Whilst browsing through the Computer Games magazine section of W.H. Smith's or Borders recently, you may have come across a high-quality, brightly coloured magazine called Neo. You may even have taken it down for a brief browse out of interest before moving on. If you are one of those people who have had a chance encounter, or, even more unfortunately – you have never heard of it at all, then this review is for you!

For any Librarian that runs or is involved in any way with running a Manga or Anime club Neo is required reading. Other than trawling through forums and websites for hours it is the best and most accurate way of keeping track of the latest trends and releases.

Neo is the only magazine in the UK dedicated to the current wave of Asian cult entertainment. While manga and anime form the backbone of the magazine, it is not limited to these two art forms. There are also extensive articles on Japanese Pop (J-Pop), the latest releases from Asian cinema, video games, Japanese culture, the history of Manga, how to draw Manga-style cartoons (courtesy of Sweatdrop Studios). The magazine also includes up to date sales charts listing what is popular in Manga, anime and movies as well as release dates for new titles.

Neo is an independent publication that is put together by a team that knows and loves what they write about. Unlike imported magazines that focus on the same or similar subjects, everything reviewed and discussed in its pages is available in the UK.

The latest edition (April 2007) contains 25 essential manga, anime and asian film titles; so if you are stuck for ideas in what to include in your libraries collections this would be a perfect starting point.

Reviewer: M. Imrie