Information:
Doujinshi:
First off, what is a doujinshi? You might have stumbled upon this site wondering just what a doujinshi is. A doujinshi is a fan made comic, an amateur publication. Doujinshis are drawn by Japanese fans for fans and are technically illegal. Despite that, they seem to thrive quite successfully in Japan. They are made for different TV series, anime series, manga, and even J-pop groups.
These books range from mediocre to downright gorgeous depending on the artist. The best books tend to cost much more than professional books not only because they look good but also because they are published in smaller quantities. If you've ever wondered why people on ebay are bidding insane prices on fan made books, this is the reason why.
It's also interesting to note that some of today's professional manga artists started out by making doujinshis. Some of these people include Ken Akamatsu (Love Hina), Kazuka/Haruka Minami, CLAMP, and many others. Conversely, some professionals also make doujinshis.
Doujinshi Titles:
Since most of the titles are in Japanese, I rely on the sellers/vendors I get the books from to relay the name of the books. In other cases, I rely on the help I get from the visitors of this site to either translate or transliterate the titles. Please note that the titles may not be 100% accurate.
Artist Pennames:
Last name first? First name last? I tried to get this right but finally decided that the most familiar and/or printed form is what I should use. Spelling, you say? Sometimes it's hard to get this right. If you've seen Sohya Izumi's name printed Gohya Izumi or Souya Izumi on different books then you know what I mean.
Circles:
It is my understanding that a 'circle' is composed of a group of people working together - one illustrator, inker, novelist, etc. to come up with the finished product. Some of the books produced by the circles have novels (aside from illustrated stories) in them as well.
Book Sizes:
So far, I have seen three different sized doujinshis. If you find sizing information on the book listings, here're what those sizes are supposed to measure to. For more information on International Standard Paper size, please proceed HERE.
A5: 148 x 210 mm or 5.83 x 8.27 inches
(small)
B5: 176 x 250 mm or 6.93 x 9.84 inches (common)
A4: 210 x 297 mm or 8.27 x 11.69 inches (large)
Rating:
It is not recommended that you rely 100% on my ratings since I am not a professional. The given ratings are simply meant as a guide, a warning of what you have to watch out for. Those rated NC-17 contain explicit sexual content while those rated R are at a lesser extent. Please note that the lowest rating I've given is a PG even if a book is safe for General Audiences. I'm doing it simply as a precaution. Please follow this link for more information on the rating scale I used as a guide: Ratings Symbols
In addition, books marked with NCS are those that involve some form of non-consensual sex. Please be warned.
ISBN Numbers:
If I provided ISBN numbers for some books then it means that they are commercially available. Do note that most of them are already out of print. The latest professional mangas, however, are still easily available.
Where to buy:
To be updated later