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At last—Attack on Titan 16 on sale now! Special Edition cover by Walking Dead’s Tony Moore

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The wait is over—Attack on Titan volume 16 is on sale now! Links to the print and digital editions here.

Or better yet, get the whole package with the Attack on Titan 16 Special Edition with Playing Cards. This exclusive edition features a terrifying exclusive variant dust jacket by Tony Moore​—co-creator of The Walking Dead and the artist behind Fear Agent—and a set of 54 premium playing cards, each with a different piece of color art from the series. The cards are printed by US Playing Card Company on the same stock and press as their world-famous Bicycle cards. 

Wait there's more! … Four months from now, on December 1, look for the Attack on Titan 17 Special Edition, featuring an exclusive DVD containing an Attack on Titan episode never before released in the U.S. The DVD will contain the half-hour episode "Ilse’s Notebook," a side story animated from the same producers and voice actors as the hit anime series!

This is the first time a side story from the manga has been animated. It was previously only available as part of a limited-edition manga package in Japan. The Attack on Titan 17 Special Edition will be the only way this episode will be available in English, so mark your calendars!

Kodansha Launches New Series From Creator of Oh My Goddess!

New York, NY (July 14, 2015) – At their panel at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, Kodansha Comics announced English editions of a new series from creator Kosuke Fujishima, Paradise Residence.

Paradise Residence is a new manga from the creator of Oh My Goddess! and You’re Under Arrest,  Kosuke Fujishima. It follows Hatsune Takanashi—a clumsy schoolgirl who attends the Kitsuka Boarding School—and her trials living in the all-girls dormitory. This new series will debut in March 2016, and will be published in an oversized format.

Fairy Tail: Master’s Edition to Debut This October

New York, New York (May 15, 2015) – Kodansha Comics is excited to announce the Fairy Tail: Master’s Edition! In the vein of the popular Attack on Titan: Colossal Edition, the Master’s Edition will collect the first five volumes of the hit manga in an enormous size on high-quality paper.

Fairy Tail is the critically acclaimed pop culture sensation that has spawned a TV series, movies, video games, spinoffs, and more. The series follows the charming, teenaged celestial wizard Lucy as she teams up with the crazy fire wizard Natsu while he searches for the dragon Igneel who raised him. Lucy, Natsu, and his best friend Happy—who also happens to be a talking cat—join together to take jobs across the kingdom and learn to become more powerful wizards. Along the way, they forge a bond more powerful than any magic which grows stronger with every mission.

Whether they’re picking up Fairy Tail for the first time or are already diehard fans, this is THE edition for readers to own.  This massive edition will look fantastic on anyone’s shelf, and Hiro Mashima’s art looks better than ever in this oversized 7×10.5-inch book. The first Master’s Edition is coming to stores this October and will retail for $39.99. It’s the perfect gift for the budding wizard, along with the new spinoff series Fairy Tail: Blue Mistral and Fairy Girls, also debuting this fall from Kodansha Comics!

Vinland Saga Contest – Win Original Art

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Let's cut to the chase: We have three pieces of signed original art by "Vinland Saga" creator Makoto Yukimura.

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They depict three characters from the series, Thorfinn, Thorkell, and Askeladd, and bear Mr. Yukimura's signature, seal, and a personal message to his American readers. As incredible as this sounds, we are giving these away.

But to win one, you'll first have to battle your way into a place among Askeladd's elite Viking warriors!

join_askeladdHere's how it will work:

  1. Create a character from the Viking Age. He or she could be a Viking, English, Welsh, a warrior, a blacksmith, a priest — anything! Write a one-paragraph description of your character that delves into her background, personality, and history. You can include an original drawing of your character if you want, but it's certainly not required.
  2. We'll take the best characters and create a bracket, pitting them against each other for the right to join Askeladd's band! If you're selected, you'll receive your opponent's character description, and you'll have to write a few paragraphs describing how your character would defeat him. Does your character outwit her opponent? Intimidate him into submission? Or just pound him into the ground?
  3. After we've read both stories, we'll choose the best one, and that character will advance. The brackets will converge on a final three-on-three showdown! The champion will get first pick of the drawings, the second place winner will receive second pick, and third place will get whichever drawing is left over. We'll also compile all the battles of the top three into three epic Viking sagas, and post them on our site for everyone to read!

E-mail your entries to kodanshacomics@randomhouse.com (make sure any attachments are under 10 MB). Everyone who's selected for the bracket will receive a free copy of Vinland Saga Book Four when it's released in July.

Askeladd will be accepting applicants to join his band until July 11, and shortly after that the battles will begin!

Remake Viking history with us, and become a part of Vinland Saga!

And just in case you haven't read Vinland Saga, now's a great time to get started! From now until June 26, the Vinland Saga Book One ebook is on sale for just $4.99 on Kindle, Nook, iBookstore, and Kobo!

Rules:

  1. This contest is open to entrants with valid e-mail addresses worldwide, except where any part of the contest or these rules would be prohibited by law. Employees of Kodansha USA Publishing, Penguin Random House, or any parent or affiliate companies, as well as their spouses, family members, and any person in the same household, are not eligible to enter.
  2. All initial entries must be received by July 11, 2014. Kodansha USA Publishing is not responsible for entries lost for any reason.
  3. Each entrant may only enter once.
  4. By entering, you give Kodansha USA Publishing, Kodansha Ltd. and Penguin Random House permission to publish or use anything you submit (except your e-mail address and other contact information) in print, online, or in any other form, in perpetuity. If you'd like your entries to appear under a pseudonym, just ask.
  5. We will only use your e-mail address or other contact information to contact you regarding the contest. We will not use it for any other purpose or give it to anyone else.

NORAGAMI, MANGA DOGS, and ATTACK ON TITAN: COLOSSAL EDITION to debut in 2014 from KODANSHA COMICS!

NORAGAMI, MANGA DOGS, and ATTACK ON TITAN: COLOSSAL EDITION to debut in 2014 from KODANSHA COMICS!

New Series from Ema Toyama (Missions of Love, I am Here!) and Adachitoka

New York, New York (February 4, 2014) – Adding to an already stellar 2014 lineup, Kodansha Comics is excited to announce two brand new series to debut this fall, plus a new edition of Attack on Titan! Manga Dogs is a new series from Ema Toyama, the creator of I am Here! and Missions of Love, two of Kodansha Comics’ best-selling shojo series. Noragami: Stray God, created by Adachitoka, is also making its U.S. debut following the anime adaptation which started airing in Japan this January with simulcast at FUNimation.com! And finally, the first five volumes of Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan are being collected in a new, massive version called the Colossal Edition!

Including already announced works such as the Attack on Titan spinoffs, My Little Monster, Say I Love You, xxxHOLi Rei, The Seven Deadly Sins, UQ Holder, and more, 2014 will be a huge year for Kodansha Comics!

Manga Dogs – Kanna Tezuka is a shy and anti-social manga artist. She enrolls in a special manga class at school, hoping that she’ll be free to work on her manga without distraction. However, she finds herself in the company of three guys who are incredibly handsome, and incredibly stupid. They find out that Kanna is a published manga artist and begin pestering her to teach them how to become manga creators. Hijinks ensue! Coming Fall 2014!

Noragami: Stray God – Yato is a homeless god. He doesn’t even have a shrine, not to mention worshippers! Hoping he’ll eventually raise enough money to build himself the lavish temple of his dreams, Yato accepts all kinds of jobs. Of course, he can’t afford to be picky; from finding lost kittens to helping a student overcome bullies, no job is too small for Yato, the god-for-hire! An eccentric story with a charming cast of characters! Coming Fall 2014!

Attack on Titan: Colossal Edition – People believe their 100-meter-high walls will protect them from the Titans, but the sudden appearance of an immense Titan is about to change everything… Experience Attack on Titan in its original size! Collecting the first five volumes of this epic manga on high quality paper with a trim of 7 x 10.5 inches and weighing in at almost 1000 pages, Attack on Titan: Colossal Edition will be in stores this May!

About Kodansha USA Publishing, LLC

Established in New York in 2008, Kodansha USA Publishing (KUP) is a subsidiary of Kodansha, Japan’s largest publisher. KUP’s first works under the Kodansha Comics imprint were Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira and Masamune Shirow’s The Ghost in the Shell. KUP has expanded their catalog to include such titles as Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima, Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama, Shugo Chara by PEACH-PIT, and Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi, the highest selling manga in the U.S. in 2012. Kodansha Comics is distributed by Random House Publisher Services.

http://www.kodanshacomics.com

Vinland Saga Reviews & Runes

vinlandcopyThanks to everyone who's picked up Vinland Saga Book One! We've received some fantastic feedback on the first volume. Acclaimed comics creator Faith Erin Hicks even sent us a blurb to be used on Book Two! Here's what she wrote:

I was really excited to read this. I really enjoyed Planetes (which is sadly out of print) by the same author, and even tried to get Vinland Saga in French, thinking it'd never make its way over to the English market. Thankfully it did, and I wasn't disappointed. Most of this volume (which is actually volumes 1 & 2, so extra value) is in flashback to the childhood of Thorfinn, and the knowledge of what happens in that flashback hangs over the entire book. The art is gorgeous, a combination of beautiful cartooning and realistic backgrounds. Yukimura is also a master of pacing, both in frenetic battle scenes and charged emotional moments.

I haven't had a regular manga series to follow since 20th Century Boys wrapped up; I'm thrilled Vinland Saga lived up to my expectations, and I'm really looking forward to following it. Next volume is out in January.

If you're not familiar with her work, Faith is an incredible artist whose most recent books are The Last of Us: American Dreams, based on the video game, and the awesome and hilarious Adventures of a Superhero Girl. Check them out!

Reviews have also poured in from across the Web. Here's a quick sampling:

"I can't imagine my life being complete without having read this… Gripping doesn't begin to describe Vinland Saga. 5 stars." – ICv2 (Full review)

"A deeply engrossing book. Part shounen adventure, part historical drama, it strives to explain the past while allowing its readers to live it… If you have any interest at all in Vikings, the Medieval period, or pirates, this is not a series you want to miss. Grade A-." – Anime News Network (Full review)

"[Yukimura] has quickly become one of my favorite manga writer-artists… The potential for character development is excellent and I’m completely invested in the story and setting. Highly recommended. Grade A+." – Fandom Post (Full review)

"While there’s plenty of adventure and action in Vinland Saga, what stands out to me more are the human elements that Yukimura focuses on so well." – Manga Report (Full review)

"For those who love Berserk, you’ll love this too… This is not going to be a cheery romp, but it’s gripping stuff, and incredibly hard to put down… Worth the long wait." – A Case Suitable for Treatment (Full review)

"I didn’t think that I had any interest in Viking tales, but now I’m upset with myself for reading it so quickly since it will be a while before volume 2 is available. Don’t hesitate—if you like a good story, pick this one up." – Reflecting Lights (Full review)

Sounds pretty unanimous to me! So if you've been hesitating, now is the perfect time to pick up Book One in print or digital on Kindle, Nook, or iBookstore!

ownershiptagBut if you've already got your copy, you might have noticed something on the last page. It's a circular design with a knotted snake in the center and what looks like writing around the edges. Next to it was a Web address. If you punched in that address, you got a fun introduction to one of our Vinland Saga Easter eggs!

Yes, those letters are runes, and yes, we left a space for you to add your name to the book in the ancient Norse script, just like a Viking would! We've already had a few takers, including one for whom this brought back major memories.

Around 10-11 years ago when I was in Primary School (Elementary to you, I think) part of my school's history curriculum was on the Vikings and it was something that I was very fond of and quite fascinated with back then.

I was taken on a school trip to a museum here in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England which I had all but forgotten about until I looked at your 'rune table'. I was suddenly flooded with memories of that day, specifically when we were shown/taught how to write our names using said runes. I remember trying over and over again to make it look perfect and I actually found myself doing the same before I wrote it in the book tonight. I also remember how proud I was with myself showing my work to my mother when I got home and that night and many nights after I was constantly stringing together sentences using the same system, so there's probably boat loads (eyyy!) of scribbles of mine buried away somewhere.

I feel so ridiculously happy with all of the things I'm suddenly remembering and I have goosebumps like a mofo. It's little things like this which make me that much happier about buying manga, so thank you, thank you, thank you x 1,000,000 for what you do and now I'm even more excited to own the rest of Vinland Saga!

So yes, here is my attempt! Competition or not I just think it's bloody brilliant.

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We agree, and we'll be sending you a free copy of Vinland Saga Book Two!

Now that the tag's out of the bag, we're hoping to see a lot more attempts (e-mail them to kodanshacomics@randomhouse.com). But don't worry, we're not giving it all away – this isn't the only extra hidden in the book design. There are more out there for the particularly adventurous… and if you're reading a manga about Vikings, you'd better be adventurous!

Spring 2014 Internship Opening

Random House Publisher Services is seeking a spring intern to assist with the Kodansha Comics manga program. The intern will receive a well-rounded introduction to publishing, including work in editorial, production, marketing/sales processes, and social media. Some responsibilities will include proofreading/editing, database management, art review, data entry, and schedule tracking. There will be numerous administrative duties as well. Students who are familiar with MS Office, FileMaker Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, and Acrobat Pro are preferred. Familiarity with Japanese is helpful, but not required. An interest in manga or comics is required (applications that do not address this will be discarded). This is a non-paid internship. You must be able to receive credit from your school in order to apply for this position. This is an onsite internship in New York City.

 

Please send your resume and cover letter to kodanshacomics[at]randomhouse[dot]com. Application deadline is December 20th.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Needs YOU!

Do you live in or around NYC? Want to support a great cause and get some nifty Kodansha Comics goods? Then head on down to Kinokuniya this Saturday for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s Banned Books Week Membership Drive!

“New York manga fans are invited to celebrate Banned Books Week tomorrow at Kinokuniya Bookstore (across from Bryant Park) where the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund will be holding a membership drive featuring incredible manga gifts including original art from manga-ka, advance copies of new manga, rare Attack on Titan merch, and more! Every year manga is banned and challenged all over the world.  CBLDF is the organization that fights back against censorship.  Come support our important work and meet Executive Director Charles Brownstein to discuss his experiences with manga and doujinshi in Tokyo!

Support your freedom to read manga by joining CBLDF at Kinokuniya this Saturday!  Festivities start at 12PM and run until 4:00!”

Continue reading “The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Needs YOU!”

Vinland Saga 1 Has Arrived!

It’s here! Finally! Vinland Saga 1 by Makoto Yukimura
Out digitally and in print on October 8th, 2013!

FOR HONOR AND VENGEANCE

As a child, Thorfinn sat at the feet of the great Leif Ericson and thrilled to wild tales of a land far to the west. But his youthful fantasies were shattered by a mercenary raid. Raised by the Vikings who murdered his family, Thorfinn became a terrifying warrior, forever seeking to kill the band’s leader, Askeladd, and avenge his father. Sustaining Throfinn through his ordeal are his pride in his family and his dreams of a fertile westward land, a land without war or slavery…the land Leif called Vinland.

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This is our first hardcover release! It has 2 volumes in 1, color pages, and other bonuses*. We’ve put a lot of love into this, so we hope you’ll support our release! More pictures after the cut.

Continue reading “Vinland Saga 1 Has Arrived!”