SAILOR MOON VOLUME 1 GOES BACK FOR SECOND PRINT FOUR WEEKS AFTER RELEASE
Title remains at number one on The New York Times bestseller list for manga for third consecutive week
NEW YORK, NEW YORK (October 15, 2011) – Kodansha USA Publishing is pleased to announce that Sailor Moon volume 1 has sold out in just four weeks, so the company has commissioned a second print run equal to the first, doubling the initial 50,000 copy run and bringing the total to 100,000 copies in print.
Sailor Moon's return to the U.S. market is a clear success, with the first volume currently holding the number one spot on The New York Times bestseller list for the third week in a row. Reviews of the new editions have been stellar as well, with great reviews coming in from all over. Anime News Network raves "This rerelease of Takeuchi's best-loved work is one that many fans have been waiting for...well worth reading," while fans have commented that Sailor Moon is "wonderfully retranslated," "an absolute 100% must buy," and "long awaited and...worth it!"
Codename Sailor V volume 1 has also sold tremendously well, seizing the number two spot on the Times list for two weeks. This two volume series, which has never before been available in the U.S., tells the story of Sailor Venus before she joins the other pretty guardians along with Sailor Moon. Codename Sailor V has been well received, with reviewers calling it "A must buy for Sailor Moon fans," "wonderfully entertaining and a fantastic read," and "It is truly wonderful to have Codename Sailor V available in English."
Sailor Moon volume 2 and Codename Sailor V volume 2 are both due to release on November 15.
KODANSHA COMICS' NEW IPAD APP DEBUTS AT NEW YORK COMIC-CON APP CREATED AND SERVICED BY RANDOM HOUSE PUBLISHER SERVICES
App to launch with $2.99 Fairy Tail promotion in celebration of manga creator New York Comic-Con guest Hiro Mashima
NEW YORK, October 14, 2011 - Kodansha USA Publishing is proud to announce the debut of the Kodansha Comics app, appearing at midnight tonight in the iTunes store. The app was created by Random House, Inc.'s digital content team on behalf of Kodansha, a Random House Publisher Services division client. It will be free to download, with most volumes priced for sale at $4.99. The Kodansha Comics iPad app will launch with 34 books covering four series: Arisa by Natsumi Ando; Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima; Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei by Koji Kumeta; and Until the Full Moon by Sanami Matoh. Additional series will be added to the app in the near future.
In a special launch promotion designed to celebrate the appearance at New York Comic-Con of Fairy Tail creator Hiro Mashima, all fifteen volumes of Fairy Tail will be available at the special price of $2.99 each for a limited time.
Random House, Inc. has been increasing its own focus on the digital world with the acquisition in May of digital media agency Smashing Ideas, as well as with its in-house corporate digital content and services group. With numerous apps and specialized eBooks under their belt, the Random House team was the ideal choice to develop this exciting new app for Kodansha.
Servicing this app is a natural extension of Random House Publisher Services distribution agreement with Kodansha USA Publishing, which covers sales and distribution, and also editorial, production and marketing.
"We're thrilled to have the opportunity to broaden our partnership with Kodansha USA Publishing," said Jeff Abraham, President of Random House Publisher Services. "This is a great example of how RHPS can draw on the larger experience of Random House to create compelling services for our clients. We look forward to implementing app development capabilities for more of our clients."
Kodansha Comics launched its first title, Akira volume 1, in 2009 in partnership with Random House. In 2010, the company hired Random House Publisher Services to coordinate, sell, market and distribute its U.S. publishing program, and the first books debuted in 2011. Kodansha Comics has published many New York Times Graphic Novel bestsellers in recent months, with Naoko Takeuchi's classic Sailor Moon currently holding the number one spot for manga for three weeks in a row.
KODANSHA COMICS ANNOUNCES HAJIME ISAYAMA'S ATTACK ON TITAN AT NEW YORK COMIC-CON
Also reveals Genshiken and Kitchen Princess omnibuses
NEW YORK, October 14, 2011 - Today at New York Comic-Con Kodansha Comics announced three new titles for summer 2012: Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama, Genshiken Omnibus by Kio Shimoku, and Kitchen Princess Omnibus by Natsumi Ando and Miyuki Kobayashi.
Attack on Titan
Humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans. Little is known about where they came from or why they are bent on consuming humanity. Seemingly unintelligent, they have roamed the world killing off humankind for years. For the past century, what's left of mankind has hidden in a giant, three-walled city. People believe their 100-meter-high walls will protect them from the Titans, which are 10 to 20 meters tall. But the sudden appearance of an immense Titan is about to change everything. Attack on Titan is a breakout hit in Japan, where the first five volumes of the series have sold over 5.5 million copies in just 18 months. The series has won multiple manga awards, including Best Shonen Manga of 2010. The first volume releases in June 2012.
Genshiken Omnibus
Welcome to the world of the Genshiken, home of the true otaku - the Japanese term for ubergeek. This is the story of a group of friends who are all members of the most hardcore anime and manga fan club in all of Tokyo - and the girls who love them. Genshiken was very popular during its initial release several years ago, and this edition collects the first three volumes in May 2012.
Kitchen Princess Omnibus
Najika has always known how to cook. She understands food, and how it touches people's hearts. But she herself has always been looking for more. When she was a child, she met a boy who touched her heart, and now Najika has set out to find this boy. The only clue she has is a silver spoon that leads to the prestigious Seika Academy. Fitting in at Seika will be a challenge. Every kid in Najika's class has a special talent, and the girls at the school think Najika's not worthy. But Sora and Daichi, two popular brothers who barely speak to each other, recognize Najika's cooking for what it is -- magical. Is either boy Najika's mysterious prince? Find out by starting with this three-volume collection of one of Kodansha's most popular shojo series in June 2012.
About Kodansha USA Publishing, LLC
Established in New York in 2008, Kodansha USA Publishing (KUP) is a subsidiary of Kodansha, Japan's largest publisher. KUP's first works under the Kodansha Comics imprint were Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira and Masamune Shirow's The Ghost in the Shell. In 2011, KUP is expanding their catalog to include such titles as Negima by Ken Akamatsu, Shugo Chara by PEACH-PIT, and Bloody Monday by Ryou Ryumon and Kouji Megumi. Kodansha Comics is distributed by Random House Publisher Services.