Coming Attractions: 20 Most Anticipated New Manga of 2009
2008 had its share of great new manga, but with the New Year just around the corner, it's a good time to preview 20 most-anticipated new manga that are generating the most buzz in 2009.
While many publishers are cutting back their roster in the coming year, it doesn't look like they're making major cuts in the quality of what's due to debut. In fact, there were so many outstanding new releases scheduled to arrive in 2009, I had a hard time narrowing down my list to only 20 picks.
There's lots of variety on this list, including a screwball comedy about a suicidal teacher, a mouth-watering cooking manga, new/old manga from some favorite creators and a true only-in-Japan comics series about a college student who can see and talk to some very cute bacteria.
One is back for a second go-round on my most-anticipated list -- namely the CLAMP Mangettes project. First announced in Summer 2007 at San Diego Comic-Con, the title and plot of this new project from the superstar manga-ka quartet has been a closely held secret. I figure Dark Horse will have to say something more sooner or later, but I'm hoping I won't have to feature it on 2010 most anticipated manga list!
Check out my list of 2009's 20 Most Anticipated Manga and see if you agree, or disagree! Chime in below with your picks for the manga you're most looking forward to reading and why you're counting the days until it arrives in your local bookstore. Enquiring minds want to know!
While you're at it, check out my picks for 2008's Best New Manga and Best Continuing Manga and add your picks too. I'm-a still workin' on the readers polls, but they're comin' soon. So if you have a fave, add your nominees below, and who knows? Maybe it'll be in the running for your votes too.
Image credit: © Koji Kumeta / KODANSHA
Comments
ZETSUBOU! ZETSUBOU! ZETSUBOU!
Can’t disagree with anything here, except *maybe* that Maximum Ride has already seen partial release via Yen Plus, and that OtoMen is another super-buzzed upcoming shoujo title.
(ZETSUBOU ZETSUBOU ZETSUBOU!)
ha! Otomen was one that was just barely squeezed out of this list — it’s unofficially at #21, followed by Gestalt by Yun Kouga, Queen of Ragtonia by Chika Shiomi, and Shinji Ikari Raising Project.
I put in Maximum Ride mostly because that one post I wrote about it months ago generates the most comments from readers and most of them are clearly beyond ecstatic that it’ll be out in a collected graphic novel format. You gotta give it to Kurt Hassler — this is one YA novel / manga crossover that has lots of potential to do exactly that: generate lots of crossover interest.
That is a good list, and there are quite a lot of alternative titles on it, so good eye! Sadly, this year will have less manga-buying than last just because of the way things are now.
Side note: I think if people are going to make manga resolutions, they should resolve to finish those long series they’ve been meaning to collect. It’s hard to follow a series so closely when there are so many other attractive titles to sway you. So I think this year should call for more consistency.