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To mark their 100th manga for their iPad app, leading manga publisher Viz Media is launching several promotions, including the release of BAKUMAN #4 in digital form on March 28th, more than a week ahead of its April 5th print debut.

In addition, they are making all #1 manga volumes just 99 cents for the rest of March. Finally, BAKUMAN #1 is available for free for 24 hours, starting today at noon PDT. Created by the popular DEATH NOTE team of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, BAKUMAN is a humorous look behind the manga business, following two students who are trying to break into the manga industry,

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN #1 by Hiroshi Shiibashi is also debuting today at the 99 cent price; Shiibashi is the manga-ka whose grueling work schedule stunned the internet a few months ago. It’s only decent to suggest checking out YKAI so that giving up his life wasn’t all for naught.

Although releasing a comic in digital before print is a sure way to outrage comics retailers, Viz doesn’t have as much goodwill to lose since their titles still sell more in bookstores.
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Additional VIZ Media manga volumes available this week include:

BAKUMAN。Vol. 3
BLEACH Vol. 10
CAPTIVE HEARTS Vol. 3
CLAYMORE Vol. 5
D. GRAY MAN Vol. 6
DRAGON BALL Vol. 16
NARUTO Vol. 17
ONE PIECE Vol. 17
OTOMEN Vol. 4

1 COMMENT

  1. Yay! They are finally getting it!

    Manga is perfectly suited to present e-readers. The screen size is on par with the standard tank page, and an e-reader is much easier to carry about.

    I’ve been a huge fan of electronic manga, it’s vastly superior to dead tree for portability and readability. I’m glad to see legal sources.

    If they do it right I expect a big resurgence of manga, but publishers have to:

    -Keep volume 1 onwards “in print” digitally

    -Be reasonably timely with chapter by chapter releases.

    -Offer fast turnaround subscription to titles.

    I’d be overjoyed to pay a subscription in advance to get the latest chapters of my favourite manga automatically sent to an Android App.