Will we ever see Spiral?

[zakki]

I have been dying to know the situation about the licensing of Kyo Shirodaira & Eita Mizuno's series "Spiral ~Suiri no Kizuna~"
It was originally announced as a fall 2005 release, but now seems to have disappeared from the Tokyopop roster completely.
I am just wondering if anyone can inform me about this situation and if you will ever be able to release it.
Any reply is greatly appreciated, thanks!:)

[PeterAhlstrom]

There are unresolved licensing issues, unfortunately. We certainly want to do this series, but it may not be possible for many, many months yet if at all; sorry.

[zakki]

Unfortunate, but thanks for your reply! It's good to know that you guys still want to do the series.
I'll just hope for the best and continue studying Japanese in the meantime! :o

[Miako]

I hope for the best too. I love Spiral and I need to know the answers to all the questions the anime didn't answer.

[Mitzuki]

Im waiting for Spiral to. I was really anoyed when the anime ended and i was like... is that all but then i heard the manga continue's so i want to know what happens

[Miako]

So... basically you might NEVER release Spiral? *tears* I don't understand I mean first you had a season to release it in, then you had nothing? WHY? I know nothing about licensing but I really don't understand how you could announce when it would come out without having the major ends tied? :( I was so excited to find out who the blade children were. *sigh* Can't you just knock a few people down and make it all better?

[LillianDP]

So... basically you might NEVER release Spiral? *tears* I don't understand I mean first you had a season to release it in, then you had nothing? WHY? I know nothing about licensing but I really don't understand how you could announce when it would come out without having the major ends tied? :( I was so excited to find out who the blade children were. *sigh* Can't you just knock a few people down and make it all better?

It was a situation where we thought we *did* have all the major ends tied. And then it turned out that they weren't. You never know what can go wrong with a project. Hopefully things will turn around one day (I'm all for knocking a few people down, though. :) Good plan!), so keep your fingers crossed!

[Kuroiku]

That is rather upsetting. I had my hopes up too. I hope all those loose ends get fixed and tied securely. I really wanna read the manga. Best of luck! :)

Please tell me right away if you ever will. I'll make sure to rush out and buy it. Or at least count down the days. Heehee.

[Kuroiku]

How long do you suppose it'll take for all the major ends to finish tying up? Are people opposed to releasing it? That would make me sad.

Have you had this problem before?

[Mishia]

I dunno if this helps at all, but it looks like volume 1 is already available for pre-order on some sites~
See:
http://www.justmanga.com/showprod.cfm?itemno=spiral1

So...maybe this means TP was able to tie up all the loose ends and get the project going?

[sentaku-san]

Does that site even have a date for release? I read in the reports from Anime Boston 2006 that Tokyopop does not have the rights to Spiral. :(

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention.php?id=314

I'm disappointed too because Spiral looks like something I would like to read. I had a friend who was obsessed with it for awhile and I got to look at all her Japanese copies. The art is really nice and the story is intriguing. (I also want to find out "Who [the #(@&!] are the blade children?," which the anime never answered. >.>

Why would the Japanese company be opposed to Spiral's being published in English? (That's what I've heard is the case, anyway.) Manga translating companies have been doing a quality job nowadays; it's not like the original story will be distorted. Plus, they'd make more money. I don't get it. *sigh*

[PeterAhlstrom]

I dunno if this helps at all, but it looks like volume 1 is already available for pre-order on some sites~
See:
http://www.justmanga.com/showprod.cfm?itemno=spiral1
That must be a really old listing, because we certainly have not solicited it anytime at all recently.

Nothing has changed.

[Kuroiku]

BAH!! This stinks! I am dying to read this series and even saw the japanese versions in the mall! Why are they being such a hard-butt about this? What EXACTLY is their opposition to the whole translation? The anime should either continue to answer that one irritating question or they should just allow us to translate it.

*sob sob* I wanna read spiral...

[KimmyK7]

well ill be wating forever if it takes that long or learn japanese =D

[nina]

well, it totally sucks that spiral can't be released. i'm obsess with the series! i own several Japanese versions, but it's no use!! i can't read Japanese, so i bought the manga just to look at the pretty pictures. it looks pretty intense in the later volumes, thou...

oh, this really sucks!!! i guess now i need to learn how to read japanese in order to know what happened beyond the anime, huh?

[xBleukousukex]

I hope it's still coming out.
For me it's worth a really long wait.

Tokyopop i'm rooting for the release!;)

[Azure]

I'm hoping that tokyopop gets the rights to publish Spiral: suiri no kizuna as well, because the anime just wasn't enough. so many questions, unanswered :(

[AshenPhoenix]

That must be a really old listing, because we certainly have not solicited it anytime at all recently.

Nothing has changed.

*sigh* I was really hoping that site was the real-deal. It's a shame becuase I'd just gotten excited, thinking, "No way... It's really available?!" but now you're saying that that information is old news and nothing to get my hopes up over? Damn.

I REALLY hope it won't take forever to finally iron out all the agreement details and whatnot. Like many of those who posted here, I'm now an obssessed fan of the anime and I'm thoroughly enhtralled by the fantastic characters, mysteries, and story. Also, while I loved the anime... I agree it left a lot unanswered and wasn't really conclusive.

I actually found a translated scan of a 4-pannel chibi comic of Spiral and it looks awesome: http://www.ming-ling.net/other/spiral-4koma-vol1.gif
And when I heard Tokyopop was the company that'd accquired the license I was simply thrilled. :D You guys always take such great care of the series you get. I know if it comes down to it, I will wait years 'til the manga comes out... but (of course) I hope it won't be that long.

[Azure]

This may sound like a really bad thing to say as tokyopop is one of the most popular manga companies, but could it be that some other organisation has gotten the rights for the spiral manga?

[sentaku-san]

Hehe those 4-panel comics are really cute. They're on the covers of the manga volumes (under the dust jackets), so I hope whatever company licenses it will preserve them somehow... IF it does get licensed. :(

[kipari]

I, too, sincerely hope Tokyopop is able to obtain the rights to Spiral; though entertaining at times and relatively intriguing, the anime was also rather uninformative, and left fans with an ending that didn't accurately represent the complexity of the original material.

The storyline and likeable characters have gotten me hooked on this anime, and I've heard that that the Spiral manga has excellent art and an overall superior presentation to it's animated counterpart -- it's really a shame that liscensing complications have interfered with Spiral's celebrated release >.<

I suppose all we hopeless fans can do now is wait^^ We appreciate your efforts to bring us such wonderful titles, Tokyopop, and hope you can succeed in acquiring this one :D

[crystalstarrlight]

If it is not known yet, there are actually TWO spiral mangas, one that is a horror manga an equivalent of "The Ring" in manga and the one coming out in 2012 !!!!! I really am wondering if they wikll shorten the time for it to come out -.-' but im really looking forward to it..... ONLY 6 years until it comes out . SIX YEARS -.-

[crispy]

Spiral will probably be done by Del Rey. -_-

[crystalstarrlight]

Spiral is already licenced by tokyopop, so why would they switch it to their competitors? I really want the series to come out

[crispy]

It's not licensed by Tokyopop. They already said that they lost the license.

[sentaku-san]

If it is not known yet, there are actually TWO spiral mangas, one that is a horror manga an equivalent of "The Ring" in manga and the one coming out in 2012 !!!!! I really am wondering if they wikll shorten the time for it to come out -.-' but im really looking forward to it..... ONLY 6 years until it comes out . SIX YEARS -.-

Ehehehe...I think 2012 is a date that is used to indicate an undetermined release date. At least, I've seen it used like that on newsletters and such. It's usually "12/12/2012" or something. LOL That doesn't meant it will come out in 2012, or ever...but I hope Spiral does, eventually! :(

[Blueharlequin]

It's not licensed by Tokyopop. They already said that they lost the license.

I missed that . . . where did they say it? I must have been just so delirious over the licensing of Wild Adapter that I missed that at the AX 2006 panel.

I recall hearing something about Broccoli saying at their they will be announcing a major Square Enix title but I was margonally sure it isn't Spiral. Honestly if it's Zombie-Loan I will be happy (for it to be licensed) and a bit disappointed (I wanted TP to get it).

[Kuroiku]

there are so many of us wishing for the release of spiral it's a wonder no one has stormed the TP staff demanding what the heck is the problem with the licensing. 6 years is a long wait...can I hold on that long? I may be dead by then. or captured by aliens.

I just want Spiral:suiri no kizuna...I haven't been in the mood to purchase anything else. Although I did buy 11 volumes of Hana-Kimi in the span of 3 weeks. Fruits Basket is next.

[MephistoWaltz]

Lol. 2012 is the end of the WORLD!! Just joking. I wish I could read Spiral too.

[sentaku-san]

I just want to know exactly what is the deal...why was the license lost? I've heard vaguely that it was because the Japanese company had some kind of objection, but what does that mean? Why? I suppose it normally shouldn't matter to us common folk (heh), but unless it's classified information, I would really like to know what's going on. I haven't heard about anything like this happening for other series.

[Horizon]

I would like to see Spiral as well!

[crystalstarrlight]

Ehehehe...I think 2012 is a date that is used to indicate an undetermined release date. At least, I've seen it used like that on newsletters and such. It's usually "12/12/2012" or something. LOL That doesn't meant it will come out in 2012, or ever...but I hope Spiral does, eventually! :(
oh, really... ive been wondering why they would plan so far ahead

[crystalstarrlight]

It's not licensed by Tokyopop. They already said that they lost the license.
really? how did they loose a license? then who might be the publisher? del rey?

[xBleukousukex]

Spiral will probably be done by Del Rey. -_-

What do you mean?
Did del rey say something about it?

[MephistoWaltz]

Del Rey is awesome, I'd love Del Rey even MORE if they got spiral.

[Kuroiku]

I seriously just wanna read spiral. What sucks is Del Rey overcharges. Why couldn't manga be $5.10 like in Japan? It's twice the amount here and climbing! I am a POOR school student. Have pity. Not to mention a struggling artist...well not struggling just yet. Ahem! Anyway, I just hope SOMEBODY gets the license soon!

All my current series have already been bought up to the most recent volume. At least the ones I really, REALLY love. Hurry with Spiral!

[beck1]

i cant ait for this release i read the whole article on it in anime insider and was wondering why it hasnt popped up anywhere lately

[crispy]

I seriously just wanna read spiral. What sucks is Del Rey overcharges. Why couldn't manga be $5.10 like in Japan? It's twice the amount here and climbing!
You must be new. The price of manga actually recently dropped tremendously... it was basically cut in half when Tokyopop started its 100% Manga thing. Before then, there weren't very many options so far as titles went. Del Rey doesn't over-charge, either. They're what... 1 or 2 dollars more? You can't even buy any real food for that miniscule amount of money.

Manga will never be 5 dollars per book in America. In Japan, manga is disposable -- a very large portion of Japan's publishing is dedicated to manga, so it's able to be distributed at such a low price. However, all of those manga are home-grown creations. When a title is brought over to America, you have to pay the licensing fee, and then the salaries of all those who work on reproducing the book in English, as well as printing costs. In Japan, there is no licensing fee, and thus, less money to make before they begin making profit on a title. At that, the market in America, while still growing, is nowhere near as large in comparison to Japan. Thus, since American companies will never sell as many English copies of a book as the Japanese, they must charge more in order to make their money back to continue publishing a series.

So quit bitching.

[Kuroiku]

You must be new. The price of manga actually recently dropped tremendously... it was basically cut in half when Tokyopop started its 100% Manga thing.

Manga will never be 5 dollars per book in America. In Japan, manga is disposable -- a very large portion of Japan's publishing is dedicated to manga, so it's able to be distributed at such a low price. However, all of those manga are home-grown creations. When a title is brought over to America, you have to pay the licensing fee, and then the salaries of all those who work on reproducing the book in English, as well as printing costs. In Japan, there is no licensing fee, and thus, less money to make before they begin making profit on a title. At that, the market in America, while still growing, is nowhere near as large in comparison to Japan. Thus, since American companies will never sell as many English copies of a book as the Japanese, they must charge more in order to make their money back to continue publishing a series.

So quit bitching.

I am NOT new and I have over 100 volumes in manga but they have NOT cut the manga price in HALF! It's still $10.59 per book! And Del Rey does charage $1 or $2 more but for some that little extra makes all the differenc.

Although I understand and appreciate the nice long report as to why the manga prices are as they are in Japan, you seriously didn't need to add that last comment. Go take out your fustrations on something else. I wasn't "bitching," I was giving my opinion (or open complaint) on a certain matter. If you didn't like my behavior, I'm sorry it irked you so much as to have to swear at me. A simple "stop complaining" would have sufficed. You better keep that tongue in check. Don't piss off people you don't know. It'll come back to bite you.

I just want to really read Spiral. I'm sorry that simple fact annoyed you.

[nina]

i can really care less who license it, as long as they translated spiral. so does that mean that del rey REALLY will license it then? that's awesome!!!

this better not be another false hope again. i'll get really pissed if it is...

[AshenPhoenix]

If it is not known yet, there are actually TWO spiral mangas, one that is a horror manga an equivalent of "The Ring" in manga and the one coming out in 2012 !!!!! I really am wondering if they wikll shorten the time for it to come out -.-' but im really looking forward to it..... ONLY 6 years until it comes out . SIX YEARS -.-
I think I'll have to agree with whoever it was who said that that estimated 2012 release date is just a temporary 'safe-zone' statement until the official one can be finalized and announced. Like all of those who've commented here, I too sincerely hope TOKYOPOP can iron out the details of the licensing agreement with the Japanese company so they can start releasing it. I'm anxiously awaiting the news to come of it's license's solidification.
Also, regarding the "two Spiral mangas" issue, I believe because of this other title, and for another reason, the Spiral series we're discussing will also have a subtitle besides it's main one of simply "Spiral." The full version being "Spiral: Bonds of Reasoning" -- the direct translation of "Spairaru: Suiri no Kizuna" the original Japanese title.

By the way, has anyone seen the information regarding Spiral at:
http://animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=4124
It's really very helpful in understanding a bit more about the situation. And what TOKYOPOP's done so far with trying to obtain it.

231232
These are the coverart pictures I've found of the first volume. The English one by TOKYOPOP (right) is still unconfirmed as I haven't been able to find it anywhere else.

[Mishia]

Yep and this is the vol 15 cover:
http://gangan.square-enix.co.jp/spiral/lineup/image/book11.jpg

<COPYRIGHT VIOLATION REMOVED>

BTW for people who want spoilers....
Wikipedia has BOMB spoilers for Spiral....
This is a mAJOR spoiler warning...DON'T CLICK AND READ WHAT'S ON THIS PAGE UNLESS YOU DON'T MIND RUINING IT FOR YOURSELF ne~ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_(anime))

[AshenPhoenix]

Thanx, Mishia. :) And don't worry, I won't check the spoilers. (woah, my shortest reply ever) lol

[jman1189]

this subject hasn't been brought up in about a month, but did tokyopop ever get the licensing rights to spiral? Is it gonna come out soon

[chibi-lover]

this subject hasn't been brought up in about a month, but did tokyopop ever get the licensing rights to spiral? Is it gonna come out soon
i dunnno but im hoping for the best that tokyopop has licensed it or will be getting licensed soon because im really looking forward to seeing it

[jman1189]

can anyone from the top (works with em) tell us anything about tokyopop getting the licencing rights

[PeterAhlstrom]

Yes. We've already answered in this thread. If the situation ever changes--and there's no indication that it ever will--we will let you know.

[jman1189]

I know it's already been answered, the last I read on this thread was that tokyopop was working on the licensing rights for it and a few complications came up, were they worked out? If this has also been answered, I'm sorry for inconvinencing you and do not ask a reply. Sorry if I am any agravation. and thanks for replying

[Kuroiku]

Yes. We've already answered in this thread. If the situation ever changes--and there's no indication that it ever will--we will let you know.

hmmm...well that sucks. if you don't license it does that mean no other company gets to either? looks like i'm gonna have to brush up on my japanese. :p

[PeterAhlstrom]

Some other company may get the license, if Square-Enix decides to give it to them.

[AshenPhoenix]

Some other company may get the license, if Square-Enix decides to give it to them.

Well, thanks for that hope at least. Still sad Tokyopop didn't get it but I guess if Square-Enix doesn't agree then there's nothin' that can be done about it.

[xBleukousukex]

I hope it will come out, I really look forward to it

[MoriRin16]

I was wondering what happen to the manga Spiral? I went to my local bookstore, and couldn't find it anywhere, could you please tell me what happened to it?

[midorihebi]

We have a series called Mugen Spiral that just came out in January and should still be in stores. If you're talking about the other Spiral series, that question was already asked here (http://messageboard.tokyopop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=462).

[xBleukousukex]

Great news
spiral is coming!!

check this site

http://community.livejournal.com/mangacast/481258.html

[PeterAhlstrom]

Since Spiral will be coming from Yen Press and not TOKYOPOP, this thread has run its course. I'm happy that people will be able to buy the book at last.