Manga you wish was licensed

[Spark Of Spirit]

Awesome news. I'd still like to see his Sunday works licensed, but this is still really cool.

[VLordGTZ]

DMP has launched a Kickstarter to re-translate and release Kimagure Orange Road in print.

The initial goal is $34,900 for a single omnibus that covers the volumes 1-3, and the remaining omnibus volumes are stretch goals.

[Spark Of Spirit]

DMP has launched a Kickstarter to re-translate and release Kimagure Orange Road in print.

The initial goal is $34,900 for a single omnibus that covers the volumes 1-3, and the remaining omnibus volumes are stretch goals.

Well, Escaflowne just ended and I'm back in the deep end again.

[Spark Of Spirit]

DMP has launched a Kickstarter to re-translate and release Kimagure Orange Road in print.

The initial goal is $34,900 for a single omnibus that covers the volumes 1-3, and the remaining omnibus volumes are stretch goals.

It's funded for the base goal of volume 1.

Now for the real challenge.

[Avaitor]

Hey Spark, which level did you reach? I'm thinking of going for Ditzy Hikaru when I get my paycheck next week.

I've been looking up Kimagure Orange Road, and it sounds like something I'd enjoy, so I'm glad to help out.

[Spark Of Spirit]

"Ditzy Hikaru" was the one I backed. The Canadian shipping is a bit rough, so I'm hoping we reach more volumes to make the shipping worth it.

[Spark Of Spirit]

And since they're screwing me by making me pay an additional $15 on each volume instead of total, I'm dropping out. I want to support this, but this is not worth it for me.

[Markness]

I wonder if/when Kodansha USA will release Gunnm/Battle Angel Alita Martian Chronicles. I love Gunnm/BAA and I don't want it to disappear from North America.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I listed some series I'd like to see licensed earlier, but not a proper Top Ten. So here's fifteen, instead. This is what I'd be most interested in being licensed whether for physical or digital release.


1. Ushio & Tora



The one everyone saw coming. I would pre-order and buy physical copies of every volume of this series. A series that never got a shot over here despite really deserving the chance and is currently running an excellent anime that has left me begging for more, this was one of the most important series of the 90s and it is a shame that we never got to experience it before. I don't buy many series in physical form, but I would certainly grab this one without question.


2. Karakuri Circus



Yes, my second most wanted series is one by the same author of the first, but there is a reason for that. From what I've read, Karakuri Circus is much more ambitious and epic in scope than Ushio & Tora is, showing that Fujita didn't wish to repeat himself. Even reading the first chapter you get a sense he was trying for something else. This is also his longest series at 43 volumes (23 in re-release form pictured above) which has divided a lot of people who couldn't quite get where it was going. That said, I would be more than willing to give it a shot.


3. Rokudenashi Blues



This is pretty high, yeah. There are a few reasons for this. The first is that I like delinquent manga about rough protagonists that show there is more to them than meets the eye, and this is apparently the standard for those. Everything I have seen about this makes it seem right up my alley, but delinquent stuff usually isn't brought over here all that much unless it is a parody or some such. The second reason I'm interested is that it is also has boxing in it, which leads to my next entry . . .


4. Ashita no Joe



It's only not #1 because I'm pretty certain this will get licensed someday, but until then I can't let it fall too far. I've seen many write-ups (including here) on this series that excite me a good deal, and I've been chomping at the bit to get at it. What's to say that hasn't been written about a hundred times? This is a classic and absolutely should be licensed over here.


5. Urusei Yatsura



I've never been the biggest Takahashi fan, though I really enjoy her pre-Ranma works. I'm very familiar with Maison Ikkoku and Inuyasha, and Mermaid Saga is it's own thing that I'm in the know of, but this is probably still the work over here that should have more attention yet doesn't and it's the one I'm the least familiar with. The chances of this getting a physical release is probably lower than it should be, but, hey, there's always a chance.


6. Kyo Kara Ore Wa!!



Once again, one of the most popular delinquent manga that happens to be a comedy. It's also really long at 38 volumes (19 re-release) so that is probably a sticking point for this series. That said, I know there was a lot of crap stuff back in the '90s in regards to delinquent stuff, sadly, most of which actually WAS licensed over here instead, but this is one of the highest selling ones and was popular enough to get a re-issue. If there is a more lighthearted delinquent manga to be licensed, I would hope it is this one.


7. Moonlight Act



Kazuhiro Fujita's third series, this one apparently based on fairy tales, unfortunately there isn't much about it out there. It lasted 29 volumes and only ended two years ago, so it might have a chance of release over here sooner than later. But again, I'm willing to give him a chance yet again for another series that never got a shot of release over here.


8. Ring ni Kakero



Kurumada's stuff has always been odd, but this one might take the cake. That said, everything I've seen about this series makes it seem much different even from shonen that's out there now so many years later. It's got nowhere near the worldwide appeal of Saint Seiya, but it does have a chance to reach a strong audience of its own. I do hope it is given a shot one day.


9. Rookies



By the same creator of Rokudenashi Blues, Rookies is a bit more straightforward of a concept about a teacher who tries to get the best out of his students and help get their team to Koshien. But considering the talent behind this, I would certainly be interested in giving this a real shot. Despite its premise, it does seem odd that this was never licensed before over here, it's not even that long at 24 volumes. Well, maybe he'll get a shot in the future.


10. Souboutei Must Be Destroyed



Yes, it just came out. I don't care. I want Viz to get a jump on it and simul-pub it right now. I don't want Fujita's release record over here to be 0/4 for his long running series. Even the scan groups are ignoring this series. I don't want it to fall off the map so quick when what little I've seen of it looks really good.


11. City Hunter



City Hunter is a series that needs no introduction despite the fact that it has consistently gotten a raw deal here in NA. Despite all of that, it is still one of Jump's most popular series and well known to most anime and manga fans. If the series was even given the shot it deserved, I'd definitely give it a real shot since I've enjoyed the bit of anime I've seen of it.


12. Hono no Tenkosei



This is the shortest series on here with 12 volumes (6 re-release) that is probably not too well known. It's sort of a parody of Ashita no Joe, part comedy and part action. This is also the man behind the Skull Man manga, which is decidedly different from this, but shows there's a lot of talent here. Truthfully, this is the series on this list I expect to be licensed the least.


13. Ghost Sweeper Mikami



He'll probably always be known for Zettai Karen Children, but I've always been more interested in his earlier series. ZKC's main weakness has been that Shiina is far better at standalone serial stories than ongoing narratives and apparently that is all GSM consists off which means this would probably be a very fun read. It had a pretty popular anime a while back, but that was long ago. It's chance of release now is pretty low.


14. Hareluya II Boy



He's probably more well known for Bremen these days, but this series was essentially Gintama before there was a Gintama. A rag tag bunch of misfits for hire leads to a lot of drama and wacky hi-jinks. Not to mention fighting with a frying pan. Basically, it's just a lot of fun. It's just a shame this one is so obscure nowadays (even though it had an anime!) that it really has no chance of being licensed.


15. Outer Zone



Very much inspired by the Twilight Zone and Tales From the Crypt, this is a manga version of an anthology show. It was fairly well-liked in Japan, running 15 volumes during Shonen Jump's Golden Age era, and even had spin-offs of its own. That said, it sure would be nice for it to have a real shot over here even if only digitally. Surely there is an audience for something like this out there.


Phew, that took a bit. What about you guys? Any hard to find stuff you'd like to see released over here?

[VLordGTZ]

Under the request of Izumi Matsumoto, DMP is ditching the additional stretch goals and making all of the remaining KOR omnibus volumes available at once.

[gunswordfist]

Good list. I'd love to start on Fujita's work.

[VLordGTZ]

Yeah, nice list Spark! 

The manga I'd most want to see licensed would probably be these:
15. Neuro: Supernatural Detective
14. Jumbor
13. The Disaster of Psi Kusuo Saiki
12. Kochikame
11. Kindaichi Case Files
10. Aozora Yell
9. Hell Teacher Nube
8. Rokudenashi Blues
7. Yaiba
6. Cobra
5. Ring ni Kakero and Fuma no Kojiro
4. Any of Kazuhiro Fujita's major works
3. Any of Ikki Kajiwara's major works   
2. Urusei Yatsura
1. Silver Spoon

[Spark Of Spirit]

Good choices yourself.

Disaster apparently has a big announcement in the next issue. If it's an anime, I'd guess its chances of release will shoot far up. Kazune Kuwahara is probably one of the best writers of shojo around, so I definitely wouldn't turn more of her work down. I've never read Jumbor, but it sounds pretty interesting.

Only ones I doubt are Kochikame and Kindaichi simply for insane length. Though in Kindaichi's case they could always focus on the original series and in Kochikame's case they could always do a best of release. As for similar series, I always wondered about Gimmick! since the original writer for Kindaichi wrote it.

[VLordGTZ]

Crunchyroll is removing several small manga titles on May 19th, including four manga by Takao Saito (Doll: The Hotel Detective, Barom One, Japan Sinks, and The Shadowman).

Crunchy seems to be the only site (both legal or not) that has these, so I'd suggest checking them out asap if you're interested in reading Saito's non-Golgo 13 works.

Also, the KOR Kickstarter has reached all its stretch goals!

[Spark Of Spirit]

Kimagure Orange Road has been completely funded with the end of the campaign.

Here's hoping other companies take notice. Though I do hope they run the actual campaign a little better if they do.