[News] Tokyopop intends to publish manga again

[fh14]

I don't even know anymore you guys.

via animenewsnetwork:

The new TokyopopManga Twitter account confirmed on Wednesday that it is "hoping that [it will] be able to release new manga very soon." The account mentioned it is "laying the groundwork for publishing new manga again," but added that because all of its previous titles had "reverted back to their Japanese publishers" that the company would "have to work to get them back." The Twitter account also stated the company's "ultimate goal is to start publishing manga again."

The Twitter account noted it is "planning on starting with an old license." The account also stated it plans to release manga in both print and digital form.

In an open letter from Tokyopop founder Stu Levy that was posted on GeekChicDaily on Tuesday, Levy wrote, "I know that you're all eager to have the same access to your favorite manga titles that we could previously provide and I promise that I am continuing to explore any and all opportunities to relaunch the manga publishing operations of TOKYOPOP's business."

Tokyopop shut down its North American manga publishing division in May. On Tuesday the company revealed it will launch a new editorial newsletter "about all things otaku and Asian pop-culture" powered by GeekChicDaily. Tokyopop gauged interest in the release of more Hetalia manga volumes last month.

So much for getting Hetalia relicensed soon. My Spidey senses foretell another Sailor Moon-esque licensing nightmare if Stu Levy actually has any pull left. This is why we can't have nice things.

Comments

[kyoko215.livejournal.com]

I hope he's just talking out his ass. He DID say the titles "are hard to get" now that they've gone back to their source.

Honestly, by this point, I'm hurt. The man's said manga is a dying industry and then shut it down to pursue his "dream" of making a documentary about the Japan earthquake. Now he's deciding to come back to manga after only a few months?

I feel like he's treating manga fans as a dog he's been allowed to abuse for years, then he gets a new puppy and gets rid of the other dog, and once the puppy turned into a total terror he's realized the former dog was the better dog, and now he's trying to take the dog back.

Except the dog doesn't want to go back, but he's just a dog so what can he do?

*head desk*

[hoka-no-koto.livejournal.com]

My Spidey senses foretell another Sailor Moon-esque licensing nightmare if Stu Levy actually has any pull left. This is why we can't have nice things.

This. Exactly.

For f*cksake, Levy....just go away.

[cidal-fun.livejournal.com]

):

I hope this will just be written off as another "misunderstanding."

[xxwolfgirlxx.livejournal.com]

Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!

Stu, stop being menopausal and make up your mind!

You already had your chance, blew it, and now are trying to get it all back? You're just guna dig yourself into a deeper hole here so just leave it be!

I think we should all send in letters to Yen Press or some other prefered company. That way we can maybe raise the chance of them getting Hetalia, hopefully before tokyopop tries to get it back. Ya know if they aren't guna change their minds about it tomorrow.

[hoka-no-koto.livejournal.com]

Love your analogy! :)

Yesterday the TP FB page stated they were NOT relaunching any manga, just starting up their little newsletter. Today, they are back in the manga publishing business (even though titles are "hard to get" and all the yada-yada Levy spit forth the other day). And even though they said they'd answer all your manga questions in a FB Q&A - if you want want those answers about manga they might be talking about, then you have to follow them on their brand new Twitter account. Number fishing for ego-boo, anyone?

[hypercoffee117.livejournal.com]

Wow. I really hope this is a fucking joke. Tokyopop is just so unreliable right now with all this changing of their minds, not to mention their strips are so obnoxiously-close to the spine.

If they do release it, I'd rather not get it.

I'M LACKING SAD ICONS

[mizu-takishima.livejournal.com]

That does it, I'm contacting Yen Press like right now :|

I'll even send them the Captalia poll (which is over here http://captalia.livejournal.com/326656.html even if some of the options are a tad out dated) and pretty much every fan's reaction so far.

Stu Levy seems like the kind of guy who's at least *trying* to do fun things for the manga fandom, but he's just so out of touch and absolutely refuses to listen to constructive criticism that he's just p*ssing everybody off. It's really annoying, and it's getting old, FAST!

Dude needs to pick a project and f*cking stick with it. None of this hopping around with manga, film making, reality tv, documentaries, news letters and now- gasp- MANGA, AGAIN, even though he said it was a dying industry.

Sorry. I just ; A ;

I'm just gonna repeat what I said on ANN

[kenzi-chi.livejournal.com]

Didn't TP shut down because they were backrupted? How can they just come back?

Though I'll be happy if they manage to get Deadman Wonderland again, but I think he's only doing this to finish collecting his money for Hetalia. Last month he was talking about publishing Hetalia 3 and now he decides to come back? Not a coincidence.

A company shouldn't just quit then come back like this. He fired hundreds of people and now he decides to change his mind? Very irresponsible in my opinion. I don't know anything about this Levy, but I don't like him now because of this.

[mizu-takishima.livejournal.com]

That's the saddest, yet most accurate analogy I've ever heard on the issue so far ;_;

lol WAT

[mad-kitty12.livejournal.com]

Well, afer reading the tread's title I did the same face as your icon, fh14. Now excuse while I reread the thread because things are very confusing in my poor brain while I struggle to translate. (english is not my mother language, heh)

[pixygal.livejournal.com]

I'd just like to point out that, having read that twitter account, they DO NOT have any licenses right now. When asked about it, they said they have a "relationship" with some of the license holders. Well whoopie doo. I could write an email to Gentosha and have a "relationship" with them too. In other words, this looks to be Stu Levy being desperate for attention again. In any case, at the moment they have no more rights to publish Hetalia in English than any other American company so... here's hoping a company that's not run by an attention-starved idiot will pick it up.
But I sure am looking forward to their "Asian Culture Newsletter"! I am sure it will be chock full of information I couldn't possibly find elsewhere, and won't be typo-ridden in the slightest.

Re: I'm just gonna repeat what I said on ANN

[hoka-no-koto.livejournal.com]

Nope, TP did NOT go bankrupt. Levy made tons of bad management decisions which didn't help their bottom line (including the distribution agreement with Borders) but they did not go bankrupt. Levy had been systematically dismantling the NA publishing company for a while and when he finally closed the doors, diverted remaining capital into his films. Just another example of his (possibly) ADD-fueled decision making.

If TP manga came back with someone other than Levy in charge and who is committed to the industry (which Levy called a "dying industry" that he couldn't believe he was still stuck in...) & the readers, enthusiasm for the rebirth of TP - at least mine - might be more, um....enthusiastic.

[mizu-takishima.livejournal.com]

Just feel like asking, if anyone feels like replying;

Would it be smarter to contact Gentosha, and then Yen Press? or Yen Press, then Gentosha? Or maybe both at the same time?

[omgimsuchadork.livejournal.com]

"But I sure am looking forward to their "Asian Culture Newsletter"! I am sure it will be chock full of information I couldn't possibly find elsewhere, and won't be typo-ridden in the slightest."

Sumimasen pixygal-san, I think you forgot a "desu" on the end of that, ne? (´･ω･`)
/s

[cidal-fun.livejournal.com]

Maybe both at the same time? That way they both have an understanding of the situation and the appeal of buying/selling the rights?

I don't know how the business works.

[pixelmicrocat.livejournal.com]

...Thank god I don't live in America. Everyone deserves better than this :(

I'll only say 2 words to our dear Stu:
FANGIRLS.

HETALIA. FANGIRLS.

You know better than messing with them.

[pandaspaz.livejournal.com]

Maybe talking to Gentosha first would be best to see what their take on the situation is- whether they're happy with Tokyopop (though I can't really see how if they are xD) and whether or not they'd like to switch. But contacting YP about it wouldn't really do any harm, so why not? Getting Gentosha's attention early is the most important thing, methinks.

[dusmarais.livejournal.com]

I agree.

[taylorphantom.livejournal.com]

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK is the only thing I can think of saying.

I mean seriously... what? I must be brain-damaged or something beacuse I don't seem to understand this whatsoever. Tell me if I got this right:

- Tokyopop closes
- Tokyopop holds on to manga publishing rights
- Tokyopop offers the chance for more Hetalia volumes
- Tokyopop says it was a misunderstanding and all they are doing is making an Otaku Desu Ne newsletter
- Tokyopop says they are releasing manga again

Eh?

[mizu-takishima.livejournal.com]

That's actually a good point. It's possible if we get Gentosha's feelings on all this first, since they may or may not hate Stu's guts and/or already planning stuff with Yen Press, then...well we could always convince them to go for Yen Press or even Viz at this point |D

I'm not a huge Viz fan but they do have a tenancy to publish art books too, so that would be kind of cool. I don't think Yen Press has published any art books yet...

[lunarsonata5.livejournal.com]

Let it go, Stu.
Just
LET IT GO. :/

[mizu-takishima.livejournal.com]

Gentosha Contact Info: http://www.gentosha.co.jp/ir/contactus.php or just their e-mail: comment@gentosha.co.jp

Yen Press Contact info: http://www.yenpress.com/about/

Just...casually leaving this here. Y'know in case I derp up my letters and if smarter people wanna give it a whirl

[chaobu.livejournal.com]

Because my brain has ceased to function at the utter what-ness of this, I'll say:

Stu, GTFO.

I absolutely refuse to support Stu. I absolutely refuse to buy any volume of anything that Tokyopop releases. I absolutely refuse to support Stu.

Using this as a chance to bring up some old convo we had a while ago that I remember for some reason

[xxwolfgirlxx.livejournal.com]

...Yeah that's pretty much it. Except I don't think they have the manga publishing rights by the looks of this.

Ah well, moi from the future, we can only wait to see what other brain-damaging fucks they spawn next.

[xxwolfgirlxx.livejournal.com]

I feel a lot of pride flowing out of me after reading your comment :)