Tanoshimi Press Arrives

Written by Ross Locksley on 02 Aug 2006

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Some time ago, I wrote a brief history of the popularity of manga for Sony. The figures really are staggering, and the phenomenon has spread rapidly around the globe. With the UK now catching up with the rest of Europe, sales have proven strong enough to introduce a new player: Tanoshimi manga.

The label, which will be printing Del Rey’s Stateside catalogue of titles, looks set to hit the market with a bang. The website is already live (www.tanoshimi.tv) and the launch titles themselves are strong. The press pack sent to UKA included 3 volumes of Clamp’s Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE and 3 of Ken Akamatsu’s Negima, both of which are, deservedly, fan favourites.

So, more titles are always a good thing, but what can we expect from Tanoshimi that another publisher couldn’t deliver? Simply put, attention to detail is Tanoshimi’s strength, and for those looking for accurate translation and intensive liner notes at the end of each volume, look no further.

With notes outlining cultural references, traditions and character information, the books are never short on detail and as such make for interesting reading, as well as a font of knowledge for those fans that love the Japanese culture as a whole.

The initial titles appear to be spread across a number of audiences. With Studio Clamp’s universal appeal to male and female audiences, crossover titles Tsubasa and xxxHolic should sell strongly. Titles such as Airgear and Ghost Hunt are more male-focussed, but the girls aren’t left standing – Guru Guru Pon-Chan, winner of the Kodansha manga of the Year award, levels the playing field nicely. For a full list of the launch titles, look at our news section, which provides a synopsis and a shot of the cover.

So, a strong line up of titles and quality product, but can the UK really sustain a company that’s releasing no less than 15 books on launch day? It remains to be seen if the UK market can empty the shelves fast enough to keep the publishers afloat. With Tokyopop the first to really push extensively into the UK market, with a strong presence at conventions and events such as London Expo, can we be too well served? Only time will tell, but by the looks of things competition is about to get heated!

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