Chou yo Hana yo © Yoshihara Yuki/Shogakukan (First serialized in Petit Comic)
Published in Indonesia as Oh Butterfly Oh Flower by Elex Media/Level Comics
[Artwork provided by Level Comics]
Masayuki's sometimes Chaa-chan, sometimes “Director Domoto ♥!” Jekyll-and-Hyde-ing only leaves our demoted to prole ranks oujo Choko discombobulated. But beyond the swirly-eyes are slits that see how the boss's niece is cozying up to Masayuki. The claws come out when sed jama mono declares to all and sundry that she and Masayuki are destined for wedding bells.
How will Choko sideline this nuisance? Can we expect some (wannabe Gundam pilot) Masayuki assistance here? Find out in volume 2 of Oh Butterfly Oh Flower, this Wednesday's Most Wanted Level manga.
For moar comedy — that deserves at least one glass of that now elusive 2001 Château Mont-Pérat Bordeaux —
The Drops of God 2 by of 26+ by Agi Tadashi & Okimoto Shu
Shizuku and Miyabi, now hip-deep in the wine division, meet an eccentric Italian epicure, Honma-san. Such is Honma-san's lurve for Italian vino that he refuses to drink any other country's wine (including, I suppose, that Château MP). Seeing all those other bottles sniveling in a corner, Shizuku pops a few veins and challenges Honma-san.
Which gauntlet does I see Queen! Shizuku throw down for Honma-san to pick up? Check out The Drops of God 2 and be sure to have a red/white/rose to keep you company. (NOTE: The latter suggestion only applies to those already alcohol-legal!)
Teh rest of the manga (and one manhwa) previews be behind the fake cut.
Level Comics manga and manhwa (2010.10.13)
Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.
- Basara 13 of 27 by Tamura Yumi
- Blade of Immortal (Mugen no Juunin) 11 of 26+ by Samura Hiroaki
- The Drops of God (Kami no Shizuku) 2 of 26+ by Agi Tadashi & Okimoto Shu
- Hellsing 5 of 10 by Hirano Kohta
- Jepang Tenggelam (Nihon Chinbotsu) 8 of 15 by Komatsu Sakyou, Ishiki Tokihiko
- Oh Butterfly Oh Flower (Chou yo Hana yo) 2 of 8 by Yoshihara Yuki
- Onsen Paradise (Kirikiritei no Brown Sensei) 3 of 9 by Kikuchi Shota
- Priest 10 of 16+ by Hyung MinWoo
- Strange Tales of Tokyo (Toukei Ibun) 3 of 4 by Kajiwara Niki & Ono Fuyumi
- Vagabond 33 of 33+ by Inoue Takehiko
- Zipang 4 of 43 by Kawaguchi Kaiji
 | Mugen no Juunin 「無限の住人」 by Samura Hiroaki |
Awards
1997 Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence Prize
Other languages/serializations
English Blade of the Immortal (Dark Horse Comics; Volume 22: Footsteps released 2010.02.03 • volume 23 street date: 2011.01.18), French (Casterman; L'habitant de l'infini tome 25 ships 2010.10.06); Italian (Planet Manga), German and Polish (Egmont), Portuguese (Conrad Brazil) and Swedish (Schibsted Förlagen Sverige AB; serialized in Manga Mania)
Adaptations
A 13-episode anime starring seiyuu Seki Tomokazu (Manji) and Satou Rina (Rin) aired in Japan on AT-X from July to December 2008.
 | Kami no Shizuku 「神の雫」 |
Awards
Nominee, 1st Keitai Comic Taishō (Mobile Phone Comic Award, along with Hiura Satoru's Hotaru no Hikari, Miyasaka Kaho's Kare First Love and 17 other manga)Special Award of the Year,
La Revue du vin de France (French wine magazine)
Nominee (Glénat's Les Gouttes de Dieu, tome 1), French Angoulême Comics Awards
Other languages
French Glénat (Les Gouttes de Dieu tome 15 shipped 2010.09.22 • tome 16 per 2010.11.17) and traditional Chinese (Sharp Point Press Taiwan; 神之水滴 vol. 24 per 2010.06). An English version is expected by year's end.
Adaptations
A live-action renzoku starring Kamenashi Kazuya as Kanzaki Shizuku aired from January to March 2009 in Japan on NTV. Another adaptation, Korean, starring Bae Yong Joon (Winter Sonata) has been greenlit but delayed.
Notes
Agi Tadashi is a pen name of brother and sister team Kibayashi Shin and Yuko; Kibayashi Shin also writes under the pseudonyms Ando Yuma (Psychometrer Eiji, Kunimitsu no Matsuri); Amagi Seimaru (Kindaichi Case Files, Remote; Tantei Gakuen Q); Aoki Yuya (Get Backers; Psycho Busters); Ryuumon Ryou (Bloody Monday series); Arimori Jōji (Asobotto Senki Gokū); and Igano Hiroaki (Area no kishi).
 | Hellsing 「ＨＥＬＬＳＩＮＧ」 by Hirano Kohta |
Volume 5 contains chapters:
28 Flash Point
29 D 4
30 D 5
31 D 6
32 D 7
33 D 8
34 D 9
35 Xanado
36 Final Fantasy 1
37 Final Fantasy 2
Other languages
English Hellsing (Dark Horse Comics; 10 volumes and Chuang Yi; 10 volumes), French (Tonkam, 10 volumes), Italian (Dynit), German (Planet Manga), Polish (Japonica Polonica Fantastica) and Denmark and Sweden (Mangismo)
Related series
Hellsing: The Dawn (prequel; serialized in Young King Ours special editions, six chapters as at 2008.09, on hiatus)
Adaptations
A 13-episode anime adaptation produced by Gonzo aired on Fuji TV from October 2001 to January 2002, starring seiyuu Nakata Jouji (Alucard), Orikasa Fumiko (Seras Victoria) and Sakakibara Yoshiko (Sir Integra Hellsing). A Hellsing Ultimate OAV (starring the same voice cast) premiered in Japan in January 2006 and as of December 2009, seven episodes have been released. The first four episodes were produced by Satelight, with Madhouse taking over as of OAV V.
 | Nihon Chinbotsu 「日本沈没」 |
Volume 8 contains chapters:
62～68 Hades, the Land of Fire
*
69～70 Long way home（1～2）
*NOT Level titles; translated from the Japanese
Related
Based on the award-winning disaster novel by Komatsu Sakyou, also adapted into film and live-action TV.
 | Chou yo Hana yo 「蝶よ花よ」 by Yoshihara Yuki |
Volume 2 contains chapters:
6 Hide and Seek
7 Within the heart
8 2nd Stage
9 MVP
10 Masayuki, Blue Lemon
*NOT Level's chapter titles (Serenus-Dreamers' scanlation titles)
Other languages
English Butterflies, Flowers (VIZ Media; volume 4 released 2010.09.07 • volume 5 street date: 2010.12.07), French (Soleil Ma petite maîtresse tome 8 released 2010.05) and traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan)
 | Kirikiritei no Brown Sensei by Kikuchi Shota |
Related
Kirikiri Teishujin (sequel; one volume per 2009.11, ongoing)
Reissues
Re-released in four bunko volumes (2009.03 and 2009.07)
 | Priest 「프리스트」 by Hyung MinWoo |
Other languages
English Priest (TOKYOPOP; 16 volumes), French (Tokebi; 16 volumes), German (Tokyopop Germany), Polish (Kasen Comics), Italian (J POP), Portuguese (Lumus Brazil) and Japanese (Enterbrain Beam comix)
Adaptations
A film adaptation starring Cam Gigandet, Paul Bettany and Maggie Q is expected to premiere on 13 May 2011 in the U.S. (Indonesian screening is slated to begin 12 May 2011.)
 | Toukei Ibun 「東亰異聞」 |
Reissues
Re-released in two volumes under the Birz Comics Special imprint (2008.03)
 | Vagabond 「バガボンド」 by Inoue Takehiko |
Volume 33 contains chapters:
288 Kokura
289 The Music Inside
290 The World of People
291 7 Years
292 Profile
293 Haze
294 Give It Up
295 Paper Balloon
296 Kojirou's City
Related
Based on the novel Musashi by Yoshikawa Eiji
Awards
Grand Prize for manga, 2000 Japan Media Arts Festival
Best Seinen/General Manga, 24th Kodansha Manga Awards
2002 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize
Other languages
English Vagabond (VIZ Media [volume 32 released 2010.08 • volume 33 street date: 2010.10.19] and Chuang Yi [latest volume 22 per 2010.08]), simplified Chinese (Chuang Yi; 流浪汉 #32 per 2010.04), French (Tonkam; tome 33 ships 2010.12), Spanish (Editorial Ivréa Argentina), German (EMA; Band 30 releases 2011.01), Polish (Mandragora) and Portuguese (Conrad Brazil)
 | Zipang 「ジパング」 by Kawaguchi Kaiji |
Awards
Best General Manga, 26th Kodansha Manga Awards (2002)
Other language versions
English (Kodansha Bilingual Comics; partial), French (Kana; tome 28 shipped 2010.08) and traditional Chinese (Sharp Point Press)
Adaptations
Anime by Studio DEEN starring seiyuu Inada Tetsu (Executive Officer Kadomatsu Yosuke), Hoshino Takanori (Gunnery Officer Kikuchi Masayuki), Ueda Yuuji (Navigation Officer Oguri Kouhei), Yara Yuusaku (Captain Umezu Saburo) and Touchi Hiroki (Lt. Commander Kusaka Takumi) aired in Japan from October 2004 to March 2005
¹ Sources: Elex STO 13 October 2010 (release schedule) and Komikologi and/or Gramedia Shop (synopses, unless indicated otherwise)
² GN are priced at IDR 18,500 each except Vagabond 33 and Zipang 4 (SRP: IDR 20,000 each). Blade of Immortal 11 retails for IDR 19,500/volume.
³ Links like this are commercial Amazon search and/or product links (other language versions).
Previews continued
Basara 13 of 27 by Tamura Yumi
Sarasa and her friends manage to escape from Abashiri prison with the help of Kakujii, but en route to Sakura island, they hear of disturbing news: Kita no Momonoi is planning an assault on Sakura to subdue Tatara.
Sarasa resolves to depose Momonoi and heads for Suo, the same place Shuri is headed. Will the pair chance upon each other? And can Sarasa ward off the attack on Sakura island?
Blade of Immortal 11 of 26+ by Samura Hiroaki
A long string of obstacles has left Rin more dead than alive, but she still manages to reach Kaga. Having gone meal-less for several days, however, she faints from hunger. Fortunately, someone saves her, but his identity only shocks Rin witless: her biseinen good Samaritan is none other than Anotsu Kagehisa.
Before Rin can settle up with Anotsu, they are surrounded by a group of masked warriors. Who are they?
Hellsing 5 of 10 by Hirano Kohta
Badass (Red) Longcoat Alucard goes after Bizarre And Improbable Ballistics Rip van Winkle, now in control of the English aircraft carrier Eagle, leaving behind Bifauxnen Sir Integra and Fair Cop Seras.
The Major capitalizes on the Alucard vacuum to send his vampires to overrun London and hunt down Integra. Can Integra and her Battle Butler Walter escape the Major's net?
[Trope identification c/o TV Tropes]
Jepang Tenggelam 8 of 15 by Komatsu Sakyou, Ishiki Tokihiko
The majority of the public chooses not to heed the prime minister's warning of an imminent, within five hours Mount Aso eruption, backed up by a handful of pundits who also discount the alarm bells.
As the entire nation pendulums between believing and disbelieving, the clock ticks on. Will the prediction come to pass? Will the residents eventually heed the warning and evacuate?
Onsen Paradise 3 of 9 by Kikuchi Shota
Brown-sensei's dream spirit, a manifestation of childishness, returns with a vengeance. Not only does the spirit throw Brown's editor's schedule out of whack, it also “persuades” Lolimomo and pals to comb the city in search of kinako mochi from Mt. Tanuki.
Can they find the rice cake (traditionally made on New Year's Day for luck) before the dream spirit has the entire town up in arms?
Priest 10 of 16+ by Hyung MinWoo
Ivan struggles against the second fallen angel Achmode, almost to no avail, an opening Beliel exploits, offering Ivan power in return for Ivan's soul. Refusing Beliel drains Ivan further, seemingly making the conclusion to the skirmish a given.
Coburn, meanwhile, has tracked Ivan down till Bosack, but he and his group are attacked by living corpses. Can the federal marshal and his men survive the zombie attack?
Strange Tales of Tokyo 3 of 4 by Kajiwara Niki & Ono Fuyumi
On their way home from the Takatsukasa main residence, Shintaro and Manzo again run into the trader samurai. Fortunately for the investigator pair, a mysterious youth comes to their aid. But their deliverer vanishes as quickly as he appeared.
Tragedy, meanwhile, revisits the Takatsukasa family. Naoshi dies after plunging from a five-storey pagoda. At Naoshi's wake, Shintaro and Manzo see their enigmatic young rescuer among the mourners. Who is he, really? And what connection does he have with the Takatsukasa clan?
Vagabond 33 of 33+ by Inoue Takehiko
When sword-saint Musashi closes himself off from all outside interference, he rediscovers a powerful yearning to meet rival Kojiro. Musashi returns to his sojourning, all the while beset by burning life questions.
Kojiro's sea travels, meanwhile, end in Kokura. His honesty and agility endear him to the residents, and in just one day, Kojiro is welcomed as one of the town's own. But can these peaceful days last?
Zipang 4 of 43 by Kawaguchi Kaiji
Lieutenant Colonel Kadomatsu and his men, now in Guadalcanal, manage to locate the American camp. The Imperial Japanese maritime forces look upon the discovery as a golden opportunity to launch an attack, prompting the Mirai crew to try to prevent hostilities from breaking out to ensure the success of Lt. Col. Kadomatsu's mission.
UP NEXT: m&c! 13 October 2010 manga
m&c!: Song of Love 6 · Bleach 35 · When Love is Growing by Shiumi Saki · Female Wolf's Boy 6 · Miracle Ball 12 of 12 · Kimi Ga Suki - I Love You - 2 of 3 · How to Make a Princess 1 by Izumi Asuka · Because I Love You 2 of 2 · Love Remedy by Kohara Yuko · My Sweet Home 1 by Maru & Kim Jin-hee · The Impeccable Twins Final Chapters 12
Iamque opus exegi,
~niki DBA 30uɐlnɯɐnɥ (花木蘭03) who thanks Lenny-san for the artwork and blurb help
disclaimer
Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.
other upcoming manga (13 October 2010 street date)
Elex Media: Topeng Kaca 1 Deluxe by Miuchi Suzue · Fairy Tail 9 · Defense Devil 1 by Youn In-Wan & Yang Kyung-Il · Kariage-kun 34 · My First Mr. Akuno 1 by Fujiki Syun · SC: Thorny Rules by Yukimura Yuni · Sentaro 35 · Crows 12 · Artist Acro 2 · Tsuba Kiyo - 28K4 volume 2 of 2 · Kurozakuro 7 of 7 · Hidamari Sketch 4
related monthly schedules
October 2010
Premiering Red River by Shinohara Chie,Gun Smith Cats Burst by Sonoda Kenichi andHunt for the Thumb by Yamada Yuusuke (standalone)
September 2010
Premiering Sky of Love by Mika & Haneda Ibuki and The Duke and I by Hara Chieko
other invaluable resources
7net Shopping · Baka-Updates Manga · manaworld · Wikipedia · ANN · TV Tropes
Technorati tags
Level Comics · manga · manhwa · josei · seinen · shoujo · Basara · Blade of the Immortal · The Drops of God (Kami no Shizuku) · Hellsing · Jepang Tenggelam (Nihon Chinbotsu) · Oh Butterfly Oh Flower (Chou yo Hana yo) · Onsen Paradise (Kirikiritei no Brown Sensei) · Priest · Strange Tales of Tokyo (Toukei Ibun) · Vagabond · Zipang
Basara 「ＢＡＳＡＲＡ」 by Tamura Yumi
Shogakukan Flowers, shoujo
Volume 13 first published in Japan 1994.11
Awards
Best Shoujo Manga, 38th Shogakukan Manga Awards
Other versions/languages
Re-released in 15 bunko volumes
English Basara (VIZ Media; 27 volumes), French (Kana; 27 volumes), German (EMA; Band 24 ships 2010.11), Danish (Mangismo Danmark) and Swedish (Mangismo Sverige)
Adaptations
A 13-episode anime by KSS, starring seiyuu Kimura Akiko (Sarasa), aired in Japan from April to June 1998.