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New York Anime Festival 2008 - Vertical, Inc.




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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15604
PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 2:28 am Reply with quote
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This will not, however, mean that Vertical is not planning on publishing other Tezuka books, or manga by other authors, in the meanwhile.


If you Vertical reps are lurking the boards, I'm game for some Princess Knight and Jungle Emperor Leo. Wink

Quote:
Their other manga, on the other hand, such as Keiko Takemiya's To Terra, have not sold well.


Not really surprised, but here's hoping the recent anime releases will boost manga sales. "To Terra" comes from the pre-cyberpunk era when sci-fi was about exploration and mystery, not about blowing up cities with an iPod like those lame geeks in Die Hard 4. Rolling Eyes If Disney's recent adaptation of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"-also a product of that era-didn't do well enough to merit a sequel, you can bet a series like To Terra is doing even worse. [Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if that "Day the Earth Stood Still" remake suffers a similar fate, since only the Will Smith "I, Robot" escaped unscathed; and that was because it had action scenes.]

Quote:
In fact, with the exception of other Tezuka books, Vertical has found that American manga readers are generally not particularly interested in older, classic manga.


Well, I suggested they give Deimos another whirl, so I'm hoping they'll consider it. But Tezuka doing well enough here for them to publish all those volumes of Black Jack is a pretty damn good accomplishment in itself, given that Cyborg 009 and Lupin are still incomplete.

Quote:
In fact, Vertical's Ioannis Mentzis, one of the two presenters, noted that even if a manga like Tezuka's 1947 New Treasure Island were available in English, sales would be extremely small.


True, but I'd be willing to pay Dark Horse's prices[I.E. $15-$18 for Metropolis, Lost World, New World, etc.] for it, if they really think it's worth a shot.

Quote:
In particular, they had been talking to Square Enix before the U.S. rights to that publisher's manga went to Yen Press


Not really a big deal, since SQ'Enix doesn't have a lot of must-read titles. Just continue pestering Shueigakan, please. I know you lost Pluto, but you can always snag Yawara.

Quote:
Finally, Vertical is considering filling another niche and translating some of the more notable Japanese books on anime and manga that have been published recently.


If they want to fill a real niche, how about getting the adaptation rights to the Tsutsui [Paprika, Girl Who Leapt Through Time, etc.] books?
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Moomintroll



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 1600
Location: Nottingham (UK)
PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 8:41 am Reply with quote
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by Gainax co-founder and "kind of the otaku" Toshio Okada


Uhm, shouldn't that be "king of the otaku"?
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Flaed



Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 54
PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 12:33 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Their other manga, on the other hand, such as Keiko Takemiya's To Terra, have not sold well. In fact, with the exception of other Tezuka books, Vertical has found that American manga readers are generally not particularly interested in older, classic manga.


Hm. I'm not normally a manga person but I've been thinking about trying To Terra. Maybe I will when I have enough money.

In any case, that news isn't surprising, but I do find it kind of disheartening. Confused I wonder if the stigma against older stuff is mostly an art style issue? But then again that would affect Tezuka more than. . .almost anyone else I can think of.

Quote:
Among the titles on their release calendar are Sayonara, Mr. Fatty: A Geek's Diet, a personal weight-loss testament by Gainax co-founder and "kind of the otaku" Toshio Okada[.]


This Gainax fangirl finds herself sorely tempted. However, I can't really think of a subject that interests me less than dieting. Laughing I'll keep it in mind, though.
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15604
PostPosted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 4:17 pm Reply with quote
Flaed: To Terra and Andromeda Stories are worth a shot, if you like films like "The Fifth Element".
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hack_benjamin22



Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Posts: 136
PostPosted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:18 pm Reply with quote
To Terra is classic scifi and I loved it. I recommend it to anyone that'll listen to me, but that said it doesn't surprise me that it didn't do very well. It's saddening, but not surprising.
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fuuma_monou



Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 1860
Location: Quezon City, Philippines
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:31 am Reply with quote
Already got TO TERRA. Been putting off ANDROMEDA STORIES, though. Probably no way in hell KAZE TO KI NO UTA will get licensed by any U.S. publisher...

For Tezuka stuff I'll finish getting BUDDHA before anything else.
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Chrno2



Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 6172
Location: USA
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:26 pm Reply with quote
I enjoyed this panel. Definitely looking forward to the release of 'Black Jack' mangas. I have to admit that set is impressive. Since I now have some figures to present to my supervisor I hope that they will get on the ball and order them. But now I can see why publishers play it safe with these types of releases.

I'm also curious to read that 'Moyashimon'. Didn't realize that it struck a chord with so many. A lot of good titles to recommend.
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abstract-alchemist



Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Posts: 65
Location: Hawaii
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:41 pm Reply with quote
No wonder I can't find it in stores. This runs completely to the contrary that was written in an article by a local reporter/writer in our home state. I have to special order To Terra, which is a really awesome sf manga.

Take this with a grain of salt, cause I'm a star trek/start wars freak of nature.
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Highway Star



Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 227
Location: Ireland
PostPosted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:28 pm Reply with quote
Hmm, that's slightly depressing. And some might find suprising is, it's people who read American alternative/indie comics that get into the stuff Vertical publishes more than general manga fans. *Sigh*
I'd sure as hell buy New Treasure Island though, christ, I wouldn't even think twice about it! I already posess two of his earliest works, Next World and Metropolis (nobody ever discusses them).
I also buy Lupin III and Cyborg 009 too, and if anything, I prefer older stuff more than the newer.

Also, it doesn't seem like newer fans of older manga ever appear (though perhaps that might change, due to Black Jack already being fairly-known in America/Europe due to the BJ series and OAVs).
If a thread is started here about, say... Red Colored Elegy or such, it's pretty much the same dedicated fans (e.g. Kagemusha, Tamaria, Gatsu, Hellkorn etc. not that I'm blaming any of you) replying to it that replied in threads about manga like Tezuka or Tatsumi's works.

I don't know what to think about Vertical's move to Shonen though. I guess I'm okay with it as long as they keep up publishing older stuff and don't drop short on Black Jack. And I'd like to see them start working on other legendary mangaka, maybe we can get some Yoshiharu Tsuge???
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_Emi_



Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 498
Location: Langjökull
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:56 am Reply with quote
GATSU wrote:
If Disney's recent adaptation of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"-also a product of that era-didn't do well enough to merit a sequel...

Probably had something to do with it sucking. Very disappointing after being told how funny Douglas Adams was. The dolphins were funny though.

Highway Star wrote:
Also, it doesn't seem like newer fans of older manga ever appear.

*Rasies hand* In fact I paid $22.70 for an ex-library copy of Four Shojo Stories. I also tracked down copies of Secret Comics Japan, A, A Prime, and both volumes of Short Program. And all of To Terra and the first volume of Black Jack are on its way.
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Viga_of_stars



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Posts: 1240
Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:31 pm Reply with quote
sorry double post!

Last edited by Viga_of_stars on Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Viga_of_stars



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Posts: 1240
Location: Washington D.C. in the Anime Atelier
PostPosted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:31 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Their other manga, on the other hand, such as Keiko Takemiya's To Terra, have not sold well. In fact, with the exception of other Tezuka books, Vertical has found that American manga readers are generally not particularly interested in older, classic manga. In fact, Vertical's Ioannis Mentzis, one of the two presenters, noted that even if a manga like Tezuka's 1947 New Treasure Island were available in English, sales would be extremely small. Fans who want to read this would be better and faster served by finding scanlations, he noted.


Sigh. I really liked the fact that Vertical has been getting the older manga. I kinda knew it wouldn't last. Plus, there isn't really anyone who would scanlate these.

Oh well. I'm going to Poli&Pro and get their stock of Vertical. I have very few of their books.
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