Udon Adds Four New All-Ages Manga for Kids

After complaining about the lack of all-ages manga for kids in my 2008 manga trends to watch list, this situation is already turning around in a big way in 2009, with VIZ Media, Del Rey Manga, CMX Manga and now Udon Entertainment gearing up to publish more all-ages manga than ever before.

Udon announced four new kid-friendly manga series as part of their debut offerings for their Udon Kids imprint, including:

• The Big Adventures of Majoko by Machiko Fuji and Tomomi Mizuna - April 2009
  Follow the adventures of a human girl and her new wizard friend Majoko, as they explore the Land of Magic and its many wonders.

• Ninja Baseball Kyuma! by Shunshin Maeda - April 2009
  After a little ninja named Kyuma mistakes the team captain for his master, he becomes the local baseball team’s first ever ninja player!
• Fairy Idol Kanon by Mera Hakamada - May 2009
  Kanon was just an ordinary girl who loved to sing… but now with the help of a magical fairy, she’s on her way to becoming a pop idol!
• Swans in Space by Lun Lun Yamamoto - June 2009
  Two young girls are recruited by a cute, bear-like alien into the Space Patrol, a secret organization dedicated to helping others across the galaxy.

According to Udon's press release, all of the titles in Udon Kids are "guaranteed safe for kids 12," which is sure to please parents and librarians alike who have been clamoring for manga for this underserved segment of readers.

"We have spent the last two years researching the Japanese manga market to look for titles suitable for kids in America," says Udon’s Chief of Operations Erik Ko. "The titles we've chosen to launch this line are meant to be enjoyed for their captivating stories, and are not trying to sell kids on the latest animated series or card game like too many manga series are these days." Ooo, ouch -- I think you just got dissed, Pikachu.

Look for these new kid-friendly comics to start showing up in your local bookshop or comics store in April 2009. For more info, check out Udon's announcement on their blog.