Kamisama Hajimemashita © Suzuki Julietta/Hakusensha [Serialized in Hana to Yume]
Published in Indonesia as Ciuman Dewa by Elex Media Komputindo
Before I get to Kamisama Hajimemashita—ultimately debuting in Indonesia as (Pfft!) Ciuman Dewa/A God's Kiss instead of Nice to Meet You, God
—let's renew our acquaintance with Mikoto. Remember him?
Despite inevitable comparison with other surgical drama, namely Team Medical Dragon and Godhand Teru, Irie Kenzo- & Hashiguchi Takashi's shounen medical manga rates a credible,
even among students of medicine.
A genius cardiac surgeon saves young Saijo Mikoto's life. Now grown-up and a pediatric surgeon in his own right, Mikoto dedicates his life to helping children similarly afflicted with congenital heart defects.
Mikoto succeeds in reopening the hospital's pediatric surgery unit, but that's only the beginning of his new challenges: an enemy who vows to take him down, a messed up system and diseases that push his expertise to the limits.
Find out how Mikoto strives to provide the best recovery for his patients in The Best Skilled Surgeon volume 4, finally streeting on the 22nd. (Reportedly earlier in Gramed Grand Indonesia.)
The manga adaptation of Takemiya Yuyuko's Toradora! light novel grabs the DO WANT! first runner up-ship.
Toradora! 2 of 4+ by Zekkou & Takemiya Yuyuko
Ryuuji who's crushing on Taiga's friend Minori matchmakes Taiga with his best bud Kitajima. At least, that was the plan. But schemes tend to #Fail and in ways least expected. Minorin has it in her head that Taiga and Ryuuji are a couple, and as if one misunderstanding weren't enough, Kitajima concurs.
See if the feared Dragon and Tiger can drag themselves out of depression in Toradora! 2.
Ciuman Dewa 1 of 8+ by Suzuki Julietta
[Ciuman Dewa preview from editor Nia-san]
No, no, Tomoe (on the right) isn't threatening Elex with dire retaliation for titling his shoujo manga starrer Ciuman Dewa
(no matter how left-brained it is); the kitsunemimi'ed fox familiar's actually—wait, getting ahead of myself. Let's backtrack:
A string of disasters awaits poverty-stricken school girl Nanami. Not only does does a falling ladder (metaphorically) squash her flat, a cascading durian bops her on the head after.
In plot terms, Nanami is abandoned by her debtor father; what's worse, the kin-poor Nanami is booted out of her be it ever so rundown home.
So, of course, Nanami meets a (weird) bespectacled man who kisses her on the forehead and says he's giving her a place to stay. A reluctant Nanami trudges to the guy's home—which turns out to be a derelict shrine. There she meets a fox-eared bishounen and a pair of spirits who call her God.
VIZ Media's English Kamisama Hajimemashita, 1 description shortcuts it so well: Nanami has all kinds of new responsibilities she doesn't understand, dangers she's unaware of, and a cranky ex-familiar who's...actually pretty hot. What's a new-fledged godling to do?
[Preview from editor Nia Ika-san]
Yup, Nanami's Secret God Training
START-OH! The new land god, instead of inheriting Komainu spirits—guardian dogs/lions, statues of which can often be found at shrine entrances—is landed with the foul-mouthed fox familiar Tomoe as her protector. (The former Shinto kami Mikage is dog-allergic.) And the only way to bind intractable Tomoe to Nanami is—you guessed it—with a God's Kiss. (That's the “docile” Tomoe after The Kiss that sealed his and Nanami's contract; here's what he really feels.)
So — Gods, Spirits, Fox Boys, Strong Female Lead, Master-Servant Relationship, Live-in Lover, Love-Hate Relationship.
Baka-Updates Manga users add Tengu
to the Kamisama Hajimemashita tag list because one karasu-tengu or crow tengu flits about (sometimes as an ostrich).
Suzuki Julietta's Ciuman Dewa shares the School Girl Gods/crabby but droolicious familiars trope and the promise of breath-stealing *doki-doki* with another Hakusensha shoujo manga, Tanaka Meca's Sweet God. Aside from Kamisama Hajimemashita, Suzuki Julietta-sensei created Devil & Sweet (volume 2 streets with Ciuman Dewa 1) and Karakuri Odette.
MANGAZINES: Nakayoshi Lovely 9: Starfruits
Nakayoshi Lovely 9: Starfruits
I owe a debt of gratitude to editor Nia Ika-san, not only for providing the Ciuman Dewa 1 previews but also the chapter title pages of Nakayoshi Lovely 9: Starfruits. (Sankyuu~ Nia-san.)
Of the Kodansha shoujo one-shots, Nia-san recommends teh romance and terminal keeyootness of a date at a high-class French restaurant Christmas Dinner is A Love Flavour
by Sakuya Ippo (Starving
and Fall in Love Song
) and the Older Woman/Younger Man-troped Compressed Emotion
by Seta Haruhi (Coz We're not Children).
The other Nakayoshi Lovely Starfruits stories: Before - After
by Arisawa Ryo (Long Half Time
), Candies
by Togusa Kazuya, Miracle Wool
by Miasa Rin (Ontama), My Prince
by Yamada Daisy (Boyfriend and Love Honor) and Strawberry Princess & Rose Prince
by Fukuda Rinko. Click the orange titles if you want the previews.
Elex Media manga, manhwa and manhua (2010.12.22)
Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.
- The Best Skilled Surgeon (Saijou no Meii) 4 of 11 by Irie Kenzo & Hashiguchi Takashi
- [Series Premiere] Ciuman Dewa (Kamisama Hajimemashita) 1 of 8+ by Suzuki Julietta
- Devil & Sweet (Akuma to Dolce) 2 of 2+ by Suzuki Julietta
- Look Up! (Miagete Goran) 7 of 8 by Kusaba Michiteru
- Our Dear Tamura-kun (Watashitachi no Tamura-kun) 3 of 4 by Kurafuji Sachi & Takemiya Yuyuko
- The Real Fake Princess 5 of 5 by Ihuan [Finale]
- A Story of Heroes (Heroes) 33 of 37 by Choi Mir (Daiwon C.I.)
- Toradora! 2 of 4+ by Zekkou & Takemiya Yuyuko
 | Kamisama Hajimemashita 「神様はじめました」 |
Other languages
English Kamisama Hajimemashita (VIZ Media; volume 1 per 2010.12.07 • volume 2 street date: 2011.03.01)
 | Akuma to Dolce 「悪魔とドルチェ」 by Suzuki Julietta |
 | Miagete Goran 「見上げてごらん」 |
Volume 7 chapters:
58 父を知る人
59 遅れた男
60 いざ100面コートへ
61 衝撃のショット
62 了が消えた!?
63 愉快（？）なメンバー
64 ロケットの理由（わけ）
65 仲間
66 マネートーナメント開幕!!
67 成長の跡
Serializations
Indonesian Shonen Star (concluded)
 | Watashitachi no Tamura-kun |
Related series
Based on the two-volume light novel series by Takemiya Yuyuko, illustrated by Yasu, serialized in the seinen Dengeki hp
 | The Real Fake Princess 「真假公主」 |
Other languages
English Real Fake Princess (DrMaster; five volumes), Thai องค์หญิงกำมะลอ (Burapat Comics), Vietnamese Công Chúa Lac Loài (Nhà Xuất Bản Trẻ) and Hungarian Makrancos hercegnő (Delta Vision)
 | Toradora! 「とらドラ！」 |
Related series
Based on the 10-volume light novel series by Takemiya Yuyuko, illustrated by Yasu, published under the Dengeki Bunko imprint
Other languages
English ToraDora! (Seven Seas; volume 1 street date: 2011.03.01) and traditional Chinese (Kadokawa Media Taiwan)
Adaptations
Twenty-five episodes of J.C.Staff's anime adaptation, starring seiyuu Majima Junji (Takasu Ryuuji) and Kugimiya Rie as Aisaka Taiga, aired on TV Tokyo from October 2008 to March 2009. An Internet radio show to promote the anime broadcast 38 episodes between September 2008 and May 2009.
¹ Sources: Elex STO 22 December 2010 (release schedule) and Komikologi and/or Gramedia Shop (synopses, unless indicated otherwise)
² Manga are priced at IDR 16,500 each. Nakayoshi Lovely 9 retails for IDR 30,000/issue
³ Links like this are commercial Amazon search and/or product links (other language versions).
Previews continued
Finales
The Real Fake Princess 5 of 5 by Ihuan
I likes DrMaster's Real Fake Princess, Vol. 5 description, so going with that first.
On the run and torn between her love for two men, Zi Li has no clue what to do. It seems happiness with either suitor is lost to her. Not to mention, her own brother would rather see her dead than let the long kept skeleton out of the family closet.
If you want Elex's name-dropping version, however —
Zili and Zhonglu reunite, but after Yang Yue discovers that Zili is the Song princess, will he let her go? Faced with Zili and Zhonglu's love, will Tang Hui give up?
Meanwhile, Tai Fang lalu accompanies Zili to Lin'an to await the decision regarding Zili's fate.
Between Hui and Zhonglu, who will Zili choose?
Ongoing series
Devil & Sweet 2 of 2+ by Suzuki Julietta
It just stands to reason that even a high-level demon like Beaut would be clueless about Valentine's Day. The problem comes when he accepts a chocolate full of “special meaning” from Mayuri.
Will Beaut's desire to become closer to Mayuri—he even enrolls in a human school—be enough to placate Mayuri?
Look Up! 7 of 8 by Kusaba Michiteru
After the winning against Hien and thinking that he will be fielded in the interhigh finals, Yuzawa Ryo is surprised to learn of a sudden decision to send him to the U.S. for training. Coach Niwa invites Ryo to an old tennis court in Florida where Ryo meets someone he never anticipated encountering again.
Our Dear Tamura-kun 3 of 4 by Kurafuji Sachi & Takemiya Yuyuko
Who is Souma? A brief sentence in the postcard Yukisada receives haunts him. On the night Souma confesses her love, a night full of confusion and turmoil, a missive arrives that seemingly articulates Yukisada's feelings.
A Story of Heroes 33 of 37 by Choi Mir
Yushin, along with Budel, sets off for the Gods' world in pursuit of the Four Corners Pearl Shards. The task proves difficult at every turn, with Yushin and allies having to fight off strange flora as well as the Goddess of Water.
UP NEXT: Level Comics and m&c! 22 December 2010 manga and manhwa
Level Comics: A Spirit of The Sun 7 · Air Gear 17 · Fist of The Blue Sky 3 · Hikayat Genji 5 · Jio 11 · Psychometrist Eiji 17 · The Ravages of Time 6 · Yakari - Di Sarang Berang-Berang
m&c!: Female Wolf's Boy 10 · Ugly Duckling Become Swan 5 · Goal Den Age 2 · Go! Hiromi Go! 6
Iamque opus exegi,
~niki DBA 30uɐlnɯɐnɥ (花木蘭03) who thanks Nia Ika-san again
disclaimer
Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.
manga available this week (15 December 2010 street date)
- Elex Media: Golden Book (Deluxe) · Inuyasha 50 · Kindaichi Special Case: Private School Murder 2 of 2 · Kariage kun 37 · Godhand Teru 28 · Mixim 11 vol.2 · Bakeru kun Pika-pika 2 · Artist Acro 5 · New Sexy Simpleton 8
- Level Comics: Genius Family Company 5 · xxxHOLiC 11 · Restore Garage 251 vol.11 · Haruka 17 vol.10 · Half an Apple 5 · Last Inning 7 · Nurse Aoi 17 · Yakari dan Monster Danau
- m&c!: Electric Daisy 6 · Goong [Palace Story] 21 · Sugar Family 5 · Be a Naughty Girl 3 · Bakugan Battle Brawlers 13 · Monika 137
related monthly schedule(s)
December 2010
Premiering Cynical Kanoko by Tsuda Ririko, Hallelujah Overdrive by Takata Kentaro, Hitohira by Kirihara Idumi, The Recipe for Gertrude by Kusakawa Nari
other invaluable resources
Baka-Updates Manga · Wikipedia · 7net Shopping · ANN
Technorati tags
Elex Media · manga · manhwa · manhua · shoujo · shounen · sonyun · The Best Skilled Surgeon (Saijou no Meii) · Ciuman Dewa (Kamisama Hajimemashita) · Devil & Sweet (Akuma to Dolce) · Look Up! (Miagete Goran) · Our Dear Tamura-kun (Watashitachi no Tamura-kun) · The Real Fake Princess · A Story of Heroes · Toradora
Saijou no Meii 「最上の命医」
by Irie Kenzo & Hashiguchi Takashi
Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen
Volume 4 first published in Japan 2009.01
Volume 4 chapters:
25 幸福の王子
26 優しい人間
27 医局のしがらみ
28 生命の神秘
29 世界の常識
30 完璧ではないモノ
31 命（みこと）の弱み
32 命（みこと）の病気
33 自分だけのルール
34 腕利きの外部者
Related Series
Saijou no Meii - The King of Neet (sequel; three volumes per 2010.12)