Manga News

**Richard Sullivan** · 02-08-2007, 07:42 AM

Bandai to Release 'Cutey Honey'
Live Action Film From Hideaki Anno
February 08, 2007

Bandai Entertainment has announced the April 17th release of Hideaki Anno's live action adaptation of Go Nagai's Cutey Honey manga on April 17th. Bandai plans two versions, a Regular Edition ($29.98) and a Limited (to 5000) Edition ($49.98) that comes in a Cutey Honey lunchbox.

Known in the U.S. primarily for his Devilman series and in Japan for Mazinger Z (the first giant robot series in which the robot is piloted by a human), Go Nagai also created one of the first magical girl manga with Cutey Honey, which debuted in 1973.

Although Anno's Cutey Honey is a live action film, the veteran anime helmer appropriates many of the visual techniques of anime to bring this magical girl saga to life -- and most important of all, he makes the film a real fast-moving romp filled with campy action and fan service. But Anno, whose specialty is bringing some depth to characters in what otherwise might be considered standard genre films, manages to create a few special moments in Cutey Honey that remind the viewer that this film was made by the director of Evangelion.

**Buzz Dixon** · 02-08-2007, 09:33 AM

I saw the trailer for this some time ago and can't wait to see the whole film.

"Cuteeeeeeey Honeeeeeeeey FLASH!!!!"

**Kevin M.** · 02-08-2007, 10:07 AM

Should be very intresting seeing that they based the movie on a crazy ass manga.

**Richard Sullivan** · 02-12-2007, 10:45 AM

Westbow Signs Real Buzz to Multi-Year Deal
At Least 26 Volumes of Christian-Themed Manga
February 12, 2007

Westbow Press, the Christian Fiction Division of Thomas Nelson Incorporated, has inked a deal with Buzz Dixon and Marlon Schulman's Realbuzz Studios to publish no fewer than 26 volumes of Christian-themed OEL (Original English Language) manga. Westbow will publish 10 volumes of Realbuzz-created manga in 2007 including all six volumes of Serenity (originally published by Barbour) in April, followed by four volumes of a new series, Goofyfoot Girl, in September.

Both series target the female teenage demographic that has made manga so successful in American bookstores. Serenity is a proven title with sales that its publishers say surpass "two-thirds of the titles on the mainstream manga and graphic novel on best-seller lists." Westbow plans on releasing four new volumes of Serenity in 2008.

**Buzz Dixon** · 02-12-2007, 02:55 PM

That's actually the cover to the first SERENITY manga in the Barbour editions; the Thomas Nelson/WestBow SERENITYs wil have all new covers.

**The Xenos** · 02-12-2007, 08:21 PM

Does this Sullivan guy work for a marketing firm or something?

Really, can you get more different than Cutey Honey and Serenity?

Of course, I'm going to remain silent about my opinion on OEL manga. Buzz, others, and I have debated it before and I won't clog up another thread with it.

At the same time I am interested in Christian comic books. Though this one is a bit young for me, I have actually picked the first volume. Haven't gotten around to reading it yet though. Of course, my idea of a Christian comic/manga is something more along the lines of Kevin Smith's Dogma (though with a bunch less heresy).

Then again, you read actual manga about Christianity and you have to laugh at how wrong the author gets it. I love Chrono Crusade and even met the author, but damn if he doesn't get the history of Mary Magdaline more messed up than The DaVinci Code.

Also, I guess this is a good a place as any to say it. In another forum I frequent, Serenity got a bit of flack from the manga fans there. So whenever someone posts censored hentai in a worksafe board, the offending bits are censored with giant bars that say, "Can't show that in a Christian manga." It's become a bit of a running gag.