Spiral: The Bonds of Reason 1, Dr. Koto 1, Penguin Revolution 3 (Elex Media 21 April 2010 manga)

Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna © Shirodaira Kyo & Mizuno Eita/Square Enix
(First serialized in Shonen Gangan)
Published in Indonesia as Spiral: The Bonds of Reason by Elex Media

Also: BECK 16 (volume 15 was last seen in 2008) and Detektif Conan Spesial 31 in which Conan clashes with old nemesis — Kid The Phantom Thief

May contain [SPOILERS]

Of the Elex manga and (one) manhwa shipping on the 21st, it's a shoujo series—Penguin Revolution 3—what bags one of the Top 3 GET! spots (the other two go to the premieres you see in the post title, which I building the suspense only to reach anti-climax will get to shortly).

In the third PenKaku, Aya's the cover but Ryou puts on an impressive performance as the little brother of Animal Black, Narazaki's role. But Ryou's phenomenal acting has a downside: It promotes Yukari to the position of Narazaki's manager! Will Ryo take the loss of his manager-plus lying down?

NEW TITLES: Dr. Koto, Miracle Blue, and Spiral: The Bonds of Reason

A decade on from when the first tankou came out in Japan, Square Enix grants Elex's application to license Shirodaira Kyo- & Mizuno Eita's Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna and we get volume 1 of Spiral: The Bonds of Reason. Kyaaaa~! Ayumu-sama~! (I'd apologize for the fangirl reflex, but since this is the most popular DO WANT! last I checked EMO, I won't.)

Let's review how it all started: Munemiya Kana falls to her death from a sixth-floor balcony, pushed by Nohara Mizue, one of the students questioned about the "accident." So how come Mizue is next found dead, shot with an arrow to the chest? The killings are apparently connected with the Blade Children, but before more can be uncovered about this mysterious group, a translator working at the Shiranagatani house, Adachi Takao, is murdered.

Who are the Blade Children? And what scars will they leave on Narumi Ayumu?

As for Dr. Koto (Dr. Koto Shinryoujo), the Shonen Star seinen serial that has got EMO'ers all agog, the manga follows a young surgeon who relinquishes his Tokyo hospital post to practice medicine in a remote southern island. Goto Kensuke—nicknamed Dr. Koto by a kid he met aboard the island-bound ferry—finds himself unwelcome (despite being the island's sole doctor), the result of the islanders' unfortunate experience with other doctors. Stick-with-it-ness and genuine caring, however, win Dr. Koto the hearts of his patients. [Adapted from Wiki's Dr. Koto Shinryojo article]

Dr. Koto Shinryoujo won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Awards for best general/seinen manga.

Aoi Kiseki © Mitsuki Miko/
Shogakukan (Sho-Comi)
Published in Indonesia as
Miracle Blue by Elex Media

The third newbie is Miracle Blue (Aoi Kiseki), a shoujo standalone from Mitsuki Miko. The cover looks gor-jus!, doesn't it? (Click for moar Wakatsuki Ran hugging heroine Ageha— wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.)

This sports-themed school romance has anti-club activities Ageha holding forth on how school clubs are passé and that one can spend high school life more enjoyably doing non-club stuff. She changes her mind after meeting comely Wakatsuki Ran, the school swimming club's best and brightest who probably would spend all of his time in the pool if no one stops him. Intrigued, Ageha asks Ran to teach her swimming. But when Ran refuses, what comes out of Ageha's mouth is a challenge declaration.

So now Ageha has to prove that she's a swimmer of Ran's caliber, an impossible feat given her only so-so athletic capabilities!

Highlights of other continuing manga and manhwa:

• Detektif Conan Spesial 31: Six of Conan's most difficult cases: Phantom Thief and the Mystery of the Black Jewel (The Phantom Thief dan Misteri Permata Hitam); Grandfather's Old Watch (Jam Tua Kakek); Security Training (Latihan Pencegahan Keamanan Yang Diincar); The Village's Disappearing Metal (Desa Yang Kehilangan Benda-Benda Logam); The Mystery of the Burned Man (Misteri Sosok Manusia Yang Terbakar); and The Treasure of Shosetsu Yui (Harta Shosetsu Yui).
• Legend of Nereid 5: Because of Naysia's trap, Khulab's true identity as an Ocean warrior is outed. Despite knowing her secret, Themedes persists in investigating the truth of the prophet Atropa's oracle.
• Pocket Monster 14 of 14: Ali, Balky, Kleferi, and Pikachu travel to Venice because Kleferi wants to make a movie. Kleferi, however, becomes deeply envious of the luckier Pikachu. So when Balky has to do battle, Kleferi insists on joining in and showing off.

MANGAZINES: Shonen Star 64/2010

Miagete Goran
© Kusaba Michiteru/
Shogakukan

Yuzawa lands in Florida in the latest installment of Look Up! (Miagete Goran), dragged there by Coach Niwa. At first p*ssed from having been excluded from the Interhigh despite clobbering Hayasaka, but now— how is Yuzawa feeling now?

Shonen Star 64 also has a new serial — Defense Devil by Youn InWan & Yang Kyung-Il. Promoted to a series from its beginnings as an Akuma Bengoshi Kukabara one-shot, Defense Devil follows the adventures of devil lawyer Mephisto Bart Kucabara who must gather enough Dark Matter to regain admittance to the demon realm whence he was booted out.

The other new Shonen Sunday manga to serialize in ShoStar is Fujiki Shun's My First Mr. Akuno (Hajimete no Aku), about a mad genius Jiro, Jiro's elder sister Eiko, and Jiro's much-desired surgical target Kyoko. Members of an evil league, they're on the lam from heroes of justice, all the while trying to live high school lives. (I think this is also a premiere; I haven't seen this title on the ShoStar cover before.)

[Synopses for the above series adapted from Baka-Updates Manga's descriptions here and here]

Other Shogakukan titles in serialization (mainly from Shonen Sunday): Detektif Conan (Meitantei Conan) by Aoyama Gosho · D-LIVE!! by Minagawa Ryouji · Dr. Koto Shinryoujo by Yamada Takatoshi · InuYasha by Takahashi Rumiko · Katsu! by Adachi Mitsuru · Kekkaishi by Tanabe Yellow · Kurozakuro by Natsume Yoshinori · Undead by Inoue Kazurou · Wild Life by Fujisaki Masato · Yakitate!! Japan by Hashiguchi Takashi

Elex Media manga and manhwa (2010.04.21)

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

1. BECK 16 of 34 by Harold Sakuishi

BECK 「 ＢＥＣＫ 」 by Harold Sakuishi Kodansha Gekkan Shounen Magazine, shounen Volume 16 first published in Japan 2003.09 BECK:Mongolian Chop Squad published in English by TOKYOPOP (dropped after volume 12) Serialized in Indonesian in Shonen Magz

AWARDS: Winner of best shounen manga in the 2002 Kodansha Manga Awards (tied with Nonaka Eiji's Cromartie High School)

Adapted into anime (covering until manga volume 11) by Madhouse, starring seiyuu Namikawa Daisuke as Tanaka Yukio/Koyuki, Ueno Yuuma as Minami Ryuusuke, and Saiki Miho as Minami Maho. Twenty-six episodes aired in Japan from October 2004 to March 2005 on TV Tokyo.

20th Century Boys live-action director Tsutsumi Yukihiko's BECK film adaptation is slated to premiere in Japan Fall 2010. The movie stars actors Satoh Takeru (Princess Princess D, Kamen Rider Den-O) as Koyuki and Mizushima Hiro (Zettai Kareshi, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e: Ikemen Paradise) as Ryuusuke.

2. Detektif Conan Spesial 31 (Concept by Aoyama Gosho; Art by Abe Yutaka & Maru Denjiro
3. [Premiere] Dr. Koto (Dr. Koto Shinryoujo) 1 of 24+ by Yamada Takatoshi

Dr. Koto Shinryoujo 「 Ｄｒ．コトー診療所 」 by Yamada Takatoshi AKA Dr. Koto's Clinic Shogakukan Weekly Young Sunday (later moved to Big Comic Original in 2008), seinen Serialized in Indonesian in Shonen Star

Volume 1 contains:
第１話　Dr.コトー、島に着く。 (Dr. Koto arrives on the island*)
第２話　Dr.コトー、また船に乗る。 (Dr. Koto rides a boat)
第３話　Dr.コトー、島民に営業する。 (Dr. Koto, open to the islanders)
第４話　Dr.コトー、土下座する。 (Dr. Koto, prostrate)
第５話　Dr.コトー、腕をふるう。 (Dr. Koto, arms bent)
第６話　Dr.コトー、モテる。 (Dr. Koto, more popular)
第７話　Dr.コトー、仕切る。 (Dr. Koto, divide)
第８話　Dr.コトー、ダレまくる。
第９話　Dr.コトー、早トチる。
第10話　Dr.コトー、決断する。 (Dr. Koto, decision)
*Tentative chapter translations only (c/o Google/Babel Fish)

AWARDS: Won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Awards for best general/seinen manga

Dr. Koto's Clinic, an 11-episode live-action drama adaptation starring Yoshioka Hidetaka as Dr. Koto (Goto Kensuke) aired from July to September 2003 on Fuji TV, followed by two specials: Special 1 (9-10 January 2004) and Special 2 (12-13 December 2004). The first season won the 38nd Television Drama Academy Awards for Best Drama and copped a Best Actor award for Yoshioka Hidetaka. A second season, also 11 episodes, followed between October and December 2006. This season was recognized with a Special Award for the Production Team in the 44th Galaxy Awards.

4. Flash of Wind (Kaze Hikaru) 27 of 27+ by Watanabe Taeko

Kaze Hikaru 「 風光る 」 by Watanabe Taeko Shogakukan Flowers, josei Volume 27 first published in Japan 2009.11 Kaze Hikaru published in English by by VIZ Media (volume 16 released 2010.02.02; volume 17 street date: 2010.05.04)

AWARDS: Won the 48th Shogakukan Manga Awards for best shoujo manga, along with Yazawa Ai's Nana (tie)

5. Legend of Nereid 5 of 15 by Hwang MiRee

Legend of Nereid 「 네레이드의 전설 」 by Hwang MiRee Samyang, soonjung Volume 5 first published in Korea 2003.03

6. Love Honor (Giri Koi) 2 of 2 by Yamada Daisy [Finale]

Giri Koi 「 ギリコイ 」 by Yamada Daisy Kodansha Nakayoshi, shoujo Volume 2 first published in Japan 2009.02 Serialized in Indonesian in Nakayoshi Gress!

7. [New] Miracle Blue (Aoi Kiseki) by Mitsuki Miko - Serial Cantik

Aoi Kiseki 「 蒼いキセキ 」 by Mitsuki Miko Shogakukan Sho-Comi, shoujo This volume first published in Japan 2008.07

8. Penguin Revolution (Penguin Kakumei) 3 of 7 by Tsukuba Sakura

Penguin Kakumei 「 ペンギン革命 」 by Tsukuba Sakura Hakusensha LaLa, shoujo Volume 3 first published in Japan 2006.03 Penguin Revolution published in English by CMX (seven volumes) Serialized in Indonesian in HanaLaLa

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.

9. Pocket Monster 14 of 14 by Anakubo Kousaku [Finale]

Pocket Monster 「 ポケットモンスター 」 by Anakubo Kousaku Shogakukan Tentoumushi Comics, kodomo Volume 14 first published in Japan 2003.04

10. [Premiere] Spiral: The Bonds of Reason (Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna) 1 of 15 by Shirodaira Kyo & Mizuno Eita

Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna 「 スパイラル　推理の絆 」 by Shirodaira Kyo & Mizuno Eita Square Enix Shonen Gangan, shounen Volume 1 first published in Japan 2000.02 Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning published in English by Yen Press (volume 10 released 2010.01.26; volume 11 street date: 2010.04.20)

Volume 1 contains chapters:
1. The Invisible Murderer in the Balcony (First Half)
2. The Invisible Murderer in the Balcony (Last Half)
3. Arrow of Revenge
4. The Room with the Special Lock (part 1)
5. The Room with the Special Lock (part 2

Related: Spiral Alive (prequel; five volumes, complete)

A 25-episode anime adaptation by J.C. Staff, based on the first six volumes of the manga but with an alternate ending aired on TV Tokyo from October 2002 to March 2003. The anime starred seiyuu Suzumura Kenichi as Narumi Ayumu, Asano Masumi as Yuizaki Hiyono, and Ishida Akira as Eyes Rutherford.

NOTE
(1) Sources: Elex Media STO 21 April 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.

~niki DBA huamulan03 (花木蘭03)

UP NEXT: More 21 April 2010 manga

Level Comics: Aflame Inferno 1 by Kim KwangHyun · Arms 17 · The Black Swindler 9 · Ice Forest 4 · Fire Investigator Nanase 2 · Nurse Aoi 11 · Pandemic by Kakizaki Masasumi · Psychometrist Eiji 12 · To Be Beautiful 3 · Wilderness 2 · Zenith 4

m&c!: Dragon Girl 3 · Happy Tail! 2 of 2 · Monga's Earth 3 of 3 · My Secret Guy by Washio Mie · My Secret Life 6 of 6 · My Sweet Kaicho 8 · Pure Love Kamikaze Captain 12 · School Hotel 1 by Morie Satoshi · Sayaka, I Love You by Wao Akira · The Impeccable Twins Final Chapters 7 · Monika 133 · Horacic Park III · Star Wars 4 · Hellboy 2 · Death Note volumes 10-12 (Paket Biru)

disclaimer

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

manga currently available (14 April 2010 street date)

• Elex Media: Black Butler 8 · The Bodyguard 3 · Butterfly Cloud by Ashihara Hinako · Crows 6 · Ghost Sweeper Mikami 38 · Kumpulan Cerita Berwarna Doraemon 1 by Fujiko F Fujio · Kunimitsu 27 of 27 · Libero Revolution 9 · Love Honor 1 by Yamada Daisy · Maria Holic 3 · Nodame Cantabile 22 · Nurse Diary 10 of 10 · Pangeran Kacamata 2 · Rebirth 24 · Tale of Poor Sisters 4 of 4
• Level Comics: AirGear 10 · Black Lagoon 5 · Doubt 4 of 4 · My Lovely Honey 3 of 3 · Priest 4 · Strange Tales of Tokyo 2 · xxxHoLic 7 · Genius Family Company 2 · Officer Monju 4 · Subaru 4
• m&c!: Bleach 20 · Bleach 21 · Mahiru's Meteor 3 of 3 · Shanimuni GO 28 · Yowamushi Pedal, Go! 7 · Long Hu Men 166 · Shanaou Yoshitsune 1-6 (box set)

related monthly schedules

Elex April 2010 manga
Premiering K-ON! by Kakifly, Spiral: The Bonds of Reason by Shirodaira Kyo & Mizuno Eita, Kumpulan Cerita Berwarna Doraemon by Fujiko F. Fujio, Hitsugi Katsugi no Kuro by Kiyuzuki Satoko, Kunai Legend by Iori Tabasa, Love & Honor by Yamada Daisy (double launch with volume 2), Otoboke Section Chief by Ueda Masashi, Pangeran Kacamata by Mizukami Wataru, V.B. Rose by Hidaka Banri · Standalones: Butterfly Cloud by Ashihara Hinako and Miracle Blue by Mitsuki Miko

other invaluable resources

7net Shopping · Amazon Japan · Baka-Updates Manga · manaworld.com · Wikipedia · ANN · DramaWiki

Technorati tags
manga · manhwa · Elex Media · Shonen Star · josei · seinen · shoujo · shounen · soonjung · BECK · Defense Devil · Dr. Koto Shinryoujo · Kaze Hikaru · Legend of Nereid · Look Up! · Love Honor · Meitantei Conan · Miracle Blue · My First Mr. Akuno · Penguin Revolution · Pocket Monster · Spiral: The Bonds of Reason

Tweet