Anime & Manga Freebies & Sales

Anime & Manga Freebies

There are four freebies this time around.

First, New York Magazine has an online-only section called the Comics Page. Their intro blurb reads:

“Every week, the Comics Page introduces you to brand-new graphic novels by the world’s best artists and writers. Manga, superheroes, indie comix” we’ll cover them all as our editors select the best the exploding comics world has to offer.”

The Comics Page posts the first several pages of each graphic novel and gives the reader an introduction to the story. Recent manga titles include Undertown by Jim Pascoe and Jake Myler:

“Sama is so sad that tears have literally stained his cheeks. His father has fallen gravely ill…and doctors only give him a month to live. With nowhere to turn, Sama grabs his teddy bear and crawls under his bed…magically entering a portal to a fantastic realm called Undertown! Sama looks for the Sugar Stone: a “secret something” that might be able to heal his dad. But The Cloud–the wicked leader of the Insect Insurgents–hunts for the Stone, as well…”

Alive by Tadashi Kawashima and Adachitoka:

“A strange virus is making its way around the globe, causing its victims to commit suicide–and becoming a lethal pandemic in less than a week. Now a group of Tokyo teens who have survived the outbreak are wondering why they are still alive.”

Apollo’s Song by Osamu Tezuka:

“The tragic journey of Shogo, a young man whose abusive childhood has instilled in him a loathing for love so profound he finds himself compelled to acts of violence when he is witness to any act of intimacy or affection whether by human or beast. His hate is such that the gods intervene, cursing Shogo to experience love throughout the ages ultimately to have it ripped from his heart every time. From the Nazi atrocities of World War II to a dystopian future of human cloning, Shogo loses his heart, in so doing, healing the psychic scars of his childhood hatred.”

ANN Story:
New York Magazine Continues Manga Previews

Gal Samurai

Do you like trendy teen fashion…fast paced martial arts action? Then you’re in luck. Popteen magazine is translating its Gal Samurai manga (by Shiragiri Yamaguchi and Masahiro Suematsu) into English. They are posting monthly installments on their Popteen.com website. They have posted 5 translated installments so far. In Japan, there are currently 34 installments and 1 complied volume.

Here is a brief synopsis of the story from Popteen.com’s Gal Samurai page:

“Ran Kirishima is a junior in the Maizono High School, and a ‘gal’; a fashionable girl who hangs out in Tokyo’s Shibuya district.

Ran is originally from Tokyo but when her parents experienced marital trouble, they left Ran in the care of her grandparents in the country side. It was there that her grandfather, a martial arts master, began training her as a martial artist.”

ANN Story:
Popteen Offers Free Online Manga

Gaia Online

The Gaia Online Community has posted the first episode of their anime-inspired trilogy, MMVII. The first episode is titled “White Eclipse”. It continues the story which the site’s artists have been producing in web comic format. The synopsis from Gaia’s MMVII page:

“The MMVII Trilogy brings us the tale of Louie Von Helson, sole heir to his family’s hidden empire. As he struggles to come to terms with the family business, a mysterious prophecy casts a shadow over Gaia:

‘A white eclipse will descend at twilight; Beware the flower of the night; The time is now for flight or fight’

The prophecy begins with the first chapter, ‘White Eclipse’.”

The Gaia Cinemas section also has the first two episodes of Burst Angel and a Behind the Scenes clip of Naruto The Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow.

ANN Story:
Gaia Online Community Presents First Animated Short

Witchblade Anime

Finally, IGN is streaming the first episode of Witchblade. It is the dub version and is offered at low-res and high-res streams. The first DVD from FUNimation is scheduled to be released on September 25.

Here is a short synopsis from Amazon.com:

“Masane Amaha is a mother on the run, found at the epicenter of a devastating earthquake that changed the face of Japan; she’s worn out her welcome at the local homeless shelter and decided to go it on her own, which doesn’t sit well with the totalitarian Child Welfare Agency, concerned for the safety of her young daughter, who also happens to wear the pants in the family. The strong-willed and wise beyond her years little girl soon finds herself in protective custody, and her mother behind bars. The only thing that can save them is the Witchblade, which chose her as its host on that fateful day in the eye of the storm.”

and what is the Witchblade?…from RightStuf!:

“The Witchblade is an ancient weapon bestowed only upon the women it forever scars. It’s part armor, part sentient, and thirsts for battle.”

Now on to the sales…

Anime & Manga Sales

RightStuf! has their new sale called Fast-Forward to Fall Savings! Take an additional 20% off their regular sale prices on ALL In-Stock items. Note: items in the Weekly Specials, Bargain Bin, or Closeout are not eligible. The coupon code is fastforward and the sale ends on September 23, 2007 at 11:59 CDT.

Robert’s Anime Corner Store is also having a fall sale. It’s called the Fall Kickoff. Take up to 7% off any item in the store (excluding the deal of the day). This includes pre-order and sales items. Here are the coupon codes:

• Save 3% off any order over $67 – FALLKICKOFFTAKE3
• Save 5% off any order over $167 – FALLKICKOFFTAKE5
• Save 7% off any order over $367 – FALLKICKOFFTAKE7

Coupons are valid through September 28.

AnimeNation is having a series of mini-sales (probably too much for Tamaki to handle):

• Hentai CD-ROM Sale – Good news for hentai fans. You can save an extra 15% on the price of all adult PC games.
• Figure Sale – Take up to 43% off a select list of figures…note: limited quantities.
• Dark Horse Sale – Save 33% on manga and books from Dark Horse…note: this sale probably will end within a week.
• Japanese From Zero Sale – Save 35% on YesJapan’s educational books and learn Japanese.
• Risky Safety Closeout Sale – Save 83% on this 3-DVD bundle of the Risky Safety series.

Except for the Dark Horse Sale, no end dates were given for the sales.

Barnes & Noble.com has two coupons:

• 10% off 1 item…coupon code: H7C8K4K
• 15% off no minimum…coupon code: R4F6M8W

Both coupons expire September 23, 2007.