Del Rey Books - Manga Newsletter

DEL REY MANGA NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2006

Summer is the laziest season of the year—those of you who are on break from school know exactly what I'm saying!—and I've started it off by being lazy about making my summer vacation plans. Readers, where should I go? Making a decision seems like awfully hard work, especially when I could just spend the summer playing frisbee in Central Park and going to the movies every weekend.

Of course, I'd like to make my first trip to Tokyo; doesn't every manga fan want to make the pilgrimage at least once in her life? But New York being New York, I can get a little taste of it without ever leaving: sushi restaurants on every corner, the Japanese toy stores downtown, a Japanese bakery with delightful little o-kashii right down the street at Rockefeller Center...it looks like I'll be here all summer!

I do have one trip planned, but it's not exactly a vacation. This Fourth of July weekend, the Del Rey Manga team and I are going to be at...

ANIME EXPO! WITH CLAMP!

I hope many of you are also heading out to Anaheim for Anime Expo, because it's going to be a great convention! CLAMP will be making their first-ever U.S. appearance at Anime Expo, courtesy of Del Rey Manga, FUNimation, and Anime Expo! And if that isn't excitement enough, your friendly Del Rey Manga editors will be there, too, so stop by our booth to say hello and pick up some great freebies.

AIR GEAR IS LANDING!

I'm watching the skies for two big events this summer: the cinematic return of Superman, and the arrival of someone who flies just as high: Itsuki "Babyface" Minami, the hero of Air Gear! You may all have heard that Air Gear's an extreme skating manga, so why am I checking the clouds above for a rollerblader? It's because Air Gear features extreme skating unlike anything ever seen before—Itsuki's got a pair of super high-tech skates that enable him to take to the skies!

And Oh! great's art in Air Gear is just as amazing: so effortless and daring it's the black-and-white equivalent of high-altitude daredevil flight. So get ready, because Air Gear's in stores July 25th!

Kurogane, Vol. 1 Page-a-Day Mini-site

Swords, history, and honor come alive in this action-packed samurai epic set in feudal Japan!

Avenging his father's murder is a matter of honor for the young samurai Jintetsu. But it turns out that the killer is a corrupt government official-and now the powers that be are determined to hunt Jintetsu down like an animal. There's only one problem: Jintetsu is dead.

Torn to pieces by a pack of dogs, the young samurai Jintetsu's ravaged body has been found by Genkichi, outcast and master inventor. Genkichi gives the dead boy a new, indestructible steel body and a talking sword-just what he'll need to face down the gang that's terrorizing his hometown and the mobster who ordered his father's hit. But what about Otsuki, the beautiful girl he left behind? Steel armor is defense against any sword, but it can't save Jintetsu from the pain in his heart.

Visit our page-a-day mini-site, at www.delreymanga.com/kurogane for a look at this great new series, debuting from Del Rey Manga on June 27, 2006.

CONTEST!

We have one more great end-of-summer bonus for you—especially for all those FLCL fanatics out there. Now FLCL's manga-ka, Hajime Ueda, is one who especially belongs to American fans, because FLCL has the rare distinction of having sold better in the U.S. than it did in Japan!

Also in stores July 25th is Hajime Ueda's newest manga—Q*ko-chan. Just like FLCL, Q*ko-chan is a crazy, unpredictable mix of science fiction, satire, romance, comedy, drama, and high style, all brought together by Hajime's totally unique style of art. And it features probably the most adorable robot in manga history (and manga's full of cute robots!), the Earth Invader Girl, Q*ko-chan herself!

You won't have to wait too long to get a first look at it, because we have an online preview coming up, but I know some of you are even more impatient than that! E-mail us, and if you're selected, we'll send you a set of advance page proofs to read. But we're not very patient either—we love this manga, and we just can't wait to hear what you all think of it, too!

Send your emails to delreymanga@randomhouse.com with Q*ko-chan 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). Ten (10) lucky winners will be selected at random and will receive a set of Q-ko-chan advance page proofs and a copy of the book when it is published. All submissions must be received by Wednesday, June 28th, 2006.

Look upon their names with envy and awe: here are the lucky people who got KUROGANE proofs last month. Wouldn't you like to be one of them next month?

Matthew Roberts, Allen, TX

Andrew Mack, Schenectady, NY

Daniel B. Grisso, Lawton, OK

Amy L. Kuzminski, Petersburg, VA

Laura Taylor, Belleville, MI

Lorraine Y Cruz, Murrieta, CA

Vinh Le, Garden Grove, CA

Joel Charles, Albuquerque, NM

Bethany Tirpak, West Columbia, SC

Kimberly Pham, Shorewood, WI

Here's what our advance reviewers had to say about Kurogane:

"Manga-ka Toume has definitely come up with an original and highly entertaining concept! Thank you for an entertaining read!"—Amy Kuzminski

"Kurogane had me intrigued, and was quite the page turner! I can't wait for the second volume!"—Bethany Tirpak

So what are you waiting for? Put off that summer vacation foreve—and just read manga all summer long instead!

Tricia Narwani
tnarwani@randomhouse.com

NEW THIS MONTH

ES (Eternal Sabbath) 1

In stores May 30, 2006

Dr. Mine Kuyjou is a brilliant and beautiful scientist who lives for her work. But then she meets someone who challenges everything she knows about science: Shuro, a genetically engineered superhuman with strange and awesome mental powers. Shuro can enter people's minds and manipulate them into doing anything he chooses. And then Mine learns something even more terrifying: He's not the only one! From Fuyumi Soryo, the author of MARS. Ages 16 and up.

School Rumble 2

In stores May 30, 2006

Harima Kenji has never lost a fight, but his love for the clueless Tsukamoto is proving to be his greatest challenge. After catching his cherished Tenma-chan and an unexpected rival in a lunchtime tryst, Kenji spirals into the deepest pit of high school Hades--plummeting so low that there's only one thing left to do: draw a manga. When Kenji hits bottom, whom will he find there? Meanwhile, Tenma is determined to learn how to cook--this time preferably without setting the house on fire!

xxxHOLIC 7

In stores May 30, 2006

Kimihiro has a wish on layaway with Yûko Ishikawa, the sultry Time-Space Witch who can grant anyone's deepest desire...for a price! Still, working like a slave in Yûko's shop hasn't dammpened Kimihiro's enthusiasm for his cute classmate Himawari-chan, nor his irritation with his too-cool rival Dômeki, the guy who always seems to be around during Kimihiro's most embarrassing moments.

But when Dômeki, trying to be a Good Samaritan, inadvertently becomes the object of a terrible grudge, Kimihiro seeks Yûko's help. However, the cost for her assistance is steep: Kimihiro would be permanently impaired! Is such a sacrifice worth it for someone he would rather have disappear?

Basilisk 1

In stores May 30, 2006

The Iga clan and the Kouga clan have been sworn enemies for more than four hundred years. Only the Hanzo Hattori truce has kept the two families from all-out war. Now, under the order of Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, the truce has finally been dissolved. Ten ninja from each clan must fight to the death in order to determine who will be the next Tokugawa Shogun. The surviving clan will rule for the next thousand years.

But not all the clan members are in agreement. Oboro of the Iga clan and Gennosuke of the Kouga clan have fallen deeply in love. Now these star-crossed lovers have been pitted against each other. Can their romance conquer a centuries-old rivalry? Or is their love destined to end in death?

Gacha Gacha 4

In stores May 30, 2006

After struggling to deal with Kurara's many personalities, from the sex-crazed Arisa to the innocent Alice, Kouhei must now face his greatest challenge. The Original 4 are the most fearsome personalities hiding within Kurara's mind. These ultra-advanced AI (artificial intelligence) personalities are capable of learning and evolving over time. But more important, they're super cute--and they can't keep their hands off Kouhei. Sounds like business as usual for the poor guy, but this time there's a catch: Kurara stays conscious whenever she transforms into one of the Original 4. She can see, hear, and feel everything! Can Kouhei continue to avoid temptation while hiding Kurara's secret from the rest of the world? Find out in Gacha Gacha.

Negima 10

In stores May 30, 2006

Ten-year-old prodigy Negi Springfield dreams of becoming a master wizard. But when he graduates from the magic academy, he's sent to Japan to teach English...at an all-girls high school!

Negi faces his toughest challenge yet when the school, the Mahora Academy, holds its sprawling, activity-packed festival. Overwhelmed and exhausted by his schedule, Negi falls asleep and almost loses an entire day. But thanks to Chao Lingshen's amazing, pocket-size invention, Negi suddenly has time to spare! So Negi goes on a date with Nodoka, patrols the dangerous areas surrounding the legendary World Tree, becomes accidentally possessed by strange magic, inspires a heart-to-heart with usually secretive students, and prepares to compete in a martial-arts tournament against opponents who are more formidable than he ever imagined. Will there be anything left to do on days two and three?

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