Bloody Monday 10, Nanase Fire Investigator 7 of 7, Devil Devil 12 (Level Comics manga out nau~) [UPDATED]

Street date: 27 June 2012
Mentioned it already on teh Elex side, but I'll be away for two weeks. Please settle for a shopping list this week...at least there's one, which is more than can be sed for the 4th of July manga releases... «Edit: There ARE 4th of July lists, PLUS NikBabble™ here.

Bloody Monday © Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji/Kodansha
[First serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine]
Published in Indonesia by Level Comics

Kamishima Shimon is dead. J escapes with Fujimaru's help. On the surface it looks like the terrorists lost. With J's hints, Fujimaru manages to learn the true meaning of Bloody Monday.

But he remains oblivious to the spy in their midst.

Speaking of detecting, anyone notice it's an Amagi Seimaru manga over on the Elex 6.27 front, and Ryumon Ryou's here? *cough*Kibayashi Shin*cough* Ah, well, no biggie if you didn't.

The penultimate Bloody Monday releases, so I should also tell you that the sequel of the sequel—Bloody Monday - Last Season—also wrapped in Japan mid-May. Time to pressure Level, I say, for (at least) Bloody Monday Season 2. :D

Also speaking of finales—

Nanase Fire Investigator vol 7 of 7
By Hashimoto Izo & Ichikawa Tomoshige

Nanase is acquitted of charges, but only temporarily. She is reassigned to the special investigation section where...

...the mystery deepens before all is tied up with a fiery red bow? Confirm for yourself by getting the last volume of Nanase Fire Investigator.

New Level titles
Kitagawa Miyuki's I Love You Most debuts♡, and if you know that this josei title is actually Seiseisuruhodo, Aishiteru ex-Petit Comic, you'd have camped out outside Gramed days before the 27th. If you didn't, see why you should've after the release list.

Level Comics manga (2012.06.27)

1. Bloody Monday vol 10 of 11 by Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji

Bloody Monday 「ブラッディ・マンデイ」 by Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji Kodansha Weekly Shonen Magazine, shounen Volume 10 first published in Japan 2009.03

Other languages
English Bloody Monday: Season 1 (Chuang Yi: volume 8 per 2010.08 and Kodansha Comics: Bloody Monday: six volumes as of 2012.06.05 • volume 7 street date: 2012.08.14), simplified Chinese (Chuang Yi: 11 volumes), traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan: 血色星期一, 11 volumes), French (PIKA Édition: 11 volumes as of 2012.05)

Related series
Bloody Monday 0 (JP release: 2009.05) and sequels Bloody Monday Season 2 - Zetsubou no Kou (AKA Bloody Monday Season 2 ~Pandora no Hako~, eight volumes as at 2011.05.17) and Bloody Monday - Last Season (serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine beginning 2011.07.14; four of four volumes compiled as of 2012.05.17)

Under Kodansha's KPC (Platinum Comics) imprint: Bloody Monday: Seinaru Chi no Shukusai... Hajimaru!! (2011.07.27); Bloody Monday: Kiba o Muku “BLOODY ‐ X”, Kansen Bakuhatsu!? (2011.06); Bloody Monday: Mogurikonde ita Supai no Shōtai (2011.05); Bloody Monday: Tensai Kōkōsei Hacker “Falcon” (2011.04)

Hacking guides by FALCON: Bloody Monday Falcon no Conpi: Falcon's Computer Hacking (KCDX imprint: 2009.12) and Bloody Monday Falcon no Mobi: Falcon's Mobile Hacking (KCDX: 2011.01)

Adaptations
An 11-episode live-action renzoku aired from October through December 2008 on TBS, followed by a second season, Bloody Monday Season2 ~Pandora no Hako~ (January to March 2010, nine episodes). Actor/singer Miura Haruma returned as protagonist Fujimaru Takagi/Falcon in the sequel.

2. Devil Devil vol 12 of 15 by Miyoshi Yuuki

Devil Devil 「デビデビ」 by Miyoshi Yuuki Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen Volume 12 first published in Japan 2000.06

Other languages
French (PIKA Édition: 15 volumes)

3. [Series Premiere] I Love You Most (Seiseisuruhodo Aishiteru) vol 1 of 7 by Kitagawa Miyuki

Seiseisuruhodo, Aishiteru 「せいせいするほど、愛してる」 by Kitagawa Miyuki Shogakukan Petit Comic, josei Volume 1 first published in Japan 2006.10

4. Last Inning vol 14 of 33+ by Nakahara Yu, Kamio Ryu

Last Inning 「ラストイニング」 by Nakahara Yu, Kamio Ryu, Katou Kiyoshi (Supervisor) Shogakukan Big Comic Spirits, seinen Volume 14 (chapters 127–136) first published in Japan 2007.07

5. Nanase Fire Investigator (Kasai Chousakan Nanase) vol 7 of 7 by Hashimoto Izo & Ichikawa Tomoshige [Finale]

Kasai Chousakan Nanase 「火災調査官ナナセ」 by Hashimoto Izo & Ichikawa Tomoshige Shinchosha Comic Bunch, seinen Volume 7 first published in Japan 2007.05

Other languages
English Fire Investigator Nanase (CMX; four volumes per 2010.05.11)

European comics/BDs (2012.06.27)

1. Leonard: Ahli Waris (Léonard, Tome 39 : Loué soit le génie) by Turk & De Groot
2. Marsupilami: Kekacauan di Palombi (Marsupilami, Tome 10 : Rififi en Palombie) by Franquin, Batem & Fauche
3. Ric Hochet: Si Manusia Salju (Ric Hochet, Tome 69 : L'homme de glace) by Tibet & A.P. Duchateau

Read more »

Bloody Monday 9, Devil Devil 10, Birdy The Mighty 1 by Yuuki Masami (Level Comics manga out nau~) [UPDATED]

Street date: 2012.04.25
As I sed over on the Elex side, no guarantees of NikBabble™ this week. But you can live with just a shopping list, cantcha? «Update: You might be able to, but I apparently can't >.<

Tetsuwan Birdy © Yuuki Masami/Shogakukan
[First serialized in Young Sunday and Big Comic Spirits]
Published in Indonesia as Birdy The Mighty by Level Comics

Berserker Killer Birdy Cephon Altera is dispatched to Earth to stop intergalactic terrorist Christella Revi, but the dreaded agent of the federation mortally wounds a Japanese teenager during the attempted arrest. To save Senkawa Tsutomu's life, Birdy lends him her body, after which she insists on pursuing her target. Tsutomu refuses to cooperate for fear of endangering his family.

Still, their (un)cooperative fight against evil geniuses, start-OH!

This Birdy The Mighty reboots Yuuki Masami's first Tetsuwan Birdy, hence sometimes the qualification Tetsuwan Birdy (II). Wiki relates the back story »here—I don't feel like regurgitating—so just read for yourself if interested. At any rate, what's important is that Tetsuwan Birdy finally reached 20 volumes (around additional shunting from Young Sunday to Big Comic Spirits when the former closed up shop in July 2008), AND that there's an ongoing sequel, Tetsuwan Birdy Evolution (10 volumes as of 2011.12; volume 11 street date: 2012.04.27). In other words, you're in for a long ride.

Oh. And There Was Anime. First, a four-episode OAV animated by Madhouse released in July 1996. Seiyuu Mitsuishi Kotono voiced Birdy, Iwanaga Tetsuya – Tsutomu. A decade and two years later, A-1 Pictures came out with Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode. The 13-episode first season aired from July to September 2008, and featured a different voice cast: Chiba Saeko as Birdy and Irino Miyu as Tsutomu. Season 2 premiered in January 2009 and wrapped at 12 episodes May that year. Another OAV (one episode), Birdy the Mighty Decode: The Cipher, followed in July 2009.

Not to underestimate Birdy's allure or anything, but Yuuki Masami-sensei is prolly most known for the 36th Shogakukan Manga Awardee in the Shounen category, Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor AKA Mobile Police Patlabor (22 volumes compiled between July 1988 and August 1994).

Now for the top Level GET! —

Bloody Monday vol 9 of 11
By Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji

The BLOODY-X outbreak in Kanto Special Prison turns out to be Fujimaru's ruse. After allowing the terrorists to set leader Kamishima Shimon free, Fujimaru bargains with J for the antidote to save Mako. J agrees, in exchange for information on the real significance of BLOODY MONDAY.

I know we're still on Bloody Monday, but I thought you might like to know that volume 4 of Bloody Monday - Last Season (yes, that's the sequel of the sequel) is expected to release in Japan on 17 May.

Level Comics manga (2011.04.25)

1. [Series Premiere] Birdy The Mighty (Tetsuwan Birdy) vol 1 of 20 by Yuuki Masami

Tetsuwan Birdy 「鉄腕バーディー」 by Yuuki Masami AKA Tetsuwan Birdy (II) Shogakukan Young Sunday and later in Big Comic Spirits after the former's closure on 31 July 2008, seinen Volume 1 first published in Japan 2003.06

Volume 1 contains chapters 1–10: 2 Hearts in 1 Body #1–#10 + Omake: Rakugaki Manga Kon'na Bādī wa iya ka?

Related series
Adapted from the original Tetsuwan Birdy serialized in Shonen Sunday Super between 1985 and 1988 (one volume per 1996.07 [discontinued]; two-volume Shonen Sunday Comics Visual Selection reprint from 1996.12 to 1997.04)
Sequel: Tetsuwan Birdy Evolution (10 volumes as of 2011.12 • volume 11 street date: 2012.04.27, ongoing serialization in Big Comic Spirits)

Other languages
French (Pika Édition: Tetsuwan Birdy, Tome 11 per 2010.07)

Adaptations
Madhouse's Birdy the Mighty OAV (1996.07.25, four episodes) starring seiyuu Mitsuishi Kotono as Birdy and Iwanaga Tetsuya as Tsutomu, and A-1 Pictures' anime: Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode (2008.07.04–2008.09.29, 13 episodes) starring Chiba Saeko as Birdy and Irino Miyu as Tsutomu, Tetsuwan Birdy: Decode Season 2 (2009.01.09–2009.05.28, 12 episodes) and Birdy the Mighty Decode: The Cipher OAV (2009.07.22, one episode)

2. Bloody Monday vol 9 of 11 by Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji

Bloody Monday 「ブラッディ・マンデイ」 by Ryumon Ryou & Megumi Kouji Kodansha Weekly Shonen Magazine, shounen Volume 9 first published in Japan 2008.12

Other languages
English Bloody Monday: Season 1 (Chuang Yi: volume 8 per 2010.08 and Kodansha Comics: Bloody Monday: five volumes as of 2012.04.10 • volume 6 street date: 2012.06.05), simplified Chinese (Chuang Yi: 11 volumes, concluded), traditional Chinese 血色星期一 (Tong Li Taiwan: 11 volumes), French (PIKA Édition: Tome 10 shipped 2012.03 • Tome 11 street date: 2012.05.16)

Related series
Bloody Monday 0 (one volume; 2009.05) and sequels Bloody Monday Season 2 - Zetsubou no Kou (AKA Bloody Monday Season 2 ~Pandora no Hako~, eight volumes as at 2011.05.17) and Bloody Monday - Last Season (serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine beginning 2011.07.14; three volumes as of 2012.02 • volume 4 street date: 2012.05.17)

Under Kodansha's KPC (Platinum Comics) imprint: Bloody Monday: Seinaru Chi no Shukusai... Hajimaru!! (2011.07.27); Bloody Monday: Kiba o Muku “BLOODY ‐ X”, Kansen Bakuhatsu!? (2011.06); Bloody Monday: Mogurikonde ita Supai no Shōtai (2011.05); Bloody Monday: Tensai Kōkōsei Hacker “Falcon” (2011.04)

Hacking guides by FALCON: Bloody Monday Falcon no Conpi: Falcon's Computer Hacking (KCDX imprint: 2009.12) and Bloody Monday Falcon no Mobi: Falcon's Mobile Hacking (KCDX: 2011.01)

Adaptations
An 11-episode live-action renzoku aired from October through December 2008 on TBS, followed by a second season, Bloody Monday Season2 ~Pandora no Hako~ (January to March 2010, nine episodes). Actor/singer Miura Haruma returned as protagonist Fujimaru Takagi/Falcon in the sequel.

3. Devil Devil vol 10 of 15 by Miyoshi Yuuki

Devil Devil 「デビデビ」 by Miyoshi Yuuki Shogakukan Shonen Sunday, shounen Volume 10 (10 episodes/chapters 88–97) first published in Japan 1999.12

Other languages
French (PIKA Édition: 15 volumes)

4. Fight!! Ippo (Hajime no Ippo) vol 90 of 99+ by Morikawa Joji

Hajime no Ippo 「はじめの一歩」 by Morikawa Joji AKA Fighting Spirit Kodansha Weekly Shonen Magazine, shounen Volume 90 first published in Japan 2009.12

Volume 90 chapters:
Round 858: The Genius and the Famous Trainer
Round 859: Excitement and Aphorisms
Round 860: Cumulative Progress
Round 861: International Sparring
Round 862: Shocking Phone Call
Round 863: Reckless Fight
Round 864: Facing the Sun
Round 865: Higher Upper Class Image
Round 866: To the Bone
Round 867: Inscrutable Hurricane Winds
Round 868: True Form Discovered
[*NOT Level chapter titles]

Awards
Winner, 1991 Kodansha Manga Awards in the Shounen category

Related series
Hajime no Ippo Gaiden (one-shot prequel)

Other languages
French (Kurokawa: Ippo, Saison 2 Tome 16 per 2011.09), traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan: 第一神拳 98 released 2012.03)

Adaptations
A 76-episode anime by Madhouse, starring seiyuu Kiyasu Kohei (Makunouchi Ippo), aired on NTV from October 2000 to March 2002. A sequel/special, Hajime no Ippo - Champion Road, came out in June 2003, followed by the spinoff Hajime no Ippo - Mashiba vs. Kimura OAV (2003.09). The 26-episode second season Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger was telecast from January to June 2009.

5. Have A Good Night (Shima Shima) vol 2 of 12 by Yamazaki Sayaka

Shima Shima 「シマシマ」 by Yamazaki Sayaka Kodansha Morning, seinen Volume 2 first published in Japan 2008.09

Adaptations
The 10-episode live-action Shima Shima aired on TBS from April to June 2011, starring Yada Akiko as Houkigi Shio, Miura Shohei as Tamabuki Gai, Kikuta Daisuke as Futaba Ran, Suzuki Katsuhiro as Hayashida Rindou and Fukushi Sota as Makomo Shuuji.

6. Yokohama Chinatown Fantasy (Kachuu Hana) vol 10 of 16+ by Nishi Yuuji & Hikino Shinji

Kachuu Hana 「華中華」 by Nishi Yuuji & Hikino Shinji Shogakukan Big Comic, seinen Volume 10 first published in Japan 2009.12

Reissues
Kachuu Hana My First BIG Specials volumes 1–8 released between 2010.10 and 2011.05

[Release links are hide/unhide. Click for more details.]

European comics/BDs (2011.04.25)

1. Leonard: Leonard dan Murid Baru (Léonard, Tome 37: C'est parti, mon génie!) by Turk & De Groot
2. Spirou & Fantasio: Asal Mula Z (Spirou et Fantasio, Tome 50: Aux sources du Z) by Morvan, Yann, Munuera
3. Suske & Wiske: Tulang-Tulang Gemetaran (Suske en Wiske 303: De knikkende knoken) by Willy Vandersteen

Read more »