Tag Archives: tokyopop

MBC Group and Tokyopop announce two Anime Productions – Kami.App and Protocol: Rain

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MBC Anime – a strategic initiative by MBC Group and Tokyopop have announced investments in two original anime productions scheduled to debut in Japan and worldwide this month. They are Kami.App and Protocol: Rain.

The shows, which are produced by Fuji TV and TV Asahi, will stream exclusively on Shahid, the world’s leading Arabic-streaming platform by MBC Group. To cater to current and future anime enthusiasts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), MBC Anime is also now part of the production committees of both Japanese broadcasters.

Kami.App

Streaming this week as a simulcast on Shahid, “Kami.App” is a battle-royale twisted action story where high school student Goro is pitted against rivals in a bid to become the ultimate kami, wielding the power to manipulate the cause and effect of the world. Jaded by everyday life, Goro must confront his high school crush Honoka as part of the deadly competition, revealing the deepest secrets of each kami candidate.

This original production brings together a remarkable creative dream team in the world of anime. Created by YOKO TARO (video game director of “Nier”), written by JIN (creator of “Kagerou Daze”), and directed by Hiroyuki Seshita (known for “Knights of Sidonia”, “Ajin” and “Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters”), “Kami.App” also features character designs by Atsushi Ohkubo, the manga author behind “Soul Eater” and “Fire Force.”

All 13 episodes of Season One are set to stream this year, with a second season planned for 2024.

Kami.App

Protocol: Rain

Also streaming this week as a simulcast on Shahid, “Protocol: Rain” tells the story of Shun Tokinoya, a high school student working part-time at an esports café. He must participate in the “Xaxxerion Championship” to win prize money, which he needs to save the one passion that keeps him going after the loss of his father.

Directed by Yasutaka Yamamoto (“Aharen-san wa Hakarenai”, “Nekopara”) and written by Katsuhiko Takayama (“The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat”, “ALDNOAH.ZERO”), all 12 episodes will stream on Shahid this year. Original character designs are done by booota (“Penguin Highway”) and Kanna Hirayama (“Rent A Girlfriend”, “【OSHI NO KO】”).

Protocol: Rain

Tokyopop announces the launch datte for Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix

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Tokyopop has announced the launch on December 14th of Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, an original new boys’ love manga inspired by the Netflix anime series featuring alter egos of characters from the hit Ubisoft video games.

The Netflix animated series follows Dolph Laserhawk, a rebel super-soldier who escaped the army and planning a final big heist with Alex Taylor before they sail into the sunset. The show was created by Adi Shankar (producer of Netflix’s Castlevania series) and is currently streaming.

Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix is written by Ben Kahn with art by Bayou Kun. The 176 page manga will retail for $14.99. 

Dolph Laserhawk, the once powerful and illustrious super-soldier stationed under the oppressive Eden mega-corporation, stands at a crossroads between staying a mindless killing machine under Eden’s control and joining a band of rebel outcasts on a risky undercover mission. Before he can finally be free of the manipulative forces surrounding him, he must relive the best and worst moments of his life. Using Holloway’s VR technology, he walks through his memories of living as a penniless deserter, meeting and abandoning the love of his life, and coming to terms with the truth behind his passionate and tumultuous love affair with Alex Taylor – the ruggedly handsome criminal mastermind who once saved his life. 

Immerse yourself in the first-hand accounts of Captain Laserhawk’s tragic past through this introspective manga adaptation featuring all-new scenes that explore Dolph’s conflicting thoughts and motivations leading up to the most memorable moments in his life. 

Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix

Take a leap with Humble Bundle’s Assassin’s Creed Mega Bundle supporting Room to Read

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Peek into the chronicles of the ages-old battle between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order with the Assassin’s Creed Mega Bundle‘s massive bundle of books and comics set in the Assassin’s Creed universe! Get a gritty account of the life of the mighty Eivor before the events of the game in the comic series Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory. Witness the clash between the Brotherhood and Templars in Tang Dynasty–era China in the stunning manga Assassin’s Creed: Dynasty. Join a crew of young Assassins on a journey that spans early 20th Century Spain and the modern day in the comic Assassin’s Creed: Uprising. Get all these and more—a total over 20 books and comics—and help support Room to Read with your purchase!

Pay $1 or more. Normally, the total cost for the comics and ebooks in this bundle is as much as $359. Get it all for just $18.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Song of Glory

Take a leap with Humble Bundle’s Assassin’s Creed Mega Bundle supporting Room to Read

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Peek into the chronicles of the ages-old battle between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order with the Assassin’s Creed Mega Bundle‘s massive bundle of books and comics set in the Assassin’s Creed universe! Get a gritty account of the life of the mighty Eivor before the events of the game in the comic series Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory. Witness the clash between the Brotherhood and Templars in Tang Dynasty–era China in the stunning manga Assassin’s Creed: Dynasty. Join a crew of young Assassins on a journey that spans early 20th Century Spain and the modern day in the comic Assassin’s Creed: Uprising. Get all these and more—a total over 20 books and comics—and help support Room to Read with your purchase!

Pay $1 or more. Normally, the total cost for the comics and ebooks in this bundle is as much as $359. Get it all for just $18.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Song of Glory

Take a leap with Humble Bundle’s Assassin’s Creed Mega Bundle supporting Room to Read

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Peek into the chronicles of the ages-old battle between the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order with the Assassin’s Creed Mega Bundle‘s massive bundle of books and comics set in the Assassin’s Creed universe! Get a gritty account of the life of the mighty Eivor before the events of the game in the comic series Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Song of Glory. Witness the clash between the Brotherhood and Templars in Tang Dynasty–era China in the stunning manga Assassin’s Creed: Dynasty. Join a crew of young Assassins on a journey that spans early 20th Century Spain and the modern day in the comic Assassin’s Creed: Uprising. Get all these and more—a total over 20 books and comics—and help support Room to Read with your purchase!

Pay $1 or more. Normally, the total cost for the comics and ebooks in this bundle is as much as $359. Get it all for just $18.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Song of Glory

Xogenasys Vol. 1 kicks off the future of gladiatorial sports

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Xogenasys Vol. 1

The future has grown into a decadent, overcrowded gang-ridden cesspool. If you’re not living uptown, you might as well be dead. Such is the case of Darius Smith, an artistic youth living in the hood, doing his best to avoid trouble and live life. Unfortunately, Darius has a hidden talent — he’s an explosive fighter! This makes him the target of several gangs and pits him in many brawls, landing him in the sight of the honorable Timothy Mustafa, a powerful prince. Xogenasys Vol. 1 introduces us to the future where a new gladiatorial sport provides a possibly even more brutal path for Darius.

With a concept by Johnny O’Bryant III and written by Tre McIntosh, Xogenasys Vol. 1 is an intriguing start that mixes a few different concepts. We’re given just breadcrumbs when it comes to what this future is like. The story takes place in 2069 and there’s a clear disparity between the people. Darius attempts to do the right thing but his defending himself is spun into assault by the police sending Darius down a difficult path. When in reality, Darius is attempting to defend himself, and his neighborhood, against local gangs. But, that puts him on a path to be a fighter.

There’s a lot to chew on with just that tidbit. There’s a reflection of the modern slave pipeline of the police trumping up charges to deliver new workers to those who exploit them. But, Darius exploitation still comes in the form of another path with a deal that’s too good to be believed. And likely is too good to be believed. Building wealth off of the work of certain groups, whether in prison or sports, is an idea that’s worthy of exploration and Xogenasys Vol. 1 feels like it dances around the concept.

For those that don’t want to go that deep in their entertainment, it also provides the sport itself. A MMA like entertainment, Xogenasys is a combat sport that adds in powered exoskeletons into the combat. Will Darius become a champion, living up to the potential he’s shown. For those that want to focus on that, there’s more than enough there to entertain.

With art by Nikolas Draper-Ivery, Xogenasys Vol. 1 is visually intriguing. The comic is inspired by manga with a lot of the visual queues that genre takes. There’s some moments where the art looks a little rough and unfinished but it also feels like it fits the story overall. The design of the world is nice. While it is in the future, and things are still rather shitty, the world still feels familiar. It doesn’t take the concept of the future too far, even when it comes to its exoskeleton fights. It’s almost reserved in a way.

Xogenasys Vol. 1 shows off a lot of potential in its story and its underlying themes. It’s entertaining for those who just like sports like MMA and delivers a little more under the surface. Overall, one to check out if you haven’t heard of it before.

Concept: Johnny O’Bryant III Story: Tre McIntosh Art: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Tokyopop provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Amazon – Bookshop

It’s the Battle for Pumpkin King with new Nightmare Before Christmas

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DISNEY MANGA: TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: THE BATTLE FOR PUMPKIN KING

story by Dan Conner, Shaun McLaughlin and D.J. Milky, art by Deborah Allo and Roberto Scalia · SRP: $15.99 · 128 pages · ISBN: 978-1427868435 ·
Available September 19th   

Jack Skellington is the undisputed Pumpkin King of Halloween Town. But it wasn’t always that way…

Years ago, Jack and Oogie Boogie were close friends. Eager to prove themselves, they poured all their passion into their creepy projects to earn their rightful place as the scariest duo in town. But there could only be one Pumpkin King! What could have happened to turn two best friends into such bitter rivals?

Written by Dan Conner (Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero’s Journey), with story by Shaun McLaughlin and D.J. Milky, and art from Deborah Allo and Roberto Scalia, this full-color graphic novel series is another deep dive into the holiday-themed world originally created by Tim Burton.

DISNEY TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: THE BATTLE FOR PUMPKIN KING will be released as five single issue comics and as the manga graphic novel that collects issues #1 through #5 and will be available in time for Halloween 2023.

DISNEY MANGA: TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: THE BATTLE FOR PUMPKIN KING

Tokyopop unveils its LoveLove Manga Imprint

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Pop culture is more inclusive than ever, and stories with special appeal to straight, LGBTQ+, male and female readers are attracting legions of new readers. The growth of manga continues globally and combined with a strong demand for romance fiction, Tokyopop‘s new imprint LoveLove is poised to gain a substantial reader and fanbase.

The LoveLove catalog is curated to include age-appropriate content for readers ranging from teens to adults. Titles cover a wide age range, from 13+ to older teens (16+) to ones aimed strictly at mature readers (18+).

THE BLACK CAT & THE VAMPIRE, Vol. 1

by Nikke Taino · Print SRP: 15.99 · 226 pages · ISBN – 978-1-4278-7434-4 · Available October 10th 

Blanc College is a prestigious all-boys boarding school where the sons of leading families from all over the world study and learn to be independent. Yuki, a freshman attending Blanc College on a scholarship, is the perfect student: at the top of his class, quiet and polite. He’s a a loner, keeping others at arm’s length — except Jean, the devastatingly charming Head Boy, who seems entirely immune to Yuki’s aloof attitude. Their school days are peaceful until, one day, a student gets attacked, and ends up with a wound on his neck that looks suspiciously like a vampire bite! Yuki doesn’t have time for this nonsense. And besides, vampires aren’t even real… right?

THE BLACK CAT & THE VAMPIRE is a two-volume, supernatural BL manga set in a magical boarding high school. The digital edition comes with exclusive full-color bonus art pages. For older teen readers (16+).

THE BLACK CAT & THE VAMPIRE, Vol. 1

UNDEAD: FINDING LOVE IN THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, Vol. 1

by Fumi Tsuyuhisa · Print SRP: 13.99 · 178 pages · ISBN – 978-1-4278-7422-1 · Available October 24th 

Which will you find in this devastated world — love or despair? Nineteen-year-old Hikaru Asahina lost everything the day the world ended. Everything, that is, except his childhood friend Ai Kosaka, who has always taken care of him. Now the two of them, along with other survivors, struggle to stay alive in a post-apocalyptic world filled with man eating zombies. And when Ai confesses to feeling something more for Hikaru, it changes everything. After all, the more precious someone is to you, the harder it is to lose them. In a world like theirs, is something like love even possible? 

UNDEAD presents a unique premise blending boys love and horror genres. A compelling read for fans of dystopian fiction and romance. A mature themed title for older readers (18+).

UNDEAD: FINDING LOVE IN THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, Vol. 1

SATING THE WOLF

by Troy Arukuno · Print SRP: 13.99 · 192 pages · ISBN – 978-1-4278-7510-5 · Available October 24th 

Noah, a wolf with no family, was banished from his beloved pack after presenting as an Omega. While wandering alone in a village of herbivores, he meets Henri, a rabbit who lives alone with his little brothers. In a town where carnivores are feared, Henri bravely takes Noah in and offers him a job. When Noah accidentally goes into heat, it suddenly awakens Henri’s Alpha instincts.

Will a world divided between carnivores and herbivores accept the relationship between a little Alpha rabbit and a big Omega wolf?

SATING THE WOLF is a mature themed (18+), standalone manga featuring anthropomorphic characters that is set within the “Omegaverse,” a complex setting founded on BDSM and werewolf-like themes, which are very popular among romance and BL fans. The story is a great fit for readers who enjoy strongly defined interpersonal dynamics in their romance.

SATING THE WOLF

LULLABY OF THE DAWN, Vol. 1

by Ichika Yuno · Print SRP: 13.99 · 208 pages · ISBN – 978-1-4278-7349-1 · Available November 14th  

Night after night, Elva steps forth into the black sea, sword in hand, to drive back the creatures that surge from the waves. Elva is one of the ‘kannagi,’ warrior priests chosen by the divine to protect the island. With his snow-white hair, unaging youth, and black-stained limbs — proof of the corruption that gradually takes the life of every kannagi — the local people fear and shun him… at least until his path crosses with that of a boy named Alto. Enraptured by Elva’s strength and lonely soul, Alto swears to serve him and free him from his cursed fate.

After eight long years, Alto has grown into a capable and fearless young man, unwavering in his devotion to his kannagi. Elva had long ago resigned himself to an early death — but somehow, Alto’s presence seems to be gradually healing him of the black sea’s corruption…

LULLABY OF THE DAWN won first place in the Best Comic category in the 2022 Chill ChillBL Awards. This story (for Older Teens 16+) of a romance between a shaman and a loyal villager is based in an original fantasy world with unique elements and settings.

LULLABY OF THE DAWN, Vol. 1

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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INTERTWINED LAST JEWISH DAUGHTER OF KAIFENG

Wednesdays (and Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in

Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.

Animal Castle Vol. 2 #2 (Ablaze) – The series has been a fantastic adaptation and take on the classic Animal Farm.

Battle Chasers #10 (Image Comics) – After such a delay, Battle Chasers is back after a Kickstarter promising its return. Joe Madureira isn’t providing art so without that, such a long time, and more, will the return be worth it?

Black Panther #1 (Marvel) – It’s a new era and new creative team for the character and the status quo is an intriguing one.

Captain America: Cold War Omega #1 (Marvel) – The event wraps up and we have no idea how it’ll shake out when it’s over.

Dead by Daylight #1 (Titan Comics) – The video game gets a comic adaptation.

The Ghost of Kyiv #1 (Tokyopop) – The war propaganda gets a comic series. It’ll be interesting to see how this gets spun.

Haunt You to the End #1 (Image Comics) – A ghost story set at the end of the world. The concept of ghost hunters plus an unstable time period should make for an interesting read.

Intertwined: Last Jewish Daughter of Kaifeng #1 (Fairsquare Comics) – In time for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as well as Jewish American Heritage Month, fan-favorite series Intertwined is back with a 64 page special dedicated to the only Asian Jewish character in comics: the new Spirit of Water!

Klik Klik Boom #1 (Image Comics) – Meet Sprout, a mute assassin who communicates exclusively through polaroid pictures. Sprout is heading to New York City to avenge her grandfather’s muder.

Magic Planeswalkers: Noble #1 (BOOM! Studios) – A new set of releases that’ll take us to different realms in the Magic Multiverse from different creators and featuring different creators.

Night Fever (Image Comics) – A new graphic novel from Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Jacob Phillips. Enough said.

Nuking Alaska (Graphic Mundi) – A graphic novel about the threat of nuclear war in the 80s.

Spider-Man: Fake Red (VIZ Media) – Yu’s new high school is kind of awful. He’s failing his classes and striking out socially. Everything changes when he finds one of Spider-Man’s costumes abandoned in an alleyway

Spider-Man India #1 (Marvel) – The cult favorite character gets a miniseries shining the spotlight.

Void Rivals #1 (Skybound/Image Comics) – Kicking off “The Energon Universe,” the comic is the official start of Transformers and G.I. Joe at Skybound!

Waller vs. Wildstorm #2 (DC Comics) – The first issue waw fantastic, again bringing together the Wildstorm universe with the DC Universe with Waller at the center doing her shenanigans.

WildC.A.T.s #8 (DC Comics) – The series has been so much fun delivering a new mix of the classic characters and really bringing them into the DC Universe.

Xino #1 (Oni Press) – A new sci-fi anthology series featuring some fantastic creators.

GlobalComix adds Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Archie Comics, Tokyopop, and more

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GlobalComix promotion

In the lead up to the launch of its app, GlobalComix has announced new comic publishers that are coming to the digital platform’s catalog; Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Archie Comics, Tokyopop, NBM Graphic Novels, and more!

The GlobalComix App
for iOS and Android will feature:

  • Over 40k+ books in catalog with 25k+ more in pipeline and growing
  • In-App subscription purchase with worldwide access
  • Catalogs from top publishers, indie and webcomic creators
  • Curated recommendations for hundreds of new series, weekly
  • Opt-in to follow creators & publishers for new release notifications
  • Fully searchable personal library collection with reading status filters
  • Filter searches by type, format, genre, theme, art style, language, paywall, and other meaningful facets
  • Comment, react, and share your favorite stories with friends and community alike

Previously, GlobalComix partnered with publishers TKO Studios, Bad Egg Publishing, InterPop, Papercutz, Valiant Entertainment, Top Cow, Source Point Press, TPub Comics, Mad Cave Studios, and Humanoids. Since January 2023, the platform has seen a 50% increase in user signups and over 5,000 new books published; which includes PDF downloads and exclusive content partnerships. 

The GlobalComix App will be available for first impressions at the end of the first quarter 2023. Demos will be available at C2E2, McCormick Place in Chicago, IL (Mar 31 – Apr. 2).

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