The latest chapter of Toshihiko Fujinami’s Manga de Yomu Jinbutsu-den (A Biograph in Manga) is stirring controversy over its depiction of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The manga runs in the children’s educational magazine Shougaku 8 Nensei and paints an unflattering, but factual, picture of Abe. It begins by showing Abe’s childhood as a member of a family of politicians. Abe’s unpopularity during his first term, resignation in 2007, and re-election in 2012 are highlighted.

However, critics are decrying the inclusion of Abe’s political scandals, including giving favors to two school operators that have personal links to him. Some commentators think it’s also inappropriate to mention his continuing falling poll numbers on the eve of an election year. To add salt to the wound, a caricatured version of President Donald Trump shows up to taunt Abe for having lower approval ratings than he does. Both politicians have sub-30% approval ratings.

Critics, who are being described as net uyoku (right-wing nationalists who are outspoken on the internet), are claiming the manga is anti-Japanese. Commentators argue that the mangaka shouldn’t push their political stand on children because they are impressionable. Abe’s depiction is also being called inappropriate because next year is an election year.

Other online commentators approve of the depiction.

Shougaku 8 Nensei normally doesn’t garner attention from adult readers, but Fujinami’s manga has proven divisive. While not a perfect metric, Amazon user ratings show 32 one-star reviews versus 10 five-star reviews. Listings of older issues have no user reviews.

Fujinami’s use of political satire is common in Western countries, but it’s not as prevalent in Japan, where those views can be seen as personal attacks on Abe’s character. Satire in Japan tends to be jokey and aimed at abstract ideas or against politicians as a group. Fujinami’s individual style has been seen as inappropriate ever since he launched his Manga de Yomu Jinbutsu-den lampooning Trump.

Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday revealed Norihiro Yagi’s newest manga.

Soukyuu no Ariadne (Ariadne of the Azure Sky) will star a loner boy who has a special dream. One day, he meets a girl and their destinies become intertwined. The manga will begin serialization on December 6th.

Yagi is an internationally acclaimed mangaka whose works have topped sales-charts and won awards. He won the Akatsuka Award in 1990 for his debut work, Undeadman. Comedy series Angel Densetsu and fantasy series Claymore won him international praise, with both of them being adapted into anime.

Yagi’s most known work is Claymore, which ran from 2001 to 2014 for 159 chapters in Jump SQ.

Are you interested in Ariadne of the Azure Sky?

Live-action adaptations of manga is a hot trend in Japan right now thanks to their box office dominance. So far, Gintama and Blade of the Immortal are among the highest grossest Japanese produced movies this year.

You might want to add School-Live! (Gakkou Gurashi) to that potential list. Houbunsha’s Manga Time Kirara Forward revealed that the hit series is heading to theaters in 2018.

Writer Norimitsu Kaihou and artist Sadoru Chiba launched the hit survival-horror manga in 2012. School-Live! follows Yuki Takeya, a girl who loves her school and the activities of the School Life Club. The club also includes president Yuuri Wakasa, the athletic Kurumi Ebisuzawa, the mature Miki Naoki, supervising teacher Megumi Sakura, and the club dog Taroumaru. Together, the club participates in various activities and mini-adventures…or that’s how Yuki sees things.

Highlight for spoilers: [In reality, the girls are survivors of a zombie outbreak and they are trying to adapt to a post-apocalyptic life.]

A 12-episode anime adaptation producing by  Lerche aired in the Summer 2015 season. No plans for a second season have been announced so far.

Takarajimasha’s Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! (This Light Novel is Amazing!) guidebook released their top light novels fans should read in 2018.

The guidebook aggregates rankings from readers and critics for the official choices. Light novels are separated in bunkobon (A6-sized books) and tankobon (B6-sized books).
Bunkobon choices:

10. A Sister’s All You Need (Imouto sae Ireba Ii.)

Author: Yomi Hirasaka

Artist: Kantoku

9. Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka)

Author: Fujino Omori

Artist: Suzuhito Yasuda

8. Gamers!

Author: Sekina Aoi

Artist: SABOTEN

7. The Low-Tier Character “Tomozaki-kun” (Yowa-Chara Tomozaki-kun)

Author: Yuuki Yaku

Artist: Fly

6. Remake Our Life! (Boku-tachi no Remake)

Author: Nachi Kio

Artist: Erette

5. Sword Art Online

Author: Reki Kawahara

Artist: abec

4. Tsuki to Raika to Nosferatu

Author: Keisuke Masano

Artist: Karei

3. Infinite Dendrogram

Author: Sakon Kaidou

Artist: Taiki

2. 86 -EightySix-

Author: Asato Asato

Artist: Shirabi

Mecha Design: I-IV

1. The Ryuo’s Work is Never Done!

Author: Shiratori Shirow

Artist: Shirabi

Tankobon choices:

10. If It’s for my Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord

Author: CHIROLU

Artist: KEI

9. Majo no Tabitabi

Author: Jogi Shiraishi

Artist: Azul

8. Yokohama Station Fable (Yokohama Eki SF)

Author: Yuba Isukari

Artist: Tatsuyuki Tanaka

7. Mushoku Tensei – Jobless Reincarnation (Mushoku Tensei – Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu)

Author: Rifujin na Magonote

Artist: Shirotaka

6. Regarding Reincarnated to Slime (Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken)

Author: Fuse

Artist: Mitz Vah

5. Monogatari Series

Author: NisiOisin

Artist: VOFAN

4. Overlord

Author: Kugane Maruyama

Artist: so-bin

3. The Saga of Tanya the Evil (Youjo Senki)

Author: Carlo Zen

Artist: Shinobu Shinotsuki

2. So I’m a Spider, So What? (Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka?)

Author: Okina Baba

Artist: Tsukasa Kiryuu

1. Honzuki no Gekokujou ~Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen~

Author: Miya Kazuki

Artist: You Shiina

Are you reading any of these top light novel series?

Mangaka Bow Ditama is famous for creating explicitly ecchi manga – all of which have been adapted into anime.

Kissxsis is his most famous work, but Mahoromatic and Fight Ippatsu! Juuden-chan!! also enjoyed success during their runs. Ditama is looking to add a fourth hit manga to his resume, which will be titled Shougakusei wa Mama demo Ii desu ka? (Is It Alright if the Grade School Student is My Mom?).

As the title suggests, the manga is going to be a “reincarnation” story. It’s going to star a man having relationship troubles at work. Just when his life couldn’t get any more difficult, a young girl appears to him and claims to be a reincarnation of his mom.

Shougakusei wa Mama demo Ii desu ka? will be serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirus beginning on December 26th. Ditama will also continue working on Kissxsis, which is published in Kodansha’s Weekly Young Magazine.

Are you interested in Ditama’s newest project?

One of the worst guarantees in life is bad days. We’ve all experienced them, but luckily there is a handful of manga that can help brighten our days!

Yotsuba&!

Mangaka: Kiyohiko Azuma

Genre: Comedy / Slice of Life

Chapters: 98 (Ongoing)

Quick pitch: Yotsuba Koiwai is an energetic and curious five-year-old girl who moves to a new city with her adoptive father. Her naivety of the world means every day is an adventure.

Azumanga Daioh

Mangaka: Kiyohiko Azuma

Genre: Comedy / Slice of Life

Chapters: 69 (Finished)

Quick pitch: Azumanga Daioh follows the disjointed and surreal school lives of six friends and two of their teachers. The series chronicles three years of high school in a low-key, character-driven comedy.

Nichijou

Mangaka: Keiichi Arawi

Genre: Comedy / Slice of Life

Chapters: 210 (Finished)

Quick Pitch: Yuuko Aioi, Mio Naganohara, and Mai Minakami are high school friends, and their seemingly normal life is filled with absurd moments. The bizarre lives of eight-year-old inventor Hakase, talking cat Sakamoto, and the robot Nana Shinonome also intersect with the trio’s daily lives.

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun (Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun)

Mangaka: Izumi Tsubaki

Genre: Comedy / Romance

Chapters: 89 (Ongoing)

Quick pitch: The story follows Sakura Chiyo as she tries to confess her feelings to Nozaki-kun, a student who is a renowned shoujo mangaka. Thinking Sakura is a fangirl, Nozaki gives her an autograph and allows her to work as his assistant.

Gakuen Babysitters

Mangaka: Hari Tokeino

Genre: Comedy / Slice of Life

Chapters: 79 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Following a plane crash that killed their parents, brothers Ryuuichi and Kotarou find themselves living with the chairwoman of Morinomiya Academy. She lost her son and daughter-in-law in that same crash. As a condition for her care, Ryuuichi must spend his non-school time working at the academy’s daycare, which is where Kotarou will spend most of his days.

Aria

Mangaka: Kozue Amano

Genre: Coming of Age / Drama / Science Fiction / Slice of Life

Chapters: 67 (Finished)

Quick pitch: By the 24th century, humans have terraformed and colonized Mars. Now named Aqua, the planet is home to Neo-Venezia, which is a harbor city teaming with narrow canals and rustic beauty. Akari Mizunashi is a free-spirited teen from Earth and joins the Aria Company so she may become a tour guide for Neo-Venezia.

Squid Girl (Shinryaku! Ika Musume)

Mangaka: Masahiro Anbe

Genre: Comedy / Fantasy / Slice of Life

Chapters: 419 (Finished)

Quick pitch: Ika Musume is a ruthless, menacing creature from the ocean…or at least that is what she thinks. Ika decides to “conquer” the human word as punishment for polluting the ocean but instead gets caught up in misadventures.

Angel Densetsu

Mangaka: Norihiro Yagi

Genre: Action / Comedy

Chapters: 89 (Finished)

Quick Pitch: Seiichirou Kitano has the heart of an angel, but the face of a demon. The classmates and staff at Kitano’s new school think he’s a violent heroin addict, which makes him the de facto leader of the school’s delinquents. Kitano is blissfully unaware of his situation, but that doesn’t stop him from accidentally becoming the school’s guardian from rival gangs.

Yokohama Shipping Log (Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou)

Mangaka: Hitoshi Ashinano

Genre: Science Fiction / Slice of Life

Chapters: 142 (Finished)

Quick Pitch: Alpha Hatsuseno is an android that runs a café outside of Yokohama. Humanity is in their twilight era and has accepted a simpler life after failing to prevent environmental catastrophes caused by their old ways. Alpha travels with her trusty scooter and camera to enjoy the passage of time and making new friends.

Non Non Biyori

Mangaka: Atto

Genre: Comedy / Slice of Life

Chapters: 77 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: The small village of Asahigaoka lacks the conveniences of the city: their school only has a single classroom! But the five girls of different grades never fail to find an adventure in their rural community.

Horimiya

Mangaka: HERO (Writer) / Daisuke Hagiwara (Artist)

Genre: Comedy / Romance

Chapters: 84 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Kyoko Hori is a sunny and popular high school girl, which contrasts with her gloomy classmate Izumi Miyamura. However, they two have different personas outside of class: Kyoko loves dressing down and taking care of her household while Izumi is covered in piercings and has a tattoo. They promise to keep each other’s true personalities a secret, which leads to a close bond between them.

Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko

Mangaka: Fumita Yanagida

Genre: Comedy / Romance

Chapters: 691 (Ongoing)

Quick pitch: Tomo Aizawa successfully confessed her feelings to Junichirou Kubota. There is one problem: Junichirou sees Tomo as a buddy due to her tomboy nature. The series follows Tomo as she navigates the friend zone and tries to get Junichirou to fall in love with her.

Flying Witch

Mangaka: Chihiro Ishizuka

Genre: Comedy

Chapters: 39 (Ongoing)

Quick pitch: Makoto Kowata moves to the quiet town of Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture to live with her second cousins as part of her witch training. The abundance of nature is ideal for helping Makoto hone her skills, which seem peculiar to her family and new friends.

It’s Difficult to Love an Otaku (Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii)

Mangaka: Fujita

Genre: Comedy / Romance

Chapters: 33 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Narumi Momose is a hardcore fujoshi and Hirotaka Nifuji is a gamer. The pair hasn’t seen each other since middle school, but are shocked to learn that they are co-workers at the same company. A night of drinking leads to a revelation of their hobbies, and they decide to start dating. However, their tendencies lead to very awkward moments with their fellow otaku co-workers.

New Game!

Mangaka: Shoutarou Tokunou

Genre: Comedy

Chapters: 80 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Aoba Suzukaze is a high school grad and joins Eagle Jump, a video game company that produced her favorite game. She joins as a character designer and works under her idol, Ko Yagami.

We Never Learn (Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai)

Mangaka: Tsutsui Taishi

Genre: Comedy / Harem / Romance

Chapters: 42 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Yuiga isn’t a top student, but he’s always been great at studying. Instead of preparing for his college entrance exams, he’s ordered to tutor literary genius Furuhashi and science wiz Ogata in their weakest subjects.

What manga do you read when you have a bad day?

Few names strike fear and excitement in the heart of fans than Gen Urobuchi. Nicknamed “The Urobutcher”, he is known for creating dark stories, tragic settings, wild plot twists, and devastating death scenes.

Urobuchi has created stories for visual novels, light novels, anime, manga, and live-action projects. His prolific career has crossed different mediums, and celebrate the Japanese release of Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, we want to know which works Urobuchi fans think are the best!

*The submit button is in the last image you click on.

This past weekend, we asked the community to rank their favorite Gen Urobuchi projects. 1,799 fans participated in the poll! Where did your favorite Urobuchi project rank?

16. Outlaw Django – Zoku: Satsuriku no Django – 0 votes

T-15. Kin no hitomi to tetsu no ken – 18 votes

T-15. Eisen Flügel – 18 votes

13. Kikokugai: The Cyber Slayer – 36 votes

12. Kamen Rider Gaim – 54 votes

T-11. Blassreiter – 72 votes

T-11. Chaos Dragon: Red Dragon Campaign – 72 votes

T-11. Thunderbolt Fantasy – 72 votes

8. Saya no Uta – 161 votes

7. Expelled From Paradise – 197 votes

6. Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom – 215 votes

5. Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet – 251 votes

4. Aldnoah.Zero – 430 votes

3. Puella Magi Madoka Magica – 878 votes

2. Fate/Zero – 1,021 votes

1. Psycho-Pass – 1,218 votes

Digital bookstore Book Walker revealed that best-selling light novels of the year. DanMachi has been dethroned from the top spot for the first time in two years. Let’s check out the top 10 best-sellers!

KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! Extra!

Author: Kuma Hiru

Artist: Hagure Yuki

Volumes: 1 (Finished)

Quick Pitch: The delinquent Dust makes his living selling stolen goods, scamming nobles, and other unsavory activities. One day, he is given an ominous message from Vanir.

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

Author: Hiro Ainana

Artist: shri

Volumes: 11 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: 29-year-old Satou is on a programming “death march,” which is an endless stream of coding and debugging before the release of a mobile game. After resting under his desk, Satou finds himself transported into a fantasy RPG as a 15-year-old. He accidentally eradicates an army of lizard men, which provides a boon to his experience points. Wanting to treat this new world as a vacation, Satou finds himself pulled along plot points as the game’s story progresses.

The Irregular at Magic High School

Author: Tsutomu Satou

Artist: Kana Ishida

Volumes: 22 + 1 side story (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Tatsuya and Miyuki Shiba are siblings who enroll in First High School. Upon taking the entrance exam, Miyuki scores high enough to be placed in the First Course. Tatsuya is placed in the Second Course because his exam scores show him to be magically inept. However, the test fails to score Tatsuya’s physical, technical, and irregular magic techniques.

No Game No Life

Author / Artist: Yuu Kamiya

Volumes: 9 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Step-siblings Sora and Shiro are game masters that are summoned to a reality that revolves around games. They plan to usurp the gods of the 16 ruling species by using game theory and their skills.

Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend

Author: Fumiaki Maruto

Artist: Kurehito Misaki

Volumes: 13 (Finished)

Quick Pitch: Tomoya Aki is an otaku who spends his part-time earnings buying anime. While on his way home from vacation, Tomoya bumps into a beautiful girl. He eventually models the heroine of his doujin game after her, only to be surprised that she is his classmate, Megumi. With the help of an art club member and an honor student, Tomoya creates a doujin circle “Blessing Software.” The goal is to get his doujin game finished in time for Comiket, but the members have to come to terms with their emotions first.

Classroom of the Elite

Author: Syohgo Kinugasa

Artist: Shunsaku Tomose

Volumes: 7 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: The Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing School is dedicated to instructing the future generation of Japan’s elite. The students are afforded personal freedom in class, but only if they are among the top. Kiyotaka is not one of the elite – he’s a member of the inferior D-class. Just when the ridicule is about to break him, his meeting with Suzune and Kikyou changes his outlook.

Saga of Tanya the Evil

Author: Carlo Zen

Artist: Shinobu Shinotsuki

Volumes: 8 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: An atheist and social-Darwin worshiping salaryman is reincarnated by “Being X.” This new life is not a gift, and he is reborn as a young mage named Tanya in a war-ravaged world. Tanya is given an ultimatum – if she can’t die a natural death or refuses to believe in Being X, their soul will be sent to hell for their countless sins. Tanya refuses to die on the front lines and does everything in her power to climb the military’s ranks while denouncing Being X.

Delicious in Dungeon

Author / Artist: Ryouko Kui

Volumes: 5 (ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Knight Laius and his party is saved from certain death thanks to his sister’s sacrifice. Now she’s in a dragon’s stomach, and the party is short on time to revive her. They delve back into the dungeon’s depths and Laius is tasked with cooking refreshing meals from the dungeon’s unique ecosystem.

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?

Author: Fujino Omori

Artist: Suzuhito Yasuda

Volumes: 12 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Bell hopes of becoming a great adventurer so he can impress his crush Ais. In order to become an adventurer, a person must join a familial. Since Bell is incredibly weak, he can only join Hestia’s familial…and is her only member.

KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!

Author: Natsume Akatsuki

Artist: Kurone Mishima

Volumes: 12 (Ongoing)

Quick Pitch: Kazuma is a NEET who meets a goddess named Aqua after a pathetic death and is offered to be reincarnated in a parallel world. Kazuma is allowed to bring one item or power with him, but he decides to bring Aqua out of spite.

How many of these best-sellers have you read?

Digital bookstore Book Walker revealed that best-selling digital manga titles of the year. Let’s check out the top 10 best-sellers!

The Demon Who Became My Sister (Ane Naru Mono)

Mangaka: Pochi

Quick Pitch: After losing both of his parents, Yuu has spent his young life living with various unwilling relatives. One day, he encounters a beautiful demon who will grant a single wish in exchange for something precious. Tired of being lonely, Yuu wishes for the demon to become his older sister.

Pochi based this monthly manga on an ero-doujin they created in the past.

Regarding Reincarnated to Slime (Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken)

Mangaka: Fuse (Writer) / Taiki Kawakami

Quick Pitch: After being killed by a robber, the 37-year-old Minami Satoru finds himself reincarnated in a new world as a blind slime blob. He is renamed Rimuru Tempest, and with the help from Storm Dragon Verudora, Rimuru dreams of being the strongest slim in the universe.

New Game!

Mangaka: Shoutarou Tokunou

Quick Pitch: Aoba Suzukaze is a high school grad and joins Eagle Jump, a video game company that produced her favorite game. She joins as a character designer and works under her idol, Ko Yagami.

The Bride’s Stories (Otoyomegatari)

Mangaka: Kaoru Mori

Quick Pitch: After turning 20, Amir is sent to a neighboring village to marry Karluk, who is a 12-year-old boy. Amir and Karluk come from different cultures, which leads to great learning experiences for the two of them.

A Certain Scientific Railgun

Mangaka: Kazuma Kamachi (Writer) / Motoi Fuyukawa (Artist)

Quick Pitch: Mikoto Misaka is the third most powerful Level 5 Esper in Academy City. She is joined by Kuroko Shirai and the members of Judgement to protect the peace of Academy City from delinquents.

My First Girlfriend is a Gal (Hajimete no Gal)

Mangaka: Meguru Ueno

Quick pitch: Uncool high school student Junichi Hashiba is tired of being single and is self-conscious about being a virgin. One day during Spring, he is pressured by his friends confess his love to Yukana, who is a trendy kogal. At first, he is denied, but Junichi and Yukana share a series of “firsts” during their “season of love.”

Saga of Tanya the Evil (Youjo Senki)

Mangaka: Carlo Zen (Writer) / Chika Toujou (Artist)

Quick Pitch: An atheist and social-Darwin worshiping salaryman is reincarnated by “Being X.” This new life is not a gift, and he is reborn as a young mage named Tanya in a war-ravaged world. Tanya is given an ultimatum – if she can’t die a natural death or refuses to believe in Being X, their soul will be sent to hell for their countless sins. Tanya refuses to die on the front lines and does everything in her power to climb the military’s ranks while denouncing Being X.

World’s End Harem

Mangaka: LINK (Writer) / Kotaro Shono (Artist)

Quick Pitch: 99.9% of Earth’s male population has been eradicated due to a disease. Reito awakens from cryogenic sleep and learns that only four other men are alive. They are given lives of luxury but are also forced to breed as many women as if they are livestock. However, Reito just wants to reunite with his lost love, Erisa.

March Comes in Like a Lion (3-Gatsu no Lion)

Mangaka: Chica Umino

Quick Pitch:  Rei is a 17-year-old professional shogi player who lives on his own. With an estranged relationship with his adoptive family and little friends, but he decides to attend a high school to fill a void in his heart. He’s been facing a losing streak and has failed to surpass the 5th Dan rank. However, his relationship with the Kawamoto family and his peers may help him rediscover his passion for shogi.

Delicious in Dungeon

Mangaka: Ryouko Kui

Quick Pitch: Knight Laius and his party are saved from certain death thanks to his sister’s sacrifice. Now she’s in a dragon’s stomach, and the party is short on time to revive her. They delve back into the dungeon’s depths and Laius is tasked with cooking refreshing meals from the dungeon’s unique ecosystem.

How many of these best-sellers have you read?

It’s time to return to the Dark Continent…again. Yoshihiro Togashi’s hit Hunter x Hunter is set to return on January 29th, 2018. The return date was revealed in a Shounen Jump preview.

Image via Hiatus x Hiatus

Togashi previously returned from a 46-week hiatus on June 26th and wrote 10 chapters before putting Hunter x Hunter on hold again. Before leaving, he jokingly told readers, “I receive some donbei from Nissin Foods as a resurrection prize, so I’ll be back once more within the year.”

Hunter x Hunter has a rough history of hiatus. In fact, the manga has only appeared in 372 out of the 952 current issues of Weekly Shounen Jump since its debut. Togashi can be cryptic about the reasons behind his frequent hiatus, but he has cited chronic back pain in the past, which has left him bedridden.

Despite the infrequent publishing cycle, Hunter x Hunter has sold over 66 million copies in Japan. The series centers around Gon Freecss, a 12-year-old boy who is determined to become the greatest Hunter in hopes of finding his father. On his journey, Gon befriends the doctor-in-training Leorio, the vengeful Kurapika, and the rebellious ex-assassin Killua. They work together to become Hunters and to help each other achieve their dreams.

Hunter x Hunter has had two major anime adaptations. Nippon Animation produced a 62-episode TV series and a 30-episode OVA series that ran from 1999 to 2004. Madhouse has produced a 148-episode TV series and two movies between 2011 to 2014.

Japanese software company jig.jp shared the results of their “year-end” otaku popularity poll! The poll was conducted on their Otamart app.

4,911 users participated, with 4,462 respondents being female. Basically, this is a snap-shot of what female otaku loved during the past year!

Most Successful Franchise in 2017

1. Katsugeki/Touken Ranbu

2. My Hero Academia

3. Osomatsu-san

4. Love Live! Sunshine!!

5. Bungo Stray Dogs

6. Haikyuu!!

7. Uta no Prince-sama

8. The iDOLM@STER side M

9. Kemono Friends

10. Gintama

Most Succesful Game of 2017

1. A3!

2. Touken Ranbu -ONLINE-

3. Ensemble Stars

4. Fate/Grand Order

5. Idolish7

6. Uta no Prince-sama Shining Live

7. Love Live! School Idol Festival “~after school ACTIVITY”

8. Tsukino Paradise

9. The iDOLM@STER side M

10. Splatoon 2

Most Succesful Fictional Character of 2017

1. Itaru Chigasaki (A3!)

2. Karamatsu (Osomatsu-san)

3. Kuninaga Tsurumaru (Touken Ranbu)

4. Shoto Todoroki (My Hero Academia)

5. Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia)

6. Ichimatsu (Osomatsu-san)

7. Kiyomitsu Kashuu (Touken Ranbu)

8. Kanesada Izuminokami (Touken Ranbu)

9. Misumi Ikaruga (A3!)

10. Osamu Dazai (Bungo Stray Dogs)

Most Successful Celebrity of 2017

1. Mamoru Miyano

2. Hiroshi Kamiya

3. Shouta Aoi

4. Soma Saito

5. Yuki Kaji

6. Ryuji Sato

7. Kenshi Yonezu

8. Tomoaki Maeno

9. Yoshihiko Aramaki

10. Aqours

Ruri Miyahara’s Bokura wa Minna Kawaisou (The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior) manga will have its final chapter published on December 28th.

Shonengahosha’s Young King Ours magazine made the announcement. Miyahara has been working on the series since June 2010 and will end it with the 88th chapters.

The “adolescent romantic-comedy” stars Usa Kazunari, a boy who moves into the Kawai Complex due to his parents’ job transfer. He is initially distressed by all the strange perverts that live there but is happy to learn that a girl he likes is also a resident.

A 12-episode anime adaptation produced by Brain’s Base aired in the Spring 2014 season. The anime is licensed by Sentai Filmworks, which can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Hulu. Crunchyroll also licensed the manga for digital publication.

Shinsuke Inue is fairly new to the mainstream manga industry. After getting their start creating ero-manga, they have transitioned to mainstream works, with manga adaptations of Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai! and Heavy Object being their most known works.

However, Inue was given a chance to create an original series and launched Shoujo Kishidan x Knight Tale in April 2016. The shoujo-ai series is about the sport of medieval jousting and received a decent reception in Japan.

After publishing a new chapter, he told fans that he was excited to be continuing the series. Later that day, he notified fans that his editor notified him of the manga’s cancellation and that story needs to be wrapped up by the third volume.

と、掲載告知のあとですけど
かなしいお知らせをします。
こんなことになりました。 pic.twitter.com/tbdu94m7eu

— 犬江しんすけ＠３日目あ-12a (@inushins) November 30, 2017

Inue shared a short manga of the exchange. Despite the series’ enthusiastic fans and warm reception within Dengeki G’s Comic Magazine‘s editorial staff, they decided to pull the plug due to low sales.

At first, Inue thought the call was to share good news – like an anime or light novel adaptation has been greenlit. Despite having a wealth of story ideas and new characters planned, Inue wasn’t able to bargain for extra time with his editor. Instead, he ends his “announcement” manga if a different magazine will pick up the series or allow him to reboot it.

拙作『少女騎士団×ナイトテイル』の移籍にご興味のある漫画関係者の方がいらっしゃいましたら、ご連絡お待ちしております。
よろしくお願いいたします。 https://t.co/f8I8h07UN1

— 犬江しんすけ＠３日目あ-12a (@inushins) November 30, 2017

In a separate series of Tweets, Inue revealed that his editor told him, “Numbers are everything. We can’t put out books that won’t get additional printings.” He says he understands the situation and doesn’t blame the editorial staff for canceling Shoujo Kishidan x Knight Tale for being a financial burden.

Vampire Princess Miyu holds a special place in the fandom. The gothic-horror series was among the first to be fansubbed when the OVA series was released in 1988. Those same fansubbers would go on to form AnimEigo and officially license it in 1992 – being one of the first official anime releases.

Now, the classic series is being revived as a new manga. Narumi Kakinouchi, who illustrated the original manga series, is in charge of the sequel. The sequel will be titled Vampire Princess Miyu – Saku and it is currently running in Akita Shoten’s Champion Cross digital magazine.

The original series was written by Toshiki Hirano with art by Narumi Kakinouchi. It follows an immortal vampire named Miyu. She is forced to be a guardian tasked with banishing evil entities called Shinma to the shadow realm. Before turning 15, Miyu vows to return to the shadow realm after cleansing the Earth of Shinma.

AIC and Pony Canyon produced a four-episode OVA in 1988, and AIC produced a 26-episode TV series in 1997.

Oricon announced the top-selling manga in 2017! As with most years, the chart is dominated by shounen action-adventure titles. Did your favorite manga make the cut?

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic – 2,713,074 copies sold

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma – 2,792,441 copies sold

One Punch Man – 3,223,151 copies sold

The Seven Deadly Sins – 3,592,571 copies sold

Haikyuu!! – 5,067,939 copies sold

Tokyo Ghoul:re – 5,303,514 copies sold

My Hero Academia – 5,852,310 copies sold

Kingdom – 6,184,214 copies sold

Attack on Titan – 6,622,781 copies sold

One Piece – 11,495,532 copies sold

Oricon announced the top-selling light novels in 2017! Magic-battle series dominated the charts this year. Did your favorite manga make the cut?

The Saga of Tanya the Evil – 417,897 copies sold

Overlord – 426,706 copies sold

Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor – 443,995 copies sold

Eromanga-sensei – 489,916 copies sold

Your Name (light novel adaptation) – 501,026 copies sold

Classroom of the Elite – 564,642 copies sold

The Irregular at Magic High School – 809,636 copies sold

Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- – 925,671 copies sold

Konosuba – God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! – 960,418 copies sold

Sword Art Online – 1,173,096 copies sold

Kadokawa’s Sneaker Bunko has big news for Haruhi Suzumiya fans: the light novel series has over 20 million copies in print around the world!

The massively popular series follows Kyon, a cynical high school student of North High School. He is drawn to Haruhi Suzumiya, an eccentric girl who seeks supernatural phenomena as the head of the SOS Brigade. Haruhi is unaware that the new recruits are the supernatural beings that she seeks, and she is also oblivious to her reality warping powers. Since Haruhi’s biggest foe is boredom, the four club members do everything in their power to keep her entertained.

Writer Nagaru Tanigawa and artist Noizi Ito created 11 volumes between June 2003 to June 2011. The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya is the final book, but Tanigawa claims the series is on hiatus and is not complete.

Kyoto Animation adapted the light novels in a non-linear 14-episode anime that aired in the Spring 2006 season. They would later rebroadcast the anime in a linear form with 14 new episodes (8 of which were the Endless Eight) three years later. They would also adapt The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya as a theatrical film in 2010.

The anime’s massive success has been credited for the popularity of light novel adaptations.

Sword Art Online is entering new waters as creator Reki Kawahara begins work on a new story arc. Titled Unital Ring, teased that new story arc will have the cast “starting from scratch” since the setting will have a new foundation.

【必見☆】大好評発売中の『電撃文庫MAGAZINE Vol.59』にはなんと！『ソードアート・オンライン』の本編新章≪ユナイタル･リング≫編のプロローグが世界初公開されているぞ！https://t.co/XafFRW2EtW #電撃文庫 #電撃文庫MAGAZINE pic.twitter.com/zItUNbGBLY

— 電撃文庫 (@bunko_dengeki) December 9, 2017

Kadokawa’s Dengeki Bunko will publish a prologue chapter, but they are keeping major story details under wraps. Kawahara did tease that the arc’s title is a mathematical term like Ordinal Scale, but the two stories will not be linked together.

This will be the first new story for Sword Art Online. All previous story arcs, except for the Ordinal Scale movie, were based on Kawahara’s original web novel versions. Alicization served as the web novel’s finale and is receiving an anime adaptation.

Kadokawa will also reveal more information about the Alicization anime the same day they publish the prologue to Unital Ring.

Kadokawa’s Newtype magazine revealed two new manga for the Code Geass franchise.

The first manga is Katei Kyoushi no Lelouch-san (Lelouch the Home Tutor), which will be a comedy series about Lelouch tutoring C.C. It will be published on the Comic Newtype website starting on December 22nd.

The other manga is Code Geass – Hangyaku no Lelouch (Code Geass – Lelouch of the Rebellion), which is the same title as the original anime and a 2006 shoujo manga adaptation. Tomofumi Ogasawara (Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers) is drawing the adaptation, which is being billed as the “definitive edition.” It will be published in Comic Newtype in 2018.

The two new manga is part of a host of new entries into the franchise as part of a build-up to the third anime season. Currently, a trilogy of compilation films is being released to serve as an entry point for newer fans.

Code Geass – Hangyaku no Lelouch Gaiden – Shiro no Kishi, Kurenai no Yasha (Code Geass – Lelouch of the Rebellion – Lancelot & Guren) is a spin-off manga centering around Kallen and Suzaku, which will debut on December 22nd on Comic Newtype.

Finally, Code Geass Danshou – Mosaic no Kakera (Code Geass Story Fragment – Piece of the Mosaic) will be an omnibus series that focuses on six different protagonists who were affected by the events of the main Code Geass story. The series will debut on Sunrise’s Yatate Bunko.

Sunrise has yet to announce a premiere date or format for the Code Geass sequel series, which takes place after the events of season 2.