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by Austin Lanari -- When "The Biggest Attack on Titan Manga Announcement Ever" panel was announced, including the likes of long-time and super-well-connected editor Jeanine Schaefer, the assumption was that some type of western comics homage to the best-selling Japanese manga was in the works. My personal guess was a miniseries or two from a couple of creators. The reality is much bigger than that.

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    Here’s Kodansha’s complete line-up and giveaways. Junji Ito cat comics and Tony Moore Attack on Titan? I think I see where this is going.   The Biggest Attack on Titan Manga Announcement Ever    Thu Oct 8 | 4-5 | Room 1A18 In which we make the biggest announcement about Attack on Titan comics […]

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Digital manga—more available than ever before. Both Weekly Shonen Jump and Kodansha have just joined Comixology and the Kindle store. The digital Weekly Shonen Jump makes such favorites as One Piece, Bleach, Blue Exorcist available on the same day as the Japanese release throughout North America, the U.K., Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. […]

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Ever had an unlicensed series that never seems to make it into the latest licensing announcements? Are you dying to see that obscure cat manga translated into English? Our licensing request round-up explores some of things to consider when requesting manga licenses from your favorite US publishers.

So you’ve read a killer blurb about an unlicensed manga that you’d love to see Stateside — what next? You’ll want a to consider a handful of things:

1. How long the series is
2. How old the series is
3. Whether the series has been previously released, and, most importantly,
4. The series’ original Japanese publisher.

First up: the length. Both Kodansha and Vertical have mentioned that the longer a series goes the more of a stretch it is to license. Will fans stay interested in a 20+ volumes long series that will take years and years to release? Volumes 1-3 may be a hit, but what about everything in between? A hugely popular franchise or anime tie in may make the case more compelling for licensing a longer series, but other longer series are riskier than their short and sweet counterparts.

Hand in hand with length is to consider how old a series is. Personally, I’m a big fan of older shoujo, but one has to consider whether this would “hit it off” with newer (and maybe younger) fans who may be used to new art styles, techniques, or story tropes. Then there is also the issue of file quality for other series: older series may not have digital files to work with and as Vertical’s Ed Chavez points out on the Vertical Tumblr: “…good files might be hard to find, turning a simple translation and lettering job into a bit of an archaeological/anthropological project.” Unfortunately older series are a bit harder to sell.

Next you’ll want to do your research: Has your requested series been published before? If it’s complete and easily acquirable, great! Otherwise if your series is OOP or in licensing/release limbo things are tricky. “License rescues” are particularly hard sells. I talked to Yoko Tanigaki of Digital Manga Publishing’s (DMP) sales and distribution manager regarding rescues and her response noted that rescues are “extremely difficult,” that “popularity” is a huge factor, and that there would need to be “serious reasons” to consider a rescue. Not to say that hasn’t been done, but the reasoning would have to be fairly compelling, I would imagine.

But okay! So your series is the perfect length, not too old, and not a license rescue (or if it is, it’s a really compelling case). Now you bombard every manga publisher with your license request, right? No, you shouldn’t! A more targeted approach is better and shows you’ve done a bit of research; not every publisher can license manga from every Japanese publisher! Some US manga publishers are actually subsidiaries/are owned by a Japanese publisher; Kodansha USA is the US branch of Japanese publisher Kodansha, while Viz is owned by Shogakukan and Shueisha. Therefore the most efficient course of action is to find out the original magazine your to-be-licensed series was published in and locate the publisher from there. Once you know that information you can tailor your license request to a specific publisher.

Let’s take the fan-favorite (and fairly obvious)  but still unlicensed manga Princess Jellyfish. While this doesn’t make the length cut at thirteen volumes and it certainly a hard josei sell, as a general example who would you “pitch” this license to? A quick search brings up that the series was published in Kiss, a Japanese magazine published by Kodansha. Therefore Kodansha USA would be my go-to publisher for a license request, (though unfortunately Princess Jellyfish seems unlikely at this point.) Even if you have the right publishers lined up, one also should consider the type of manga a US publisher tends to license. Both Seven Seas and Kodansha have noted a preference for non-explicit/series that don’t need to be shrinkwrapped in store, so series that may require that may be best pitched elsewhere, if possible.

To summarize, below is a handy (but no where near exhaustive) list of some US manga publishers available or unavailable Japanese publishers, relevant links, and licensing preferences.

Viz Media

CAN License From: Shogakukan & Shueisha

Kodansha

CAN License From: Kodansha JP ONLY
Not Preferred: long series (15+ volumes), titles on obscure subjects, series older than early 2000s, graphic violence/sexuality, no light novels

Vertical

CANNOT License From: Shueisha, Shogakukan, Akita Shoten, Gentosha
Not preferred: long series (10+ volumes), series older than 2002, license rescues
Note: Has open licensing surveys/requests regularly.

Seven Seas

CAN License From: ASCII Media Works, Ichijinsha, Kadokawa/Kadokawa Shoten, Media Factory, Shonen Gahosha
CANNOT License From: Hakusensha, Kodansha, Shogakukan, Shueisha, Square Enix, SoftBank, Creative/Flex Comix

Digital Manga

CAN License From: Anywhere, within obvious limits (Kodansha, Shogakukan, Shueisha would go to their respective companies first)
Not preferred: license rescues

Keep in mind that even with a the most well-researched license request, a licensing decision lies with the publisher and the related parties. Some fan favorites still remain unlicensed, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to politely voice your wishes to the publishers. They love manga just as much as you do.

So, are there any series you would love to see licensed or “rescued?” Let us know in the comments!

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Title: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Vol 1 Author: Naoko Takeuchi Publisher: Kodansha ISBN: 978-1935429746

 

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

I was excited when Kodansha announced that they would be releasing Sailor Moon, with new translations, unflipped.  This is one of the series that got me interested in anime and manga in the first place (Ranma 1/2 is the other).  When Tokyopop’s version of Sailor Moon was released, I was more than a little disappointed with the final product.  The books weren’t constructed to last for more than a reading or two, and all of the names had been changed to match those of the hacked up TV version that was being shown on the Cartoon Network.  Ugh.

After reading this introduction to the series, I am looking forward to reading more.  The translation flows effortlessly, and Usagi’s adventures are fun to follow.  She will never be Ms. Motivated, and that’s why I love her character.  She is a normal 14 year old, more interested in playing video games and goofing around than in doing her homework. Napping is a hobby for her, as is stuffing her face.  She is clearly a girl after my own heart.  I can instantly relate to Usagi, and her lack of ambition had me totally engaged in the plot.  How is this slacker going to save the world from evil?

With Luna, the talking cat there to offer guidance, Usagi slowly accepts the mantel of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon.  One of my favorite shoujo tropes is the magical girl story, and Sailor Moon is one of the best.  I don’t know what I find so engaging about girls yelling ridiculous phrases like “Moon Prism Power! Makeup!!” and “Jupiter Thunderbolt!” while having magic wardrobe changes, but I do.  While Usagi’s transformations have nothing on Sakura’s (or Kero’s for that matter), her costume swaps are still entertaining.  I want a magical tiara and Moon scepter, too!  Perhaps Santa will bring me one for Christmas.  I have tried to be especially good this year.

It’s hard to write a review about a franchise as well known as this one.  It’s like writing up my thoughts about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  Everyone has seen it, and everyone has their own opinion of it.  It’s hard to offer new insight about it.  So I’m just going to tell you why I love these books, as each volume is released.    I am very familiar with the beginning half of the series, but the ending is kind of foggy for me, so I am looking forward to getting reacquainted with Usagi, Mamoru, and the Sa

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Following yesterday’s announcement that the Del Rey Manga imprint was folding into a distribution arm for Kodansha Comics, a US branch of the Japanese publisher, American manga watchers were NOT jumping for joy. Chris Butcher came right out and said it:

To my mind, there hasn’t been a worse publisher launch in the last 5 years than that of Kodansha USA.

Ouchie. Kodansha’s vvveeerrrryyyyy slow roll out of titles — two in two years — in demonstrably inferior editions and lack of communication are the signs that Butcher is talking about. However some manga bloggers see a way out.
Daniella Orihuela-Gruber has a smart plan involving going public and bringing back such slam dunk hits as Sailor Moon.

3. Make a big splash- Ever since Kodansha started pulling the licenses of their titles from American manga publishers, Kodansha has been much like Cuba–everyone else can get the cigars, but Americans can’t. There are many fantastic titles hidden in the Kodansha vaults, so please, Kodansha, don’t keep all the top notch Cohibas locked away in a drawer. Publish Sailor Moon or another popular title that fans have been clamoring for and our attention will be solidly fixed on Kodansha. I know this goes against the previous suggestion, but if it’s done in tandem, I think it could really work well for Kodansha.

Katherine Dacey is also concerned about the lack of engagement with the community:

What Kodansha hasn’t done is engage readers in a dialogue about its plans. Yes, senior management spoke to Publishers’ Weekly about the forthcoming partnership, but Kodansha has yet to create a proper website (the embedded link within the press release points to a non-existent page) or meet with journalists and fans face-to-face. (Kodansha’s New York Comic-Con panel, originally scheduled for 10:45 AM on October 10th, simply disappeared from the Events calendar with no notice.) I understand that Kodansha employees are reluctant to speak before the company has determined what and when it will publish, but in refusing to reach out to fans at all, they’re allowing fan and journalist speculation to take the place of productive discussion about the company’s plans. Let’s hope they get cracking on a new website soon.

David Welsh shows that the above two really are the hopeful ones:

But I would be lying if I said I was optimistic. It’s been over two years since word first leaked that Kodansha was taking its English-language distribution into its own hands, and the results have been rather pathetic.

Our own thoughts? Obviously Kodansha is a very zaibatsu Japanese company, with all the (to Western sensibilities) quirks and preconceived notions that many Japanese companies have when doing business over here. The fact that they out and out cancelled their NYCC panel is telling — not even Wildstorm did that!

Kodansha Comics needs to bust loose — a new edition of Sailor Moon, the book that sparked the w

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By Purdy, Director of Publicity

I recently lunched with the publicity director at Kodansha’s US office. In the interest of full disclosure, OUP distributes Kodansha books in the US, so it gives us an excuse to lunch at nice restaurants each season to talk shop. As we whined about the media and dined on the Parisian/Maghreb fare at Barbes on 36th St., our conversation took the inevitable turn to books and authors we were excited about on our respective Spring lists. I confessed I favored working with Ashraf Ghani & Clare Lockhart on their book about fixing failing states in this crazy mixed up world we live in. I confessed that as a young idealist in the 80s I dreamed of changing the world, but Ghani & Lockhart were actually doing it. They were consulting with world leaders of foreign governments and trying to make the world a better place. I confessed that it gave me a rush and chills to think that somehow I was contributing to their great good efforts, that I was living what i had only dreamed of doing as a boy in upstate New York.

Jennifer nodded. Then she got a gleam in her eye and she told me all about her fave title on the Spring 2008 Kodansha list, A Geisha’s Journey: My Life As a Kyoto Apprentice. It was a book about young Japanese girl who sets out to master the ancient art of being geisha. I was fascinated as Jennifer spoke about young Ruriko’s transformation from a 15 year old school girl into the adult geisha, Komomo.

Komomo is appearing in NYC this week and a brief interview with Komomo appears below.

Event Notes:

On Friday, May 23 at 1 p.m. there will be a signing and permformance at Kinokuniyya (Bryant Park Store), 1073 Avenue of the Americas.

At 3:30 there will also be an informal signing and performance at the Ippodo Gallery, 521 W. 26th Street.

On Saturday, May 24 at 3 p.m., Komomo will be appearing at Kiteya Soho, 464 Broome St., New York, NY (near Greene St.). She will be autographing books and performing.

Komomo will also teach a two-day geisha workshop at the Japan Society on May 21 and 22. She will participate in a lecture featuring Ogino on May 22. (Sorry! This is sold-out).

OUPblog: In the book, you expressed some uncertainty before you became a geisha. What doubts were going through your mind?

Komomo: I wasn’t sure if I was ready to become a full geisha because they are required to entertain the customers with their “skills in the arts” much more than an apprentice. Also, I thought that perhaps I should experience the outside world at that time because I thought I might miss opportunities.

OUP: “Geisha Experience Tours” – in which everyday women are dressed as apprentices and are professionally photographed in popular sites throughout Kytoto – have become very popular lately. Do you feel that these tourist excursions have commercialized or tarnished the image of the geisha profession?

Komomo: I think so. If everyday women walk in the city in geisha costume, I want them to somehow indicate that they are not professional geisha.

OUP: You lost many freedoms when you made the decision to become a geisha. How difficult was that for a teenager to live under such restrictions?

Komomo: I once thought about quitting the apprenticeship without becoming a geisha because I wanted to be free and to choose whatever I wanted to do in the outside world – I wanted to go to university, study abroad, etc.

However, as I mulled it over and over, I realized I hadn’t achieved anything that I could be proud of. Whatever path I decided to take, I thought I would need to have some kind of expertise to contribute – otherwise no one would take me seriously. I decided to continue my work in the hanamachi (geisha district) because I thought, even if I had freedom, it wouldn’t do me any good until I achieved something and found something to be proud of. At that time, though, I felt like I was in limbo – like I still had a lot to accomplish.

OUP: Is there anything you miss about the outside world or anything that you regret you’re missing?

Komomo: I think it’s never too late to start anything. If there is something that I want to do, I will do it. There is nothing that I regret.

OUP: What do you do in your free time?

Komomo: Once in a while, when I get free time, I usually dine out and go shopping with my friends.

OUP: What does the future hold for you? Do you still have the option of marrying and having a family while being a geisha?

Komomo: I believe that being a geisha is a lifelong profession—we can continue to work as a geisha regardless of age. However, in today’s hanamachi in Kyoto, geisha usually quit their jobs when they decide to get married. This might change in the future, though. Unlike the old days, geisha don’t have a danna (a rich man who acts as a geisha’s individual patron), therefore, if we want to continue working as a geisha, getting married might become an obstacle.

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This morning we presented a post from R. Barker Bausell, author of Snake Oil Science: The Truth About Complementary and Alternative Medicine , in which he argues that the placebo effect has as much healing power as alternative medicine. Below, in an excerpt from Bausell’s book, we learn about the history of the use of placebos in scientific research.

…The placebo effect itself escaped serious scientific scrutiny until 1955, having largely been considered prior to that time to be more a part of medical lore (or physician mystique) than a documented clinical entity. (more…)

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