×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
NEWS: JManga Adds Yozakura Quartet, Elemental Gelade, Aoi Hana


Goto page Previous  1, 2

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Megiddo



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 8360
Location: IL
PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 8:09 pm Reply with quote
Genet wrote:
Wait wut. What does GF have to do with Aoi Hana, just out of curiousity?

They both have to deal with the very niche yuri manga market. And I was asking the representative of Seven Seas (which recently released Girl Friends), who seemed a bit despondent on the idea of a yuri manga selling well. So I was curious.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Genet



Joined: 05 Jun 2009
Posts: 261
Location: USA
PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 8:11 pm Reply with quote
Megiddo wrote:
Genet wrote:
Wait wut. What does GF have to do with Aoi Hana, just out of curiousity?

They both have to deal with the very niche yuri manga market.


Oh okay, yeah it is interesting.

I have to wonder that myself.

Something like that, though, would be perfect for Print-on-Demand.
But it's also understandable that the print license does cost money as well, and so it's probably not something they can do with every single series they have. (Unless they did a ton of negotiating)

I'm kind of surprised some other publishers haven't done POD for older works that are OOP. You would think that would be a logical step, wouldn't it?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Keichitsu0305





PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 8:27 pm Reply with quote
Aoi Hana, Neko Ramen, and Yozakura Quartet?!!?Shocked

Oh, if only they were in print. Anime cry

I might actually get a JManga account now...maybe.
Back to top
Dessa



Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 4438
PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:20 pm Reply with quote
bj_waters wrote:
So far, I've been usually able to get away with reading an entire series from my local library before deciding to buy it, a model that might not work with digital manga.


In general, digital manga is not compatible with the service that many public libraries use. *has a librarian/anime fan for a roommate*
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14746
PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 10:37 pm Reply with quote
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
bj_waters



Joined: 18 Apr 2006
Posts: 234
PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:50 am Reply with quote
Dessa wrote:
In general, digital manga is not compatible with the service that many public libraries use. *has a librarian/anime fan for a roommate*


O-hohohohoho! I've always wondered what kind of hoops a librarian has to jump through to get manga and anime in the library. I feel particularly fortunate to have such a large collection of both at mine. I mean, Naruto and Evangelion make sense, but how do you convince head honchos to spend tax dollars on the first two seasons of Kyo Kara Maoh and every volume of Twin Spica? I must have a very open-minded group of library staff.

Speaking of libraries, one can't help but wonder what their future is now that everything seems to be slowly marching towards digital distribution. While I don't think that "THE CLOUD" will destroy libraries entirely, the internet has certainly made them seem less relevant as the years go on. To be honest, I kind of don't like that idea. I love books; I've had a library card since I was about eight (I think). I admit that I've probably read more words in comics than I have in traditional books (not something I'm proud of), but I really like the idea of always being able to walk into a library and find a physical book on nearly any topic or idea I'd want to read, or even re-read.

This is, by no means, a criticism of JManga's efforts or business model. For something as niche at Japanese comics, any kind of success is a good one. I'm just saying that if they stepped into print, I'd be more willing to give them my money.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Sewingrose



Joined: 11 Jan 2011
Posts: 579
PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:56 am Reply with quote
The difference between Seven Seas releasing Girlfriends was it was a five volume series that they were able to put out in two omnibuses. This cuts down the level of risk significantly.
Aoi Hana is currently at seven volumes and ongoing, so who knows how many volumes there would eventually be put out. There is a lot more risk in trying to put this series out in a print format. (A truth which breaks my heart, because I too would love to have a print copy.)

Also, I thought Digital Manga Guild had already liscensed Aoi Hana?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
HitokiriShadow



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 6251
PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 1:26 am Reply with quote
Well, its nice to see Aoi Hana get an English release in any form, even if I'd much prefer print. I was already planning on and still plan on buying the JP releases in the near future regardless of U.S. release plans.

I've been very reluctant to sign up to JManga, but now I pretty much have to. So it would nice if they'd make their Android app something other than completely useless. It wouldn't be my main method of reading things but boy, it would sure be nice to be able to read it on my phone if I wanted to at some point. I tried to today but it was a joke.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ingraman



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 1077
PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:47 pm Reply with quote
Genet wrote:
Ingraman wrote:
Are the JManga titles downloadable, or do they have to be read online?

I believe for now they have to be read online, though I think they have apps for offline reading? I don't really know.

If you mean can you download them as a PDF or similar format and read them, then no.

At the moment, I don't have either a smartphone or tablet, but I've hardly bothered with scanlations or novel translations because I don't like reading them on the computer, and I spend enough time using the computer for forum/webpage/etc. reading. If I get the right device, I want something that I could at least use like an e-book and read away from wifi and data plans. Print-on-demand would by far be best.

Quote:
If JManga doesn't have print rights, then that means someone could still get them. I get the feeling, though, that companies don't want to try to get print rights for JManga titles.

Someone could but, between scanlations and the digital versions, the market for a standard printed version is probably pretty much destroyed. ;_;

adam_omega wrote:
Ingraman wrote:
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I've wanted to buy Aoi Hana for years, but I've wanted to buy a printed copy.

It wouldn't sell in print form here, which is why none of the North American companies ever picked it up.

Does Wandering Son have that much more of a hook? Is it selling badly? With Fantagraphics offering a "subscription" for the next three books, I am concerned.

If it was doing reasonably well, I would have thought that Aoi Hana would be a perfect title to release alongside it... <sigh>
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Genet



Joined: 05 Jun 2009
Posts: 261
Location: USA
PostPosted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 3:00 pm Reply with quote
Ingraman wrote:

Does Wandering Son have that much more of a hook? Is it selling badly? With Fantagraphics offering a "subscription" for the next three books, I am concerned.

If it was doing reasonably well, I would have thought that Aoi Hana would be a perfect title to release alongside it... <sigh>


I don't think WS is probably selling super well, but that's because it's a niche title in an already niche market. The subscription plan is a good idea- those books are pretty pricey, though very nice for what you get, which also explains why the release schedule is soo slow.

Print on demand needs to be something publishers look into. Offset printing may not be realistic for a lot of series nowadays, but the market for printed volumes still exists, and always will, as long as the quality of the release isn't subpar.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
agila61



Joined: 22 Feb 2009
Posts: 3213
Location: NE Ohio
PostPosted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 12:31 pm Reply with quote
Genet wrote:
Print on demand needs to be something publishers look into. Offset printing may not be realistic for a lot of series nowadays, but the market for printed volumes still exists, and always will, as long as the quality of the release isn't subpar.

The big institutional hurdle for a Print on Demand business model is giving up the guaranteed advance on royalties for the print rights ... if something like JManga becomes popular enough, they may one day be able to pay a guaranteed advance on the digital rights and bundle the print rights for print on demand on a pure royalty basis.

The Print on Demand printers that deliver suitable quality for manga are also probably the newest generation, so the market to outsource the actual fulfillment of print on demand orders for manga is likely smaller and less competitive than the market to fulfill print on demand for regular books.

By definition its only the smaller niche markets where an exclusive Print on Demand system can hit a lower price point than a small offset print run, and those are the least lucrative on a title by title basis.

However, if the quality hits the point where its can't be distinguished from offset print, another area for PoD may be extending a print run to keep earlier volumes in print, and possibly to complete the last few volumes of a title that has dropped below viability for a small offset print run.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
bglassbrook



Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 1243
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 3:53 pm Reply with quote
bj_waters wrote:
The thing is, I want to own them physically, which is something JManga doesn't do (as far as I know). I agree with others that a Print-On-Demand service would go a long way, especially for me.

Agreed. However, the other thing JManga doesn't seem to do, at least at any of the previous times I've buzzed their catalog, is release series further than were previously in-print. So at this point, I wouldn't trust much work to be happening on any "rescued" series, even if I was willing to put-up with digital-only.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Genet



Joined: 05 Jun 2009
Posts: 261
Location: USA
PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 4:00 pm Reply with quote
bglassbrook wrote:
bj_waters wrote:
The thing is, I want to own them physically, which is something JManga doesn't do (as far as I know). I agree with others that a Print-On-Demand service would go a long way, especially for me.

Agreed. However, the other thing JManga doesn't seem to do, at least at any of the previous times I've buzzed their catalog, is release series further than were previously in-print. So at this point, I wouldn't trust much work to be happening on any "rescued" series, even if I was willing to put-up with digital-only.


I think they're going to continue with Kodansha titles that were license rescues.

For now, my big priority when buying manga is to buy copies of it that I can have on my shelf. JManga is a bit lower on my priority list, but the titles aren't bad deals, honestly. If only you could download PDF's or something, though. It's a bit frustrating to only be able to read online (I don't have a tablet/phone that doesn't suck)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
BonnKansan



Joined: 17 Feb 2008
Posts: 116
PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 4:05 pm Reply with quote
bglassbrook wrote:
Agreed. However, the other thing JManga doesn't seem to do, at least at any of the previous times I've buzzed their catalog, is release series further than were previously in-print. So at this point, I wouldn't trust much work to be happening on any "rescued" series, even if I was willing to put-up with digital-only.


No, they've been continuing rescued series, usually on a publisher-by-publisher basis. For example, they finished the ex-Tokyopop Mag Garden series Good Witch of the West and Your & My Secret, and released more of Tactics, and they've already committed to continuing the Kodansha series they added the past couple weeks.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14746
PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 7:45 pm Reply with quote
BonnKansan wrote:
bglassbrook wrote:
Agreed. However, the other thing JManga doesn't seem to do, at least at any of the previous times I've buzzed their catalog, is release series further than were previously in-print. So at this point, I wouldn't trust much work to be happening on any "rescued" series, even if I was willing to put-up with digital-only.


No, they've been continuing rescued series, usually on a publisher-by-publisher basis. For example, they finished the ex-Tokyopop Mag Garden series Good Witch of the West and Your & My Secret, and released more of Tactics, and they've already committed to continuing the Kodansha series they added the past couple weeks.


IIRC, the panel rep said they'd finish anything they release online.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group