Digital Manga Announces 24 Yaoi, Shojo Manga at Yaoi-Con 2009

While there weren't a whole lot of publisher-sponsored panels at Yaoi-Con 2009, the one that generated the most buzz was Digital Manga Publishing's Saturday morning session, where they crammed in announcements of 17 new manga titles, 2 new novels, plus the return of 5 previously announced but delayed titles, and the one announcement that got many fans cheering: the return of a fan favorite, Kizuna by Kodaka Kazuma in deluxe omnibus editions in late 2010, along with the publication of the long-awaited (but never published in the US) last volume of the series.

Other titles that got the crowd cheering included No Touching at All by Kou Yoneda, Seven Days: Monday -Thursday by Venio Tachibana and Rihito Takarai, Maiden Rose by Fusanosuke Inariya, The Tyrant Falls in Love by Hinako Takanaga (creator of Little Butterfly), and Bloody Kiss Tonight, a new vampire manga one-shot by Yaoi-Con special guest, Makoto Tateno.

While those were the ones that got the biggest crowd reactions, the rest of the list of new releases for 2010 is full of interesting and noteworthy attractions for shojo manga and yaoi manga fans. Check out previews of the covers and story summaries for these new Doki Doki, June Manga, Digital Manga Publishing and 801 Media titles to look out for in 2010:

FIVE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED 2009 TITLES RETURN TO THE 2010 SCHEDULE

With less than a half an hour to whip through a lot of announcements, DMP's designer and marketing maven Michelle Mauk had her work cut out for her. But after the fact, a few sharp-eyed folks noticed that some of the featured titles for 2010 weren't entirely new -- five were previously announced at Anime Expo 2008.

Given that these titles were announced before DMP went through a round of layoffs and restructuring, it probably shouldn't be too surprising that the release dates for these titles were pushed back several months. Nevertheless, it's good to see them back on the schedule -- and this time, with previews of the covers and plot summaries:

• Otodama: Voice from the Dead by Youka Nitta (Doki Doki) - February 2010
  Described by Mauk as a "cool mystery suspense series," Otodama: Voice from the Dead is by BL fan-fave artist Youka Nitta (Embracing Love), featuring some of the modern, urban tales that she is known for.

  Two old friends and colleagues now in the National Police Department are looking for a serial killer that's on the loose in Tokyo. The killer's modus operandi? He/She leaves corpses of young women hanging from high structures.

• Tales of a White Night (Byakuya Zaushi) by Tooko Miyagi (Digital Manga Publishing) - Summer 2010
  Not everything on DMP's 2010 line-up was purely BL -- in fact there were a few shojo manga titles, such as Tales of a White Night, a collection of supernatural-themed short stories from the creator of Il Gato Sul G. So instead of lovesick schoolboys, you'll find demons, ghosts and restless spirits in this one-shot collection.

• Crimson Cross by Sakae Maeda and Kyoko Negishi (Digital Manga Publishing) - Summer 2010
  Vampires continue to be a hot theme in manga land -- and this one-shot collaboration from the artist of Café Kichijoji De and the creator of Jazz delivers Gothic suspense and drama.

  The main protagonist of Crimson Cross is yet another member of the storied van Hellsing clan -- this time it's Carl van Hellsing who is using his vampire hunter abilities to pursue the vampire Elliot for all eternity. But does it seem like that's just what Elliot had in mind all along?

Wolf God (Kamiinu×Blood) by Ai Tenkawa (Doki Doki) - Mid 2010
Wolf God is Ai Tenkawa's first series, and right out of the gate, she weaves a supernatural tale filled with gods, spirits and magical beings.

Koyuki is surprised one day when Kyounosuke, a mysterious boy with golden eyes appears in front of her. He then asks her, "Do you know where my brother is?" a question that Koyuki can't imagine being able to answer, much less try to believe what Kyounosuke is a member of a "Dog-God" clan. "It's really cool," raved Mauk.

• The Spiral of Sand (Suna no Rasen) by Yuna Aoi (June Manga) - Late 2010
  Talk about your twisted love triangles -- or at least that's what The Spiral of Sand sounds like based on this description:

  Haruka has been in love with his best friend Ryou for years -- but now that Ryou is marrying Haruka's sister, it seems that his crush is going to remain just that. At the hotel where the wedding reception is held, Haruka is raped by a mysterious person who says that he hates him. As if that wasn't bad enough, Haruka returns to work to find that he recognizes a new colleague as his attacker. What the heck is going on here? And will Haruka ever be able to figure out who's messing with his mind, and body?

DOKI DOKI : 5 MOSTLY SWEET AND JUST A LITTLE SPICY TITLES
Doki Doki is the latest of DMP's imprints, and it generally includes shojo and boys love stories that are sweet, romantic and maybe just a tiny bit spicy. As a result, most Doki Doki titles are rated for older teens instead of being strictly for readers age 18 and over.

Mauk spotlighted five new titles for 2010 -- including a story set at an elite music academy, stories about actors, friends, rivals and vampires.

• Alice the 101st (101 Hitome no Alice) by Chigusa Kawai (Doki Doki) - Vol. 1: April 2010
  
  A shojo manga series from the creator of La Esperanca, Alice the 101, like La Corda d'Oro, is also set in an elite music academy.

  Mondonville Music Academy gets thousands of applicants, but only 100 new students are accepted each year. But somehow, Alistair Lang, a boy who hasn't had formal music training and can't even read sheet music is accepted as the 101st student. What's so special about Alistair? He and his classmates are about to find out in this musical manga series.

• Double Cast by Ellie Mamahara and Takana Mizuhashi (Doki Doki) - Mid-2010
  
  A collaboration between artist Ellie Mamahara (Alley of First Love) and author Takana Mizuhashi, Double Cast is a shonen-ai romance set in the world of actors and the entertainment business.

  Mitsuru is a young and seemingly innocent actor who has caught the eye of his co-star, Yuuki Yamamuro as both star in new drama, Casual Lover. But their backstage romance gets a little more complicated when the producer of the show also shows interest in Mitsuru's off-screen talents as well.

• Midnight Bloom (Hanasaku Koi no Yoru Ake) by Rico Fukiyama (Doki Doki) - Mid-2010
  
  Midnight Bloom is a new boys love one-shot from the creator of The Devil Inside, set at an acting academy.

  Tatsuki attends an all-boy academy for actors, where his delicate features made him a natural for the "princess" roles. But despite being attractive and popular, Tatsuki has yet to find true love. Will his luck change in his senior year?

• COOL/UNCOOL (Kakko Warukute Kakkoii Kimi) by Kai Asou and Arika Kuga (Doki Doki) - Mid-2010
  
  Arika Kuga (creator of Fevered Kiss) wrote this boys love story illustrated by Kai Asou, about two childhood friends who try to figure out their adult relationship.

  Yukihisa and Takashi have been friends since childhood, but lately Takahashi has been keeping Yukihisa at arms length, with no explanation. This troubles Yukihisa, as he tries to find out what's behind his friend's change of heart.

• A Bloody Kiss Tonight (Koyoi wa Kimi to Chi no Kiss wo) by Makoto Tateno (Doki Doki) - Late 2010
  
  In honor of their Yaoi-Con 2009 Special Guest, DMP announced two new titles by Makoto Tateno. A Bloody Kiss Tonight (pictured at top) is a relatively new one-shot about three gorgeous vampires and an innocent who crosses their paths.

  As part of his part-time job at the flower shop, Riku often delivers bouquets to a grand mansion where three impossibly handsome men reside. But after making his usual delivery, Riku starts having some terrifying yet sensual dreams -- are these men behind these nightmares?

10 NEW YAOI TITLES FROM JUNE MANGA, AND THE RETURN OF KIZUNA

June Manga is DMP's flagship boys love manga imprint and largely features romantic stories of men loving men that are slightly sexier than what's found in their Doki Doki imprint. Most of the new title announcements are June Manga titles -- here's a closer look.

• Kizuna Deluxe Edition by Kodaka Kazuma (June Manga) - Late 2010
  The marquee announcement at DMP's Yaoi-Con panel was the new deluxe double-sized editions of Kodaka Kazuma's yakuza drama, Kizuna.

  Kizuna was previously published by the new defunct Central Park Media as part of their Be Beautiful imprint. With the demise of CPM, only 10 volumes of this 11-volume series has been published in English -- a situation that DPM will remedy by publishing Volume 11 for the first time.

  With its mix of mob intrigue and sizzling romance, Kizuna holds a special place in many boys love manga fans' hearts (see the Readers Choice: Yaoi Manga list, where Kizuna claimed the #3 spot).

• Yokan Premonition and Yokan Premonition: Noise by Makoto Tateno (June Manga) - February 2010 and June 2010
  
  To tide fans over until A Bloody Kiss Tonight hits the shelves in late 2010, June Manga will be publishing two volumes of another series by Tateno-sensei: Yokan Premonition.

  Akira is the sexy and charismatic lead singer of Charon, a band on the rise. For his next hit, Akira looks to Sunaga, an actor/songwriter -- but finds out that Sunaga wants more than just money as payment for his services; he wants a Akira as his lover.

• Maiden Rose (Hyakujitsu no Bara) by Fusanosuke Inariya (June Manga) - Vol. 1: March 2010, Vol. 2: Summer 2010
  
  When Mauk announced Maiden Rose, squeals of approval came from the audience for this unconventional yaoi manga set on the battlefield instead of the classroom.

  With their countries at war, two soldiers are bound together as master and servant. The master is Taki Reizen, a handsome army commander with a bad temper that has earned him the nickname, "Mad Dog." Taki is kept in line by his loyal companion and lover, Klaus. With the rest of the platoon distrustful and disdainful of their relationship, and facing danger on the battlefield everyday, can Taki and Klaus keep themselves, much less their love alive?

• Cafe Latte Rhapsody by Toko Kawai (June Manga) - Early 2010
  
  New from the creator of CUT and Loveholic, Cafe Latte Rhapsody offers an odd-couple romance between a tall (but meek) guy and a bookstore worker.

  Now that they've found each other, can gentle giant Keito find the courage to tell his bookish but insecure boyfriend Serizawa how he really feels?

• Your Love Sickness (Ayashi No Kimi No Koiwazurai) by Kuku Hayate (June Manga) - Early 2010
  
  DMP fulfilled its minimum yearly requirement for a boys love manga with a cat/dog-eared boy with Your Love Sickness.

  A Shinto shrine dedicated to the fox god is guarded by two very different fox-eared/-tailed boys. Unka is a red fox who comes from a lower social standing than Aura, a pure-bred white fox. Unka is serious and forthright about saying what he thinks and what he wants. Aura is much more emotionally reserved. Can these two opposites cross their social and emotional divide to find true love?

• The Tyrant Falls in Love (Koi suru Bokun) by Hinako Takanaga (June Manga) - Vol. 1: Summer 2010, Vol. 2: Late 2010
  
  Following the release of the omnibus edition of Little Butterfly in February 2010, fans will get a new series from Takanaga-sensei to enjoy with The Tyrant Falls in Love.

  Tetsuhiro has a raging crush on a guy who seems extremely unlikely to reciprocate his feelings. Why? Well, the guy he's hot for is 1) his senior classmate at school, 2) he's as straight as can be, 3) he's homophobic and worst of all, he's a tryrannical jerk. But god help him, Tetsuhiro is in love and love knows little reason -- and maybe, just maybe Tetsuhiro can help change his would-be love's way of thinking?

• Stay Close To Me (Sobani Oitene) by Yaya Sakuragi (June Manga) - Mid-2010
  
  From the creator of Hey Sensei? comes another tale of a mis-matched couple whose love has roots in their childhood.

  Since they were kids, Icchan has always rescued Yuzu when he was in a bind. Now adults, Yuzu is now much taller than his one-time "prince in shining armor" -- but now that they've grown, will these two friends' relationship grow into something more?

• Seven Days: Monday - Thursday by Venio Tachibana and Rihito Takarai (June Manga) - Mid-2010
  
  Praised by Mauk for its "unusual artwork," Seven Days: Monday - Thursday was a title that was also featured at the Kinokuniya table in the dealers' room, an indication of strong fan interest in this title, along with the whoops of approval from the crowd gathered at DMP's panel.

  Bright and early one Monday morning, Yuzuru greets his classmate Touji and immediately asks him out. This wouldn't be so unusual, except that handsome and popular Touji has a rep for going out with anyone who asks him out at the beginning of the week, and promptly ending the relationship by the end of the week.

• Endless Comfort (Koukyu No Arika) by Sakura Sakuya (June Manga) - Mid-2010
  
  Kuzumi is a young businessman who finds himself back at his childhood hometown, where he must deal with memories and unfinished business from his past, and some unexpected issues such as Yuu, a handsome dog trainer who has got Kuzumi feeling a little hot under the collar.

• No Touching At All (Doushitemo Furetakunai) by Kou Yoneda (June Manga) - Mid-2010
  
  Another title that garnered huge cheers and whoops was No Touching At All, a boys love manga that, like Seven Days, promises a different approach than your typical BL title.

  On the first day of his new job, Shima meets a co-worker dealing with a massive hangover, then discovers that this poor soul is Togawa, his new boss. Togawa comes across as somewhat rude and irritatable, but Shima soon sees the softer side beneath Togawa's rough exterior and becomes attracted to him.

  What becomes clear as their relationship progresses is that both Shima and Togawa have had to deal with painful events from their past, but Togawa is much more emotionally open than Shima, who finds that putting the past behind him is much harder than it is for his boss/would-be lover.

SOME LIKE IT HOT: TWO NEW SIZZLING TITLES FROM 801 MEDIA

Digital Manga's 801 Media imprint is reserved for boys love titles that take boys love romance to steamier, more sensual territory. DMP tends to release fewer 801 Media titles than June or Doki Doki manga, but they still had two new offerings to share.

• Maniac Shorts Shot by Miya Ousaka (801 Media) - Early 2010
  
  On their way home from a concert, art school classmates Issei and Jin find a box with some silly erotic underwear with wacky attachments. Just for fun, they decide to take them home and do a photo shoot while wearing these goofy g-strings. As Jin sees Issei through his viewfinder, he's surprised that after he stops laughing that he's actually really turned on by the sight of Issei in these silly skivvies.

• Deeply Loving a Maniac (Cho Maniac Ni Aishite) by Yuu Higashino (801 Media) - Early 2010
  
  Sakura is as sweet and thoughtful a lover as any guy could ask for, so Morita has got little to complain about. Heck, Sakura doesn't even mind that Morita is kind of an otaku. But Morita wants to turn up the heat in this relationship, so he vows to become more studly and suave than geeky.

BETWEEN THE PAGES: TWO NEW BOYS LOVE NOVELS

In addition to their new manga acquisitions, DMP also has two new novels on the roster for 2010, including one featuring everyone's favorite Gothic pleasure, vampires.

• I Want To Bite You (Kamitsukitai.) by Isaya Takamori, illustrated by Chigusa Kawai - Mid-2010
  
  Isaac is a vampire hunter, so he's surprised that when he meets the silver-haired and impossibly handsome Tristan, he discovers that Tristan has a grudge against his own kind. So Isaac and Tristan join forces to hunt the undead. As the two work together, Isaac finds himself attracted to Tristan and comes on to him one night -- only to get a surprising confession from Tristan that stops him in his tracks.

• Green Light by Yura Tamaki, illustrated by Taishi Zaou - Early 2010
  
  Natsuki is handsome, popular and good at sports. His classmate Izumi is a little more twisted and disagreeable -- but nevertheless the two remain good friends. That is, until Natsuki and Izumi get into a disagreement, and the tension between the two are so thick, you could cut it with a knife. But is it really because of their argument, or is the tension due to unspoken desires?

Now that you've learned more about DMP's 2010 roster, which one's have got you most excited? Add your comments below!