A few thoughts about Tokyopop’s 2009 line-up, plus the release calendar for January – August.

Yes, everyone and his other brother have reviewed Takehiko Inoue’s two basketball manga, justly praising his draftsmanship and storytelling. But no one has done a better job of describing Slam Dunk’s hapless hero than David Welsh:
It’s about a red pompadour that has parasitically affixed itself to the head of a first-year high-school student named Hanamichi [...]

Toronto, ON – Dec 2, 2008 – Having appeared in dozens of video games, and landing her own live action feature film next year, Chun-Li is undeniably among the most recognizable and popular girls of gaming. Beginning in January 2009 UDON will explore the roots of this high-kicking martial artist in Street Fighter Legends: Chun-Li, [...]

A few tips for scoring cheap manga on eBay.

Quick takes on Jade of Bango, Magic Lover’s Tower and volume two of Very! Very! Sweet.

ICv2 is reporting that Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film, Ponyo on the Cliff By the Sea, will be released in the US early next year. The film, which opened in Japan in July, outperformed all of Miyazaki’s previous releases–with the exception of Spirited Away, that is–earning nearly $115 million at the box office in 2008. Not [...]

The folks at MangaCast have been lobbying US publishers to pick up Detroit Metal City for close to a year, so I’m guessing they’re pretty stoked to hear that Viz will be bringing it to the US in 2009. The premise sounds like a glorious mash-up of Dr. Jeckell and Mr. Hyde, This Is Spinal [...]

Melodrama, martial arts, and moody boys: what more could a Shojo Beat girl ask for?

Viz recently released Naruto, The Boy Ninja, a chapter book treatment of its wildly popular franchise. Lori Henderson just posted her thoughts on Boy Ninja at Good Comics for Kids, praising the author for her skillful adaptation of the manga:
adaptation of the first few chapters from manga to prose came out very well. The writer, [...]

A better name for this manga might be twentysomething.