Metroid was never popular in Japan. Largely because of the game being released on the Famicom DISC System. It also wasn't well known. This led to Metroid Fusion and Prime being released in the US before Japan. In fact, as the time of this writing (February 13th), Metroid Fushion has not come out in Japan. Nintendo wants to change all that though. In order to get Japanese gamers familiar with the epic storyline of the Metroid series, a series of E-Manga and normal Manga are being released in Japan. Manga is the name given to Japanese COMIC BOOKS. There was an earlier S-D comic strip that apppeared in Japan with Samus and Metroid characters; but it never amounted to anything. S-D is short for SUPER DEFORMED, or "cute" versions of the characters. The E-Manga can be found at this following link.
http://kodansha.cplaza.ne.jp/e-manga/club/manga/metroid/vol01/index.html
Here is the Official Japanese Metroid Site.
http://metroid.jp/
Metroid Fusion comes out the same day as the GBA SP in Japan. Metroid Prime comes out the 28th of February.
The comic is staffed by these people.
Kenji ISHIKAWA: Not much was available on this one, and it appears that he is in charge of artwork.
Kouji Tazawa: Not much was available on this one, it appears that he provides the sound work in the comic though.
Yoshio Sakamoto: He is the Section Chief of Nintendo's R&D 1 and worked on Scenario with Metroid 4 as well as this comic. Metroid is now under his super vision and has been since the death of Gunpei Yokoi. He is in charge of script.
The Samus used is the same style as in Metroid Fusion's pictures of her. The story takes place before Metroid Fusion and involves Samus coming home after a mission. She gets a drink (She drinks like Misato....) and goes to sleep. Her dreams are haunted by memories that we get to see in a long flashback. It involves a visit by the Chozo to the planet colony that Samus lived in when she was young. She hangs out with the Chozo for a little bit before they leave and the colony is attacked by Space Pirates led by a younger Ridley. (!!!!) Oh, you also get to see Samus's parents. She has her mothers eyes and her fathers spirit... well.. just check it out. Oh, Ridley is a terrible, terrible one.....
It's really rather dramatic. I hope the manga catches on in Japan. I mean, it's one step closer to a Metroid OVA or animated series. If done like the manga, it would most certainly be amazing. I can't wait for the next issue, and I hope we get to see Samus's years of training, and her time with the Federation Military. I can't wait until we get to MEET Adam Malkovich, and I especially want to see how he died.... this is truly a step in the right direction!
-Article by Philip Wesley-