Drug-On 2, Have a Good Night 3, Blue Seal 7 of 7 (Level Comics 16 May 2012 manga) [UPDATED]

Also, The Bride's Stories volume 3. (Those who've been waiting for the continuation for 10 months, go, go, GO! to your favorite bookstore nau.)

Update: Replaced placeholder Japanese covers with Level artwork.

Drug-On © Saitoh Misaki/Gentosha
[First serialized in Comic Birz]
Published in Indonesia by Level Comics

The Takers find themselves outclassed as the battle against the Prince drags out. Kai is held captive while Jack goes berserker mode ON! and begins attacking indiscriminately. What will happen when the Prince retaliates and uses his ability to kill in an instant?

Obviously the Drug-On volume 2 cover with which I lead this post is not Level's version. Level artwork were still thin on the ground when I wrote this, so must make do. Still, the Indonesian cover shouldn't stray far from the JP ＤＲＵＧ‐ＯＮ　ドラゴン　２ original. »Edit: Yup, the Level cover is the same as the Japanese one. Not like, say, the cover for the finale Blue Seal bunko, which also streets the same day. (For comparison, »here's how the Japanese Ao no Fuuin bunko volume 7 looks. Level uses the tankou volume 11 cover. Of course...)

Blue Seal vol 7 of 7
By Shinohara Chie

After gaining the power of Byakko, Akira executes the plan to wipe out all demons and orders the forest surrounded. Meanwhile, Soko learns the secret of the demons' source of life and wracks her brain for a peaceful coexistence alternative. But with Mt. Fuji erupting, Soko is forced to make a decision as demon queen Souryu, a decision that...

Don't miss the last volume of Blue Seal—what Level describes as a moving story of horror and love that transcends eons of darkness—for the fate of Akira × Soko and other surprising secret revelations.

Now that Blue Seal's finished...what about Shinohara Chie-sensei's Red River? :D Also, I wouldn't mind if Level ramped up the release schedule for Basara... (There's still seven more volumes to Tamura Yumi's equally starcrossed lovers saga.)

Have A Good Night vol 3 of 12
By Yamazaki Sayaka

Shio's ex-husband Hibiki returns to Japan, but li'l brother Gai hides the news from Shio. Keeping the secret proves too much for Gai and he ends up making a huge mistake while working!

What was Gai's #Fail? And can Shio ever get away from Hibiki? Grab Have A Good Night volume 3 as your next bedtime read for answers.

☞ I preview Mori Kaoru's The Bride's Stories 3—which introduces us to a new bride—after the release list.

New Level titles (bandes dessinées or ROMICs)
Level launches Robin (Hood), the BD series by Turk & de Groot, originally published by Le Lombard. Robin Dubois, the brainchild of the same duo that brings us the hysterical Léonard, obviously draws inspiration from the legendary English outlaw, but Turk & de Groot's Robin deviates from the original heroic into silly and hilarious and...best buds with the Sheriff of Nottingham!? Enjoy their "Your money or your life!" hijinks in Makin Ramai, Makin Seru! (Robin Dubois: Plus on est de fous...) and Sama-Sama Bodoh (Robin Dubois: Le fond de l'air est bête).

Level Comics manga and manhua (2012.05.16)

1. Blue Seal (Ao no Fuuin [Bunko]) vol 7 of 7 by Shinohara Chie [Finale]

Ao no Fuuin 「蒼の封印　(小学館文庫)」 by Shinohara Chie AKA The seal on deep blue Shogakukan Sho-Comi, shoujo Bunko volume 7 first published in Japan 1999.05 (originally published in 11 tankoubon from 1992.04 to 1994.12)

Adaptations
Audio drama CD released by Shogakukan in May 1993 and light novels written by Yamamoto Natsumi and illustrated by Shinohara Chie, published under the KSS Comic Novels imprint (three volumes from September to December 1998)

2. The Bride's Stories (Otoyomegatari) vol 3 of 4+ by Mori Kaoru

Otoyomegatari 「乙嫁語り」 by Mori Kaoru Enterbrain Fellows!, seinen Volume 3 first published in Japan 2011.06

Awards
Nominee, 4th Manga Taisho awards (2011), along with I am a Hero by Hanazawa Kengo; March comes in like a lion by Umino Chika (award winner); Hana no Zubora-Meshi by Kusumi Masayuki, Mizusawa Etsuko; Un chocolatier de l'amour perdu by Mizushiro Setona and eight other manga

Other languages
English A Bride's Story (Yen Press: three volumes as of 2012.03.27), traditional Chinese (Kadokawa Media Taiwan: 姊嫁物語 3 per 2011.11), French (Editions Ki-oon: Bride Stories, Tome 3 shipped 2011.12)

Related series
4-koma side story Pariya-san wa Otoshigoro

3. Drug-On vol 2 of 5 by Saitoh Misaki

Drug-On 「ＤＲＵＧ‐ＯＮ　ドラゴン」 by Saitoh Misaki Gentosha Comic Birz, seinen Volume 2 first published in Japan 2007.09

4. Have A Good Night (Shima Shima) vol 3 of 12 by Yamazaki Sayaka

Shima Shima 「シマシマ」 by Yamazaki Sayaka Kodansha Morning, seinen Volume 3 first published in Japan 2008.12

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.

5. The Ravages of Time (Huo Feng Liao Yuan) vol 16 of 45+ by Chan Mou

Sanguozhi Qunxiongzhuan: Huo Feng Liao Yuan 「火鳳燎原」 by Chan Mou AKA Fiery Phoenix Burns Steppes Tong Li New Youth, seinen

Other languages/serializations
Simplified Chinese (Chuang Yi: 火凤燎原 #42 released 2011.09), Japanese (Media Factory 三国志群雄伝　火鳳燎原 9 per 2009.12), Vietnamese Hỏa Phụng Liêu Nguyên. The manhua is also published in Mainland China, Korea and Thailand.

6. Zipang vol 13 of 43 by Kawaguchi Kaiji

Zipang 「ジパング」 by Kawaguchi Kaiji Kodansha Morning, seinen Volume 13 first published in Japan 2003.12

Awards
Winner, 26th Kodansha Manga Awards (2002) in the General category

Other language versions
English (Kodansha Bilingual Comics; partial), French (Kana: Zipang Tome 34 per 2012.02) and traditional Chinese (Sharp Point Press: 次元艦隊 43 per 2010.06)

Adaptations
Anime by Studio DEEN starring seiyuu Inada Tetsu (Executive Officer Kadomatsu Yosuke), Hoshino Takanori (Gunnery Officer Kikuchi Masayuki), Ueda Yuuji (Navigation Officer Oguri Kouhei), Yara Yuusaku (Captain Umezu Saburo) and Touchi Hiroki (Lt. Commander Kusaka Takumi) aired in Japan from October 2004 to March 2005

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

European comics/BDs (2012.05.16)

1. Lucky Luke: Western Circus (Lucky Luke, Tome 5: Western Circus) by Morris & Goscinny
2. Rantanplan: Ramuan Cerdas (Rantanplan, Tome 10: Les Cerveaux) by Morris, Vittorio & B. de Groot
3. [Premiere] Robin: Makin Ramai, Makin Seru! (Robin Dubois: Plus on est de fous...) by Turk & de Groot
4. [Premiere] Robin: Sama-Sama Bodoh (Robin Dubois: Le fond de l'air est bête) by Turk & de Groot
5. Scrameustache: Scrameustache Kabur (Le Scrameustache, Tome 6: La fugue du Scrameustache) by Gos - Walt

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The Black Swindler 17, The Drops of God 11, Bambino Secondo 1 by Sekiya Tetsuji (Level Comics 4 April 2012 manga)

☞ Reiterating: Comic prices have gone up↑ as of April 2012. For Level titles, from IDR 18,500 to IDR 20,000/volume. Bunko edition Blue Seal now carries an IDR 24,000 price tag.

Bambino! Secondo © Sekiya Tetsuji/Shogakukan
[Serialized in Big Comic Spirits]
Published in Indonesia by Level Comics

After a challenging internship at the Trattoria Baccanale Roppongi, Shogo Ban has been entrusted the position of pasta chef at the newly-opened branch, Yokohama Legare. To say he stands on a new battlefield is no understatement. Opening day brings typhoon-like chaos and Ban still has trouble adjusting to having assistants, not to mention leaving behind his loved ones.

Can Ban cope? asks Level, tongue in cheek, I'm imagining. (It has only been hyping Bambino! Secondo from the time prequel Bambino! wrapped — and that was some four months ago).

Like its predecessor, Bambino! Secondo also serializes in Big Comic Spirits, and as of March this year, has been compiled in 10 tankou.

Aside from Bambino! and Bambino! Secondo, Sekiya Tetsuji is also credited with the seinen manga Django!, first serialized in Morning (two volumes published between March and April 2001), and Oudoumon (two volumes published by Takeshobo's Kindai Mahjong Comics from February to July 2003).

I babble about the other Level manga debut—Ayamine Rando's Demons, Exorcism, Student Council Holy Talker—after the release list. For nau, top DO WANT!

The Black Swindler vol 17 of 20
By Kuromaru & Natsuhara Takeshi

Kurosaki's case reunites the Swindler of Swindlers with an old school friend, a once—and apparently, future—fraud victim.

The Black Swindler volume 17 compiles two cases in chapters 175 to 179 and 180 to 185.

The Drops of God vol 11 of 32+
By Agi Tadashi & Okimoto Shu

The Third Apostle poses problems not only for inexperienced Shizuku, but even Tomine whose confidence is at an all time high from partnering with Loulan. Both guess wrong, prompting Robert Doi to deem both unworthy of Yutaka's wine legacy and threatening to strip their inheritance if they fail to identify the Third Apostle within three days.

Who will win the rematch? (Obviously) the answer lies in The Drops of God volume 11.

Thirty-two Kami no Shizuku: Les Gouttes de Dieu tankou have been published in Japan as of February 2012; the 33rd is set for a 23 May 2012 release.

Level Comics manga (2012.04.04)

1. Ami Non Stop vol 2 of 12 by Kitagawa Miyuki

Ami! Nonstop 「亜未！ノンストップ」 by Kitagawa Miyuki Shogakukan Sho-Comi, shoujo Volume 2 first published in Japan 1993.06

Reissues
Rereleased in six volumes under the Flower Comics Deluxe label from 2001.05 to 1993.09

2. [Series Premiere] Bambino! Secondo vol 1 of 10+ by Sekiya Tetsuji

Bambino! Secondo 「バンビ～ノ！ＳＥＣＯＮＤＯ」 by Sekiya Tetsuji Shogakukan Big Comic Spirits, seinen Volume 1 first published in Japan 2009.08

Related series
Prequel: Bambino! (15 volumes)

3. The Black Swindler (Kurosagi) vol 17 of 20 by Kuromaru & Natsuhara Takeshi

Kurosagi 「クロサギ」 by Kuromaru & Natsuhara Takeshi Shogakukan Young Sunday, seinen Volume 17 (chapters 175–179 and 180–185) first published in Japan 2008.02

Awards
Best Seinen/General Manga, 53rd Shogakukan Manga Awards (2007), along with Sekiya Tetsuji's Bambino!

Related
Sequel: Shin Kurosagi (14 volumes as of 2012.03.30)

Adaptations
An 11-episode live-action renzoku starring Yamashita Tomohisa (Kurosaki) and Horikita Maki (Yoshikawa Tsurara) aired on TBS from April to June 2006. A movie starring the same leads premiered in Japan on 8 March 2008.

4. Blue Seal (Ao no Fuuin [Bunko]) vol 6 of 7 by Shinohara Chie

Ao no Fuuin 「蒼の封印　(小学館文庫)」 by Shinohara Chie AKA The seal on deep blue Shogakukan Sho-Comi, shoujo Bunko volume 6 first published in Japan 1999.05 (originally published in 11 tankoubon from 1992.04 to 1994.12)

Adaptations
Audio drama CD released by Shogakukan in May 1993 and light novels written by Yamamoto Natsumi and illustrated by Shinohara Chie, published under the KSS Comic Novels imprint (three volumes from September to December 1998)

5. The Drops of God (Kami no Shizuku) vol 11 of 32+ by Agi Tadashi & Okimoto Shu

Kami no Shizuku: Les Gouttes de Dieu 「神の雫」 by Agi Tadashi & Okimoto Shu Kodansha Morning, seinen Volume 11 first published in Japan 2007.05

Awards
Special Award of the Year - La Revue du vin de France (French wine magazine); Nominee (Glénat's Les Gouttes de Dieu, tome 1), French Angoulême Comics Awards; Nominee, 1st Keitai Comic Taishō (Mobile Phone Comic Award, along with Hiura Satoru's Hotaru no Hikari, Miyasaka Kaho's Kare First Love and 17 other manga)

Other languages
French (Glénat: Les Gouttes de Dieu Tome 22 shipped 2012.02 • Tome 23 street date: 2012.05.09), traditional Chinese (Sharp Point Press Taiwan: 神之水滴 30 per 2011.12), English Drops of God (Vertical: three volumes as of 2012.03.27 • volume 4 street date: 2012.06.12)

Adaptations
A live-action renzoku starring Kamenashi Kazuya as Kanzaki Shizuku aired from January to March 2009 in Japan on NTV.

6. GTO vol 7 of 25 by Fujisawa Toru

GTO 「ＧＴＯ」 by Fujisawa Toru Kodansha Weekly Shonen Magazine, shounen Volume 7 (Lessons 51-59) first published in Japan 1998.06

Awards
Winner, 1998 Kodansha Manga Awards in the Shounen category

Other languages
Bilingual Japanese/English (Kodansha International, three volumes per 1999.12), English GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka (TOKYOPOP: 25 volumes), French (PIKA Édition: 25 volumes), Italian (Dynamic Italia), German (EMA), Polish (Waneko), Swedish (Schibsted Förlagen Sverige AB; serialized in Manga Mania), traditional Chinese (Tong Li)

Related series
Prequels Shounan Junaigumi! AKA GTO: The Early Years (31 volumes) and Bad Company (one volume) and sequel GTO Shonan 14 Days (nine volumes as at 2011.11, concluded)

Adaptations
A live-action GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka TV series, starring Sorimachi Takashi (Onizuka Eikichi) and Matsushima Nanako (Fuyutsuki Azusa) telecast from July to September 1998 on Fuji TV and Kansai TV, followed by GTO Drama Special (1999.08.28) and GTO: The Movie (1999) and Studio Pierrot's 43-episode Great Teacher Onizuka anime adaptation, starring seiyuu Takagi Wataru as Onizuka that aired between June 1999 and September 2000.

7. GTO Shonan 14 Days vol 5 of 9 by Fujisawa Toru

GTO Shonan 14 Days 「ＧＴＯ　ＳＨＯＮＡＮ　１４ＤＡＹＳ」 by Fujisawa Toru Kodansha Weekly Shonen Magazine, shounen Volume 5 first published in Japan 2010.10

Related series
Prequels: Shounan Junaigumi! AKA GTO: The Early Years (31 of 31 volumes); Bad Company (1 of 1 volume); and GTO (25 of 25 volumes)

Other languages
Simplified Chinese (Chuang Yi: volume 4 per 2010.10), English GTO 14 Days in Shonan (Vertical: two volumes as of 2012.03.27 • volume 3 street date: 2012.05.29)

8. [Series Premiere] Holy Talker vol 1 of 6+ by Ayamine Rando

Holy Talker 「ホーリートーカー」 by Ayamine Rando Kodansha Shonen Rival, shounen Volume 1 first published in Japan 2008.09

Adaptations
A Holy Talker drama CD was bundled with the limited edition volume 4 released 2009.07 with Kamakari Kenta as Takayama Renga and Suzumura Kenichi as Amakusa Chitose.

9. Onsen Paradise (Kirikiritei no Braun Sensei) vol 5 of 9 by Kikuchi Shota

Kirikiritei no Braun Sensei 「きりきり亭のぶら雲先生」 by Kikuchi Shota Gentosha Birz Comics Deluxe, seinen Volume 5 first published in Japan 2001.01

Related
Sequel: Kirikiri Teishujin (two volumes per 2010.12, ongoing)

Reissues
Re-released in four bunko volumes from 2009.03 to 2009.07

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

European comics/BDs (2012.04.04)

1. Agatha Christie: The Secret Adversary Musuh Dalam Selimut (Agatha Christie, Tome 5: Mister Brown) by Francois Riviere, Frank Leclercq (Heupe Sarl-Emmanuel Proust Editions)
2. Smurf: Kekacauan di Desa Smurf (Les Schtroumpfs, Tome 21: On ne schtroumpfe pas le progrès) by Peyo (Le Lombard)

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