eBook Initiative Japan Co. has announced that starting this Tuesday it will be distributing electronic versions of Japanese manga via an internet portal site in Singapore. Special software is need to read the manga.

Source: Manga Jouhou

Manga top 10 according to Tohan.

1. One Piece vol.43
2. Ouran High School Host Club vol.9
3. Gintama vol.14
4. Honey and Clover vol.10
5. The Prince of Tennis vol.35
6. Beet the Vandel Buster vol.12
7. Steel Ball Run vol.9
8. Yu-Gi-Oh! R vol.8
9. Rurouni Kenshin Perfect Edition vol.5
10. Mr.FULLSWING vol.24

A museum called Aoyama Gôshô Furusato-kan will be built to honor Gosho Aoyama, creator of Detective Conan. The museum will be built in Gosho Aoyama's home town, and will open in March of 2007.

Source: ANN

DVD of Fullmetal Alchemist TV series will be released in the Brazilian market on October 09. the DVD contains are three 'discos' with 4 episodes each, and includes Portuguese and English subtitles. According to Focus Films, audio can also be set to Portuguese and Japanese. The Japanese audio is in the 2.0 and 5.1 format, which is an exclusive version for Brazil.

Rin Inumaru (48), a children's manga artist and animator, most well known for her children's TV show Ojaru Maru, has commited suicide by jumping from the roof of a 14-story building in Tokyo and leaving a note behind saying "I'm not good at my job."

Source: The Comics Reporter

The Beat has a list of the 2006 Harvey Award winners, and Buddah (published by Vertical) is the winner of the Best American Edition of Forein Material category.

David Welsh from Comic World News interviews MangaCast co-founder Ed Chavez in this week's Flipped, where David and Ed talk about conventions, MangaCast, publishers, and more.

JCB has announced a limited edition "Nana" credit card, featuring special artworks based on the popular shoujo manga from Ai Yazawa. Only 10,000 cards will be made for each of the 3 different designs (Design 1, Design 2, Design 3). Those who apply before January 31, 2007 will also receive special Nana-related gifts, such as the twin strawberry glass used in the manga.

According to its website, this year's Yaoi-Con (October 20-22) will have a butler cafe, "serving food, drinks . . . and bishounen drama brought to you by the all female staff of Project Man-Maid.":

Butler Cafe

Debuting this year at Yaoi-Con is a rarefied treat for con-goers, an exclusive Butler Cafe serving food, drinks . . . and bishounen drama brought to you by the all female staff of Project Man-Maid.

Visitors to the quaint Cafe Verfuhren expect the finest in quality and service. But behind the veil of refinement, passions explode and drama unfolds. In an establishment full of pretty boys one can never know just what to expect. Who will fight? Who will get frisky? Who will find love? It's all up to you!

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According to ANN, Viz Media has edited volume 8 of its Fullmetal Alchemist manga by changing a stone cross to a round stone slab.

Source: ANN