Earlier this week, DC Comics unveiled a new feature on its DC Universe Infinite platform that will enable readers to experience Jiro Kuwata’s Batman in its original right-to-left orientation. Two titles are now available in this format with more in the pipeline… Brigid Alverson parses the June Circana Bookscan data… Brian Mariotti, the CEO of Funko, just stepped down… Saiyuku Jump will serialize a color version of Akira Toriyama’s Sand Land… Kiminori Wakasugi (Detroit Metal City) has begun work on Akina-chan Kamigakaru, a comedy about an aspiring manga artist… sales of the Oshi no Ko manga have tripled since the anime debuted… the final chapter of Space Brothers will be published in September… and How Do You Live?, Hayao Miyazaki’s last film, arrives in Japanese theaters today. Richard Eisenbeis has an early review. Last but not least, the finalists in the Comedy Pet Photography Awards were just announced and, as you might expect, there are plenty of hilarious images of flying poodles and soccer-playing cats. Go, enjoy!
AROUND THE WEB
How will artificial intelligence impact the anime, manga, and video game industries? In a recent survey of 27,000 Japanese professionals, more than half “worried AI will cost them future jobs and opportunities.” They also expressed concern about copyright infringement and unauthorized use of their work to train AI. [Otaku USA]
Muraktama Rodrigues explains why Slam Dunk “is your favorite sports manga,” even if “you just don’t know it yet.” [How to Love Comics]
Danica Davidson interviews Vernieda Vergara, author of My Manga Collection: That Time I Read So Much Manga That I Needed This Tracker to Record Everything, from the God-Tier Volumes to Trash Faves and Must-Reads! [Otaku USA]
Elliot and Andy are back with a new installment of Screen Tone Club. On the agenda: My Home Hero andThe Valiant Must Fall. [Screen Tone Club]
The OverMangaCast gang discuss the first the three volumes of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. [OverMangaCast]
Buckle up: the Manga Machinations crew are taking Eldo Yoshimizu’s Ryuko for a test drive. [Manga Machinations]
Helen, Kory, and Apryll dedicate the latest episode of Manga in Your Ears to After Hours and Good-Bye, My Rose Garden. [Taiiku Podcast]
REVIEWS
Four volumes in, Arpad Okay is still digging Dandadan… Justin checks out the first ten chapters of Kindergarten WARS… Megan D. revisits The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-Chan… Johanna Draper Carlson praises The Way of the Househusband: The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping… Adam Symchuk recommends Don’t Count Your Tanukis… and my Manga Bookshelf colleague Sean Gaffney reminds us that he’s not just a light novel guy; he reads a lot of manga, too!
New and Noteworthy
- Call the Name of the Night, Vol. 1 (Justin, The OASG)
- Centaurs, Vol. 1 (Karen Gellender, The Fandom Post)
- The Essence of Being a Muse, Vol. 1 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)
- Haita the Invisible, Vol. 1 (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)
- Handyman Saitou in Another World, Vol. 1 (Sakura Eries, The Fandom Post)
- The Horizon, Vol. 1 (Adam Symchuk, Asian Movie Pulse)
- Magical Girl Incident, Vol. 1 (Nic, No Flying No Tights)
- Okinawa (Elias Rosner, Multiversity Comics)
- Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon, Vol. 1 (Daryl Harding, Yatta-Tachi)
- A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom, Vol. 1 (Sakura Eries, The Fandom Post)
- Sugar Apple Fairy Tale, Vol. 1 (Onosume, Anime UK News)
- Sugar Apple Fairy Tale, Vol. 1 (Liz, No Flying No Tights)
- Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss But I’m Not the Demon Lord, Vol. 1 (John, Anime Nation)
Complete, OOP, and Ongoing Series
- The Elusive Samurai, Vols. 6-7 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Fist of the North Star, Vols. 8-9 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, Vols. 7-8 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, Vol. 8 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- A Man & His Cat, Vol. 8 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- Monster and the Beast, Vol. 4 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)*
- My Clueless First Friend, Vol. 2 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- SOTUS, Vol. 2 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- Tista, Vol. 2 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
* Final volume