XBlade 2, Bloody Monday 3, Red River 6 (Level Comics 13 April 2011 manga)

Also, GTO 2 and the nine other manga and BD titles, including two debuts

XBlade 2 (Level Comics)

XBlade © Ida Tatsuhiko & Shiki Satoshi/Kodansha
[Serialized in Shonen Sirius]
Published in Indonesia by Elex Media/Level Comics

After a few days spent learning about a changed world, Mana decides to go to Tokyo's 13th District. Haru, too, makes up his mind to face his childhood trauma and accompanies Mana. But before they can even find the 13th District ingress, the pair is intercepted by the Aoi Kikan organization. The situation deteriorates when two Nanatsusaya members emerge. Can Haru deal with this double-barreled attack?

Yes, XBlade 2 is the Level top DO WANT!, despite an IDR 20,000 price tag that apparently owes its priceyness to the color pages AND the special preparation of the cover. The XBlade logo—squint at the superimposed “X” on above cover—is processed separately so that it looks that good looking. (Thanks for the share, Demonbasher-san.)

Bloody Monday 3 of 11 by Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji

Fujimaru's suspicions about Ms. Orihara resurfaces, after he and Otoya manage to lure the so-called teacher into admitting she was in Russia on Christmas eve. Meanwhile, Ryunosuke retrieves the files Shikimura entrusted to old friend Munakata, only to be attacked later by Jack Damon.

Can Fujimaru make it in time to save Ryunosuke? And what exactly are in the two files Okita and Shikimura left behind?

☆ Previewing the next Most Wanteds (Red River 6 and GTO 2) along with the other ongoing series (waaay below). Find the featured seinen manga—a Kubonouchi Eisaku double bill of Chocolat and Cherry penultimates—down there, too.

Level premieres

Miyoshi Yuuki's Devil Devil and Watanabe Jun's RRR launch this Wednesday. But since most everyone already knows the Unrealistic fighting Devil Devil—the clash 'n gags between devil Sword and angel Ios, who fell to earth and now possess the bodies of twin brothers—I'm spotlighting underdog RRR up here. (I like Rock 'n' Roll Ricky's afro ^^).

RRR 1 (Level Comics)

RRR © Watanabe Jun/
Kodansha
[Young Magazine]

At the advanced age of 27, Iwamaki Rikitaro still cherishes hopes of becoming a rock star. His band mates, however, make fun of his Jimi Hendrix! Jim Morrison! dream. Adding insult to ego injury, Rikitaro's girlfriend cheats on and then ditches him.

Just as Rikitaro is at his lowest enthusiasm nashi point, he meets world boxing champ (now retired) Oishi Raita. Raita recognizes Rikitaro's potential — just not in music, but in boxing!
[Additions from mangahelpers.com's RRR description, excerpted by Baka-Updates Manga]

Aside from the Boxing, Older Main Character, Rock Band RRR, Watanabe Jun-sensei is responsible for the 62-volume seinen science fiction/action manga, Emblem Take 2. Current serial in Weekly Young Magazine is the murder mystery drama Montage (three volumes, ongoing).

Level ROMICs (bande dessinée)

Also on tap: Lucky Luke - Alibi (Lucky Luke, Tome 27: L'Alibi) by Morris and Claude Guylouïs, in which Luke babysits Gisela, who ups and gets herself kidnapped, and Michel Vaillant - Pengkhianatan Steve Warson (Michel Vaillant, Tome 6: La trahison de Steve Warson) by Jean Graton, which per its title, deals with the alleged betrayal of Vaillante team by Michel's best friend, Steve Warson.

Level Comics manga (2011.04.13)

  1. 3x3 Eyes 38 of 40 by Takada Yuzo
  2. LC: 3x3 Eyes 38

    3×3 EYES3×3EYES」 by Takada Yuzo
    Kodansha Weekly Young Magazine, seinen
    Volume 38 first published in Japan 2002.03

    Other languages
    English 3x3 Eyes (Dark Horse Comics; till volume 8), Korean (Young Movie Comics), French (PIKA Édition; 40 volumes), Spanish (Planeta DeAgostini Comics; dropped), Italian (Editions Star Comics) and German 3x3 Augen (Carlsen Comics)

    Awards
    Best Shounen Manga, 1993 Kodansha Manga Awards

    Adaptations
    Two anime OAVs starring seiyuu Tsujitani Kouji (Fujii Yakumo) and Hayashibara Megumi (Ayanokouji Pai)

  3. Bloody Monday 3 of 11 by Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji
  4. LC: Bloody Monday 3

    Bloody Mondayブラッディ・マンデイ
    by Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji
    Kodansha Weekly Shonen Magazine, shounen
    Volume 3 first published in 2007.11

    Other languages
    English Bloody Monday: Season 1 (Chuang Yi: volume 8 per 2010.08 and Kodansha Comics: Bloody Monday volume 1 street date: 2011.08.23), simplified Chinese (Chuang Yi: 11 volumes, concluded), traditional Chinese 血色星期一 (Tong Li Taiwan; 11 volumes) and French (PIKA Édition: four volumes per 2011.03; Tome 5 ships 2011.05.04)

    Related series
    Bloody Monday Season 2 - Zetsubou no Kou (sequel, AKA Bloody Monday Season 2 ~Pandora no Hako~, seven volumes as at 2011.03.17)

    Adaptations
    An 11-episode live-action renzoku aired from October through December 2008 on TBS, followed by a second season, Bloody Monday Season2 ~Pandora no Hako~ (January to March 2010, nine episodes). Actor/singer Miura Haruma returned as protagonist Fujimaru Takagi/Falcon in the sequel.

  5. Cherry 3 of 4 by Kubonouchi Eisaku
  6. LC: Cherry 3

    CherryCherry」 by Kubonouchi Eisaku
    Shogakukan Big Comic Spirits, seinen
    Volume 3 (chapters 20-30) first published in Japan 2007.06

  7. Chocolat 6 of 7 by Kubonouchi Eisaku
  8. LC: Chocolat 6

    Chocolatショコラ」 by Kubonouchi Eisaku
    Shogakukan Big Comic Spirits, seinen
    Volume 6 (10 episodes/chapters 54-63) first published in Japan 2003.08

    Other languages
    Traditional Chinese 流氓蛋糕店 (Tong Li: seven volumes per 2004.07)

    Adaptations
    Live-action adaptation starring Otsuka Chihiro, Natsuyagi Isao, Takahashi Kazuya and Ishii Teruyuki aired in Japan from May to July 2003

  9. [Series Premiere] Devil Devil 1 of 15 by Miyoshi Yuuki
  10. LC: Devil Devil 1

    Devil Devilデビデビ」 by Miyoshi Yuuki
    Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen
    Volume 1 first published in Japan 1999.04

    Volume 1 chapters*
    1. Falling angels
    2. A strange friend
    3. The Batcat
    4. A mysterious baby
    5. The second henchman
    6. The Breath of Batcat
    7. The Exorcist
    *NOT Level Comics' titles; mechanically translated from PIKA Édition's Devil Devil, Tome 1 summary and the Japanese table of contents

    Other languages
    French (PIKA Édition: 15 volumes per 2005.10), German (Planet Manga)

  11. Giant Killing 2 of 19+ by Tsunamoto Masaya & Tsujitomo
  12. LC: Giant Killing 2

    Giant KillingGIANT KILLING
    by Tsunamoto Masaya & Tsujitomo
    Kodansha Morning, seinen
    Volume 2 first published in Japan 2007.07

    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.

  13. GTO 2 of 25 by Fujisawa Toru
  14. LC: GTO 2

    GTOGTO」 by Fujisawa Toru
    Kodansha Weekly Shonen Magazine, shounen
    Volume 2 first published in Japan 1997.07

    Awards
    Best Shounen Manga, 1998 Kodansha Manga Awards

    Other languages
    Bilingual Japanese/English (Kodansha International, three volumes per 1999.12), English GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka (TOKYOPOP: 25 volumes), French (PIKA Édition: 25 volumes), Italian (Dynamic Italia), German (EMA), Polish (Waneko), Swedish (Schibsted Förlagen Sverige AB; serialized in Manga Mania), traditional Chinese (Tong Li)

    Related series
    Prequels: Shounan Junaigumi! AKA GTO: The Early Years (31 of 31 volumes) and Bad Company (1 of 1 volume) and GTO: Shonan 14 Days (sequel, six volumes as at 2011.02, ongoing)

    Adaptations
    A live-action GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka TV series, starring Sorimachi Takashi (Onizuka Eikichi) and Matsushima Nanako (Fuyutsuki Azusa) telecast from July to September 1998 on Fuji TV and Kansai TV (followed by GTO Drama Special; 1999.08.28 and GTO: The Movie; 1991) and Studio Pierrot's 43-episode Great Teacher Onizuka anime adaptation, starring seiyuu Takagi Wataru as Onizuka, that aired between June 1999 and September 2000.

  15. Jio 14 of 19 by Kishimoto Seishi
  16. LC: Jio 14

    Jio666~サタン~」 by Kishimoto Seishi
    Square Enix Shonen Gangan, shounen
    Volume 14 first published in Japan 2006.06

    Volume 14 chapters:
    53. Bonds
    54. Ancient People
    55. Legendary O-Parts
    56. New Member
    *NOT Level Comics' titles

    Other languages
    English O-Parts Hunter (VIZ Media: 19 volumes), French (Kurokawa tome 19 released 2008.12) and Italian (JPOP)

  17. Red River (Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori) 6 of 28 by Shinohara Chie
  18. LC: Red River 6

    Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori
    天は赤い河のほとり
    by Shinohara Chie
    AKA Anatolia Story
    Shogakukan Sho-Comi, shoujo
    Volume 6 (chapters 15-16) first published in Japan 1996.09

    Awards
    Best Shoujo Manga, 46th Shogakukan Manga Awards (2000)

    Other languages
    English Red River (VIZ Media: 28 volumes), Italian Anatolia Story (Editions Star Comics: 28 volumes), German (EMA/Egmont Manga and Anime), Vietnamese Dòng Sông Huyền Bí (Tre Publishing House) and traditional Chinese 赤河戀影 (Tong Li)

    Adaptations
    Eight drama CDs were released between 1997 and 2003.

    Related
    An artbook (Japan release: 1999.02.24), fanbook (2002.07.26) and a two-volume novel adaptation Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori Gaiden Ma ga Jidai no Reimei written and illustrated by Shinohara Chie-sensei (2007.05 and 2007.09)

  19. [Series Premiere] RRR 1 of 10 by Watanabe Jun
  20. LC: RRR 1

    RRRRRR」 by Watanabe Jun
    AKA Rock 'n' Roll Ricky
    Kodansha Young Magazine, seinen
    Volume 1 first published in Japan 2007.09

  21. X Blade 2 of 12+ by Ida Tatsuhiko & Shiki Satoshi

[Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details.]

Level Comics European comics/BDs (2011.04.13)

  1. Lucky Luke - Alibi (Lucky Luke, Tome 27: L'Alibi) by Morris, Claude Guylouïs
  2. Michel Vaillant - Pengkhianatan Steve Warson (Michel Vaillant, Tome 6: La trahison de Steve Warson) by Jean Graton
Read more »