Merupuri 1, Nodame 20, Sherlock Holmes The Adventure of the Speckled Band (Elex Media 13 August 2008 manga)

EDITED to correct volume number of Dan Doh!! Xi (should be 12, not 13).

Nodame Cantabile © Ninomiya Tomoko/Kodansha

Albeit delayed by a month, the first volume of Hino Matsuri-sensei's Meru Puri - The Märchen Prince finally releases this 13 August 2008. *does the Snoopy Happy Dance*

By contrast, the other series premiere—volume 1 of Et Cetera by Nakazaki Tow-sensei—is on schedule, making me wonder yet again exactly how Elex Media works out its weekly manga release lists. *does her impression of Rodin's The Thinker here* I assume Merupuri's shelving has to do with the fact that it had been serialized in its entirety in HanaLaLa, not necessarily that Et Cetera is expected to turn in a better sales performance.

Though it could. Who knows. *insert one of Edvard Munch's Skrik (The Scream) here*

Elex Media manga (2008.08.13)

Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.

1. A.S. (Animal Sense) 2 of 3 by Maekawa Takeshi

A.S. 「 Ａ．Ｓ． 」 by Maekawa Takeshi Kodansha Gekkan Shounen Magazine, shounen Volume 2 first published in Japan 2006.03

2. The Adventure of Naughty Majoko (Itazura Majoko no Daibouken) 4 of 5 by Mizuna Tomomi

Itazura Majoko no Daibouken 「 いたずらまじょ子の大冒険 」 by Mizuna Tomomi Poplar Sha Bun Bun imprint, kodomo Volume 4 first published in Japan 2006.08

3. [Premiere] Et Cetera 1 of 9 by Nakazaki Tow

Et Cetera 「 えとせとら 」 by Nakazaki Tow Kodansha Gekkan Shounen Magazine, shounen Volume 1 first published in Japan 1998.02 Published in English by TOKYOPOP

4. Fullmetal Alchemist (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi) 15 of 20+ by Arakawa Hiromu

Hagane no Renkinjutsushi 「 鋼の錬金術師 」 by Arakawa Hiromu Square Enix Shonen Gangan, shounen Volume 15 first published in Japan 2006.11 Published in English by Chuang Yi and VIZ Media

5. Ge Ge Ge Kitaro (Gegege no Kitarou: Youkai Sen Monogatari) 2 of 6+ by Hoshino Ryuichi, Mizuki Shigeru

Gegege no Kitarou: Youkai Sen Monogatari 「 ゲゲゲの鬼太郎　妖怪千物語 」 by Hoshino Ryuichi, Mizuki Shigeru Kodansha BonBon, shounen Volume 2 first published in Japan 2007.03

6. Imaginary Beasts (Genjuu no Seiza) 4 of 14+ by Akino Matsuri

Genjuu no Seiza 「 幻獣の星座 」 by Akino Matsuri Akita Shoten Horror Comics Special, shoujo Also romanized as Genjyu no Seiza Volume 4 first published in Japan 2001.12 English Genju no Seiza published by TOKYOPOP

7. Kagetora 7 of 11 by Segami Akira

Kagetora 「 ＫＡＧＥＴＯＲＡ 」 by Segami Akira Kodansha Magazine Special, shounen Volume 7 first published in Japan 2005.06 Published in English by Del Rey Serialized in Indonesian in Shonen Magz

8. Lum, The Invader Girl (Urusei Yatsura) 2 of 34 by Takahashi Rumiko

Urusei Yatsura 「 うる星やつら 」 by Takahashi Rumiko
Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen
Licensed for North American distribution by VIZ, later dropped after eight volumes

9. Masked Rider Spirits (Kamen Rider Spirits) 3 of 14+ by Ishinomori Shotaro, Muraeda Kenichi

Kamen Rider Spirits 「 仮面ライダーＳＰＩＲＩＴＳ 」 by Ishinomori Shotaro, Muraeda Kenichi Kodansha Magazine Z, seinen Volume 3 first published in Japan 2002.06

10. [Premiere] Merupuri (Meru Puri - The Märchen Prince) 1 of 4 by Hino Matsuri

Meru Puri - The Märchen Prince 「 めるぷり　メルヘン☆プリンス 」 by Hino Matsuri Hakusensha LaLa, shoujo Volume 1 first published in Japan 2003.02 Published in English by VIZ Media Serialized in Indonesian in HanaLaLa

11. Nodame Cantabile 20 of 21+ by Ninomiya Tomoko

Nodame Cantabile 「 のだめカンタービレ 」 by Ninomiya Tomoko Kodansha Kiss, josei Volume 20 first published in Japan 2008.03

12. Ranma ½ 30 of 38 by Takahashi Rumiko

Ranma ½ 「 らんま１／２ 」 by Takahashi Rumiko Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen Volume 30 first published in Japan 2003.06 Published in English by VIZ Media

13. Road to St. Andrews - Dan Doh!! Xi (Dan Doh!! Xi) 12 of 15 by Sakata Nobuhiro, Banjo Daichi

Dan Doh!! Xi 「 ＤＡＮ　ＤＯＨ！！　Ｘｉ 」 by Sakata Nobuhiro, Banjo Daichi Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen Volume 12 first published in Japan 2003.01 Preceded by Dan Doh!! and followed by Dan Doh!! Next Generation

14. Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sangokushi) 3 of 6 by Yamasaki Hiromi

Sangokushi 「 さんごくし 」 by Yamasaki Hiromi Akita Shoten Shounen Champion Comics imprint, shounen Volume 3 first published in Japan 2005.07

15. Sherlock Holmes 2 of 10: The Adventure of The Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ishikawa Morihiko, Ishinomori Shotaro
16. Seri Tokoh Dunia 50: Vasco da Gama by Nurmiadi
17. Trigun Maximum 7 of 14 by Nightow Yasuhiro

Trigun Maximum 「 トライガン・マキシマム 」 by Nightow Yasuhiro Shonen Gahosha Young King Ours, seinen Volume 7 first published in Japan 2002.08 Published in English by Chuang Yi and DMP in cooperation with Dark Horse Comics

18. YuYu Hakusho - Ghost Files (YuYu Hakusho) 17 of 19 by Togashi Yoshihiro

YuYu Hakusho 「 幽☆遊☆白書 」 by Togashi Yoshihiro Shueisha Weekly Shonen Jump, shounen Volume 17 first published in Japan 1994.06

mangazines (2008.08.12)

• Nakayoshi 59/2008 (Kodansha shoujo)

Source: Elex Media STO 13 Agustus 2008

release commentary

No series finales this 13 August 2008 release.

By popularity
Popular picks to buy this release (my votes are included in the tally) are Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of The Speckled Band by Ishikawa Morihiko- & Ishinomori Shotaro-sensei, based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Nodame Cantabile volume 20; Merupuri volume 1; Imaginary Beasts volume 4; Trigun Maximum volume 7; the second tankou of Maekawa Takeshi-sensei's A.S. (Animal Sense); and Ranma ½ volume 30.

By original publisher
Placing six manga titles in the Elex list makes Kodansha the predominant publisher this release, followed by Shogakukan, and Akita Shoten.

By genre
A quick eyeball is again enough to tell us that this release is shounen-dominated, with over half of the manga listed catering to the shounen demographic. shoujo and seinen ante up with two titles each, while kodomo and josei puts up one title respectively.

Technorati tags
manga, makita, Elex Media, Nakayoshi, shounen, shoujo, seinen, josei, Et Cetera, Merupuri, Hino Matsuri

UP NEXT
Level Comics 12 August 2008 manga

~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03) who had to re-register at EMO as Touma to cast her Get! votes *insert generic sheepish grin here*

Other invaluable resources

7&Y (release dates and images) | Amazon Japan (images) | Baka-Updates Manga (release information++)

Tweaked: 2009.01.31

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