Friday, December 23rd, 2011
With the year quickly coming to a close and with many gift lists still far from completion, Vertical has one last treat for readers, just in time for the holidays: Tadashi Agi’s The Drops of God, Volume 2. And while this choice may come as a surprise for those who may have doubts about giving a comic this year, we’d like to suggest readers take a minute to read what the media has to say about one of the hottest comics in the market today.
Praise for The Drops of God:
“A manga with a brilliantly simple premise — two sons must compete in a wine-tasting competition to win ownership of their father’s huge wine collection — executed with great wit and style.”
—NPR
“My favorite wine book of 2011 is a graphic novel. Pick up the first volume at your sleep’s peril. It’s a one-nighter, a wine tale that is equal parts coming-of-age, love and detective stories. Along its nervy way, it nonetheless plainly explains various wines, wine talk and the how-to of wine tasting…You’ll be drunk with anticipation, not only as the story unfolds in the first volume, but for the next printings too.”
—The Chicago Tribune
“Absolute page-turner… It’s the sweeping two-page illustrations of taste-transporting moments (a shirt-tearing jam by rock band Queen, a maiden fleeing through strawberry fields) that better capture wine’s great allure than a thousand dry scribblings on history and weather conditions.”
—Time Out New York
“Following the recipe of many graphic novels, Drops is filled with adventure, betrayal, family secrets and a pinch of sexual tension.”
—The Daily (Wall Street Journal)
“Visually stunning and effortlessly entertaining… To top it off, reading Drops is a trippy literary experience… Don’t be surprised if you crush this book in one night. It’s pretty impossible to put down once you pick it up.”
—Bottlenotes (The Daily Sip)
So instead of panicking over that perfect present for that special someone in your life, why not leave it to Vertical? Pick up a copy of Tadashi Agi’s The Drops of God, head on over to the new Drops of God website for a wine recommendation or two, and let Santa take care of the rest. Nothing says Christmas like a little red and white, and The Drops of God will let you know which ones will keep your loved ones warmest this winter!
Tags: agi, drops, god, manga, okimoto, shu, shu okimoto, tadashi, tadashi agi, the drops of god, wine
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Friday, December 9th, 2011
With the holidays and the new year fast approaching people, everywhere are looking back not only on 2011 but generations ago to recall fond memories of years past. Whether re-watching classic films like A Christmas Story or A Miracle on 34th Street, or getting reacquainted with holiday songs from Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole, this time of year tends to evoke a yearning for familiar feelings of family and feasts.
This winter Vertical wishes to inspire a similar experience with its readers through two distinctly unique comic classics. One is a classic in the traditional sense, while another revives a work from generations past.
With the final volume of Princess Knight, comic fans can experience a world of shojo (girls) comics long forgotten. Osamu Tezuka originally penned this classic girls adventure in the 50′s and the series immediately made an impact on the shojo market. One of Tezuka’s most beloved tales, Princess Knight emotes Disney-esque adventure that should make the perfect gift for the comics fan young and old.
While not as light and warm-hearted as Princess Knight, Usamaru Furuya’s No Longer Human is a modern-day classic overflowing with passion. Drawn with amazing detail Furuya’s adaptation of Osamu Dazai’s classic novel makes this work accessible to today’s increasingly global audience.
So as readers work on their holiday gift lists this December, we would like to recommend these two timeless treasures which are certain to be enjoyed over and over for many years to come.
Tags: manga, no longer human, osamu tezuka, princess knight, seinen, shojo, usamaru furuya
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Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
The twentieth century saw a number of internationally-recognized and noteworthy Japanese prose authors; Oe, Mishima and Murakami come to mind. Meanwhile, quietly, Osamu Dazai’s first-person tales of pessimism and distrust continue to resonate with Japan decades after the author’s tragic death.
Few comickers have captured the respect and curiousity of a nation in the twenty-first century like Usamaru Furuya. His rich visuals overflow with emotion and narrative allowing him to render any genre from comedy to psycho-horror effortlessly, making Furuya a magician with pen and paper.
In Vertical’s most recent release these two talents come together to take on one of Japanese literature’s most beloved works, No Longer Human. Furuya tackles this classic “I novel” by resetting it in modern-day Tokyo, a vice-fueled megalopolis where it is almost impossble to avoid today’s opiates. By taking Dazai’s place as the narrator, Furuya, known as something of a comedian in his own right, reveals a new side as a story-teller as he guides readers through the life of a young clown named Yozo Oba. Drawn vividly by Furuya, everyday life becomes a fascinating nightmare full of self-loathing, alcohol abuse, and suicidal tendencies. And with every new twist, we believe that readers, like the narrator, will be drawn in deeper towards the dark side of Vertical’s seinen comic revolution.
Tags: dazai, furuya, graphic novel, human, longer, manga, no, no longer human, osamu, osamu dazai, usamaru, usamaru furuya
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Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
There are many reasons why the Japanese comic industry makes up such a large part of that nation’s publishing, and media market in general. However, one fact that sets it apart from comics globally is manga’s willingness to create narratives based on the most mundane topics. While adventures may be common in Belgian cartoons and superheroes dominate most American comics, the Japanese mix in tales of wine and felines with their ninja and giant robot stories.
This week Vertical continues to challenge the North American comic scene by releasing two titles from the extremes of manga. Originating from the same anthology, Tadashi Agi’s The Drops of God and Konami Kanata’s Chi’s Sweet Home exemplify manga’s diversity as well as its potential, as both have taken the world by storm in their own unique ways.
The Drops of God became a global phenomenon a few years back as it taught a large portion of the Far East the virtues of wine. No longer was wine a simple status symbol for the elite; through Shu Okimoto’s rich visuals, Burgundy and Bordeaux were now nearly as accessible as soju and beer. A multi-million seller overseas, The Drops of God is already a media darling in the U.S. and is primed to change comics culture here forever.
Konami Kanata’s Chi’s Sweet Home, now in its seventh volume, has become a sensation for a different reason. A multiple New York Times Best Seller, the adventures of an American Shorthair and her extended human family has captured the hearts of Americans through pure cuteness. Appreciated by kids of all ages, this comic has brought new life to a medium skeptics thought was on the decline.
So as these books find their way from bookshelves and warehouses to homes across the globe, why not raise a glass high to Vertical manga-tastemakers and trail-blazers of Japanese comics of the highest quality?
Tags: cats, chi's sweet home, konami kanata, manga, pets, shu okimoto, tadashi agi, the drops of god, wine
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Tuesday, September 20th, 2011
Pick up a paper or flip on the TV: there is no escaping our growing obsession with celebrity. In the age of the internet, those moments in the spotlight may appear to shine less brightly, yet communities such as YouTube, FaceBook and Twitter are flourishing while they provide netizens unlimited opportunities to achieve their fifteen minutes of fame.
In Osamu Tezuka’s The Book of Human Insects, the godfather of Japanese comics forecasts this bug-eat-bug world back when radio and evening edition papers were still the driving force of media. And he accomplishes this by introducing readers to one of his more compelling female leads, Toshiko Tomura. A character who could put most modern day idols to shame, this young woman will plagiarize, blackmail, and conspire in her relentless quest for success and public adoration.
Originally published in the 1970s, this graphic novel resonates even more powerfully today, as reality shows, tabloids, and gossip blogs feed our shortened attention spans. Now available for the first time in English, and packaged beautifully by Peter Mendelsund, The Book of Human Insects is primed to make headlines. Whether inspired by Tezuka’s iconic visual imagery or shocked by the lengths to which his Toshiko will go for fame, Human Insects will have readers dropping the clicker and their mice in favor of a classic that is far more provocative.
Tags: graphic novel, hardcover, human metamorphosis, manga, osamu tezuka, the book of human insects
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Tuesday, August 30th, 2011
At a time when tales of the occult and zombie properties have sent North America’s collective cultural pulse racing with bone-chilling imagery and the hope for heroism in fictional apocalypses, Vertical’s latest release is poised to titillate and stimulate thought from even the most grizzled horror fan. Jiro Matsumoto’s Velveteen & Mandala may feature an abundance of walking dead characters, but at its core is a fantastic tale of teen angst and loneliness.
Set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, Matsumoto’s English-language debut re-invents the girls-with-guns genre by turning its focus to the day-to-day lives of its violent teens. What is revealed is something all too familiar…an abundance of pop culture references, pent-up sexual anxiety, a disconnection with the adult world and enough frustration to destroy at least one megalopolis. Armed with enough firepower to take on NATO forces, the titular characters in this one-volume comic may have to worry about the living far more than the undead.
Beautifully penned and thoughtfully scripted, V&M is already gaining critical acclaim by the subculture elite as it has added a refreshing new twist to the horror genre while firmly placing Matsumoto’s mark on the global comics scene. So while recommending this to all readers eighteen and up is a no-brainer, those looking for comics with soul will find that this book may rock the very foundations of their entertainment needs, potentially forcing them to wander through bookstore aisles in search of other equally strong works to satiate their hunger for challenging seinen (men’s comics).
Tags: jiro matsumoto, mandala, manga, seinen, velveteen, velveteen & mandala, velveteen and mandala
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Thursday, May 5th, 2011
With summer vacation only weeks away for many teens across the country fireworks and beaches are on the minds of many. And even with the pressures of a country on their backs, the same can be said for the teens in Kou Yaginuma’s Twin Spica.
In this seventh volume of Twin Spica, at a time when the pressures of school appeared to be at their least strenuous, the gravity of the past pushes one finalist to the brink. An unexpected revelation and some time in solitary confinement opens the floodgates to doubt and desperation as the Tokyo Space School challenges Asumi and her classmates with what may be its ultimate test.
“Twin Spica is a wonderful appearance-of-age tale about people dedicated to something superior than themselves. The characters get richer and more complex as the tale develops. Along with Asumi, our vision of the world she lives in expands, too.” —Manga Village
Tags: kou yaginuma, manga, twin spica
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Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
While Vertical has had its share of stellar comic properties in the company’s eight years of publishing, what’s been unique is a week like this where two prime-time titles land on bookshelves together with as much fanfare.
Fresh off an Eisner Award nomination, Nobuaki Tadano’s debut 7 Billion Needles comes to a dramatic conclusion this week. While there was no doubt that 7 Billion Needles was the sleeper hit of 2010 amongst manga circles, Tadano’s adaptation of Hal Clement’s classic equally captured the attention of the comics industry as his young heroine Hikaru has quickly emerged as the new face of Japanese science fiction.
Also debuting this week is Usamaru Furuya’s tragic masterpiece Lychee Light Club. Inspired by a stage performance by the same name, Furuya brilliantly melds visual humor with shockingly detailed panels to revive this deus ex machina tale for the twenty-first century. Lychee Light Club is often viewed as Furuya’s magnum opus, and it is for this work that he was selected as one of the guests of honor at this year’s Toronto Comics Art Festival.
Join Vertical along manga’s red carpet by picking up your copies of these acclaimed titles today. Our stars of manga await.
Tags: 7 billion needles, lychee light club, manga, nobuaki tadano, sci-fi, usamaru furuya
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Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
At the halfway point through our release of Kou Yaginuma’s highly-regarded debut series, we ask readers to take a break from the heartfelt slice-of-life drama and dig a little deeper. As is standard with a Vertical property there is always more beneath the surface, and Twin Spica is no exception.
In the sixth volume of Twin Spica, a re-entry simulation leads to a minor calamity as disorientated heads, hearts, desperately search for one another in the darkness. And then after a few unsuccessful flight simulations, a string of chance encounters trigger a string of melancholy moments steeped deep in the history of Asumi’s home town; which may finally reveal the mysterious truths behind the Tokyo Space School’s most enigmatic student’s, Marika Ukita.
An About.com 2011 Manga Readers Award nominee, Twin Spica continues to inspire readers with a unique brand of narrative that is well-deserving of a galaxy’s worth of praise.
Tags: kou yaginuma, manga, twin spica
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Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
After settling into a regular spot as a New York Times Bestseller, Chi Yamada, the titular kitten from Konami Kanata’s hit comic Chi’s Sweet Home has moved into new more pet-friendly digs. With new neighbors and a whole new world to explore, Chi’s adventures are just beginning.
In the fifth volume of Chi’s Sweet Home, our feline heroine takes to the streets with reckless abandon as she tries expand her ever-growing “turf.” Guided by an uncontrollable sense of curiosity, Chi discovers a new “fun place” where others play on “slippy things” and “swingy seats.” And before her day is done, Chi almost finds a whole new home to settle into…before she ends up realizing what “home” means to her.
One of the most adorable comics available today, Chi’s Sweet Home continues to offer readers—regardless of age, sex, or animal affection—wholesome fun and adventure in rich vivid, full-color.
Visit Chi’s new website at www.ChiSweetHome.net
Tags: cats, chi's sweet home, comics, cute, family, manga, pets
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