Big news today: Vertical announced two new manga licenses, Osamu Tezuka’s Princess Knight and the wine-tasting manga Drops of God (Kami no Shizuku). Princess Knight was one of the early shoujo manga and features a swashbuckling princess disguised as a boy; Kate Dacey has some good background at The Manga Critic. Drops of God is about the son of a wine critic who finds out after his father dies that he has an adopted brother—and that the inheritance will go to the one who can identify 13 rare wines. Here’s a news story about it from a couple of years ago that gives the gist.
News from Japan: Comic Rush magazine is ditching the dead trees and going to a digital format for iOS and Android devices. And ANN has the latest Japanese comics rankings.
Reviews: Melinda Beasi and Michelle Smith look at some yaoi for the new year at Manga Bookshelf.
Kyla Hunt on vol. 2 of Chi’s Sweet Home (Graphic Novel Reporter)
AstroNerdBoy on Clover (omnibus edition) (AstroNerdBoy’s Anime and Manga Blog)
Danica Davidson on vol. 1 of Crimson Hero (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Kyla Hunt on vol. 1 of Dengeki Daisy (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Nicola on vol. 1 of Genkaku Picasso (Back to Books)
Kristin on vol. 5 of Jormungand (Comic Attack)
Anna on vol. 2 of Kamisama Kiss (Manga Report)
Danica Davidson on vols. 1 and 2 of Princess Princess (Graphic Novel Reporter)
David Welsh on vol. 1 of The Story of Saiunkoku (The Manga Curmudgeon)
Lori Henderson on the January issue of Yen Plus (Manga Xanadu)
Leroy Douresseaux on You and Me, Etc. (The Comic Book Bin)