LightNovel.org staff Matt was recently interviewed in an article published by Haikasoru Blog on Japanese light novels:

What are light novels? And why are people using that term (sometimes incorrectly) to describe our books? I thought it was time to clear the air. And, as such, I solicited the input of three tummlers who know a thing or two about Japanese fiction. [...]

Hello all! We're not dead...yet! We're currently looking for a few proofreaders to help out with an independent manga-related project.

You should have a good grasp of the English language, and have had some kind of proofreading experience (the more the better). The bulk of the project should be completed in July, so expect to receive most of the work this month, and be expected to finish them on a timely manner.

As always, this is not a paid job, but hopefully you'll get a warm and fuzzy feeling inside afterword knowing you've helped us out! :)

If interested, please contact us at comipress (at) gmail (dot) com or use the contact form. Include in your email your qualifications (experience, etc.), and we'll go from there.

The doujinshi collection of Yoshihiro Yonezawa, manga critic and co-founder of Comiket, was donated to Meiji University, his former university. The university is converting a seven-storey building to house Yonezawa's collection and that of Tsuguo Iwata, another prominent doujinshika, as the Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library of Manga and Subcultures.

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LN.org reports that France Shoin is launching a new light novel label called Tiara Bunko:

The Japanese publisher France Shoin will be starting a new "otome system & adult" light novel label that's titled "Tiara Bunko". Unlike shoujo novels and otome games which do not satisfy adult women, this label will publish new type of "otome system" novels which will do; an "otome system" novels that contain sexual content. The label will contain many lovely males, adult's romantic love, and adult scenes.

The label will start on June 3rd, 2009 with the release of 5 light novels.

A belated collection of links to this year's New York Comic-Con, courtesy of Isaac Alexander:

• New York Comic Con '09 - Day 0 in Tweets
• ANN: New York Comic Con
• CBR: nycc2009
• A Comic I Never Knew Existed
• NYCC 2009: Setup day photos

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Viz will be publishing Rumiko Takahashi's newest series:

VIZ Media and one of its parent companies- Japanese publishing giant Shogakukan have announced a BRAND NEW series set to debut from Rumiko Takahashi, one of today's greatest manga creators.

This is the first new original manga series from Takahashi sensei since her epic INUYASHA series ended in 2008. Shogakukan???s popular WEEKLY SHONEN SUNDAY manga magazine, which has featured Takahashi???s work since the early 1980???s, will be debuting the new series and VIZ Media will be publishing the manga series later in 2009!

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According to the latest issue of Shounen Sunday, a new series by Rumiko Takahashi, mangaka of Ranma and Inuyasha, will debut in the spring. At the moment no title or plot were given.

Source: Rumic World

An article titled "Men Under Pressure: Representations of the 'Salaryman' and his Organization in Japanese Manga" was published in the journal Organization last year. Although the article is not readily available to the general public (you need to be a subscriber), the article's authors would like to hear comments and feedbacks, and are willing to send a PDF of the article to those who contacts them directly.

Those who are interested in a copy of the article but can't access it can contact the author at: p.matanle(at)sheffield(dot)ac(dot)uk (be polite!).

A round-up of various 2008 end-of-the-year reports and 2009 look-aheads from various sites:

• MangaLife RoundTable: End-of-2008-Wrap-Up [ MangaLife ]
• Top Ten Yuri Manga of 2008 [ Okazu ]
• 2008 Best New Manga [ About:Manga ]
• Coming Attractions: 20 Most Anticipated New Manga of 2009 [ About:Manga ]
• Looking Ahead: 10 Manga Trends and 5 Burning Questions for 2009 [ About:Manga ]
• 2008 Best Manga List - Continuing Series [ About:Manga ]
• The 2009 Wishlist [ Manga Widget ]
• New year wish list [ Icarus Blog ]
• 2008 continuing series [ Precocious Curmudgeon ]
• 2008 series conclusions [ Precocious Curmudgeon ]
• 2008 in Review and Predictions for 2009 [ The Anime Almanac ]
• A Farewell and Reflection of 2008 [ Kuriousity ]
• New Year's Greetings - Anime Style [ ANN ]
• Top 5 Things Anime Companies Did Right in 2008 [ AoD ]
• Changing of the Guard [ Manga Recon ]
• State of the Yaoi A-Press [ Yaoi Press ]
• Pay no attention to this update [ Momotato Daioh ]
• You Don't Want Your Manga on this List ~ End of 2008 Edition [ MangaCast ]
• Manga New Year 2009 [ MangaCast ]

Heisei Democracy, a blog "devoted to the latest in news, reviews, and opinion on the two-dimensional culture of Japan, with particular emphasis on the media (anime, manga, console games), ero (eroge, eroanime, eromanga, doujinshi), and hobby (PVC figures, garage kits, analog games) sides of the industry, and the culture and events surrounding them", has been inactive since September 2008. A few days ago, an announcement was posted announcing that the blog will resume operation.

Also, Ikimashou.net, another great otaku blog covering Japanese anime, manga, games and otaku culture in general that got its domain stolen at the beginning of 2008, is now back in action as well, and has made a post detailing what happened to the blog.