Japanese anime production company We've Inc. has announced that it will purchase Sony Magazine's division that's responsible for publishing magazine and books. The price of the acquisition has not been announced.

Kenjiro Hata, mangaka of Hayate the Combat Butler, will be having an autograph session in Makuhari on June 17.

According to the latest Shounen Jump Early Sales Info, starting July 4th, 2 volumes of Rurouni Kenshin Complete Edition manga will be released every month, with a total of 22 volumes planned. Also the Rurouni Kenshin DVD-BOX will go on sale on December 20, and will come in paulownia wood box at a price of 84,000 yen.

Also in the TOC was a comment made by D.Gray-man (which will resume serialization in Jump No. 27) mangaka Katsura Hoshino: "I'm sorry for taking such a long break. My neck is feeling much better, so I'm restarting the serialization. m(_ _)m"

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The first issue of a new otaku magazine from Kodansha, "Megabi" (Mecha + Bishoujo), will be released on June 2nd. From Junji Hotta, author of "Gainax Interviews" and "Moe Moe Japan", and Toru Honda, who worked on "Denba Otoko, "Megabi" can be considered as the definite otaku book among the many publications that deals with the otaku boom in Akihabara nowadays.

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On May 13th, an "One Day Maid Cafe" appeared in Beijing's Dashanzi Art District, where this year's Dashanzi International Art Festival was held. The Chinese and Japanese maids greeted costumers with: "Welcome back, Master" and served coffee while kneeling.

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The first issue of SweetPrincess (Cool-B special) will be released on 5/22.

From the ComicsFan Cultural Group comes the first Chinese-produced Tarot Cards, based on the story of Houshin Engi, the cards will be designed by the popular Chinese CG artist Weng Ziyang.

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Announced in Young Champion No. 12 (5/22), a new magazine from Akita Shoten called Young Champion Retsu will be released on 6/20. Young Champion Retsu will act as a special issue of Young Champion, and will be released bi-monthly (on the 3rd Thuesday) for 390 yen.

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It has been confirmed that the blockbuster live-action movie Death Note, directed by Kaneko Shuusuke, and adapted from the 14 million units-selling manga also titled Death Note, will also be released in 8 Asian countries and locations. At the Cannes Film Festival, over 50 film companies, including Western ones, rushed to make offers for it. This includes Hong Kong's own major film distributor, Golden Harvest, who has completed negotiations to distribute it.

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Manga top 10 according to Tohan.

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