Viz Media treated us with a couple new licenses this week, announced first via their Shoujo Beat Twitter account and then very shortly after through a press release.
Strobe Edge – Io Sakisaka
Demon Love Spell – Mayu Shinjo
This is the first time Io Sakisaka’s work has been released in English. Strobe Edge has already been published in French though, and was cited by Viz as “one of the most requested titles that our readers have asked to be licensed”. The series is about a teen named Ninako who is looking for love and may have found it with the school’s number one mysterious heartthrob. He already has a girlfriend, however, and Ninako must learn to cope with her first experience with love being her first with heartbreak as well. Currently the series is ten volumes in Japan and has been running since 2007 (still going!).
Demon Love Spell isn’t Mayu Shinjo’s first title released in North America. Her series Ai Ore! is currently being published by Viz Media in omnibus format. Unfortunately Ai Ore! (Vol.01) very easily earned top spot as my Most Gag-Worthy book released in 2011 so my hopes aren’t very high for this new one. The plot, however – about a shrine maiden who finds herself the target of a lusty demon after sealing away his powers – does peak my interest enough to at least give it a try. My fingers are crossed it proves more palatable! Demon Love Spell (“Ayakashi Koi Emaki”) is currently four volumes and on-going.
Both of these new titles will start print publication later this year.
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I gotta say… Strobe Edge sounds generic and boring. The synopsis they sent out doesn’t do much for me. I’ve never even heard of it….
As for the other…my loathing of Ai Ore is well known, and I have zero interest in another Mayu Shinjo series.
Still waiting for them to license Tokyo Crazy Paradise. ^_^
Strobe Edge is not ongoing anymore. it ended in 2010, at 10 volumes.
I’m glad to hear that Strobe Edge was one of the most requested series from the fans. I myself requested it as well.
@Kris, You should really give it a try. Its diffently one of the best shojos i ever read, Io Sakisaka never fails to amaze me with her art. Don’t judge by the books cover, since Io sakisakia isn’t that good at making volume covers. However her art inside the books is just so beautiful and it’s a really good, soft and cute story which doesnt fail to break your heart a little. If you like the shojo genre, this one won’t let you down. Its all what a shojo is about, complicated love triangles, a few broken hearts but it manages not to get annoying (at least not for me – and i read 100 of shojos where i get annoyed too fast). I hope VizMedia will pick up Ao Haru Ride next year or something, the newest manga by Io Sakisaka which are if possible even better than strobe edge!