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Shogakukan, JAL Offer World's 1st Airline Manga Reader

The Japanese publisher Shogakukan is partnering with Japan Airlines (JAL) to introduce "Sky Manga," the world's first airline manga reader. Beginning next year, the service will be available to all passengers taking international flights on JAL's Boeing 787 planes. Each traveler will have individual access to Shogakukan manga titles by using the screen in front of every seat.

Shogakukan will offer the first three volumes of 30 manga titles for a total of 90 manga books that passengers will be able to read en route. The first series the publisher plans to introduce on Sky Manga include Tsuri Baka Nisshi (Diary of a Fishing Fool), Gaku - Minna no Yama (Peak - Everyone's Mountain), Major, Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori (Red River), and Boku no Hatsukoi o Kimi ni Sasagu (I'll Give You My First Love; pictured left). By switching available titles after several months, Shogakukan intends to provide manga that appeal to all ages and both genders.

The collaboration hopes to give flyers the most enjoyable manga reading experience possible by using recent technology developed for e-book readers. The partners also want to promote manga as a representative form of Japanese entertainment and culture by offering the service to world travelers. Sky Manga's creators have not announced whether the Shogakukan manga series will be available in languages other than Japanese.

Source: Anime Anime Japan