Manga Magazine Review & Poll: Is Yen Plus Too Much of a Good Thing?

In Japan, manga anthologies are a major part of the publishing landscape, with magazines geared toward readers' every age and interest. Meanwhile, the history of manga in America is filled with past attempts to break into the magazine market, with only a few success stories. But that was then and this is now. Yen Press bravely steps into the fray with its new double-sided Japanese manga / Korean manhwa / original English language (OEL) manga hybrid, Yen Plus.

Rather than trying to cater to shonen (boys) or shojo (girls) manga fans, Yen Press is taking a dramatically different approach by giving manga readers a 11-course buffet of Japanese manga, Korean manhwa and original stories created by global manga creators. The story styles are all over the map too. From the fairy tail romantic comedy Pig Bride and fanservice-filled fantasy hijinks of Soul Eater to the dark (both thematically and artistically), senseless gore of Jack Frost and the supernatural suspense of Nightschool, Yen Plus has (in theory) something to please (and offend) almost everyone.

Check out my profile and review of the first issue of Yen Plus , and chime in with the readers' poll after the jump: What's your favorite and least favorite story in Yen Plus? (As a side note: the poll toll that I use only allows 10 nominees, so if you love One Fine Day, add it as a write-in vote in the comments!)

Poll: What's your favorite series in Yen Plus?

• Maximum Ride
• Soul Eater
• Nightschool
• Sumomomo, Momomo
• Bamboo Blade
• Sarasah
• Nabari no Ou
• Pig Bride
• Jack Frost
• Higurashi: When They Cry

Poll: What's your least favorite series in Yen Plus?

• Maximum Ride
• Soul Eater
• Nightschool
• Sumomomo, Momomo
• Bamboo Blade
• Sarasah
• Nabari no Ou
• Pig Bride
• Jack Frost
• Higurashi: When They Cry

Image credit: © James Patterson, Narae Lee / Yen Press