TokyoPop update at RightStuf, higher prices, new licenses?

[shannonleighd]

I'm subscribed to TRSI's RSS feed, so I noticed today that they added a bunch of TokyoPop titles. What I'm kind of mad about though are the different prices. Why the heck is Rebirth Volume 22 $14.99? I see that's it's listed as having 384 pages, so I guess it's like getting two books for the price of one and a half. Hopefully it won't look weird next to the rest of the series. It is the last book, right?

Here's the list, I only listed the prices for the ones that were higher, everything else is $9.99. I know some of them are hardcovers, special editions, or the wideband version and that's why they're more expensive, but some of the other price difference aren't so easily explainable. I just listed all the prices that were higher than $9.99.

And I apologize in advance if I accidentally listed any OEL manga, I tried to weed them out to the best of my knowledge. I also think that some of these titles were on the chopping block at some point too, so some people will be happy to see them listed again. There may also be a new license or two listed as well, I honestly don't know.

Sorry, I'm way too lazy to list individual links, but here's the link for newly added items - New Stuf

.Hack//G.U. Novel 1: Terror of Death (192 pgs)
.Hack//G.U.+ Graphic Novel 4 (192 pgs)
+ANIMA Graphic Novel 10 (192 pgs)
Aria Graphic Novel 5
Battle Royale Ultimate Edition Graphic Novel 5 (612 pgs) - $24.99
Battle Vixens Graphic Novel 14 (192 pgs)
Black Knight (Kuro no Kishi) Graphic Novel 4 (192 pgs) Adult - $12.99
Burst Angel Graphic Novel 2 (192 pgs)
Castle of Dreams: Stories from the Kare Kano Creator Graphic Novel (352 pgs) - $12.99
Castlevania: Curse of Darkness Graphic Novel 2 (192 pgs)
Cause of My Teacher Graphic Novel (192 pgs) Adult - $12.99
Chibi Vampire Graphic Novel 12 (192 pgs)
Dazzle Graphic Novel 10 (208 pgs)
DNAngel Graphic Novel 12 (D.N.Angel) (192 pgs)
Element Line Graphic Novel 4 (192 pgs) - $10.99
Elemental Gelade Graphic Novel 10 (192 pgs)
Fate/Stay Night Graphic Novel 2 (192 pgs)
FLCL Graphic Novel 3
Fruits Basket Graphic Novel 22 (192 pgs)
Gakuen Alice Graphic Novel 5 (192 pgs)
Gakuen Alice Graphic Novel 6
Get Backers: Infinity Fortress Graphic Novel 3
Gothic & Lolita Bible Artbook 4 (127 pgs) - $19.99
Gothic & Lolita Bible Artbook 5 - [b]$19.99[b] both are the same price as previous volumes
GTO: The Early Years Graphic Novel 10 (Shonan Junai Gumi) (376 pgs) $12.99
Initial D Graphic Novel 33 (192 pgs)
Junjo Romantica: Pure Romance Graphic Novel 8 (192 pgs) Adult - $12.99
Jyu-Oh-Sei Graphic Novel 2 (384 pgs) - $14.99
King of Hell Graphic Novel 21 (192 pgs)
King of Hell Graphic Novel 22 (192 pgs)
Kingdom Hearts II Graphic Novel 3 (192 pgs)
Kyo Kara Maoh! Graphic Novel 2 (192 pgs)
Love Attack Graphic Novel 5 (192 pgs)
Luuna Graphic Novel 1 (112 pgs) - $12.99
Mamotte Shugogetten Graphic Novel 4 - $12.99
Manga Sutra - Futari H Graphic Novel 4 (384 pgs) Adult - $19.99
Me and My Brothers Graphic Novel 6 (192 pgs)
Me and My Brothers Graphic Novel 7
Missile Happy! Graphic Novel 5 (192 pgs)
Momo Tama Graphic Novel 1 (192 pgs)
NG Life Graphic Novel 1 (192 pgs)
Orange Crows Graphic Novel (192 pgs)
Orange Graphic Novel (144 pgs) (Color) - $14.99
Peacemaker Kurogane Graphic Novel 1 (192 pgs) - $10.99
Phantom Dream Graphic Novel 1 (192 pgs)
Pixie Graphic Novel 1 (112 pgs) (Color) - $12.99
Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn Graphic Novel 1 (192 pgs)
Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn Graphic Novel 1 Special Edition + DVD - $14.99
Rave Master Graphic Novel 32 (208 pgs)
Rebirth Graphic Novel 22 (384 pgs) - $14.99
Return to Labyrinth Graphic Novel 3 (192 pgs) - $10.99
Rose Hip Rose Graphic Novel 4 (192 pgs) - $10.99
Saiyuki Reload Graphic Novel 9 (192 pgs)
Samurai Deeper Kyo Graphic Novel 32 (192 pgs)
Samurai Deeper Kyo Graphic Novel 33
Sgt. Frog Graphic Novel 16 (192 pgs)
Shinobi Life Graphic Novel 2
Silver Diamond Graphic Novel 3: Switch All On (192 pgs)
Speed Grapher Graphic Novel 3 - $10.99
Tactics Graphic Novel 8
Tantric Stripfighter Trina Graphic Novel (192 pgs) - $10.99
Tarot Cafe Novel 1: The Wild Hunt (224 pgs)
Togainu no Chi Graphic Novel 1 (192 pgs) - $10.99
Tokko Graphic Novel 3 - $10.99
Trinity Blood Graphic Novel 9 (192 pgs)
Tsubasa: Those With Wings Graphic Novel 1 (380 pgs) $14.99
Twelve Kingdoms Novel 2: Sea of Wind (320 pgs) (Paperback)
Twelve Kingdoms Novel 3: The Vast Spread of the Seas (Hardcover) - $16.99
V.B. Rose Graphic Novel 5 (192 pgs)
Your & My Secret Graphic Novel 4 (192 pgs)


I bet in the future TokyoPop's main price point is going to be $10.99. It seems to be the trend for a lot of the newer titles.

[HitokiriShadow]

If this list is accurate and isn't still based on the pre-cutback schedule (which seems unlikely) then it looks like Twelve Kingdoms is the one novel series that is safe. This is great news as I just finished the anime last week (well, through episode 40 anyway) and I was worried I would never be able to read what happened after that.

I recall Samurai Deeper Kyo volume 30 being taken off the listings at some point (and I believe TRSi had it set for the 12/12/12 release date for a little while), but it seems that everything has been sorted out for that series.

[Soufriere]

Originally Posted by shannonleighd

I bet in the future TokyoPop's main price point is going to be $10.99. It seems to be the trend for a lot of the newer titles.

That's really not surprising, considering that a (US) dollar doesn't go nearly as far as it used to.

And the GTO:SJG book did not have a price bump. I just checked an older copy and it's $12.99 MSRP too. (hm, thought that series got the axe)

Similarly, 12K Novel 2 was also $16.99 (hardback), so no price jump their either.
I think my current avatar sums up my opinion of this series and news of its seeming continuation by TP.

[akcoll99]

I'm just glad to see TP listing new titles, including Rebirth and Mamotte Shugogetten, both of which were on my list of titles I was worried about. If I have to pay a couple extra dollars to ensure their continued release, then I will gladly do it.

[Riari]

Originally Posted by shannonleighd

Black Knight (Kuro no Kishi) Graphic Novel 4 (192 pgs) Adult - $12.99
Junjo Romantica: Pure Romance Graphic Novel 8 (192 pgs) Adult - $12.99

These are BLU titles. They're higher priced now at this price point anyways. Though I'm surprised at the Black Knight v.4. I didn't realize a new volume came out.

Jyu-Oh-Sei Graphic Novel 2 (384 pgs) - $14.99

Jyu-Oh-Sei vol. 01 is the same price. (That reminds me, need to order it. No bookstore around here is carrying it.)

Though $10.99 is a price I'll pay to keep getting some of these series. I'm glad to see some of the title solicits there. I was worried about a few of them.

[Althalus]

Originally Posted by shannonleighd

Luuna Graphic Novel 1 (112 pgs) - $12.99
Orange Graphic Novel (144 pgs) (Color) - $14.99
Pixie Graphic Novel 1 (112 pgs) (Color) - $12.99

Luuna (website) and Pixie (website) are the first two of Tokyopop's new French licenses. Orange is by Chinese creator Benjamin. They're all full color.

Benjamin isn't quite my style, but he's very colorful and expressive. Pixie I don't know. But Luuna I can recommend.

More here. Only the page-count seems to be off. Pixie and Luuna should have either 92 or 138 pages (two or three original volumes), not 112.


~Althalus

[shannonleighd]

Yeah, I didn't mean all of them were price hikes, I knew some had previous volumes at the same price, including the Twelve Kingdoms novel. I just didn't feel like looking up all the previous volumes to include that info.

I realize as years go by the price of things go up, but it's just disheartening when other publishers have lower prices. I find myself buying more and more Viz titles these days than TokyoPop. But then again, I also love a lot of Del Rey titles as well. And I'm also importing a lot more too since my Japanese is getting better and they're cheaper too. So that's probably keeping me from buying more translated manga too.

You know, I was thinking, this happens sometimes with regular paperback novels too. I'll buy the first in a series and it'll be $6.99. But maybe the next one will be $7.50 or $7.99. Yeah, it's not much of a difference but once you've started a series and you liked it you'll probably go for the next one regardless of the price increase. I guess the same goes for manga in that respect and maybe TokyoPop is latching on to that idea; buy the first couple volumes at $9.99 and then they increase to $10.99 later on. It might help them break even easier that way. Who know though, I'm just rambling.

[LordGeo]

Well, these solicitations cover from December to March... But no B't X 16, which should be scheduled for sometime in January.

No, no, no, no, no... Please let it come out!

[Draneor]

Originally Posted by shannonleighd

Mamotte Shugogetten Graphic Novel 4 - $12.99

Mamotte Shugogetten has always been this price (it's two volumes, for one). Actually, a few you bolded did not increase in price. Not all Tokyopop manga was sold for $9.99.

Anyway, I'm glad to see Aria 5 and DNAngel 12 on there.

[jigoku panda]

Manga Sutra Futari H has always been 19.99 since its a 2 in 1 release.