According to Mainchi Daily News, Barazoku, a Japanese gay men's magazine, will be revived for the third time. This time, the magazine will serialized a previously unpublished manga by Junichi Yamakawa, who is known for his Kuso Miso Technique:

"Barazoku," a gay icon since it became the first magazine for the homosexual community, is back on bookstore shelves again -- the third time it has been resurrected since going into hiatus in September 2004 following 33 straight years of publication for the non-straight.

Read More »

ANN reports that the web manga Yasagure Panda (Cynical Panda) will be adapted into a live-action DVD:

The series originally appeared here under the subtitle "Sanzoku Underground." The online comic concluded in late 2004, but the artist has moved on to another online comic. Since then, Cynical Panda has become a cult hit. The comics were eventually published in book form by Artist House Publishing in late 2005. The artist, also known as Sanzoku, maintains a website with old and new comics here.

From Times Online comes an article titled "Fantasy funeral brings out thousands of real mourners," which looks at a funeral held earlier this week in Tokyo for Raoh, the antagonist from Tetsuo Hara's Fist of the North Star series. Over 2,500 mourners appeared at the funeral held for Raoh, who will die in the upcoming Fist of the North Star movie.

Additional Info:
- Thousands attend funeral for fictional Raoh [ Newsarama Blog ]
- Thousands Turn Out To Pay Their Respects To Raoh [ animeOnline ]
- Fist of North Star's Raoh's Real Life Funeral [ Manga Jouhou ]

Manga and Internet cafes are common throughout Japan. Due to their cheap costs, the privacy of their cubicles, the ability to order food, access to the internet, video games and more, manga and internet cafes have become more than just a hangout place for young people with nothing else to do.

According to a recent news report in Japan, manga cafes are becoming a place of refuge for the poor who can't afford to live in their own home or a hotel. According to an article from Japan Times:

Experts say the customers, dubbed "Net cafe refugees," are becoming more visible in the 24-hour facilities in tandem with the rise in the number of "working poor," those who have jobs but cannot escape poverty.

Read More »

From Asahi.com comes an article titled "S. Koreans get taste for wine from manga," which looks at how a manga titled Kami no Shizuku (Drops of God) has caused wine to see a surge in popularity in South Korea.

Manga top 10 according to Tohan.

1. Bleach, Volume 27
2. Naruto, Volume 37
3. Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 10
4. Detective Conan, Volume 57
5. WORST, Volume 17
6. Eyeshield 21, Volume 24
7. Vampire Knight, Volume 5
8. One Piece Yellow Grand Element
9. Nana, Volume 17
10. Blue Dragon Ral Grado, Volume 1

Nihon Ki-in (Japanese Go Association) and the Go Shogi Life Corporation has announced a new event called the "Go Original Manga Grand Prize." The award accepts any manga that focus on the amusement and depth of the game Go. The winner of the grand prize will receive 1 million yen, and the winning work will be released as a tankoubon. The deadline is November 2007, the winners will be announced in March 2008.

Mangaka Shibayama Kaoru (43) passed away on April 14th due to heart failure. Shibayama Kaoru is known for his works such as Rival and Chara!, his current series, Mugen Shoujo Dreamer Angels, is serialized in the bi-monthly magazine Comic Valkyrie. Below is a statement from Shibayama Kaoru's editor regarding her death:

We had a meeting about Dreamer Angels on the 20th of last month, I still remember how he had so much passion for the next chapter. I think it's a shame that he was not able to finish Dreamer Angels. As for me, his editor, his death is a very sorrowful experience.

According to animeOnline, a Korean Manhwa exhibition will take place from April 21st at the Kawasaki City Museum:

The exhibit will continue through June 3rd and will feature manhwa artists such as Kim Dongwha (creator of A Story of Kisaeng and Bug Boy) and So-Hee Park (creator of Goong).

The first issue of Take Shobo's new seinen magazine, Comic Marble, was released on April 16th.