Japan

topTokoToko Editor's Misc. Note, a blog run by a female manga editor who has been in the business for over 15 years, has posted a multi-part article titled "The Reason I Quit as a Manga Editor." Below is a translation of the fifth and final part of the article:

The Reason I Quit My Job as a Manga Editor Part V

So, I quit as a manga editor and became a professional editor. Just as my trial period at the professional job was up, I was accepted as a contracted employee at the company I'm with now. I was skeptical about the "contract" bit, but it did mean my pay would go up, so I went for the cash.

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topComic Market, or Comiket, is the world's largest comic convention where fans gather to buy and sell doujinshi comics, games, etc.

The event takes place twice a year. The latest one, Comiket 73, took place from 12/28 - 12/31. Below is a round up of some of the English coverages from around the internet:

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Oricon has posted the 2007 Japan Book of the Year rankings, based on sales data collected between 1/1/2007 - 12/10/2007 from 674 stores of 6 retail chains around Japan. Below is the manga top 10:

  1. One Piece (46)
  2. Nana (18)
  3. Nodame Cantabile (17)
  4. Naruto (37)
  5. Fullmetal Alchemist (17)
  6. Hunter X Hunter (24)
  7. Bleach (28)
  8. D.Gray-man (10)
  9. Katekyo Hitman Reborn! (13)
  10. Gintama (17)

The Daily Yomiuri reports that Tokyo University Hospital in Bunkyo Ward has been asked to act as a consultant for Yakitate!! Japan creator Takashi Hashiguchi's new medical manga, Saijo no Meii (The Best Skilled Surgeon), which is currently serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday. This is the first time a hospital has acted as a consultant for a manga:

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topMakoto Raiku's Konjiki no Gash!! (Zatch Bell!; ???????????????????????????), is coming to an end in Shogakukan's Weekly Shounen Sunday No.4-5 (12/26). Also, there will be a big announcement regarding Takashi Shiina's Zettai Karen Children in Weekly Shounen Sunday No.6 (1/9).

A one-shot titled Urooboe Uroboros (?????????????????????????????????) by Ishin Nishio (story) and Death Note artist Takeshi Obata will appear in Shueisha's Weekly Shounen Jump No.6-7 (1/4). Also, a one-shot titled OBAKE LIFE by Ichirou Takahashi (mangaka of Volleyball Tsukai Gouda Gou) will appear in Weekly Jump No.8 (1/21).

Three new series are starting in the February issue of Kadokawa Shoten's Comp Ace, one of them will be Kara no Kyoukai Comic A La Carte (???????????????????????????????????????), written by Type-Moon's Kinoko Nasu.

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Pachinko Vista is reporting that in 2007, Japan saw an increase in manga "tie-in" pachinko machines appeared in Japan. With around 140 machines, more than 1/4 of which are new machines, 55 of them are manga/anime related.

The machines are targeted at people from different generations, utilizing old titles such as Samurai Giants, Star Blazers, Tatter-man and more recent series like Basilisk and GTO. Some even became hit machines, such as Evangelion.

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From the Yaoi Press blog comes pictures of the Yaoi Parasol, which will make its debut at Ohayocon, taking place January 4, 5 and 6, 2008.

topUltimatum Tidbits reports that Nihon Bungeisha's Manga Goraku Nexter will be going on hiatus after its February issue (12/26).

Of the series currently being serialized in the magazine, Watanabe Michio's Hakuryuu (White Dragon; ??????) (story: Tennoji Dai) will be remade as a new series titled Hakuryuu Legend (??????LEGEND) in the 1/11-18 issue of Weekly Manga Goraku (12/27).

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topMagazine Data 2007, the 2007 edition of the Japan Magazine Publishers Association (JMPA)'s guide guide ti Japanese magazines, was released at the end of November.

The data book comes with data on 436 magazines from 57 publishing companies in Japan. The guide lists each magazine's format, forms of publication, dates, price and more, with each magazine categorized by genre. Moreover, each entry includes a brief description of the magazine from its Editor-in-Chief.

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ANN is reporting that a German company called Schwarzkopf & Henkel is using manga characters from Hiroshi Takahashi's Crows and Worst to promote its latest hair coloring product in Japan:

The new lineup will include more unusual colors: beige, ash, gray, blonde, khaki (greenish tint), and blood (reddish tint). The price for each color will be about 700 yen (US$6.00), and the new lineup will be launched on February 4.