Del Rey Books - Manga Newsletter

DEL REY MANGA NEWSLETTER – AUGUST 2006

Readers, how good are you at keeping secrets? I happen to be terrible at it—don't share any with me!—which is the real reason I've been looking forward to San Diego Comic Con all year. We've known about our new spring books for months, but we couldn't say anything about them until our panel at the show. A big Elvis-style thank-you-very-much (did you guys see the Elvis Stormtrooper at the show?) to all of you who made it to our booth and the panel, but the rest of you don't have to feel left out: I'm going to tell you all about our Spring 2007 line-up right now!

But I'll still have one advantage over all of you, which is that I've gotten to all read these new books, so pardon me while I gloat unashamedly. I can't help it: these are some seriously good manga.

KITCHEN PRINCESS won the Kodansha Manga of the Year Award for Best Shojo Manga this year. Awards are all well and good, but there are definitely times I'd trade my sixth-grade spelling bee trophy for a nice cup of sugary-delicious flan. Luckily, that won't be necessary, since this supercute series—which is about a girl whose cooking is nothing short of magic—comes with three or four recipes in each volume. How does rainbow jelly, taramasalata, French onion soup, and yes, flan, sound?

Another Kodansha Manga of the Year Award winner, and I can only imagine that this one won by some sort of record landslide: it's that good. MUSHISHI means "mushi hunter" or "mushi master." What's a mushi? Only the Mushi Master really knows: he has the special power of seeing these strange, sinister creatures, who are invisible to the rest of the world, even though they are secretly controlling your lives. So, next time you miss a day of work, fail a pop quiz, or are, um, late turning in your manga newsletter, blame the mushi! Del Rey is giving this instant classic the star treatment it deserves, with high-quality paper and a gorgeous cover with French flaps.

MAMOTTE! LOLLIPOP sets a whole new world record for sheer silliness in manga. If this shojo series were any lighter, it would float off into the stratosphere and end up orbiting the shores of Venus, and it's so radioactively cute it could kill off Hello Kitty within three seconds of contact. The first volume alone features a magical pearl, bishounen wizards dropping out of the sky, a flying car, and something called The Mind-Blowing Quiz Show!

Those of you who, like myself, your morbid manga correspondent, have a taste for the dark, the violent, and the macabre have plenty to look forward to in PARASYTE. This horror manga is about an ordinary teenager who wakes up one morning to find there've been certain...changes...going on in his body. No, not those kinds of changes—an alien parasite has invaded his body! Unfortunately, this doesn't mean he still doesn't have to face up to algebra, nosy parents, and that cute girl in homeroom: oh, the horror, the horror! Once only available in the U.S. in the totally terrifying "flipped" format, Del Rey's reissuing this in high style: original right-to-left orientation, a stellar translation, and French flaps and fancy paper!

I don't know if I have to say anything about SHUGO CHARA! except PEACH-PIT. Let me say it over and over again: PEACH-PIT! PEACH-PIT! PEACH-PIT! The creators of DearS and Rozen Maiden strike again with a super-stylish and hyper-magical shojo story about a girl who discovers who she really is...a girl who secretly has magic powers!

And I have to remind you, this just covers our new books through April. That leaves eight more months of new manga, so, kids, don't touch that dial. We have plenty more great books locked up in our Chamber of Secrets (yup, I'm still gloating).

SUZUKA - IN STORES AUGUST 29th

But you won't have to wait until April for our newest manga. SUZUKA arrives in all her glory on August 29th. Now SUZUKA's about a boy, Yamato, who finds himself, for the usual manga-tastic reasons, living in an all-girls boardinghouse and spa. This unearned and senseless bounty, however, doesn't at all impress him, because he's really only interested in one special girl—Suzuka, an intimidatingly beautiful track-and-field star...who's also his next-door neighbor. Kouji Seo's art is gorgeous way beyond the usual standards of the harem genre, and his storytelling light years beyond it: the love story between Suzuka and Yamato really is affecting. Ah, love and fanservice. What more does one need?

Just thinking about those KITCHEN PRINCESS recipes has made me awfully hungry. I'm going to go make some of those rainbow jellies...and I'm going to eat them all myself.

Tricia Narwani
tnarwani@randomhouse.com

NEW THIS MONTH

Air Gear 1
In stores July 25, 2006

Itsuki Minami needs no introduction—everybody's heard of the "Babyface" of the Eastside. He's the toughest kid at Higashi Junior High School, easy on the eyes but dangerously tough when he needs to be. Plus Itsuki lives with the mysterious and sexy Noyamano sisters, so life's never dull. But it gets downright dangerous when Itsuki leads his school to victory over some vindictive Westside punks with gangster connections. Now he stands to lose his school, his friends, and everything he cares about.

Then the Noyamano girls give him an amazing gift, one that just might help him save his school: a pair of Air Trecks. These high-tech skates are more than just supercool. They'll enable Itsuki to execute the wildest, most aggressive moves ever seen--and then bring him to a thrilling, and terrifying new world.

Q-ko-chan 1
In stores July 25, 2006

From the creator of FLCL! In the near future on planet Earth—a world gone mad, where never-ending war is a fact of life—Kirio is the coolest kid at school. Up in the sky, a giant robot is fighting a fleet of gunships. But the brilliant and distant Kirio is far from fazed—until the battling 'bot makes an unexpected landing in Kirio's front yard and rings his doorbell! Could it be that the worst threat for Kirio is what's standing on the other side of the door: an alien invader robot with the face of an adorable girl?

Check out our online preview!

Tsubasa 10
In stores July 25, 2006

The godlike being Ashura-O has killed the equally skilled and mighty Yasha-O. But now Asura-O seems depressed. What this means to the country of Shura, none can tell...especially the five friends on a desperate journey through many dimensions to find the memories of Princess Sakura—memories in the form of immensely powerful feathers. They've been racing from world to world, separated only to be reunited as enemies. Now young Syaoran is at the center of the maelstrom—and only wits, luck, and some help from his friends will save the tiny band from destruction.

Genshiken 6
In stores July 25, 2006

Ogiue is on a mission to sell her own doujinshi at the next Comic Fest. What genre, you ask? Heh, Heh. Why, yaoi, of course...starring none another than Madarame and Kanji Sasahara. But when Saki-san catches a glimpse of one of Ogiue's suggestive sketches, she gets the wrong idea. Now Saki is convinced that Ogiue is in love with Kanji, and she's dead set on playing Cupid. Meanwhile, as Madarame and Tanaka prepare to graduate, Kanji Sasahara is on his way to becoming a busy senior. He's ready to step down from the Genshiken oval office, But who will take over the role of club president?....Here's a hint....Can you say cosplay?

Sugar Sugar Rune 3
In stores July 25, 2006

The competition to become Queen of the Magical World is heating up—and the rivalry is destroying the friendship between witch girls Chocolat and Vanilla. Tired of living in Chocolat's shadow, Vanilla has fallen under the influence of Pierre, a charming boy who is secretly the leader of a band of evil outcasts from the Magical World. When he gives Vanilla a taste of the power of Noir, collected from hearts filled with anger, she changes—and turns against Chocolat. Now Chocolat is homeless and without a best friend. She finds help from both the Human and Magical Worlds, but two problems remain: the all-important Spring Exam is coming, and Chocolat has feelings of her own for Pierre!

Pichi Pichi Pitch 2
In stores July 25, 2006

Lucia Nanami is having love problems. Her handsome classmate, Kaito, seems attracted to her, and she's certainly fallen for him, but there are still obstacles in their way. The fact that she's a mermaid princess fighting a war to protect the seven seas from the corrupting influence of Gackto is one problem. Another is how Gackto's minions keep putting the lives of Kaito and her mermaid friends in peril with their constant attacks. Also Lucia can't tell Kaito that she's a mermaid or else her life will be snuffed out, and she'll vanish in the sea foam. And what's worse, Lucia and Kaito just can't seem to keep from bickering! Still, Lucia's optimism and determination can overcome anything!

Guru Guru Pon-Chan 5
In stores July 25, 2006

Ponta is a Labrador Retriever puppy, the Koizumi family's pet. Then Grandpa Koisumi invents the Guru Guru Bone which allows Ponta to turn into a human girl! Ponta quickly meets and falls in love with Mirai Iwaki. He discovers she's actually a dog, but her affection wins him over and the two fall in love.

However, things have been bad for Ponta and Mirai. Mirai's ex-girlfriend stuck herself in the middle and Ponta realized she could never be a real girlfriend to Mirai. She has run away and when the lovers try to reunite, Ponta is hit by a car! Will out-of-body experiences, ex-girlfriends, runaway puppies and spring fever keep Ponta and Mirai apart?

Nodame Cantabile 6
In stores July 25, 2006

The son of a famous pianist, music student Shinichi Chiaki, dreams of studying abroad and becoming a great conductor. But so far his fears have kept him grounded: he's afraid of flying! As he watches other classmates achieve what he's always wanted, Shinichi wonders if she should quit music altogether. Now that he's graduated, what does the future hold? Then a chance encounter leads the music in a whole new direction...in Japan!

Meanwhile, Nodame meets Shinichi's family for the first time, and no one escapes unscathed! Maybe that's why the friendship between Nodame and Shinichi is threatened, a development that could mean the end of Nodame Cantabile!

CALLING ALL WEBMASTERS!

We'd like your help in spreading the word about the publication of Q-KO-CHAN, Vol. 1.

Download the banner ad from www.randomhouse.com/delrey/manga/banners to use on your Web site or blog and include a link to www.delreymanga.com/qkochan.

Let us know where you've placed it by e-mailing the URL where the banner appears to delreymanga@randomhouse.com with Q-KO-CHAN in the subject line. Please also include your mailing address. Those who participate will be entered into a random drawing for one of 50 copies of Q-KO-CHAN, Vol. 1. All submissions must be received by October 2, 2006.

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