Comments on: Coming Up: Manga Due November 2010

By: A Blank Slate: No Del Rey Manga After November? » Manga Worth Reading

A Blank Slate: No Del Rey Manga After November? » Manga Worth Reading — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:22:05 +0000

[...] of works by already bestselling authors and licensed properties, although I was excited to see an expanded slate of listings last [...]

By: Oliver

Oliver — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:54:57 +0000

I believe Psycho Busters vols. 6-7 omnibus is coming soon. If you want the complete volumes of a failing series, I guess you have to read it at the source. Learning Japanese is sound for not only this, but it opens up more opportunities as well.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:17:39 +0000

Those titles weren’t included in this go-round, unfortunately. And there’s an easy answer to your last question, although it’s not one you want to hear: New volumes attract more attention and potential new readers. Long-running series don’t. At some point, sales may drop below a point where a publisher can continue. That’s not “Tokyopop-esque”, but smart business.

By: Ahavah

Ahavah — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 01:48:42 +0000

Johanna, which Del Rey series are getting new, single volume releases? I’ve been waiting for the latest volumes of Alive: The Final Evoluton, Psychobusters, and My Heavenly Hockey Club for quite awhile now. Everytime Del Rey releases a brand new title without any word on whether they plan to put out the later volumes of older titles, I can’t help but feel dissapointed with them. Why release something new and unproven when you can’t even keep up your commitment to your older license choices?

I feel as if Del Rey is making Tokyopop-esque choices, and that’s definately not a good thing.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:29:00 +0000

I’m afraid no one can predict the answers to your questions. Few companies want to continue publishing a series that they’re losing money on, though, regardless of how successful other titles may be. (Although it is possible — I’ve known comic companies to stick with not-as-popular series because they were award winners or otherwise prestigious. That doesn’t really apply to those books, though.)

Unfortunately, it’s a vicious spiral — if fans become disenchanted and convinced Del Rey doesn’t finish series, then they’re less likely to buy other Del Rey series. But that’s why I highlighted that many series were getting new, single volumes offered this month, to counteract that perspective.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:01:26 +0000

So does Del Rey have an obligation to complete these series? Is it likely they’ll just cancel those that are poor sellers? All those I mentioned weren’t necessarily no-sellers. The hits Negima and Tsubasa make up for this, right? Not every one can be a hit. I have a decreasing hope that Del Rey will continue what they started. Perhaps they have just delayed some series for a future date? Or is my head in the clouds with this one?

By: lovelyduckie

lovelyduckie — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:25:13 +0000

I have all those Viz titles on order as well as Zetsubou Sensei and Rave Master. But Ghost Hunt is like Buffy? Now I’ve only seen the anime but I never really thought of it as like Buffy…on a coincidental note I happen to be re-watching Buffy since Netflix is now streaming it. I’m at about the end of season 2.

After reading this post I put “Not Love But Delicious Foods” on my list. Manga about food is a new love for me.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:10:24 +0000

I have no concrete information, but if Del Rey/Random House are pulling back and being more selective about their releases in a time of decreasing sales for print overall, it wouldn’t surprise me. None of those series are hugely popular, based on sales figures and what I hear people talking about. And as you point out, no one’s sure what’s going on with Kodansha, as their US launch has been a lead balloon.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 06:57:32 +0000

Hey Del Rey, where’s Nodame Cantabile Volume 17? Where’s Pumpkin Scissors Volume 6? Maid War Chronicle Volume 3? Gakuen Prince Volume 4? Princess Resurrection Volume 8? Yokai Doctor Volume 4? Yozakura Quartet Volume 6? Pastel Volume 15? My Heavenly Hockey Club Volume 9?

All fans of these series have waited a year or more for these volumes. Is there trouble at Del Rey, or trouble on Kodansha’s end? I recently noticed back volumes (back issues?) of some Del Rey series with their original $10.99 increased to $11.99 AND a new type of printing quality that was alien to Del Rey before. What the heck is going on?

By: Safety

Safety — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:56:01 +0000

BLU seems more active on their Twitter account than on the website, but still not super-active.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:20:36 +0000

Thanks for all the additional info!

By: lys

lys — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:05:39 +0000

Maybe the (of #) numbers have to do with how manga are licensed? (I vaguely recall reading a discussion of this before.) I think the publisher has to specifically license each volume, so when a new volume is released in Japan, a new batch of paperwork would have to be done up before they can officially schedule a release for the volume. I think.

By: Ysabet

Ysabet — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:48:26 +0000

Johanna–I don’t really know how those “x (of x)” figures work, but they do get changed regularly. I remember Fruits Basket showed as “(of 14)” for a long time, and there was never any chance they were dropping that. All I know for sure is that I only work on Frog a couple times a year. As Reeve indicated, we’re caught up to the Japanese release.

By: Reeve

Reeve — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:26:45 +0000

Went and poked around Amazon.co.jp, and saw that Vol. 21 of Sgt. Frog is coming out there later this month, so looks like it’s still ongoing.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:41:44 +0000

I wondered about that. It’s labeled “20 (of 20)”, but Tokyopop has adjusted those numbers before. (Back in the day, it used to be “of 14″.) I don’t know if Tpop is just saying that they’re done with it, or if they’re waiting for something to happen (sales figures to come in, more books published in the home country, something else) before they solicit more. Does anyone know what the volume count is in Japan?

By: Ysabet

Ysabet — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:45:00 +0000

I don’t think 20 is the final volume of Sgt. Frog.