi Vis Big Edition Volume 4 also arrives. I’ve been pretty pleased with the rate in which Viz has been putting these out, a classic manga like this deserves the attention. Though it also tickles me that now with the big reprints they decided to place Fushigi Yugi under the Shojo Beat branch, like we didn’t know it was shojo in the first place. But I digress. Eureka Seven also drops it’s first manga collection this week.
There are actually once again no new series to speak of this week. It’s a little sad, but at least this gives everyone time to play catch-up with their own collections, and buy all the Christmas manga you need to for your near and dear. Ps: Soul Eater stuff is here. Patches, keychains, phone charms, wallets, and of course the manga. We’ve got Maka, Black Star, and Death The Kid along with their weapons (in human form, of course) Soul, Patti & Liz, and Tsubaki, and it’s all pretty damn awesome. Oh, and by the way, I know the title doesn’t really rhyme. See you all next week.
Ja Ne!
