Pink Tentacle has a report on an article published on SciencePortal.jp, a website run by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, which estimates how much it would take to build a Gundam in real life. The conclusion? It would take at least $725 million just for the parts and materials. ANN has more.

Source: theOtaku

In "Coping through comics: Manga sheds light on autism," The Daily Yomiuri talks to Keiko Tobe, mangaka of Hikari to Tomoni (With the Light), winner of the Excellence Prize for manga at the 2004 Japan Media Arts Festival.

Also, Forbes takes a look at the Romanian manga scene in "Romanian Rhapsody."

Via: MangaBlog

From Weekly Jump Readers' Journal comes an article feature titled "WSJ Illustrated Guide: pt. 5 (1995-1999)," Part 5 of a 6-part series of articles that look at important Shonen Jump serializations, with a focus on titles that were adapted into anime.

In early December last year, ANN reported that Japanese publisher Dijima will ceased operation after suspending its free manga magazine Comic Gumbo. Now Anime! Anime! reports that Dijima has officially filed for bankruptcy. Manga Jouhou has a translation of the article:

According to the Teikoku Databan, the large bankruptcy journal, on January 4th, [Dijima] Co. began the procedure of filing for bankruptcy at the Tokyo Region Court. The company applied to Tokyo District Court for voluntary bankruptcy on December 28th. The administration dealing with the bankruptcy is accepting credit reports until February 15th. The aggregate amount of the debt is thought to be about 200 million yen.

Our sister site LightNovel.org is currently looking for new Japanese translators. If you love light novels and knows Japanese, please contact us here. If you love light novels but don't know Japanese, feel free to contact us anyway as LN.org is also looking for a few contributing writers.

ComiPress is currently looking for a Chinese translator who will be working on one of our upcoming projects, if you're interested, please let us know. (我们需要一个中文翻译,如有兴趣,请与我们联系)

Last but not least, if you like manga and love to write, we're currently looking for new contributing writers, contact us here!

A manga adaptation of Atlus' game Etrian Odyssey II (世界樹の迷宮II ) (also known as Sekaiju no Meikyuu or Yggdrasil Labyrinth) by FLIPFLOPs will begin serialization in the March issue of Ichijinsha's Comic REX, on sale 2/9. Also starting in the same issue is a new manga titled Eru-Eru Sister (える・えるシスター) by Yokoshima Takemaru.

Last but not least, an important announcement will be made regarding Takenashi Eri's Kannagi (かんなぎ). According to Moon Phase, it will be news of Kannagi's anime adaptation.

Kenjirou Takeshita (mangaka of Cocoon and Happy World!) will start a new manga titled Tsuriya Nagare (釣り屋 ナガレ) in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shonen Champion No.6 (1/10).

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Del Rey Manga's Dallas Middaugh reveals in his latest blog post that Del Rey has officially licensed Keito Koume's Kujibiki Unbalance. The acquisition of the title was "strongly hinted" at Del Rey's MangaNEXT panel in 2006.

Via: ANN

MediaWorks has launched the official site of its the Dengeki Comics imprint at http://dc.dengeki.com/

Also, the official site for Dengeki Bunko and Dengeki Bunko Magazine have been renewed

Source: Moon Phase

Active Anime reports that ADV has confirmed the name of the new magazine that will replace Newtype USA. The new magazine will be titled PiQ, and will be launched in March 2008.

Source: Active Anime

AoD has more information regarding Newtype USA's suspension (with the February 2008 issue being the last issue):

The magazine will apparently be reworked into another new magazine through which the company hopes to continue their long advertising relationships with everyone. The changes talked about within the email relate to licensing needs that go back to Japan but are also likely the result of the changing landscape in the US market.

Also, MangaBlog and AoD have some leaked information (later confirmed by ANN) on the name of the new magazine that will replace Newtype USA:

ADV is telling potential advertisers that their new magazine will be called PIQ (as in "sneak peak" or "pique your interest").

In "Seven Seas Moves Into Children's Books," ICv2 talks with Seven Seas' Jason Deangelis about the company's plan to add more manga-inspired illustrated juvenile fiction to its lineup:

"My passion was original manga properties," [Deangelis] said, "but they're difficult to get off the ground. In order to make a viable business, we needed to move more into licensing."

From Tiamat's Anime and Manga Reviews comes an article titled "The Manga Gray Market," which looks at gray market manga in the U.K.:

In the UK over 90% of available manga is bought through the gray market, whether it's bought from your local book store or from amazon.co.uk, what your buying is a gray market item.

Source: MangaBlog

From Weekly Jump Readers' Journal comes an article feature titled "WSJ Illustrated Guide: pt. 4 (1990-1994)," Part 4 of a 6-part series of articles that look at important Shonen Jump serializations, with a focus on titles that were adapted into anime.

VIZ Media is currently looking for a Senior Editor to oversee its Shojo Beat magazine:

The Senior Editor oversees editorial and design for an assigned magazine in the Magazines Department of VIZ Media, which publishes a variety of materials originally published in Japan. The Senior Editor will ensure that the assigned magazine and magazine-related products maintain the company's position in the marketplace, and ensure that the company's publications reflect the VIZ Media strategy, and maintain an engaged readership through the following duties [...]

Source: Comics212

A round up of the new comic release list and views for the week of January 9th 2008:

• ComicList: ComicList for 01/09/2008
• MangaCast: New Manga Release List ~ Jan 9, 2008
• Precocious Curmudgeon: Upcoming 1/9/2008

The following manga appeared on the USA Today Booklist Top 150 (PDF) for the week ending January 6th:

• #87 - Naruto, Volume 27 - Viz - (Last week: #78)
• #93 - Naruto, Volume 26 - Viz - (Last week: #89)
• #115 - Naruto, Volume 25 - Viz - (Last week: #113)

Also, Comicsnob looks at the online manga sales rankings in "Top 100 Manga, 6 January."

According to ANN, ADV is suspending its anime/manga magazine Newtype USA after the "February issue" (which could either be the official February issue or the March issue that will be released in February) and is planning to replace it with a unnamed new magazine:

Representatives of A.D. Vision (ADV) have contacted retail partners to inform them that the February issue of Newtype USA is to be the last. [...] According to reports from those contacted by ADV, the company is planning to replace Newtype USA with another magazine. No information about the new magazine is currently known.

Source: ANN

Kodansha's josei manga magazine Beth will cease publication as of issue 8, on sale 1/8.

A notice from the editorial department was posted on Beth's homepage, thanking its readers, writers, and saying goodbye.

Beth was launched by Kodansha in November 2006. The magazine was originally focused on romance, but later began to concentrate more on single adult women.

Source: Ultimatum

A new manga titled Nana to Kaoru (ナナとカオル) from Ryuta Amazume, mangaka of Toshiue no Hito, began serialization in Hakusensha's Young Animal Arashi No.2, on sale 1/4. A preview of the title can be found on this page (click the lower right "Enter")

Also, a new title by Tatsuya Mikami called Kiryuuin Saeko Tantei Jimusho (鬼龍院冴子 探偵事務所) will begin serialization in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits No.8 (1/21).

Source: Ultimatum

AN reports that the winners of the 7th Annual Japanese Otaku Awards have been announced:

• Grand Prix: Video-sharing sites (like Nico Nico Douga)
• Hidekuni Shida Award: The Idolm@ster
• Dorii Osaki Award: Blade Runner 25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition
• Naoki Ishiguro Award: Seto no Hanayome
• Hisashi Maeda Award: School Days
• Harayasa Toukaimura Award: Evangelion: 1.0 You Are [Not] Alone
• Masumi Kurata Award: Kamen Rider Den-O
• Shunichi Karasawa Award: The UFO debate in the Japanese Parliament
• Housai Tsuruoka Award: Regular Kyaku no Kobayashi-kun
• Animedia Award: Yasai no Yousei - N.Y. Salad

Also otaku-related, Danny Choo has a report of police hunting otaku in Akihabara.

Adult manga publisher Icarus Publishing has released its 2007 year-end report:

Gross sales in 2007 increased 17.41% over 2006, which amounts to a money sack approximately twice the size of an ordinary money sack. 38.24% of our gross sales came from Diamond. As the graph indicates, profits are soaring at Icarus.

From Weekly Jump Readers' Journal comes an article feature titled "WSJ Illustrated Guide: pt. 3 (1985-1989)," Part 3 of a 6-part series of articles that look at important Shonen Jump serializations, with a focus on titles that were adapted into anime.

In the latest issue of PWCW, Kai-Ming Cha and Ed Chavez interviews Kio Shimoku, mangaka of Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture.

Also available is an article by Calvin Reid titled "Tor Books, Seven Seas Together at Last," which looks at Tor Books' joint venture with manga publisher Seven Seas Entertainment.

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Top 10 manga (1/09) according to Tohan:

1. To-LOVE-Ru (7)
2. Koukou Debut (High School Debut) (10)
3. Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar (14)
4. Mx0 (7)
5. Fullmetal Alchemist (18)
6. Ookiku Furikabutte (9)
7. Shin Say Hello to Black Jack (3)
8. Eensy-Weensy Monster (2)
9. One Piece (48)
10. Sengoku (15)

Additional Rankings:

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Kouji Kumeta is known for the manga Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, which was adapted into an anime last year and is currently serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shounen Magazine.

In chapter 118 of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Kumeta wrote:

"if Jump SQ shows intention to collaborate, I may consider creating a new fantasy manga for it."

Since then, rumors and discussions about a new Kumeta manga on Shueisha's Jump SQ have been steadily heating up.

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