SEAN: Hope you like Viz, that’s all I can say. They have this week all to themselves.
Now that Bakuman is all over, there’s a giant Bakuman box set for those who missed it. Discover the secrets to Jump manga, and look askance at that line about a man’s dreams all over again!
MJ: Perhaps in the new set, that line will have been magically rewritten. :D
ASH: I actually haven’t read any of Bakuman, yet. Sounds like this would be a good time to get around to doing that.
SEAN: It’s been a while since we’ve seen Black Bird, and it’s ending soon, so I’ll be nice. It’s a powerful manga with the ability to win the hearts of many readers. Excellent pickup for Viz.
ANNA: I’m glad this is so popular for Viz, and also glad I stopped reading it because I didn’t care for it. There’s other, better supernatural manga out there, most of it also published by Viz.
MICHELLE: Oh, is it really ending soon? I had no idea. I really used to keep better track of these things!
MJ: I want to say “good riddance,” but… what will I have left to hate now? I feel bereft.
SEAN: (Dr. Forrester voice) Who… Who Will I Kill?
Bleach is up to Vol. 58. Expect the usual Bleach shenanigans, but I will note this volume had one of the best reveals in the entire series about a character’s past.
MICHELLE: I periodically get caught up with Bleach, but I probably wouldn’t if my local library didn’t carry it.
MJ: Well, now I wanna read it. Hm.
SEAN: Claymore has hit Vol. 23, which means everyone has to buy it, or Robert Anton Wilson will be sad.
MJ: Heh. (Also, I will be sad, but not because of 23.)
SEAN: I lost track of Dawn of the Arcana, apparently right about when it got really good. But I’m sure the others will tell me what I’ve been missing.
ANNA: It is good! It has an interesting low key vibe for a fantasy series. It reminds me of some of the stuff CMX used to put out, in a very good way.
MICHELLE: I can see that comparison!
ASH: I’ve been meaning to give Dawn of the Arcana a try. Comparing it to CMX’s series just moved it up on my list.
SEAN: The 6th Hana-Kimi omnibus has Vols. 16-18, so we’re about 3/4 of the way there. Had enough reverse harem shenanigans yet?
ANNA: There can NEVER be enough reverse-harem shenanigans!!!!!
SEAN: I was pleasantly surprised at Vol. 1 of Happy Marriage?!, whose lead male was not as jerk-like as I expected, so am looking forward to seeing if Vol. 2 can develop the heroine some more as well.
ANNA: This was like volume 1 except with additional super handsome men. No real reverse-harem shenanigans though.
MICHELLE: I liked it more than expected, and it’s quite manhwa-like!
MJ: I’m looking forward to this as well, to my own surprise.
SEAN: My Neighbor Totoro is one of the best and most beloved children’s movies of all time. What better present for your young child than a translation of the Totoro novel, with original illustrations by Miyazaki?
ANNA: This sounds nice!
MJ: Agreed!
ASH: Oh! I had completely forgotten this was coming out.
SEAN: Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan is in the middle of a smaller, quieter arc after the long, long, LONG Kyoto arc, so I’m expecting a calmer, gentler yokai with Vol. 17. I firmly believe my expectations will be ruthlessly shattered.
One Piece Omnibus 7 has some of the best volumes of the Alabasta arc, which is one of the best arcs, so you know that you have to get it if you haven’t already.
Rosario + Vampire II 12 is another of those very popular shonen series that I never really got past the first volume of so have nothing to say about.
And Sakura Hime 11 is the exact same thing, only on the shoujo side.
Slam Dunk 30, everyone! The penultimate volume! I’m going to guess there will be a basketball game of some sort.
ANNA: The most awesome basketball game ever! Seriously I love Slam Dunk.
MICHELLE: Me, too. I have been hoarding the recent volumes even though I’ve been so tempted by them. Is there any other sports manga now running? I can’t think of one…
ASH: I am so far behind with Slam Dunk, but it really is great. The only other sports manga I can think of that’s currently being published is Real, also about basketball and also by Takehiko Inoue (and one of my favorite series!)
MICHELLE: Oh, I had forgotten about Real! Possibly because it’s seinen, it doesn’t feel like traditional sports manga to me. I’d dearly love more Mitsuru Adachi, and I’d even buy the Prince of Tennis sequel, no matter how stupid it is.
SEAN: I’m not sure Adachi’s done basketball… he tends to stick with his one sport, although my own license dream, Rough, is a swimming manga.
MICHELLE: Oh, I definitely wasn’t thinking only basketball. Rough is the one I most want, too! :)
SEAN: Toriko 18 will no doubt make me hungry, have plausibly deniable homoerotic content, and feature some truly ridiculous animals.
ASH: I’m behind with Toriko, too, but I do get a kick out of the series.
SEAN: Lastly, and to the frustration of my trying to get the side images to look cool and not dangle off the edge of the article. we have the debut of the new series from Special A’s Maki Minami! Voice Over: Seiyuu Academy, is from Hana to Yume, so it already has a head start with me. Can’t wait.
ANNA: I liked this more than I thought I would, considering I did not care much for Special A.
MICHELLE: I enjoyed it, too. It’s pretty generic, but there was still something about it that compelled me to want to read volume two.
MJ: I’m with Michelle and Anna here, too.
SEAN: Is your favorite manga a voice actress?