YAOI INTEREST: Great Article on TOKYOPOP/BLUMANGA

There's a great article over at Sequential Tart about TOKYOPOP and BLUMANGA that really delves into the history of boys' love and how instrumental TOKYOPOP was in bringing it over the the United States and in English. Here are a few small excerpts but I highly recommend going to the site and reading it in its entirety:

"In 2003 TOKYOPOP became the first publisher to make boys' love manga, then referred to in the U.S. market as shonen ai, available in English…"

"In addition to being the first to bring boys' love / shonen ai to the North American market, TOKYOPOP was notable for making its BL widely available at reasonable prices…"

As angry and/or sad as we all may be, we should give credit where credit is due. Thanks TOKYOPOP for the great run you've had. You and BLUMANGA will be missed.

~Jennifer LeBlanc

5 Comments

Cerise May 24, 2011 at 10:07 PM

;_; oh god im in tears I just cant say goodbye. noo dont leave me i was gonna save money to finish tsubasa and xxxholic, and junjou romantica and I was waiting for that other one by nakammura shinguku?. i have the old sailor moon and saint tail pocket manga the ones that go left to right like us comics… ;_; i cant believe it. ive been a fan for over 10 years… i wish i knew WHY they were leaving. im just heartbroken.

[Reply to this comment]
martha May 27, 2011 at 6:57 AM

:’-( i dont want to say goodbye. thanks to your hard work on compiling all the magnificent books i have been a big fan recently and always be a big fan but i was really hoping that could have at least finished junjou romantica

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Mikaella yukina May 30, 2011 at 10:13 PM

saying goodbye to 2 of the greatest book publishing companies is the hardest thing to say…

it has brought joy to millions of yaoi fans. and to billions of anime fans all around the world….

it’s just TOO HARD… *sniff*

im just going to miss the fact that there will be no more awesome yaoi manga…

now that BLUMANGA and TOKYOPOP are gone…

as i heard the news… i thought at first that it was a joke…

but then, i read the article at this site..

and i was in a complete state of shock..

and then a piece of me died…

but although this will be the final show of the greatest yaoi publishing companies… i will always cherish their works in my heart,,

THANK YOU TOKYOPOP

THANK YOU BLUMANGA.

O~O

[Reply to this comment]
Miyuki Kowashita Reply:
May 30th, 2011 at 10:20 PM
dude….. this was also painful for me.. not only for you..

but, i feel your pain..

do you need a hug?

[Reply to this comment]
Mikaella yukina Reply:
May 31st, 2011 at 10:58 PM
thanks yuki-chan.. OwO

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