flemmings | Sekinin wo toranakucha...

There's a new manga store on Bloor near Spadina where the used CD place was. I only realized it *was* a manga store because I caught a glimpse of a Full Metal Alchemist cover in the window and wondered vaguely if the used CD place was now dealing in used DVDs as well and if so did I want to buy the series, and wandered in. Having ascertained what it was- a store with translated manga- I briefly checked out the shelves, to find manga divided into 'action adventure' (meaning shounen), 'romance' (meaning shoujo) and...

'yaoi.'

Someone please tell me this isn't all our fault? That someone else would have invented an Aestheticism-type zine if Fearless Leader hadn't? That yaoi was just waiting to invade the happy shores of America and would have invaded anyway without our kind promotion of it? Somebody? Anybody? Bueller?

FTR their 'yaoi' means 'shoujo, dammit, because YnM is *not* yaoi; and neither is Count Cain, while we're at it.' I know they have to call it something and I know they can't call it BL. But. But. But.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Welcome to the modern world of English language manga marketing.

The modern world needs to get its facts straight. There was a recent article in the nat'l paper about a Russian-born Canada-domiciled cartoon artist whose 'manga' (their word) have been published in several languages including Japanese. Fine, she draws Japanese style rather than western, I'll call it manga too. But: 'She was first inspired to draw in manga format by a Japanese manga called Elfquest...' Headdesk, as they say on the wank communities.

The modern world needs to get its facts straight.

I strongly suspect that that will never happen. The terminology has taken on a life of it's own and, if anything, is at the beck and call of the squeeling amorphous fangurl market.

Personally, I've crawled into a cave and am never coming out again. :-)

Ooh! I'll have to go take a look (although I guess buying things right before hitting Anime North's dealers' room might not be a great idea). How were the prices?

Possibly because it's just opened, they were selling for the US cover price. So 7.95 for a manga instead of the usual 11.95 is it? No idea how long the special will continue. OTOH The Beguiling on Markham past Bathurst regularly gives you actual exchange rate prices rather than the printed cover prices, so if you're in mid-town and buying, possibly better to go there.

I'm torn--I think most dealers at AN were giving US cover price last year, or a flat $10/book. But the Del Rey stuff never seemed to fall into those categories, so maybe I should see if I can get a deal on those elsewhere. (Reason #53 or so why I wish we were sticking around after the con instead of coming up a week early. >.<) Decisions, decisions.

Are you going to be at AN, by any chance?

Del Ray? Translations? What of? I could pick you up whatever if you don't have time to get down here; I intend to get the next two FMAs after where my tankoubon stop (and my tanks stopped a good two years ago, I believe, which is pretty bad for a translation lag. Even Bleach is caught up to where the Japanese releases were last November.)

No, sorry. AN happens at the ends of beyond, I believe, somewhere near the airport is it? and transit to the ends of beyond is a drag. Cons aren't really my thing anyway: I find them generally young fan-, anime- and English-oriented, and I'm none of those.

xxx-HOLIC is the main Del Rey title I'm thinking of (since I've heard that their Ghost Hunt translation gets wonky after the first few books), but I might also pick up more Eternal Sabbath. But I think I'll be around there sometime during the week--I'll definitely be in Chinatown at couple of times. (Thank you, though!)

Yeah, AN's way out at the airport. It's a pain. *wry* I actually do hardly anything in terms of actual con activities, esp. since this year I'm not doing any panels other than the Fanboys performance. Every year I mean to do more con stuff, but then I get sidetracked by hanging out with the couple dozen people I never see any other time. ^^

I'll definitely be in Chinatown at couple of times.

If you're going to Kikiwai for the manga--- go anywhere else, is all I'm saying. This place, the Beguiling: they're both cheaper. /And/ on the subway.

Seeing friends is the only reason to go to cons, by me.

Do the other stores have the Japanese editions? ^^

*OH* well. If you're going for the Japanese versions, then no. But Kikiwai has progressively fewer Japanese versions available, I note disapprovingly, and their markup is such that if I were looking at buying more than 3 or 4 of a manga, I'd suck up amazon.jp's shipping charges and go that route instead. It'd be miles cheaper for some things.

Kikiwai's pricing keeps me from getting anything domestic there, for sure. I'm mostly just looking for the last two Japanese volumes of Fruits Basket there (it's the only thing I collect in Japanese, since I can't actually read it), and I'll probably eye the swag and not get any of it. ^^

Sekinin wo toranakucha...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject