Also: Hyde & Closer 2, Spiral: The Bonds of Reason 2, and the conclusion to Treasure Gaust (volume 6). Sadly, The Fifth Columnist finale is excluded from this release.
Kekkaishi © Tanabe Yellow/Shogakukan (Serialized in Shonen Sunday)
Published in Indonesia by PT Elex Media Komputindo
May contain [SPOILERS]
In Pandora Hearts volume 9, Oz et al depart for Sabrie to unearth the truth Pandora has hidden there, only to encounter Eliot Nightray and Reo. What's more, Oz, trapped in an illusion, comes face to face with the architect of the Tragedy of Sabrie, Glen Baskerville!
k, that takes care of this Elex release's most popular manga. As for DO WANT! Numbers 2 and 3 —
Wild Life 4 by Fujisaki Masato
Perfect-pitched doofus veterinarian Iwashiro Tessho keeps getting monkey on your back-duped by R.E.D. Section 2 boss Ryoto Tsukasa who loves ditching work. Despite this, the enthusiasm of the Blond Haired #1 Idiot Vet in Japan
to preserve the local fauna refuses to wane, not even when the latest patients to come in for “consultation” are a panda, a hippopotamus, a snake, and an elephant!
(I can't stop the goony grin on my face upon contemplation of that upcoming hippo in Wild Life volume 4. *goony grin*)
Kekkaishi 3 by Tanabe Yellow
Neither of our magical barrier masters Yoshimori and Tokine is willing to give in over who's the better kekkaishi, the rivalry stretching back to when they were kids. We get a look-see into their normal days, rather, nights of Ketsu! Metsu! Tenketsu!
practice and what-not in Kekkaishi volume 3. Meanwhile, someone from the past comes calling on Yoshimori's (hilarious) demon dog. Someone who offers Madarao... (Cue suspenseful music here.)
NEW TITLES: Artist Acro, Caramel Boy, and Otoboke Section Chief
Three shiny new series kick off a new month: Artist Acro, the Shonen Sunday serial by Sakurai Ato, starring a hero improbably named Acro Hamburger; Caramel Boy, the latest shoujo romance by Morio Masami (The Extra Kobayashi and Love Chop! manga-ka) that bypasses HanaLaLa serialization and heads straight for tankou; and the seinen Otoboke Section Chief or Otoboke Kachou by Bungeishunjū Manga Awardee Ueda Masashi, creator of Kobo-chan.
The Artist Acro and Otoboke Section Chief blurbs (as well as those for Crows 7, Katsu! 3, and Raiders 4) have been tucked below the manga list line to throw the spotlight on Caramel Boy's debut, seeing as how it's only one of two shoujo titles in this very-shounen release.
Caramel Boy © Morio Masami/
Hakusensha (LaLa)
Caramel Boy 1 by Morio Masami
Motoka has lived next door to Shun, the “CaramelBoy” who once starred in an absurdly popular candy ad, since they were kids. Familiarity with Shun has made Motoka oblivious to the Caramel Boy's charms; she only allows that Shun has gotten taller and perhaps (strictly objectively speaking!), more attractive. But middle schooler Shun has changed in ways beyond what the clueless Motoka realizes. These days, he's more likely to affect a cynical attitude (complete with sneers and taunts) towards Motoka.
Don't tell me it's because Shun actually likes Motoka!?
MANGAZINES: Shonen Magz 71, featuring Ghost Doctor
Youkai no Oisha-san
© Satou Yuuki/Kodansha
Word is that Elex is shopping for titles to promote Shonen Magz to a bi-monthly publication. I don't know how near that prospect is, but for now Shonen Magz 71 is the first of the monthly mangazine quad to ship in May, and the featured series is Satou Yuuki-sensei's Youkai have doctors?
Ghost Doctor. I don't exactly know what Kuro and Kotoko are up to in the latest Youkai no Oisha-san; the newest Komikologi forgot to swap the Code:Breaker blurb from April.
Other Kodansha shounen (and seinen) titles in serialization: BECK by Harold Sakuishi · Code:Breaker by Kamijyo Akimine · Fairy Tail by Mashima Hiro · Kindaichi Case Files by Amagi Seimaru & Sato Fumiya · Kungfu Boy Legends (Tekken Chinmi Legends) by Maekawa Takeshi · Sanzoku Ou by Sawada Hirofumi · School Rumble by Kobayashi Jin · Tokkyu!! by Komori Yoichi, Kubo Mitsurou · Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE by CLAMP · Vinland Saga by Yukimura Makoto.
If my squint mode »ON! wasn't a spectacular #Fail, Tribal 12 by Osada Yu-Ko doesn't appear in ShoMagz 71's cover line-up. Any idea why? Has the series wrapped?
Elex Media manga (2010.05.05)
Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.
- [Premiere] Artist Acro 1 of 9+ by Sakurai Ato
- [Premiere] Caramel Boy 1 of 2+ by Morio Masami
- Crows 7 of 26 by Takahashi Hiroshi
- Demon King (Majeh) 30 of 34+ by Ra InSoo and Kim JaeHwan
- Hyde & Closer (Juhou Kaikin!! Hyde & Closer) 2 of 7 by Aso Haro
- Katsu! 3 of 16 by Adachi Mitsuru
- Kekkaishi 3 of 29+ by Tanabe Yellow
- Kumpulan Cerita Berwarna Doraemon 2 by Fujiko F. Fujio
- Lum, The Invader Girl (Urusei Yatsura) 22 of 34 by Takahashi Rumiko
- [Premiere] Otoboke Section Chief (Otoboke Kachou) 1 of 22+ by Ueda Masashi
- Pandora Hearts 9 of 11+ by Mochizuki Jun
- Raiders 4 of 5+ by Park JinJun
- The Real Fake Princess 3 of 5 by Ihuan
- Spiral: The Bonds of Reason (Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna) 2 of 15 by Shirodaira Kyo & Mizuno Eita
- Treasure Gaust (Treasure Gaust: Shijou Saikyou no Hanta) 6 of 6 by Katsumi Naoto [Finale]
- Wild Life 4 of 27 by Fujisaki Masato
 | Caramel Boy 「 きゃらめるＢＯＹ 」 by Morio Masami |
 | Crows 「 クローズ 」 by Takahashi Hiroshi |
Related series: Worst (sequel) · Crows Zero (spin-off) · Crows: Busou Sensen Reimeihen (side story)
 | Majeh 「 마제(魔帝) 」 by Ra InSoo, Kim JaeHwan |
King of Hell published in English by TOKYOPOP (volume 25 released 2009.08.04)
 | Juhou Kaikin!! Hyde & Closer by Aso Haro |
Volume 2 contains chapters:
第8～11話 影絵（1～4） (Shadow*)
第12～13話 閑話（1～2） (Gossip)
第14～17話 傀儡（1～4 (Puppet)
*Tentative translations only (c/o Google)
Hyde & Closer licensed in English by VIZ Media (volume 1 street date: 2010.07.13)
 | Katsu! 「 ＫＡＴＳＵ！ 」 by Adachi Mitsuru |
Volume 3 contains chapters**:
第19話 残念だな。
第20話 人の好いおれ...
第21話 うぬぼれるなよ。
第22話 あいつがホレたのは...
第23話 殺す気か？
第24話 大きくなったのォ。
第25話 構えろよ。
第26話 お願い...
第27話 負けねえよ、水谷は。
第28話 今はまだ...
** Title translations N/A (I can't decipher Google or Babel Fish's translations)
 | Kekkaishi Ayakashi Hojinden 「 結界師 」 |
Volume 3 contains chapters:
017. A Day in the Life, Part 1
(良守の日々(前編) Yoshimori no Hibi (Zenpen)
)
018. A Day in the Life, Part 2
(良守の日々(中編) Yoshimori no Hibi (Chūhen)
)
019. A Day in the Life, Part 3
(良守の日々(後編) Yoshimori no Hibi (Kōhen)
)
020. A 400-Year Reunion
(4世紀ぶりの再会 4-Seiki Buri no Saikai
)
021. Ginro and Koya
(銀露と鋼夜 Ginro to Kōya
)
022. The Garden
(庭 Niwa
)
023. Mountain Dogs
(山犬たち Yamainutachi
)
024. Parting
(別離 Betsuri
)
025. Resealing
(再封印 Saifūin
)
026. Black Devil
(黒い悪魔 Kuroi Akuma
)
AWARDS: Won best shounen manga in the 52nd Shogakukan Manga Awards
Kekkaishi published in English by VIZ Media (volume 20 released 2010.02.09; volume 21 street date: 2010.05.11)
A 52-episode anime adaptation by Sunrise aired in Japan from October 2006 to February 2008, with seiyuu Yoshino Hiroyuki as Sumimura Yoshimori and Saitou Rie as Yukimura Tokine.
Urusei Yatsura 「 うる星やつら 」 by Takahashi Rumiko
Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen
Series re-released in 15 wideban and 18 bunkoban volumes
AWARDS: 26th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shounen/shoujo category.
An anime adaptation by Kitty Films was telecast from October 1981 through March 1986 on Fuji TV. The series spanned 195 episodes and starred seiyuu Hirano Fumi as Lum and Furukawa Toshio as Moroboshi Ataru. Eleven OAVs and six theatrical movies were also released.
 | Otoboke Kachou 「 おとぼけ課長 」 by Ueda Masashi |
 | Pandora Hearts 「 Ｐａｎｄｏｒａ Ｈｅａｒｔｓ 」 |
Volume 9 contains chapters:
Retrace XXXIV: Noise of Echo
Retrace XXXV: Madness of Lost Memories
Pandora Hearts first licensed for North America by Broccoli Books but was dropped; the series is now published in English by Yen Press (volume 1 released 2009.12.15; volume 2 street date: 2010.05.18)
A 25-episode anime adaptation produced by XEBEC aired in Japan from April to September 2009. Seiyuu Minagawa Junko, Kawasumi Ayako, and Toriumi Kousuke played Oz Vessalius, Alice, and Raven respectively.
Related: The Pandora Hearts Official Guide was released 2009.03.27. Numbered 8.5, the guide book is subtitled Mine of mine.
 | Raiders 「 레이더스 」 |
Raiders published in English by Yen Press (volume 2 released 2010.03.23; volume 3 street date: 2010.07.13)
The Real Fake Princess 「 真假公主 」 by Ihuan (also Yi Huan)
Tong Li, shoujo
Real Fake Princess published in English by DrMaster (five volumes)
 | Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna 「 スパイラル 推理の絆 」 |
Volume 2 contains chapters:
6. The Room with the Special Lock (part 3)
7. Explosion Incident
8. Mysterious Rib Bone
9. The Happiness of the Believer (part 1)
10. The Happiness of the Believer (part 2)
Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning published in English by Yen Press (volume 11 released 2010.04.20; volume 12 street date: 2010.07.13)
Related: Spiral Alive (prequel; 5 of 5 volumes)
A 25-episode anime adaptation by J.C. Staff, based on the first six volumes of the manga but with an alternate ending aired on TV Tokyo from October 2002 to March 2003. The anime starred seiyuu Suzumura Kenichi as Narumi Ayumu, Asano Masumi as Yuizaki Hiyono, and Ishida Akira as Eyes Rutherford.
 | Treasure Gaust: Shijou Saikyou no Hanta |
 | Wild Life 「 ワイルドライフ 」 by Fujisaki Masato |
Volume 4 contains chapters**:
第25話 好きだから...
第26話 カバの剣士
第27話 野茂はヒデオ、野口はヒデヨ
第28話 いつもは何本持ってるの?
第29話 うなぎのつかみどり
第30話 心配で心配で...
第31話 原先生の秘密
第32話 ライオンと犬
第33話 三兄弟の憂鬱
** Title translations N/A (I can't decipher Google or Babel Fish's translations)
AWARDS: Won best shounen manga in the 51st Shogakukan Manga Awards.
Elex Media reissues (2010.05.05)
Links are NOT toggle links; they link to the original street date posts
- [RE-STO] 6 Days by Nunik Triwahyuni
- [RE-STO] Aoyama Gosho Short Story (Aoyama Gosho Tanpenshuu) by Aoyama Gosho
- [RE-STO] Doraemon Movie 2 - Nobita's Legendary King of the Sun [Awal] (Nobita and the Legend of the Sun King) by Fujiko F. Fujio
- [RE-STO] Doraemon Movie 2 - Nobita's Legendary King of the Sun [Akhir] (Nobita and the Legend of the Sun King) by Fujiko F. Fujio [Finale]
- [RE-STO] Drive My Car by Bayu Indie
- [RE-STO] Wild Tales - Flying To The Star (Amakakeru Hoshi) by Yuguchi Seiko
- [RE-STO] Wild Tales - The Mirror Of Sand by Yuguchi Seiko
NOTE
(1) Sources: Elex Media STO 5 May 2010 (release schedule) and Komikologi (synopses, except where noted)
(2) All listed manga are priced at IDR 15,000 each, except Kumpulan Cerita Berwarna Doraemon 2 (SRP: IDR 28,800), the reissued Doraemon Movie 2 - Nobita's Legendary King of the Sun ([Awal] and [Akhir], IDR 20,000/volume), and Drive My Car (IDR 13,500)
(3) Links like this are Amazon.com (or other online merchants) search and/or product links (commercial), in case you're interested in another language version.
Previews continued...
Artist Acro 1
「 アーティストアクロ 」 by Sakurai Ato
In this world, “artists” possess that special ability to fascinate others, and once they could use their skills without restraint. So much so that seven years ago, a group of artists started using souls for raw material. Into this menacing state of affairs comes our hero (Acro Hamburger, as already noted) who has the power to transform anything he touches into clay. The spunky country boy migrates to the art capital to hone his sculpting, only to find the city cloaked in darkness and fear... [With additions from Wikipedia's Artist Acro stub]
Otoboke Section Chief 1
Otoboke Kachou 「 おとぼけ課長 」 by Ueda Masashi
Otoboke Kachou is another 4-koma offering from Ueda Masashi-sensei. It began serialization in Manga Time in 1981 and continues till this day. The series follows the comical trials and tribs of the titular, simultaneously pompous and klutzy section chief Otoboke. Elex highlights that this gag comic strip actually reflects our own lives, and invites us to shrug off the daily stresses by LMAO'ing to our hearts' content (using this manga, of course, as catalyst).
Crows 7
「 クローズ 」 by Takahashi Hiroshi
The Kuro-Taki alliance having fallen apart, Bull attacks the Kyokuryu lair alone. This stumps Takiya's boys, already bewildered and edgy. They try to recoup their strength, but apparently Bull's not the only fighter. Reinforcements arrive JIT. One problem solved, another appears in the form of a sinister pair looking for Suzuran's strongest.
Why are these two strangers hunting down Rindaman?
Katsu! 3
「 ＫＡＴＳＵ！ 」 by Adachi Mitsuru
Kimoto dan Mizutani revise their deal. If Mizutani beats him, Kimoto will quit boxing. Obviously wanting to win, Mizutani asks Satoyama's father for training. Will training under an ex-boxer be enough to secure Mizutani's victory?
Raiders 4
「 레이더스 」 by Park JinJun
The dagger Ariel grabbed turns out to be a compass. Learning this, Lamia filches the compass and abandons the group. Meanwhile, Ian's congregation pursues the founding of a new religion.
~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03)
UP NEXT: More 5 May 2010 manga
- LEVEL COMICS: Akihabara@DEEP 4 · Gun Smith Cats 4 · Jormungand 1 by Takahashi Keitarou · Rumiko Takahashi's Best Short Story Collection 2 · Second Engage by Aikawa Momoko · A Spirit of the Sun 4 · Subaru 5 · Tokyo Juliet 13 of 13 · Smurf - Astrosmurf
- M&C!: Another Kingdom 1 by Fujita Maki · Battle Brawlers Bakugan 4 · Bleach 23 · Meet the Banchou 1 by Suzuki Nakaba · Sinful Love by Yoshinaga Yuu · Shanaou Yoshitsune volumes 13-17 (box set)
disclaimer
Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.
manga available this week (28 April 2010 street date)
- Elex Media: Adventure of Cat Mix Toraji 3 · Eyeshield 21 v36 · Fullmetal Alchemist 22 · Kaiser Z 12 · Kunai Legend 1 by Iori Tabasa · Legend of Nereid 6 · One Piece 54 · Penguin Revolution 4 V3 · The Puppet Master Lin 6 · The Ruler of Nabari 9 · Sora - The Wingless Duck 16 · Trigun Maximum 14 of 14 · With My Brothers 4 · X-Zone 3 · HanaLaLa 49/2010
- Level Comics: Angel Heart 3 · Eagle 10 · Jio 5 · Love Affair 5 · Restore Garage 251 vol. 5 · Lucky Luke - Lucky Luke vs Joss Jamon · Lucky Luke - Nabi Palsu · Michel Vaillant - Para Sponsor · Yakari - Yakari dan Sang Rajawali
- m&c!: Battle Brawlers Bakugan 3 · Bleach 22 · Born To Cook 6 · C-Blossom 1 by Shimotsuki Kayoko/Fukui Harutoshi · Goong [Palace Story] 19 · My Fragile Love 1 by Miyawaki Yukino · My Fragile Love 2 · My Fragile Love 3 of 3 · Shanaou Yoshitsune - Genpei War 1 by Sawada Hirofumi · Tokyo Angels 1 by Fujii Mihona · White Paper Ark 5 · The Story of Wang Fenglei 1 by Tony Wong · Hand 7 No. 2 · PenDragon 2 · Tengu-Do 2 · KOLONI: Garudayana 2 · Cherry 42 · Shanaou Yoshitsune volumes 7-12 (box set)
related monthly schedules
Elex May 2010 manga
Premiering Animal Doctor by Sasaki Noriko, Artist Acro by Sakurai Ato, Blooming Youth by Itsuki Natsumi, Dr. Koto by Yamada Takatoshi, Hell Girl by Eto Miyuki & Jigoku Shojo Project, Hero Tales by Arakawa Hiromu, A Kiss for My Prince by Kim HeeEun, Kuro Memanggul Peti Mati by Kiyuduki Satoko, New Sexy Simpleton by Hwang MiRee, Princess Story by Ebira Hiromi, Shinagawa Cat Story by Nishida Kana, Summer Storm! by Kobayashi Jin, Vitamin Cat by Sugiyama Ryoko, and The Moon & Lake by Ashihara Hinako (standalone)
Elex April 2010 manga
Premiering K-ON! by Kakifly, Spiral: The Bonds of Reason by Shirodaira Kyo & Mizuno Eita, Kumpulan Cerita Berwarna Doraemon by Fujiko F. Fujio, Hitsugi Katsugi no Kuro by Kiyuzuki Satoko, Kunai Legend by Iori Tabasa, Love & Honor by Yamada Daisy (double launch with volume 2), Otoboke Section Chief by Ueda Masashi, Pangeran Kacamata by Mizukami Wataru, V.B. Rose by Hidaka Banri · Standalones: Butterfly Cloud by Ashihara Hinako and Miracle Blue by Mitsuki Miko
Elex March 2010 manga
Premiering Caramel Boy by Morio Masami, Dear Boys Act III by Yagami Hiroki, Katsu! by Adachi Mitsuru, Wazabo by Soyama Kazutoshi · Standalones: Butterfly Cloud by Ashihara Hinako, Clock Clock by Morita Takashi, and Short Program Girl Type by Adachi Mitsuru
other invaluable resources
7net Shopping · Amazon Japan · Baka-Updates Manga · manaworld.com · Wikipedia
Technorati tags
manga · manhua · manhwa · Elex Media · Shonen Magz · seinen · shoujo · shounen · Artist Acro · Caramel Boy · Crows · Demon King · Hyde & Closer · Katsu! · Kekkaishi · Kumpulan Cerita Berwarna Doraemon · Otoboke Section Chief · Pandora Hearts · Raiders · Real Fake Princess · Spiral: The Bonds of Reason · Treasure Gaust · Urusei Yatsura · Wild Life · Youkai no Oisha-san
Artist Acro 「 アーティストアクロ 」 by Sakurai Ato
Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen
Volume 1 first published in Japan 2009.01
Published in simplified Chinese by Chuang Yi (latest: volume 1)