Manga publishers’ fall offerings include plenty of gift possibilities: Box sets, art books, and unusual new titles. Here’s a look at some recent releases.
Shuna’s Journey (First Second), by Hayao Miyazaki, is a one-volume, full-color illustrated story by the celebrated animator. The story, based on a Tibetan folk tale, follows the prince of a poor country on a journey to find a golden grain that he hopes will enrich his subjects. While the book is sometimes referred to as manga, it consists mostly of watercolor illustrations with captions, so it is closer to an illustrated novel (see “First Second to Publish ‘Shuna’s Journey’”). Nonetheless, this is a rarity that should appeal to fans of the creator, as it is appearing in English for the first time and includes Miyazaki’s original afterword. The 160-page hardcover will be released on November 1 with an MSRP of $27.99.
Thermae Romae (Yen Press) was originally published as three hardcover volumes; Yen’s omnibus hardcover will be out on November 1 with an MSRP of $75.00 for 1,136 pages of a truly original manga. Thermae Romae is a time-travel story in which Lucius, a designer of baths in ancient Rome, is repeatedly whisked to modern-day Japan and, upon his return, tries to emulate what he found there with Roman-era technology. The story shifts about halfy way through when he gets stuck in the modern era and falls in love with a Japanese woman. Creator Mari Yamazaki’s detailed art and carefully researched history make this a truly unique manga.The story is rated 16+.
Seven Seas is re-releasing the fantasy tale The Girl from the Other Side: Siuil, a Run, as four handsomely designed omnibus hardcovers, each with an MSRP of $42.99. Only two are available at the moment, with the third slated for next year. The story of a beast and a young girl wandering through a haunted land is rated Teen.
Afro Samurai (Titan Comics) by Takashi Okazaki is a two-volume series about a Black samurai’s quest to avenge his father’s death. The two-volume series was originally published by Seven Seas back in 2008-2009, and Titan has brought it back as a “director’s cut,” with a new cover and a new foreword by the creator. The manga is not rated but is definitely an adult title; each of the two volumes has an MSRP of $19.99, and there’s also a direct market-only variant of volume 1 (see “Titan to Publish Direct Market Only Limited Edition of ‘Afro Samurai’”).
Talk to My Back (Drawn and Quarterly), by Yamada Murasaki, is a 1980s-era feminist manga that was originally serialized in the alt-manga magazine Garo. Complete in a single volume, the manga critiques Japanese culture and its expectations of and for women through its portrait of a suburban Japanese woman who watches her daughters become more independent while her husband takes her for granted. The chunky, 368-page paperback has an MSRP of $29.95.
Plaza (Living the Line), is the latest work by avant-garde manga creator Yuichi Yokoyama to be published in North America. The manga is inspired by the Brazilian carnival, drawn in Yokoyama’s kinetic style, and presented in an oversize format that really allows the art to breathe. The book also includes an interview with Yokyoama by translator Ryan Holmberg. The 240-page paperback is rated for ages 13+ and has an MSRP of $32.00.
The Promised Neverland: Art Book World (Viz Media) features full-color artwork, sketches, commentary, and an interview with writer Kaiu Shirai and artist Posuka Demizu, the creators of the Viz series The Promised Neverland. The 216-page hardcover has an MSRP of $29.99. For super fans of the series (which has been adapted into an anime), pick up a copy of Kaiu Shirai x Posuka Demizu: Beyond The Promised Neverland when it comes out on November 8. The book collects the pair’s short stories, including one that has the basic elements of the series, as well as a where-are-they-now epilogue that shows what happened to the main characters of the series once it ended. (Rated Teen+; $9.99)
The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga (Viz Media) is a how-to book by the creators of some of the most popular manga in the world, the Shonen Jump editorial board. The book addresses both creative and technical challenges, with instructions and advice from Kohei Horikoshi (My Hero Academia), Eiichiro Oda (One Piece), Yusei Matsui (Assassination Classroom), Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu (The Promised Neverland), Tite Kubo (Bleach), and Shun Saeki (Food Wars). The 178-page paperback, in the familiar manga 5” x 8” trim size, has an MSRP of $16.99.
Chalk Art Manga (Skyhorse), by Danica Davidson and Japanese artist Rena Saiya, is a lighthearted alternative, with step-by-step instructions on how to make colorful manga sidewalk art. The 240-page paperback has an MSRP of $24.99.
My Hero Academia Box Set (Viz Media) collects the first 20 volumes of the best-selling manga by Kohei Horikoshi, over 3,800 pages of friendships, rivalries, and superheroics. The box set includes a bonus poster and a 48-page booklet collecting the bonus illustrations and author’s commentary included in the Japanese editions, material that has not been published in English before. (Rated Teen; $179.99)
For more great suggestions for gifts merchandising this holiday season, click here.
Source: ICV2
