Comic Market, or Comiket, is the world's largest comic convention where fans gather to buy and sell doujinshi comics, games, etc.

The event takes place twice a year. The latest one, Comiket 73, took place from 12/28 - 12/31. Below is a round up of some of the English coverages from around the internet:

Read More »

Oricon has posted the 2007 Japan Book of the Year rankings, based on sales data collected between 1/1/2007 - 12/10/2007 from 674 stores of 6 retail chains around Japan. Below is the manga top 10:

1. One Piece (46)
2. Nana (18)
3. Nodame Cantabile (17)
4. Naruto (37)
5. Fullmetal Alchemist (17)
6. Hunter X Hunter (24)
7. Bleach (28)
8. D.Gray-man (10)
9. Katekyo Hitman Reborn! (13)
10. Gintama (17)

The Daily Yomiuri reports that Tokyo University Hospital in Bunkyo Ward has been asked to act as a consultant for Yakitate!! Japan creator Takashi Hashiguchi's new medical manga, Saijo no Meii (The Best Skilled Surgeon), which is currently serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday. This is the first time a hospital has acted as a consultant for a manga:

Read More »

The Columbus Dispatch has published an article titled "Comics no longer a joke in academia," which looks at how schools and colleges are beginning to take comics seriously as an form of art...thanks in part to the popularity of manga:

"With graphic novels and manga, librarians have seen an upsurge in demand the last three to five years, and many say manga is their highest circulation material," said Ann Kim, editor of special projects and graphic novels for Library Journal. "There is definitely more respect now."

Broccoli Books has announced on its fan club mailing list that it will be releasing sola, written by Naoki Hisaya (Kanon), drawn by Chako Abeno with original character design by Naru Nanao (D.C. ~Da Capo~, ef - a tale of memories), in 2008 summer.

Source: ANN

From MangaCast comes the Diamond Previews for January 2008, which provides information on new U.S. releases for March/April 2008.

The following manga appeared on the USA Today Booklist Top 150 (PDF) for the week ending December 23rd:

• #135 - Naruto, Volume 27 - Viz - (Last week: #92)

Also, Comicsnob posts the online manga sales rankings in "Online Manga Bestsellers, 23 December."

Makoto Raiku's Konjiki no Gash!! (Zatch Bell!; ???????????????????????????), is coming to an end in Shogakukan's Weekly Shounen Sunday No.4-5 (12/26). Also, there will be a big announcement regarding Takashi Shiina's Zettai Karen Children in Weekly Shounen Sunday No.6 (1/9).

A one-shot titled Urooboe Uroboros (?????????????????????????????????) by Ishin Nishio (story) and Death Note artist Takeshi Obata will appear in Shueisha's Weekly Shounen Jump No.6-7 (1/4). Also, a one-shot titled OBAKE LIFE by Ichirou Takahashi (mangaka of Volleyball Tsukai Gouda Gou) will appear in Weekly Jump No.8 (1/21).

Three new series are starting in the February issue of Kadokawa Shoten's Comp Ace, one of them will be Kara no Kyoukai Comic A La Carte (???????????????????????????????????????), written by Type-Moon's Kinoko Nasu.

Read More »

Pachinko Vista is reporting that in 2007, Japan saw an increase in manga "tie-in" pachinko machines appeared in Japan. With around 140 machines, more than 1/4 of which are new machines, 55 of them are manga/anime related.

The machines are targeted at people from different generations, utilizing old titles such as Samurai Giants, Star Blazers, Tatter-man and more recent series like Basilisk and GTO. Some even became hit machines, such as Evangelion.

Read More »

From the Yaoi Press blog comes pictures of the Yaoi Parasol, which will make its debut at Ohayocon, taking place January 4, 5 and 6, 2008.