Also, the post-apocalyptic 7 Seeds 16, which continues to pose the question: To what lengths will someone go to survive?
Otomen © Kanno Aya/Hakusensha
[Serialized in Bessatsu Hana to Yume]
Published in Indonesia by Elex Media
Ouji Suzaku—Kasuga's ultimate “otomen-assassin”—turns on the lethal charm and bets on his principle of love in the battle to reform Asuka-chan in Otomen 11, this Elex sked's Most Wanted.
Elsewhere, in another Japanese high school, it's the third year in the light music club for Yui and gal pals. The number of new members remains at five, which ain't at all bad, considering everyone's getting along just fine. And even without new blood, there's still lotsa fun stuff to look forward to like the Mio fan club, the study tour, summer holidays and a band festival. Of course, you know Imma refer to K-ON!, specifically volume 3 that streets this 23rd. (This K-ON! tank also contains the extra story of how Mio became buddy-buddy with Ritsu.)
Seven new titles street this Wednesday, over half of which made it to the Top 10 DO WANT! I refer to the “slightly-creepy” shoujo Boy Dolls 1 by Hibiki Wataru, Kaneko Shinya's video game-based Culdcept 1, Hikawa Kyoko's classic Harmoni — the Deluxe edition, and the Royalty and Robbers Princess and The 3 Beasts 1 by Miyuki Mitsubachi.
Hoshi no Harmony
© Hikawa Kyoko/
Hakusensha
Published as Harmoni
by Elex Media
Harmoni (Deluxe) is the bunko edition of Hikawa Kyoko's Harmoni (Hoshi no Harmony), first published by Elex in the 1990s. It follows the romance of two couples: Wada × Yukiko and Sugikake × Mayuko. Tuff guy Wada has never pretended to be patient, and the 0.00001% patience he can lay claim to is stretched by Yukiko who can't say “No” to save her life. (I think this doormat channeling is why Weak Female Lead
was slapped onto this It Started With a Misunderstanding love story.)
Meanwhile, Sugikake is the hyperactive, outspoken type; Mayuko is cute, even if she is given to slapping random hapless. Can Sugikake heal Mayuko's heartache?
Fujiko F. Fujio's Doraemon Movie: The Doraemons - Kerajaan Kue Okashinana yang Aneh, Kirihara Idumi's Penyihir Hutan Kokonoka and Inumura Koroku- & Ogawa Maiko's Recollection of a Certain Pilot 1 complete the newbies list. [Previews continued below the manga list]
Mangazines: Shonen Star 4/2011 ☆ Yakitate!! Japan by Hashiguchi Takashi
Yakitate!! Japan
© Hashiguchi Takashi
Shogakukan
[Shonen Sunday]
Kirisaki's condition worsens and he falls completely under the control of the bread bent on world domination. To prevent this weirdness from happening and restore Kirisaki to his senses, Azuma challenges him to a bake-off, pulling off what could be the Ja-pan to beat all Ja-pan.
Yakitate!! Japan vol. 20 also releases on 2.23
Aside from Hashiguchi Takashi's Yakitate!! Japan, the latest Indonesian Shonen Sunday—Shonen Star 4/2011—also serializes ARAGO by Arai Takahiro; Defense Devil by Youn InWan & Yang KyungIl; Detektif Conan by Aoyama Gosho; D-LIVE!! by Minagawa Ryouji; Dr. Koto by Yamada Takatoshi; Inuyasha by Takahashi Rumiko; Kekkaishi by Tanabe Yellow; Magical Iroha by Inoue Kazurou; My First Mr. Akuno by Fujiki Syun; Takkoku!!! by Fukuchi Tsubasa; and Wild Life by Fujisaki Masato.
Elex Media manga (2011.02.23)
- 7 Seeds 16 of 19+ by Tamura Yumi
- [Series Premiere] Boy Dolls (Shounen Dolls) 1 of 3+ by Hibiki Wataru
- Crayon Shinchan 3 of 50 by Usui Yoshito
- [Series Premiere] Culdcept 1 of 6+ by Kaneko Shinya and OMIYA Soft
- Doraemon 3 of 45 by Fujiko F. Fujio (Japanese binding re-release)
- [Premiere] Doraemon Movie: The Doraemons - Kerajaan Kue Okashinana yang Aneh (The Doraemons: Strange, Sweets, Strange?) by Fujiko F. Fujio
- [Premiere] Harmoni (Deluxe) (Hoshi no Harmony) by Hikawa Kyoko
- Kariage kun 39 of 49+ by Ueda Masashi
- K-ON! 3 of 4+ by Kakifly
- Otoboke Section Chief (Otoboke Kachou) 8 of 22+ by Ueda Masashi
- Otomen 11 of 12+ by Kanno Aya
- [Premiere] Penyihir Hutan Kokonoka (Kokonoka no Majo) by Kirihara Idumi
- [Series Premiere] Princess & The 3 Beasts (Himegimi to Sanbiki no Kemono) 1 of 3+ by Miyuki Mitsubachi
- [Series Premiere] Recollection of a Certain Pilot (To Aru Hikuushi e no Tsuioku) 1 of 3 by Inumura Koroku & Ogawa Maiko
- Welcome to Host Detective Agency (Host-tan e Youkoso) 2 of 5 by Tateno Makoto
- Yakitate!! Japan 20 of 26 by Hashiguchi Takashi
 | Shounen Dolls 「少年ドールズ」 by Hibiki Wataru |
 | Crayon Shin-chan 「クレヨンしんちゃん」 |
Other languages
English (partially translated by ComicsOne and CMX), French (J'ai Lu, then, Casterman), Spanish and Catalan (Planeta DeAgostini Comics Spain), German (EMA), Italian ( Panini Comics) and traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan)
Adaptations
Shin'ei Doga's anime adaptation, starring seiyuu Yajima Akiko (Shin-chan), ran from April 1992 to December 2010. At least 18 movie sequels have been released between July 1993 and April 2010.
 | Culdcept 「Ｃｕｌｄｃｅｐｔ」 |
Related
Based on the Culdcept video game
Other languages
English Culdcept (TOKYOPOP, five volumes per 2006.06), Italian (Star Comics), Spanish (Norma Editorial Spain: volume 6 per 2009.02.23)
 | Doraemon 「ドラえもん」 by Fujiko F. Fujio |
Awards
Best Children's Manga, 27th Shogakukan Manga Awards, Grand Prize, the first Osamu Tezuka Culture Award (1997) and the Excellence Award, Japan Cartoonists Association Awards (1973)
Related series
Doraemon Plus (sequel; 5 of 5 volumes), Daichouhen Doraemon (side story; 24 of 24 volumes); Dorabase: Doraemon Chouyakyuu Gaiden (spin-off; 21 volumes, ongoing) and The Doraemon's Special (spin-off; 12 volumes)
Adaptations
A 52-episode anime adaptation by Nippon TV (1973.04 - 1973.09), a 1,787-episode series by Shin-Ei Animation (broadcast on TV Asahi from 1979.04 - 2005.03), a 2005 adaptation by Shin-Ei Animation and Studio Pierrot (premiered 2005.04.15; 300+ episodes) and numerous movies
 | The Doraemons: Strange, Sweets, Strange? |
Related
Based on The Doraemons movie Strange, Sweets, Strange? (Japan premiere: 1999.03.06)
 | Hoshi no Harmony 「星のハーモニー」 |
Related series My Milky Way Railroad
(one-shot sequel that appeared in Miriam)
 | Kariage-kun 「かりあげクン」 by Ueda Masashi |
Awards
Recipient, 28th Bungeishunjū Manga Award (1982), along with Ueda Masashi's other series Furiten-kun and Masashi-kun and Suzuki Yamato's Ai MY Tenrankai
Related series
Kariage-kun: Chinan dake no Kuchikara Otoko! Hen, Kariage-kun: Itazura Meichin Bamenhen and Kariage-kun: Makenai Onnatachihen (sequels)
 | K-ON! 「けいおん！」 by Kakifly |
Other languages
English K-ON! (Yen Press: volume 1 per 2010.11; volume 2 street date: 2011.03.29), traditional Chinese (Sharp Point Press Taiwan)
Adaptations
The Kyoto Animation anime adaptation, starring seiyuu Toyosaki Aki (Hirasawa Yui), Satou Satomi (Tainaka Ritsu), Hikasa Yōko (Akiyama Mio) and Kotobuki Minako (Kotobuki Tsumugi), aired in Japan from April to June 2009; additional OVA episodes released with the DVD and BD volumes on 20 January 2010 and 16 March 2011; and a second K-ON!! season aired between April and September 2010. An anime movie has been announced.
 | Otoboke Kachou 「おとぼけ課長」 |
 | Otomen 「オトメン（乙男） 」by Kanno Aya |
Other languages
English Otomen (VIZ Media: volume 9 per 2011.02.01 • volume 10 street date: 2011.05.03 and Chuang Yi: volume 10 per 2010.09), French (Akata/Delcourt: tome 11 street date: 2011.03.09), German (Carlsen Verlag: Band 3 ships 2011.02.25), Spanish (Planeta DeAgostini) and traditional Chinese (Tong Li: 乙男 -粉紅系男孩 10 per 2010.02)
Adaptations
Live-action adaptation starring Okada Masaki (Asuka) and Kaho (Ryo) aired on Fuji TV from 1 August to 3 November 2009.
 | Kokonoka no Majo 「ココノカの魔女」 |
 | Himegimi to Sanbiki no Kemono |
 | To Aru Hikuushi e no Tsuioku |
 | Host-tan e Youkoso 「ホス探へようこそ」 |
 | Yakitate!! Japan 「焼きたて！！ジャぱん」 |
Awards
Best Shounen Manga, 49th Shogakukan Manga Awards (tied with Arakawa Hiromu's Fullmetal Alchemist)
Other languages/serializations
Serialized in the Indonesian Shonen Star (ongoing)
English Yakitate!! Japan (VIZ Media: volume 25 per 2011.01.11), French (Delcourt/Akata; Yakitate Ja-Pan !! un pain c'est tout tome 26 released 2010.01), Spanish (Editorial Ivréa Spain), German (EMA) and traditional Chinese (Tong Li: 新鮮出爐﹗日式麵包王 26 per 2007.06)
Adaptations
Sunrise's 69-episode anime adaptation starring seiyuu Kobayashi Yumiko as Azuma Kazuma aired from October 2004 to March 2006 on TV Tokyo.
[Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details.]
Elex Media mangazines (2011.02.23)
- Shonen Star 4/2011 (Indonesian Shonen Sunday)
¹ Sources: Elex STO 23 February 2011 (release schedule) and Komikologi and/or Gramedia Shop (synopses, unless indicated otherwise)
² Manga are priced at IDR 16,500 each, except Crayon Shinchan 3 (IDR 21,800), Culdcept 1 (SRP: IDR 18,500), Doraemon Movie: The Doraemons - Kerajaan Kue Okashinana yang Aneh and Harmoni (Deluxe) (IDR 24,000 each), and Kariage Kun 39 and Otoboke Section Chief 8 (IDR 15,000/volume). Shonen Star 4/2011 retails for IDR 30,000/issue.
³ Links like this are commercial Amazon search and/or product links (other language versions).
Previews continued
New titles
Boy Dolls 1 of 3+ by Hibiki Wataru
Descended from a long line of “doll masters,” Etou Ageha can hear dolls speak. It falls to her to restoring errant doll spirits back to the path of righteousness, and in this task, she is aided by Leo, the guardian doll that has been in her family for generations who can take human form at night. More importantly, Leo helps Ageha search for the other long-lost guardian doll Yuki, so that she can be acknowledged as the head of the family and the true doll master.
In addition to Dolls, Doll Maker,
Baka-Updates Manga users also file this ongoing LaLa/LaLa DX serial under Possessive Lover
and Fanservice.
If those tags don't make you drool, then how about this: Leo looks like Vampire Knight's Kuran Kaname. (Sits back and grins at the eruption of fangirl squees.)
Earlier, Elex published another of Hibiki Wataru-sensei's supernatural shoujo series, Lys Lily AKA Hanatsukihime (concluded December 2010).
Culdcept 1 of 6+ by Kaneko Shinya and OMIYA Soft
Borrowing TOKYOPOP's Culdcept description (excerpted by Baka-Updates Manga) for backgrounder:
Najaran is a young woman who just happens to be an apprentice Cepter. Cepters have the power to summon creatures from magical cards. Once, these cards were collected in a book called the 'Culdcept.' During an ancient battle, the book was destroyed — its cards scattered far and wide. Najaran's master gives her a dangerous mission — she must obtain information about the Black Cepters and their nefarious plans. If the Black Cepters rebuild the Culdcept, the arcane book of ages past will grant them unspeakable God-like powers!
Elex's addition: the first card Najaran plays — SUMMON KNIGHT!
This Magazine Z seinen manga, which adapts the original Culdcept video game, is reportedly on hiatus at volume 6 (released in Japan 2007.09).
Doraemon Movie: The Doraemons - Kerajaan Kue Okashinana yang Aneh by Fujiko F. Fujio
If my research serves me right, this is the mangafication of the 16-minute Doraemon movie, The Doraemons: Strange, Sweets, Strange?. Here is the Elex preview:
The Doraemons adventure into the Okashinana Cake kingdom and participate in a contest to see who can bake the yummiest cake to make depressed Princess Honey smile again. The problem: their efforts are obstructed by Niganiga.
Elex's most recent Doraemon Movie manga prior to this was Nobita & Kerajaan Robot, double-launched in the first week of February.
Penyihir Hutan Kokonoka by Kirihara Idumi
In the Kokonoka forest dwells a witch. Not your hag or evil crone type witch, but a carefree girl who strongly resembles Salami, the daughter of the village healer.
Where does the the witch Nanoka come from, and what mysteries lie in her past?
Aside from the one-volume Kokonoka no Majo, Kirihara Idumi-sensei also created the recently released Hitohira.
Princess & The 3 Beasts 1 of 3+ by Miyuki Mitsubachi
One day, a threatening letter arrives at the Alba Forest royal palace: “We will steal the treasure left by the late king to his beloved daughter, Violet.” A group calling itself Three Beasts claims responsibility. Violet's Because Destiny sed so! encounter with one of the thieves, Karasu, causes her life to change in ways only that D-word knows.
I assume the major upheaval Destiny has planned for Princess Violet is the Kidnapping
that appears among the tags for Himegimi to Sanbiki no Kemono, the original Hana to Yume title. The series appears to be Miyuki Mitsubachi-sensei's first, at least, going by his/her backlist here (only contains one-shots, save for Himegimi to Sanbiki no Kemono).
Recollection of a Certain Pilot 1 of 3 by Inumura Koroku & Ogawa Maiko
As war escalates between the kingdoms of Levam and Amatsukami, Fana del Morale, Levam's next queen, is ordered to escape to a family stronghold outside the capital. Her only companion: mercenary pilot Charlee Karino. But to get to the sanctuary that lies close to enemy territory, the pair must cross an ocean and run the gauntlet of unfriendly fire. Can they reach their destination safely?
Recollection of a Certain Pilot, originally To Aru Hikuushi e no Tsuioku, was first serialized in Gessan AKA Monthly Shonen Sunday.
The rest of the ongoing series at a glance
- Crayon Shinchan 3 by Usui Yoshito: Shinchan joins a marathon, but instead of heading towards the finish line, he detours to the...pharmacy?
- Doraemon 3 by Fujiko F. Fujio: Nobita wants his Christmas gift NOW!, but December 25 is still three days away. As usual, Doraemon has the solution: a magic calendar.
- Welcome to Host Detective Agency 2 by Tateno Makoto: Kobayashi learns that the Aketomo detectives by day are Lady Killer hosts by night, and that their detecting clientele comes from the host club guests. The client this time: Aketomo's sister, a senior high teacher, who wants them to figure out the code her runaway pupil mailed her.
- Yakitate!! Japan 20 by Hashiguchi Takashi: Guess who should appear this time before the Pantasia team? Kawachi's former rival, Katsuwo, now the most formidable pig man in history!
UP NEXT: Level Comics and m&c! 23 February 2011 manga and manhua
Level Comics: Until Death Do Us Part 4 · Team Medical Dragon 15 · Red River 4 · Half an Apple 7 · Fight!! Ippo 80 · Happy Hello Work at Age 21 V4 · Jormungand 2 · K2 V5 · New Comic Bomber 6 · Over Rev 17 · The Ravages of Time 7 · Michel Vaillant - Kairo!
m&c!: My Sweet Kaicho 9 · Bleach 37 · Oresama Teacher 4 · How To Be A Man 6 · The Impeccable Twins Final Chapters 15 · Long Hu Men 175 · Lovely Make-Up - Myon & Fuku-chan's Beauty Learning 2 of 2 · Momokan 7 · Shanaou Yoshitsune Genpei War 10 · Together in Love 1 by Sakamoto Miku · B.O.C.A.H. 2 · Seer - The Genchildren 2
Iamque opus exegi,
~niki DBA 30uɐlnɯɐnɥ (花木蘭03)
Mistress of Adoxography
disclaimer
Cover images and source summaries used here for reference are © their respective intellectual rights holders. No infringement intended.
other invaluable resources
Wikipedia · Baka-Updates Manga · 7net Shopping · ANN
Technorati tags
Elex Media · manga · shoujo · shounen · seinen · 7SEEDS · Boy Dolls (Shounen Dolls) · Crayon Shinchan · Culdcept · Doraemon · Doraemon Movie: The Doraemons - Kerajaan Kue Okashinana yang Aneh (The Doraemons: Strange, Sweets, Strange?) · Harmoni Deluxe (Hoshi no Harmony) · Kariage-kun · K-ON! · Otoboke Section Chief (Otoboke Kachou) · Otomen · Penyihir Hutan Kokonoka (Kokonoka no Majo) · Princess & The 3 Beasts (Himegimi to Sanbiki no Kemono) · Recollection of a Certain Pilot (To Aru Hikuushi e no Tsuioku) · Welcome to Host Detective Agency (Host-tan e Youkoso) · Yakitate!! Japan | Shonen Star
7SEEDS 「７ＳＥＥＤＳ」 by Tamura Yumi
Shogakukan Flowers (formerly in Betsucomi), shoujo
Volume 16 first published in Japan 2009.09
Awards
Best Shoujo Manga, 2007 Shogakukan Manga Awards
Adaptations
Broadcast as a radio drama from December 2003 to February 2004. Nine episodes compiled into three drama CDs: 7 Seeds 1 (JP release: 2004.03.26; based on events in manga volume 1), 7 Seeds 2 (2004.04.23; dramatizes events in manga volume 4) and 7 Seeds 3 (2004.05.21; adapts volumes 2 and 3).