The Industry

2009 is kicking off with international intrigue. According to an official Tokyopop Germany newsletter, which has been reposted on their official BBS, Kodansha has not renewed its licensing agreement with the company, effectively cancelling all Kodansha-owned releases mid-run.  The affected books include Beck, School Rumble, Hell Girl, and Cromartie High School.  (Whoa, they can do that?  So… why are we waiting [...]

As I write this, the day before Viz’s New Year's break I am struck by two things. First, the word “blog” is a perfect sound effect for many bi-products of upset stomachs. Older readers know why that comes to mind at New Year's. Younger readers, stay away from what the older readers are drinking!

My second thought is that only on your birthday (if you even celebrate birthdays-some people don’t) and New Year's do we celebrate the passage of time.

Most people who are not desperate for a blog topic and/or Latin American novelists of the late-60s-to-early-70s even think too much about time. We're too busy dealing with it to think about it. If we think about time passing at all it’s always negative: “Dang, I've only got an hour to write this blog post." "Damn, two only two weeks 'til finals." "Only three billion years 'til the sun goes nova and ends life as we know it."

Surely, my friends, it’s to view time as we do on New Year's Eve. “Look what we made it through! Look at all the people who helped us, and just maybe we can make the future better.” That’s the way to think. Because the future is coming, so you may as well smile about it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As I write this, the day before Viz’s New Year's break I am struck by two things. First, the word “blog” is a perfect sound effect for many bi-products of upset stomachs. Older readers know why that comes to mind at New Year's. Younger readers, stay away from what the older readers are drinking!

My second thought is that only on your birthday (if you even celebrate birthdays-some people don’t) and New Year's do we celebrate the passage of time.

Most people who are not desperate for a blog topic and/or Latin American novelists of the late-60s-to-early-70s even think too much about time. We're too busy dealing with it to think about it. If we think about time passing at all it’s always negative: “Dang, I've only got an hour to write this blog post." "Damn, two only two weeks 'til finals." "Only three billion years 'til the sun goes nova and ends life as we know it."

Surely, my friends, it’s to view time as we do on New Year's Eve. “Look what we made it through! Look at all the people who helped us, and just maybe we can make the future better.” That’s the way to think. Because the future is coming, so you may as well smile about it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As I write this, the day before Viz’s New Year's break I am struck by two things. First, the word “blog” is a perfect sound effect for many bi-products of upset stomachs. Older readers know why that comes to mind at New Year's. Younger readers, stay away from what the older readers are drinking!

My second thought is that only on your birthday (if you even celebrate birthdays-some people don’t) and New Year's do we celebrate the passage of time.

Most people who are not desperate for a blog topic and/or Latin American novelists of the late-60s-to-early-70s even think too much about time. We're too busy dealing with it to think about it. If we think about time passing at all it’s always negative: “Dang, I've only got an hour to write this blog post." "Damn, two only two weeks 'til finals." "Only three billion years 'til the sun goes nova and ends life as we know it."

Surely, my friends, it’s to view time as we do on New Year's Eve. “Look what we made it through! Look at all the people who helped us, and just maybe we can make the future better.” That’s the way to think. Because the future is coming, so you may as well smile about it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Remember this dude? He finally up and left the Mexico City airport after living there for 117 days.

From Bloomberg.com:

“Hiroshi Nohara, 41, arrived in Mexico on a United Airlines flight Sept. 2 and has slept in the crowded food court on the international departures level since then. He became a celebrity in the city of 20 million, with people flocking to the airport to take his picture, buy him food and donate clothes.

“Another Japanese person came for him yesterday, and they left in a taxi after spending 117 days in the airport,” said Victor Manuel Mejia, head of the airport’s press office. “We can’t remember any similar cases in the past, it was totally atypical.””

I wonder how they finally convinced him to leave. Hopefully they’ll have details soon.

VIZ is looking to fill several internships for winter/spring, 2008.

All internships are unpaid and interns MUST be able to receive college credit. We cannot accept candidates who are not currently enrolled in school. All applicants must be able to provide proof of school credit on request.

You can read more about the internships we are offering and the requirements here.

To apply for an internship, please send your cover letter and resume to jobs@viz.com, specifying the internship for which you are applying.

Now this is quite an interesting approach to science. A (female!) chemistry teacher at Musashi Institute of Technology apparently had such a hard time getting through to hormonally-charged (male?) students that she invented an anime-babe-enhanced Periodic Table of Elements.

From InventorSpot:

“Chemistry can be a tough subject for students more interested in games and girls, which makes “The Periodic Table: Learning Basic Chemistry through Moe” a bright idea indeed. Which element do you love the most?

Lest you think one of The Three Stooges is somehow involved, “Moe” is a Japanese term that describes the feminization of inanimate objects. Most commonly used in video games, anime and manga, applying so-called “moe anthropomorphism” makes most anything cute, girlish, sexy or all of the above. Even a topic as dry and factual as the Periodic Table of the Elements, nyuck nyuck!

Though the images are occasionally salacious, there is plenty of descriptive text to go along with them - sort of a “carrot & stick” approach.”

I should think this would make studying, ahem, harder.

(The link has a somewhat NSFW pic, if your company considers illustrated women salacious.)

ASIMO, Honda’s robot designed to eventually assist an aging Japanese population, will be super-sized for the New Year’s Day Rose Parade.

From Motor Trend:
“Honda’s 2009 entry, called “Hats Off In Celebration,” celebrates the automaker’s 50th anniversary of being in America. Elements such as lettuce seed, rice carnations and strawflower comprise the exterior of the extra-large ASIMO. If you haven’t heard of him, the real 12-times-smaller ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) was built in the late 1980s by Honda engineers looking to assist the growing population of elderly Japanese people in their daily lives. His development has continued over the years and amazingly, has advanced to the point where he is even capable of conducting a human orchestra, among other duties.”

Just makes me think of “Puttin’ on the Ritz” from Young Frankenstein.

So Quentin Tarantino called Takashi Miike one of the world’s greatest living directors. So you’ve probably seen some of Miike’s films and perhaps have formed your own opinions. And so you may know of the long and fascinating American/Japanese cultural exchange inspired by the Western that stretches from Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone to Tampopo and Kill Bill.

Still, there’s no better argument to be desperately excited to see Miike’s new film, Sukiyaki Western Django, than the trailer:

Thanks to all the folks who came out to see us at Yaoi Jamboree. We had a pretty good time! For those of you who missed it, we have some exciting new titles coming out next year!

Introducing…

Doki Doki is the dream collaboration between Japan’s primer publisher Shinshokan Publishing Co, Ltd. and Digital Manga Inc. This exciting line of books will premiere in Spring 2009 and include the following titles:

Color by Eiki Eiki and Taishi Zaou

Living for Tomorrow by Taishi Zaou

Fevered Kiss by Akira Kuga and Taishi Zaou

Midnight Bloom by Rico Fukiyama

Brilliant Blue by Saemi Yoria

So be sure to check them out!

Rei-chan (>_<)

We have once again decided to share our industry panel with the cool cats over at 801 Media Inc. So come join us for a double dose of yaoi! Have questions about the new Doki Doki imprint? Wondering when Hero Heel Volume 2 is going to come out? Interested in what goodies to expect in 2009? This is the place to be!

Check your AX program guide for more information, but the short of it is:

Anime Expo 2008
LA Convention Center
July 4, 2008
LP 3
8:30-9:30pm

Last year, Anime Expo staff members carded the event. Don’t know about this year, but don’t get taken by surprise and be sure to bring your id!

Rei-chan (>_<)

Anime Expo is quickly approaching and the ladies and gents of Digital Manga Publishing are scrambling to get all those last details taken care of!

Be sure to check out the DMP booth #510 for tons of advanced books and other goodies! Also don’t forget to pick up your favorite DMP and June books from us for a chance to be entered in the raffles at all of our panels. We have some awesome giveaways from Eiki Eiki, Mikiyo Tsuda left over from Yaoi Jamboree. Not to mention our past conventions guests - Hinako Takanaga, Satoru Kannagi, Makoto Tateno, Toko Kawai, etc. These prizes are one of a kind!

Rei-chan (>_<)