Del Rey Manga Announces New Acquisitions for Summer 2009
NEW YORK, NY – August 1, 2008 – Del Rey Manga, an imprint of Ballantine Books at the Random House Publishing Group, announced last week one of their biggest titles for the Spring 2009 lineup, as well as several new acquisitions that will launch in Summer 2009. Among the new releases are a spin-off to one of Del Rey Manga's bestselling series, new shôjo and supernatural titles, and a fantasy manga novel series featuring work from some of manga's biggest superstars.
Del Rey Manga Associate Publisher Dallas Middaugh says, “To bring the new Negima manga to the U.S. is a big thrill for us, and we're very excited about all of our releases this span. The manga we're publishing are getting better and better all the time!”
MANGA
Ken Akamatsu's Negima! Master Negi Magi was one of the four series released at the launch on the Del Rey Manga imprint in 2004, and 18 volumes later, the series continues to be a bestseller for the imprint. Del Rey Manga is proud to announce the acquisition of NEGIMA! NEO, a second series featuring the 10-year-old boy wizard and the girls of Mahora Academy. With the story and original concept by Akamatsu, and art by Takuya Fujima, NEGIMA! NEO reimagines the original Negima! storyline, and is an adaptation of the Negima! anime. Negi's attention is back on finding his father, the famous Thousand Master. NEGIMA! NEO is set for release in April 2009.
Del Rey Manga's newest shôjo acquisition is ORANGE PLANET, a romantic comedy by Haruka Fukushima. ORANGE PLANET goes deep into the twists and turns of a secret love triangle. With Rui in love for the first time with her dreamy classmate Kaoru—but Rui's adorable best friend, the boy next door, is secretly in love with Rui. Throw in the good-looking teaching assistant who moves into Rui's apartment and you've got a recipe for an addictive, hip and funny manga. Fukushima made her manga debut in 1999 in Japan's Nakayoshi Magazine with her award-winning manga Sakuranbo Kiss. ORANGE PLANET will be released in May 2009.
Those looking for a twist on the typical supernatural story can look to YOKAI DOCTOR, a mystery series with laughs. In YOKAI DOCTOR, Yuki Satō's American debut, the world is full of ghosts that can only be seen by the supernaturally gifted. Two of the gifted are an exorcist and a “Yokai Doctor”—a boy with the power to heal ghosts and monsters! YOKAI DOCTOR will be released in June 2009.
MANGA NOVELS
Written by Yoshiki Tanaka, SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL features cover art and interior illustrations by manga superstar collective CLAMP. An action-packed fantasy, SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL follows the four Ryudou brothers—who all have secret superpowers. Someone has discovered the boys' secret, and plans to use their powers to take over the world. In the process of trying to save the world the Ryudou brothers discover a long-kept secret their grandfather had concealed to his death—they can transform into dragons who control the four elements! Yoshiki Tanaka is also the author of the popular Japanese science fiction novel, The Galactic Heroes.
Two of CLAMP's most popular titles, Tsubasa and xxxHOLiC, were two of four series featured during the launch of the Del Rey Manga imprint in 2004. Del Rey Manga will also be publishing an original fan guide about CLAMP, called CLAMP IN AMERICA, in July 2009. SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL will hit stores in May 2009.
ABOUT KODANSHA LTD.:
Kodansha is the largest trade book and magazine publisher in Japan. Founded in 1909, the company by virtue of its long history, the quality of its publishing, and its established network of sales and marketing is regarded as the trade book market leader in the publishing business in Japan. Moreover, Kodansha has been recognized as the leading publisher with a mission to introduce Japan through its publishing business.
ABOUT DEL REY MANGA:
Del Rey Books (http://www.delreybooks.com) was founded in 1977 as an imprint of Ballantine Books, a division of the Random House Publishing Group, under the guidance of the renowned Judy-Lynn Del Rey and her husband, Lester Del Rey. Del Rey publishes the best of modern fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. Ballantine Books is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, which is a publishing group of Random House, Inc, the U.S. publishing company of Random House, the trade book publishing division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's leading international media companies. In 2004 it expanded by launching Del Rey Manga (www.delreymanga.com), which has grown to be a major force in the U.S. graphic-novel field. Bestselling titles include Tsubasa, Negima!, xxxHOLiC, and The Wallflower.
Del Rey Manga Associate Publisher Dallas Middaugh says, “To bring the new Negima manga to the U.S. is a big thrill for us, and we're very excited about all of our releases this span. The manga we're publishing are getting better and better all the time!”
MANGA
Ken Akamatsu's Negima! Master Negi Magi was one of the four series released at the launch on the Del Rey Manga imprint in 2004, and 18 volumes later, the series continues to be a bestseller for the imprint. Del Rey Manga is proud to announce the acquisition of NEGIMA! NEO, a second series featuring the 10-year-old boy wizard and the girls of Mahora Academy. With the story and original concept by Akamatsu, and art by Takuya Fujima, NEGIMA! NEO reimagines the original Negima! storyline, and is an adaptation of the Negima! anime. Negi's attention is back on finding his father, the famous Thousand Master. NEGIMA! NEO is set for release in April 2009.
Del Rey Manga's newest shôjo acquisition is ORANGE PLANET, a romantic comedy by Haruka Fukushima. ORANGE PLANET goes deep into the twists and turns of a secret love triangle. With Rui in love for the first time with her dreamy classmate Kaoru—but Rui's adorable best friend, the boy next door, is secretly in love with Rui. Throw in the good-looking teaching assistant who moves into Rui's apartment and you've got a recipe for an addictive, hip and funny manga. Fukushima made her manga debut in 1999 in Japan's Nakayoshi Magazine with her award-winning manga Sakuranbo Kiss. ORANGE PLANET will be released in May 2009.
Those looking for a twist on the typical supernatural story can look to YOKAI DOCTOR, a mystery series with laughs. In YOKAI DOCTOR, Yuki Satō's American debut, the world is full of ghosts that can only be seen by the supernaturally gifted. Two of the gifted are an exorcist and a “Yokai Doctor”—a boy with the power to heal ghosts and monsters! YOKAI DOCTOR will be released in June 2009.
MANGA NOVELS
Written by Yoshiki Tanaka, SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL features cover art and interior illustrations by manga superstar collective CLAMP. An action-packed fantasy, SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL follows the four Ryudou brothers—who all have secret superpowers. Someone has discovered the boys' secret, and plans to use their powers to take over the world. In the process of trying to save the world the Ryudou brothers discover a long-kept secret their grandfather had concealed to his death—they can transform into dragons who control the four elements! Yoshiki Tanaka is also the author of the popular Japanese science fiction novel, The Galactic Heroes.
Two of CLAMP's most popular titles, Tsubasa and xxxHOLiC, were two of four series featured during the launch of the Del Rey Manga imprint in 2004. Del Rey Manga will also be publishing an original fan guide about CLAMP, called CLAMP IN AMERICA, in July 2009. SORYUDEN: THE NOVEL will hit stores in May 2009.
ABOUT KODANSHA LTD.:
Kodansha is the largest trade book and magazine publisher in Japan. Founded in 1909, the company by virtue of its long history, the quality of its publishing, and its established network of sales and marketing is regarded as the trade book market leader in the publishing business in Japan. Moreover, Kodansha has been recognized as the leading publisher with a mission to introduce Japan through its publishing business.
ABOUT DEL REY MANGA:
Del Rey Books (http://www.delreybooks.com) was founded in 1977 as an imprint of Ballantine Books, a division of the Random House Publishing Group, under the guidance of the renowned Judy-Lynn Del Rey and her husband, Lester Del Rey. Del Rey publishes the best of modern fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. Ballantine Books is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, which is a publishing group of Random House, Inc, the U.S. publishing company of Random House, the trade book publishing division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's leading international media companies. In 2004 it expanded by launching Del Rey Manga (www.delreymanga.com), which has grown to be a major force in the U.S. graphic-novel field. Bestselling titles include Tsubasa, Negima!, xxxHOLiC, and The Wallflower.