Manga the week of 4/13

The Diamond/Tokyopop crisis appears to be mostly over, as the majority of April’s TP titles ship next week. I say ‘mostly over’ as there are still three volumes not in this batch. But hey, they’re trying harder. :)

So what is Tokyopop giving us? Two shoujo series wrap up, both now slightly more expensive ($12.99), which is Tokyopop’s new code for ‘poor seller’. They need more love! Karakuri Odette was the topic of a recent MMF, and Volume 6 is its final volume. And NG Life, with its past life shenanigans, wraps up here at Volume 9.

Speaking of shoujo, we get a new volume of the romantic ninja thriller Shinobi Life, and a new volume of Silver Diamond, which falls into what I call the ‘shoujo-ish’ genre – it’s in IchiRaci, which is technically shoujo, but leans very heavy on the BL wall.

Lastly, we have new volumes of the psychological thriller (or is that just psycho?) Future Diary, and the 4-koma strangeness of Neko Ramen.

Meanwhile, at Viz, we have… (cough)… you may want to cover your ears…

EXCEL SAGA 22!!!!!! HAIL IL PALAZZO!!!!!

Yes, that’s right, it may be down to an annual release, but it is still coming out, and this is the week! I have heard this volume features lots of Excel being fantastic (for those who wants strong female leads, there’s plenty here), and is highly recommended for anyone in the entire universe, even one-celled organisms. Who can afford it.

In releases that aren’t Excel Saga, there’s a new Cross Game omnibus, which I would be pimping much harder if it weren’t Excel Saga week. Everyone seems to enjoy Adachi’s slice-of-baseball manga. It’s clearly Shonen Sunday week, as we also get new volumes of Detective Conan… um, sorry, Case Closed; Itsuwaribito; and Hyde & Closer. And Kekkaishi hits that cherished slot for shonen volumes, the big 2-5! Yes, 25 volumes! No wonder it’s going omnibus. There’s also the 6th volume os supernatural shoujo Natsume’s Book of Friends, which some folks may have gotten this week already.

So, aside from Excel Saga, of course, what interests you?