Japan

topJapanese fansite Takahiro no Kenkyuukan recently published a report that inspects the readership data released by Ichijinsha of their magazine for potential advertisers.

The graphs show the ratio of gender and the age group of readers, as well as the difference of readers for each magazine. The data is interesting because such data isn't usually published. After some inspection, some facts were found that were both expected and unexpected.

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VIZ MEDIA PARENT COMPANY SHUEISHA INVESTS IN JAPANESE PUBLISHER SHOGAKUKAN’S LICENSING AND MERCHANDISING SUBSIDIARY TO FORM NEW PARTNERSHIP – SHOGAKUKAN-SHUEISHA PRODUCTIONS CO., LTD.

New Entity Will Help Streamline Operations And Increase Flexibility To License Titles For Global Manga And Anime Markets

San Francisco, CA, June 19, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced that one of its parent companies, Japanese publisher Shueisha, Inc., has made an investment in Shogakukan Production Company Ltd., the licensing and merchandising subsidiary of Japanese publisher Shogakukan, Inc., another of VIZ Media’s parent companies. ShoPro will be renamed Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd.

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topKara no Kyoukai (Kara no Kyoukai) is a long adventure novel authored by Kinoko Nasu, the scenario writer for Type-Moon, which became famous through its games Tsukihime and Fate/stay night. In 2008, Type-Moon announced that the novel would be adapted into a 7-part featured film.

Below is the final part of a review of the novel from the website Libra: Constellation of Aleksey, translated by Sarah Neufeld:

A Review of Kara no Kyoukai Part II

Kasai Kiyoshi's basis for boosting a new author this far is, in the end, nothing more than "numbers". No matter how you reason it out, insomuch as Nasu Kinoko has "sold" far better than Kasai Kiyoshi's works, he ranks above Kasai Kiyoshi, and "Kara no Kyoukai" outranks "The Philosopher's Sealed Room". In the end, this sort of bald-faced "push" is possible simply because Kasai has been captured by what I must call "the worship of numbers".

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topKara no Kyoukai (Kara no Kyoukai) is a long adventure novel authored by Kinoko Nasu, the scenario writer for Type-Moon, which became famous through its games Tsukihime and Fate/stay night. In 2008, Type-Moon announced that the novel would be adapted into a 7-part featured film.

Below is the second part of a review of the novel from the website Libra: Constellation of Aleksey, translated by Sarah Neufeld:

A Review of Kara no Kyoukai Part I

Now then, I think I've given ample proof of the "ruinously bad writing, and the shallowness of the author's powers of reasoning which shows itself in that writing" of "Kara no Kyoukai" via concrete criticisms. This novel was most certainly written in a style and with reasoning that doesn't bear reading.

However, at the very beginning of his long "commentary," which spans both volumes, Kasai Kiyoshi writes:

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Rumiko Takahashi's long-running manga, Inuyasha, will be ending it's 12 year run in Shogakuan's Shonen Sunday No.29 (to be released the Wednesday after next).

Source: Furinkan

topKara no Kyoukai (Kara no Kyoukai) is a long adventure novel authored by Kinoko Nasu, the scenario writer for Type-Moon, which became famous through its games Tsukihime and Fate/stay night. In 2008, Type-Moon announced that the novel would be adapted into a 7-part featured film.

Below is the first part of a review of the novel from the website Libra: Constellation of Aleksey, translated by Sarah Neufeld:

The Demon that Dwells in the Void
- Kasai Kiyoshi and "Kara no Kyoukai" Nasu Kinoko

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The sci-fi love comedy anime CODE-E by Studio Deen, and the action manga Black Lagoon by Hiroe Rei, will both be adapted into light novels. The CODE-E light novel will be authored by Sakaki Ichirou (Strait Jacket light novel series) and illustrated by Ogata Kouji (Boogiepop light novels), while Black Lagoon will be authored by Urobuchi Gen (Fate/Zero light novel) and illustrated by Hiroe Rei himself.

Also, the fantasy light novel Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu written by Takaya Kagami and drawn by Saori Toyota will be adapted into a manga by Chouzou Hiroko and start serialization in the August issue of Dragon Age (on sale July 9th).

Source: LightNovel.org

According to Yahoo! Japan, Shogakukan is considering suspending its weekly seinen manga magazine Young Sunday due to declining sales. ANN has more:

According to Mainichi, Shogakukan's public relations staff confirmed that the magazine's fate is under review, but also emphasized that absolutely no final decision has been made.

Anime Expo® 2008 Masquerade Sign Ups Available Online

Anaheim, California (May 19, 2008) ‹Anime Expo® 2008 will be accepting online applications for one of the most highlighted and enduring traditions of the nation's largest anime and manga convention-the Masquerade held at this year's Anime Expo® 2008 held from July 3-6, 2008 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. More information can be found on the website www.anime-expo.org.

Amateur costumers hailing from around the world have graced our stage with their wonderful costumes and performances. Interested parties will be able to register, as a contestant, online on May 19, 2008 after 6:00 pm PST at www.anime-expo.org

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