Seven Seas Entertainment has made its Boogiepop manga series (see 'Seven Seas Licenses Japanese Titles') a Borders Group exclusive.  The arrangement provides for each Boogiepop volume to be sold only in Borders, Waldenbooks, and Borders Express stores for the first six months after its U.S. release, followed by availability to the general book and comic trade. 

 

Adam Arnold, Seven Seas Senior Editor in charge of licensed manga explained why the company gave BGI exclusivity.  'Exclusive deals are mutually beneficial for both the manga company and the stores themselves,' he said.  'For manga companies, it offers you a near guaranteed amount of sales...and for companies still starting up, that can be a big plus.  It's also really a great way to ensure a title doesn't fall through the cracks because these deals allow for shelf-talkers and other forms of store-based advertising.  So for us, it's been a huge help with getting our licensed manga line off the ground in a really stellar way.'