According to a new article published today at Publisher’s Weekly Comics Week, Tokyopop Marketing Director Marco Pavia has stated that many of the books listed as “canceled” in releases on blogs and from Diamond are not actually canceled, just postponed while awaiting a rescheduling.
“However, Pavia says the books on both lists were postponed, not permanently canceled. “We obviously have restructured our publishing program and are going month by month with fewer titles,†he says. That requires going back to the license holders to discuss the new schedules. “We are talking about either revising the schedule or looking at alternatives such as online [publication],†he says. While he did not rule out dropping some titles, he says, if that happens, “We will certainly let everyone know.†” – Publisher’s Weekly Comics Week
I think it’s important to note that Tokyopop has refused to outright state that any title is canceled through any official channels, and the only public reports of complete book cancellations have come from the creators of affected work, like last week’s announcement from Shutterbox creator and Voice Of Gir Rikki Simmons that Shutterbox would not continue with Tokyopop. It’s entirely within Tokyopop’s right to be cagey about their publishing plans, they’ve got no impetus or even reason to announce that they’ve dropped a license… That’s exactly the sort of thing that gives your competitors a competitive edge.
That said, a complete list of cancellations was never released, was it? I sort of assumed that the list I got would’ve eventually leaked its way to the net but I suppose not. Well then, in the interests of clarity, here is a list of every title originally scheduled by Tokyopop for release to the book trade in Fall 2008 that is no longer being released to the book trade in Fall 2008. Whether these are eventually coming, or not, not even Tokyopop can say, apparently.
A FLAME INFERNO Volume 1Â -Â Dal-Young Kim, Gwang-Hyun Kim
ADOMANTÂ -Â Nam Kim
AFTERLIFE Volume 2Â -Â Rob Steen, Stormcrow Hayes
AI YORI AOSHI: VOLUMES 1-3 COLLECTIONÂ -Â Kou Fumizuki
ARCANA Volume 10Â -Â So-Young Lee
ASPIRIN Volume 2Â -Â Eun-Jeong Kim
ATELIER MARIE AND ELIE -ZARLBURG ALCHEMIST- Volume 5Â -Â Yoshihiko Ochi
BATTLE OF THE BANDSÂ -Â Steve Buccellato
BECK:MONGOLIAN CHOP SQUAD Volume 13Â -Â Harold Sakuishi
BECK:MONGOLIAN CHOP SQUAD Volume 14Â -Â Harold Sakuishi
BEYOND THE BEYOND Volume 5Â -Â Yoshitomo Watanabe
BLANK Volume 2Â -Â Pop Mhan
BLAZIN’ BARRELS Volume 11Â -Â Min-Seo Park
BLOOD SUCKERÂ Volume 8Â -Â Aki Shimizu, Saki Okuse
BOYS OF SUMMER THE COMPLETE SEASONÂ -Â Chuck Austen, Hiroki Otsuka
BRAVE STORY Volume 6Â -Â Miyuki Miyabe, Yoichiro Ono
CHIBI VAMPIRE: VOLUMES 1-3 COLLECTIONÂ -Â Yuna Kagesaki
CHRONICLES OF THE CURSED SWORD Volume 23Â -Â Beop-Ryong Yeo, Hui-Jin Park
CIEL Volume 1Â -Â Ju-Yeon Rhim
DARK MOON DIARY VOL 2Â -
DEMON FLOWERS: KURUIZAKI NO HANA Volume 4Â -Â Mizuki Hakase
DEMON FLOWERS: KURUIZAKI NO HANA Volume 5Â -Â Mizuki Hakase
DISNEY’S FAIRIES: TINKERBELLÂ -
DRAGON HUNTER Volume 19Â -Â Hong Seock Seo
DRAGON SISTER! Volume 3Â -Â Nini
DRAGON VOICE Volume 11Â -Â Yuriko Nishiyama
EARTHLIGHT VOL 3Â -
FEVER Volume 3Â -Â Hee Jung Park
FORGET ABOUT LOVE Volume 2Â -Â Sang-Eun Lee
FOXY LADY Volume 2Â -Â Ayun Tachibana
FOXY LADY Volume 3Â -Â Ayun Tachibana
FRUITS BASKET ULTIMATE EDITION Volume 4Â -Â Natsuki Takaya
FULL METAL PANIC! (NOVEL) Volume 4: ENDING DAY BY DAY: PART 1Â -Â Shikidouji, Shouji Gatou
GAKUEN HEAVEN-NAKAJIMA One Shot -Â Spray, You Higuri
GANKUTSUOU Volume 1Â -Â Hidenori Matsubara , Hisashi Kagawa, Shuuichi Kouyama
GATCHA GACHA Volume 8Â -Â Yutaka Tachibana
GENJU NO SEIZA Volume 8Â -Â Matsuri Akino
GOOD WITCH OF THE WEST, THE (NOVEL) Volume 3Â -Â Noriko Ogiwara
GOSICK Volume 2Â -Â Hinata Takeda, Kazuki Sakuraba
GRAND THEFT GALAXY Volume 2Â -Â Jim Jimenez, Tricia Riley Hale
GUARDIAN HEARTSÂ Volume 2Â -Â Sae Amatsu
HANNAH MONTANA Volume 10Â -Â Disney
HANNAH MONTANA Volume 7Â -Â Disney
HANNAH MONTANA Volume 8Â -Â Disney
HANNAH MONTANA Volume 9Â -Â Disney
HARUKAZE BITTER BOPÂ Volume 3Â -Â Court Betten
HOTEL AFRICA Volume 3Â -Â Hee Jung Park
I WISH… Volume 3Â -Â Hyun-Joo Seo
I-DOLL Volume 3Â -Â Mi-Ae Choi
INITIAL D Volume 33Â -Â Shuichi Shigeno
JADE OF BANGO Volume 2Â -Â Ae-Ju Yim, Jin-Ju Yim
J-POP IDOL Volume 2Â -Â Original Story By Millenni+M, Script & Art By Toko Yashiro
KARMA CLUB Volume 2Â -Â D.J. Milky, Mark Seidenberg, Michael Dobrzycki
KAT & MOUSE Volume 4Â -Â Alex De Campi, Federica Manfredi
KINDAICHI CASE FILES, THE BURIAL FRANCSÂ -Â Kanari Yozaburo, Sato Fumiya
KING CITY VOL 2 -
KINGDOM HEARTS(?)Â -Â Shiro Amano
KINGDOM HEARTS II(?)Â -Â Shiro Amano
KOIHIME SOUSHI One Shot -Â Koge Dobo
LAGOON ENGINE Volume 6Â -Â Yukiru Sugisaki
LAGOON ENGINE Volume 7Â -Â Yukiru Sugisaki
LIFE Volume 10Â -Â Keiko Suenobu
LIFE Volume 11Â -Â Keiko Suenobu
LILING-PO Volume 9Â -Â Ako Yutenji
LITTLE QUEEN Volume 8Â -Â Yeon-Joo Kim
LOVE MODE Volume 11: (YAOI)Â -Â Yuki Shimizu
MAGIC MOONÂ LEGACY OF MAGIC MOONÂ Â -Â Wolfgang And Heike Hohlbein
MAIL ORDER NINJAÂ -Â Erich Owen, Joshua Elder
MARTIN AND JOHN Volume 2Â -Â Hee Jung Park
MISSING (NOVEL) Volume 3: THE HANGED MAN: PART 1Â -Â Gakuto Coda
MISSING (NOVEL) Volume 4: THE HANGED MAN: CONCLUSIONÂ -Â Gakuto Coda
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM ECOLE DU CIEL Volume 9Â -Â Haruhiko Mikimoto
MY CAT LOKI Volume 3Â -Â Bettina M. Kurkoski
NEVER GIVE UP Volume 9Â -Â Hiromu Mutou
NOSATSU JUNKIE Volume 7Â -Â Ryoko Fukuyama
OFF*BEAT Volume 3Â -Â Jen Lee Quick
PANTHEON HIGH Volume 3Â -Â Paul Benjamin, Steven Cummings
PICK OF THE LITTER Volume 5Â -Â Yuriko Suda
PLANET BLOOD Volume 9Â -Â Tae-Hyung Kim
POISON CANDY Volume 2Â -Â David Hine, Hans Steinbach
PSY-COMM Volume 3Â -Â Jason Henderson, Ramanda Kamarga, Tony Salvaggio
QUEEN’S KNIGHT, THE Volume 13Â -Â Kim Kang Won
QUEEN’S KNIGHT, THE Volume 14Â -Â Kim Kang Won
ROLLING Volume 2Â -Â Geo, Ji-Sang Sin
RURE Volume 4Â -Â Da-Mi Seomoon
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Volume 8Â -Â Ryo Saenagi
SAVER Volume 7Â -Â Eun-Young Lee
SEDUCTION MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN LOVE Volume 3Â -Â Hyun-Sook Lee
SESAME STREET Volume 4: ELMO AND ABBEY SEE A DINOSAURÂ -Â Sesame Workshop
SESAME STREET Volume 5: ELMO AND ABBEY IN WONDERLANDÂ -Â Sesame Workshop
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI (KAHN) Volume 3Â -Â Kazuaki Yanagisawa
SHORT SUNZEN! Volume 3Â -Â Susugi Sakurai
SILVER DIAMOND Volume 3Â -Â Shiho Sugiura
SNOW Volume 2Â -Â Morgan Luthi
SORCERER HUNTERS — 100% AUTHENTIC FORMAT Volume 11Â -Â Ray Omishi, Satoru Akahori
SPEED GRAPHER – NOVEL Volume 1Â -Â Gonzo, Minoru Niki, Yuusuke Kozaki
STAND BY YOUTH Volume 4Â -Â Juder, Young-Bin Kim
STAR TREK ULTIMATE EDITIONÂ -Â Various
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION Volume 1Â -Â Christine Boylan, David Gerrold, Diane Duane, Don Hudson, Fj Desanto
SUPPLI Volume 4Â -Â Mari Okazaki
TEA FOR TWO Volume 3Â -Â Yaya Sakuragi
THAT GUY WAS SPLENDID Volume 1Â -Â Gwiyunni, Ji-Eun Kim
TOKYO TRIBES Volume 7 -Â Santa Inoue
TRINITY BLOOD – RAGE AGAINST THE MOONS Volume 4: JUDGMENT DAYÂ -Â Sunao Yoshida, Thores Shibamoto
TRINITY BLOOD – REBORN ON THE MARS Volume 3Â -Â Sunao Yoshida
UNDERTOWN VOL 2Â -
V.B. ROSE Volume 5Â -Â Banri Hidaka
WE SHADOWS Volume 2Â -Â Sonny Strait
WHITE NIGHT MELODY Volume 2Â -Â Selena Lin
YUBISAKI MILK TEAÂ -Â Tomochika Miyano
ZIG*ZAG Volume 4Â -Â Yuki Nakaji
Some Notes: Longtime readers of the site will notice several titles appearing here that were previously on the chopping block during Tokyopop’s first “maybe we’ll try and publish this stuff online” experiment, which resulted in me freaking out about not getting to finish Dragon Head, which I did, and which is great, btw.
The cancellations seem to be along strict sales lines, which makes the inclusion of two Kingdom Hearts volumes sort of baffling, until you realize of course that they will actually be rescheduled to keep the cash flow more consistent.
Several of the titles above were specifically mentioned as to be rescheduled, like the Chibi Vampire 1-3 collection and the Star Trek books.
I have to wonder if PW asked direct questions of TP or Pavia on this one about specific titles? I know Brigid (the article’s author) is a fan of some of these books, and I’d personally like to know if Beck, Tokyo Tribes, or Fruits Basket Ultimate Edition 4 are actually coming or not… Or if they’d answer the question even if they were asked directly.
- Christopher
Hi Chris! I did ask Marco about Beck, and he said, “We are still publishing Beck.” However, given the fact that negotiations seem to be ongoing, I didn’t see too much point in pursuing a lot of individual titles.
Also, they’re doing a promotion on their website for the Star Trek ultimate edition right now. It’s scheduled for March 2009. Vol. 11 of Love Mode is listed as an Oct. 1 release, and I don’t see it on the Previews cancellation list.
August 12th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I know Brandon Graham was posting the unpublished chapters of King City on his blog. After the first chapter, he stopped, and said that “he would let us know” why later.
It’s hard to say what exactly the reasoning was. Maybe he was being pressured by Tokyopop to stop, but I’m thinking it’s equally likely that they are picking the book up again.
Who knows, maybe these books will see the light of day.
August 13th, 2008 at 6:29 am
MangaBlog » Blog Archive » Not dead, only sleeping? says:
[...] Kai-Ming Cha and Erin Finnegan cover Otakon in this week’s PWCW, and I talk to Tokyopop marketing director Marco Pavia about those cancellation lists that are making the rounds of the internets; Marco says the lists don’t mean anything as things are still in flux. Chris Butcher responds by posting a list of books that won’t be published this fall. This isn’t necessarily a contradiction, as Marco’s whole point is that many of these books will be rescheduled once rights are negotiated. In the PWCW article I also talked to him about some of the new titles due out soon and the trend toward thicker volumes, which is quite obvious this month. (Image is of the Otakon mascots.) [...]
August 13th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Wide-Ranging LinkBlogging » Comics Worth Reading says:
[...] Christopher Butcher publishes a list of Tokyopop titles “on hiatus” (with the most hilarious headline). It’s taking off from a Publishers Weekly Comics Week article that’s supposed to reassure people about Tokyopop’s status — just like the PWCW article that tried to quell ADV speculation. I don’t think it’s working. Nice of PWCW to give the publishers space to speak, though, even if they’re not saying much (or not able to say much). [...]
August 13th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Waah, this is the first time I’ve seen Silver Diamond and V. B. Rose on a list. I originally thought I’d escape with minimal impact (Suppli and Kindaichi).
August 13th, 2008 at 9:43 am
I was liking Earthlight, but if there aren’t going to be any more volumes I see no reason to hang on to the two I already have.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I never heard they were canceling books, what I heard is they’re going to publish online to cut costs.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Yeah, it was scary seeing some individual titles on this list. I think everyone can find something on this list that they’ve enjoyed. I hope they all get re-scheduled so that all fans can rest peacefully.
I am also very unhappy that there is a lot of current Manhwa series’ on this list. I hope they’re not the first to go. I was in shock when I saw “Hotel Africa” on this list! If things go drastic for Manhwa, I can only hope that another publisher can pick those licenses up. (Or being that it is Manhwa, Tokyopop will make all those titles online-only. Remember that the Korean pubs make more than just the printing rights available to English pubs)
August 13th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Wait, Tokyopop can’t make money off something with Hannah Montana branding? What the fuck is wrong with them? The guys selling Hannah Montana Official Toilet Bowl Brushes turn their nose up at Tokyopop.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
LOVE MODE 11!??!
That’s the final volume.
*head smacked into desk repeatedly*
August 13th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
@Dave Lartigue:
Glad you liked Earthlight. Volume 3 should be readable on the TokyoPop site in November. Supposedly if a book gets huge amounts of traffic, they might actually print it, but that’s quite a long shot. People will get to read the last part of the story, but it sucks that I won’t have the 3 volume set available at conventions.
Hopefully “postponed” doesn’t mean “stuck on the web” for everything else…
August 14th, 2008 at 12:35 am
I’m not much of a betting man, but I’d wager that a big part of the ‘renegotiations for scheduling’ actually have to do with acquiring digital publishing rights for a lot of these titles. Essentially, they can do whatever they want with the OEL, they own that outright (except when they don’t–Shutterbox). It’s much, much cheaper to “publish” work online, particularly if you’re going to find a way to charge for it even nominally… I’d bet that they’re going to see if their contracts for a lot of the low-performing stuff let them not actually publish print editions, because I can’t imagine a mature Japanese manga publisher is going to just throw those rights in, or not tie the rights together…
They’ve also used the words “publishing” to mean both print and online, which is a little duplicitous in my mind…
Oh, and to the commenter who was worried about LOVE MODE 11, at the BLU blog they said that one has actually been rescheduled. I don’t have a link handy but if you google it you should find it.
August 14th, 2008 at 1:42 am
Oh, and Brigid, thanks for asking about BECK. If you get a chance to do follow-up, I’d love to know if “publishing” means “printing”, or if they’re trying for e-printing.
ALSO! About Love Mode, this was in the JUL08 Previews for items shipping in September (and October):
–
TOKYOPOP
PLEASE NOTE: The following titles are offered in the July PREVIEWS, but have been cancelled by the publisher after PREVIEWS went to press: Atelier Marie And Elie -Zarlburg Alchemist Volume 5, Blazin’ Barrels Volume 11, Blood Sucker Volume 8, Dragon Voice Volume 11, Forget About Love Volume 2, Gakuen Heaven-Nakajima, Gosick Volume 2, I Wish… Volume 3, Kat & Mouse Volume 4, Liling-Po Volume 9, Love Mode Volume 11, Missing (Novel) Volume 4: The Hanged Man, Mobile Suit Gundam Ecole Du Ciel Volume 9, Nosatsu Junkie Volume 7, Pick Of The Litter Volume 5, Planet Blood Volume 9, Poison Candy Volume 2, Rure Volume 4, Saver Volume 7, Shin Megami Tensei (Kahn) Volume 3, Snow Volume 2, Sorcerer Hunters — 100% Authentic Format Volume 11, Suppli Volume 4, That Guy Was Splendid Volume 1, Trinity Blood – Reborn On The Mars Volume 3, and Zig*Zag Volume 4. In addition, Star Trek: The Next Generation Volume 1 has been postponed until Spring 2009. While these items are listed in the catalog, they are not available for order. Please use caution when placing your Tokyopop order.
–
So, yeah. I don’t know what to tell you, but as a retailer I was not even allowed to place orders, so I don’t know HOW they’re shipping that for the first week of October.
Best,
- Chris
August 14th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Ah, apparently LOVE MODE 11 was offered in a previews update, how about that.
MAY088287 E LOVE MODE GN VOL 11 (OF 11) (A) (C: 1-0-0) (PP #826)
New code folks! Tell your retailer! I almost missed it…
August 14th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Hey Chris,
I have been told by TOKYOPOP that Beck will see a print run next year. But it could possibly come in a new format. And expect to even see Kindaichi back as well.
That said not every title will come back or so I have been told. With certain publishers having having stronger ties with Tokyopop.
August 14th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
WTF are they thinking “publishing” manga in e-format? The only thing that makes fanscans threaten manga less than fansubs threaten anime is the vast difference in quality of experience between holding a book and reading a manga off of a computer screen. E-format only releases are going to drive fans away towards the fanscans that are (seemingly at this point) faster, more reliable, and free. How is losing all these customers going to cut their costs? Also, canceling series that are so close to finishing is going to end up giving them ADVmanga-esque diminishing returns, where the fans don’t trust them to finish a series and stop buying the few comics they do continue to print.
August 17th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Wtf, they postponed or cancelled Pick of the Litter 5!? OoO I was waiting FOREVER for that!! Ugh, the lincense problem with Kino no Tabi was already really bad!! TT-TT Just 2 more volumes and Pick of The Litter will be over!!! Shoot.. ;-;
October 18th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Great, they CANCELLED PICK OF THE LITTER!!!
October 18th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I was wondering what happened to Harukaze Bitter Bop 3 and Brave Story 6. Glad I found this post. God I hope these aren’t canceled D:
November 28th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
see, i was wondering what was taking TOKYOPOP so long to release LIFE vol. 10. and ive been searching for it EVERYWHERE! and now 11 to? i deal with each release being 4 months apart, but i want to know if i atleast order them online, they will publish a set for me. if they will, let me know.
November 29th, 2008 at 12:42 am
ahhh!!! ME TOOO!!!! I WAS WONDERING ABOUT LIFE!!!! ITS FRICKIN AMAZING!!! *drool* i agree with veronica!! I WANNA KNOW TOO!!!! i don’t think i’ll live if i dont know happens next in Life… x_x
January 20th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
MangaBlog » Blog Archive » More on those Tokyopop cancellations says:
[...] Cine-Manga, which I have a copy of right now so I can vouch that it exists. I looked back at the list of cancelled fall titles that Christopher Butcher posted at Comics212 a while back, and I did find some volumes that have [...]
January 30th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
CAN’T BE TRUE DD:
i was waiting for J-POP IDOL VOL.2
so unfair! i hope it will continue i want to buy & read it so badly ;_;
February 10th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
I don’t see Platinum Garden on that list, but the next volumes of that have vanished.
As for Never Give Up! Nooooo! I love this series. I don’t normally read that much Tokyopop but this one dragged me in.
And I agree with the comments about not liking e-books. The entire point of me liking buying manga is because I like holding it. E-books really don’t do it for me, and whilst I’d read them to finish a series, I don’t see why I shouldn’t turn to scanlations.
March 6th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Spring 2009 | Panikku says:
[...] Here is a list of all the titles that are ‘postponed’ but I won’t be surprised if … [...]
May 4th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Why is Nosatsu junkie. Volume 7 / by Ryoko Fukuyama ; [translation, Alethea being delay? I want to read more so badly!!!!!! I LOVE it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 5th, 2009 at 10:46 am
NNNOOOOO!!!! I was waiting forever for Missing (the novel) volumes 3 and 4 to come out! Does anyone know if they were completely cancelled? T^T..(crying)…
June 20th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
WHAT!? NO! I love Genju no Seiza! It my favoritest ever! Don’t cancel it! Please!
June 28th, 2009 at 10:07 pm