Also, two penultimates: A Tale of Poor Sisters (volume 3) and Kunimitsu (volume 26); Shounen Magazine In Demand properties School Rumble 8 and Tokkyu! 9; and the latest Nurse Diary (volume 8) in which we peek into the lives of regulars Doctor Togo, Doctor Kato, and Kumasuke Gonda.
Skip Beat! © Nakamura Yoshiki/Hakusensha (Serialized in Hana to Yume)
Published in Indonesia by PT Elex Media Komputindo
Yeah, yeah, so Pandora Hearts 7 wins this Elex manga pack's Most Wanted GET!, but did you really think I would lead with it when Skip Beat! 16 AND Ghost Hunt 11 were releasing the same day? Oz descending upon the Barma dukedom to find out what really happened a hundred years ago and Break reclaiming his forgotten past notwithstanding.
As for why Skip Beat! edged out Ghost Hunt in the post pinup stakes, the answer is OMB! Ren-sama as Yoru no Ou and what is he doing to Kyoko?!! *dies* obvious. (Ren's atsui clinch ♡ over Naru-chan's No Touch deal (below, right) anyday.)
Skip Beat! 16 by Nakamura Yoshiki
The Suddenly, a Love Story
arc continues, with Fuwa Sho admitting that he had had only Kyoko's safety in mind when he came rushing to rescue her from the clutches of her stalker, Vie Ghoul vocalist Reino. Sho's admission unsettles Tsuruga Ren, already feeling left out. The popular actor realizes that his "protégé" and Sho are so much in a world of their own, no one —least of all Ren — can trespass. What's more, Sho challenges Ren by openly declaring that he considers Kyoko, alone, as his showbiz "rival." Will Ren take up Sho's challenge?
On another (cough) note, what does Sho have up his sleeve to foil Vie Ghoul's further pirating of his music?
Ghost Hunt 11 by Inada Shiho & Ono Fuyumi
Ghost Hunt © Inada Shiho
& Ono Fuyumi/Kodansha
(Serialized in Nakayoshi)
Published in Indonesia by Elex Media
Trapped in the old school building, Mai, Naru, and the Shibuya Psychic Research irregulars face the bleak prospect of eternal imprisonment. Any hope of escape fast fades with first, Rin disappearing, followed by Ayako. Who's next?
As the Forgotten Children haunting the school pick out Mai's companions one by one, can Mai, left for last, save her friends with what power she possesses?
Summaries of other continuing series—The Familiar of Zero 2, Penguin Revolution 2, and Sentaro 34 among others—resume after the fake cut.
NEW TITLES
Elex brings us Adachi Mitsuru's latest sports romantic comedy, Katsu!, and a complicated shoujo love story, First Love (Stay Pretty First Love) by Nishi Keiko.
Katsu! 1 by Adachi Mitsuru
This is the story of a guy and girl both named Katsuki: Satoyama Katsuki and Mizutani Katsuki. Satoyama Katsuki enrolls in a boxing gym to get close to his crush Mizutani Katsuki, whose father owns the gym; this is probably the worst thing Katsuki (#1) could've done as Katsuki (#2) hates boxing. Further misunderstandings bedevil our pair in this latest Shonen Star serial to graduate into tankou.
First Love by Nishi Keiko
Ai's middle school gets a new teacher and word is that he's hot: tall, young, and gor-jus! But it's not only the girls what's got into a tizzy: the guys are equally ga-ga over the new teacher's wife, the epitome of cuteness. What's worse, Ai's friend Sho falls hard for her. The teacher's wife, not Ai, which prompts Ai to prepare for a fight "to the death" over Sho...
Elex Media manga (2010.03.03)
Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details and cover scans.
- The Familiar of Zero (Zero no Tsukaima) 2 of 7+ by Yamaguchi Noboru & Mochizuki Nana
- [New] First Love (Stay Pretty First Love) by Nishi Keiko
- Fruits 2 of 3 by Kim LeeJeong
- Ghost Hunt 11 of 11+ by Inada Shiho and Ono Fuyumi
- [Premiere] Katsu! 1 of 16 by Adachi Mitsuru
- Kunimitsu (Kunimitsu no Matsuri) 26 of 27 by Ando Yuma, Asaki Masashi
- Legend of Nereid 2 of 15 by Hwang MiRee
- Maria Holic 2 of 6+ by Endou Minari
- New Little Ghost Q-Taro (Shin Obake no Q-Taro) 3 by Fujiko F. Fujio
- Nurse Diary (Jitsuroku! Kangofu Monogatari) 8 of 10 by Kai Sayumi
- Pandora Hearts 7 of 11+ by Mochizuki Jun
- Penguin Revolution (Penguin Kakumei) 2 of 7 by Tsukuba Sakura
- Pocket Monster 13 of 14+ by Anakubo Kousaku
- School Rumble 8 of 22 by Kobayashi Jin
- Sentaro (Pikupiku Sentarou) 34 of 34+ by Nunoura Tsubasa
- Skip Beat! 16 of 24+ by Nakamura Yoshiki
- Tale of Poor Sisters (Binbou Shimai Monogatari) 3 of 4 by Kazuto Izumi
- Tokkyu!! 9 of 20 by Komori Yoichi & Kubo Mitsuro
 | Stay Pretty First Love by Nishi Keiko |
 | Ghost Hunt 「 ゴーストハント 」 |
Based on the Akuryou Series (悪霊シリーズ) light novels by Ono Fuyumi, which were first adapted into radio drama in 1997 before the manga began serialization in Nakayoshi.
A 25-episode anime produced by J.C. Staff aired from October 2006 through March 2007 in Japan. Seiyuu Nazuka Kaori and Tai Yuuki performed the roles of Taniyama Mai and Naru respectively. The anime voice talents differed from the earlier-released 4-volume drama CD in which Miyamura Yuuko (Souryuu Asuka, Neon Genesis Evangelion) was Mai and Okano Kousuke (Yasuhara Osamu in the Ghost Hunt anime) was Naru.
 | Katsu! 「 ＫＡＴＳＵ！ 」 by Adachi Mitsuru |
 | Kunimitsu no Matsuri 「 クニミツの政 」 |
AWARDS: 2003 Kodansha Manga Award for shounen
 | Legend of Nereid 「 네레이드의 전설 」 |
 | Maria Holic 「 まりあ†ほりっく 」 by Endou Minari |
A 12-episode anime adaptation by SHAFT, starring seiyuu Sanada Asami as Miyamae Kanako and Kobayashi Yuu as Shidou Mariya, aired from January to March 2009 in Japan.
 | Shin Obake no Q-Taro 「 新オバケのＱ太郎 」 |
 | Jitsuroku! Kangofu Monogatari 「 実録！看護婦物語 」 by Kai Sayumi |
 | Pandora Hearts 「 Ｐａｎｄｏｒａ Ｈｅａｒｔｓ 」 |
Contains chapters:
Retrace XXVII: Get out of the Pool
Retrace XXVIII: Modulation
Retrace XXIX: Rufus Barma
Retrace XXX: Snow White Chaos
A 25-episode anime adaptation produced by XEBEC aired in Japan from April to September 2009. Seiyuu Minagawa Junko, Kawasumi Ayako, and Toriumi Kousuke played Oz Vessalius, Alice, and Raven respectively.
Related: The Pandora Hearts Official Guide was released 2009.03.27. Numbered 8.5, the guide book is subtitled Mine of mine.
 | Penguin Kakumei 「 ペンギン革命 」 |
A Penguin Kakumei drama was included in the free LaLa Gorgeous Drama CD given away with LaLa's November 2006 issue. Kawakami Tomoko, Saiga Mitsuki, and Takahashi Hiroki voiced Yukari, Ryo, and Aya respectively.
 | Pocket Monster 「 ポケットモンスター 」 |
 | School Rumble 「 Ｓｃｈｏｏｌ Ｒｕｍｂｌｅ 」 |
Contains chapters
097. Two for the Road
098. The Birthday Party
099. The True Hearted
100. Gelosia
101. Too Hot to Handle
102. Johnny Got His Gun
103. The Dogs of War
104. The Ultimate Thrill
105. Quick
106. La Travestie
107. Whispers in the Dark
108. Truly, Madly, Deeply
♭21. Nuit Docile
♭22. The Secret Garden
♭23. California Man
Related series: School Rumble Z (sequel, one volume, complete)
A 26-episode anime adaptation by Studio Comet aired in Japan from October 2004 to March 2005; a second season, School Rumble Nigakki, followed in 2006. Two OAVs, School Rumble Ichigakki Hoshū and School Rumble Sangakki, were released in 2005.12 and 2008 respectively.
 | Pikupiku Sentarou 「 ぴくぴく仙太郎 」 |
 | Skip Beat! 「 スキップ・ビート！ 」 |
Contains chapters:
091. Suddenly, a Love Story- **Repeat
092. Suddenly, a Love Story- ***Repeat
093. Suddenly, a Love Story- ****Repeat
094. Suddenly, a Love Story- Ending, Part 1
095. Suddenly, a Love Story- Ending, Part 2
096. Suddenly, a Love Story- Ending, Part 3
A 25-episode anime adaptation by Hal Film Maker aired in Japan from October 2008 through March 2009. Seiyuu Inoue Marina, Konishi Katsuyuki, and Miyano Mamoru replaced the 2002 drama CD cast comprising Nagasawa Miki, Narita Ken, and Kanna Nobutoshi as Mogami Kyoko, Tsuruga Ren, and Fuwa Shou respectively.
A Taiwanese live-action drama adaptation is in the works. Titled Extravagant Challenge (華麗的挑戰/Hua Li De Tiao Zhan), the series stars Ariel Lin (Lin Lai Sui, Dōng Fāng Zhū Lì Yè/Tokyo Juliet) as Mogami Kyoko and Jerry Yan (Dao Ming Si, Liúxīng Huāyuán/Meteor Garden) as Tsuruga Ren. Production was halted due to internal issues.
 | Binbou Shimai Monogatari 「 貧乏姉妹物語 」 |
A 10-episode anime adaptation by Toei Animation aired in Japan from June to September 2006.
 | Tokkyu!! 「 トッキュー！！ 」 |
NOTE
(1) Sources: Elex Media STO 3 March 2010 (release schedule) and Komikologi (synopses, except where noted)
(2) Links like this are Amazon.com (or other online merchants) search and/or product links (commercial), in case you're interested in another language version.
Synopses continued....
The Familiar of Zero 2
Zero no Tsukaima 「 ゼロの使い魔 」 by Yamaguchi Noboru & Mochizuki Nana
The Tristain Magic Academy sends a team of volunteers—Louise (+Saito), Kirche and Tabitha—to recover the Staff of Destruction stolen by Fouquet. They corner the thief and Saito's powers... save the day?
Kunimitsu 26
Kunimitsu no Matsuri 「 クニミツの政 」 by Ando Yuma (Agi Tadashi), Asaki Masashi
A new candidate, Tokugawa Mizuho, appears, as though jettisoned from a plane like so much emergency relief goods. Previously unknown in Shinchibagasaki, she becomes as wanted as emergency relief goods after a calamity, with newspaper polls showing her popularity outstripping both Sakagami and Fuwa's. The war between modern propaganda and traditional political campaigning begins!
New Little Ghost Q-Taro 3
Shin Obake no Q-Taro 「 新オバケのＱ太郎 」 by Fujiko F. Fujio
At first, Q-Taro wanted girlfriend U-ko to read his secret diary, so everything he wrote down about U-ko was all glowing positive. But U-ko shows no interest in Q-Taro's diary. Miffed, Q-Taro spills all his frustration in writing, but relief at having redirected his anger is short-lived. Because U-ko has changed her mind and now wants to read the diary!
Penguin Revolution 2
Penguin Kakumei 「 ペンギン革命 」 by Tsukuba Sakura
As if knowing the bombastic truth about Ryo and Ayaori weren't enough, Yukari also has to face down eccentric actor Narazaki Yuzuru who not only insists on challenging her to a duel, but also pressuring her to become his manager.
Meanwhile, Ryo fails to land a plum role... again... but a silver lining to the dark cloud awaits?
School Rumble 8
School Rumble 「 Ｓｃｈｏｏｌ Ｒｕｍｂｌｅ 」 by Kobayashi Jin
Misunderstandings continue to pile up! Tenma asks for Harima's help to pick out the perfect gift for Karasuma!
Sentaro 34
Pikupiku Sentarou 「 ぴくぴく仙太郎 」 by Nunoura Tsubasa
Out strolling by the riverbank, Baku and Sentaro chance upon a seal. Baku's thrown for a loop, but Sentaro wants to be friends. Do a rabbit and a seal stand a chance at friendship?
Tale of Poor Sisters 3
Binbou Shimai Monogatari 「 貧乏姉妹物語 」 by Kazuto Izumi
Aside from an aunt, it turns out that Kyou and Asu also have a grandmother. Their grandma falls ill and the sisters go to Sendai to visit her.
Tokkyu!! 9
「 トッキュー！！ 」 by Komori Yoichi & Kubo Mitsuro
Rough weather and even rougher seas sweep away three small children. TOKKYU is called in to the rescue!
~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03)
UP NEXT: More 3 March 2010 manga
Level Comics: Akihabara @ Deep 2 · Cesare 2 · Fullmoon Honeymoon by Hara Chieko · Hellsing 3 · Ole! 2 · Tomo'o 6 · Zenith 3
m&c!: The Gordian Knot 4 of 4 · Hug Me Kiss Me by Chiba Kozue · The Lovely Wizard 6 of 6 · MG Darling 3 · My Secret Life 5 · NG Life 7 · Rainbow Jewel 3 · Starlight Carnival by Hazuki Rei · Love Sign 1 - 5 box set
disclaimer
Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.
manga available this week (24 February 2010 street date)
- Elex Media: The Bodyguard 1 by Achi Taro & Madara Sai · Crows 4 · Demon King 29 · Eyeshield 21 vol. 34 · Fruits 1 by Kim LeeJeong · Hayate The Combat Butler 18 · I am Here! 3 · Legend of Nereid 1 by Hwang MiRee · New Little Ghost Q-Taro 2 · Ghost Sweeper Mikami 37 · Penguin Revolution 1 by Tsukuba Sakura · With My Brothers 1 by Tokeino Hari · Yureka 16 · Hanalala 47/2010
- Level Comics: Black Lagoon 4 · Dream of Raspberry by Sato Maki · Hikayat Genji 1 by Yamato Waki · Miso-Com 2 · Restore Garage 251 vol.3 · A Spirit of The Sun 3 · Tokyo Juliet 11
- m&c!: Bleach 18 · Blizzard Axel 7 · Charm Angel 6 · Golden Age 9 · Grown Up Girl by Washio Mie · Jinco from Room 203 vol. 2 · Monga's Earth 1 by Kikuta Hiroyuki & Komori Youichi · Mr. Super Clean 2 of 2 · Narutoya Ramen Road 7 · Miiko Fan Book · Momokan 5 · Ohagi Number One Vol. 3 · Princess' Love Secret by Shiraishi Yuki · Sakura Wars 7 · Special A 17 of 17 · Venus Capriccio 4 · Petualangan Pingu 4 · The Story of Wang Xiao Long 2 · KOLONI: Vienetta · Cherry 40
related monthly schedules
Elex March 2010 manga
Premiering Caramel Boy by Morio Masami, Dear Boys Act III by Yagami Hiroki, Katsu! by Adachi Mitsuru, Wazabo by Soyama Kazutoshi · Standalones: Butterfly Cloud by Ashihara Hinako, Clock Clock by Morita Takashi, and Short Program Girl Type by Adachi Mitsuru
Elex February 2010 manga
Premiering I am Here by Toyama Ema, Let's Play! by 888, Gensou Suikoden III by Shimizu Aki, Legend of Nereid by Hwang MiRee, Fruits by Kim LeeJeong, X Zone by Aoki Takao, Hyde & Closer by Aso Haro · Continuing Nakayoshi Lovely ~Kiwifruits~
other invaluable resources
7net Shopping · Amazon Japan · Baka-Updates Manga · Wikipedia · manaworld.com
Technorati tags
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Zero no Tsukaima 「 ゼロの使い魔 」
by Yamaguchi Noboru & Mochizuki Nana
Media Factory Comic Alive, seinen
Volume 2 first published in Japan 2007.05
Adapted from the Zero no Tsukaima series of light novels by Yamaguchi Noboru, illustrated by Usazuka Eiji (18 volumes, ongoing)
Related: Zero no Tsukaima Gaiden: Tabitha no Bouken by Yamaguchi Noboru & Kon Takuto (side story; four volumes, ongoing)
A 13-episode anime adaptation by J.C. Staff, aired from July to September 2006, followed by Zero no Tsukaima: Futatsuki no Kishi (July to September 2007), and Zero no Tsukaima: Princesse no Rondo (July to September 2008). Seiyuu Kugimiya Rie and Hino Satoshi played the roles of Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière and Saito Chevalier de Hiraga.