Celsys, the company behind the manga creation software Comic Studio, has announced an English version (PDF) of the Comic Studio Enterprise. The new software is intended to aid foreign artists in the creation of mobile manga, e-books and comics, and also aims to increase Celsys' presence in the oversea market. According to the announcement, those who already own the Japanese version of the software can simply sign a new contract in order to gain access to the English version.

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Houbunsha has released a new magazine on 8/8 titled Kyuukyoku Renai Chocolat, an add-on magazine to Manga Time Special.

Also, Ohzora Shuppan has released a new "teens love" manga magazine magazine on 7/31 titled Koi Mato Dengon (RabuDen).

Hit Shuppansha has launched the official websites for two of its adult magazines:

• Comic Aun
  - http://www.hitpub.com/aun/
• Comic Shoujo Tengoku
  - http://www.hitpub.com/syojyotengoku/

Below is a round-up of all the manga-related adaptation news announcements for the first half of August:

- The Prince of Tennis will be adapted into a live-action drama in China.

- VIZ Pictures has announced plans to release a Lovely Complex live-action movie in the spring of 2008.

- Shigeshoshi by Mitsukazu Mihara (DOLL), known as The Embalmer in the U.S., will be adapted into a live-action television drama.

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Mainichi Daily News has published an article on Comiket 72, which is taking place from the 17th through the 19th at the Tokyo Big Sight:

About 36,000 organizations will put cartoons, novels, music and game software programs on sale at Comic Market. [...] The fair proved popular and soon expanded. It began being held at Tokyo Big Sight in the summer of 1996. It is now held every summer and winter and hopes to attract 500,000 visitors.

Top 10 manga (8/15) according to Tohan:

1. Naruto, Volume 39
2. Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 17
3. Bleach, Volume 29
4. D.Gray-man, Volume 12
5. Gintama, Volume 19
6. Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, Volume 16
7. WORST, Volume 18
8. Bleach Official Bootleg Karaburi+ (Colorful Bleach)
9. Kaichou wa Maid-sama!, Volume 3
10. Angel Heart, Volume 23

Akiba Blog reports that Graphsha has released a new cookbook book from "otaku princess" Yunmao Ayakawa called Otaku Meshi Cooking. The new otaku cookbook aims to teach otaku how to cook for themselves.

Source: Kotaku

Pfizer Incorporated, the pharmaceutical company that produces sildenafil citrate, otherwise known as Viagra, is currently serializing a manga titled Nisemono? (Fake?) by Hiroshi Motomiya on its Japanese homepage. The manga aims to help men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction.

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Popular shojo mangaka Mayu Shinjo will be starting a new series titled Midnight???Children in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret (Betsuma) September issue (8/11).

Also, Mayu Shinjo announced on her blog that she is now in charge of creating illustrations for the official Gundam SEED/Gundam SEED Destiny mobile website, SEED Club Mobile. Mayu Shinjo used to publish Gundam doujinshi, and now she will be creating official illustrations for the website of the popular mecha series.

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A new manga from Eiji Nonaka titled Hataki will begin serialization in Kodansha's Evening issue 18, on sale 8/28.

Eiji Nonaka is known for the manga Cromartie High School, which won the 2002 Kodansha Manga Award for Shonen Manga, and was nominated for the 2006 Eisner awards for Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material.

Source: Ikesan from FR-NEO RE