Dicussion: How do you keep up with manga releases?

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Daniella Orihuela-Gruber

Ever since Tokyopop started the deluge of new manga releases years ago, fans have had trouble keeping up with everything. Now, even after the demise of several manga companies, there aren’t many fans who can buy all the manga they want on any given week.

But keeping up with the latest manga releases is still very popular, as proven by scanlations and how many people demand their next chapter of Naruto be released ASAP. Manga reviewers, by default, also have to keep up with new releases as much as they can.

Me? Well, I’ve just about given all that up in favor of hunting down series that aren’t easy to find anymore. There are now only a few current series that I buy close to the release date. Mostly, I blame this on the closing of my local Borders and the inadequacy of the manga selection at both my LCS (Meltdown Comics) and the closest Barnes & Noble.  Not to mention, I don’t get review copies frequently.

Do you keep up with new manga releases as much as possible? If so, what’s your general buying strategy? If not, why? Is there anyone out there who wants so little manga that they only buy one or two copies at a time (and not because they’re broke)?

Posted in Discussion, manga, opinion | Tagged , , , | 25 Comments

Discussion: Do you want manga as a gift?

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Daniella Orihuela-Gruber

Tomorrow is my birthday, which is why I have asked the question above. The answer might be obvious for some, but I feel that it cannot be answered easily.

For years, I’ve found it difficult to ask for anime and manga-related gifts from friends and family. For one, asking them for a specific volume is hard. What if they can’t find it in stores? What if they get the wrong volume? What if they flip through it and find something they disapprove of? It’s also difficult to ask people to pick something for you. What if they get something you find really awful? What if they get you something you already have?

I’ve gotten a few surprise hits from unknowing givers, like a how-to-draw book from my cousin when I was still drawing up a storm, but many well-intended gifts are somewhat awkward. Most of the time I just ask for a bookstore giftcard or a gadget (which usually has nothing to do with manga) to avoid getting something I dislike and alleviate the gift-giver’s anxiety.

Luckily, technology is now a legitimate way to give someone manga indirectly. I, for one, want an iPad pretty badly. Not just for reading manga, but for all the other stuff it can do. (In theory, I could use it to do work on a trip, saving me the hassle of dragging a heavy laptop with.) I’ll admit that I don’t want someone to just go out and buy me one because it’s so expensive, but I’d accept money to be put toward the purchase of one since an e-reader is still somewhat out of my wallet’s range.

But since I’m just one person, I thought I’d ask my readers: Do you even want manga as a birthday or holiday gift, or would something else be much more preferable? I’d also like to know why you prefer it that way and how you go about ensuring that you get what you want.

 

Posted in Discussion, manga, opinion | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Discussion: Can Manga Get Too Wordy?

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Daniella Orihuela-Gruber

I have been trying get through a certain volume by one of my favorite creators for a while now. I think it may have been over a month between the whirlwinds of Anime Expo and San Diego Comic Con. I have never ever taken a month to read a manga before, not with multiple attempts to pick it up and read to the end like this.

It isn’t that I don’t like the story itself. The art is the fine, but there is SO MUCH GOING ON. There are tons of little asides, a lot those artist columns every so often and, of course, tons of sound effects and dialogue. It’s just gets so busy that you feel like you’re reading little side plays in each and every panel. There’s always something going on aside from the main story and it’s a little too crazy.

Now, if you’re like most people you’re thinking, “Manga? Wordy? What’s she on?” It’s not that I cannot read a dense novel or anything, in fact, I’ve always been an avid reader. What I’m complaining about is really the sheer density of text to process as you read, which is on top of the expressions and actions depicted in the art.

There are some mangaka that get away with wordiness, and some who don’t. I remember I had to stop reading Death Note after a while because the sheer weight of all the information I was trying to process gave me a headache. It’s not that I hated Death Note as a manga, just that Ohba and Obata’s art and storytelling couldn’t convey that information smoothly for me. My boyfriend, when I mentioned this post’s topic to him, chimed in that Masamune Shirow’s manga gave him a similar feeling.

As an editor I’ve learned that some publishers just go for wordy manga, Hakusensha’s Hana to Yume manga being some of the “worst” on the market, which is ironic since their shoujo manga is some of the most popular. Some examples include Gakuen Alice, Maid Sama and V.B. Rose. It might not be something most people notice, but having to edit those titles always meant having to do twice as much work as a non-Hana to Yume title. All those asides, making sure they’re in the right font or in the right place or too small to read…

So what do you think? Can manga be wordy? And, if so, what fits your definition of wordy manga?

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July MMF: Fruits Basket, Why Did I Wait to Read You?

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Daniella Orihuela-Gruber

I know you are probably all dying to hear my SDCC wrap-up, but I had to scrap it because all I had to say was that all the new digital initiatives are cool (except for JManga.com, which still has potential to disappoint, but here’s hoping) and I’m fairly interested in most of the new licenses. Legend of Korra looks like it’s going to awesome and I totally got into Hall H after a relatively short wait (2.5 hours) for Doctor Who. Go me!

All in all, you should have been following me on Twitter for all the action when it happened. I know that’s pretty lazy of me, but there’s certainly nothing you can’t read already on other manga and comic book blogs with much more dedicated bloggers. (SDCC is tiring, dear readers.)

Moving on! I’m almost about to miss the July Manga Moveable Feast! I’ve missed the MMF for quite a while, so I really wanted to put in my feelings about Fruits Basket. For whatever reason, I never read Fruits Basket until I interned at Tokyopop, which means I resisted it for most of high school and college. I read it through for the first time in an epic reading marathon so I could write a post for the weekly newsletter. Goodness knows how I managed to read that many volumes in less than a week, but it was great. I really loved reading Fruits Basket.

As I began to get into the nitty-gritty parts of the story, I was totally sucked in. It remains one of the best shoujo manga I can remember reading. Why did I pass it by all those years ago? I remember reading the first volume, probably in some bookstore like a manga aisle hobo (I didn’t have any money back then…Sorry!) That first volume just didn’t do it for me back then, but I powered past it for the assignment. Someone should have just told me that it gets way more interesting after that first volume! To me, it’s the weakest part of such a deeply touching series.

The thing is, I was bullied a lot in high school and middle school, especially once I began to take up anime, manga, and drawing. My school, a K-12 private Jewish school, was such an isolated, homogenous environment that I was the only anime and manga fan throughout middle school and high school. We’re talking so homogenous that when a half-black, half-Jewish kid came to the school from East Palo Alto, everyone fawned over him because he acted a lot like any popular rapper or hip-hop artist at the time.

To say that I was reviled by most of my classmates would be an understatement. They took pleasure in interrupting class and getting me in trouble when I began to draw “naked Japanime” people. (You know how you’re supposed to draw the form of a figure before you draw clothes on? Yeah, I got in trouble for that.) For a few years, the school’s administration took this so seriously that my mother would be called up if I was caught even doodling during class. Every morning I went through backpack checks to make sure I wasn’t sneaking in a sketch book. Considering how I was 13 when I became a fan and began drawing, it felt a little harsh. I felt like an outcast, but for what? Liking a particular art form? Having a creative streak?

The school and my mother eventually eased up when they realized I was drawing in class because I wasn’t feeling challenged by my studies. (When I was thirteen, I also just missed entering the honors classes, which would have been the fast-track to all the Advanced Placement classes.)

That didn’t mean the teasing from my peers let up though. It was so bad that even after high school graduation, I was still teased by classmates. It’s hard for me to believe that they were so immature as to continue their taunting after we had parted ways (I specifically went to a college where no one else from the school had applied.) Thankfully, you can block people on Facebook and I made college friends who continue to be awesome even after we’ve gone our separate ways.

In short, I really could have used Fruits Basket and its complex drama about a number of well-meaning souls tormented by a restrictive and isolated society, then freed by great friendship and love. I would have loved to learn that I didn’t need to be trapped into being “friends” anyone in that school in order to have the life I wanted.

So, if you know any young manga fans who feel totally misunderstood by the people who should be their friends, please make them read Fruits Basket. (Especially before it goes out of print!) This manga could help make just about any outcast feel a little better about themselves and feel loved by all of those who just accept them for who they are.

Everyone could use a Tohru. 🙂

Posted in manga, opinion | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Live Tweets from SDCC

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Daniella Orihuela-Gruber

It seems my live tweets at various conventions have become pretty popular, so I thought for Comic-Con International, I’d give you guys a heads up!

Here’s a link to my twitter.

Here’s what I’ll be definitely be live tweeting during the con:

Wednesday- Pictures of margaritas. No, seriously. Margaritas will be consumed.

Thursday-

Funimation Industry Panel, 3-4 p.m. PST: FUNimation Entertainment’s marketing manager Adam Sheehan and social media manager Justin Rojas talk about all the newest info and updates out of North America’s leader in anime, as well as answer questions from the audience.

Kodansha Comics, 4-5 p.m. PST: Representatives from the largest publisher in Japan discuss the exciting manga they’ll be releasing in the coming months. Kumi Shimizu of Kodansha USA talks with Dallas Middaugh about the imprint’s upcoming books, such as Bloody Monday, Cage of Eden, Love Hina, and, of course, Sailor Moon!

(Side note: Going to meet one of my newest, and most important, clients here. So nervous!)

Manga: Lost in Translation, 6:30-7:30 p.m. PST: After a slump during the great recession, the manga business seems to be coming back, with the older companies leaner and new companies focusing on both digital and print. But “leaner companies” is not usually good news for freelancers. Find out how the downturn has changed the industry from panelistsWilliam Flanagan (Kobato), Jonathan Tarbox (Fist of the Northstar), Mari Morimoto (Naruto), Stephen Paul(Yotsuba&!), and maybe some surprise guests.

Friday-

JManga: Manga!? Hear it Straight From Japan!, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. PST: The leaders of Japan’s manga industry present an in-depth discussion of where the international manga industry is and where it is headed in the near future. Also, catch a sneak peak of jmanga.com, Japan’s 39-publisher-strong Digital Comic Association’s new manga portal website. Panelists include Sam Yoshiba (Kodansha), Takashi Watanabe (Shueisha),Toshitaka Tanaka (Shogakukan), Kouji Shimano (Futabasha),Naobumi Ashi (Kadokawa), Motoi Suzuki (Shueisha), andSasaki Hisashi (editor-in-chief of Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump, the world’s top-selling manga magazine).

VIZ Media Panel, 2-3 p.m. PST: VIZ Media’s 25th anniversary celebrations continue with a special panel packed with exciting news and prizes for our fans. VIZ Media staff will provide the latest updates on new acquisitions and upcoming releases, as well as give the scoop on groundbreaking projects they’ve yet to announce. Don’t miss a chance to win prizes such as $25 iTunes gift cards, special prizes from VIZ’s partners, and more!

Shonen Jump Panel, 3-4 p.m. PST: Have you ever dreamed of becoming a manga creator? This panel gives you an opportunity to learn the secrets to being a professional artist and a writer. Weekly Shonen Jump editor-in-chief Hisashi Sasaki will give you straightforward tips and advice on how to improve your manga. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the editor of Japan’s #1 manga magazine! Plus, a chat with Hiroshi Matsuyama, the president of CyberConnnect2, about an upcoming Naruto Shippuden video game.

Marvel Television Presents: Anime on G4, 4:30-5:30 p.m. PST: Marvel Television and G4 take your favorite characters — Iron Man, Wolverine, The X-Men, and Blade — to Japan to tell their stories in a whole new way, beautifully animated by the anime masters at Madhouse. Hosted by Attack of the Show‘s Blair Butler, watch a never-before-seen episode with Marvel’s head of TV Jeph Loeb and surprise guests. Plus, get a sneak peek atThe X-Men‘s explosive first episode.

Yen Press Panel, 6:30-7:30 p.m. PST: The Yen Press crew — publishing director Kurt Hassler, senior editor JuYoun Lee, and assistant editors Tania Biswas andAbby Blackman — unveil exciting new projects for 2012 and take questions from the audience. And of course, the swag. We mustn’t forget the swag!

Saturday:

Spotlight on Tsuneo Goda, 1:30-2:3o p.m. PST: Comic-Con special guest Tsuneo Goda (Domo) discusses his creation, Domo-kun, from its humble beginnings to its now worldwide popularity. He’ll cover all the finer points of this internationally recognized and beloved character, as well as some of his new projects and engage in a Q&A session.

Finally! Nickelodeon: The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra: Exclusive First, 4-5 p.m. PST: Creator team Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino, co-executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos, supervising producer Ki-Hyun Ryu, and composing team Ben Wynn andJeremy Zuckerman give an exclusive sneak peek at the continuation of this element-bending saga. Moderated by Megan Casey, executive in charge for Nickelodeon.

Sunday:  

BBC America’s Doctor Who, 12:30-1:30 p.m. PST: Stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, along with writers and producers, make their first Comic-Con appearance for a panel and Q&A! They’re bringing exclusive new footage of the new season to be shown ahead of its late summer return on BBC America. Doctor Who follows the adventures of the Doctor, the mysterious traveler who journeys throughout all of time and space, picking up companions along the way and almost always sidestepping danger. From award-winning lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat and starring BAFTA nominee Matt Smith as the Doctor and Karen Gillan as his companion Amy Pond, the second season’s Part One delivered record ratings for BBC America and marked the first time Doctor Whofilmed on American soil. Also starring Arthur Darvill and Alex Kingston, the Part One finale ended with the unveiling of a massive secret and the words “Let’s Kill Hitler” on screen. Part One is now available on Blu-ray/DVD/iTunes, and Part Two premieres late summer on BBC America’s Supernatural Saturdays. The panel will be moderated by Adam Rogers, senior editor, WIRED magazine.

(Side note: This last one’s a bit of a maybe because it’s in Hall H. I’ve never done Hall H before and frankly I am a bit scared of it.)

Posted in comics, manga, news | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Anticipation Ahead! Stargazing Dog by Takashi Murakami

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Daniella Orihuela-Gruber

OK, I am seriously excited for Stargazing Dog, which is coming in September from NBM. Here’s the description from the NBM blog:

A moving manga that is a major best-seller in Japan, selling now over 400,000 copies and being made into a movie. Oto-san is down and out. Life has conspired against him, nothing coming together the way he wished, so he sets out with his car to just get away from it all. All people around him have abandoned him in indifference but as we discover along with him, the one he can count on utterly and completely is a dog he just adopted who follows him blindly, faithfully and completely, to the end, lightening up his new adventure into the unknown.

When I was still interning at Tokyopop, this title came up in a licensing meeting and the editors and I were all over it. Admittedly, we were easily lured in by the adorable dog pictured on the cover, but also because it seemed like a unique story. There aren’t a lot of manga published in English that make you want to cry, but this is definitely one that will try to hit all your soft spots.

Obviously, this one didn’t get licensed by Tokyopop, but the company tried to put the feelers out there by asking fans if they wanted to read manga that made them cry. I can’t remember the result, sadly, and the Tokyopop website is gone for good.

I’m very excited for this one, mostly because I feel like cute dog-centric manga aren’t as popular as cute cat-centric manga. I have a huge bias for dogs and I’d much rather read about them than finicky (albeit cute) cats. But also because I did want to see this one (and many other titles that I looked at during those old licensing meetings) in English. I’m glad NBM had the guts to pick this one up and start their manga line with it. I hope this is a sign of many more interesting manga to come!

I’m definitely picking Stargazing Dog up come September and I’ll probably cry. The titular canine looks just like my own dog!

Broken Frontier has a three-page preview up if you want to take a peek at Stargazing Dog. Unfortunately, there’s no text included.

Posted in manga | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Weekend Meditation: When do you read manga?

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Daniella Orihuela-Gruber

Lately I haven’t been able to get myself to read through one volume of manga I’m on. Normally, I devour manga during the week and barely read any over the weekend, mainly because I want to spend the extra time on the weekend with my boyfriend, with friends or with family. During the week, when there’s a break from freelance work or when I’m just sitting around and waiting for a work e-mail, it’s a lot easier to devour lots of manga. Plus, during the evening when my boyfriend’s home from work, he’s often busy with projects, so reading manga is a good way not to disturb him.

I realize that my habits are unusual because I’m a freelancer, so when do you find the time to read through your manga stash? Weeknights? Weekends? During a lunch break? When does a normal manga fan read their manga?

Posted in Discussion, manga, opinion | Tagged , , | 17 Comments