You may know it better as Saiunkoku Monogatari, but the popular shoujo series written by Sai Yukino with artwork by Kairi Yura, is another amongst Viz’s recent aggressive license acquisitions under the name, The Story of Saiunkoku.
Shurei Hong, a descendant of a noble family that has fallen on hard times, has always dreamed of working as a civil servant in the imperial court of Saiunkoku, but women are barred from the position. However, one day she is asked by the advisor to the emperor to become his consort for half a year and teach him to be responsible ruler.
The series is now being published in volumes under Viz’s "Shojo Beat" imprint and is available now for the standard $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN per volume.
The other volume release announce this past week falls more on the shounen side of the genre range. Genkaku Picasso tells the story of Hikaru “Picasso” Hamura, a grouchy teenager with a talent for drawing, who dies in a freak accident.
Gods decide to revive him, but only on the condition that he use his artistic gift for the good of humanity. Picasso soon discovers that by sketching a person’s aura, he can see a surreal portrait of their psyche. Stranger still, Picasso can dive into these dreamscapes and help people by exploring their deepest emotions, memories and perceptions.
Genkaku Picasso by Usamaru Furuya is being published under the Shonen Jump imprint, also for $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.
