Giant Killing 1, The Black Swindler 11, Jepang Tenggelam 10 (Level Comics 2 March 2011 manga)

Giant Killing © Tsunamoto Masaya, Tsujitomo/Kodansha
[Serialized in Morning]
Published in Indonesia by Elex Media/Level Comics

Level Comics presents the 34th Kodansha Manga Awardee for General Manga—Giant Killing—Tsunamoto Masaya- & Tsujitomo's seinen sports drama.

Those who've watched the anime adapt already know Giant Killing's plot, but for the benefit of those (like me), who don't, blurb:

Under former soccer player Tatsumi's coaching, an English amateur club manages to beat an elite team. For precisely this reason, Goto and Yuri scout Tatsumi to coach East Tokyo United or ETU.

Problem: Will the England club let Tatsumi go? And what kind of reception awaits Tatsumi in Japan?

Tsujitomo-sensei appears to have only the ongoing Morning-serialized Giant Killing in teh back list, but Tsunamoto Masaya-sensei is also credited for the likewise soccer-troped Goal Den Age, published here by m&c!

The Black Swindler 11 of 20 by Kuromaru & Natsuhara Takeshi

Our favorite Swindler of Swindlers Kurosaki is back and this time, he's on the side of big business, helping an honest (if careless) insurance employee defrauded by a shirosagi.

Jepang Tenggelam 10 of 15 by Komatsu Sakyou, Ishiki Tokihiko

With Kanto, Kyoto and Kyushu lying in ruins, the Japanese citizens pin their final hopes on a plan to prevent Japan from sinking further. Lights flash green for the Dismantle A strategy.

Will the dangerous plan work? Or does more tragedy lie ahead?

Level Comics manga (2011.03.02)

1. Attack!! 6 of 11+ by Oshima Tsukasa

Attack!! 「アタック！！」 by Oshima Tsukasa Shinchosha Comic Bunch, seinen Volume 6 first published in Japan 2008.04

2. The Black Swindler (Kurosagi) 11 of 20 by Kuromaru & Natsuhara Takeshi

Kurosagi 「クロサギ」 by Kuromaru & Natsuhara Takeshi Shogakukan Young Sunday, seinen Volume 11 (chapters 109-119) first published in Japan 2006.10

Awards
Best Seinen/General Manga, 53rd Shogakukan Manga Awards (2007), along with Sekiya Tetsuji's Bambino!

Related
Shin Kurosagi (sequel; 10 volumes per 2011.03.30)

Adaptations
An 11-episode live-action renzoku starring Yamashita Tomohisa (Kurosaki) and Horikita Maki (Yoshikawa Tsurara) aired on TBS from April to June 2006. A movie starring the same leads premiered in Japan on 8 March 2008.

3. Blade of Immortal (Mugen no Juunin) 14 of 27+ by Samura Hiroaki

Mugen no Juunin 「無限の住人」 by Samura Hiroaki Kodansha Afternoon, seinen Volume 14 first published in Japan 2003.07

Awards
1997 Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence Prize

Other languages/serializations
English Blade of the Immortal (Dark Horse Comics: 23 volumes per 2011.02.15), French (Casterman; L'habitant de l'infini tome 25 per 2010.10); 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.

4. Fight!! Ippo (Hajime no Ippo) 81 of 95+ by Morikawa Joji

Hajime no Ippo 「はじめの一歩」 by Morikawa Joji AKA Fighting Spirit Kodansha Weekly Shonen Magazine, shounen Volume 81 first published in Japan 2007.09

Volume 81 chapters:
Round 768: Fixing The Fight Fixer
Round 769: Heavy Money
Round 770: Open for Business
Round 771: A Casual Down
Round 772: Magic Show
Round 773: Bewitching Glove
Round 774: The Magician's True Strength
Round 775: The Arm Extends!!
Round 776: The Winner of the Dual Exchanges
Round 777: Guns and Gloves
*NOT Level chapter titles

Awards
Best Shounen Manga, 1991 Kodansha Manga Awards

Related series
Hajime no Ippo Gaiden (one-shot prequel)

Other languages
French (Kurokawa: Ippo, Saison 2: Destins de Boxeurs tome 9 per 2011.02.10 • tome 10 street date: 2011.03.10) and traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan)

Adaptations
A 76-episode anime by Madhouse, starring seiyuu Kiyasu Kohei (Makunouchi Ippo), aired on NTV from October 2000 to March 2002. A sequel/special, Hajime no Ippo - Champion Road, came out in June 2003, followed by the spinoff Hajime no Ippo - Mashiba vs. Kimura OAV (2003.09). The second season Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger (26 episodes) was telecast from January to June 2009.

5. Fist of The Blue Sky (Souten no Ken) 4 of 22 by Hara Tetsuo & Buronson

Souten no Ken 「蒼天の拳」 by Hara Tetsuo & Buronson Shinchosha (Coamix) Comic Bunch seinen Volume 4 first published in Japan 2002.08

Related
Hokuto no Ken (sequel; 27 volumes)

Other languages
English (Gutsoon! Entertainment; dropped), French (Marvel Panini France; KEN - Fist of the Blue Sky tome 20 shipped 2009.10) and traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan; 蒼天之拳 22 per 2010.11)

Adaptations
A 26-episode anime by Studio A.P.P.P., starring seiyuu Yamadera Kouichi (Kasumi Kenshiro), aired from October 2006 to March 2007 on TV Asahi.

6. [Series Premiere] Giant Killing 1 of 17+ by Tsunamoto Masaya & Tsujitomo

Giant Killing 「ＧＩＡＮＴ　ＫＩＬＬＩＮＧ」 by Tsunamoto Masaya & Tsujitomo Kodansha Morning, seinen Volume 1 first published in Japan 2007.04

Awards
34th Kodansha Manga Award for General Manga

Adaptations
Studio DEEN's 26-episode anime adaptation, starring seiyuu Seki Tomokazu (Tatsumi Takeshi), Okiayu Ryotaro (Murakoshi Shigeyuki), Mizushima Takahiro (Tsubaki Daisuke) and Ono Daisuke (Yoshida Luigi) aired between April and September 2010 on NHK.

7. Hikayat Genji (Asakiyumemishi) 7 of 13 by Yamato Waki

Asakiyumemishi 「あさきゆめみし」 by Yamato Waki Kodansha Mimi, shoujo Volume 7 first published in Japan 1986.12

Related
Adapted from Genji Monogatari by Murasaki Shikibu

Others languages
English (Kodansha Bilingual Comics; partial)

8. Jepang Tenggelam (Nihon Chinbotsu) 10 of 15 by Komatsu Sakyou, Ishiki Tokihiko

Nihon Chinbotsu 「日本沈没」 by Komatsu Sakyou, Ishiki Tokihiko AKA Japan Falling, Japan Sinks Shogakukan Big Comic Spirits, seinen Volume 10 (chapters 80-85) first published in Japan 2008.04

Related
Based on the award-winning disaster novel by Komatsu Sakyou, also adapted into film and live-action TV.

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