The July sales numbers are in, and VIZ rules the roost once again, occupying sixteen of the top twenty slots on the Circana Bookscan Top Manga Graphic Novel List. While the list is mainly comprised of long-standing favorites–Jujitsu Kaisen, Spy X Family, One Piece–there are new entries, including Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Goodbye, Eri and Yana Taboso’s Disney Twisted-Wonderland. Manga sales on the whole, however, have been down this year, a point acknowledged by VIZ’s Kevin Hamric in a recent interview with ICv2. “The entire book industry in the US is down 3.2 percent right now,” he noted. Manga, in particular, “is down 23 percent. That’s BookScan numbers; that’s right for what they track.” Nonetheless, he remained optimistic: “If things continue like this,” Hamric explained, “it’ll still end up being the third‑best year on record.”
In other news, Cat + Gamer and Shuna’s Journey are among the titles vying for this year’s Harvey Awards in the Best Manga category… Azuki has teamed up with One Peace Books to release 23 series online… The Promised Neverland may be over, but it’s still selling briskly, with more than 40 million volumes in circulation… Otaku USA has a preview of Ryo Sumiyoshi’s Centaurs… Japanese fans reacted more positively to Netflix’s One Piece trailer than their American counterparts…and speaking of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda reportedly insisted that Netflix showrunners not alter any of the principal cast’s backstories. One Piece begins streaming on August 31st.
REVIEWS
The folks at Otaku USA have been busy: Kara Dennison explains what makes Shojo Null so compelling, while her colleague Danica Davidson reviews Offshore Lightning, Horror at Doll’s Village, and Villainess Level 99. Elsewhere on the web, Grant Jones gives Wolverine: SNIKT! a C+… Renee Scott “can’t recommend Akane-banashi enough” to readers of all ages… and That Manga Hunter offers an in-depth review of Prince Freya.
New and Noteworthy
- Akane-banashi, Vol. 1 (Adam Symchuk, Asian Movie Pulse)
- Akane-banashi, Vol. 1 (Sakura Eries, The Fandom Post)
- Cross-Dressing Villainess Cecilia Sylvie, Vols. 1-2 (The OASG)
- Death Note 20th Anniversary Edition, Vol. 1 (Sakura Eries, The Fandom Post)
- Higurashi: When They Cry-GOU, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, ANN)
- Homunculus, Vol. 1 (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)
- Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Memoria Freese, Vol. 1 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- My Mate Is a Feline Gentleman (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- The Princess of Convenient Plot Devices, Vol. 1 (Krystallina, The OASG)
- River’s Edge (Arpad Okay, The Beat)
- Saint? No, I’m Just a Passing Beast Tamer, Vol. 1 (Adam Symchuk, Asian Movie Pulse)
- Saint? No, I’m Just a Passing Beast Tamer, Vol. 1 (Christopher Farris, ANN)
- Secrets of the Silent Witch, Vol. 1 (Adam Symchuk, Asian Movie Pulse)
- Secrets of the Silent Witch, Vol. 1 (darkstorm, Anime UK News)
- The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga (Mark Thomas, The Fandom Post)
- The Summer Hikaru Died, Vol. 1 (Caitlin Moore, ANN)
- Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss, But I’m Not the Demon Lord, Vol. 1 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Wolverine: SNIKT! (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)
- Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop, Vol. 1 (Karen Gellender, The Fandom Post)
Complete, OOP, and Ongoing Series
- Ayashimon, Vol. 2 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- The Beginning After the End, Vols. 2-3 (Noemi10, Anime UK News)
- Choujin X, Vol. 2 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess, Vol. 7 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- Fist of the North Star, Vols. 8-9 (Grant Jones, ANN)
- A Galaxy Next Door, Vol. 5 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- The Girl I Like Forget Her Glasses, Vol. 4 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- GunburerXSisters, Vols. 3-4 (Eric P., Okazu)
- Hirano and Kagiura, Vol. 3 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- How Do We Relationship?, Vol. 9 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Kowloon Generic Romance, Vol. 4 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- Lost Lad London, Vol. 3 (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)
- Love and Heart, Vol. 8 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Love’s in Sight, Vol. 2 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Mint Chocolate, Vol. 8 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Mission: Yozakura Family, Vol. 5 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Oshi no Ko, Vol. 2 (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)
- The Remarried Empress, Vol. 2 (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)
- Shadows House, Vol. 4 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- Villains Are Destined to Die, Vol. 2 (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)
- The World After the Fall, Vols. 2-3 (Adam Symchuk, Asian Movie Pulse)