Tag Archives: kodansha comics

Kodansha Adds 8 New Series to Crunchyroll Manga

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Kodansha Comics has added 8 new series to the Crunchyroll Manga simulpub streaming platform, bringing the leading manga publisher’s total on the service to 18. Subscribers to Crunchyroll can now read the latest chapters at the same time they’re published in Japan from even more Kodansha Comics manga series than ever before.

New additions  available for the first time on Crunchyroll Manga include A Silent Voicecreator Yoshotoki Oima’s follow-up to her smash hit, To Your Eternity, and Netflix OriginalKnights of Sidonia creator Tsutomu Nihei’s latest, APOSIMZ.

Crunchyroll subscribers will be able to read the latest chapters of every series as part of their Crunchyroll subscription, including chapters the same day they are first published in Japan (“simulpubs”). Recent chapters that have not yet been collected into graphic-novel format are also included for all subscribers. A comprehensive list of series on the platform, and the frequency of how often new chapters come out, is provided below.

Kodansha Comics will continue adding new series to Crunchyroll Manga in the coming months—more announcements to come. The following series will have new chapters released every week:

  • Fuuka by Kouji Seo
  • GTO: Paradise Lost by Toru Fujisawa
  • The Seven Deadly Sins by Nakaba Suzuki
  • Space Brothers by Chuya Koyama (biweekly)
  • To Your Eternity by Yoshitoki Oima
  • UQ Holder! by Ken Akamatsu

The following series will have new chapters released monthly:

  • Ajin: Demi-Human by Gamon Sakurai
  • APOSIMZ by Tsutomu Nihei
  • Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama
  • Drifting Dragons by Taku Kuwabara
  • Farewell, My Dear Cramer by Naoshi Arakawa
  • Grand Blue Dreaming by Kenji Inoue and Kimitake Yoshioka
  • The Heroic Legend of Arslan by Yoshiki Tanaka and Hiromu Arakawa
  • Our Precious Conversations by Robico
  • Sweetness and Lightning by Gido Amagakure
  • Toppu GP by Kosuke Fujishima
  • Wave, Listen to Me! by Hiroaki Samura

The above represents all series Kodansha Comics currently releases as English-language simulpub chapters. For readers who don’t subscribe to Crunchyroll, individual chapters, including simulpubs, from all of those series can be bought and downloaded on comiXology and Kindle. Crunchyroll Manga features official and authorized Kodansha Comics translations that are the same ones for purchase on comiXology and Kindle.

Kodansha Comics Announces Fairy Tail Final Volume Celebration

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The iconic manga series Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima, one of North America’s—and the world’s— all-time best-selling comics, will be releasing its final volume—Volume 63—on January 23. To mark the event, Fairy Tail publisher Kodansha Comics has announced #FairyTailDay celebrations at participating bookstores across the country on January 27.

On January 23, fans will have a chance to party with their fellow Fairy Tail friends “IRL” on #FairyTailDay January 27 at over 50 participating bookstores.

The first 50 fans to show up at participating stores on #FairyTailDay will receive an exclusive, full-color, 48-page, comic-book version of the final chapter of Fairy Tail. This will be the only way to get this Fairy Tail Day-exclusive chapter.

Those who show up in cosplay are eligible to win a free enamel pin. Creative types will have a shot at a pin in the “Design Your Own Guild Mark” contest. All attendees will be able to take photos in front of an exclusive Fairy Tail Day photo backdrop. Fans who hashtag #FairyTailDay on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter will also qualify for a surprise.

A list of participating locations is viewable here. Fans should check with their local stores to confirm start times.

Attack on Titan x Humble Bundle to Benefit the ACLU and World Land Trust

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Kodansha Comics is teaming up with Humble Bundle for the “Humble Manga Bundle: Attack on Titan Universe” bundle.

The offering amounts to over $500 worth of digital manga, or 44 complete volumes of Hajime Isayama’s monster hit manga Attack on Titan. The actual cost of the bundle is based on Humble Bundle’s unique pay-what-you-want charitable model.

The manga comes in multiple formats including CBZ, PDF, and ePub, so they can be read on computer, e-readers, iPads, cell phones, and a wide array of mobile devices. Bundle buyers choose where their money goes—among Kodansha Comics, two charities, and, if they like, a third charity of their choice via the PayPal Giving Fund. If they like what Humble Bundle does, they can leave a Humble Tip too.

The bundle benefits the ACLU and World Land Trust.

This special bundle ends WEDNESDAY, January 31, 10:59 A.M. PACIFIC TIME.

Here’s what bundle buyers get with each tier:

Pay $1 or more 
Attack on Titan volumes 1-5

Pay $8 or more 
All of the above + Attack on Titan volumes 6-15 and the spinoff series:
Attack on Titan: Lost Girls volumes 1-2
Attack on Titan: No Regrets volumes 1-2

Pay $15 or more 
All of the above + Attack on Titan volumes 16-20 and the spinoff series:
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall volumes 1-11
Attack on Titan: Junior High volumes 1-4

Pay $18 or more 
All of the above + Attack on Titan volumes 21-22 and the spinoff series:
Spoof on Titan volumes 1-2
Attack on Titan Guidebook: Inside & Outside
+
The Humble Bundle exclusive never-before-released 
Attack on Titan Exclusive Artbook 
including rarely seen illustrations by Hajime Isayama and a global lineup of comics greats inspired by Attack on Titan

Hiro Mashima is a New York Comic Con 2017 Guest of Honor

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With Fairy Tail, one of North America’s—and the world’s— all-time best-selling comics, nearing the end of its historic run, it’s time to celebrate and reflect on manga creator Hiro Mashima’s accomplishments with the man himself and all his fans in New York City October 5 through 8 at New York Comic Con! Kodansha Comics, in partnership with Funimation, has announced the slate of events Hiro Mashima will be attending as New York Comic Con 2017 Guest of Honor.

Along with Mashima’s personal appearances, Kodansha Comics will be hosting “The World of Fairy Tail” art exhibition at its NYCC booth (#2109), selling and giving away con-exclusive Fairy Tail merchandise, selling pre-street releases of the Fairy Tail S short-story collection, and digitally releasing during NYCC the complete 35-volume run of Mashima’s original breakout hit, Rave Master.

EVENTS

The following list of events is not a complete list of all appearances Hiro Mashima will be making in New York City October 5-8. For a list with the most recent updates, along with information about how to get tickets to events, visit kodanshacomics.com.

Hiro Mashima: The Magical World of Fairy Tail 
October 5 (Thursday), 6:30 p.m. Japan Society, 333 East 47th Street
Head to Japan Society’s beautiful auditorium for an intimate evening chat with Mashima-sensei. Hear about Fairy Tail’s origins and its creator’s struggles and triumphs over the years, then enjoy a Q&A followed by reception with the Fairy Tail localization team. Chance to win a special gift!

Kodansha Comics Presents Celebrate Fairy Tail: Live-Sketch and Q&A with Hiro Mashima
October 6 (Friday), 2:30 p.m. New York Comic Con, Javits Center, Main Stage
Glimpse in person Hiro Mashima’s creative process! Mashima-sensei will be drawing live and engaging in an off-the-cuff chat with his fans in this one-of-a-kind appearance. Attendees will get a special gift!

Signing and sketch
October 6 (Friday), 4 p.m. New York Comic Con, Javits Center, Autograph Hall
Hiro Mashima celebrates the ending of his iconic manga series, Fairy Tail, with his fans at this unique event. Recipients will get a signed card with a personalized sketch from one of the world’s most popular manga-ka!

Kodansha Comics and Funimation Present Celebrate Fairy Tail: A Chat with Hiro Mashima
October 7 (Saturday), 11 a.m. New York Comic Con, Hammerstein Ballroom, 311 West 34th Street
Mashima looks back on his manga career and what went into his uniquely long-running masterwork. Attendees will get special gifts!

Signing and sketch
October 7 (Saturday), 2 p.m. New York Comic Con, Javits Center, Autograph Hall

Funimation booth signing and sketch
October 8 (Sunday), 10:15 a.m. New York Comic Con, Javits Center, Funimation booth #542
Come to the Funimation booth in your favorite Fairy Tail cosplay! Recipients will get a signed shikishi with a personalized sketch from one of the world’s most popular manga-ka.

ART EXHIBITION

Kodansha Comics will be celebrating Hiro Mashima and his completion of Fairy Tail through New York Comic Con with a special “The World of Fairy Tail” art gallery exhibition at Kodansha Comics’s NYCC booth (#2109). The exhibition will display curated manga art from throughout Mashima’s Fairy Tail run, with a secondary display in NYCC’s Artist Alley (table C14).

CONVENTION-EXCLUSIVE MERCHANDISE

Both the Funimation booth (#542) and the Kodansha Comics booth (#2109) will be handing out cute Happy pins—only available at NYCC 2017!

Additional con-exclusive retail and free Fairy Tail merchandise will be available at the Kodansha Comics booth (#2109), including:

  • NYCC 2017 Commemorative Fairy Tail tote bag—free with any Kodansha Comics email signup
  • Fairy Tail mini-shikishi (signing card) featuring a new illustration by Hiro Mashima—free with any purchase at the Kodansha Comics booth
  • The Art of Fairy Tail mini-artbook—free with any purchase over $50 at the Kodansha Comics booth
  • Limited-edition Fairy Tail enamel pin sets
  • Limited-edition ​Fairy Tail genga replicas
  • Limited-edition Fairy Tail deluxe poster
  • Limited-edition Fairy Tail mini-poster set

The Kodansha Comics booth will also be selling new Fairy Tail books before their official street dates, including Fairy Tail S, the long-awaited collection of short stories set in theFairy Tail universe.

DIGITAL RELEASES

As part of its celebration of all things Hiro Mashima, starting October 3 Kodansha Comics will be releasing through all of its digital-partner retail channels the complete 35-volume run of Mashima’s original fantasy-action breakout hit, Rave Master. Originally one of the bestselling titles published by Tokyopop, Rave Master has been out of print for years. All volumes are being released on October 3 at a special promotional price. A preview of Chapter 1 can be read here.

Fairy Tail x Humble Bundle: Get $600+ of digital manga by paying what you want until July 5

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Kodansha Comics presents the Humble Manga Bundle: Fairy Tail in partnership with Humble Bundle. The offering amounts to a whopping $630 worth of digital manga, including a massive chunk (45 volumes!) of Hiro Mashima’s epic-fantasy manga Fairy Tail. The actual cost of the bundle is based on Humble Bundle’s unique pay-what-you-want charitable model.

The manga comes in multiple formats including CBZ, PDF, and ePub, so they can be read on computer, e-readers, iPads, cell phones, and a wide array of mobile devices. Bundle buyers choose where their money goes—between Kodansha Comics, two charities (the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union), and, if they like, a third charity of their choice via the PayPal Giving Fund. If they like what Humble Bundle does, they can leave a Humble Tip too.

This special bundle ends WEDNESDAY, July 5, 10:59 A.M. PACIFIC TIME.

Here’s what bundle buyers get with each tier:

Pay $1 or more
Unlock Fairy Tail volumes 1-5 + a discount code for 1-month subscription to FUNimation

Pay $8 or more
Unlock Fairy Tail volumes 6-25 and the spin-off series:
Fairy Tail Ice Trail volume 1
Fairy Tail Zero
Fairy Tail Blue Mistral volume 1
Fairy Girls volumes 1-2

Pay $15 or more
Unlock Fairy Tail volumes 26-45 and the spin-off series:
Fairy Tail Rhodonite
Fairy Tail Ice Trail volume 2
Fairy Tail Twin Dragons of Sabertooth volume 1
Fairy Tail Blue Mistral volumes 2-3
Fairy Girls volumes 3-4

Pay $17 or more
Unlock all of above + Humble Bundle exclusive never-before-translated works:
Exclusive Artbook: Fairy Tail: Swimsuit Issue
Special one-shot manga: Fairy Tail: The Fairies’ Booby Prizes

Battle Angel Alita Manga from Kodansha Comics and ComiXology Originals

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Long after being out of print, Yukito Kishiro’s iconic and popular manga series Battle Angel Alita is available today for the first time in nearly a decade, with a stunning new translation of the first three volumes available exclusively as a digital release from Kodansha Comics via comiXology Originals. Kishiro’s post-apocalyptic science fiction story about an amnesiac cyborg named Alita has thrilled international audiences since it was originally published in 1990. James Cameron is currently producing a live-action adaptation of the acclaimed title.

The digital exclusive release of Battle Angel Alita volumes 1-3 is available today for free with a comiXology Unlimited membership, or for $10.99 per volume on comiXology or Kindle. Each volume is available in comiXology’s Guided View, allowing fans to cinematically read from panel-to-panel at their own pace. The entire series will be released as part of the comiXology Originals program this year, with Volumes 4-6 debuting in August and the concluding volumes 6-9 appearing in October.

Although the new translations of Battle Angel Alita are only available as digital editions for now, readers looking for print editions of the new versions can look forward to Kodansha Comics releasing premium hardcover Deluxe Editions starting November 2017.

Bringing exclusive comic content to comiXology and Kindle, the comiXology Originals lineup not only includes this release from Kodansha Comics, but also releases from BOOM! Studios, Valiant Entertainment, and the upcoming Marley’s Ghost by the legendary Harvey Kurtzman, currently available for pre-order. ComiXology Originals are digital only and exclusively available for comiXology and Kindle customers.

Kodansha Releases New Digital Sports Manga on March 7

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ace-of-the-diamondDuring its panel at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle today, Kodansha Comics announced the digital publication of the holy trinity of fan-requested sports manga: Ace of the Diamond, All-Rounder Meguru, and Giant Killing. Volume 1s of all 3 titles will go on sale March 7 on all of Kodansha’s digital retail channels.

Yuji Terajima’s Ace of the Diamond, a hot-blooded, epic-length bestseller in Japan about the travails of a gifted left-handed pitcher who comes to the big city to play premier-level high-school baseball, was the basis of the hit anime series that streamed on Crunchyroll.

All-Rounder Meguru, a stirring drama about a determined young man looking to escape the bleak prospects of home by making it in the brutal world of Shooto MMA (mixed martial arts), is the latest work from acclaimed creator Hiroki Endo (Eden: It’s an Endless World!, published by Dark Horse Comics).

all-rounder-meguruMasaya Tsunamoto and Tsujitomo’s Giant Killing, about an eccentric-genius soccer coach who returns from abroad to bring success to an underdog team, is one of the all-time-favorite and long-running (still ongoing in Japan) manga about the beautiful game. It was also adapted into a hit anime series.

In addition, the panel at ECCC announced Natsumi Eguchi’s Hozuki’s Coolheadedness (adapted into the anime available from Sentai Filmworks), Kotono Kato’s Altair: A Record of Battles, and Ryosuke Tomoe’s Museum, which will see digital publication on March 21. Kodansha Comics has been steadily bringing out new, off-the-beaten-path manga series in digital format since the start of 2017.

Volume 1s of Ace of the Diamond, All-Rounder Meguru, Giant Killing, Hozuki’s Coolheadedness, Altair: A Record of Battles, and Museum will be available for sale or preorder across all Kodansha Comics digital book channels: BookWalker, comiXology, Google Play, iBooks, Kindle, Kobo, and nook.

Tsutomu Nihei’s Aposimz Gets Simulpub from Kodansha

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kodanshacomics_logo_bubble_blktxtKodansha Comics’ newest digital simulpub manga to debut on Kindle and comiXology is Aposimz, science-fiction manga master Tsutomu Nihei’s follow-up to his cult hit Knights of Sidonia (which was adapted into a Netflix Original series). Nihei is also the creator of the manga classic (and recently reissued) BLAME!

The first chapter of Aposimz debuted February 24th as a digital edition only on comiXology and Kindle. New chapters will follow on the 24th of every month thereafter (the same day they appear in Japan). Chapters will be priced at $1.99 each.

With Aposimz, Nihei takes us into at-once familiar and disorienting territory: a towering “City” built upon the ruins of a mysterious device from the distant past, a “Country of Dolls” of people afflicted with a disease that slowly turns them into machines. A prologue chapter from Aposimz was previously available only through Tsutomu Nihei’s limited-time Humble Bundle offering.

Also, adding to Kodansha Comics’s digital manga ramp-up for 2017, a trio of highly anticipated shojo manga will make their debuts on February 28th.

House of the Sun (Taiyo no ie, in Japanese) is Taamo’s moving account of a young woman who reconnects with a childhood friend as she puts together the pieces of her life following her parents’ broken marriage.

Peach Heaven is a racy tale from Mari Hoshino, detailing the life of an ordinary high-school teenager with a secret identity as … an erotic novelist! What happens when the new transfer student/male supermodel discovers her secret?

Finally, The Full-Time Wife Escapist (aka Nigeru wa haji da ga yaku ni tatsu) brings us Tsunami Umino’s romantic comedy that was recently adapted into a hit Japanese television drama. Mikuri is a recent grad without a whole lot of job prospects, so out of desperation when her housekeeping gig is about to come to an end, she comes up with the idea of becoming the wife of her single salaryman boss—as a job!

Kodansha Comics has been steadily bringing out new manga series in digital format since the start of 2017. More announcements of upcoming titles for the spring will be made at the Kodansha Comics panel at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle on March 4.

aposimz

Kodansha Digital Debut – Tokyo Tarareba Girls by Akiko Higashimura, Chihayafuru, and A Springtime with Ninjas launching on Valentine’s Day

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kodanshacomics_logo_bubble_blktxtKodansha Comics continues its ramp-up of digital manga debuts for 2017 on February 14th with Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Akiko Higashimura’s hilarious follow-up to her best-selling Princess Jellyfish. Along with being one of the most requested titles in Kodansha Comics’s history, Princess Jellyfish was a regular on The New York Times Manga Best Seller list and was named by the New York Public Library as one of its “50 Best Books for Teens” and by Amazon as one of the “Best Comics and Graphic Novels of 2016.”

With Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Higashimura continues to sharpen her razor wit on the lives of young women in the big city, this time honing in on one single thirtysomething and her dystopian dating problems—”One day I woke up and I was 33”—just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Also going on sale February 14th is the long-awaited debut of Yuki Suetsugu’s Chiyahafuru, the story of adolescent lives and emotions playing out against the high drama of karuta—traditional Japanese card-playing. Chihayafuru, a long-running bestseller in Japan, was the basis of the surprise-hit anime of the same name that streamed on Crunchyroll.

Rounding out the trio of debuts on the 14th will be Narumi Hasegaki’s A Springtime with Ninjas, a shojo romantic comedy about one strong-willed rich girl and her “smoking-hot” ninja bodyguard!

The Valentine’s Day digital debuts round out Kodansha Comics’s entire month’s focus on shojo manga, with ongoing sales on select shojo titles every week throughout the month of February.

Manga Monday: Attack on Titan Anthology

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aot_anthology_nycc-450x675The manga megahit Attack on Titan, reinterpreted by some of comics’ top talent! Featuring original stories by a long roster of comic superstars such as Scott Snyder, Gail Simone, Faith Erin Hicks, Michael Avon Oeming, Paolo Rivera, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr!

This unprecedented, full-colour collaboration between East and West will be released first in English, making it indispensable for Attack on Titan fans and curious comic fans.

When it comes to Attack on Titan my only real exposure to the series was watching the horrendous live action film that came out. I haven’t watched the anime and I haven’t read the manga, but when I heard the Attack on Titan Anthology was coming out, I made sure to grab a copy during New York Comic Con. If I was going to buy it, might as well go with the limited edition cover.

While this anthology isn’t a traditional way to be introduced, it was an interesting one as a who’s who of Western creators tackle this manga phenomenon. And what’s nicer is that each creator gave it their own spin sticking to their style of storytelling and moving the settings of the stories around for different situations and locations.

This is an eclectic mix in a good way with stories that seem to stick to a setting and story that you’d see in the manga series while other creators went with a complete break. There’s horror. There’s humor. There’s action. There’s a little of everything and it’s all enjoyable in its own way.

What’s really interesting to me is recognizing the creators based on their entries. I read the entire graphic novel in one sitting and played guess the creator as I went along creating a fun little game and each creator really does bring their own style. So, if you’re a fan of the folks’ work, you’re probably going to enjoy this.

I knew so little about the world and what to expect going in other than the creative talent lined up, but coming out of it, I want to check out more. If you’re interested in finding out a bit about Attack on Titan, but don’t want to take the chance on manga, this is a solid way to go to find out a bit more about what it’s all about.

Story and Art: Ray Fawkes, Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, John Rauch, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Bill Murdon, Afua Richardson, Genevieve Valentine, David Lopez, Faith Erin Hicks, Cris Peter, Michael Avon Oeming, Taki Soma, Paolo Rivera, Gail Simone, Phil Jimenez, Alonso Nunez, Elmer Santos, Sam Humphries, Damion Scott, Sigmund Torre, Rhianna Pratchett, Jorge Corona, Jen Hickman, Ben Applegate, Ronald Wimberly, Kevin Wada, Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, Babs Tarr, Jiji Knight, Si Spurrier, Kate Brown, Paul Duffield, Dee Cunniffe, Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, Kate Leth, Jeremy Lambert
Story: 8.35 Art: 8.35 Overall: 8.35 Recommendation: Buy

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