Comments on: CAT-EYED BOY: Bringing the Umezu classic to North America http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/ Never Safe For Work Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:37:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Blog@Newsarama » How do you sell a manga like Cat-Eyed Boy? http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-68410 Blog@Newsarama » How do you sell a manga like Cat-Eyed Boy? Fri, 23 May 2008 05:29:20 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-68410 [...] How do you sell a manga like Cat-Eyed Boy? Monday March 24, 2008, 8:40 am Chris Butcher takes a look at Viz’s upcoming release of Kazuo Umezu’s Cat-Eyed Boy and uses it as a jumping-off point to talk about cover design and the problems in attempting to market manga like Umezu’s to Western audiences: Looking at it from a North American publisher’s perspective, there are some problems. Having a naked little boy on a book cover doesn’t fly in North America, for the most part (even if he’s got creepy claw feet). The book also looks a little young… Though its original audience is likely that same “Shonen Sunday” crowd as Drifting Classroom, in North America these are quite clearly going to be intended for an adult audience that is equally as likely to appreciate these works as viscerally enjoy them. (Though I feel it’s important to note that these re-releases were probably intended for an adult audience in Japan, likely the same adults who bought the stories as children originally). I’d love to own these two book covers, and chances are I’ll just pick them up next time I’m in Japan, either that or a nice Umezu art book maybe? But on North American shelves, they’d be pretty unlikely at best. [...] [...] How do you sell a manga like Cat-Eyed Boy? Monday March 24, 2008, 8:40 am Chris Butcher takes a look at Viz’s upcoming release of Kazuo Umezu’s Cat-Eyed Boy and uses it as a jumping-off point to talk about cover design and the problems in attempting to market manga like Umezu’s to Western audiences: Looking at it from a North American publisher’s perspective, there are some problems. Having a naked little boy on a book cover doesn’t fly in North America, for the most part (even if he’s got creepy claw feet). The book also looks a little young… Though its original audience is likely that same “Shonen Sunday” crowd as Drifting Classroom, in North America these are quite clearly going to be intended for an adult audience that is equally as likely to appreciate these works as viscerally enjoy them. (Though I feel it’s important to note that these re-releases were probably intended for an adult audience in Japan, likely the same adults who bought the stories as children originally). I’d love to own these two book covers, and chances are I’ll just pick them up next time I’m in Japan, either that or a nice Umezu art book maybe? But on North American shelves, they’d be pretty unlikely at best. [...]

]]> By: Chris http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-57972 Chris Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:39:52 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-57972 Hey Ed, it looks like It's going to be flipped, yeah. Everyone else, thanks for the comments! - Chris Hey Ed, it looks like It’s going to be flipped, yeah.

Everyone else, thanks for the comments!

- Chris

]]> By: Ed Brubaker http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-57514 Ed Brubaker Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:28:02 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-57514 Is the story going to read front to back, US-style, like Tekkon did, too? Is the story going to read front to back, US-style, like Tekkon did, too?

]]> By: Jacob Covey http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-56594 Jacob Covey Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:23:51 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-56594 Excellent post, Chris-- I'd love to see more people discussing the formatting and design decisions going into comics. Appreciate your exploration of it with Viz, even if it didn't exactly reveal much in the marketing speak answers. The new cover treatments are a must-- the original covers are simply too dated for selling to a new young audience, cool as they may be. These redesigns are great. The candy wrapper quality of the title treatments really adds to the eeriness. Excellent post, Chris– I’d love to see more people discussing the formatting and design decisions going into comics. Appreciate your exploration of it with Viz, even if it didn’t exactly reveal much in the marketing speak answers.

The new cover treatments are a must– the original covers are simply too dated for selling to a new young audience, cool as they may be. These redesigns are great. The candy wrapper quality of the title treatments really adds to the eeriness.

]]> By: Marco Milone http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-56545 Marco Milone Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:06:49 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-56545 Neat! Neat!

]]> By: Alex Scott http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-56381 Alex Scott Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:05:09 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-56381 I like how the covers look like something somewhere between a circus ad and the Weekly World News. Definitely contributes to the freakiness of it. I like how the covers look like something somewhere between a circus ad and the Weekly World News. Definitely contributes to the freakiness of it.

]]> By: MangaBlog » Blog Archive » Short and sweet http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-56263 MangaBlog » Blog Archive » Short and sweet Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:02:25 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-56263 [...] At Comics 212, Christopher Butcher talks to Viz veep Alvin Lu about the differences between the Japanese and American editions of Kazuo Umezu’s Cat-Eyed Boy. Chris adds plenty of his own analysis, plus lots of illustrations. [...] [...] At Comics 212, Christopher Butcher talks to Viz veep Alvin Lu about the differences between the Japanese and American editions of Kazuo Umezu’s Cat-Eyed Boy. Chris adds plenty of his own analysis, plus lots of illustrations. [...]

]]> By: peter s http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-56247 peter s Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:23:11 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-56247 Cool, I didn't pick up the Drifting Classroom manga because I dislike long book series (I don't have the space!), but I saw enough of it to know it ruled; and whenever Viz attempt a decently-profiled Perfect collection of something, it's usually pretty great (eg. Nausicaa, Sexy Voice and Robo, but ESPECIALLY after the Tekkonkinkreet book last year). Two large books is much more manageable than several small ones. I guess I have a thing for fat books (or at least self-contained volumes). No. 5 was a tragic one, though. I think it differs from the works mentioned, though, in that it (well, what was released, anyhow) was in a more European format (each book was 140 pages or so; less than a standard manga volume, anyway) rather than the big omnibus editions. Some lizard brain part of me says that one large volume with a higher price-point is better value for money than several smaller volumes, even though that is not always the case. Of course No. 5 had many other problems (the market just wasn't ready for it in 2003), but the presentation is definitely a big one in my eyes. Cool, I didn’t pick up the Drifting Classroom manga because I dislike long book series (I don’t have the space!), but I saw enough of it to know it ruled; and whenever Viz attempt a decently-profiled Perfect collection of something, it’s usually pretty great (eg. Nausicaa, Sexy Voice and Robo, but ESPECIALLY after the Tekkonkinkreet book last year). Two large books is much more manageable than several small ones. I guess I have a thing for fat books (or at least self-contained volumes).

No. 5 was a tragic one, though. I think it differs from the works mentioned, though, in that it (well, what was released, anyhow) was in a more European format (each book was 140 pages or so; less than a standard manga volume, anyway) rather than the big omnibus editions. Some lizard brain part of me says that one large volume with a higher price-point is better value for money than several smaller volumes, even though that is not always the case. Of course No. 5 had many other problems (the market just wasn’t ready for it in 2003), but the presentation is definitely a big one in my eyes.

]]> By: Bryan http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-56184 Bryan Mon, 24 Mar 2008 04:55:04 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-56184 Those covers are gorgeous and quite amazing! I will definitely be looking for these, although they are kinda hard to miss. Despite good reviews of Drifting Classroom, I'd felt uninspired to read Kazuo Umezu until I read your post. Those covers are gorgeous and quite amazing! I will definitely be looking for these, although they are kinda hard to miss. Despite good reviews of Drifting Classroom, I’d felt uninspired to read Kazuo Umezu until I read your post.

]]> By: Chris http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-56084 Chris Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:36:39 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-56084 Shawn- I have no idea about the official sales figures, but anecdotally, several people I've talked to at Viz are quite happy with the performance of Tekkonkinkreet and Drifting Classroom. I don't think any of us wants another No.5 situation, and I think that Viz's moves to release work in these omnibus editions... and complete on the same day... is a good move for that reason and many others. - Chris Shawn- I have no idea about the official sales figures, but anecdotally, several people I’ve talked to at Viz are quite happy with the performance of Tekkonkinkreet and Drifting Classroom.

I don’t think any of us wants another No.5 situation, and I think that Viz’s moves to release work in these omnibus editions… and complete on the same day… is a good move for that reason and many others.

- Chris

]]> By: Shawn http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/comment-page-1/#comment-56083 Shawn Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:21:53 +0000 http://comics212.net/2008/03/23/cat-eyed-boy-bringing-the-umezu-classic-to-north-america/#comment-56083 Chris: Thanks for the great post. On a bit of a tangent, do you have any idea how well - sales wise - Viz are doing with the books in their Signature line? Obviously, DRIFTING CLASSROOM did well enough for them to try something with CAT-EYED BOY that might be less palatable (price-wise) to the N. American buyer. But they haven't grown that line much since it switched over from Editor's Choice. The reason I ask is because I remember No. 5, and would like to see much MORE of this kind of manga on the shelves, and don't want to se any of these series cut off before they can finish. Chris:

Thanks for the great post. On a bit of a tangent, do you have any idea how well – sales wise – Viz are doing with the books in their Signature line? Obviously, DRIFTING CLASSROOM did well enough for them to try something with CAT-EYED BOY that might be less palatable (price-wise) to the N. American buyer. But they haven’t grown that line much since it switched over from Editor’s Choice.

The reason I ask is because I remember No. 5, and would like to see much MORE of this kind of manga on the shelves, and don’t want to se any of these series cut off before they can finish.

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