XBlade 12 of 12, Judge 2, Mars 2 (Level Comics 9 May 2012 manga)

Also, Descendants of Darkness vol 9. No, your eyes don't deceive you; Descendants of Darkness IS back. (Yami no Matsuei only came out of its December 2002 hiatus and resumed serialization in Hana to Yume in September 2011.) Look for volume 9's preview after the release list.

Mars 2 (Level Comics)

Mars © Souryo Fuyumi/Kodansha
[First serialized in Betsufure]
Published in Indonesia by Level Comics

Kira and Rei grow closer, but Kira has yet to complete the mother and child painting she promised Rei, fearing that whatever bond ties them together will unravel when she gives it to him.

Before Kira knows it, Rei's senpai wins a competition with a painting that resembles Kira's mother and child WIP. Rei's reaction opens the door to a sealed, painful past...

Level wanted to hype Mars 2, so I'm obliging. At any rate, Souryo Fuyumi's Mars DID tie with the First Runner-up DO WANT! Judge and was only one vote away (at the time of writing) from most popular GET! X Blade.

Judge vol 2 (of 4+)
By Tonogai Yoshiki

The first Judge (judgment) is over and it looks like everyone chose to follow Hiro's instructions on how to cheat death by choosing themselves. Another area, previously barred, unlocks. But just as everyone splits up for some much-needed rest, a scream resounds...

Four (and Seven Deadly Sins) Judge volumes have been published in Japan as of November 2011; the fifth is expected to street on 22 May.

X Blade vol 12 of 12
By Ida Tatsuhiko & Shiki Satoshi

As Sanae and Shinozuka search for Kazunari, he phones and orders Sanae to meet him at the park. But when Sanae reaches the appointed place, only corpses await.

What happened to Kazunari?

X Blade volume 12 spans chapters 46 to 49 [info from this summary and review]. If you haven't had your fill of X Blade by chapter 49, I suggest you poke Level for the sequel (pretty sure it's already licensed). Three XBlade Cross volumes have already streeted in Japan as of March 2012.

BTW, the X Blade manga isn't the only Level series to wrap this street date. BD Lanfeust of Troy does, too, in Makhluk Luar Biasa AKA Lanfeust de Troy, Tome 8: La bête fabuleuse that reveals the ultimate fate of Eckmul.

Level Comics manga (2012.05.09)

  1. Ami Non Stop vol 3 of 12 by Kitagawa Miyuki
  2. LC: Ami Non Stop 3

    Ami! Nonstop亜未!ノンストップ
    by Kitagawa Miyuki
    Shogakukan Sho-Comi, shoujo
    Volume 3 first published in Japan 1993.12

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

  3. Descendants of Darkness (Yami no Matsuei) vol 9 of 12+ by Matsushita Yoko
  4. LC: Descendants of Darkness 9

    Yami no Matsuei闇の末裔
    by Matsushita Yoko
    Hakusensha Hana to Yume, shoujo
    Volume 9 first published in Japan 2000.07

    Other languages/serializations
    English Descendants of Darkness: Yami no Matsuei (VIZ Media: 11 volumes as of 2006.05), French (Editions Tonkam: Les Descendants des Ténèbres Tome 12 shipped 2012.02.22; serialized in Magnolia), Italian (Editions Star Comics; serialized in Kappa Extra), German (Carlsen Comics: Yami no Matsuei: Erben der Dunkelheit Band 11 released 2004.09), Polish (Waneko: Ostatni synowie ciemności Tom 12 per 2012.02.15), traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan: 闇之末裔 12 released 2010.05.14)

    Adaptations
    The 13-episode anime adaptation by J.C. Staff aired on WOWOW from 2000.10.02 to 2001.06.24, featuring seiyuu Asano Mayumi as Kurosaki Hisoka, Miki Shinichiro as Tsuzuki Asato and Hayami Sho as Dr. Muraki Kazutaka.

    Related
    Matsushita Yoko Character Book ~Yami no Matsuei~ (published by Hakusensha in August 1999) and the Matsushita Yoko Sketchbook ~Yami no Matsuei~ (JP: 2000.11)

  5. Judge vol 2 of 4+ by Tonogai Yoshiki
  6. LC: Judge 2

    JudgeJUDGE」 by Tonogai Yoshiki
    Square Enix Shonen Gangan, shounen
    Volume 2 first published in Japan 2010.12

    Related
    Prequel: Doubt (four volumes)

  7. Mars vol 2 of 15 by Souryo Fuyumi
  8. LC: Mars 2

    MarsMARS」 by Souryo Fuyumi
    Kodansha Betsufure, shoujo
    Volume 2 first published in Japan 1996.09

    Reissues
    Reissued in eight Kodansha Manga Bunko volumes from 2006.10 to 2007.01

    Related series
    Prequel: Mars Gaiden Namae no nai uma (one volume per 1999.12). AKA MARS: Horse With No Name

    Other languages
    English MARS (TOKYOPOP: 15 Volumes), French (Marvel Panini France, 15 volumes per 2005.06), Italian (Editions Star Comics; serialized in Amici), German (Planet Manga: Band 15 per 2003.10 and Band 16 (Mars Gaiden) released 2003.12), Polish (Waneko)

    Adaptations
    A 21-episode Taiwanese live-action adaptation, MARS (戰神 / Zhànshén MARS), starring Vic Zhou as Chen Ling & Sheng (Kashino Rei & Sei) and Barbie Hsu as Han Qi Luo (Aso Kira), aired on the Chinese Television System network in 2004-2005. The TV series won the Favorite Drama of the Year award at the 40th Annual 2005 Golden Bell Awards.

  9. Pet Shop of Horrors vol 2 of 10 by Akino Matsuri
  10. LC: Pet Shop of Horrors 2

    PetShop of Horrors
    Petshop of Horrors
    by Akino Matsuri
    Ohzora Shuppan Missy Comics DX, josei
    Volume 2 first published in Japan 1995.09

    Related series
    Reissued in seven bunkoban by Asahi Sonorama (Sonorama Comic Bunko, 2007.10)
    Sequel: Shin Pet Shop of Horrors (10 of 10 ASAHI Comics volumes as at 2012.03, complete); AKA Pet Shop of Horrors: Tokyo (English)

    Other languages
    English Pet Shop of Horrors (TOKYOPOP: 10 volumes); traditional Chinese (Tong Li Taiwan: 10 恐怖寵物店 volumes), Russian (Comics Factory), German (Tokyopop Germany, 10 volumes)

    Adaptations
    Four-episode Pet Shop of Horrors anime produced by Madhouse aired from 1–22 March 1999 on TBS. Seiyuu Onosaka Masaya and Seki Toshihiko voiced Leon Orcot and Count D.

  11. X Blade vol 12 of 12 by Ida Tatsuhiko & Shiki Satoshi [Finale]
  12. LC: X Blade 12

    XBladeXBLADE
    by Ida Tatsuhiko & Shiki Satoshi
    Kodansha Shonen Sirius, shounen
    Volume 12 (chapters 46–49) first published in Japan 2011.02

    Related series
    Sequel: XBlade Cross (three volumes as of 2012.03.09, ongoing)

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

European comics/BDs (2012.05.09)

  1. Lanfeust of Troy: Makhluk Luar Biasa (Lanfeust de Troy, Tome 8: La bête fabuleuse) by Arleston & Tarquin [Finale]
  2. Smurf: Mama Smurfin (Les Schtroumpfs, Tome 28: La grande schtroumpfette) by Peyo
Read more »

Blog Archive