5) Battle Royale: Battle Royale was first released in its original novel format in 1999. Heavily criticized for its controversial content, it was shunned for the Kadokawa Mystery Novel Prize that year. The story focuses on a group of middle school students (aged 14-15, so about grade 9 or 10 level) who are unwillingly forced to participate in The Program. This military operation has been using children in this ages range for years, manipulating them into killing each other and using fear to control the people in this alternate version of Japan. People even bet on the outcome of each round of The Program.

This time around, students of Shiroiwa Middle School have been taken to an island, given survival packs, fitted with explosive collars and told the same thing as the groups before them: kill your classmates. Last one standing gets to go home. If no one dies within the 24hr time frame in which the game takes place, then the collars will all be detonated and everyone will die.

The popularity of the novel lead to a manga adaptation which spanned fifteen volumes. Due to the intensely graphic nature of the content within, each volume is sealed in shrink wrap and is definitely not for eyes of anyone under 16 years old. There were also two films based on the novel which were released in Japan. I suggest watching the first movie, but passing on the second, as it takes place after the events of the actual novel and it’s just not nearly as interesting (in my opinion) as the original.

Interested? Buy the novel, the manga, or the DVD from our affiliates!

4) Parasyte: I first read Parasyte when it had been released in flipped format (meaning read left to right, instead of the traditional right to left) by Tokyopop. I found the original translation a bit hard to understand, and so I suggest that anyone looking to get into this series checks out the Del Rey version instead.

Aliens attack a peaceful neighbourhood in the middle of the night. These aliens burrow into their hosts through their ears, but in Shinichi’s case (he was wearing headphones), his Parasite decides to take up residence in his right hand. In order to keep out of a lab or wind up dead, Shinichi and his Parasite (affectionately called Migi, the Japanese word for “right”) take out other Parasites who threaten their existence and try to save humanity.

Give Parasyte a read!

3) Kitaro: Unfortunately neither of these have been picked up for a North American distribution license, but Kitaro is on my list because he is the creepiest kid I have seen since the girl from Ringu climbed out of her well. Kitaro is a youkai, a spirit monster, born in a graveyard as the last member of the Ghost Tribe. The young boy lacks an eyeball in his left socket, but the way his hair falls you can’t even tell. His father barely holds onto his life, living out his last days at his son’s side in the form of an eyeball.

I have not seen the traditional Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro series that have been popping up every decade. I have seen Hakaba Kitaro which is based more closely on the original manga. In this version we see Kitaro born in the graveyard and taken in by Mizuki, a company man who does not believe in ghosts. Kitaro wants to go back to the Underworld, however he has made some interesting friends and enemies in the land of the living.

2) Priest: My favourite manhwa (Korean manga) of all time, Priest is the latest series to be picked up by a North American studio for a live action movie. The story of Ivan Issacs and his personal crusade of revenge against the Fallen Angels who would abuse their powers and attempt to play God, for which God in turn punished them, casting them into the statues built by their followers. These fallen angels are eventually released, and one in particular decides to use humanity to get revenge on God. Ivan, a priest in his own right, witnesses horrors brought on by the most demonic of the Fallen Angels. He is born immortal through the gifts of another like him, and he fights to avenge his beloved Gena and wipe out the Angels.

Priest is best known for its cross over between time periods. While the majority takes place in a Wild West setting, there are parts that take us back to the Crusade periods. I just personally love all the Wild West meets Zombies bits. I highly recommend that you read this manhwa, especially if you plan on seeing the movie once it’s released (in a year or so). Because it is Korean, you would read this like you would normally read any other graphic novel, in left to right format. I must also point out that the art style is gorgeous, even if it is sharp, angular lines. The drawing even looks evil and angry when it needs to, which just adds so much to the story.

Start reading Priest today!

1) Monster: A true suspense story, Monster (which is currently airing on SyFy) is one of my all-time favourites. There is no need to add in demons or yokai. The people and the past of Monster is what creates the atmosphere for this tale. After promising young brain surgeon Dr. Tenma risks his career by saving the life of a boy with a headshot wound instead of the mayor who is rushed into the ER moments before he is to begin operating, mysterious deaths take place in the hospital. KGB Detective Runge investigates Tenma, and even though he cannot charge the doctor with anything, he remains ever suspicious. When Tenma’s career is just about over, he leaves the profession, in search of the monster who has ruined his life.

The young boy and his sister, Johan and Anna, have a haunted past. One that Anna has blocked from her memories, but her brother has not. Runge is forced to deal with the loss of family after he shows he cannot help but put his job first. Everyone is looking for answers, and what they find is corruption of government and human hearts. There are 18 volumes of beautifully drawn manga and 74 episodes in the anime version, virtually chapter perfect. Where the anime stands out is with the addition of the audio. Imagination is a wonderful thing, and I do love the manga, but the anime just has that little bit extra and can make you jump out of your seat when you least expect it.

Check out the first anime box set in December or start reading the manga.

TokyoPop

Tokyopop is starting to move to putting their manga online. They have announced that one series will run at a time with each new chapter released each Wednesday.

“We’re very grateful for the patience of our manga-ka friends,” adds TOKYOPOP Senior Editor Lillian Diaz-Przybyl. “Last year we discussed running a number of these original manga series online, so that they would be exposed to the widest possible audience. Now, with TOKYOPOP.com’s nearly one million unique visitors per month and the ability for anyone to embed the TOKYOPOP reader anywhere, we are definitely excited about the vast audience to which these and other series will be
exposed.”

The first chapter of PSY*Comm volume 3 will debut Wednesday, August 12, with new chapters each Wednesday after that. Boys of Summer will debut BOYS OF SUMMER will debut Wednesday, September 23, followed by EARTHLIGHT and KAT & MOURSE. There is a full schedule at Tokyopop.com/mangaonline

We’ve embedded the reader below. If you enjoy it, we’ll put it in a permanent place where you can go back and read new manga and watch new anime. Just let us know! Tip! Best way to read the manga is to go to full size.

So imagine the look on my face when I saw Tokyopop’s Twitter announcement that original Domo-kun manga was on its way this fall. I had a big fangirl squeal and rushed right over here to tell you all to buy it.

This first, full coloured volume will feature Domo-kun doing what he does best: terrorizing his friends, turning himself into a car, and letting TV influence him a little too much.

If you check out the Domo the Manga page on Tokyopop you can take a look at the first chapter.

The book is scheduled to hit stores on Sept 1st and will retail for $9.99 US/ $12.99 CDN.

Pre-order your copy now at RightStuf

San Diego Comic Con by GamingAngels

One of the few panels I was able to make was the Women in Manga panel at San Diego Comic Con. The panel was aoderated by Eva Volin, and featured Leyla Aker (Viz Media), Deb Aoki (About.com), Robin Brenner, Becky Cloonan, Lillian Diaz-Przybyl (Tokyopop), and JuYoun Lee. The original aim of the panel was to discuss women in the manga business, how to keep manga readers as they get older, and what are some thoughts on the future of manga in the United States.

Women in Manga Panel at SDCC

The panel was pretty early Saturday morning yet the room was full of women eager to hear advice from other women about starting a career in manga. The first topic that Eva brought up to the panel was the fact that teenage girls have been credited with the success of manga in the United States. Now that those teenagers are growing up, how do we help them follow a career in manga. Leyla mentioned that a common problem in any publishing house is the lack of women in executive positions. JuYunn explained that in Korea much of the editorial staff is female. This can be because the companies are smaller and that creates more opportunity for women to move up.

Becky Cloonan will be starting to sell her own manga soon and she explained how she was a comic book fan at a very young age but felt that she could never work in the comic book industry. When she first found manga, Becky immediately knew that was what she wanted to do.

The panel then went into a discussion about how manga can appeal to women fans as they get older. Personally, I enjoy Shojo manga but I can also see how certain titles no longer appeal to me. Josei Manga, (pronounced “joe-say”), refers to manga who’s target audience is women or girls in their late teens. The themes of these manga are more complex, the characters may be in college or working and have problems that older women can relate to. A few examples of titles in this genre of manga are Nana and Tramps like Us. I hope to feature more Josei Manga here on GamingAngels.com through research. Both Leyla and Lillian discussed that it can be a difficult fight to bring these Josei titles to United States because the sales numbers aren’t there yet. While 40% of Shonen Jump readers are female, only 5% of Shojo Beat readers are male. Because of these stats, many publishing houses feel that women will read manga that appeals to men and that is where their focus lies. But every once in awhile they test the waters and hope to be able to do that more in the future. Robin mentioned that it’s up to us as fans, readers, and press to bring more attention to these novels. People react to personal recommendations and we will work harder on GamingAngels.com to help expose you to more choices.

In Warriors: The Rise of Scourge, you learn about what made Scourge into the monster that beat Tigerstar. The third manga focuses on Sasha and Tigerstar in their quest for clan domination.

Goth: A Novel of Horror is set to be released this fall and made into a feature film by Fox Atomic. This October, in time for Halloween, TokyoPop will release Goth: A Novel of Horror which is about two teenagers that are linked with a fascination of murder and torture. Basically a manga that is going to give me nightmares.

Fox Atomic is lined up to make the film with horror director J.T. Petty set to write and direct.

According to TOKYOPOP Senior Editor Jenna Winterberg, “Mastermind Otsuichi’s page-turner about two high school sociopaths and half a dozen murder cases will leave you breathless. And if the suspense doesn’t get you, the gore surely will.” Winterberg continues: “GOTH goes for the jugular. But it isn’t a B-movie blood bath: The psychological profiles are real and vivid, and the twists are guaranteed to blow your mind, turning perception on its head time and time again.”