Forum - View topicIf you can make your dream manga anthology...
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sacchan
Posts: 277 Location: Okinawa, Japan |
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Imagine that you're the producer (editor?) of a new manga anthology magazine in the U.S. You can pick and choose any existing manga out there.
Who will your target audience be? Why? Which manga (up to 10) will you pick? For what reason? If it was up to me, I'd make a shojo anthology aimed at older teens and up. I would include manga from different genres with a unique style, so that the readers can enjoy some of the more unusual, non-cliche shojo. My pick: 1. 7 SEEDS by Yumi Tamura A gritty survival manga about a group of people who wakes up to find themselves in post-apocalypse Japan, where the environment has seemingly turned back to Jurassic times. No one can write manga like Yumi Tamura. Her art is unique, and her stories are compelling. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?kword_in=7SEEDS&ctgy=books&oop=on 2. Skip Beat! by Yoshiki Nakamura Comedy. This manga is a blast with one of the wackiest heroines in shojo manga. Those who liked the wacky comedy elements and "evil" Yukino from KareKano will love this manga. Kyoko is much "eviler" than Yukino ever was. You can see the wackiness for yourself here: http://www.hakusensha.co.jp/cgi-bin/comics/comics.cgi?isbn=4592178211&mode=1 (Click on the open book sign to see the art. The 進む icon will flip pages.) 3. AMAKUSA 1637 by Michiyo Akaishi A period manga for those interested in historical Japan. Kendo geniuses Natsuki and Miyamoto (her boyfriend) are swept back in time with some other friends. Natsuki is mistaken for the tragic rebellion leader Amakusa Shiro, and Miyamoto gets known as Miyamoto Musashi. They know that the rebellion will end with the slaughter of thousands, and they fight to change history and save the people. Michiyo Akaishi is one of the big names of shojo manga. I wonder why none of her work has been licensed in the U.S. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=赤石 路代&title=ＡＭ 4. Bara no Tameni (For the Roses) by Akemi Yoshimura Sometimes you need a heroine who's not a stereotypical, beautiful shojo manga heroine. Yuri is definitely an ugly duckling, short and chubby and freckled. After her grandmother's death, Yuri discovers that she's a daughter of a famous actress, and goes to live with her beautiful step-siblings in Hokkaido. This manga is funny, heart-warming, and romantic. The mangaka has a way with words, and frequently they are even poetic. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?kword_in=薔薇のために&ctgy=books&oop=on 5. Omizu no Hanamichi story by Shizuka Kidoguchi, art by Rika Similar in premise to Club 9, this manga is about Akina, a Tokyo night club hostess teetering on the edge of survival (she's already 28--so old!  ). The story is written by a real-life night club hostess, and is an interesting slice of life manga.
http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=理花&title=お水 6. Yamada Taro Monogatari by Ai Morinaga Comedy by the author of Your and My Secret. The protagonist is a guy, which doesn't happen so much in a non-yaoi shojo manga. The Yamada family is dirt-poor, and it's hilarious how they try to survive each day. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=森永 あい&title=山田 7. Oishii Kankei (Delicious Relationship) by Satoru Makimura A down-to-earth story about a woman aspiring to be a cook. Although the art can seem a bit sparse, all the relationships between the characters are excellently portrayed. The French cuisine described in this manga will make your stomach growl 
http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=槙村さとる／著&title=おい 8. Silver story by Penny Jordan, art by Kazuko Fujita Many Harlequin-type western romance novels are adapted into manga, but they are usually done by sub-par artists. So who cares if an unattractive hero falls in love with an unattractive heroine? Silver is unusual because the adaptation is done by Kazuko Fujita, one of the top shojo mangaka. The art is beautiful, and it's worth a read for the romance novel fans. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=藤田 和子&title=シル 9. Koi Monogatari (Love Stories) by Chiho Saito This is a collection of short love stories by the author of UTENA. I think it's a good idea to include a yomikiri or two in each issue of an anthology. Chiho Saito's art is sexy and beautiful. And personally, I like her short stories much better than her longer works. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=さいとう ちほ&title=恋物 Last edited by sacchan on Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:45 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Kagemusha
 Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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This sounds like an interesting concept. Well, I guess I'll give it a shot and create something geared towards Seinen fans. I'll try to balance out the mangas so its not too violent or too humorous etc:
Gon-I don't care how old you are, or what gender you are, you will fall in love with Gon. Gon is a little dinosaur who somehow survived the mass extinction and now lives with animals of the world, often protecting them from predators. Oh, and there is no dialouge. Thats right, not even a sound effect. Despite this, the manga-ka has such skill as an artist and writer that he can invoke such a wide range of emotions from the reader. Gon will make you sad, it will make you laugh and it will even inspire you. Its already a classic in Japan, and has won tons of acclaim over in the US. Blade of the Immortal-What can I say: I just love this series. Beautiful art, incredibly deep characters and some of the best storytelling out there. The manga-ka has the ability to continually shock and devistate the reader, yet always gives a bit of hope. The characters have very serious flaws, but thats why they're so easy to grow attached to (my favorite right now is Hyakurrin). Plus, it has Shira, the best villian ever created. This continues to amaze me (and rip my heart out, especially with Hyakurrins new conflict in upcoming volumes). Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou-A very simple yet heartfelt manga. Set in a Japan where the world is slowly fading, unlike most post apocalyptic manga YKK is a very easy read in the slice of life genre. Anyone who has read it knows its pretty hard to describe it, but I know that I love reading it. Black and White-This is a work of pure genius. Brilliant in every way possible. A very surreal and unconventional story with amazingly insane art. This is the tale of Black, a street smart punk with little morals, and White, his retarded pal, as they brutally attack anyone who gets in there way. Where some similar mangas rely on their weirdness as a selling point, BaW has some of the best characters ever. The pacing is perfect, and the ending is a thing of beauty that will touch anyone. 20th Century Boys-From the same guy who wrote Monster, 20thCBs first shows a group of friends in their late thirties, having given up on their childhood aspirations. But it seems one of the people hasen't: he wants to rule the world. This outlandish plot is told so well and realistic that each chapter is will leave the readers amazed time and time again. It is a funny and serious read, with some of the best characters in the medium. A bit slow, but very smart. Oh My Goddess!-A wonderfully told manga. With a less talented writer, OMG would have sunk into repetative mediocracy long ago. But Fujishima is a master of his craft, and the subjects of the storys are so diverse, ranging from motorcycle races to wacky trouble with demons. This manga remains fresh, funny and touching even after all this time. Dr. Kishiwada's Scientific Affection-Insane. Thats all I can say about this wacky comedy. Centering around the titles scientist and his experiments which often effect his poor assistants, he does everything from creating new universes to inventing a cyber brothel so he can see if he can give his assistants virtual orgasims, everything about this is over the top and crazy. Phoenix-Its Tezuka. Its Tezuka creating a manga that tacles what it means to be a human being. Nuff said. Berserk-Hands down the greatest dark fantasy manga of all time. Heck, it could be the best fantasy manga period. This story is epic in every way. Such effort was put into creating the world of Berserk, with the manga-ka using a wide range of influences from fantasy novels to philosophy. I don't know what direction its going in, but I know its going to amaze me. Other things I would consider putting in are Vagabond (incredible read, but I already have a samurai manga in there) Exaxxion (one of the best action/scifi titles available), Maison Ikkoku (a suberb romantic comedy, perhapse the best ever), Daigo of Firefighter Company M (its shonen, but is so good that it would fit in with any anthology) or Jiraishin (badass bishonen detective faces the worst humanity has to offer). |
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sacchan
Posts: 277 Location: Okinawa, Japan |
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20th Century Boys sounds interesting. I don't read much seinen, but I've read MONSTER and enjoyed it
Oh, and for my first post, I've added a link to Hakusensha's browse page for Skip Beat! I encourage anyone to try it. Even if you don't understand Japanese, the art will make you laugh. |
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darkhunter
 Posts: 2992 Location: Los Angelas |
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Quick question about the Gon series. What's the order for the books?
?? #1 Gon #2 Gon Again! #3 Here Today, #4 Going, Going, Gon On paradox page, it has these books: » GON ON SAFARI Softcover » GON SWIMMING Softcover » GON UNDERGROUND Softcover » GON WILD! Softcover » GON Softcover |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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The order of Gon matters little, as it consists of standalone short stories. I myself am not sure, and I don't even know if they're still being published in the US. In Japan, its only about four chapters a year.
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dubbs2615
 Posts: 24 Location: The Darkness |
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My anthology would probably consist of:
1.Megatokyo-The story is about two american gamers (Piro and Largo) who one day decide to just up and leave to go to japan.The story is incredibly funny. Fred Gallaghers art is just so raw and seems so unfinished....i just love it. 2.Rurouni Kenshin-the story is about a retired assassin from the Bakumatsu era.throwing down his weapon pledging to never kill again.The storyline is all-in-all just down right griping.I picked one up awhile ago and still read them.Theres action mixed with good humor. 3.Inuyasha-the story is about a girl named Kagome who is the reincarnation of a priestess long,long ago.She is brought through a well by a demon that brings her to the past.She teams up with Inu-yasha ( a half demon that tried to steal the Shikon jewl and was chased by Kagomes earlier form) and many others to retrieve the Shikon jewl shards before they are retrieved by someone else. Again,the whole Action/Humor falls here and im a sucker for it.Rumiko Takahashi has got to be one of my favorite artists and writers. 4.Wolfs Rain-The storyline of Wolfs Rain is a post-apocolypse where wolfs are "extinct" and humans are about to be going down the same path.But wolfs really arent.They have just transformed into human forms.Some wolves are going out in search for the flowers of the moon,which supposedly will lead them to paradise.This story to me is somewhat of a very sad one.They search and search and still pretty much find nothing.Lida Toshitsugu touched me with this one  .
5.Hikaru no Go-Hikaru Shindo is just a normal Japanese boy who one day (rumaging through an old trunk) find an old go board that is haunted by a ghost that was an old royal Go instructor a thousand years ago.He tells Hikaru his story and is determined to acomplish the perfect Go game (the Hand of God) through Hikaru.The story to me is just a happy go luckt type of story.To me it reminds me of Shaman King but all-in-all i read Hikaru no Go when i want to feel just down right good. 6.Anything else that I've ever read including Shaman King,FLCL, and CLAMP.Also anything else that i forgot and will probably remember later :p. Dubbs2615 |
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sacchan
Posts: 277 Location: Okinawa, Japan |
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How about a shojo manga anthology, all with male protagonists? Maybe as an introduction to shojo for guys who hate girly manga
1. Shanimuni Go by Marimo Ragawa A relationship-driven tennis manga with comedy. Ide, who was a champion sprinter in middle school, decides to join the high school tennis team because the girl he fell in love at first sight is the team manager(helper?). But he knows nothing about tennis... http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?kword_in=しゃにむにＧｏ&ctgy=books&oop=on&submit.x=46&submit.y=14 2. Yasha by Akio Yoshida Written by the author of Banana Fish, and in a way, its sequel. About genetically enhanced twin brothers raised apart. One brother is a part of a sinister plot to purge the population of imperfect people, while the other tries to stop him. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=吉田 秋生&title=ＹＡ 3. Yakumo Tatsu(Eight Clouds Rising) by Natsumi Itsuki A Shinto shaman manga for those who like supernatural/religious themes. Nanachi tags along with his senpai (who's in theater) to Izumo to research Shinto legends. There, he witnesses a secret bloody ritual. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=樹 なつみ&title=八雲 4. Gekka no Kimi (Lord Under the Moon)by Ako Shimaki A more shojo-ish manga than the others, but still with a male protagonist. Hazuki is the reincarnation of the legendary playboy, Hikaru Genji. And because of his sins in the past life, any physical contact with a girl (even casually) makes him tremble uncontrollably. But one day, he meets a girl he likes... http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?kword_in=月下の君&ctgy=books&oop=on 6. Ningyo Shibai(Puppet Show) by Shigeru Takao Set in Tokyo, year 28XX. People visit Shizuka and Arashi, twin doll-makers, to buy child-shaped androids to ease their loneliness. Short stories that will touch your heart. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/search_result?writer=高尾 滋&title=人形 7. Dobutsu no Oishasan(Animal Doctor) by Rinko Sasaki A manga for animal lovers. Collection of funny short stories featuring animals and the weird people in the vet department of a university. http://esbooks.yahoo.co.jp/books/detail?accd=19669678 |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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I don't know about that anthology. I think alot of guys (myself included) could have problems identefying with a male character aimed at girls. Personally, I would rather read a shojo manga about a girl than some guy with angst and homoerrotic undertones.
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darkhunter
Posts: 2992 Location: Los Angelas |
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I know a lot of guys do read shoujo, but I doubt many of them would declair it in real life though. Online is a different story.
If there was a shoujo anthology that aim towards guy, I would put these popular title: Hot Gimmick Imadoki Girl Got Game xxxholic Fruit Basket Maison Ikkoku Even though I do like how these stories are, I havn't read enough to give a detailed description. Plus the fact that they arn't that girly like some of the other title (example Wild Act or Duck Prince). |
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Craeyst Raygal
 Posts: 1383 Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT. |
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Well, I'd have to say my dream manga anthology would be one based almost entirely around motorsports and motoring. And it'd go a little something like this.
Feature Mangas (the one that would drag them in by the boatload) - Wangan Midnight and SS,. Wangan Midnight - Generally considered to be the Yin to Initial D's yang, Wangan Midnight is all about racing on the Bay Side Expressway in Japan, a high speed world of street racing in which big power and big ambition are the keys to success. Akio Asakura is a young man on the verge of greatness in this world. Driver of the infamous Devil Z, a higly tuned classic Fairlady 240Z, Akio must overcome fierce competitors and personal stryfe to be the fastest on the Wangan run. S.S - Ordinary average guy Daibutsu is a family man with a steady job. Not much to him... ...until he gets behind the wheel of his rare rally-edition Mitsubishi Starion. S.S is his story, the tale of how he fell from his days of rallying on the national stage to his spirit's rekindling on the Japanese highways. Filled with high-speed racing, join Daibutsu on his journey to reclaim his racer's edge. The anthology would also contain some less atypical series. Namely Restore Garage 251, Akai Pegasus, and Factory Z. Restore Garage 251 - Cars get old. Cars break down. And that's where Yumejirou Ichinose and his grandson Tetsuya come in. They run Restore Garage 251, a shop specializing in the rebuilding of grand classic cars. From the smallest brake job to the biggest overhaul, they use skill, ingenuity, and craftsmanship to bring classics back to life. Akai Pegasus - Considered one of the most gripping fictional depictions of Formula One since John Frankenheimer's Gran Prix, Akai Pegasus is the harrowing tale of the fictional Sounderbolt Engineering F1 team in the 70's as they compete on the world's biggest stage with the likes of Lauda, Scheckter, Jones, and Villeneuve. Factory Z - Few cars create excitement like the ones so new that they aren't even shown to the public. At least, that's what the photographers of team Factory Z believe, and that's why, led by their intrepid founder Rei Nagumo, Factory Z is out travelling worldwide to capture the newest prototypes on film. Also, there'd be model kit reviews, translated versions of the short stories by Nishikaze, and each month would have an in-depth look at two cars; a star car from a manga, and a well known hot rod, race car, or tuner. Not sure what I'd title it. Though I like the sound of Apex Monthly. |
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lianncoop
Past ANN Contributor
 Posts: 1705 Location: Indiana |
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Actually, correct me if I'm wrong, but these two are shounen titles. |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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Maison Ikkoku is a seinen romance manga, but I don't know what xxxholic could be considered. I guess shonen. |
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darkhunter
Posts: 2992 Location: Los Angelas |
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I thought shounen usually deal with combat and action and shoujo "is associated with a visual and storytelling style rather than with a demographic.". But I guess I could be wrong. Aim towords girl. |
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lianncoop
Past ANN Contributor
Posts: 1705 Location: Indiana |
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My bad for using shounen, rather than seinen on Maison Ikkoku. Yeah, but like Kagemusha said Maison Ikkoku is a seinen while XXXHolic is more shounen. Though they do have female appeal, they were drawn with the male demographic in mind. |
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R.G.
Posts: 687 |
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My dream manga anthology would include :
Kaze Hikaru by Taeko Watanabe and Ryo by Ueda Rinko. |
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