Top 20 Best-selling Manga in Sep 08 from Manga Zenkan

1) 20 Seiki Shounen

2) SLAM DUNK

3) SLAM DUNK (New complete version)

4) Hana no Keiji

5) ONE PIECE

6) Cross

7) Dragonball

8) Detroit Metal City

9) Kinniku-man

10) Kami no Shizuku

11) Hokuto no Ken

12) NARUTO

13) Gintama

14) ROOKIES

15) COBRA

16) Nodame Cantabile

17) Sei Oniisan

18) Soul Eater

19) Itazura Na Kiss

20) MONSTER

For the complete ranking, please go here.

[Monster] なまえのないかいぶつ The Nameless Monster

In conjunction with the release of the renewed manga versions of "Monster", the picture book stories which appeared within Monster have been released in the form of a separate volume. I will be translating the stories which are written in Japanese but were first translated from the German/Czech versions by Urasawa Naoki. Please do not post the English translations to other sites or forums without my knowledge. Thank you.




To begin with, here's the first story, The Nameless Monster:

Title: The Nameless Monster
Author: Emil Sebe
Japanese Translation: Urasawa Naoki
English Translation: Chiaki

Long long ago, at some place, there was a nameless monster. The monster wanted a name desperately. As such, the monster went on a trip to find a name. However, as the world was vast and wide, it split into two and continued its journey. One went to the East while the other went to the West.

The monster which went to the East arrived at a village.
Monster: "Uncle Blacksmith, could you please give me your name?"
Blacksmith: "How can I even give you my name? That's impossible."
Monster: "If you give me your name, I will enter your body and give you strength."
Blacksmith: "Are you sure about it? If you can give me strength, I can give you my name."
Upon hearing this, the monster entered the blacksmith's body.

The monster became Otto the blacksmith. Otto became the strongest man in the village. However, one day...
"Look at me, look at me, the monster in me has grown so big."
Rip rip, crush crush, crack crack, gulp.
The hungry monster had eaten Otto from the inside. Thus, the monster became nameless once again.

Even after entering the cobbler Han's body...
Rip rip, crush crush, crack crack, gulp.
The monster became nameless again.

Even after entering the hunter Tomas's body...
Rip rip, crush crush, crack crack, gulp.
The monster became nameless again.

The monster then went to the castle to look for a beautiful name.
Monster: "If you give me your name, I will make you strong."
Prince: "If you cure my illness and make me strong, I will give my name to you."

The monster entered the prince's body and he became healthy soon after. The King was very happy.
"The prince has regained his health, the prince has regained his health."

The monster liked the prince's name and his lifestyle. Even though it was hungry, it suppressed its feelings. Every day, although it was hungry, it still tolerated the gnawing hunger pangs.

However, as it was too hungry...
"Look at me, look at me, the monster in me has grown so big."

The prince ate up the king and his followers. He ate up everyone.
Rip rip, crush crush, crack crack, gulp.

One day, the prince met the monster which went to the west.
"I've got a name. It is a very beautiful name."
The monster which went to the west said this:
"I don't need a name. Even without a name, I am happy. That's because we are monsters without a name."
The prince ate up the monster which went to the west.

After going through so much to get a name, there was nobody left to call his name.

Johan. Even though this is a beautiful name.

Top 10 animes for week ending 5 Oct 08

1) Sazae-san (FujiTV) - 18.6%

2) Chibi Maruko-chan (FujiTV) - 13.0%

3) One Piece (FujiTV) - 8.2%

4) Gegege no Kitaro (FujiTV) - 7.2%

5) Pocket Monster DP Special (TV Tokyo) - 7.2%

6) Yes! Puri Kyua 5 GoGo! (TV Asahi) - 5.8%

7) Ashitanchi (TV Asahi) - 5.7%

8) NARUTO SP (TV Tokyo) - 5.3%

9) Keroro Gunsou (TV Tokyo) - 4.9%

10) Kidou Senshi Gundam OO (TBS) - 4.5%

D.Gray-man Complete Best

Title: D.Gray-man Complete Best
Catalog number: SVWC-7576
Distributor: Sony Music Entertainment
Specifications: CD + DVD (Limited edition only)
Release date: 24 September 2008
Price: 3990 yen (inclusive of tax)
Release Date: 2008/09/24

This greatest hits collection contains all 12 theme songs from the series. The bonus DVD features footage of the OP and ED without the credits plus a 40-page booklet of illustrations.

Top 10 animes for week ending 28 Sep 08

1) Sazae-san (FujiTV) 17.4%

2) Chibi Maruko-chan (FujiTV) 12.7%

3) Crayon Shin-chan Ouen Fure fure! Oshiri mo Fure fure SP (TV Asahi) 10.6%

4) One Piece (FujiTV) 7.3%

5) Pocket Monster DP (TV Tokyo) 6.9%

6) Gegege no Kitaro (FujiTV) 6.7%

7) Yes! Puri Kyua 5 GoGo! (TV Asahi) 5.5%

8) NARUTO Shibbuden (TV Tokyo) 5.2%

9) Anime Major (NHK Education) 4.8%

10) Gintama (TV Tokyo) 4.3%

Nodame Cantabile Paris Edition CD

To mark the broadcast of "Nodame Cantabile Paris-hen" in October, there will be a 2-CD collection of the music pieces featured in the Paris arc. One CD will be the Chiaki version which comprises of 7 orchestra pieces while the other CD is the Nodame version which features piano solos, chamber music and vocal music. The set will be sold at 3675 yen by EPIC RECORDS from 15 October 08.

The Nodame Cantabile music series have been very popular with the title "Nodame Orchestra LIVE!" released in Nov 2006 having the highest sales figure of 400,000 copies. This is a very rare feat for classical music CDs. In addition, the title, "Nodame Special BEST!" was the No.1 best-selling classical music CD in the first half of 2008.

Top 20 manga series sold via Manga Zenkan for 1st half of 2008

Manga Zenkan is an online merchant whose selling point is the sale of completed manga series as a set via the Internet. The following ranking is the top 20 titles sold via its website in the 1st half of 2008 (1 Jan to 30 Jun). Of the customers who used this site, 52.4% are male and 47.6% are female.

1) Rookies (24 volumes)
2) Cross (26 volumes)
3) One Piece (50 volumes - unfinished)
4) Nodame Cantabile (20 volumes - unfinished)
5) Hana no Keiji (15 volumes - new edition)
6) Slam Dunk (14 volumes - collection version)
7) Rookies (14 volumes - collection version)
8) Worst (20 volumes - unfinished)
9) Hana no Keiji (10 volumes - collection version)
10) Dragon Ball (42 volumes - new edition)
11) 20 seiki shounen (22 volumes + 21 seiki shounen Part 1 and 2)
12) Naruto (42 volumes - unfinished)
13) Kin-niku man (18 volumes - collection version)
14) Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken (63 volumes)
15) Tobaku Hakkairoku Kaiji (13 volumes)
16) Tobaku Mokushiroku Kaiji (13 volumes)
17) Death Note (12 volumes)
18) MAJOR (67 volumes)
19) Kaze no tani no Naushika (7 volumes)
20) Rosario to Vampire (10 volumes - unfinished)

Release info for OP of Mouryou no Hako - Lost in Blue by Nightmare

Title: Lost in Blue
Artiste: Nightmare
Catalog number: VPCC-82624
Distributor: VAP
Release date: 17 September 08
Price: 1500 yen

Comes in limited and regular edition. Limited edition type A includes bonus DVD with the music video for "Lost in Blue" and one anime-print trading card.

Nodame Cantabile Classic Instruments Selection Box

Title: Nodame Cantabile Classic Instruments Selection Box
Catalog number: NEOSL-13501
Release date: 21 October 2008
Manufacturer: MEDIAFACTORY
Item weight: 1000g
Price: 3570 yen (inclusive of tax)

Box set of ten figures featuring the shapes of classical instruments appearing in the anime series "Nodame Cantabile." Includes the piano with three pedals, violin with strap, trumpet with piano chair, horn with piano bar, classic guitar with strap, pianica with piano score, four original colour versions and a secret item.

CD release info for OP and ED of Natsume Yuujin Chou

OP release information:

Title: Issei no Koe
Artiste: Kita Shuuhei
Catalog number: SVWC-7573
Distributor: Sony Music Entertainment
Release date: 27 August 2008
Price: 1575 yen (inclusive of tax)
Comes in limited edition (with DVD) and regular editions.






EP release information:

Title: Kizuna / Natsu Yuuzora
Artiste: Atari Kosuke
Catalog number: ESCL-3100
Distributor: Sony Music Entertainment
Release date: 3 September 2008
Price: 1575 yen (inclusive of tax)

Comes in limited edition (with DVD) and regular edition.

Natsume Yuujin Chou OST Otonoke no Sasagemono

Title: Natsume Yuujin Chou OST Otonoke no Sasagemono
Catalog number: SVWC-7580
Date of release: 24 September 08
Price: 3000 yen

Track List:

1. きみが呼ぶ名まえ～夏目友人帳のテーマ
2. 草躍る風の響き
3. めぐる夏の便り
4. にゃんこらせっ。
5. ゆるやかな畦道で
6. 夏・窓・開けっ放し
7. おうし座の怪人
8. 闇夜に潜むものあり
9. 百鬼夜行～妖怪大行進
10. 荒ぶる神の降臨
11. ほのかな記憶
12. 雨夜の月のように
13. 百雷の神楽
14. きみに触れた光
15. 暖かい場所
16. 一斉の声 TVサイズ

Natsume Yuujin Chou DVD 1 (with CD)

Title: Natsume Yuujin Chou 1
Catalog number: ANZB-3731
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release date: 22 October 2008
Price: 6615 yen (inclusive of tax)
Contains: Episode 1 and 2
Total running time: 47 minutes
Specifications: Region 2 / NTSC Format

This limited edition includes an original drama CD, sleeve case, Nyanko-sensei handphone strap, a Ume hanafuda card and a lucky draw ticket where you stand to win a Nyanko-sensei fortune cat figurine.

Natsukage 夏陰～なつかげ～ by Sugashikao (Insert song in Ep 7 of Hachimitsu to Clover 2nd season)

Title: 夏陰～なつかげ～ (Natsukage)
Artiste: Sugashikao
Lyrics and Melody: Sugashikao

kotoba ga ima tsumatte shimattara
bokura no natsu wa koko de owatte shimai sou
jouzu ni waraeteru jishin nanka
aru wake nai no ni... demo waratta

fumi tsubushita kakato wo haki naoshitara
tame iki wo gutto nomi konde aruki dasou

yugure wo nukete iku kaze wa
aki no nioi wo fukunderu
zutto kyou to onaji hibi ga
negawa nakutemo tsuzuku to omotteta...

akeppanashi no mado no mukou gawa de
yuganda siren no oto ga shiteiru
dore kurai no sokudo de ima
mirai ni mukatte aruite irun darou?

bokura ga ikite iku riyuu nante
kitto chippoke na kotae shikanaitte
ki ga surun da

ne moshi kanau nara
donna negai wo hitotsu erabu to omou?
zutto omoi megurashite itara
ashimoto made mou yoru ga kiteita

ano hi sutaato no aizu de
hashiri dashite shimatta bokura ni
ima sara mou wazato rashii gooru nanka nakutemo ii
moshi kanau nara donna negai wo hitotsu erabu to omou?
zutto omoi megurashite itara
ashimoto made mou yoru ga kite ita

Mouryou no Hako 魍魎の匣 (The spirit in the box) - Autumn 08

Title: Mouryou no Hako
O.A. 7 October 2008
Showing on: NTV
Timeslot: Tuesdays, 1.29am
OP: Lost in Blue by Nightmare
ED: NAKED LOVE by Nightmare
Official website: here





The novel, Mouryou no Hako by Kyougoku Natsuhiko is the 2nd instalment under the Byakkiyakou series and won the 49th Japan Suspense Writers Association Award.

There is a real-life adaptation movie shown in Dec 2007 starring many famous actors including Tsutsumi Shinichi, Abe Hiroshi, Shiina Kippei. More information to be found here.

Mouryou is a collective word to describe spirits which reside in mountains, rivers, trees, stones and tombs.

Cast:

Kyogokudou (Chuuzenji Akihiko) - Hirata Hiroaki
Enokitsu Reijiro - Morikawa Tomoyuki
Sekiguchi Tatsumi - Kiuchi Hidenobu
Kiba Shuutarou - Seki Takaaki
Toriguchi Morihiko - Namikawa Daisuke
Aoki Fumizo - Suwabe Junichi
Kusumoto Yoriko - Takahashi Mikako
Kusumoto Kimie - Tsuda Shouko
Yuzuki Kanako - Tomatsu Haruka
Yuzuki Youko - Hisakawa Aya
Chuuzenji Atsuko - Kuwajima Noriko
Sekiguchi Yukie - Honda Takako
Mimasaka Koushirou - Tanaka Masahiko
Amamiya Noritada - Hiyama Noriyuki
Masuoka Noriyuki - Miki Shinichiro
Fukumoto - Ueda Yuji
Sasakawa - Koyama Rikiya
Ishii - Ugaki Hidenari

Nodame Cantabile Paris-hen - Autumn 08

Title: Nodame Cantabile Paris-hen
O.A. 9 October 2008
Total number of episodes: 11
Timeslot: Thursdays 12.45am Noitama
Broadcast by: FujiTV
OP: Sky High by Gospellers
ED: Tokyo et. Paris performed by Miyamoto Emiri & solita


Cast:
Noda Megumi (Kawasumi Ayako)
Chiaki Shinichi (Seki Tomokazu)
Kuroki Yasunori (Matsukaze Masaya)
Son Rui (Ohara Sayaka)
Tania (Itou Shizuka)
Frank (Asanuma Kintaro)
Jan (Morikawa Tomoyuki)
Yun-ron (Hino Satoshi)
Oclare (Kiyokawa Motomu)