New Shaman King Oneshot leads of Rebirth of the Series

Even though reported that the Shaman King series will have a big announcement planned for March 2012, the Shaman King manga series will get a jump start long before that. In the December issue of the newly created monthlyJump Kai magazine which will be released on November 10th, 2011, there will be a brand new Shaman King oneshot! It will contain color pages and be 44 pages in length. This is also the first oneshot in a series of oneshots leading up to the big announcement for spring 2012. The total number of pages for this “series of oneshots” will be 144 pages. This could lead to around 3 or 4 oneshots in total. Because of this strong number of pages, a volume combining all these oneshots with the Remix Tracks (currently being released in the Shaman King re-release under the “Remix” imprint) is highly likely.

This announcement could possibly be a new anime, as mentioned in an earlier news post. In addition to the oneshot, there will also be a brand new color poster included with every issue of Jump Kai (most likely featuring Yoh).

The plot of this new oneshot was also included in this ad. The story will be centered around Yoh Asakura leaving his hometown of Izumo and heading to Tokyo for the first time, as well as helping the spirit of a dead child pass on. Last year, before restarting the Jumbor manga series in Ultra Jump, Takei drew two oneshots for Jumbor which continued the original Jyuki Ningen Jumbor plotline.

The news of this oneshot in Jump Kai has been very well received in Japan on Twitter. Today the tag #マンキン (#mankin) reached a Trending Topic phrase in Japan. “Mankin” is short for “Shaman King.” To see the list, check out here.

Huge thanks to Dit for translating all this news. Be sure to keep checking back on Shaman King Nation for continued coverage of the rebirth of the Shaman King series.

(HQ image source: Manga-News)

“Shaman King” To Return In March 2012

The start of these events began on last Saturday (9/10/2011) in Aomori, Japan. At 18:30 on the radio channel FM AOMORI, Hiroyuki Takei personally went on the radio to talk about his manga series. Prior to this, the last time his words were on the radio was in a letter spoken by Megumi Hayashibara shortly after the cancellation of the Shaman King manga series in Weekly Shonen Jump. The radio station in Aomori hold some additional importance since the manga character “Anna” from Shaman King was the inspiration for their towns police mascot.

While the entire transcript of this conversation was not recorded, there were two annoucements Hiroyuki Takei announced:

  1. Shaman King will be continuing in March 2012.
  2. Hiroyuki Takei is working on another project.

Because of the complexity of the Japanese language, the word “continuing” is not very clear, and Takei did not provide much more information. However, the date was very clear as well as that it will be connected to Shaman King. His second project could still be his “new, unseen project” which was announced in early 2011 (news story).

With the release of Shaman King Remix volume 13, there has been a new development in this story. In the included Remix Track, Takei derails the story to talks to his editor about how he doesn’t have enough space to draw the story he wants to tell. He asks for another Remix volume to tell more of the story (similar to how the Kang Zeng Bang release gained extra chapters), but was refused. With more demanding pressure he asks to change the format for the Shaman King story by “Imagine their battle animated, with voices, music and such.” The editor doesn’t give a verbal response to his request, but the side comment sends a message to the fans to “Who knows what may happen, but keep supporting Shaman King!”

There are many possible routes this new “Shaman King” could possibly take. There could be the possibility of multiple new versions, such as a new manga series as well as something else. Some of the possibilities are the following:

  • New manga series
  • New anime series/OVA/movie
  • New drama CD
  • New videogame
  • New light novel
  • New vomic

All of those possibilities are still on the table. In addition, a new figure of Yoh is coming in 2012, and the Shaman King anime was recently showcased in an issue of Animedia.

As soon as we know any more details, we will be sure to post them up on Shaman King Nation as soon as we can! There will be 3 more volumes of the Shaman King Remix versions to be released, so more news should be coming in the next few weeks!

(Special thanks to Dit for… all of this!)

New Shaman King Figure Coming in 2012

In a surprise announcement at the recently concluded Wonder Festival Summer 2011, a prototype of a new Shaman King figure was on display. Wonder Festival is a trade-show where upcoming figures and various toys are put up on display in Japan. This year’s summer show had a surprise showing of Yoh Asakura by RIO:Bone, a fairly new figure manufacturer. In the blurry picture on the left, you can see that parts of the figure are still grey as it is only a prototype and the colors and design are subject to change. The logo for Shaman King also uses the “Kang Zeng Bang” version rather than  It’s possible that there may be additional figures produced, and more details, such as a release date and a price may be announced at Wonder Festival Winter 2012 in February 2012.

(Source: Takei-Fan)

Takei Draws Two More Cards and Models a Trading Figure

Update: Additional corrected information about Hiroyuki Takei’s Cardfight Vanguard card art can be found in this news post.

Continuing in Cardfight Vanguard, Hiroyuki Takei has drawn a third piece of art for the series. Takei has created artwork for each expansion set for the Cardfight Vanguard card game. The card is called “Tsukuyomi Moon Goddess ( 満月の女神 ツクヨミ ).” It was featured as a “Card of the Day” on the official Cardfight Vanguard blog on August 2nd. The sample image can be found on the left.

Additionally Takei has drawn artwork for the card game Samurai Wars (戦国大戦) with two familiar looking characters from Shaman King. The card is called “Kenshin Uesugi” (上杉謙信), and looks very similar to Yoh and Amidamaru. The card game also features art from other mangaka such as Kōji Kumeta who writes Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei (さよなら 絶望先生). The card game is published by Sega who also published Phantasy Star Portable 2on the PSP where Takei created a special character for the game (with references to Jyuki Ningen Jumbor).

Finally, coming onNovember 25h, 2011, Takei will have his designs in an figure in the Battle Break ( バトルブレイク ) trading figure game. The design has not be released yet. A promo image has been included.

(Sources: Takei-Fan http://blog.livedoor.jp/takeifan/, It’s like the Japanese version of Shaman King Nation, but we’re older.)

4Kids Sued by TV Tokyo over Yu-Gi-Oh!

Original news story can be found at the following locations:

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-03-29/tv-tokyo-nihon-ad-terminate-yu-gi-oh-deal-sue-4kids

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/yu-gi-creator-terminates-us-172273

A quick summery (from ANN):

On March 24, TV Tokyo and Nihon Ad Systems filed a joint lawsuit against North American media distributor 4Kids Entertainment, accusing the company of “underpayments, wrongful deductions, and unmet obligations” and stating that 4Kids now owes the companies US$4,792,460.36. The Hollywood Reporter website also states that the two companies have terminated their deal with 4Kids.

According to the documents filed by the plaintiffs, the companies conducted an audit on 4Kids’ Yu-Gi-Oh! business per their licensing agreement. This audit allegedly uncovered the aforementioned underpayments, as well as a “secret” agreement with Funimation, allowing them to “exploit” the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise via home video and hide the added income from the plaintiffs. By hiding this income, TV Tokyo and Nihon Ad Systems allege that 4Kids was able to pay them a smaller share than would otherwise have been owed to them. The complaint further alleges that 4Kids attempted to hide the secret deal rather than disclosing it as required by their licensing agreement.

Funimation is not listed as a defendant in the complaint.

Even though the court case is based around the Yu-Gi-Oh! TV series the key aspect was the deal 4Kids worked with FUNimation to produce the Uncut DVDs. These DVDs were suddenly cancelled after the second volume. A few explainations were announced about the cancellations. One was that “it didn’t meet expectations” and the other was that it didn’t line up with the companies “goals.” FUNimation was fully supportive of the project, and the cancellation came from 4Kids end. Both Yu-Gi-Oh! Uncut DVDs and Shaman King Uncut DVDs were cancelled at the same time (literally days before the release of the third volume (it was already printed, and possibly some were shipped)). It’s very possible that TV Tokyo will add on additional suit against 4Kids for additional damages for the lost money in the Shaman King deal as well.

4Kids’ contract with TV Tokyo for the Shaman King anime series ended on December 31st, 2009. 4Kids may have worked as a licensing partner afterwards, but did not hold the master license at that time (which allows 4Kids to contract the series to other third parties).

Shaman King Nation will follow this story as any details related to the Shaman King TV series surface.

Shaman King to be Reprinted under Jump Remix [UPDATED]

Update 3/8/11: SKN can now confirm a few more details about the release. This reprint will be the same as the Kang Zeng Bang release with all 300 chapters. However, there will not be any full color pages (they will be in greyscale). Additionally, any extras from the Kang Zeng Bang or original print may not be included (such as the Shaman Files, or extra chapters such as Funbari No Uta). However, Takei has stated that there will be new content. It’s not clear if this means new chapters (or extras) or if it’s a reference to the new covers and postcards. The postcards will be designed by the same staff that worked on the Kang Zeng Bang volumes.

Two months ago Takei made an announcement that he listed Shaman King as an active project for 2011. Today, the full announcement about Shaman King was released. The entire series of Shaman King will be reprinted on a bi-monthly basis under the Jump Remix imprint. Jump Remix takes a complete Shonen Jump series and republishs it in a cheap format. The quality, and size of the paper is similar to Weekly Shonen Jump (though the issue will only contain one series). Each issue could contain anywhere between 400 to 500 pages for around 500-600yen per issue.

As of 3/8/11, it has been confirmed that this reprint will be the same version as the Kang Zeng Bang edition. The Kang Zeng Bang editions contained redrawn artwork and additional chapters to create a new conclusion for the series (with 300 chapters in total).

Each issue of the Shaman King Jump Remix volumes will contain brand new cover art and a postcard. Other Jump Remix series also had new interviews and posters. The extras for these volumes may change over time.

The current  announced release schedule:

April 1st: シャーマンキング 1 霊と絆を持つ少年～麻倉葉登場 (550円)
April 15th: シャーマンキング 2 SF予選～高層ビルでホロホロ戦 (600円)
April 28th: シャーマンキング 3 SF予選～外国人墓地でファウスト戦 (550円)

April 1st: Shaman King 1: The boy with a bond with ghosts～Asakura Yoh entrance (550yen)
April 15th: Shaman King 2: SF Preliminary Contest～Horohoro fights at the skyscraper (600yen)
April 28th: Shaman King 3: SF Preliminary Contest～Faust fights in the foreign cemetery (550yen)

Jump Remix has also gone on the record, though the first issue is released on April 1st, this is not an April Fools Joke. Shaman King Nation will continue to follow this news story as each issue is released in Japan.

Shaman King Returns, New Project, Card Fight Vanguard

On January 6th, 2011 on Hiroyuki Takei’s official Twitter account he has made several announcements about the new year. His original Tweet follows:

Happy new year and thank your for your patronage of Hiroyuki Takei’s works last year. The planning this year: Karakuridôji Ultimo, Jumbor, Shaman King and an unseen new project, it works to add more Take_pro staff, best regards and thank you. (See the Tweet in Japanese)
After wishing his fans a new year, Takei lists his projects for the upcoming year (new projects listed in bold):
  • Ultimo
  • Jumbor
  • Shaman King
  • New, unseen project

This is exciting news since there has been no word on continuing the original Shaman King series after the Kang Zeng Bang. No word on how Shaman King will be continued (as a serialization, doujinshi, oneshot, .etc), or any time frame for this.  The same is for the new project that is still in the planning stages. Takei stated that because of new staff that he has hired recently.

Additionally Takei announced that he has drawn at least one card for the new upcoming Card Fight Vanguard card game and anime. In an upcoming event Takei will be there to sign the card he drew the art for. More information can be found on the Japanese website: http://cf-vanguard.com/event/

Shaman King Nation will continue to follow this news story.

Viz Press Release for SK vol 32

Viz has just sent out a press release today announcing the upcoming release of the Shaman King volume 32 set for release on January 4th, 2011. This will be a translated version of the original volume 32 from Japan and does not have the Kang Zeng Bang chapters that were released in Japan (and currently being printed in Italy). The following is the press release:

MEDIA ALERT: AN EPIC ADVENTURE REACHES ITS CLIMAX IN SHAMAN KING MANGA FINALE,

VIZ Media unleashes the final volume of Hiroyuki Takei’s SHAMAN KING as the long-running manga (graphic novel) series reaches a grand climax. The concluding installment, Volume 32, (rated ‘T’ for Teens; MSRP: U.S. $9.99 / $12.99 CAN) hits nationwide on January 4th, 2011.

Yoh Asakura has spent years training for the Shaman Fight, an epic tournament to determine who will become the Shaman King and shape humanity’s future. Unfortunately for Yoh, every shaman in the world is also vying for the same prize. 

To most people, ghosts are the stuff of horror stories and nightmares. But to Yoh Asakura, a transfer student at Shinra Private Junior High, they’re his friends! Yoh Asakura is a shaman, one of the gifted few who can speak to spirits by channeling ghosts into his body – like the long-dead samurai Amidamaru. He can also allow them to possess him and use their powers. But a modern-day shaman faces great responsibilities, because spirits – and the people who work with them – can be very dangerous indeed. In the series’ grand finale, A Song Someday, Yoh and his gang finally reach the end of the line after all these years and all the hard work. Who will be crowned the next Shaman King, and who will go home in defeat?

Unconventional author/artist Hiroyuki Takei began his career by winning the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize. After working as an assistant to famed artist Nobuhiro Watsuki (RURONI KENSHIN, published by VIZ Media), Takei debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1997 with Butsu Zone, an action series based on Buddhist mythology. His multicultural adventure manga SHAMAN KING, which debuted in 1998, became a hit and was adapted into an anime TV series. His new series ULTIMO (also published by VIZ Media), a historic collaboration with comics legend Stan Lee (co-creator of many iconic superheroes including Spider-Man™, the Fantastic Four™, and the X-Men™), is currently being serialized in the U.S. in SHONEN JUMP. Takei lists Osamu Tezuka, American comics and robot anime among his many key influences.

New SK and Ultimo USA release covers

Recently images for the final volume of the Shaman King manga series, volume 32 have been released. Additionally, the cover for the 4th volume of Ultimo, which was officially announced at the end of volume 3, have been released. A comparison to the Japanese release is provided below (Japanese on left, English on right). Click on the image to see the full size.

This is the second time Viz has changed the binding picture for Shaman King. The first time was with volume 19 (From Matamune to Anna). Shaman King volume 32 will be released on January 4th, 2011. Ultimo volume 4 will be released on March 1st, 2011.

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