Digital Manga Publishing has acquired the rights to two properties from Hideyuki Kikuchi, the author of the Vampire Hunter D and Wicked City novel series. Yashakiden: The Demon Princess is a novel series, and Taimashin: The Red Spider Exorcist is a manga series based on a Kikuchi work. Both will launch on December 16th.
Kikuchi considers the four-volume Yashakiden: The Demon Princess series his best work, calling it, “…the best novel series I’ve ever written, this is my vampire masterpiece.”
The Yashakiden story is based in the same city as the Wicked City animated series, and spun out of the Demon City Shinjuku world. In it, investigator Setsura Aki and wizard Doctor Mephisto battle four immortal vampires from
Yashakiden is illustrated by Jun Suemi. MSRP will be $13.95. It will be previewed in Vampire Hunter D Vol. 3, coming out in May.
The story of Taimashin: The Red Spider Exorcist is based on a novel series by Kikuchi, and tells the story of a shaman with the strength and regeneration powers of a giant spider, as well as the ability to lead a swarm of arachnids.
The art in Taimashin is by manhwa artist Shin Yong-Gwan. MSRP will be $9.95. It will be previewed in Vampire Hunter D Vol. 4, due on in November.