G4 Presents San Diego Comic-Con 2008

G4 Presents: Comic-Con '08 - CMX

CMX began its panel with a list of upcoming titles. Headlining their current catalogue is Batman: Death Mask, by Togari creator Yoshinori Natsume. The "floppy" comic serialization is currently out and will be compiled as a graphic novel in October 2008. Emma by Kaoru Mori is another hit title, due to resume in Spring 2009 with the three final volumes of the series. The earlier volumes of Emma are also being reprinted now. Comedy series Crayon Shin-chan by Yoshito Usui has also picked up in popularity thanks to the anime's US broadcast, and fans can look forward to the series' 4th volume at the end of July.

Other recent releases include Toshimi Nigoshi's sci-fi series The Flat Earth Exchange and Kaoru Mori's short story collection Shirley (similar in theme to Emma). Due out in September is the first volume of The Girl Who Runs Through Time by Gaku Tsugano and Yasutaka Tsutsui, based on the classic novel that also inspired the hit anime film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Astral Project, a dark supernatural mystery by marginal (Oldboy writer Garon Tsuchiya) and Syuji Takeya, as well as Naomi Azuma's comedy series Suihelibe! both arrive in October. Music-inspired fantasy series Classical Medley also debuts in October, while comedy-adventure Go West! by Yu Yagami (Those Who Hunt Elves) comes out in November.

2009 will see the release of action title Fire Investigator Nanase by Izō Hashimoto and Tomoshige Ichikawa, as well as romantic drama The Name of the Flower by Ken Saitō, in January. Sci-fi thriller Jihai by Toshimi Nigoshi (Flat Earth Exchange) arrives in February, and romantic comedy Venus Capriccio by Mai Nishikata is due in April.

K-Ske Hasegawa and Asuka Izumi's Ballad of a Shinigami manga, based on the light novel series currently published by Seven Seas, makes its debut in the spring of 2009.

New announcements include Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea by Seiichi Morimura and Nakaba Higurashi, based on a movie soon to be released by Funimation, and slice-of-life series March on Earth by Mikase Hayashi. Genghis Khan arrives in April 2009 and March on Earth is due in March.

Fans can keep up with CMX's latest news with CMXtra, a company newsletter written by Ed Chavez.

The panel was then opened up to questions. Suzuki spoke about her eclectic taste in choosing titles for licensing, especially in finding underrated titles. One attendee noted the seemingly high number of CMX series with young female protagonists, but the company has no particular leaning towards any genres, themes or character type. Regarding the classic series From Eroica with Love, the title is still currently being published despite sales below expectations. The company is also interested in bringing manga-ka as guests to U.S. conventions, but would have to work out the details with Japanese publishers first.