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.

A manga adaptation of Atlus' game Etrian Odyssey II (??????????????????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 (???????????????????????????) by Yokoshima Takemaru.

Last but not least, an important announcement will be made regarding Takenashi Eri's Kannagi (????????????). 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 (????????? ?????????) 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."