Even a manga editor reads other things besides manga every so often, and I recently re-read one of my favorite novels, Jane Eyre. (By the way, I'm such a fan of nineteenth-century novels it's hard to restrain myself from proposing that Del Rey turn all of them into manga: Wuthering Heights manga! Persuasion manga! Middlemarch manga!) This novel was notable for introducing a heroine unlike any before her in fiction: a humble governess, with no special talents, and far from beautiful, who nevertheless demanded the freedom to follow her dreams. It got me thinking about the notable heroines of manga, because I feel like there's a style of heroine one finds in shojo manga that's unique to the genre. Shojo heroines are always eminently relatable, because, like so many of us, they're often shy and unsure of themselves. And they're nearly always faced with people who try to stand in the way of their dreams. But they respond to these challenges the way we wish we could—with optimism, determination, and cheerfulness. The archetypal shojo heroine is Najika from Kitchen Princess. Do you have a favorite shojo heroine?
DEL REY MANGA ON MYSPACE
If you've read Kitchen Princess, you know that Najika gets through those Iron Chef–level intense cooking competitions and stressful schooldays with a little help from her friends.
Will you be our friend? We just moved to our new digs in the biggest neighborhood in the universe, MySpace, and just like the new scholarship kid at the prestigious boarding school (How many manga have you read with that storyline?), we're really hoping to make new friends! Stop by our MySpace page and friend us! You'll also find cool trailers, previews of our books, the latest manga news, and friendly Del Rey Manga readers!
DEL REY MANGA BLOG
I don't know about you, but I like to talk to my friends every day. Stop by for a daily chat at Del Rey Manga's new blog.
NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL!
After you've visited us in the virtual world, come see us off-line and f2f at New York Anime Fest. We'll be in Booth #321 all weekend, but we're also participating in a few of NYAF's amazing events:
Friday, Dec 7
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Del Rey Industry Panel
Manga Panel Room
The team from Del Rey Manga is on hand to dish out some exciting new manga announcements and updates on what you can expect from your favorite publisher through 2008 and beyond. Plus all the usual fun of the Del Rey Q&A. Join Dallas Middaugh (Associate Publisher), Mutsumi Miyazaki (Director of Licensing & Acquisitions), Tricia Narwani (Editorial Associate), Ali T. Kokmen (Marketing Manager), and April Flores (Publicity) for a panel packed full of more fun than should be allowed!
Saturday, Dec 8
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
The Wallflower
Anime Panel Room
The Wallflower is a hit manga series from Del Rey. Now, thanks to Shinichi "Nabeshin" Watanabe, it's the new smash hit series from ADV Films! Join Del Rey, ADV, and a room full of wallflowers as we discuss what exactly makes this franchise hilarious on so many levels. Plus beauty tips.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Translation Roundtable
Anime Culture Panel Room
What's it take to bring manga to America? Who are the men and women who turn literal Japanese into conversational English? Sit back as the translators and editors of some of America's biggest manga publishers talk about their difficulties, heartbreaks, and helpful hints. Moderated by Anime News Network.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Katsushi Ota Spotlight
Manga Panel Room
Katsushi Ota is the editor of Faust, Kodansha's acclaimed fiction anthology that's coming to North America in 2008 from Del Rey. Join us for an entertaining conversation with Ota-san, Del Rey Manga Associate Publisher Dallas Middaugh, and Del Rey Licensing & Acquisitions Director Mutsumi Miyazaki filled with insider insights and anecdotes on the world of Japanese publishing.
Sunday, Dec 9
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Del Rey & Marvel Comics
Manga Panel Room
Join Del Rey Manga and Marvel Comics for a special announcement!
Cosplay With Del Rey Manga
Are you planning on cosplaying as a Del Rey Manga character? Stop by our booth (#321), get your photo snapped for our newsletter and our blog, and take home a free Del Rey Manga book, while supplies last!
NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL ART CONTEST
Most things about my job are pretty much ridiculously fun—after all, I get paid to read funny books—but some duties are even more pleasurable than others. One was helping to judge the New York Anime Festival's art contest. Contestants were asked to submit a manga-style drawing on the theme of "Winter." More than 200 talented artists submitted their work. The judges made some tough choices and came up with a list of the Top 15. If you're coming to the New York Anime Festival, you can view the finalists in person. But if not, visit our friends at TheOtaku.com and see the finalists.
DALLAS MIDDAUGH @ THE MUSEUM OF COMIC AND CARTOON ART
Just in case, between NYAF, MySpace, and our blog, you haven't gotten tired of Dallas Middaugh, Del Rey Manga Guy, he'll be appearing at New York City's Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art on December 3rd for a MoCCA Monday event dedicated to—you guessed it!—manga! Join Dallas Middaugh, Kinokuniya Bookstore's John Fuller, and translator Mari Marimoto as they come together to answer all your questions, address your concerns, and tell you all you need to know about manga. Moderated by manga critic and reviewer Brigid Alverson (MangaBlog), the will begin at 6:30 at MoCCA's gallery at 594 Broadway. If you're in the city, be sure to stop by!
HOLIDAY SHOPPING
Honestly, does anybody really enjoy holiday shopping? Some of our friends and loved ones just make it so difficult to buy them presents by not enjoying the same things we do. If they would only all read manga, we could just buy them a complete set of Negima and be done with it.
Hey, maybe that's not such a bad idea! After all, there really is a manga series for everyone:
For your older brother who thinks manga is all kid stuff and Pokemon: The Yagyu Ninja Scrolls. A group of nuns hell-bent on seeking vengeance learn brutal killing techniques from Japan's greatest martial artists. So, basically, Kill Bill crossed with The Sound of Music.
For the little sister who's ready to graduate from her Easy Bake oven: Kitchen Princess. This cute and innocent story about a girl who's also a master chef totally won't corrupt your adorable sister. Bonus: You'll get to eat all the tasty pastries she'll learn to make using the recipes in the back of every volume!
For those clueless friends and loved ones who don't know anything about manga: Hand them a copy of Manga:The Complete Guide. This amazing book is the Oxford English Dictionary of manga reference guides. It reviews every one of the 900+ titles that had been published in America at the time of printing, and also includes rich, informative essays on different styles from manga (from cooking to josei), age appropriateness guidelines, and a wealth of introductory material appropriate for even the greenest noob.
For that irritatingly smug friend who's already mastered all of the titles in Manga: The Complete Guide: Broaden her knowledge of the graphic novel medium with two extraordinary graphic novel anthologies: Postcards, an endearingly retro, Post Secret–style collection of stories based on real-life vintage postcards, and Flight 4, featuring gorgeously illustrated shorts by today's top talents in comics and animation.
HELL GIRL contest
I can tell you what present everyone really wants, but would never put on their wishlist: revenge. As soon as I said that, I bet you thought about who you'd like to get revenge against. But this is one gift you can't ask Santa for. Instead, write to the heroine of the new Del Rey Manga series Hell Girl. In Hell Girl, there's a website, open only at midnight, where you type in the name of your intended victim, and the Hell Girl appears to drag your target into the inferno! Hell Girl is not only a great manga with gorgeous art—it's a cool anime series, too, available on DVD from FUNimation.
Hell Girl the manga is not available in stores until January 29, 2008. But if you just can't wait to get revenge against your algebra teacher, e-mail us! If you're selected as a GRAND PRIZE WINNER, we'll send you a copy of the DVD and an advance copy of the book to read. Five lucky runner-ups will receive just a copy of the book. We only ask one thing: Write back to us and give us your opinion!
Send your emails to delreymanga@randomhouse.com with HELL GIRL in the subject line, including your full name and address in the body of the e-mail (NOTE: your personal information will not be used for any purpose other than this contest). Five (5) lucky grand prize winners will be selected at random and will receive a copy of the DVD and a copy of the book. Five (5) lucky runner-ups will be selected at random and will receive a copy of the book. All submissions must be received by Wednesday, December 19th, 2007.
It's a cold, dreary day here in New York, and I'm ready to fire up my Brown Betty, drink some Earl Grey, and sit back with a good book. I just can't decide: it will either be A Tale of Two Cities, or our own French Revolution manga, Le Chevalier d'Eon.
Tricia Narwani
delreymanga@randomhouse.com
NEW IN STORES
Air Gear 6
by Oh!Great
Itsuki and Rika are having a big fight, and there's only one way these bickering almost-siblings can settle their differences: an all-out, no-holds-barred, extreme skating battle.
Aventura 1 by Shin Midorikawa
Since ancient days, the Gaius School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has trained the fiercest swordsmen and the most powerful wizards. Now one boy could become the greatest of them all. If he studies hard. If he is true to his friends. If he believes. And if he survives…
Gacha Gacha: The Next Revolution Vol. 5 by Hiroyuki Tamakoshi
Akira is in love with Yurika. But when a handsome guy named Taike starts chatting up Yurika at her job every day, Akira panics. His only hope is to turn into Akira-chan—his female form—and lure Taike away from Yurika. But how far will Akira go in the name of love?
Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, Volume 9 by Kio Shimoku
It's graduation day for Kanji, Kousaka, and Saki–and the whole Genshiken gang is there to cheer them on. Get ready for the biggest celebration of all time!
Mamotte! Lollipop 4 by Michiyo Kikuta
The Magic Exams have arrived and changes are on the way. Nina will no longer have the cute boys, Zero and Ichî, to look after her. What's a girl to do?
My Heavenly Hockey Club 3 by Ai Morinaga
During the hockey club's camping trip, Hana and Takashi find themselves lost in the jungle. Being alone in the wilderness with a hot guy should be a good thing, but this handsome boy is Hana's worst enemy!
Negima!: Magister Negi Magi, Volume 16 by Ken Akamatsu
Negi's in serious trouble this time! As pubishment for not stopping Chao's sinister plot, her's been locked in an underground prison…and transformed into an ermine!
Pumpkin Scissors 1 by Ryotaro Iwanaga
The bitter war between the Empire and the Republic of Frost has ended, but three years after the cease-fire, the Empire is still ravaged by starvation and disease, and bandits terrorize the populace. Can the Imperial Army State Section III, aka Pumpkin Scissors, stop a renegade force with chemical weapons?
Sugar Sugar Rune 7 by Moyoco Anno
Duke, Chocolat's familiar, turns out to be her uncle Poivre! Now that he's back in human form, Poivre reveals a frightening secret about Chocolat's past. But Chocolat's friends stand by her—even when she must dare to enter the mysterious Underworld in search of her father.
Suzuka, Volume 6 by Kouji Seo
Yamato used to have a big crush on Suzuka, a gorgeous track star. But even though he's now dating someone else—cute girl-next-door, Honoka—he can't get his mind off his former flame. He has a good thing going with Honoka, but can she help him forget Suzuka?
