Tokyopop has announced that in addition to the Trinity Blood manga series that will debut later this month it will also publish the two series of Trinity Blood novels, which inspired both the Trinity Blood anime and the Trinity Blood manga. 

Yoshida Sunao, who died tragically at 34 in 2004, began both series of Trinity Blood novels, which were first published in the Japanese magazine Sneakers and were illustrated by Thores Shibamoto, in 2001.  After Sunao's untimely death his friend Kentaro Yusui, author of the Ragnarok novels, completed both of the six volume novel series as well as the plotting of the manga series.

Tokyopop plans to begin publishing the Trinity Blood: Rage Against the Moons series of novels in April.  The events in Rage Against the Moons take place before those recounted in the Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars series, and most closely parallel the events in the highly popular Trinity Blood anime series, which debuted in September on Adult Swim. 

Tokyopop will begin publishing the Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars series in August, 2007.

But first comes the Trinity Blood manga series, which debuts later this month and features art by Kiyu Kyujo based on character designs done by Thores Shibamoto for the novels.  The 7-volume Trinity Blood manga series was serialized in Asuka magazine and is a brilliant example of the gothic shojo horror genre.  And due to the property's Cartoon Network exposure, it should have considerable appeal to readers of both genders.