MangaCast translates the weekly Doujinshi ranking in Japan (02/10) according to Toranoana, compiled by Akiba Blog, and the weekly BL Doujinshi ranking in Japan (02/10) according to Toranoana's BL specialty store Princess Side.

From Anime Boredom comes an interviews with Alex de Campi, author of Kat & Mouse, Agent Boo and Smoke.

Source: Life Behind the Desk

A new British magazine called Monocle will be released this month. While the magazine will focus on global affairs, business, culture and design, it will also serialize a political thriller manga series, commissioned in Japan, featuring the Monocle hero Niels Watanabe.

Source: MangaBlog

February marks the 1 year anniversary of Hunter X Hunter's hiatus in Shonen Jump. Created by the (in)famous Yoshihiro Togashi in 1998, Hunter X Hunter has experienced many breaks during its serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump. Toward the end of 2005, Hunter X Hunter's serialization stopped for over a month due to Togashi's illness. The manga returned in January 2006 only to go on hiatus again 4 chapters later. While the announcement in Jump stated that the series would resume serialization in early April, a year later the series has yet to return.

From TV Anime Resource Center comes information on Hunter X Hunter's irregular schedule, as well as its effect on the anime version of HxH. Also included is a chart that lists all the Hunter X Hunter-related announcements in Shonen Jump from 1998 to 2004, and more.

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ComicMix, LLC, founded by Mike Gold, Glenn Hauman and Brian Alvey, has launched its new pop culture news website at www.comicmix.com.

Sankei Web recently published a multi-part article on the famous anime and manga creator Leiji Matsumoto, who talks about the importance of copyrights. In Part 1, Leiji Matsumoto discusses the pains and burdens a manga creator and his or her family faces, and the importance of copyright protection.

Battles on Copyright - Leiji Matsumoto Talks about Creators' Thoughts

"Creators fall dead in front of the wall of creativity." Veteran manga creator Leiji Matsumoto expresses the "labor pains" of creators in these words.

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From DrMaster comes an interview with artist Yasushi Suzuki, creator of DrMaster's upcoming series Purgatory Kabuki.

Kadokawa Shoten will release a new bi-weekly seinen magazine titled Comic Charge in March. The first issue will come out on March 20th and sell for 290 yen. Comic Charge is Kadokawa Group's first manga magazine aimed at adult men, with its target audience being businessmen between the ages of 30 and 50.

Source: Animaxis

Manhwa publisher NETCOMICS is currently looking for a new full-time proofreader from New York or New Jersey and are willing to commute to downtown Jersey City:

This position will provide support to the editorial staff.
Applicants should be able to demonstrate excellent writing skills
and a genuine interest in graphic novels. (Korean fluency is a plus).
Office experience is required.

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WestBow Press has signed a deal with Realbuzz Studios to release the Christian manga Serenity in April 2007. A new title, Goofyfoot Gurl by Manga Punk, will also make its debut in September 2007.

Source: MangaBlog

According to the cover wrap of Kodomo no Jikan volume 3, the popular moe/loli manga series will be adapted into an anime.

Kodomo no Jikan by Kaworu Watashiya is currently serialized in Futabasha's Comic High!, and is being published in the U.S. by Seven Seas under the name Nymphet.

A special Suzumiya Haruhi telephone card featuring exclusive artwork from Noizi Ito is given to those who purchase the Complete DVD Box Set of Suzumiya Haruhi. Due to the series' popularity, most DVD Box Sets were sold out on the day of release, as a result, the exclusive telephone card can now be found on auction sites, selling for as high as 30,000 yen.

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Manga artist Queenie Chan, creator of Tokyopop's The Dreaming, talks about Japanese Pop Culture, female otaku, and the word Otome in "The Dreaming: Otome Culture?"

According to a message from the Yaoi_in_English mailing list, Broccoli Books announced that the name of their new yaoi imprint is "a fruit. And apparently, it's something unheard of in Japan? but it's a commonplace fruit for Americans. Especially if you grew up in Southern California and went to a particular amusement park in Orange County that's not Disneyland." The name fruit? "Boysenberry" is the most likely candidate.

Source: Yaoi Suki

In "Weekend Beat/ Shakespeare meets Shibuya girl," Asahi Shimbun looks at how manga went from a niche product available only in specialty shops to mainstream in Britain. The article also looks at the Shakespearean manga from the U.K. publisher SelfMadeHero.

Winners of the 3rd Golden Dragon Award, known in China as the "Anime and Manga Oscar," were announced on February 2nd. Over 60 works, 30 artists and publishing companies participated in this year's award. Many foreign works also made appeared in the competition, including Ice Age 2 and Death Note the movie.

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Manga Jouhou interviews Adam Arnold from Seven Seas Entertainment, who talks about their upcoming yuri imprint "Strawberry."

Gengoroh Tagame is a manga artist who specializes in BDSM and erotic manga. His works include G-men, Gunji, SM-Z, and more, most of which contain graphical violence and sex scenes. Recently one of Gengoroh Tagame's manga, Arena, was reviewed by the French newspaper Libération. In his blog, Tagame writes about his surprise when he found out Libération included with the review uncensored illustrations from his manga, most of which would have never made it to print media in Japan.

*Note links in this article may contain explicit materials that are NSFW, you have been warned.

Review and Illustrations Appear in French Newspaper Libération

A few days ago, I received an English email that read:

"I'm the writer of a French newspaper called Libération. I'm planning to write a review of your manga "Arena," which will include some of your illustrations. Could you send some of the high-resolution images on your website to me?"

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MangaCast points out that Tokyopop will be releasing Kingdom Hearts II by Shiro Amano, sequal to its best-selling Kingdom Hearts manga, in July. Although the manga is present on Tokyopop's website, no official announcements has been made regarding the new license.

Source: MangaCast

On February 9th, 801 Media will begin sending their debut releases, Ichigenme and The Sky Over My Spectacles, to people who placed their orders through the 801 Media Store.

source: Yaoi Suki

The new comic release list from ComicList, compiled by MangaCast.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Anime News Service has announced plan to offer its content in the form of a new pay-subscription based "Print Exclusive Newsletter," which will be released on a bi-weekly basis.

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Celebrating Corocoro Comic's 30th anniversary, a special event will be held by Shogakukan at the Suginami Animation Museum in Tokyo from February 27 to May 27. Events will include screenings, autograph signings and displays of original manuscripts from Corocoro Comic.

Source: Toon Zone

Monthly comics top 10 in the U.S. according to PWCW.

1. Death Note, Volume 9
2. Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 11
3. Vampire Knight, Volume 1
4. One Piece: It's All Right!, Volume 13
5. Black Cat, Volume 16
6. Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 8
7. Shaman King, Volume 11
8. Punch!, Volume 2
9. Inuyasha, Volume 28
10. W Juliet, Volume 14

The New York Comic Con has announced the finalists for its first-ever American Anime Awards. The finalists for the "Best Manga" category are:

• Bleach
• Death Note
• Fruits Basket
• Naruto
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: Angelic Days