Backstage

Anime/manga/otaku blog Japanator has relaunched its website with a new design, and Giapet.net has a review.

Broccoli Books has relaunched its blog with a new theme:

The Broccoli Books Blog has changed its look nyo. Now you can see who is posting what nyo. Expect a new header image from Dejiko-sama and her crew every month nyo!

topThis week sees Sweatdrop Studios reach its sixth year as a manga collective! To celebrate this special occasion, they are giving a whopping 50% discount on their comics until 1st February 2008. Sweatdrop also offer free international shipping for orders over £15 (about US$30), so if you ever wanted to check out some UK-made manga, there couldn't be a better time.

Visit their online shop at: www.sweatdrop.com/shop

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GRIMES, IA, January 18, 2008 - Anime producer and mega-online anime retailer Right Stuf, Inc. is pleased to welcome Zac Bertschy - executive editor of Anime News Network (AnimeNewsNetwork.com) and managing editor of Protoculture Addicts - to episode 58 of ANIME TODAY.

In this new interview, Bertschy takes a look back at the successes and surprises of 2007, experiments in packaging and distribution, the differences between what series are popular with Japanese and Western fans, and the issues and challenges facing the North American anime industry in 2008.

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Active Anime reports that MediumAtLarge became the official blog for BookExpo America, New York Comic Con, as well as the New York Anime Festival:

Lance Fensterman, who has been blogging from his vantage point as organizer of BookExpo America ever since he took the helm at the show in 2006, has re-designed and re-launched his blog.

Manga news, review and scanlation website Manga Jouhou is celebrating its 5th anniversary. Hooray.

Celebrating its first anniversary, manga blog Shuchaku East is giving out a free copy of the manga Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms:

Of course, no blog anniversary is complete without freebies. I'm going to offer you a gratis copy of what is without a doubt the best-book-of-2007-that-no-one-read; even if David Welsh couldn't convince you to shell out for copy of "Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms," I'll take it upon myself to ship you one fo' free. Yes, that's right; free.

Vote For The Top 25 Anime Website. Formerly Known as The Animefringe Top 25 is Now Active Animes Top 25

January 7, 2008 - Houston, Texas – Active Anime, a site dedicated to anime and manga, is continuing one of Animefringe Webzine's annual traditions by asking fans to vote for their favorite website.

Originally unveiled in 2000, Animefringe conducted this annual tradition for 5 years straight, and has garnered tons of votes during those times until Animefringe closed its doors on December 2005. However, the site is still available and contains all the back issues of the webzine for fans to peruse and enjoy.

Now in 2008, Active Anime, with the blessing Animefringe's former editor-in-chief, Adam Arnold, is continuing the tradition for the fans after almost a 3 year hiatus.

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From PopCultureShock comes ComicRankings, a new project that "will collect reviews from across the web and calculate the average score. [...] emphasize the bigger picture to show how a series or creator or publisher has fared over time." Included is the "ComicRanking's Best & Worst Of 2007," which looks at rankings of manga, publishers and creators in the year 2007.