[SOIL] TV series! It stared in March 2010, so if you have WOWOW satellite service in Japan, you must watch it! Takashi Shimizu of [The Grudge] and Yudai Yamaguchi of [Versus] are also involved, so I have very high hopes for this series.

General [SOIL] WOWOW page

Special [SOIL] TV Site

[SOIL] Volume 10 JM
Beam Comix, Enterbrain
ISBN 978-4047264137
3.25.2010

Volume 10 of [SOIL]! I'm not buying [Comic Beam] any more, so this collection will be all new to me.

[SOIL] Volume 8 JM
Beam Comix, Enterbrain
ISBN 978-4-7577-4618-3
11.25.2008

[SOIL] Volume 9
Beam Comix, Enterbrain
ISBN 978-4-7577-5036-4
8.26.2009

Volume 8 of [SOIL] has been in my collection since the end of 2008, but I never updated this page until now. Turns out that Volume 9 will be out on 8.26.09, so consider yourself schooled - it's great stuff.

[SOIL] Volume 7
Beam Comix, Enterbrain
ISBN 978-4-7577-4224-6
5.26.2008

I found out that volume 7 of [SOIL] came out about a month ago, but I didn't receive it until today. Right now I'm getting a [Comic Beam] subscription, so I'm basically up to date with the story already. Still, the collected volumes are a must have, so what are you waiting for?

[SOIL] Volume 6
Beam Comix, Enterbrain
ISBN 978-4-7577-3690-0
8.25.2007

I found out that volume 6 of [SOIL] was coming last week, but I didn't receive it until today. Right now I'm getting a [Comic Beam] subscription, so I'm basically up to date with the story already. Still, the collected volumes are a must have, so what are you waiting for?

[SOIL] Volume 5
Beam Comix, Enterbrain
ISBN 4-7577-3030-6
11.27.2006

I knew that volume 5 of [SOIL] was coming for about a month, but the cover picture wasn't available until this week. Right now I'm receiving a [Comic Beam] subscription, so I'm basically up to date with the story already. Still, the collected volumes are a must have, and I'll receive mine in a few days.

"Johnny Bacardi" has let me know that there's a strong change that the English translation of [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] might be "on hiatus". That means only 2 out of 6 volumes might see the US (not counting the series-ending [BAMBi Alternative]).

For the evidence, see this thread from the DMP Books message board, where the admin tersely breaks the news. This is absolutely horrible in my eyes, since I was counting on the English translation to accentuate my enjoyment of the Japanese originals. Plus, I was excited that more people in the US would be able to find out about Kaneko Atsushi and his work.

Time will tell if the other 4 volumes see the US market, but you can still purchase the first two, which are quite great, but sadly incomplete as a narrative, since things really pick up in the next two volumes.

In any case, I can only assume the first two volumes sold poorly, and that was seen as excuse enough to enact a slow cancellation. Still, don't let that stop you importing the Japanese originals, and looking into [SOIL], his latest, truly amazing series. That's also available monthly in [Comic Beam] magazine, which is worth tracking down.

I'm now lucky enough to receive [Comic Beam] each month, and the first issue of my subscription included a mightly fine [SOIL] cover. It's not that clear in this shot, but the cover uses a great light grey ink that really makes things shine.

I haven't read through the 6.2006 issue yet, but the [SOIL] chapter seems action packed and fairly climatic, tying into themes explored in [SOIL] volume 4, out now. The rest of the issue seems interesting too; I'll report on the other artists' work as I explore further.

[SOIL] Volume 4
Beam Comix, Enterbrain
ISBN 4-7577-2729-1
4.26.2006

I was almost caught by surprise, due to the "early" release of volume 4 of [SOIL]. Usually each volume comes out in the fall, but not this time - next week is the magic moment. Mine is already on preorder; I also found a likely source for a [Comic Beam] subscription, so I'll be able to keep up more regularly.

After an amazing delay, Amazon has shipped [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] Volume 2 to me, and other people in the US. I just received mine, and odds are you'll see it in stores and such soon, if not already.

If memory serves from the Japanese release, Volume 2 is action packed, yet somewhat transitional. To me, the story really doesn't hit its stride until Volume 3 (introducing Nao) and Volume 4 (the terror triplets, Roach, Fly and Mouse), so hang in there.

[SOIL] Volume 3
Beam Comix, Enterbrain
ISBN 4-7577-2451-9
9.30.2005

As expected, the next volume of [SOIL] is due out any day now. Mine is already on preorder - so why isn't yours? Yes, 100% Japanese through and through, but so worth the effort.

After 2 months of delay, [BAMBi And Her Pink Gun] is finally out in the US. Released today, I saw a few copies at my local comic book store, and picked up one to browse. Sure, I already "read" the series in Japanese, but I only understood 70%, and have anxiously been awaiting a translation.

It looked good, and the presentation was very authentic, down to the regulation manga dust jacket and crimson ink. It's not as grand as the original release, but close enough. Thanks go out to Digital Manga Publishing for the fine job.

I highly recommend that you check out this series, particularly after a few more volumes are released, when the story really picks up. You can't find it in stock at Amazon.com yet (where I've preordered it ages ago), but a trip to your local book store might prove rewarding. It's 18+, so bring an ID, fake mustache, and the like.

I'm not lucky enough to receive [Comic Beam] each month, but it appears that [SOIL] may have ended its serialization with the 6.2005 issue, pictured to the right. The search engine for that manga zasshi's website doesn't mention [SOIL] in the subsequent issues, at least to my semi-understanding eyes.

Maybe he's taking some time off. Or, perhaps that means the 3rd [SOIL] collection will be coming out in a few months, with more segments to follow. One can only hope, or someone out there can provide confirmation - is [SOIL] still being serialized?

Update: It turns out that [SOIL] is still being serialized. I directly contacted Enterbrain, the publisher of Kaneko Atsushi's works. He took a few months off from [SOIL], to direct a movie. I'm not sure what that new project is called, but I'll find out. I know he worked on [Space Police] last year, providing the visual design.

The serialization of [SOIL] will now continue, and 3-4 more collected volumes are planned, depending on the ultimate length of the series.

Volume 3 of [SOIL] is due out in Japan at the end of September, and you know I'll preorder it as soon as it is solicited. It should be published in [Comic Beam] for the next few years, at least, and hopefully I'll find a supplier of that monthly magazine soon, so I won't have to wait for the collections.