Manga you wish was licensed

[Spark Of Spirit]

I think one of the re-releases (can't remember which) condensed about 2.5 volumes or thereabouts per release. Getting the whole series out in ten volumes like that would be ideal.

And I think that's the key for old releases. Unless you're going the Kickstarter route like Kimagure Orange Road, the only way for the bigger companies to pick up an older series is if they have mainstream attention or are currently relevant for some reason or another.

The other issue is amount of content. There is, for instance, a less than zero chance of ever getting all of Kochikame or Golgo 13 released here even if both got new highly popular anime or movies. A 33 volume series re-released in 11 or 16 volumes, however? That is far more feasible. Just look at the aforementioned KOR or the upcoming release of Dragon Half.

This is why I think if you're looking at possible older series for license rescues these days you have to factor in both visibility and length. If you want something licensed, hope that MAPPA or David is listening to you and are planning to make a new anime. That's really the best shot you have at a new release.

Now if only Sentai would finally reveal their plans for Ushio & Tora. It's been almost two years since they first licensed it after all.

Speaking of which, was the Parasyte manga ever licensed? If not that was a huge missed opportunity.

Parasyte was licensed by Tokyopop back in the mid-90s and they fully released it. It even ran in their Mixxine manga magazine alongside the likes of Sailor Moon and Magic Knight Rayearth, believe it or not. Del Ray acquired it after Tokyo Pop went under in the mid-2000s, and after they went bust Kodansha USA has had it since 2011, so the series has always been in print in the U.S. since the mid-90's.

I completely forgot it was one of those series. But yes, the fact that it got an anime on one of the most popular sources for anime in NA certainly helped its exposure. I would be shocked if sales didn't increase after the anime.

[VLordGTZ]

Dark Horse has confirmed that, after over 3 years, Drifters Volume 4 will finally be released this June.

Now if only we could learn wtf is going on with the final 3 volumes of BBB...

[VLordGTZ]

Seven Seas has licensed To Love Ru and To Love Ru Darkness.

I definitely didn't see this coming, especially due to its length and it being a Shueisha series.  I wonder if this might pave the way for more Shuiesha series to be picked up by other companies.  At the very least, this might lead to Seven Seas picking up Yuna of Yuragi Manor since it was also passed on by Viz due to its sexual content.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Shueisha allows non-Viz companies to touch their stuff. That's how Dark Horse got BBB, after all.

The good news here is that TLR is a Shonen Jump series specifically and not an old one like Kimagure Orange Road. Hopefully this paves the way for other SJ series Viz might not want to put out in the future.

[Spark Of Spirit]

In odder news, Viz has licensed the Splatoon manga.

Gotta say, I didn't see that coming.

[Markness]

Seven Seas has licensed To Love Ru and To Love Ru Darkness.

I definitely didn't see this coming, especially due to its length and it being a Shueisha series.  I wonder if this might pave the way for more Shuiesha series to be picked up by other companies.  At the very least, this might lead to Seven Seas picking up Yuna of Yuragi Manor since it was also passed on by Viz due to its sexual content.

Well, Yen Press does have Soul Eater and Pandora Hearts which are both longer than To Love Ru or are you talking about how both the original manga and its sequel combined?

In odder news, Viz has licensed the Splatoon manga.

Gotta say, I didn't see that coming.

Why's that?

I saw some Japanese tank?bans of Guyver yesterday when I was in Austin but I didn't get them because my funds were low. Once I get my paycheck, I'll definitely get them. They will be the first Japanese volumes of manga I'll have bought.

[VLordGTZ]

Well, Yen Press does have Soul Eater and Pandora Hearts which are both longer than To Love Ru or are you talking about how both the original manga and its sequel combined?

TLR and Darkness are 36 volumes combined which is a pretty big commitment.   That being said, TLR seems to be quite popular in the US, so Seven Seas probably thought it would be justifiable to license both series.

[Markness]

Well, Yen Press does have Soul Eater and Pandora Hearts which are both longer than To Love Ru or are you talking about how both the original manga and its sequel combined?

TLR and Darkness are 36 volumes combined which is a pretty big commitment.   That being said, TLR seems to be quite popular in the US, so Seven Seas probably thought it would be justifiable to license both series.

I never ran into anyone who likes the series in person but the online fandom seems pretty big. I read Black Cat last year and I liked Yabuki's art style so I've been wondering if TLR is as good or not as Black Cat.

I wonder what it would take to get Guyver back in English. A new anime, perhaps? I still want the Japanese copies I saw in Austin although the first two volumes weren't there. The store I saw them just had 3-28, IIRC. I've tried to see if I could find the first two online but I haven't had any luck.

[Spark Of Spirit]

In odder news, Viz has licensed the Splatoon manga.

Gotta say, I didn't see that coming.

Why's that?

Most video game related manga don't make the trip overseas. Not even Super Mario-kun has even been attempted to be licensed before.

That said, it's good to see Viz trying with Splatoon. And just in time for the second game's release.

[VLordGTZ]

I never ran into anyone who likes the series in person but the online fandom seems pretty big. I read Black Cat last year and I liked Yabuki's art style so I've been wondering if TLR is as good or not as Black Cat.

Art-wise, TLR is on par with Black Cat, but the art is far more sexualized to due being an ecchi series.  Personally, while I enjoy what I've read of Black Cat, I don't really care much for TLR (it probably doesn't help that Yabuki doesn't write it).  Now that TLR Darkness is over, I hope Yabuki considers writing his own manga again.  He gets a lot of praise for his art, but his talents as a writer seem to go unappreciated at times.

[Markness]

I never ran into anyone who likes the series in person but the online fandom seems pretty big. I read Black Cat last year and I liked Yabuki's art style so I've been wondering if TLR is as good or not as Black Cat.

Art-wise, TLR is on par with Black Cat, but the art is far more sexualized to due being an ecchi series.  Personally, while I enjoy what I've read of Black Cat, I don't really care much for TLR (it probably doesn't help that Yabuki doesn't write it).  Now that TLR Darkness is over, I hope Yabuki considers writing his own manga again.  He gets a lot of praise for his art, but his talents as a writer seem to go unappreciated at times.

Yeah, I liked both his art and storytelling in Black Cat so it was disheartening to learn that the former is in TLR but the latter isn't there. I may give it a pass since there are other manga I'd rather get and my finances only allow me to get my absolute favorites and new series by my favorite mangaka. I will say My Hero Academia, One Punch Man, Terra Formars, and Murciélago have been exceptions. The first two are pretty popular and I can make some small talk about them if I am asked about them. In the cases of the latter two, something about Terra Formars keeps me interested in it and Murciélago is just so crazy and fun. 

I went back to the store where I saw the Japanese Guyver volumes and bought a good chunk of them. I now officially own some original Japanese manga.

[Avaitor]

I wonder if Viz has interest in Billy Bat. Urasawa seems to be a decent seller stateside, and the series was a hit in Japan, so now that it's over, do you think it'll have a chance of being licensed soon?

I'm still holding out for double-sized rereleases for 20th Century Boys too, as well as Maison Ikkoku.

[Foggle]

I wonder if Viz has interest in Billy Bat.

God I hope so. Haven't caught up with the scanlations in years but it's such a fantastic series.

[VLordGTZ]

I'm doubtful that Viz is capable of licensing Billy Bat since it is a Kodansha published title.  That being said, I'm surprised that Kodansha USA has yet to pick it up since they have licensed far more obscure series.  Maybe they don't want to release it until Master Keaton is done being released by Viz, so that there aren't new releases of two different Urasawa series at the same time.

[Markness]

I also wonder if Kodansha USA will license Hiroki Endo's latest manga, Soft Metal Vampire. They released the first volume of All Rounder Meguru digitally and I didn't see that coming at all, especially since Dark Horse has yet to finish publishing all of Eden It's An Endless World! despite how they claim to love it so much. Kodansha USA are definitely more in the manga game than Dark Horse is as of late. I think they should just drop out of it since they go on abrupt publishing hiatuses and take years to respond to their fans.