When Tokyopop filed for bankruptcy in 2011, one of the many titles left in licensing purgatory was Voices of a Distant Star, Mizu Sahara's adaptation of the 2002 Makoto Shinkai film. I had a dim but fond memory of reading Voices -- maybe in 2007? -- so I was delighted to hear … [Read more...]
Manga Prize Fight!
On Monday, the nominees for the 22nd Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize were revealed in Asahi Shimbun. Three titles -- The Promised Neverland, Golden Kamuy, and Arpeggio of Blue Steel -- have already arrived in American bookstores, and it's a sure bet that at least two or three of this … [Read more...]
How Crunchyroll Is Changing the Anime Industry
Last week, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Crunchyroll has paid its Japanese licensing partners over $100 million in royalties since 2008. That number is even more remarkable in light of Crunchyroll’s pirate roots; in 2007, the thought of Crunchyroll forging relationships … [Read more...]
Short Takes: I Hear the Sunspot and She and Her Cat
This week, I'm taking a closer look at two new coming-of-age dramas: I Hear the Sunspot, which focuses on a college student who's going deaf, and She and Her Cat, which focuses on a young woman who's making the transition from full-time student to full-fledged adult. I Hear … [Read more...]
