Featured New Manga Shout Out: 12/27/10 – 1/9/10

Welcome to the next weekly article on the featured new manga that have been recently uploaded on the irc-distro bots this past week. These two weeks feature a tsundere hostess, a boy intent on remaining pure, and a comedy about welders... If you're one of those people that are looking for newly started manga in Japan or are looking for something new to read or scanlate, then come check these series out. On with the manga~

Channel wa Sonomama! (チャンネルはそのまま！)
By: SASAKI Rinko

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 3 Volumes (Ongoing) / 1 Volume Available
Search: File Triggers

Yukimaru Hanako is leaving her family in Eniwa, Hokkaido, to go live in the big city of Sapporo and work with the HHTV news team. Hanako has bumbled her way goodnaturedly through the hiring process, which included a written test, an interview, and a presentation. One of the other new hires at HHTV, the stern, professional Yamane Hajime, has watched her in disbelief, infuriated that she seems to have so much success without taking anything seriously. After her first broadcast at HHTV, which could be seen as either very entertaining or a horrible disgrace, everyone's attention is focused on Hanako. Will she surprise everyone by succeeding in her new career or will she fail spectacularly?

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Dream Club ~Datte Neko Nandamon!~
(ドリームクラブ －だって猫なんだもん！－)
By: D-3-Publisher x SHIRONEKO Sanbou

Demographics: Shounen
Status: 6 Chapters (Complete)
Search: File Triggers

Mian is a hostess at the Dream Club while she's working on becoming a famous model. Alhough she looks great in photos, her inability to deal with people is threatening her future career. Her shyness and awkwardness tend to manifest as rudeness and anger toward the people around her. At the host club, she has the opportunity to interact with the customers, but also with the other girls. Among others, there's Reika, a friendly girl who dreams of being a pro bowler, Setsu, who loves cooking desserts, and the creepy, eye-patch wearing Mari. Maybe, with help from the other Dream Club girls, Mian will be able to gain the confidence to make her own dreams come true!

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Homecenter Tenco (ホームセンターてんこ)
By: TODA Katsuyuki

Demographics: Shounen
Status: 5 Volumes (Complete)
Search: File Triggers

Imoto Noriko, nicknamed Tenko in her home of Fukuoka, has moved with her older sister to Tokyo. It's Noriko/Tenko's first year of high school, and she has the added stress of having difficulty speaking proper Tokyo Japanese. While setting up their new apartment, she and her sister find a small store called Homecenter Tenco. It's actually named after the boss, Tendou Kouzaburou (nicknamed Tenco), and lately his grandson, Kousaku, who shares the nickname.

Kousaku helps Noriko convert some of their old furniture to better fit with their Tokyo apartment. In doing so, he introduces her to the joy of building things. Her newfound fascination with power drills and crafting things may be the key to finding her niche in her new home!

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Kazoku Sentai Knock 5 (家族戦隊ノック5)
By: KUMADA Tatsuki

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 2 Volumes (Complete) / 1 Volume Available
Search: File Triggers

Alteration Burst refers to the date September 26, 1999, when normal people suddenly gained superhuman abilities or morphed into a different form. These individuals are called Knockers and the majority of them turned into criminals who use their newly gained powers, but a few select people utilize them for justice. An example of that is the Morita family whose members are Knock Papa who has superhuman strength, Knock Mama who can control water, Knock Mei who commands fire, Knock Dan with his diamond-like hardiness head, and Knock On with her supersonic frequency. Together as a family, they defend the country from monsters, but what is even more difficult is living the double life of a superhero and a common citizen. How long before their true identities are revealed?

Thanks go to vyc for the summary.

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Kurogane (黒鉄)
By: IKEZAWA Haruto

Demographics: Shounen
Status: One-shot (Complete)
Search: File Triggers

Kurogane Hiroto is in high school, where he is academically the top of his class but literally the worst in physical activity. Born with a weak body, he has no endurance, speed nor strength and Hiroto wants nothing more than to be a hero. Fate teases him by giving him phenomenal eye sight, which allows him to see well beyond anyone else in sports, but his body is not able to react to any of it.

He learns from his friend Shiratori, who wants to recruit him for the Kendo team, about a rumor about a ghost named Tojo Sayuri, who wields a katana and haunts an ally in the city. Half curious, Hiroto goes there only to find that the ghost is real and that Tojo Sayuri has been looking for a successor to her Sakura sword style for 150 years. Sayuri chooses him as the successor after being able to dodge her attack and forces him to learn the Sakura style. Even with the help of the ancient swordsman ghost, Hiroto has to overcome his poor motor skills in order to be the hero he always wanted to be.

Thanks go to vyc for the summary.

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Kyoto Uzumasa Koushinkyoku ~Kirareya Ichidai~
(京都太秦行進曲 ～斬られ屋一代～)
By: TSUCHIYAMA Shigeru x FUKUMOTO Seizou x ODA Toyoji

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 1 Volume (Complete)
Status: File Triggers

This is a dramatization of the life of the famous Japanese actor Fukumoto Seizou. It follows his life from the age of 19, when he was an actor in Kyoto. The story is accompanied by his many movie posters ranging from the 1960s to the 2000s.

From Wikipedia, Fukumoto Seizou: Born February 3, 1943, he entered acting at age 15 in Kyoto, the capital of Japanese cinema. A specialist in film and television jidaigeki set in the Edo period, he most often plays a ronin, but in his hundreds of appearances he has taken nearly every role. His forte is kirareyaku, the person who loses the sword fight. In addition, he appears in modern dramas in roles such as police and yakuza.

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Little Busters! EX WonderBit Wondering
(リトルバスターズ！EX ワンダービットワンダリング)
By: Key x MISAKI Juri

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 7 Chapters (Ongoing)
Status: File Triggers

Riki is part of a group of good friends who call themselves the Little Busters and they are looking for Kyosuke, the leader figure of the group, around their campus. They finally find him sleeping in his dorm room. The Little Busters find a game console next to him and before they know it, the group of friends is sucked into the game world. Riki and his group realize that there are magical doors that act as portals to stages they have to conquer. The Little Busters have to find Kyosuke and escape this game world before it is too late.Riki is part of a group of good friends who call themselves the Little Busters and they are looking for Kyosuke, the leader figure of the group, around their campus. They finally find him sleeping in his dorm room. The Little Busters find a game console next to him and before they know it, the group of friends is sucked into the game world. Riki and his group realize that there are magical doors that act as portals to stages they have to conquer. The Little Busters have to find Kyosuke and escape this game world before it is too late.

Thanks go to vyc for the summary.

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Oresama to Kooni (俺様とこおに)
By: NATSUME Fumika

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 5 Chapters (Ongoing)
Status: File Triggers

Narukami Jin is the only son in an extremely rich family who made their fortune off of the adult video industry. He inherited his father’s genes, which makes his man parts incredibly potent against hot girls. Every time he gets an erection, the women around him want Jin like there is no tomorrow. However, Jin’s father will only pass down the company to him if he stays a virgin for an unspecified amount of time. His personal maid, Chitose Kooni, is in charge of keeping him from slipping up, but as a teenager with the ability to turn on any beautiful women by just wanting them, Jin has the difficult task of abstinence, if he wants to live the rest of his life rich, famous and a player.

Thanks go to vyc for the summary.

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Oshie Syllabus (オシエシラバス)
By: TAKAO Jingu

Demographics: Shounen
Status: 3 Chapters (Ongoing)
Status: File Triggers

One day, on a whim, Matoi buys an old college entrance exam study guide. Upon opening the book, a cheerful, long-haired girl magically appears, claiming to be her new in-home tutor! Despite her family's acceptance of the magical girl, called Oshie, Matoi is thoroughly unhappy about her new circumstances. As a first year high school student, she wants to spend her time hanging out with her friends, not being forced by an overzealous magical tutor to constantly study for her college entrance exams. She's even more horrified when Oshie points out the fine print that she missed. In opening the book, Matoi has apparently agreed that she will either be accepted into her chosen college... or die!

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Shinshi na Meets Girl (紳士なミーツガール)
By: MATSUBAYASHI Satoru

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 4 Chapters (Ongoing)
Status: File Triggers

Maeda Shinshi is a typical 24 year old white collar worker and he receives an anonymous love letter from a girl. He finds out that the girl in love with him is an elementary school girl named Oyamada Nana, a very quiet, shy and a little confused girl. Shinshi has no idea how to interact with Nana and everytime he tries to make her feel comfortable, it ends up blowing up in his face and he ends up looking like a pervert. Will Nana ever be able to convey her emotion to him and will Shinshi stop doing things that make him get mistaken for a perverted Lolita?

Thanks go to vyc for the summary.

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Sumikko no Sora-san (すみっこの空さん)
By: TANAKA Noka

Demographics: Shounen
Status: 1 Chapter (Ongoing)
Status: File Triggers

This follows the story of a boy who has returned to his family's home in the country after failing to make his dreams come true. He thinks his way through his predicament with the company of his pet turtle, Platon. More complications arise in the form of a neighborhood kid Sora, who has, for some reason, decided that he is God.

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Suugaku Girl (数学ガール)
By: YUKI Hiroshi x HISAKA Mika

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 2 Volumes (Complete)
Status: File Triggers

There is a boy who loves math. When he gets to high school, he meets a mathematical genius named Milka. They spend a lot of time in the library together, eagerly talking about math. The boy admires her intelligence, and can't stop thinking about her... but what does she think of him? Later, he meets a girl named Tetra, who is a year younger. She asks him to teach her about math, and slowly she comes to appreciate its beauty through their discussions. Tetra likes him, but she's afraid that she is only intruding on his relationship with Milka...

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Tobidasu! Doubutsuen (とび出す！動物園)
By: KIURAKI Juuichi

Demographics: Seinen
Status: One-shot (Complete)
Status: File Triggers

Kawase Takashi has discovered that he will be learning about caring for animals from the legendary Haruo Minami. It's rumored that she's able to converse with animals, and they tend to all flock around her eagerly. However, she's also very unconventional and more than a little strange. For instance, she dreams of one day ruling a country full just of animals. Will Kawase be able to learn anything useful from such an odd teacher?

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Torokeru Tekkoujo (とろける鉄工所)
By: NOMURA Munehiro

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 5 Volumes (Ongoing)
Status: File Triggers

Welding is a profession that is never talked about, but is an integral part of society. Their jobs are extremely dangerous and often stressful but are always behind the scenes. The series puts a comedic twist to the common problems welders come across at the work place and in their private life with friends and family like the long hours they put in constantly, their eyes being burned from the welding process and no one outside of the profession being impressed by what they do.

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Tsuki Robot (つきロボ)
By: NAKAHIRA Masahiko

Demographics: Seinen
Status: 1 Chapter (Ongoing)
Status: File Triggers

Tsukihi is absolutely obsessed with an old mecha anime featuring the moon robot Gradolus. Her enthusiasm occasionally annoys her father and her friend Lune, who work with actual robots in different ways. Soon, however, she will find herself coming into more contact with the actual robots of the moon. Will she be able to see the mecha Gradolus in real life?!

Thanks go to tethysdust for the summary.

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Opinions for the manga:

From tethysdust:

Sumikko seems like its going to be a very thoughtful, philosophical story, and I'd like to see where it goes from here. Oshie Syllabus was pretty cute. It is slightly different from the usual setup, since the strange magic girl manifests for a teenage girl instead of a boy. I actually enjoyed Dream Club. Usually I dislike the "tsundere" type manga, but I thought they showed Mian's debilitating insecurity pretty well. Also, she was a dynamic character who wanted to become a better person. Channel wa sono mama could develop into something interesting. The other three are very special interests manga, by which I mean they were very information-based. Read Suugaku girl if you really want to read about math, Homecenter Tenko if crafting stuff interests you (though there was a bit more of a story in this one), and Kyoto Uzumasa Koushinkyoku if you're really into Fukumoto Seizou and historical Japanese cinema.

From vyc:

"Kicking off the new year with some good series!! Little Busters - spinoff series off of an already popular game/anime/manga. Sorta a new plot line of video game world. Great for people who already know the characters AND people just picking it up for the first time. Kazoku Sentai Knock 5 - family of superhero. Lots of these kind of plot lines even in the US main stream media (No Ordinary Family). Should check it out. Torokeru Tokkoujo - highlights the ups and downs of a welder's life. Funny in a sad and a little pathetic way? Oresama to Kooni - erotic hentai series. Sorta ironic since the main character can't have sex but there is lots of it in this. Kurogane - no relation to another series with the same name (as far as i know). Great drawing with a cliche but good story line. would like to see it picked up and serialized."

As for me:
None of the manga really popped out to me. I agree with tethysdust and think that Sumikko looks good. I guess I'd try out Suugaku Girl (math geek~)... I'm sure someone will jump on and scanlate Oresama to Kooni quick since it's very ecchi...

Well, I hope you enjoyed this brief look at some of the new manga on irc-distro. Anyway, I hope everyone had a good New Years and didn't get too drunk~ Anyway, if you would like any of these series to continue to be uploaded, then please submit a raw request form. Also, follow our Twitter to know what new manga are getting uploaded instantly and see you next week when we check out a new batch of manga~ ^_^