With two days still remaining before the end of their Kickstarter campaign, Digital Manga Inc.’s ecchi imprint, PeCChi, hit its funding goal for an English release of Kodomo no Jikan on Sunday (July 3rd). By Monday, the project had amassed over $166,000, its original target being to raise $157,000 by July 5th.
Digital Manga set the manga’s release for October 2017, assuming the project would be successfully funded. Stretch goals were also put in place, with the first at $172,640 to allow colour printed pages. Further stretch goals add on improved paper quality, and a hardcover release. The rewards for backers include merchandise such as a poster, clear file, tote bag, pillowcase covers, rubber charms and a fleece blanket, as well as art by the author, Kaoru Watashiya.
PeCChi give the 2005 series, which also inspired a 2007 anime, the following description:
Newly hired Aoki Daisuke becomes a teacher to a 3rd grade class after the previous quits. He thought teaching was going to be a breeze until he meets troublemaker Rin Kokonoe. Rin wreaks havoc on Daisuke’s job by attempting to seduce him. Due to Rin’s odd behavior, Daisuke decides to make a visit to her caretaker. Little does he know, Rin has a traumatic past hidden away behind her innocent face.
Kodomo no Jikan is a school life comedy by day, and a psychological drama by night. As Daisuke attempts to remedy the complex challenges his students face outside of school grounds, the reader is forced to ask oneself, is Rin really just an innocent child? Or was Daisuke the innocent one after all?
Doesn’t sound like my cup of tea, but I am glad it is getting localized for people who want to read it. Sounds like Seven Seas was going to translate the books and then changed their mind when detractors started to give them bad PR. Reminds me of the current video game climate were companies have been bullied into heavily censoring or not releasing certain Japanese games.
It’s like how anime was treated in the UK no the nineties.