hi-no-tori
Latest
Now we want all our comics in DS form
Famitsu has precious few (well, precious two) screens of DS de Yomu Tezuka Osamu Hi no Tori, the DS adaptation of Tezuka's Phoenix manga, but there's enough information there for us to get an idea of the presentation, at least. Basically, the full page appears on the bottom screen, and one panel at a time is zoomed in on the top screen. It's a very similar approach to Marvel Digital Comics' Smart Panels viewing style. We just hope that, unlike with Smart Panels, you are also able to move the panel view around manually in order to see more than just the focal point of each panel.The 12 volumes of Phoenix are being divided into three DS cartridges, each retailing for 4,179 yen ($37). $37 isn't terrible for four books' worth of manga, but collecting whole series in DS format could still become painful quickly.
Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix coming to the DS
You may expect some terrible DS platformer or something to be built from this comic license from legendary Astro Boy creator Osamu Tezuka, but that is not at all what developer Compile Heart is doing. Phoenix (also known as Hi no Tori/Fire Bird) is coming to the DS in its original form. As manga.DS de Yomu Tezuka Osamu Hi no Tori is a collection of Phoenix comics to be read on the DS, featuring extra visual and sound effects (such as the screen shaking to emphasize a dramatic panel). Of course, other helpful features like bookmarking are also included. No word as to how much of the Phoenix backlog will be covered in this collection, though we doubt it's the whole thing. It'll be released in May for 4,179 yen ($37.50). If it works out, Compile Heart will expand the Read on DS series.
