[...] last released a new title in October 2009 (a book originally promised for March). Throughout most of last year, and still ongoing, their books have been available at fire-sale prices. Their website is otherwise [...]

[...] (Perhaps I should say “still on sale”, since the last time I talked about Aurora, back in March, they were pricing similarly.) Most everything is four dollars a book, or if you buy sets, the [...]

Johanna Says:

“Have you read their books? Which did you like? And what do you think is likely to come in their future?”

Walkin’ Butterfly vol. 1-3 were OK but not great. Meanwhile, the website now says vol. 4 will be out in December 2009! What the heck, I’ll read this one too after my local library network gets it. It also seems to be the last forthcoming Aurora book that the company calls josei instead of shojo. Hmm.

Object of Desire and Voices of Love turned me off as soon as I realized they had high schoolers in the sex scenes. C’mon, I read josei and seinen for the adult content. You’d think people picking titles to market to us would remember that there’s life after graduation. As for Real Love, I stuck with it until that isn’t-rape-sexy? scene turned me off. Make Love and Peace didn’t have those problems, but one of the impressions I got (probably because this was minutes after I previewed the others) was “Why does Ayame still live with her grandparents? Is this like how some of my college classmates IRL couldn’t afford to move out, or did the author think having Ayame live in an apartment or dorm would make her not forbidden-fruity enough?”

Anyway, now that I’ve harshed on some josei, I’d like to recommend some other josei (and manhwa and manhua counterparts – anyone here know what Korean and Mandarin are for “josei” the way “soonjung” is Korean for “shôjo”? It turned out I was wrong about what “seongin” means in Korean…). :)

Happy Mania, all 11 volumes, by Moyoco Anno
Solanin by Inio Asanio
The Other Side of the Mirror by Jo Chen
Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms by Fumiyo Kouno
Real Lies “vol. 1″ by Lee Si Young (is this the start of a series or a one-shot?)
the Embalmer, vol. 1-4, by Mitsukazu Mihara (will vol. 5 ever be released in English?)
Emma, vol. 1-8, by Kaoru Mori (yes there’s more :) )
Tramps Like Us by Yayoi Ogawa
Suppli, vol. 1-3, by Mari Okazaki (will vol. 4-8 ever be released in English?)
all of Erica Sakurazawa’s English releases (will Angel Town and The Aromatic Bitters vol. 2 ever be released in English now that TokyoPop’s released those in German?)
Chicago, both volumes, by Yumi Tamura
Forest of Gray City, both volumes, by Uhm JungHyum
9 Faces of Love by Wann (OK, some of these short stories are about adults)
Talking About…, all 3 volumes, by Wann
Nana, vol. 1-16, by Ai Yazawa

I really love the Deux line though, and I hope they last. I’ve been buying them faithfully.

I have enjoyed the titles that Deux has released so far and hope that if nothing else the Deux line can continue on since there are not that many publishers of good yaoi titles in America.

I’m sorry they’re having troubles. I had high hopes, and would have liked to have seen some titles that an adult woman like me would have really wanted to buy.

It is my favorite shojo title (even trumping High School Debut for me, which took quite an effort) just because it’s so unconcerned with being lovey-dovey and it’s just… sweet, I guess.

I mean, it’s concerned with a drama club and the people in it rather than being a romance story. Anyway, it’s definitely worth a look, I think.

[...] from the publisher. Deb Aoki has the details and Johanna Draper Carlson has some thoughts on the implications. Snow Wildsmith has some recommendations as well as shipping info. And Kris at Manic About Manga [...]

They also announced the fantasy Josei series Queen of Ragtonia [whose artist has had several series translated by VIZ, Go Comi and CMX, Chika Shiomi] will be a Borders Exclusive, so it seems they’re still rolling, but trying to adapt to the market rather then trying to build up their less popular lines.

“Beyond Twilight” would have been a great project to release around now, just on title alone — built-in audience!

Like Michelle, I’ve read a number of titles from Deux that I’ve really enjoyed (Est Em’s titles, Future Lovers, Spring Fever, Kiss All the Boys).

I am pretty worried about their prospects, though, after reading this. I also worry about Beyond Twilight, the 17-volume josei supernatural series that they announced but currently don’t have listed on their schedule.