Otakon 2014

Crunchyroll Manga

Crunchyroll's Manga Brand Manager Danika Harrod and software developer Evan Minto opened the panel dedicated to Crunchyroll's manga service by highlighting the new features mentioned in the previous panel.

They then presented the manga titles currently available on Crunchyroll Manga that they are most interested in. Inside Mari by Shūzō Oshimi is an intentionally creepy transgender body-swap mystery, whereas Miki Yoshikawa's Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches offers a sillier, lighthearted take on the formula. Ajin - Demi-Human by Gamon Sakurai and Tsuina Miura and King's Game: Origin by Nobuaki Kanazawa and J-ta Yamada are two horror manga that stand out among Crunchyroll's manga selection. Yoshitoki Ōima's A Silent Voice was cited as getting favorable fan attention; it's a story of a kid who bullies a deaf girl, only to be bullied by his classmates in turn. Fuuka by Koji Seo is a love triangle story by the creator of Suzuka. Insufficient Direction is an autobiographical take on Moyoco Anno and her home life with the notoriously eccentric anime director Hideaki Anno. Her Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen is an elegant manga set in Europe about prostitutes that cater to men with bizarre fetishes. Sore de mo Machi wa Mawatteiru by Masakazu Ishiguro depicts a quirky, second-tier maid café in slice-of-life fashion, while Mysterious Girlfriend X by Riichi Ueshiba concerns a boy attracted to a mysterious girl through her drool. Doll: The Hotel Detective by Takao Saitō (Golgo 13) is similar to Golgo in many ways, but focuses on a female detective who stops crimes rather than commit them. Finally, Yoshito Usui's infamous Crayon Shinchan was shouted out.

Next, Harrod and Minto revealed Crunchyroll's latest acquisitions, some which were announced at previous conventions. GTO: Paradise Lost, by Tohru Fujisawa, continues the titular Great Teacher's story as he heads to prison; it was made available during the panel. August 12 will see Shindō, an Akira Saso manga about a cute love story; Murder Incarnation by Keita Sugawara and Shinji Inamitsu, notable for its unusual, CG-influenced art style; Azusa Itakura's Girl May Kill; and Ken Wakai's high school slice-of-life series Joshi Kausei, noteworthy for being devoid of dialogue, are all slated for release on August 12. Cronos Haze by Masayuki Takano will also be released at an as yet undetermined date.

Finally, the panelists revealed the winners of The Seven Deadly Sins artwork contest they had run. The winners will have their work printed in the Japanese release of Seven Deadly Sins and receive pencilboards.