Moon Phase reports that MediaWorks' light novel magazine Dengeki hp No.50 will be the last issue that carries the title "Dengeki hp." In December, the magazine will be relaunched under a new title (currently the temporary title is "Dengeki Bunko Magazine").

Source: LightNovel.org

According to volume 50 of the light novel magazine Dengeki hp, 3 light novel series will be animated.

The Alison series, as well as its follow-up Lilia and Trais by Keiichi Sigsawa (author) and Kohaku Kuroboshi (illustrator) will both be animated. Wagaya no Oinari-sama by Jin Shibamura (author) and Eizou Houden (illustrator) will also be adapted into an anime.

Source: LightNovel.org

Kadokawa Group Holdings has revealed plans (PDF) for the consolidation of 2 of its affiliates, ASCII and MediaWorks. The merger is slated for April 1st, 2008.

No details have been decided yet, but the merged company will be called "ASCII Media Works Inc." The reason cited for the merger is to "consolidate resources, streamline the management structure and to become competitive." Also, it was mentioned that Kadokawa GHD decided to not include Enterbrain (another entertainment magazine publisher under Kadokawa who put out Comic Beam) in the merger with MediaWorks.

Read More »

The official website of MediaWorks' new magazine Dengeki Kuro Maoh has been launched. The site is currently offering previews of the new Moetan manga and the new Shakugan no SHANA manga.

Comic Yoshimoto has updated its website with an official letter regarding the magazine's suspension.

Japan's first free cosplay magazine, CosPick, was launched on August 17th.

Kill Time Communication is launching a new manga magazine on October 29 called Comic Valkyrie Hard, which will be a special issue of Comic Valkyrie.

Heisei Democracy reports that the Queen's Blade series will be getting two manga adaptations, one in Kadokawa Shoten's Comp Ace (10/26) by Minasaki Iku, the other in MediaWorks' Dengeki Black Maoh (9/19) by Astroguy II.

Also, volume 6 of Young Animal Island (9/28) will contain a special feature on Kimikiss to promote the upcoming October airing of Kimikiss Pure Rouge.

MediaWorks will be releasing a new BL information magazine titled CLaCLa in October. According to MediaWorks, the new magazine is a BL catalog magazine aimed at the fujoshi crowd, and will be covering BL manga and novels. CLaCLa's official blog can be found here.

??? A new series from Kei Toume titled Momonchi (????????????) will begin serialization in Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits No.40 (9/3). The series originally appeared in Big Comic Spirits as a one-shot in in 2006.

??? Also, the manga adaptation of Ookami to Koushinryou (???????????????), drawn by Koume Keito, and a manga adaptation of the PSP game Wild Arms XF (WILD ARMS XF (???????????????????????? ?????????????????????)), drawn by Karin Suzuragi, will start in the November issue of Dengeki Maoh.

??? Yu Yagami's Those Who Hunt Elves (??????????????????????????????), which originally ended in 2002, will once again be serialized in Dengeki Gao (November issue, 9/27).

??? A new manga titled Itadakitsu! (??????????????????) by Junji Uenishi will begin in Evening No.19 (9/19).

??? Miharu???Rising (????????????????????????), a new baseball manga by Ootani Jirou (mangaka of Shimokita Glory Days), will start in Young Sunday issue 40 (9/6).

MediaWorks has announced (PDF) a new seinen magazine titled Dengeki Kuro Maoh. The new magazine, a special issue of Dengeki Maoh, will be released on September 19th and will be published on a quarterly basis. The circulation of the magazine will be 80,000 issues, and will focus on manga, anime and novels for young men. One of the new series starting in this magazine will be a new Shakugan no Shana manga.

The manga, titled Shakugan no Shana X Eternal song -Harukanaru Uta- (??????????????????X Eternal song ?????????????????????), will be illustrated by Kiya Shii, and story will be based on the 10th volume of the Shakugan no Shana light novel.

Read More »

Moon Phase reports that a new manga titled Moriguchi Orito no Teiou Gaku will begin serialization in the February 2008 issue of Dengeki Daioh (on sale 12/21). The manga will be drawn by Sanada Rin and writtin by Okayu Masaki, author of the light novel Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan.

Source: LightNovel.org

On June 12, a business tie-up between the #1 cellular phone novel website Mahou no Island and MediaWorks (the publisher of the #1 light novel label Dengeki Bunko) was formed. As a result, a new bunko label titled Mahou no Island Bunko (temporary title) will start in fall 2007.

This bunko will feature novels from Mahou no Island's extensive line-up, and will be published by MediaWorks every month. The price will be between 530-570 yen for each book.

Source: CNET Japan