Also, Franco-Belgian bande dessinée or as Level styles it, ROMICs (Lucky Luke - Sang Hakim, Smurf Magang, Michel Vaillant - Tragedi Bercy, and Yakari - Terbang Laksana Gagak).
Ai Kora © Inoue Kazurou/Shogakukan (First serialized in Shonen Sunday)
Published in Indonesia as Love & Collage by Level Comics (Elex Media)
[Artwork provided by Level Comics]
Contains [SPOILERS!]
Woe is Hachibe! A new teacher blows into his class, and this Sajima-sensei apparently hates him with a passion uncontested. As if it weren't enough that Sajima-sensei constantly singles Hachibe out for punishment, the teacher also precipitates both Hachibe's eviction from the girls' dorm AND his out and out expulsion from school.
Just what is the deal with Sajima-sensei and what connection does he have to the blue-cat-eyed girl in the photograph Hachibe stumbled on in the teacher's house? Find this out, as well as what more's in store for the bullet train breasts (and other discrete attributes) fetishist, in volume 10 of Love & Collage, Inoue Kazurou's endearingly warped and ecchi take on harem comedies,
streeting this Wednesday.
If you followed the Wiki-excerpted suggestion of IGN critic A. E. Sparrow-san to read this series when you feel you've outgrown Naruto,
you'll have been anticipating Jio's further exploits. Wait no more; in Jio 8, our hero and his allies return, still questing for the legendary O-Parts. As plot luck would have it, they run into the giant Orphen O-Parts, the ancient relic of a transport bearing for Rock Bird City, site of the O.P.T. Olympics. Ruby, who wants the grand prize, orders Jio and Ball to enter, but it ain't going to be that easy: the pair first has to go through an elimination round to determine the two participants to the Rock Bird event. Can Jio and Ball make it past the qualifying contest?
Adding to blurb above (thanks to VIZ, already finished with it O-Parts Hunter run):
A chance encounter and a case of mistaken identity pit Jio and Cross against each other in a battle that almost seems foreordained—and though Cross is unaware of the creature lurking inside Jio's heart, he can't fight the strange feeling that they've met somewhere before. Will Ruby be able to intervene before these two formidable O.P.T.s tear each other apart?
[From O-Parts Hunter 8 description (VIZ Media edition)]
Volume 8 contains chapters (29) The Fated Two
(30) The Kabbalah's Angel
(31) Olympia's Prelim Round
and (32) The Chosen Two.
A new month and we get a new seinen series: Yokohama Chinatown Fantasy. Originally Kachuu Hana, the Big Comic serial is another cooking manga, albeit not quite Bambino! (despite superficial similarities such as our hero(ine) Hana also dreaming of becoming Top Chef and working for a premier restaurant like Ban). This manga sees ghosts! But I'm getting ahead of myself; backtracking:
Nakamura Hanako, trainee cook at the famous Yokohama Chinatown restaurant Manten Daihanten, meets Yokihi, the ghost of a Tang empress from way, waaaay back. New status as a haunt has not precluded the former empress from enjoying delicious food. Now, how does “fly lice” cooked by idle royalty—who has had all this time to turn into the fried rice expert—taste? And can genki Hana's own version stand up in comparison?
The chapter titles beg inference that Hana will be introduced to other ghosts by Yokihi — which makes me think: Ghost Only (m&c!), rather than Level's Bambino!. Editor Tika-san recommends Nishi Yuuji- & Hikino Shinji-sensei's manga for the fried rice you will encounter (just how many varieties are there?) that come complete with yum detailed recipes. (Tika-san also edits the Bambino! series; don't you just envy her her deli-shus job?)
Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.
- ARMS 18 of 22 by Minagawa Ryouji and Nanatsuki Kyouichi
- Happy Hello Work at Age 21 (Takunabi) 3 of 5+ by Yamaguchi Katsumi, Watanabe Chiho
- Hikayat Genji (Asakiyumemishi) 3 of 13 by Yamato Waki
- Jio 8 of 19 by Kishimoto Seishi
- Love & Collage (Ai Kora) 10 of 12 by Inoue Kazurou
- Over Rev 13 of 31 by Yamaguchi Katsumi & Team39
- Tomo'o (Danchi Tomoo) 10 of 16+ by Oda Tobira
- [Premiere] Yokohama Chinatown Fantasy (Kachuu Hana) 1 of 12+ by Nishi Yuuji, Hikino Shinji
- Lucky Luke - Sang Hakim (Lucky Luke Tome 13: Le Juge) by Morris, René Goscinny
- Michel Vaillant - Tragedi Bercy (Michel Vaillant Tome 61: La fièvre de Bercy) by Jean Graton, Philippe Graton
- Smurf - Smurf Magang (Les Schtroumpfs Tome 7: L'Apprenti Schtroumpf) by Peyo
- Yakari - Terbang Laksana Gagak (Yakari Tome 14: Le vol des corbeaux) by Derib, Job
¹ Sources: Level Comics (artwork and summaries, unless indicated otherwise) and Elex Media STO 04 August 2010 (release schedule). Cover images and source summaries used here for reference with permission are © their respective intellectual rights holders.
² Level manga are priced at IDR 18,500 each except Yokohama Chinatown Fantasy 1 (SRP: IDR 19,500). All ROMICs go for IDR 30,000 each.
³ Links like this are commercial Amazon search and/or product links for other language versions.
Volume previews continued
Defeat Keith Black and rescue Katsumi!!
After numerous protracted battles, Ryou reaches the Alice Chamber, stage of the ultimate showdown. But despite being reunited with his girlfriend, Ryou has to yet to overcome Keith Black who resorts to the cruelest of tactics, forcing Ryou to activate Jabberwock.
Will the Alice Chamber become Ryou's final resting place, or can the other Arms and their super nanotech prosthetics stop Jabberwock from destroying them all?
(The VIZ Project Arms 18: The Fourth Revelation: Remembrance blurb gives away what lies ahead for Ryou and friends: despite Ryo's amazing physical powers, he finds he's no match for Keith Black's powers of mind control. Instead of enemies, Ryo and his friends must fight the illusions in their own minds!
Taku's struggle for gainful employment continues: this time, he tries to get past his innate laziness with Maki's help. But Taku soon loses his focus after hearing that Akane has gone on a trip to Yufuin — with another guy! Does this mean there's really no hope for a Taku x Akane Happy Ever After? And what of Maki, back in the glare of acting lights?
The Okami's death throws the palace into shambles, the vacuum sparking a fierce power struggle among the Fujiwara clans. The situation escalates when an enemy who detests Genji tries to eliminate the royal prince. What fate awaits Shining Genji?
The Drift Contest piques Acrobat's interest in Sawako and Ryoko, but the vote to recruit the pair is not unanimous. Gohda the Gorilla is totally against the idea, prompting a race to the death between him and Sawako.
Keriko sees a balloon caught in a tree. Unable to get it herself because of her sore eye, she asks Tomo'o to retrieve the balloon for her. Tomo'o refuses because of a toothache, and eventually, Yoshinobu, after being stung by a bee, brings the balloon down. On the balloon, however, is a piece of paper that makes our trio angry — furious enough to actually want to hunt down the balloon's original owner.
What was on the piece of paper? And can they find the writer of the message?
ROMICs
Lucky Luke - Sang Hakim
Lucky Luke - Sang Hakim (Lucky Luke - The Judge) by Morris, René Goscinny
Originally Lucky Luke Tome 13: Le Juge by Morris, René Goscinny (Dupuis, 1959)
Lucky Luke, who has to drive cattle to the distant New Mexican town of Silver City, passes through some wild territory, the most treacherous being that which only knows one law: the Law of the Judge. Lucky Luke gets on the wrong side of the “justice” who controls the region west of the Pecos and is put on trial for unspecified crimes. Can Lucky Luke teach this amateur judge a lesson he won't forget?
Michel Vaillant - Tragedi Bercy
Michel Vaillant - Tragedi Bercy (The fever of Bercy) by Jean Graton, Philippe Graton
Originally Michel Vaillant Tome 61: La fièvre de Bercy by Jean Graton, Philippe Graton (Graton Editeur, 1998)
Michel Vaillant and best friend Steve Warson come to Bercy to participate in a race that lets them meet the world's number one race driver. But Michel and Steve won't be driving their F1 cars; instead, they will be racing in go-karts. The pair also meets John Cabral, owner of the Fastnet IT company that not only sponsors the Bercy race but also launched an innovative chronometer program. Michel is forced to help Fastnet out after a young driver, Billy, makes off with a Fastnet program CD. A dangerous high speed go-kart chase ensues on the Parisian streets, but can Michel retrieve the stolen disk?
Smurf - Smurf Magang
Smurf - Smurf Magang (The Smurf Apprentice) by Peyo
Originally Les Schtroumpfs Tome 7: L'Apprenti Schtroumpf by Peyo (Dupuis, 1971)
A Smurf wants to apprentice to Papa Smurf and help the elder Smurf in his lab experiments, but Papa Smurf turns down the wannabe apprentice, saying the Smurf's too young. The curious Smurf, itching to get blue hands on the magic potion, steals into Gargamel's laboratory and tries to snaffle Gargamel's magic book. But sadly...
This volume also contains the stories Pièges à Schtroumpfs
(Smurftraps
) and Roméo et Schtroumpfette
(Romeo and Smurfette
).
Yakari - Terbang Laksana Gagak
Yakari - Terbang Laksana Gagak (Flight of the Crows) by Derib, Job
Originally Yakari Tome 14: Le vol des corbeaux by Derib, Job (Dupuis, 1988)
Whilst sleeping, Slow Deer is abducted by a crow. Yakari and best friend Rainbow go after the thieving crow after being told that Slow Deer's life is in danger.
Iamque opus exegi,
~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03) who thanks Level editor Lenny-san for the artwork and blurb provisioning
Other upcoming 4 August 2010 manga
Elex Media: Vampire Knight 2 · Topeng Kaca Bidadari Merah 11 · Claymore 15 · Coz We're Not Children 2 of 2 · Godhand Teru 25 · Hidamari Sketch 2 · Kurozakuro 5 · Look Up! 2 · New Sexy Simpleton 6 · Summer Storm! 3 ·Yureka 17 · Shonen Magz 75/2010
m&c!: Bleach 31 · ChimaChima Papetto by Hina · The Strawberry Marshmallow 6 · Triple Honey by Yamanaka Rico · Wizard in July by Tanaka Meca · Yowamushi Pedal, Go! 8 · Toutou and Friends - Ayam Panggang by Soffritti/Brrémaud/Reynès · Sejejak Harap by Gita/Rie
manga currently available (28 July 2010 street date)
- Elex Media: BECK 20 · Dear Boys Act 3 vol. 3 · Fullmetal Alchemist 23 · Hayate The Combat Butler 22 · Kariage-kun 31 · A Kiss For My Prince 5 of 5 · Legend of Nereid 9 · Legend of The Cursed Sword 31 · Ruler of the Land 48 · Tena on S String 2 · Vitamin Cat 2 · Wild Life 7 | Mangazine: HanaLaLa 52, Shonen Star 69/2010
- Level Comics: Angel Heart 4 · Bambino! 5 · Glass Chair 5 · New Comic Bomber 3 · Restore Garage 251 vol. 8 · Soul Eater 1 by Ohkubo Atsushi
- m&c!: Ah Dear Banchou 5 · Because I Love You 1 of 2 by Akira Shouko · Bleach 30 · Dragon Girl 5 of 5 · Shanaou Yoshitsune Genpei War 4 · Tell Me One Million Times 1 of 2 by Oobayashi Miyuki · You Can't Disappear from Me 1 of 4 by Aikawa Saki | Manhua: The Impeccable Twins Final Chapters 10 · The Story of Wang Fenglei 4 | AMERO: Quick & Flupke series: Maaf Bu!, Hidup Teknologi, Malapetaka, Kena Batunya, Tukang Kibul and Kencangkan Sabuk Pengaman | Mangazine: Cherry 45/2010 | KOLONI local comics: Satu Atap 2 · Merdeka: Di Bukit Selarong
related monthly schedules
July 2010
Premiering Soul Eater by Ohkubo Atsushi and Yokohama Chinatown Fantasy by Nishi Yuuji · Ending Diamond Life
other invaluable resources
7net Shopping · Amazon France · Baka-Updates Manga · Wikipedia · ANN · TV Tropes
Otoyome-Gatari 「乙嫁語り」 by Mori Kaoru
Enterbrain Fellows!, seinen
Volume 2 first published in Japan 2010.06
Awards
Nominee, 4th Manga Taisho awards (2011), along with I am a Hero by Hanazawa Kengo; March comes in like a lion by Umino Chika (award winner); Hana no Zubora-Meshi by Kusumi Masayuki, Mizusawa Etsuko; Un chocolatier de l'amour perdu by Mizushiro Setona and eight other manga
Other languages
English A Bride's Story (Yen Press: one volume per 2011.05 • volume 2 street date: 2011.10.25) and traditional Chinese (Kadokawa Media Taiwan: 姊嫁物語 2 per 2010.10)