Tokyopop

A few hours ago, I learned that Tokyopop is shutting down its North American publishing division. I've been trying to put together a list of Tokyopop titles I have been meaning to buy the remaining volumes of, titles I have been interested in but have not yet bought, and favorite titles I would like to own...and it is depressing. As things go out of print, they will likely become mind-bogglingly expensive, but I don't think I can actually afford to buy everything on my list even at current prices. Here's a sampling of the list right now (some of which may actually already be out of print):

• Gravitation - I know I'm missing one or two volumes, but I don't know which ones. I'll have to take a look.
• Loveless - Ok, so I have every volume currently published in the US, and I think the series must have stalled in Japan, but I'm sad that my chances of ever getting to find out how this one ends are now pretty much nil.
• The Secret Notes of Lady Kanoko - I found out about this one not too long ago.
• Chobits - I'm not actually sure if Tokyopop owns the rights to this one any more. I hope not. It's a relatively short series, but still not cheap to buy all at once, and I own none of it. I had always intended to start collecting it.
• Demon Diary - I own a few random volumes of this. I'll have to figure out which ones.
• Future Diary - I found out about this one today and thought, "Hm, I'll have to hunt this one down." I haven't even gotten around to researching how long the series is or if it's even finished yet.
• Kare Kano - I don't think I can afford to get all of this series, but it might be a good idea to get a few volumes, particularly the ones that take place after the point where the anime ends.
• Tramps Like Us - I own several volumes, maybe half the series.

And some titles I'd at least like to get via ILL, which I will have to hope won't end up on my "I wish I had just bought them" list:

• King of Thorn - It's been ages since I read any of this, but I think I was really close to finishing. I don't own any of it, and I don't know if I want to, but I need to at least get the volumes I haven't read yet via ILL.
• Maid Sama! - The anime is on my "To Buy" list because I've liked what I've seen of this series on various AMVs. I don't know what the manga is like.
• Off*Beat - I think I might own the first volume of this one. I remember reading that it was never finished. It's short, which may result in me moving it to my "To Buy" list.
• Qwan - I read about this one not too long ago and thought it sounded interesting.

Happily, I own most of Gravitation, all of Loveless, and all of Fruits Basket (this one would be an absolute bear to buy all at once).

Tokyopop has licensed a lot of titles over the years. When Tokyopop first came into the picture, it was the first time I was able to buy manga on a semi-regular basis. I bought each volume of Fruits Basket as it came out (even as I began mentally begging Natsuki Takaya to finally end the series). I bought each volume of Loveless as it came out, and I've continued to wait for volumes to come out even though it has seemed like the series was forgotten (it's similar to the semi-hopeful, mostly resigned feeling that L.J. Smith's Nightworld series gave me). I bought my first two volumes of Gravitation while I was in Chicago, and read them on my last day there, while waiting for the cab that would take me to the airport. However things had been going with Tokyopop lately, I still had warm, fuzzy feelings for them. This is sad news.