Manga Bonanza (Publishers Weekly)

Executive Quote and Information Service : EQUIS, December, 2004

Here's a pop quiz about why 2004 was a very good year for visual storytelling: What or who is Rurouni Kenshin? Ever heard of Fruits Basket ? Who is Ken Akamatsu? What exactly is a Ghost in the Shell , and why should booksellers care?

Time's up. Every question is about manga, or Japanese comics, and the first three questions are about books that are among the top five bestselling manga titles in the U.S.

Manga is the biggest comics publishing story of the year--and also last year. But if you're completely stumped, don't feel bad. You're going to get many more chances to learn more about manga and other kinds of comics in the year ahead. While the sales of all kinds of graphic novels are growing, during 2004 manga titles remained the hottest selling...