Giveaways

Manga Giveaway: Queen Emeraldas Giveaway Winner

May 3, 2017 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Queen Emeraldas manga giveaway is… Sofia!

As the winner, Sofia will be receiving a copy of the first volume of Leiji Matsumoto’s Queen Emeraldas as published in English (and in hardcover!) by Kodansha Comics. Queen Emeraldas is a relatively recent example of a manga released in translation that is set in space. I happen to be rather fond of stories with space settings and so for this giveaway I asked that participants tell me a little about their favorite space manga. Check out below for a list of manga, but everyone’s detailed responses can be found in the giveaway comments.

Some of the manga with space settings released in print in English:
2001 Nights by Yukinobu Hoshino
A, A′ by Moto Hagio
Astra Lost in Space by Kenta Shinohara
Andromeda Stories written by Ryu Mitsuse, illustrated by Keiko Takemiya
Battle Angel Alita: Last Order by Yukito Kishiro
Bodacious Space Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace by Chibimaru
Captain Harlock: Dimensional Voyage written by Leiji Matsumoto, illustrated by Kouichi Shimahoshi
Chronowar by Kazumasa Takayama
Earthian by Yun Kouga
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo by Mahiro Maeda
Gin Tama by Hideaki Sorachi
Jyu-Oh-Sei by Natsumi Itsuki
Knights of Sidonia by Tsutomu Nihei
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt by Yasuo Ohtagaki
Moon Child by Reiko Shimizu
Phoenix by Osamu Tezuka
Planetes by Makoto Yukimura
Please Save My Earth by Saki Hiwatari
Queen Emeraldas by Leiji Matsumoto
Stellvia by Ryo Akitzuki
Saber Tiger by Yukinobu Hoshino
Saturn Apartments by Hisae Iwaoka
Terra Formars written by Yu Sasuga, illustrated by Ken-ichi Tachibana
They Were Eleven by Moto Hagio
To Terra… by Keiko Takemiya
Trigun by Yasuhiro Nightow
Twin Spica by Kou Yaginuma
The Two Faces of Tomorrow by Yukinobu Hoshino
The Voices of a Distant Star written by Makoto Shinkai, illustrated by Mizu Sahara

As usual, the above list is not at all comprehensive (and there’s even more available digitally), but it should hopefully provide a good launching point. I’ve personally read and am quite fond of many of the titles listed, but there are some that I have yet to try, too. Thank you to everyone who took time to share your favorite space manga with me! I hope to see you all again for the next monthly giveaway.

Manga Giveaway: Queen Emeraldas Giveaway

April 26, 2017 by Ash Brown

It’s that time again! The end of the month is fast approaching which means another giveaway at Experiments in Manga is now underway! This month’s giveaway features Queen Emeraldas, Volume 1 by Leiji Matsumoto as published in English by Kodansha Comics. (It’s a hardcover!) The second and final volume of the series will be released later this year (I believe it’s scheduled for July), so this giveaway is a great opportunity for a chance to win the first volume to give the series a try. And, as always, the giveaway is open worldwide!

I have been a long-time fan of speculative and science fiction of all types, but I do seem to particularly fond of those that somehow involve space. Taking that into consideration, it probably shouldn’t be too surprising that manga about space travel and exploration especially tend to appeal to me. When Leiji Matsumoto’s Queen Emeraldas was licensed it immediately caught my attention. Not only does it take place in space, it’s also a series from the 1970s. “Classic” manga aren’t frequently released in English (unless they’re by Osamu Tezuka), so that aspect of Queen Emeraldas interested me, too. And indeed, I enjoyed the first volume a great deal.

So, you may be wondering, how can you a copy of the Queen Emeraldas, Volume 1?

1) In the comments below, tell me about your favorite manga set in space. (Don’t have a favorite or have never read one? Simply mention that instead.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

And there you have it. Everyone participating in the giveaway can earn up to two entries and has one week to submit comments. If needed or preferred, entries can also be sent directly to me at phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. The comments will then be posted here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on May 3, 2017. Good luck!

VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address in the comment form, a link to your website, Twitter username, or whatever. If I can’t figure out how to get a hold of you and you win, I’ll just draw another name.

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Queen Emeraldas Giveaway Winner

Manga Giveaway: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Giveaway Winner

April 5, 2017 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid manga giveaway is… Kate!

As the winner, Kate will be receiving the delightful Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Volume 1 by Coolkyousinnjya as published in English by Seven Seas. At first I was a little hesitant about reading Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, but ultimately I couldn’t deny the allure of dragons. And so for this giveaway, I asked that participants tell me a little about their favorite dragons from manga. I’ve collected some of the manga mentioned in the list below (along with some others), but be sure to check out the giveaway comments for everyone’s detailed responses.

Some of the manga with dragons available in English:
Akame ga Kill! written by Takahiro, illustrated by Tetsuya Tashiro
The Ancient Magus Bride by Kore Yamazaki
The Betrayal Knows My Name by Hotaru OdagiriCirque du Freak by Takahiro Arai
A Certain Magical Index written by Kazuma Kamachi, illustrated by Chuya Kogino
Crimson Spell by Ayano Yamane
Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui
The Demon Prince of Momochi House by Aya Shouoto
Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
Dragon Drive by Kenichi Sakura
Dragon Half by Ryusuke Mita
Dragon Knights by Mineko Ohkami
Dragonar Academy written by Ran, illustrated by Shiki Mizuchi
Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima
Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya
From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa
Fushigi Yûgi by Yuu Watase
Gate: Where the JSDF Fought written by Takumi Yanai, illustrated by Satoru Sao
High School DxD by Hiroji Mishima
The Key to the Kingdom by Kyoko Shitou
Kiss of the Rose Princess by Aya Shouoto
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time by Akira Himekawa
Legendz written by Rin Hirai, illustrated by Makoto Haruno
Lord Marksman and Vanadis written by Tsukasa Kawaguchi, illustrated by Nobuhiko Yanai
Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid by Coolkyousinnjya
Natsume’s Book of Friends by Yuki Midorikawa
Negima! by Ken Akamatsu
Petshop of Horrors by Matsuri Akino
Princess Mermaid by Junko Mizuno
Rave Master by Hiro Mashima
Read or Dream written by Hideyuki Kurata, illustrated by Ran Ayanaga
Record of Lodoss War: The Lady of Pharis written by Ryo Mizuno, illustrated by Akihiro Yamada
St. Dragon Girl by Natsumi Matsumoto
Tales of Zestiria by Shiramine
Tenryu: The Dragon Cycle by Sanami Matoh
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime written by Fuse, illustrated by Taiki Kawakami
Time Stranger Kyoko by Arina Tanemura
Two Flowers for the Dragon by Nari Kusakawa
X by CLAMP
Übel Blatt by Etorouji Shiono
Yona of the Dawn by Mizuho Kusanagi
Zero’s Familiar written by Noboru Yamaguchi, illustrated by Nana Mochizuki

Well now, that ended up being a fairly lengthy list, and I know that it’s not comprehensive, but it’s certainly a start. Whether they’re familiars, sidekicks, primary characters, or the stuff of legend, all sorts of dragons can be found in all sorts of manga. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share your favorite dragons with me! I hope to see you all again for the next giveaway.

Manga Giveaway: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Giveaway

March 29, 2017 by Ash Brown

It’s the last Wednesday of March and you know what that means! It’s once again time for a giveaway at Experiments in Manga! This month you all have the opportunity to win the first volume in Coolkyousinnjya’s surprisingly sweet and charming manga series Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid as published in English by Seven Seas. And as usual, the giveaway is open worldwide.

Ever since I was little, I’ve loved dragons. While I’m not quite as obsessed with them as I once was, I’ve never grown out of my affection for dragons. And so when there’s a manga series that features dragons in some way–like Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid–I can’t help but give it a try. I’ll admit, despite my established interest in dragons, I was initially a little wary of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first volume. The series has a few missteps, but overall it’s great fun and has some fantastic characters. And with the anime adaptation that’s currently airing, even more people are now aware of the charms of Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid. Hopefully as a result they’ll be encouraged to seek out the original, too!

So, you may be wondering, how can you a copy of the Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Volume 1?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about one of your favorite dragons from a manga. (If you don’t have a favorite or don’t know of any, simply mention that.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

It’s as easy as that! Participants in the giveaway have one week to submit comments and can earn up to two entries. If you have trouble with the comment form, or if preferred, entries can also be sent directly to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. I will then post those comments here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on April 5, 2017. Best of luck to you all!

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Giveaway Winner

Manga Giveaway: Tokyo ESP Giveaway Winner

March 1, 2017 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Tokyo ESP manga giveaway is… AshLynx!

As the winner, AshLynx will be receiving the first omnibus in Hajime Segawa’s manga series Tokyo ESP as published in English by Vertical Comics. Tokyo ESP is a relatively recent example of a manga that’s about psychics and espers. The subgenre doesn’t seem to be quite as common as it once was in translation, but it’s certainly still around. And so for this giveaway, I asked that participants tell me a little about their favorite espers and psychics from manga. Mob from Mob Psycho 100 was mentioned the most frequently (I really hope an English-language publisher will license that series soon!), but there are other really great characters mentioned in the giveaway comments, too!

Some of the psychic/esper manga available in English:
A, A’ by Moto Hagio
Akira by Otomo Katsuhiro
Alive: The Final Evolution written by Tadashi Kawashima, illustrated by Adachitoka
Baoh by Hirohiko Araki
Betrayal Knows My Name by Hotaru Odagiri
Beyond the Blindfold by Sakura Tsukuba
A Certain Magical Index written by Kazuma Kamachi, illustrated by Chuya Kogino
A Certain Scientific Accelerator written by Kazuma Kamachi, illustrated by Yamaji Arata
A Certain Scientific Railgun written by Kazuma Kamachi, illustrated by Motoi Fuyukawa
Clover by CLAMP
Descendants of Darkness by Yoko Matsushita
Drug & Drop by CLAMP
Domu by Otomo Katushiro
ES: Eternal Sabbath by Fuyumi Soryo
From the New World written by Yusuke Kishi, illustrated by Toru Oikawa
Ghost Hunt by Shiho Inada
Hands Off! by Kasane Katsumoto
I.O.N. by Arina Tanemura
Jihai by Toshimi Nigoshi
Kimagure Orange Road by Izumi Matsumoto
Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service written by Eiji Otsuka, illustrated by Housui Yamazaki
Legal Drug by CLAMP
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer by Satoshi Mizukami
Mai, the Psychic Girl written by Kazuya Kudo, illustrated by Ryoichi Ikegami
Maoh: Juvenile Remix by Megumi Osuga
Mistress Fortune by Arina Tanemura
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya written by Nagaru Tanigawa, illustrated by Gaku Tsugano
Night Head Genesis by You Higuri
Please Save My Earth by Saki Hiwatari
Psychic Power Nanaki by Ryo Saenagi
Psycho Busters written by Tadashi Agi, illustrated by Akinari Nao
Psyren by Toshiaki Iwashiro
Rasetsu by Chika Shiomi
Spiritual Police by Youka Nitta
Telepathic Wanderers written by Yasutaka Tsutsui, illustrated by Sayaka Yamazaki
To Terra… by Keiko Takemiya
Tokyo ESP by Hajime Segawa
Tokyo Babylon by CLAMP
Wild Com. by Yumi Tamura
X by CLAMP
Yurara by Chika Shiomi
YuYu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi

That’s quite a list, and I’m certain that’s not all of the manga with psychics and espers to have been released in English. Even so, I think there’s a nice variety of genres and even types of psychics represented, and you’ve got to start somewhere. Thank you to everyone who participated and shared your favorite espers with me. I hope to see you again for the next giveaway!

Manga Giveaway: Tokyo ESP Giveaway

February 22, 2017 by Ash Brown

The end of February is almost here which means it’s yet again time for another giveaway at Experiments in Manga. This month everyone will have the opportunity to win the first omnibus of Hajime Segawa’s manga series Tokyo ESP. (Published in English by Vertical Comics, the omnibus collects the first two volumes of the original Japanese edition.) As always, the giveaway is open worldwide!

Growing up I absolutely loved stories about psychic powers. (Did anyone else read The Girl with the Silver Eyes Willo Davis Roberts? That was a favorite of mine and I frequently reread it.) I no longer deliberately seek out that particular subgenre in the same way that I used to, but I do continue to enjoy stories with ESP as a prominent feature. At one point in time, it actually seemed like it was impossible to get away from manga series revolving around characters with psychic powers. While they don’t seem to be nearly as common as they once were, manga with psychics and espers are still regularly released in English, Tokyo ESP being just one example

So, you may be wondering, how can you a copy of the first Tokyo ESP omnibus?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about one of your favorite psychics or espers from a manga. (If you don’t have a favorite or don’t know of any, simply mention that.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

That’s pretty straightforward, right? Everyone participating has one week to submit comments and can earn up to two entries for the giveaway. Comments can also be sent directly to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com if needed or preferred. Those entries will then be posted here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on March 1, 2017. Good luck, everyone!

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Tokyo ESP Giveaway Winner

Manga Giveaway: Please Tell Me! Galko-chan Giveaway Winner

February 1, 2017 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Please Tell Me! Galko-chan manga giveaway is… Dawn!

As the winner, Dawn (whose Anime Nostalgia Podcast is well-worth checking out, by the way) will be receiving the first volume in Kenya Suzuki’s delightful manga series Please Tell Me! Galko-chan as published in English by Seven Seas. The series is somewhat unusual in that it is a full-color manga, so I asked participants in the giveaway to tell me a little about some of the color manga that they’ve read. Check out the giveaway comments for everyone’s detailed responses, and check out the list below for some great full-color manga! (I decided to include a few full-color manhwa on the list, too.)

Some of the full-color manga (and manhwa!) available in print in English:
Aaron’s Absurd Armada by MiSun Kim
Chi’s Sweet Home by Konami Kanata
Fluffy, Fluffy Cinnamoroll by Yumi Tsukirino
Guardians of the Louvre by Jiro Taniguchi
His House by Hajin Yoo
Joan by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Lethe by Kimjin
Maka-Maka: Sex, Life, and Communication by Torajiro Kishi
Milkyway Hitchhiking by Sirial
The Monkey King by Katsuya Terada
Please Tell Me! Galko-chan by Kenya Suzuki
Rohan at the Louvre by Hirohiko Araki
Unico by Osamu Tezuku
Void’s Enigmatic Mansion by HeeEun Kim
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past by Shotaro Ishinomori

As far as full-color print releases in English go, I believe the above list is actually pretty comprehensive, but there may have been a few that I missed. (If you can think of one, let me know!) There are also some full-color manga and manhwa that have been licensed in English for digital release, too. Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway by sharing your experiences with color manga and manhwa. I hope that 2017 is a bright and colorful year for you all, and I hope to see you again for the next giveaway!

Manga Giveaway: Please Tell Me! Galko-chan Giveaway

January 25, 2017 by Ash Brown

I realize that it’s the end of the month rather than the beginning, and that I’ve probably already said this, but happy new year, everyone! I’d like to help get 2017 off to a good start with a great giveaway at Experiments in Manga. And so, this month you will all have the chance to win the first volume of Kenya Suzuki’s delightful manga series Please Tell Me! Galko-chan as published in English by Seven Seas. As usual, the giveaway is open worldwide!

I really enjoyed the first volume of Please Tell Me! Galko-chan, perhaps even more than I expected that I would. It’s a bright and cheerful manga, in part because it’s artwork is bright and cheerful, too. Please Tell Me! Galko-chan is somewhat unusual in that it’s completely in color. Although it isn’t uncommon for a manga to include a few color pages here or there, relatively few full-color manga have been licensed in English. While I love the monochromatic illustrations typical of most manga, the deliberate but sparing use of color can create a tremendous narrative impact (I’m thinking of a specific scene in Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto) and full-color manga can be very appealing as well.

So, you may be wondering, how can you a copy of Please Tell Me! Galko-chan, Volume 1?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about a manga with color artwork that you’ve read, whether color was used for an entire volume or only a few pages. (If you haven’t encountered any, you can simply mention that.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

That’s all there is to it. Participants in the giveaway can earn up to two entries and have one week to submit comments. If needed or preferred, comments can also be sent via email to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com and I will then post them here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on February 1, 2017. Good luck!

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Please Tell Me! Galko-chan Giveaway Winner

Manga Giveaway: Kuroko’s Basketball Giveaway Winner

January 4, 2017 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Kuroko’s Basketball manga giveaway is… Coco!

As the winner, Coco will be receiving a copy of the first Kuroko’s Basketball omnibus, created by Tadatoshi Fujimaki and published in English by Viz Media. Tournaments often play a large part in sports manga like Kuroko’s Basketball but they can also be incorporated into other genres in interesting ways, too. For this giveaway, I asked that participants tell me a little about their favorite tournament manga. I’ve collected some of the responses in the list below (combined with some additional titles), but be sure to check out the giveaway comments for all of the detailed replies.

Some of the tournament and competition manga licensed in English:
Air Gear by Oh!Great
Angelic Layer by CLAMP
Battle Angel Alita: Last Order by Yukito Kishiro
Crimson Hero by Mitsuba Takanashi
Cross Game by Mitsuru Adachi
Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
Eyeshield 21 written by Riichiro Inagaki, illustrated by Yusuke Murata
Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma written by Yuto Tsukuda, illustrated by Shun Saeki
Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate
Hikaru no Go written by Yumi Hotta, illustrated by Takeshi Obata
Hunter x Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi
King of Cards by Makoto Tateno
Kuroko’s Basketball by Tadatoshi Fujimaki
Let’s Dance a Waltz by Natsumi Ando
My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi
The Prince of Tennis by Takeshi Konomi
Real by Takehiko Inoue
Reborn! by Akira Amano
Revolutionary Girl Utena by Chiho Saito
Shaman King by Hiroyuki Takei
Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue
Toriko by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro
Welcome to the Ballroom by Tomo Takeuchi
Yakitate!! Japan by Takashi Hashiguchi
Your Lie in April by Naoshi Arakawa
Yowamushi Pedal by Wataru Watanabe
YuYu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi
Yu-Gi-Oh! by Kazuki Takahashi

The above list is not by any means comprehensive, but it’s not a bad place to start looking for some tournament manga to read. Perhaps unsurprisingly, sports manga seems to predominate but there are a few other interesting titles in there as well. As always, thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in the giveaway and share your favorite manga tournaments with me! I hope to see you again for the next giveaway. (Oh, and happy new year!)

Manga Giveaway: Kuroko’s Basketball Giveaway

December 28, 2016 by Ash Brown

2016 is finally drawing to close. It’s been a tumultuous year for me personally, with all sorts of ups and downs, but one thing at least was constant–2016 was great for manga. But before the is completely over, there’s still time for one more manga giveaway to celebrate all of the great releases. This month you all have the chance to win TadatoshiFujimaki’s first Kurkoko’s Baskestball omnibus published in English by Viz Media. And as always, the giveaway is open worldwide!

The licensing of sports manga have recently become more common; there are more, but the three major series that are currently be released are Yowamushi Pedaul by Wataru Watanabe, Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate, and Kuroko’s Basketball by Tadatoshi Fujimaki. Each series features a different sport–cycling, volleyball, and basketball respectively–but one of the many things that they have in common are the stories’ competitive natures. Competitions and tournaments provide a ready-made narrative for a series. Tournaments aren’t limited to sports manga, and not all sports manga have tournaments although most of the ones that I’ve read certainly do. When done well, tournament arcs can be very exciting events. When done poorly, they seem to drag on and seem to serve little purpose. Kuroko’s Basketball dives into it’s initial tournament game very quickly. I haven’t read much of the series yet, but so far the manga has been pretty entertaining.

So, you may be wondering, how can you a copy of Kuroko’s Basketball, Omnibus 1?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about a favorite tournament manga or favorite manga with a tournament arc. (If you don’t have one or haven’t read any, simply mention that.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

It’s as easy as that. Everyone participating has one week to submit comments and can earn up to two entries for this giveaway. Comments can also be submitted directly to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com if needed or preferred. The comments will then be posted here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on January 4, 2017. Best of luck, and happy new year!

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Kuroko’s Basketball Giveaway Winner

Manga Giveaway: Kodansha Comics Collection Winner

December 7, 2016 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Kodansha Comics Collection manga giveaway is… Amaya!

As the winner, Amaya will be receiving not one but four of Kodansha Comics print debuts from 2016: Shuzo Oshimi’s Happiness, Hiroyuki Takei’s Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai, Hico Yamanaka’s The Prince in His Dark Days, and Tomo Takeuchi’s Welcome to the Ballroom. As I was reflecting back on the manga of 2016, I found that I was particularly impressed by the increased variety in Kodansha Comics titles. And so, for this giveaway, I asked that participants tell me about their favorite 2016 Kodansha Comics manga, debuts or otherwise. Akiko Higashimura’s Princess Jellyfish seems to have garnered the most love and attention, but be sure to check out the giveaway comments for everyone’s excitement over all of the great manga released by Kodansha Comics this year!

Kodansha Comics 2016 print debuts:
Attack on Titan: Lost Girls written by Koji Seko, illustrated by Ryosuke Fuji.
Attack on Titan Coloring Book by Hajime Isayama
Attack on Titan Anthology edited by Ben Applegate and Jeanine Schaefer
Cells at Work by Akane Shimizu
Complex Age by Yui Sakuma
Fairy Tail: Twin Dragons of Saber Tooth by Kyouta Shibano
Fairy Tail: Zero by Hiro Mashima
Fire Force by Atsushi Ohkubo
Forget Me Not written by Mag Hsu, illustrated by Nao Emoto
The Ghost and the Lady by Kazuhiro Fujita
Happiness by Shuzo Oshimi
In/Spectre by Chashiba Katase
Interviews with Monster Girls by Petos
Maga-Tsuki by Hoshino Taguchi
Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai by Hiroyuki Takei
Neo Parasyte F by Various
Paradise Residence by Kosuke Fujishima
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Side: P3 by So Tobita
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Side: P4 by Mizunomoto
The Prince in His Dark Days by Hiko Yamanaka
Princess Jellyfish by Akiko Higashimura
Queen Emeraldas by Leiji Matsumoto
Real Account written by Okushou, illustrated by Shizumu Watanabe
Spoof on Titan by Hounori
Sweetness and Lightning by Gido Amagakure
That Wolf-Boy is Mine! by Yoko Nogiri
Welcome to the Ballroom by Tomo Takeuchi

As always, thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in the giveaway and for sharing your favorite Kodansha Comics manga with me. 2016 was a great year for manga and 2017 looks like it should be pretty darn good, too. But before we get to that, I hope to see you again for this year’s last giveaway!

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Manga Giveaway: Kodansha Comics Collection Giveaway

November 30, 2016 by Ash Brown

Both the last Wednesday and the last day of November has arrived, so it is once again time for a giveaway at Experiments in Manga! Last week was Thanksgiving in the States which happens to be my favorite holiday. (I really enjoy the delicious food and spending time with my family. The extra sleep helps, too.) As is now tradition, I like the giveaways for November to involve a whole feast of manga in order to celebrate. This year you all have the chance to win four first volumes of manga released in English by Kodansha Comics in 2016: Shuzo Oshimi’s Happiness, Hiroyuki Takei’s Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai, Hico Yamanaka’s The Prince in His Dark Days, and Tomo Takeuchi’s Welcome to the Ballroom. And, as always, the giveaway is open worldwide!

As the end of 2016 steadily approaches I’m starting to think about the manga published in the last year that I found particularly notable. Inevitably, I’m asked what my favorite manga is and I generally try to get away with mentioning a single publisher rather than a single title. This year, I’ve especially been impressed by the manga that Kodansha Comics has been licensing and releasing. Over the last few years Kodansha has been successfully expanding its catalog and demographic reach, offering titles that were at one point rumored to either be unliscensable or otherwise highly risky. Josei? Kodansha has it. Classic manga? Kodansha has it. Sports manga? Kodansha has it. Food manga? Kodansha has that, too. In fact, some of my most anticipated manga releases for 2016 were published by Kodansha Comics and looking forward to 2017 it seems as though that will likely be the case next year, too.

So, you may be wondering, how can you win a collection of Kodansha Comics?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about a manga released by Kodansha Comics in 2016 that you particularly enjoyed and what you liked about it. (If you haven’t read or enjoyed any, simply mention that instead.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

And there you have it! Participants in the giveaway have one week to submit comments and can earn up to two entries. If needed or preferred, comments can also be submitted directly to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com and I will then post them here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on December 7, 2016. Good luck!

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Kodansha Comics Collection Winner

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Manga Giveaway: Sweetness & Lightning Giveaway Winner

November 2, 2016 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Sweetness & Lightning manga giveaway is… Joseph Miller!

As the winner, Joseph will be receiving a copy of the first two volumes of Gido Amagakure’s manga series Sweetness & Lightning as published in English by Kodansha Comics. In addition to being a food manga, which I generally enjoy, Sweetness & Lightning is also a series about family. In particular, the father-daughter relationship between Kōhei and Tsumugi is a major part of the story. Kōhei is a great dad, so for this giveaway I asked that participants tell me a little about their favorite fathers and father figures from manga. Be sure to check out the giveaway comments for all of the detailed responses!

Some of the manga available in English with notable dads and father figures:
Baby & Me by Marimo Ragawa
Barakamon by Satsuki Yoshino
Bokurano: Ours by Mohiro Kito
Bunny Drop by Yumi Unita
Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima
Fake by Sanami Matoh
Fate/Zero written by Gen Urobuchi, illustrated by Shinjiro
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
Gugure! Kokkuri-san by Midori Endou
Hide & Seek by Yaya Sakuragi
Lone Wolf & Cub written by Kazuo Koike, illustrated by Goseki Kojima
Master Keaton written by Hokusei Katsushika, Takashi Nagasaki, Naoki Urasawa
My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame
My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki
Neon Genesis Evangelion by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
One-Punch Man written by One, illustrated by Yusuke Murata
Only Serious About You by Kai Asou
Otomen by Aya Kanno
Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori
Persona 4 by Shuji Sogabe
Real by Takehiko Inoue
Sweetness & Lightning by Gido Amagakure
Tiger & Bunny by Mizuki Sakakibara
Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida
Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura
Wandering Son by Takako Shimura
Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiko Azuma

As usual the above list certainly isn’t comprehensive but it does provide a variety of manga to explore. Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway and shared some of your favorite manga dads with me! I hope you see you all again for the next giveaway.

Manga Giveaway: Sweetness & Lightning Giveaway

October 26, 2016 by Ash Brown

It’s the last Wednesday in October, so it’s yet again time for another monthly giveaway at Experiments in Manga! This time you’ll all have the chance to win both the first and second volumes of Gido Amagakure’s food and family manga Sweetness & Lightning as released in English by Kodansha Comics. Why two volumes? Mostly because I feel like it! And also because I ended up with extra copies of both. But I also wanted to share the cuteness and food. Anyway, as always, this month’s giveaway is open worldwide!

It’s not really a secret that I enjoy food manga and will basically give any series a try if food is somehow prominently featured. That’s what initially drew me to Amagakure’s Sweetness & Lightning, but what I find particularly endearing about the series is the loving father-daughter relationship that it portrays. (Kōhei Inuzuka is great, and his daughter is pretty darn adorable.) Maybe it’s because I’ve become a parent relatively recently myself (okay… it’s been two years now), but I find parent-child relationships in manga to be particularly interesting, especially when they are a core element to the story being told. And that’s certainly the case with Sweetness & Lightning. While it’s still early on in the manga’s English-language release, so far I find the mix of food and family in Sweetness & Lightning to be immensely appealing.

So, you may be wondering, how can you win the first two volumes of Sweetness & Lightning?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about your favorite dad or father figure from manga. (Don’t have a favorite? Simply mention that instead.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

Not too difficult, right? Everyone can earn up to two entries each and has one week to submit comments for the giveaway. If the comment form gives you trouble, or if you prefer, responses can also be submitted directly to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. The comments will then be posted here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on November 2, 2016. Best of luck to you all!

Contest Winner Announced–Manga Giveaway: Sweetness & Lightning Giveaway Winner

Manga Giveaway: Yona of the Dawn Giveaway Winner

October 5, 2016 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Yona of the Dawn manga giveaway is… Kate!

As the winner, Kate will be receiving a copy of Yona of the Dawn, Volume 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi as published in English by Viz Media. As someone who tends to love epic shoujo fantasies, I was very excited for the release of Yona of the Dawn. For this giveaway, I asked participants to tell me a little about their own favorite shoujo fantasy manga, epic or otherwise, but I was specifically interested in works with a compelling female lead Be sure to check out the giveaway comments for everyone’s detailed responses! The list below includes the favorites mentioned and more.

Some of the shoujo fantasy manga with great female leads available in English:
Alice 19th by Yuu Watase
Basara by Yumi Tamura
Cardcaptor Sakura by CLAMP
The Demon Prince of Momochi House by Aya Shouoto
Dawn of the Arcana by Rei Toma
From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa
Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya
Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden by Yuu Watase
Immortal Rain by Kaori Ozaki
Kamisama Kiss by Julietta Suzuki
Kobato by CLAMP
Liselotte & Witch’s Forest by Natsuki Takaya
Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP
Please Save My Earth by Saki Hiwatari
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi
Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit’s Tale by Ryo Mizuno
Red River by Chie Shinohara
Revolutionary Girl Utena by Chiho Saito
Romeo x Juliet by Com
St. ♥ Dragon Girl by Natsumi Matsumoto
The Story of Saiunkoku written by Sai Yukino, illustrated by Kairi Yura
Time Stranger Kyoko Arina Tanemura
Tsubasa: Those with Wings by Natsuki Takaya
Two Flowers for the Dragon by Nari Kusakawa
Vampire Game by Judal
Yona of the Dawn by Mizuho Kusanagi

Viz Media seems to have a pretty good corner on the shoujo fantasy market, especially when it comes to epics, but other publishers have released some great manga, too. And, of course, the above list certainly isn’t exhaustive. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their personal favorites with me! I hope to hear from you all again.