Fans of Kazuya Minekura’s unfinished BL action series Wild Adapter have been holding out hope for years that the series might one day be continued. News last year of its move to Ichijinsha provided a glimmer of real positivity, as it seemed that artistic differences may have been at least partially responsible for the series’ discontinuation, though of course a change in publisher can’t magically resolve the author’s persistent health problems, which have been ongoing since 2004.
Still, we may soon have something to hold us over as we continue to wait and hope. Earlier this week, ANN reported that a video anime has been green-lit, along with a new “vocal CD, a ‘Kubo-Toki’ live concert event, and a new art collection book titled sugar coat excess.”
Several of us here at Manga Bookshelf (specifically Michelle, David, & I) have been vocal fans of this series for some time, and I find myself receiving this news with both excitement and trepidation. On one hand, I would be very, very happy if a new OVA helped to generate new interest in the series, especially from fans who might not have considered checking it out before. I also hope very much that the animated adaptation remains true to the best elements of the manga, and I feel some nervousness on that front.
What say you, readers?
For more information on Wild Adapter, see last year’s Manga Moveable Feast, including our Introduction to Wild Adapter, BL Bookrack: Wild Adapter Roundtable (with special guest David Welsh), 3 Things Thursday: Wild Adapter, and Fanservice Friday: The Human Touch.
Manga Therapy says
March 28, 2012 at 10:34 amFunny how I just posted up a picture of Wild Adapter on my Pinterest and I hear this announcement. I’m not really into BL, but the whole premise of the series has me interested because I love action/mystery stories.
Melinda Beasi says
March 28, 2012 at 10:36 amIt is a brilliantly crafted manga that (in my opinion) everyone should read, regardless of their interest (or lack thereof) in BL. So I appreciate your interest in it very much!
Lorin says
March 29, 2012 at 5:05 amI just wanted to second Melinda’s comment here. You don’t need to be into BL to appreciate this series. The manga just works on so many levels, and it doesn’t really have the trappings typically associated with the BL genre. It’s simply a great story.
Manga Therapy says
March 29, 2012 at 10:03 amI’ll definitely keep an eye out for it then! :D
Melinda Beasi says
March 29, 2012 at 10:24 amI’m not sure how easy it is to find, since the demise of Tokyopop. But I have high hopes that someone might re-license it if there was enough new content for a seventh volume. About half a volume (I think) remains uncollected at this time. I could be overstating that slightly, I can’t remember. But there are at least a couple of chapters that haven’t been officially localized.
Lorin says
March 29, 2012 at 4:52 amI’m definitely looking forward to it and take it as a sign that Japan at least should be getting more Wild Adapter soon. I’d of course especially like the OVA to get an English release and generate enough interest for future volumes of the manga to get licensed by someone so I don’t have to struggle through the Japanese versions. :)
I’m also very much looking forward to the new art book! Any Wild Adapter news is good news, right?
Melinda Beasi says
March 29, 2012 at 6:22 amYeah, if nothing else, I keep hoping that someone will relicense the existing volumes so that they’d be back in print. Back when we first planned the Wild Adapter MMF, we didn’t even think about the possibility of them going permanently out of print, but by the time it actually rolled around. Tokyopop had shut down, and suddenly it was questionable whether people would be able to easily pick up the volumes. (Of course, it still was possible and most people didn’t anyway, but that’s a completely different rant.)
lovelyduckie says
March 30, 2012 at 1:54 pmInteresting…I was VERY enthusiatic about Saiyuki at one point, and then part way throgh Reload I was a bit less into the series. Because my enthusiasm for Saiyuki wore off I didn’t even consider this series by the same mangaka. I’m not all that interested in the OVA but I’m keenly interested in the manga now. Just bought all 6 volumes brand new for $34 on eBay.
Melinda Beasi says
March 30, 2012 at 1:56 pmAND NOW MY JOB HERE IS DONE. :) (Yay!)
themooninautumn says
March 31, 2012 at 4:29 pmOh! Yes, please!