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MangaCast translates the weekly Doujinshi ranking (03/31) in Japan according to Toranoana, and the weekly BL Doujinshi ranking (03/31) in Japan according to Toranoana's BL specialty store Princess Side.

Kyoto Animation has launched a new web magazine called Kyo Ani Bon. According to Kyoto Animation, instead of serializing new manga series, Kyo Ani Bon will serialize 10 promising works that have the potential to be adapted into anime; however, the work to be adapted into an anime will be chosen by the magazine's readers.

Source: animeOnline

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"I received a formal warning from Kodansha. As a result I have stopped the distribution of the Moyashimon tool. There is plan to distribute the tool again in the future."

What is the Moyashimon tool? Moyashimon tool is a desktop tool based on Masayuki Ikagawa's seinen manga Moyashimon. The tool's only function was to animate the fungus and viruses found in Moyashimon on your desktop. The tool was pretty yet functionally meaningless; nonetheless, it was well received by others for its cuteness.

In March, Kodansha, the copyright holder of Moyashimon, sent the creator of Moyashimon tool a warning letter requesting that the tool be taken down, or else it will be regarded as infringing Kodansha's copyright.

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top"Child pornography in manga and anime must be eradicated!" - Seiko Noda

On March 29th, the Japanese UNICEF Association, ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes), ECPAT Sweden and the Sweden Embassy held a meeting to discuss "the elimination of child pornography websites, how Sweden should handle this work and the responsibility of Japan."

This symposium was held to discuss the process Sweden is taking to wipe out websites related to child pornography, and to raise people's interests and raise support for banning child pornography websites. During the symposium, the issue of simply possessing (not selling) child pornography, lolicon manga and animations was discussed.

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Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Morning, Kodansha has released a new comic magazine titled Mandala. An "unprecedented" international manga magazine, Mandala contains 15 works by artists from 6 different countries: France, Italy, China, Korea, Singapore and Japan. According to Kodansha:

We will provide color illustrations by elite artist in their full glory, let the "Manga World Cup" begin in this magazine. The future of manga starts from here!

Works featured in Mandala include:

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On the USA Today Booklist Top 150 (PDF) for the week ending March 18, VIZ Media's Naruto volume 13 ranks at #48, and Fullmetal Alchemist volume 12 ranks at #131.

Houbunsha has opened the official website of its new manga magazine Comic Yell! at www.comicyell.com. According to the website, Comic Yell! is "a Shoujo manga magazine for boys," which, as many fans have pointed out online, is quite similar to Futabasha's Comic High!.

topIt's a common practice nowadays to include free gifts with manga magazines in the form of posters or keychains. However, the latest issue of MediaWork's Dengeki G's Festival came with 3 free gifts that are quite special for a magazine:

1) A pass case featuring Shakugan no Shana S artworks from Noizi Ito.
2) A Shakugan no Shana themed mobile phone screen cleaner.
3) A 155x50cm Shakugan no Shana dakimakura (hug pillow) cover, featuring artworks from Noizi Ito herself.

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A seminar titled "Manga to Anime: From Astro Boy to Spirited Away" will take place during the "Japan WOW!" Smithsonian event (March 31 to June 9):

Manga and anime are now two of Japan's biggest cultural exports???as evidenced by the popularity and record-breaking sales associated with the 2001 animated movie "Spirited Away." In this seminar leading experts and industry veterans will explore the development of these interconnected art forms, commenting on the creative process, styles, characters and the effect these popcultural creations have on United States markets and trends.

Source: ActiveAnime

According to a news post on Aurora Publishing's website, the manga publisher will release Chihiro Tamaki's Walkin' Butterfly later this summer:

Walkin' Butterfly" is the story of the metamorphosis of Michiko, set in the world of Japanese high fashion. As a tall girl, Michiko has never fit in??? literally. She has always felt different and she can't accept herself. Her height is matched only by her complex about it. While delivering pizzas at a fashion show she is mistaken for a model and thrust on stage. Mihara, the show's designer, confronts her and tells her that she can't walk down the catwalk because she doesn't know her true self. From that moment on, Michiko is determined to find her place in the world as a model, and as a young woman. Can she find the inner strength to undergo a spectacular transformation? Is Michiko up to the challenge? Just try her. "Walkin' Butterfly" is as chic as a Tokyo catwalk.

Via: MangaCast