Update: Duck! NikBabble™, INCOMING!
Basara © Tamura Yumi/Shogakukan [First serialized in Betsucomi] · Oboreru Knife © George Asakura/Kodansha [Serialized in Betsufure]. Published in Indonesia as Basara and Shattered Knife by Elex Media/Level Comics
Tatara succeeds in forging alliances with the other regional commanders, swelling the rebel troops' ranks, even as Shuri takes command of the royal soldiers and declares war against Tatara. Meanwhile, Taro uncovers the Zakuro Plan and hastens to return to Kyoto, but is wounded along the way by Hagiwara's warriors. Can Taro make it back to the capital?
I noted after catching up on Level's Basara that you'd be forgiven for expecting that volume 21 would be the ultimate if not the penultimate volume. Especially after how the action has built up and the prospect of a divided Japan's unity all but sniffable. You already know that's not so, right? Five more Basara volumes sneak in between the 21st and The End.
Shattered Knife vol 11 of 12+
By George Asakura
Oji, the son of Ko's mother's half-sib, learns just how intractable Ko can be, after Ko underestimates him on their first meeting. Oji struggles to make Ko see him as a worthy rival, little realizing that they have more in common than differences.
Assuming Oji is a guy—not reading Shattered Knife—so if I'm mistaken, please be so good as to call me on it. Comment box's down there :)
Twelve Oboreru Knife tankou have been compiled in Japan as of May 2011.
New Level titles
Scrameustache By Gos & Walt
Le Scrameustache, Tome 1:
L'héritier de l'Inca
© Gos & Walt/Glénat
Published in Indonesia as
Scrameustache:
Pewaris Bangsa Inca
by Elex Media/Level Comics
Level double-launches the Franco-Belgian science fiction BD Scrameustache with volumes 1 and 2, Scrameustache: Pewaris Bangsa Inca (Le Scrameustache: L'héritier de l'Inca) and Scrameustache: Penyihir Ursa Mayor (Le Scrameustache: Le magicien de la Grande Ourse).
The adopted son of a European archeologist, Khena meets a extraterrestrial named Scrameustache, drawn to Khena by the medallion he wears. Before encountering Scrameustache, Khena never thought about where he came from, or life before his adoption by Uncle Georges. Khena and the cat-like alien soon become friends and Scrameustache takes Khena off to Peru, where Khena was first found.
What distinguishes Khena and Scrameustache's story, according to Wiki, is that a certain amount of mystery surrounded Khena himself. As a toddler he had been found in the remains of an earthquake in Peru. He was then adopted by Georges Caillau, a European scholar, archaeologist and ethnologist. Some ten years later, Khena met the Scrameustache and proved himself resistant to the alien's (non-lethal) weapons and other technology. This resistance made the Scrameustache curious and he stuck around hoping that time would provide an explanation.
Maybe the "mystery" has something to do with that "Heir to the Inca" title?
Khena and Scrameustache continue their exploits in Penyihir Ursa Mayor, in which Uncle Georges' friend inexplicably grows a bull's head, and Scrameustache runs into an alien friend who needs help defeating an evil wizard.
Level Comics manga and manhua (2012.01.04)
- Basara vol 21 of 27 by Tamura Yumi
- Brave Story (Brave Story - Shinsetsu) vol 7 of 20 by Miyabe Miyuki and Ono Yoichiro
- Fight!! Ippo (Hajime no Ippo) vol 87 of 98+ by Morikawa Joji
- Go-On! vol 3 of 4 by Akishige Manabu
- The Ravages of Time (Huo Feng Liao Yuan) vol 15 of 44+ by Chan Mou
- Shattered Knife (Oboreru Knife) vol 11 of 12+ by George Asakura
 | Brave Story - Shinsetsu |
Related
Adapted from Miyabe Miyuki-sensei's Brave Story light novel
Other languages
English Brave Story (TOKYOPOP: five volumes; the Brave Story novel was published by VIZ Media 2009.11), French (Kurokawa: Tome 20 shipped 2011.02) and traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan)
 | Hajime no Ippo 「はじめの一歩」 |
Volume 87 chapters:
Round 827: Best In The World
Round 828: Right Jabs
Round 829: Switch
Round 830: The Source of the Static
Round 831: Eyes of the Champion
Round 832: The Lightning God's Fists
Round 833: A Big Deal
Round 834: Miyata's Hang Up
Round 835: Payoff Of Courage
Round 836: Abnormality
[*NOT Level chapter titles]
Awards
Winner, 1991 Kodansha Manga Awards in the Shounen category
Related series
Hajime no Ippo Gaiden (one-shot prequel)
Other languages
French (Kurokawa: Ippo, Saison 2 Tome 16 per 2011.09) and traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan: 第一神拳 97 per 2011.12.21)
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 26-episode second season Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger was telecast from January to June 2009.
 | Go-On! 「ＧＯ‐ＯＮ！」 |
 | Sanguozhi Qunxiongzhuan: Huo Feng Liao Yuan 「火鳳燎原」 |
Other languages/serializations
Simplified Chinese (Chuang Yi: 火凤燎原 #42 released 2011.09.05), Japanese (Media Factory 三国志群雄伝 火鳳燎原 9 per 2009.12), Vietnamese Hỏa Phụng Liêu Nguyên. The manhua is also published in Mainland China, Korea and Thailand.
 | Oboreru Knife 「溺れるナイフ」 |
[Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details.]
European comics (ROMICs)/BDs (2012.01.04
- Lanfeust of Troy: Paladin dari Eckmul (Lanfeust de Troy, Tome 4: Le paladin d'eckmül) by Arleston & Tarquin (Soleil)
- [Series Premiere] Scrameustache: Pewaris Bangsa Inca (Le Scrameustache, Tome 1: L'héritier de l'Inca) by Gos & Walt (Glénat)
- [Premiere] Scrameustache: Penyihir Ursa Mayor (Le Scrameustache, Tome 2: Le magicien de la Grande Ourse) by Gos & Walt (Glénat) «Ex-2011.12.21
Basara 「ＢＡＳＡＲＡ」 by Tamura Yumi
Shogakukan Betsucomi, shoujo
Volume 21 first published in Japan 1997.08
Awards
Winner, 38th Shogakukan Manga Awards in the Shoujo category
Other versions/languages
Re-released in 16 bunko volumes (2002.03 to 2002.10)
English Basara (VIZ Media: 27 volumes), French (Kana: 27 volumes), German (EMA: Band 26 ships 2011.10; Band 27 per 2012.01), Danish (Mangismo Danmark), Swedish (Mangismo Sverige) and Vietnamese (Kim Dong: 27 volumes)
Adaptations
A 13-episode Legend of Basara anime by KSS, starring seiyuu Kimura Akiko (Sarasa) and Inoue Kazuhiko (Shuri), aired on Chiba TV from April to June 1998.