More on the manga uproar: Publishers Weekly (subscription required) chimes in on Shonen Jump being pulled from book fairs by Scholastic Inc., and actually gets comments from Viz -- something that all the other reports I've seen failed to do. Here's Viz spokeswoman Evelyn Dubocq:

"The book was presented to younger kids, but the magazine and books are clearly marked on the cover for older teens. We believe in ratings. It is the responsibility of the person in the classroom to make sure the rating is appropriate for their students."

School officials were stirred up by what they described as mild profanity, violence, a swastika and cigarette smoking in an issue of Shonen Jump. Dubocq counters some of the complaints, telling PW, "the character uses a cigarette to light his way; he never smokes." She also points out that the symbol in question isn't a swastika, but a manji -- something that's explained in the book's disclaimer.