Japan

From Yomiuri Online comes an article looking at how Taiwan is quicker in turning manga into TV dramas than their Japanese counterparts:

Taiwanese broadcasters are now adapting manga popular among girls for use as TV dramas even more quickly than their Japanese TV counterparts. Some of these Taiwan dramas have done well in other Asian countries too, fueling a craze that has left broadcasters in the manga's country of origin in their wake.

Via: Giapet.net

According to Starchild - fyofuko, a new OVA the character Ryofuko-chan from Jiro Suzuki's manga Sota-kun no Akihabara no Funtoki is currently in the works.

Source: Active Anime

Shin Angyo Onshi (Blade of the Phantom Mask) by In-Wan Youn and Kyung-Il Yang will end its serialization in the September issue of Sunday GX, on sale 8/18.

Senaka: Otaku Road reports that with the Japanese release of Tenjho Tenge Volume 17, Oh! Great's seinen manga, which began serialization in 1998 in Ultra Jump, will have sold over 10.7 million copies.

Shounen Fang's official website has been updated with a brief statement from its editorial department announcing the magazine's demise.

The latest issue of Young Gangan reveals that the "important Bamboo Blade announcement" mentioned by Square-Enix is the anime adaptation of Bamboo Blade.

Source: Moon Phase

The Japan Times has published an article that explains how Japanese companies are beginning to explore the benefits of licensing:

A growing number of Japanese businesses are eager to license their products, not just for royalties but because they see licensing as an effective marketing strategy, according to a licensing association official.

Source: The Beat

topAccording to Kodansha, the winners of the First Kodansha International Manga Competition have been decided, and the grand prize winner is a North American manga artist.

An official announcement of the result and the name of the winners will be made in August. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000, as well as having his or her work serialized in either Morning, and even being published as independent comic books both in Japan and in other countries.

Thanks Ceena

animeOnline points out that Shogakukan will be re-releasing manga from Moto Hagio under the "Moto Hagio Perfect Selection" label. Some of the manga to be released under the label include Barbara Ikai and Mesh I & II.

The official site of CLAMP's new trading card game, CLAMP in CARDLAND, has been officially launched. The card game, illustrated by CLAMP and distributed by Upper Deck, will be released next autumn.

Source: Chibi Yuuto

The Kyoto International Manga Museum will hold a special exhibition from 7/30 to 8/27 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic, a children's magazine that serializes manga like Doraemon and Pokemon.