Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East Manga Ends in August

The Twitter account for Kadokawa's Emerald Magazine announced on Wednesday that Miyuki Abe's Hakkenden: Tōhō Hakken Ibun manga will end with its 82nd chapter in the summer issue, which comes out in late August.

Abe's manga reimagines the setting from the classic Hakkenden samurai novel as a female-oriented story with supernatural elements. The manga inspired two anime seasons from Studio DEEN in 2013.

Abe launched the manga in Tosuisha's Ichi*Raki magazine in 2005. Abe then switched publishers to Kadokawa Shoten in 2011, and began serializing the manga in the publisher's Ciel magazine. Abe then switched the manga in 2014 to the new Sekaiichi Hatsukoi-inspired Emerald magazine. Kadokawa shipped the 23rd compiled book volume on December 28.

The first 13-episode television anime series adaptation of the manga premiered in Japan in January 2013, and Crunchyroll streamed the series in various countries outside of Japan as it aired. Sentai Filmworks released the first season on home video in May 2014 under the title Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East. The second season premiered in July 2013, and Crunchyroll streamed it as it aired. Sentai Filmworks released the second season on home video in October 2014. The company also released an English dub for the anime.

Source: Emerald Magazine's Twitter account

Tomoko Yamashita's Ikoku Nikki Manga Gets TV Anime

Pony Canyon announced on Friday that Tomoko Yamashita's Ikoku Nikki (Diary of a Strange Land) manga is inspiring a television anime adaptation. The company also revealed a teaser promotional video, a teaser visual, and the show's main staff.

Miyuki Oshiro (episode director for Durarara!!×2 Ketsu, Natsume Yūjin-Chō Go, To Your Eternity) is directing the anime at Shuka. Kohei Kiyasu (Run with the Wind, My Home Hero) is in charge of composition and writing the scripts, Kenji Hayama (Princess Jellyfish, Tiger & Bunny) is designing the characters, and kensuke ushio (Chainsaw Man, A Silent Voice, Heavenly Delusion) is composing the music.

The text in the upper left of the below visual reads, "[She] sleeps in the corner of the throne of a queen of a different country."

The manga centers on 35-year-old novelist Makio Kōdai, and her 15-year-old niece Asa, who live together under one roof. Makio took Asa in on a sudden impulse after Asa's parents, which included Makio's older sister, passed away. The next day, Makio returns to her senses and remembers that she does not do well in the company of other people. So begins their daily life, as Makio attempts to acclimate to a roommate, while Asa attempts to get used to an adult who never acts like one.

Yamashita (The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, Don't Cry Girl, Mo'some Sting) launched the manga in June 2017 in Shodensha's Feel Young magazine, and ended it in June 2023. The manga's 11th and final compiled book volume shipped in August 2023. The manga was nominated for the 28th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize earlier this year. 

The manga also ranked at #5 on the women's list of the 2024 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi!, topped Da Vinci's 23rd annual "Book of the Year" list for manga in December, and was nominated for the 13th Manga Taisho awards in 2020. The manga is inspiring a live-action film adaptation that will premiere in Japanese theaters on June 7.

Sources: Ikoku Nikki anime's website, Comic Natalie

I'll Be With Them Again Today's Nagisa Komugi Launches New Manga

Komugi launched the I'll Be with Them Again Today (Kyō mo Karera no Otonari de) manga in Kodansha's Bessatsu Friend magazine in October 2020, and ended it in October 2022. Kodansha published four compiled book volumes for the manga. Kodansha USA Publishing released all four volumes of the manga in English.

Sources: Komugi Nagisa's Twitter account, Nakayoshi June issue

Viz Media to Release Destroy All Humans. They Can't Be Regenerated. A Magic: The Gathering Manga in Fall

Viz Media announced on Thursday that it will release author Katsura Ise and artist Takuma Yokota's Destroy All Humans. They Can't Be Regenerated. A Magic: The Gathering Manga (Subete no Jinrui o Hakai suru. Sorera wa Saisei Dekinai.) in fall 2024. The manga's physical release will include an exclusive card for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game.

The manga debuted in Kadokawa's Monthly Shōnen Ace magazine in November 2018. Kadokawa published the manga's 15th compiled book volume on April 26. Wizards of the Coast LLC. is credited with cooperation.

The "youth graffiti" manga centers on two people in the 1990s who play the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. Yokota and Ise previously published a one-shot version of the manga in Monthly Shōnen Ace in August 2018.

Magic: The Gathering recently has a current collaboration with Cowboy Bebop. Wizards of the Coast announced a Hatsune Miku collaboration on Monday.

Source: Viz Media's Twitter account

Bakemonogatari Manga Artist 'Oh! great' Launches New Manga

Manga creator Oh! great announced on Tuesday that he will launch a new manga titled Kaijin Fugeki in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine on May 29. A Twitter account for the manga also debuted on the same day.

Oh! great launched a manga adaptation of NisiOisin's Bakemonogatari novels (pictured at right) in Weekly Shōnen Magazine in March 2018, and ended it in March 2023. Kodansha published 22 compiled book volumes for the manga. Vertical / Kodansha USA Publishing is releasing the original novels in English, and began releasing the manga in October 2019. Kodansha USA Publishing released the manga's 21st volume on April 16.

Oh! great is known for creating the series Air Gear, Junk Story - Tetsukuzu Monogatari, and Tenjho Tenge, which all inspired anime. He has also worked on the story and art for numerous manga such as Burn Up!, Five, Himiko-Den, Majin -Devil-, Naked Star, and Silky Whip. Additionally, he worked on end card illustrations for the anime series Arakawa under the Bridge × Bridge and Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, and most recently drew the character designs for the Night Head 2041 anime.

Sources: Oh! great's Twitter account, Kaijin Fugeki's Twitter account

Ema Toyama's Vampire Dormitory Manga Ends in June

The June issue of Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine announced on Thursday that it will publish the final chapter of Ema Toyama's Vampire Dormitory manga on June 3 in the magazine's July issue.

Toyama launched the manga in Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine in November 2018. The manga went on hiatus after its "first part" ended in July 2022, and returned and started its "second part" in December 2022. Kodansha published the manga's 13th compiled volume on March 13.

Kodansha USA Publishing releases the manga in English. It released the 10th volume on June 20 in print, and will release the 11th volume on May 21 digitally and on May 28 in print. The company describes the manga:

BLOOD OVER FLOWERS

Mito has no family to rely on. She lives on the streets, disguised as a boy. Ruka is an otaku vampire interested only in 2D girls. After Ruka saves Mito from a perilous situation, he makes her an offer: "Become my subservient thrall and let me drink your blood whenever I wish! In return, you can live with me—in the boys' dorm!" But to stay with him, Mito must hide the fact that she's a girl. Every day is a new danger—to say nothing of that bloodthirsty vampire!

The manga inspired a television anime that debuted on TOKYO MX and BS Nippon TV on April 7 at 11:30 p.m. JST. It also began running on AT-X from April 8 and on MBS from April 9. Crunchyroll is streaming the anime in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, the CIS, and India.

Toyama launched her award-winning Missions of Love (Watashi ni xx Shinasai!) romantic comedy manga in Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine in 2009 and ended it in June 2015. She published a sequel manga titled Watashi ni xx Shinasai! Couple-hen (Missions of Love - Couple Arc) in Nakayoshi from March to June 2018.

Most recently, Toyama launched the Majo Maid wa Joō no Himitsu o Shitteiru. (The Witch Maid Knows the Queen's Secret) manga in Nakayoshi magazine in December 2022.

Kodansha Comics also released or is releasing Toyama's I Guess I Became the Mother of the Great Demon King's 10 Children, Aoba-kun's Confessions, Manga Dogs, I Am Here!, and Shugo Chara-chan! manga. Tokyopop previously published Toyama's Pixie Pop: Gokkun Pucho manga.

Source: Nakayoshi magazine June issue

Minoji Kurata's The Apothecary Diaries Manga Adaptation Goes on Hiatus After Artist Gives Birth

Shogakukan's Sunday Webry manga website announced on Monday that Minoji Kurata's Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Mao Mao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō (The Apothecary Diaries ~The Palace Cloister Mystery-Solving Notebook of Mao Mao~) manga — an adaptation of Natsu Hyūga's The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) light novel series — will go on hiatus to take a childcare leave, after giving birth in January. Kurata plans to resume the manga this summer.

Kurata launched the manga in Shogakukan's Monthly Sunday GX magazine in August 2017. Sunday Webry started publishing the manga online in December 2018. Shogakukan published the manga's first compiled book volume in February 2018, and the 18th volume on March 19. Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Mao Mao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō is a separate manga adaptation of the original light novel series from Nekokurage's manga adaptation titled The Apothecary Diaries.

Nekokurage's The Apothecary Diaries manga adaptation launched in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine in May 2017. Square Enix published the manga's 13th compiled book volume on March 25. Square Enix Manga publishes the series in English.

Natsu Hyūga began serializing the original story on the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in October 2011. Shufunotomo began publishing the novels in print volume with illustrations by Touko Shino in August 2014.

J-Novel Club publishes the novel series digitally and describes the story:

In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there. Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That's her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao's façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor's favorite consort... so she can taste the lady's food for poison!

The light novel series inspired an anime that premiered on October 21 with the first three episodes, and aired for two cours (quarters of a year). Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan and is also streaming an English dub. The anime is getting a second season in 2025.

Source: Sunday Webry via Yaraon!