Bleach 13, Alive 15, Happy Cafe 10, Not an Angel 1-2, Eensy Weensy Monster 1-2, Archlord 6 of 6 (m&c! 15 July 2009 manga and manhwa)

Alive - Saishuu Shinka teki Shounen © Kawashima Tadashi and Adachitoka/Kodansha

Much-awaited next installments of Bleach (volume 13), Moon Guardian Syugogetten! Retrouvailles (volume 4), and Alive (volume 15) get street dates, but the most glaring thing about m&c!'s mid-month releases are the new manga (8 of 18), the seeming preponderance of which nearly eclipsed the series conclusions to Archlord and Battle Story Rockman Exe. Good thing the premiere dominance didn't inflict a similar twinkle in the sky fate upon the tenth Happy Café.

While we're on the subject, may I just observe that we haven't seen such a speedy Happy Café schedule since the first third of the series came out in... 2006, was it? Additionally, I would like to point out that TOKYOPOP will finally be releasing this series (also as Happy Café) starting January 2010.

New Manga

Not An Angel by Shigematsu Takako

...faster than you can yell TRAP!!

But the premiering series do deserve fireworks (not shooting stars), especially this — one of my all-time favorite shoujo manga, the one I chose for my first Japanator review: Tenshi ja Nai!! by Shigematsu Takako-sensei (Reaching for Taiyou) that m&c! has retitled Not An Angel, but that Go! Comi published in English as Tenshi Ja Nai!! (I'm No Angel!)

This is what I wrote back in 18 July 2007 about this adowable series:

The titular Tenshi Ja Nai!! (I'm No Angel!) could refer to either of our none-too-seraphic leads: Takabayashi Hikaru or Kido Izumi. At the start of our story, Hikaru transfers to the posh Seika Academy because mom and dad moved to France.... Hikaru meets Izumi-san on her first day, just as the latter is evading her fanboys. With some help from Hikaru, Izumi makes her getaway but not before leaving behind a (squish, jiggle, jiggle *plop*) silicone. Unclued-in, Hikaru doesn't twig over the breast prosthesis abandoned Cinderella-glass-slipper-like but discovers the truth once she becomes Izumi's roommate.

Let me also repeat what I advised two years ago: Recommendation to the shoujo fan who doesn't have this series yet in the bookshelves: GET!

Thank you, m&c!

Eensy Weensy Monster by Tsuda Masami

Arigatou gozaimuchness also for electing to simultaneously release the two volumes of Eensy Weensy Monster by Tsuda Masami-sensei (whose Kare Kano classic is probably the only manga I would want to have with me, were I ever marooned on a deserted island). Eensy Weensy Monster is about a school girl who... Okay, I'm dying to use both of the covers I found from Amazon Japan, so I'm going to spin off the blah-blah on this "monster" to a separate post.

m&c! manga and manhwa (2009.07.15)

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

1. Alive (Alive - Saishuu Shinka teki Shounen) 15 of 18+ by Kawashima Tadashi and Adachitoka

Alive - Saishuu Shinka teki Shounen 「 アライブ　最終進化的少年 」 by Kawashima Tadashi and Adachitoka Kodansha Gekkan Shounen Magazine, shounen Volume 15 first published in Japan 2008.06 Alive - The Final Evolution published in English by Del Rey (volume 7 street date: 2009.07.28)

2. Archlord 6 of 6 by Park JinHwan [Finale]

Archlord 「 아크로드 」 by Park JinHwan Daiwon C.I., sonyun Volume 6 first published in Korea 2007.05 Published in English by TOKYOPOP (six volumes)

3. Battle Story Rockman Exe 4 of 4 by Keijima Jun & Asada Miho [Finale]

Battle Story Rockman Exe 「 バトルストーリー　ロックマンエグゼ 」 by Keijima Jun & Asada Miho AKA Battle Story Megaman NT Warrior Shogakukan Tentoumushi Comics Special, shounen Volume 4 first published in Japan 2004.08

4. Bleach 13 of 40+ by Kubo Tite

Bleach 「 ＢＬＥＡＣＨ－ブリーチ－ 」 by Kubo Tite Shueisha Weekly Shonen Jump, shounen Subtitle: The Undead Volume 13 first published in Japan 2004.06 Published in English by VIZ Media (volume 28 street date: 2009.09.01)

5. [Premiere] Dynamic Duet 1 of 2 by Majiko!
6. [New] Dynamic Duet 2 of 2 by Majiko!
7. [Premiere] Eensy Weensy Monster 1 of 2 by Tsuda Masami

Eensy-Weensy Monster 「 ｅｅｎｓｙ－ｗｅｅｎｓｙモンスター 」 by Tsuda Masami Hakusensha LaLa, shoujo Volume 1 first published in Japan 2007.07

8. [New] Eensy Weensy Monster 2 of 2 by Tsuda Masami [Finale]

Eensy-Weensy Monster 「 ｅｅｎｓｙ－ｗｅｅｎｓｙモンスター 」 by Tsuda Masami Hakusensha LaLa, shoujo Volume 2 first published in Japan 2008.01

9. Golden Age 7 of 14 by Samukawa Kazuyuki

Golden*Age 「 ＧＯＬＤＥＮ★ＡＧＥ 」 by Samukawa Kazuyuki Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen Volume 7 first published in Japan 2008.02

10. [Resked] G-School 7 of 9+ by Son ChangHo and Kim ByeongCheol

G-School 「 G-스쿨 」 by Son ChangHo and Kim ByeongCheol Daiwon C.I. Champ Comics, sonyun Volume 7 first published in Korea 2006.09

11. Happy Café (Shiawase Kissa 3-chome) 10 of 14+ by Matsuzuki Kou

Shiawase Kissa 3-chome 「 幸福喫茶３丁目 」 by Matsuzuki Kou Hakusensha Hana to Yume, shoujo Volume 10 first published in Japan 2008.04 Published in English (also as Happy Café) by TOKYOPOP (volume 1 street date: 2010.01.05

12. Monika (Turma da Mônica) 124 by Mauricio (Mauricio de Sousa Produções)
13. Moon Guardian Syugogetten! Retrouvailles (Mamotte Shugogetten! Retrouvailles) 4 of 6 by Sakurano Minene

Mamotte Shugogetten! Retrouvailles 「 まもって守護月天！再逢〈Retrouvailles〉 」 by Sakurano Minene Mag Garden Comic Blade, shounen Volume 4 first published in Japan 2004.06

14. [Premiere] Narutoya Ramen Road (Nijiiro Ramen) 1 of 18 by Baba Tamio

Nijiiro Ramen 「 虹色ラーメン 」 by Baba Tamio Akita Shoten Weekly Shonen Champion, shounen Volume 1 first published in Japan 2001.08

15. [Premiere] Not An Angel (Tenshi ja Nai!!) 1 of 8 by Shigematsu Takako

Tenshi ja Nai!! 「 天使じゃない！！ 」 by Shigematsu Takako Akita Shoten Princess, shoujo Volume 1 first published in Japan 2003.09 Published in English by Go! Comi (eight volumes)

16. [New] Not An Angel (Tenshi ja Nai!!) 2 of 8 by Shigematsu Takako

Tenshi ja Nai!! 「 天使じゃない！！ 」 by Shigematsu Takako Akita Shoten Princess, shoujo Volume 2 first published in Japan 2004.02 Published in English by Go! Comi (eight volumes)

17. PPOI (Ppoi!) 5 of 27+ by Yamazaki Takako

Ppoi! 「 っポイ！ 」 by Yamazaki Takako Hakusensha LaLa and Melody, shoujo Volume 5 first published in Japan 1994.06

18. [Premiere] Prisoner of the Heart (Toraware Gokko) 1 of 4+ by Sakamoto Miku

Toraware Gokko 「 とらわれごっこ 」 by Sakamoto Miku Hakusensha Hana to Yume, shoujo Volume 1 first published in Japan 2007.02

NOTE
(1) Source: Elex Media STO 15 July 2009
(2) Links like this are Amazon.com search and/or product links (commercial), in case you're interested in another language version.

New manga continued...

I'm pretty sure that Narutoya Ramen Road by Baba Tamio-sensei is Nijiiro Ramen (虹色ラーメン), originally serialized in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shonen Champion. If it is, and you decide to GET! volume 1, be prepared for the long, 18-volume haul.

Prisoner of the Heart gave me pause over which of Sakamoto Miku-sensei's (Nadeshiko Club, Gokuraku Smile) opus it could be, but after remembering that m&c! released Hino Matsuri-sensei's Toraware no Minoue as Your Prisoner, decided that it is most likely Toraware Gokko (とらわれごっこ) that from Aerandria Scans' synopsis in Baka-Updates Manga sounds like an inverted Lovely Complex.

As for Dynamic Duet by Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch manga-ka Majiko!-sensei, it can either be: Mikansei No.1 (未完成Ｎｏ．１) or Yoru Nimo Makezu! (夜ニモマケズ！), as both shoujo series are two volumes long. But as the time-traveling Mikansei No.1, originally serialized in Asuka, is AKA Incompletion No.1, am thinking it's Yoru Nimo Makezu! that TOKYOPOP published as St. Lunatic High School back in 2007. So I'm going with the latter; if I'm wrong (frowns at m&c! for not putting up a page for this series), kindly leave a comment.

UP NEXT

Eensy Weensy Monster by Tsuda Masami (street date: 15 July 2009)

~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03) who is sooo looking forward to renewing her acquaintance with Hikaru (and Izumi)

disclaimer

Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.

manga available this week (7 and 8 July 2009 street dates)

• Chuang Yi - Singapore (7.07): La Corda D'Oro 6, Hellsing 9, Those With Wings 6 of 6, Spriggan 11 of 11, and Vagabond 16
• Level Comics (7.07): Rainbow 12, Psychometrist Eiji 5, Bad Guy (Warui Otoko) by Yoshimura Akemi
• Elex Media (7.08): Nodame Cantabile 21, Eyeshield 21 volume 27, C.M.B. 10, Dragon Drive 14 of 14, Touch 17, Golden Days 4
• m&c! (7.08): Venus Capriccio 1, The Magic in Me 5 of 5, Crossroad 6, Yokohama Shopping Blog 14 of 14, Dawn Aria 1, A Future Doctor 2

...and next (14 July 2009 street date)

• Level Comics (7.14): Fight!! Ippo 68 and Tokyo Juliet 7
• Elex Media (7.15): Yotsuba&! 8, Rocket Man 8, Alice Academy 11, La Corda D'Oro 1, The Best Skilled Surgeon (Saijou no Meii) 1 by Irie Kenzo & Hashiguchi Takashi

other invaluable resources

7&Y · Amazon Japan · Baka-Updates Manga · manaworld.com · TV Tropes

Technorati tags
manga, manhwa, m&c!, shoujo, shounen, sonyun, Alive, Archlord, Battle Story Rockman Exe, Dynamic Duet, Eensy-Weensy Monster, Golden Age, G-School, Happy Café, Mamotte Shugogetten! Retrouvailles, Narutoya Ramen Road, Not An Angel, Ppoi!, Prisoner of the Heart, Shiawase Kissa 3-chome, Tenshi ja Nai!!, Shigematsu Takako, Tsuda Masami

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