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Video Girl Ai's Katsura Draws Jules Verne Novel Cover

The Japanese publisher Shueisha has republished four classic novels from French science fiction and adventure story pioneer Jules Verne with new illustrations by manga creators last month. Masakazu Katsura (Video Girl Ai, I''s, Shadow Lady) drew the cover for Deux ans de vacances (Two Years' Vacation/Jūgo Shōnen Hyōryūki, pictured at right). This adventure novel about 15 marooned boys inspired faithful anime adaptations (Adrift in the Pacific, The Story of Fifteen Boys), a robot science-fiction remake (Ginga Hyōryū Vifam), a fantasy television remake (Kyōryū Bōkenki Jura Tripper), and even an upcoming gender-switched anime version (15 Bishōjo Hyōryūki/The Story of 15 Beautiful Girls Adrift).

Kazuki Funatsu (Addicted to Curry) illustrates Vingt mille lieues sous les mers (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea/Kaiten Niman League, pictured at left), which famously inspired elements of Gainax's Nadia - Secret of Blue Water anime series. Court Betten (Girl Friend, Harukaze Bitter Bop, Prince Standard) draws two novel covers: Cinq semaines en ballon (Kikyū ni Notte Goshūkan/Five Weeks in a Balloon) and Le Chancellor (The Survivors of the Chancellor/Chancellor-gō no Ikada).

Viz Media publishes Katsura's Video Girl Ai and I''s in North America, while Dark Horse Comics publishes his Shadow Lady manga. Tokyopop shipped Betten's Harukaze Bitter Bop last year, and Central Park Media once published Prince Standard. ADV Films released the Nadia - Secret of Blue Water anime series.

Source: Comic Natalie

Cover of Jules Verne's Deux ans de vacances (Two Years' Vacation/Jūgo Shōnen Hyōryūki), as illustrated by Masakazu Katsura (Video Girl Ai, DNA², I''s)

Cover of Jules Verne's Vingt mille lieues sous les mers (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea/Kaiten Niman League), as illustrated by Kazuki Funatsu (Addicted to Curry)

Cover of Jules Verne's Cinq semaines en ballon (Kikyū ni Notte Goshūkan/Five Weeks in a Balloon), as illustrated by Court Betten (Girl Friend, Harukaze Bitter Bop, Prince Standard)

Cover of Jules Verne's Le Chancellor (The Survivors of the Chancellor/Chancellor-gō no Ikada) as illustrated by Court Betten (Girl Friend, Harukaze Bitter Bop, Prince Standard)