Though we’ve just barely finished looking back at 2010, for those ready to peer forward into the year to come, About.com’s Deb Aoki has posted a gallery of upcoming manga that is truly wondrous to behold. As I flipped through this delicious list earlier, I began to regret my decision to limit myself to 3 Things. Titles like Natsume Ono’s La Quinta Camera and Usamaru Furuya’s Lychee Light Club called out to me sadly, “You’re really going to skip us? Really? REALLY?” Yet I’ll attempt just three all the same. Here goes!
3 manga I’m looking forward to in 2011
1. Wandering Son | Takako Shimura | Fantagraphics – This eleven-volume series about two transgender middle school students making their way through the minefield of adolescence is an ambitious choice for Fantagraphics’ new manga line, and possibly my most-anticipated new manga for 2011.
According to the PR copy, “Written and drawn by one of today’s most critically acclaimed creators of manga, Shimura portrays Shuishi and Yoshino’s very private journey with affection, sensitivity, gentle humor, and unmistakable flair and grace.” I can’t wait to see it for myself.
2. A Zoo in Winter | Jiro Taniguchi | Fanfare – Ponent Mon – I’m still left in a state of dreamy mental bliss whenever I think about Taniguchi’s A Distant Neighborhood, and the idea of being given the opportunity to read a semi-autobiography about the person who put me there is really all I could ever ask for in a manga.
From the PR, “For the first time ever, Taniguchi recalls his beginnings in manga and his youth spent in Tokyo in the 1960s. It is a magnificent account of his apprenticeship where all the finesse and elegance of the creator are united to illustrate those first emotions of adulthood.” Thank you, Fanfare – Ponent Mon, for continuing to bring us works like this!
3. A Bride’s Story | Kaoru Mori | Yen Press – Shockingly, I’ve never read Mori’s Emma, but everything I know about it leads me to believe that this tale of an accomplished young woman sent to marry a 12-year-old will be a must-read for me. From the PR, “At the age of twenty, Amir is sent to a neighboring town to be wed. But her surprise at learning her new husband, Karluk, is eight years younger than her is quickly replaced by a deep affection for the boy and his family … As the two of them learn more about each other through their day-to-day lives, the bond of respect and love grows stronger.”
Yen’s plans to release this in a “deluxe hardcover edition” certainly don’t hurt either.
A million thanks to Deb for providing such a tantalizing gallery! So readers, what are your most anticipated manga of the upcoming year?
David Welsh says
January 6, 2011 at 8:23 pmI’m absolutely with you on both Wandering Son and A Bride’s Story. With all due respect and love to Taniguchi and Fanfare, I’d only swap in The Strange Tale of Panorama Island, because it seems like I’ve been anticipating that one forever and can’t wait to read it. (If Last Gasp wants to secure my love forever and ever, they need only put more Little Fluffy Gigolo Pelu on their publishing schedule.)
Melinda Beasi says
January 6, 2011 at 8:27 pmI can go along with that on all counts!
Michelle Smith says
January 6, 2011 at 10:22 pmI want more Pelu, too!
Khursten says
January 6, 2011 at 8:48 pmWell, beyond the masterpieces, I think I’m going to list my 3 BL lists that will be coming out in english next year.
1.) Men of Tattoos by Aniya Yuji.
A really dark romance about some yakuza, coppers, and everybody in between. Lovely stuff and practically one of the reasons why I love Aniya Yuiji.
2.) The Desert Prince by Sakurai Shushushu
Big fan of the artist and royalty. It can’t go wrong.
3.) That was good (gochisousama) by CJ Michalski
I just saw the cover but a chef, a pilot, some parenting at the side equates to fun and lovely mess. I’m assuming that this is taking advantage of the single dad “moe~” but either way, it’s a delight to read and I’d want to have this in my life.
Melinda Beasi says
January 6, 2011 at 9:18 pmOh, how wonderful! I’m so out of the loop when it comes to BL, I never know what to look forward to.
Michelle Smith says
January 6, 2011 at 10:26 pmHm, this is very difficult.
1. I’m going with Wandering Son, too. I’ve had the first volume on my Amazon wishlist for, like, a year now or something. This is a title I’d always spout whenever any publisher solicited license requests, so I am definitely very excited.
2. Countdown 7 Days. There is every possibility this will not be that good, and it’s far from being the most literary on the list, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the artist’s Takeru: Opera Susanoh Sword of the Devil, so I’m looking forward to seeing what else she can do.
3. Bloody Monday. It sounds like an interesting story, but I’m also really eager to see Kodansha in action.
Honorable Mention: I’m pretty stoked to be intrigued by some Seven Seas releases. Their more fanservicey offerings haven’t appealed to me, but Amnesia Labyrinth, A Certain Scientific Railgun, and the license rescue of Gunslinger Girl have all piqued my interest.
Melinda Beasi says
January 7, 2011 at 9:42 amI need to look into those Seven Seas releases…
Jim says
January 7, 2011 at 8:15 am1. Onward Towards Our Noble Deaths – Shigeru Mizuki. I’m surprised this one hasn’t been mentioned yet. I guess it goes to show what a quality year for manga 2011 is shaping up to be.
2. The Strange Tale of Panorama Island – Suehiro Maruo. Like David said, feels like we’ve been waiting an eternity for this. I think the delay comes from all involved ensuring they get the translation/production just right so the wait should definitely be worth it.
3. Lychee Light Club – Usamaru Furuya. I loved the excerpts from Palepoli in Secret Comics Japan and Short Cuts back in the day and have wanted more Furuya to come out since then. I’m a little bit worried that this won’t live up to my expectations but I’m still highly anticipating this release.
I’m glad you put the Taniguchi title in your list. For some reason I had totally missed that announcement.
Also, more PELU for me too, please!
As David said, I feel like I’ve
Jim says
January 7, 2011 at 8:17 amSorry, ignore that last line!
Melinda Beasi says
January 7, 2011 at 9:52 amI’m glad someone else put in Lychee Light Club even if I didn’t have room for it!
Aaron says
January 7, 2011 at 11:40 amthe second volume of the Cardcaptor Sakura Omnibus and the two volume omnibus of Magic Knight Rayearth . I pre ordered the first Rayearth omnibus back in June of 2010 but never got it from B&N dot com here’s hopeing it comes out Jan 18th. Also I am waiting excpetnitlly for the unedited bone crunching tostarone fest that will be the Tenjho Tenge Viz Signature releases those are the three biggiesfor me. the other two I’m waiting for expecntlly are volume two of K-on! and volume three of Kingyo Used Books (the story Makeup in chapter 16 is worth buying it alone) so that’s what I’m looking forward to also in non Manga but somewhat related is the release of Clamp in America wich got bumped back (again!!) to a June release but here’s hopeing it comes out.
Melinda Beasi says
January 23, 2011 at 10:23 amSorry it took me so long to see this comment! I really need to start picking up those CCS collections!
Rij says
January 7, 2011 at 4:02 pmNot in order of preference:
1. Wondering Son
2. Replica, because there just isn’t enough action shoujo around.
3. Onward to Our Noble Deaths
Honorable mentions go to Countdown 7 Days, which I’m waiting for just as much as for Replica but didn’t want to use two slots for the same mangaka and Butterfly which I like and am waiting for but already own the two first volumes of. Unfortunately it seems like there won’t be any more olumes here so I’ll end up buying the English versions if I want to finish the story. I’ll end up with some of the yaoi too but just can’t pick a favourite from the lineup.
And I feel compelled to mention that I was bored silly by Emma and am not going to bother with Bride’s Story unless somebody convinces me that it is something really different.
Melinda Beasi says
January 23, 2011 at 10:24 amSorry it took me so long to see this comment! I’ll have to check out the second two titles you mention!