About to start his 40th year as a mangaka, Go Nagai talks to Mainichi Daily in an article titled "40-year veteran of ecchi manga Go Nagai says brains more fun than boobs." Inthe article, Go Nagai talks about his past, how he became what he is today, and his views on ecchi manga.

Via: MangaBlog

Takeshi Miyazawa, a Canadian born manga artist who is currently in Japan, writes about a meeting with the editors of Wani Book's Comic Gum. The discussion reveals the editors' view on overseas manga markets and their view of foreign artists working in Japan.

Via: MangaBlog

Sometime between 7 - 11pm on March 20th, someone broke into Captain Tsubasa creator Yoichi Takahashi's office and walked away with 500,000 yen. The office is on the 2nd floor of a building in Katsushika, Tokyo. According to the report, when Yoichi Takahashi returned to his office at 11pm, he discovered the doors have been opened, and the 500,000 yen in his desk is no longer there. Fortunately no manga-related materials have been touched. Currently the police is investigating the theft.

Source: Nikkei

Manga Jouhou has posted a reply from Libre Publishing regarding the CPM/Be Beautiful incident. According to Libre, the license agreement CPM had with Biblos became invalid after Biblos filed for bankruptcy. CPM has since failed to establish a new license agreements with Libre Publishing:

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Manga top 10 according to Tohan.

1. Fullmetal Alchemist Vol.16
2. Fruits Baskek Vol.23
3. Nana Vol.17
4. Vagabond Vol.25
5. Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE Vol.18
6. Lovely Complex Vol.16
7. Ahiru no Sora Vol.15
8. Cross Game Vol.7
9. Konjiki no Gash Vol.28
10. Fruits Basket Fan Book Utage

Two new manga series will start in the June issue of Kadokawa Shoten's manga magazine Shonen Ace:

• Deadman-Wonderland by Jinsei Kataoka and Kazuma Kondou (Eureka 7)
• Teru Teru Tenjindoori by Miki Kodama (Canvas2 ~Niji-iro no Sketch~)

According to a notice on their website, Seirindo Net Communications is currently in the process of digitalizing comic strip Garo for distributino through the internet, mobile phones and more:

We are digitalizing the comic strip Garo for distribution on the Internet, PDAs, mobile phones and other communications networks. Comic strips are attracting interest as a valuable resource in the broadband contents business but we were already experimenting with various attempts at the digital expression of paper-based comic strips five or six years ago.

Source: ??Journalista!

MangaCast translates the weekly Doujinshi ranking (03/24) in Japan according to Toranoana, and the weekly BL Doujinshi ranking (03/24) in Japan according to Toranoana's BL specialty store Princess Side.

Houbunsha has launched a new light novel label titled Houbunsha KR Bunko (?????????KR??????). Works published under this label will be novel adaptations of 4-panel manga serialized in Houbunsha's 4-panel manga magazines.

The first 4-panel manga to be adapted to a light novel and published under the Houbunsha KR will be Ume Aoki's Hidamari Sketch.

A new series titled Ocha ni Gosu by Hiroyuki Nishimori, creator of Cheeky Angel and Kyou Kara Ore Wa!!, will begin serialization in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday issue 17, on sale 3/24.

Source: Ultimatum Chat