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Hm, what were we just saying about the print/online shift? Even as they cancelled SHOJO BEAT, Viz has announced the launch of a new online seinen (young men’s) manga anthology, Ikki, which you can read right here.

Kai-Ming Cha gets the scoop.:

In the wake of the cancellation of its print Shojo Beat manga fan magazine, manga and anime publisher Viz Media will launch IKKI, a new online magazine venture that will be used as promotional vehicle and to launch new works and to solicit feedback on whether to release some titles in print. Named after the Japanese manga anthology of the same name that is published in print form, IKKI will feature similar material found in its Japanese counterpart publication.

In Japan, IKKI magazine serializes seinen manga which caters to young men ranging in age from their late teens to college age and beyond. The American version of IKKI will feature chapters of a variety of seinen manga, but much like their other popular print magazine, Shonen Jump, Viz editors will select the best content for the American audience.


It’s worth noting that the first lead feature is Daisuke Igarashi’s CHILDREN OF THE SEA, (above) a very unusual manga by a Tezuka Prize winning cartoonist that would definitely go more under the “indie” header here in the States. Very much worth checking out.

GIve it a try — it’s free!

1 COMMENT

  1. I’m really excited about this! It seems like a clever move. They’re pushing some amazing titles, and hopefully online serialization will help bring in fans and boost book sales once they’re on shelves. At the very least, Viz is going to own a good chunk of my wallet by the end of this year.