I have a confession: I adore trailers. I realize that may put in me in the minority among movie goers, but I feel downright gypped if I don’t see an assortment before the main attraction, if for no other reason than to reassure myself that I don’t want to see a romantic costume drama starring Natalie Portman, Stellan Skargaard, Javier Bardem and… Randy Quaid. (No really! It’s called Goya’s Ghosts, and I was shocked to learn from imdb that it was not a comedy. Oh boya!) For those of you who share my fondness for previews, I’ve compiled “trailers” for four of this summer’s more interesting manga releases.

Artifice

Story by Alex Woolfson, Artwork by Winona Nelson
Yaoi911 (release date unknown)
Click here to read a description of the project and view art samples.

What they say:
Artifice is a scif-fi story featuring an android assassin, Deacon, who fails to eliminate his target, a 19-year-old human refugee named Jeff, on a routine search-and-kill mission. Robopsychologist Clarice Maven is brought in by the Corporation that owns Deacon to determine why. This being a yaoi story, I’m pretty sure you can guess at least one potential reason he let the boy live, but there is much more than meets the eye in this corporate-ruled dystopian future where everyone has dark secrets and their own agenda. And the brilliant and formidable Dr. Maven will not rest until she has all the answers — and has made sure that Deacon will never fail the Corporation ever again…

What PCS says:
I’m actually not a big fan of yaoi. Sure, I’ve enjoyed several Fumi Yoshinaga titles, but most of what I’ve sampled made me laugh, not blush. What intrigues me about this series, frankly, is the artwork—it’s crisp and naturalistic (read: no languid bishonen with razor-sharp chins)—and Woolfson’s own desire to create yaoi with an emphasis on good stories and good characters. I enjoy his book reviews, his how-to-columns, and his opinion pieces, so it’s not a stretch to think I’d also enjoy his more, um, creative endeavors.

Le Chevalier D’Eon

Story by Tou Ubukata, Artwork by Kiriko Umeji
Del Rey, June 2007
Click here to read the sample.

What they say:
A mysterious cult is sacrificing beautiful young women to a demonic force that has promised them the kingdom of France in return for the blood of their victims. Only one man can save Paris from chaos and terror—the Chevalier d’Eon!

What PCS says:
The manga looks a bit different than the anime—the characters aren’t as androgynously pretty as their colorful counterparts—but it serves up a similar stew of swashbuckling, political intrigue, and supernatural chills. Gorgeous historical costumes—for the men, the women, and the cross-dressing hero—and a lot of hilarious Catholic mumbo-jumbo add to the series’ appeal. I wouldn’t count on Le Chevalier D’Eon to help you pass your European History AP, but it’s fun to see some of France’s most decadent historical figures grace the pages of a gender-bending occult thriller.

Kanna

By Takeru Kirishima
Go!Comi, August 2007
Click here to access the Kanna homepage, then click on Manga Viewer button to access sample.

What they say:
Kagura is a professional slacker with nothing put a part-time job and cram school to keep him company. When a little girl suddenly shows up in his house one day, he thinks things can’t get any weirder… until she starts calling him ‘daddy’! It’s hard enough taking care of an ordinary child, but Kanna – who doesn’t speak his language, isn’t from his dimension, and has hordes of evil minions hot on her heels – is anything but ordinary!

What PCS says:
After reading the sample, I’d say that Kanna promises plenty of bloodsplattering action tempered by comedy and family bonding a la Lilo and Stitch. (As in, “Our family is small… and broken… but it is good.”) If your primary criticism of Crossroad was “not enough evil, intergalactic monsters with big teeth,” this might be the manga for you.

ME2

By Sho Morase
Tokyopop, July 2007
Click here to read the first chapter; note that you will have to register with Tokyopop for full access to the sample.

What they say:
Aki is a shy, introverted teen mourning the mysterious death of her older brother Ken. This, coupled with the daily pressures of being the most bullied kid in school, lead to her having mysterious blackouts. Entire days begin to go unaccounted for as Aki finds strange items in her closet. Adding to her bewilderment, the cutest boy in school suddenly takes an interest in her. As Aki wonders if her grip on reality is slowly slipping away, something even more shocking might be behind this haunting tale…

What PCS says:
ME2 has a distinctive look—Murase isn’t just aping current trends in shojo manga, but striking out in her own direction. The result is flat-out gorgeous, and should appeal to fans of Tokyopop series like The Dreaming and Bizenghast. From the short sample, it’s hard to tell if the storytelling is on par with the artwork, but I’m a sucker for pretty drawings.