I'd Like to See Detective Ritual in English

Detective Ritual
(Tantei Gishiki)
by Eiji Otsuka
art by Chizu Hashii
based in a story by Ryusui Seiryoin

I chanced upon this book in a Japanese bookstore last month and was immediately struck by the cover and the art-style. Artist Chizu Hashii did the character designs for the Blood+ anime, and I then saw the story was adapted by none other than Eiji Otsuka (Mail, MPD-Psycho, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service).

We have talked about the "Otsuka-verse" in the past, and in the Eiji Otsuka's tradition, Detective Toru Sasayama is a major player in this bizarre thriller series. (Det. Sasayama appears in both MPD-Psycho and Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, though in different capacities, implying different times in his life.) The shorned and scarred Sasayama is still as savvy as can be, which makes me hope that Detective Ritual is on some short lists for English publishers (hopefully Dark Horse, who has brought us all of Otsuka's other titles).

Five volumes have been released in Japan, but I was unable to find a copy of Volume 1, (and was actually laughed at by one bookstore employee when I asked if any copies of Volume 1 were available.)