DC Anime Club's Osamu Tezuka Marathon

DC Anime Club's Osamu Tezuka Marathon A tribute to the God of Manga

The DC Anime Club, an organization whose purpose is to educate the Washington, DC community about East Asian culture through the art form known as Anime (Japanese animation) will host a Marathon of Anime Films based upon the Manga (Japanese Comics) works by Dr.Osamu Tezuka on December 6, 2008 from 2pm-5pm at the Martin Luthur King, Jr Memorial Library in 901 G St NW Washington, DC 20001in Room A10. During the Marathon such anime as Phoenix , Kimba The White Lion and Black Jack and or course Tetsuwan Atom best known to American audience as Astroboy will be shown.

This program is free and open to the public. For more information please visit the DC Anime Club website at http://www.dcanimeclub.org or call DC Anime Club at 202 262 2083.

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From the DC Anime Club Press Release

Simmons and Scooby Doo Signing!

Signing: Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Where: Jim Hanley's Universe, 4 West 33rd St. (between 6th & 5th Ave)
Time: 3:00pm -6:00pm

WHAT'S UP?
That's right! So nice, they had to print it twice. IT'S A WONDERFUL FRIGHT, Simmons' fun time homage to the film, It's A Wonderful Life" (Scooby Doo 115, Dec. 2007) is back this season -- just like the movie! Check out Scooby Doo # 139, coming in December 2008.

Also ...
Simmons begins his third Archie & Friends story arc with a 4 part mini series entitled, THE CARTOON LIFE OF CHUCK CLAYTON. Archie & Friends mini series --
#126 - December; 127 in January; 128 in February; & 129 in March.

Good Bye Broccoli International U.S.

To all readers and fans of the Broccoli books in the United States. I got a newsletter/email from ICv2 and they announced that Broccoli International United States will stop production by the end of 2008. As a result, no more Broccoli books in 2009.

Read more about it in the ICv2 article: Broccoli Books Shuts Down
Website of Broccoli International US http://www.broccolibooks.com/
© 2008 Linda Thai

Post NYAF 2008 with Joseph Luster

Check out my Pre-Anime Festival with Otaku USA

Hello fellow readers! Here we are with another wonderful and humorous employee of Otaku USA. Presenting Mr. Joseph Luster! (Applause please) So how has Joseph been feeling since the conclusion of the festival? “Fantastic. Thanks for asking!”

Joseph is the 27-year-old videogames editor and writer for the magazine. Along with his duties as the editor, he is also the contents manager for the website of Otaku USA. He recently moved from Louisville, Kentucky and now living in Hoboken, New Jersey. On his background and heritage, “I am a pale American glowing constantly with the light of my laptop's monitor.” You cannot tell me what he just said was not funny. Seriously, he is funny! Look at what he just said!

Ok enough about funny man and his personal life. On with the New York Anime Festival! As with Benjamin Boyles, Otaku USA’s Account Executive, this was Joseph’s first New York Anime Festival. So what is his overall experience about it? “I really enjoyed my first time at NYAF. I didn't have a chance to attend any panels, unfortunately, as most of my time was spent in the Exhibition Hall, but I dug the venue and all the attendees seemed to be having a blast.”

So how did he know about the New York Anime Festival? “I've known about it for a while, since I usually like to at least keep tabs on what cons are going on around the country.” Did he have any initial reactions from the news of it? “Now that I live so close to the convention center, though, this was the ideal first year for me to attend.” Less travel time is good (^_^)

Now it is time for work. When he first stepped in the convention, his initial thought “was honestly just how big the Javits Center is, since I had never been there before. It kind of made the con seem small in comparison, at least until I walked into the heavily populated Exhibition Hall.” He attended the convention on Saturday and Sunday, but he was there most of the time attending the Otaku USA booth. “Honestly, I was behind the booth 95% of the time. On average for the two days I attended, I would get home around 8PM or so.” I am guessing the 5% of the 100% is break time and maybe sleep… ;)

Even though this is his first NYAF, Joseph has attended other conventions, both anime manga and non-anime manga related. So I had to ask did he notice any differences or similarities between those conventions he attended and NYAF 2008? According to Joseph, ”I'd say the only real differences I noticed were in the variety of fans that were present at the convention. Big and tall, old and young. It may just be a sign of the times, but it was a really diverse crowd and I enjoyed that aspect of it.” Diversity is good (^_^) Maybe because it is the Big Apple or is it something else that made this difference catch his eye? “The fact that I picked up on this might have had to do with the fact that the convention I attended prior to this one was Comic-Con '08 in San Diego, which was much more densely populated. With the comparatively smaller gathering in NYC, I had more of an opportunity to observe everyone that came.”

Ok, split personality career time. Remember that Joseph is both the editor of the Video Game section and the Content Manager of the Otaku USA website. So I had to ask and understand his position in doing both in regards to the festival. As the editor, his goal of attending the festival and his responsibilities “was pretty much solely to support the magazine and work at the booth, which was cool because I was able to meet quite a few of our awesome readers in the process.” Now, as Content Manager he had certain things to do after and in regards to the festival. Remember the Cosplay Contest at the Otaku USA booth? Otaku USA took photos of anyone in cosplay that wanted to participate and the photos chosen would be posted on the Otaku USA website after the show. “My web content partner-in-crime, Julian Gnam, did a lot of hard work to get them up quickly and keep the whole thing organized, and you can see the results in the Events section at our website.”

In regards to his expectations, which were to represent Otaku USA, “get an opportunity to talk to some readers and see what's going on in the NYC fan community in general—were all met. I would have liked to have met Yoshitaka Amano, as well, but I didn't get a chance, sadly!” Awww. Work got in the way (u_u) , but it pays the bill (^_^) ! So where there any pros and cons for him then? “Not to sound all purposely rose-tinted about the experience, but I can't think of any downs. The major up was certainly the location. Aside from a decent-length walk to and from the PATH station, it was a really painless commute. The cosplayers at the convention were also all really awesome and impressive.” Go NYAF! Yee-Ha!

Since there was not much down for him, did he have any memorable moment? “This one dude dressed up as Yusuke Urameshi from Yu Yu Hakusho came to our contest two days in a row, both times sporting a variation on the character's costume. He also let out a massive battle cry for the (microphone-less) camera.” Wow! What a fan!

Since it was more of ups at NYAF, was Otaku USA’s goal met? “I think so, for sure. We had a lot of fun and met a lot of cool people, and managed to sell some subscriptions and magazines in the process, so that's always a good thing. We also gave away a lot of free stuff, none of which I saw littering the floors of the subway on the way home!” Would he do NYAF again? “Well, my dogs were barkin' after standing up for two days straight. I'll definitely go back next year, though.”

Thank you Joseph Luster for participating in the interview!!!
Thanks Julian Gnam for the logo and the picture Otaku USA booth banner!!!

For more information about Otaku USA please visit http://www.otakuusamagazine.com/
Photograph of the Otaku USA NYAF 2008 Booth by Linda Thai.
© 2008 Linda Thai

Aki Con Coordinator Nicole Pelham

Is the convention over already? Well yeah, but it does not mean that the fun has to stop (^_^) I had a wonderful chance to interview the very nice Nicole Pelham the Coordinator of the Aki Con 2008, which is also the first Aki Con. Not only is this the first Aki Con, but it is Nicole's first time coordinating an anime and manga related convention.

Nicole is 28 years old and living in Everett WA. She was born and raised in Washington and has spent 10 years of her young life in the Midwest. Her "mother is black and my father is white. I have a bit of Native American in me." So let's get to know about Nicole as the coordinator and the first ever Aki Con.

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~What is the mission and responsibilities of the Aki Con?

Aki con is a for the fan Anime and Manga convention.

~Since this is the first Aki Con, whose idea was it and why was it decided that the idea should become a reality?

We have been teaching anime and manga classes for the past 8 year in Washington state. A community group contact us after a newspaper article in a Everett Hearld. They wanted us to help organize an anime convention. We agreed but after working on it for few weeks the community group backed out. We decided to continue with Aki con anyway.

~What was the process or steps that led to the fulfillment of this Aki Con, such as paperwork, meetings, etc.?

Having worked on other smaller events and being anime and manga fans ourselves we just continued and started at the beginning. Thinking about some of the best and worse anime cons we’ve been we began to sort through ideas, event and paperwork. It was time consuming, but we have faith that we have put together a very fun, fan oriented convention.

~Which ideas were accepted and rejected? Why were some rejected and some accepted?

Many ideas had to be cut because of time and size restraints, but hopefully we’ll add them in the next couple years.

~Since you have attended many other conventions, how will Aki Con be different from them? What will make Aki Con stand out?

Aki con is a very fan driven convention. It is 58 hour straight with nearly every room open the entire time.

~As coordinator of the convention, what steps or process led you to your current position and what are your responsibilities?

We’re still a small con and so I have a ton of large and small responsibilities.

~If you can, can you describe for me a typical day when you have to work on related Aki Con items? What is the schedule like?

Wake up; check e-mail, forum, and badges; reply to contact, companies, and venue; go to work; answer e-mails; lunch (I don’t eat bkf); finish work; check e-mails, forum and badges; replying to attendee questions; and forum questions.

~What was the most important experience so far for you during the process and preparations and how did it help you in making the convention they way it hopes to be?

Talking with other con goer and understanding what they like and dislike.

~What lessons did you learn while working on the preparations of Aki Con?

That organization is the key to success.

~Since this is your first time being a coordinator for an anime manga related convention what are your professional and personal expectations? Do you feel that they will be met?

I own and run a childcare center, with 80 children a day, 7 classrooms, full meals and a set daily schedule. I have over 20 employees. Running a childcare center is like running a birthday party every day. Running a convention is like throwing a huge party so as mentioned above it is all about being organized. Everyone has to have fun from the children to the employees.

~Are there any difference or similarities between your previous coordinating jobs and the current one? May you tell me the differences and similarities?

Running an all age event is different from running an event for children, so we have to balance a desire to keep everything PG to PG-13 with the desire of anime fans and parents. The size is also a big different as most event I’ve run in the pass have been under 200 attendees and Aki Con looks to brake 1000.

~What advice can you give to those who are interested in becoming a coordinator? Is there more to it then just being a fan of anime or manga?

Yes a lot more, though you should definitely love anime and manga. You need to have managing skills and business experience, which is a big help. Understanding that your customers (attendees) come first and that it is your job to make sure they have fun. Expressing this to your staff and volunteers is key.

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If you want to learn more about Aki Con please visit http://www.akicon.org/
Note: the interview was done early November 2008, but due to my busy schedule I ended up posting it after the convention. Sorry!
© 2008 Linda Thai

Post NYAF 2008 with Benjamin Boyles

Check out my Pre-Anime Festival with Otaku USA

Hello Everyone! I am here with another employee of Otaku USA magazine, Benjamin Boyles. Now before we get to know him as Otaku USA, let’s get to know him on a personal level.

So how has Mr. Boyles been since the festival? “Busy, always deadlines and things to do.” I know the feeling. Work is work.

Ben just turned 28 and currently resides in Williamsport, PA. He is “Caucasian” with Irish and German heritage. Do I hear wedding bells? Guess what? He is engaged to the beautiful and lovely Emily Lomax and their wedding is on June 27, 2009. Congratz dude!!!! Ok back to work!

You curious about what his position in Otaku USA? Take a guess? His official position is Account Executive. Yeah I know what some of you are thinking… You might be thinking that his job is the same as an accountant, just counting numbers, right? Guess what guys? The reality is that he deals with advertising sales and monitors the trafficking of the ads. Even though those are his responsibilities, what makes his position important and necessary for OTAKU USA? Let Ben tell you why:

“When you see Advertising in the pages of OTAKU USA, to get that Ad in place, It takes me to be directly involved in the logistics and communication with the client that placed the Ad. Then it’s all tracked and scheduled in a program that I insert the information into. I also am constantly developing relationships with other prospective clients that would benefit from Advertising in our pages and I also try to find companies that I think our readers will enjoy their products and services.”

So, you see he does play an important role in the functionality of Otaku USA.

Other than that he also attends conventions on behalf of Otaku USA. Even though he attended other conventions before NYAF, Ben is actually fairly new to the world of conventions, both anime manga and non-anime manga related. Being a sort of a newbie, how does he feel about the general environment of conventions? Well (^_^) according to him it is “craziness but fun. Have to sit back and say “wow” sometimes.” Some of us know exactly how you feel, Ben. I know I do.

Since he attended different conventions, I wonder if he noticed any similarities or differences? Yes, he did notice a few things. He told me this: “it was very similar to AX in LA. But that is a very big compliment.” We can take a compliment! Who does not want to be complimented (^_^)

From experiences at different conventions and being fairly new, I had to ask an important question. Does he feel that the conventions have an impact in society? He said yes. Why do you ask? According to Ben, he believes that it “gives that Fan base a separate population and gathering place. With that many fans of the culture, it breeds a separate sector of industry.” In this case it happens to be anime and manga related.

So from a creation of a separate sector comes the creation of such conventions as the New York Anime Festival. So how does this event relate to him being in Otaku USA?
According to Ben, “being more and more involved in the industry, it’s one of the main events to attend.” Since the New York Anime Festival 2008 was Ben’s first NYAF, so what were his overall impressions? “Love the Javits Center. Love the cosplay and the passion the fans have for the culture.” Yeah go NYAF! So what were his initial reactions when he first heard about the festival? “Curious on how it would turn out and where it was located in NYC.”

Knowing that he had to go to the festival, Ben kept an open mind “and didn’t really put any expectations on it.” Even though he had an open mind, he did have an initial reaction to the festival. His first reaction was that “the location was great.” Now comparing to AX in LA in July of 2008, “the event was very comparable. Not quite as big but well laid out and planned.”

Having to be there for all three days, Ben had a schedule to follow through. This would help him organize his work and have things go smoothly. So let’s read what was the schedule like for Ben and each day’s work. “Left Williamsport Thursday AM to get to NYC by about noontime or so, check into hotel and head to the Javits center to setup the booth with the other guys from the company. Manned the booth Friday and Saturday all day until the exhibition hall was closed. Get a bite to eat and back to the hotel to crash. The full days are exhausting. Sunday: Planned out the attack of packing up and making sure we got rid of all our merchandise we came with to the readers. Sunday had to leave the other guys a little early due to my ride back to Central PA leaving. But they could handle the rest of the day. Got back early evening to catch up on family things.” So remember guys, similar to Ben, plan and organize to make sure things get done smoothly and have time for food. (^_^)

With his busy schedule, the ups and downs of the festival were “pretty consistent.” He “always enjoy when people come up to the booth not knowing about us.” Yes, I know that sounds odd, but there is a reason. People kept thinking they are the “spawn from New Type. Then they are presently surprised that we are not and we are an individual company that only publishes magazines we are passionate about.” This assumption has been brought up so many times that it became a FAQ on Otaku USA’s website. So guys, it is not the same magazine. It is just independent Otaku USA.
Ok so about his job and responsibilities. Since he is the Account Executive and he was at the convention promoting the magazine, are his responsibilities different or similar at the festival and at the office? “My direct responsibility at NYAF was to promote subscriptions to fans. With a little bit of promoting the website. These two things are very different from my position responsibilities within the company. The only thing I do similarly at the cons that I do in the office is prospect new clients and introduce companies to us that may not be already familiar with our magazine.” So work in the office is more or less linked to work outside of the office space. Even though work is still work, Otaku USA “never go into it with a main goal but always love when the Hall is packed. Makes it crazy but fun.” He felt that the festival did a “great job.”

So, would Ben like to relive the NYAF 2008 again? “I wouldn’t mind doing it again next year. Was overall a good experience for us as a company and great to be around the fans and readers.”

His final words: “Thanks so much for your interest in us, we appreciate all our readers support.” So keep the support going guys!

Thank you Benjamin Boyles for participating in the interview!!!
Thanks Julian Gnam for the logo and the picture of the crowd in front of the Otaku USA booth!!!
For more information about Otaku USA please visit http://www.otakuusamagazine.com
Photograph of the Otaku USA NYAF 2008 Booth by Linda Thai.
© 2008 Linda Thai

Bat-Manga Signing/Talk w/Chip Kidd at Kinokuniya 11/17 from 6 PM

Flyer from Kinokuniya bookstore. Click on it for more information about the event.

DC Anime Club and Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan Presents...

The DC Anime Club and the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC), Embassy of Japan Present Doraemon. on Friday November 14, 2008 at 6:30pm as part of the Anime/Live Action Series based upon Manga (Japanese Comics).

The adorable blue robo-cat from the future and beloved Japanese icon Doraemon is back and better than ever in this 2006 remake of his first feature length film. Doreamon's human friend Nobita discovers an egg that hatches into a cute little dinosaur. However as the baby dino grows bigger and bigger the entire town is thrown into chaos. With both the town and the dinosaur in danger, Nobita realizes that he must return the creature to its own time. With Doraemon's help, the gang sets out on a prehistoric adventure full of obstacles and danger.

The screening will be held at the Japanese Information and Culture Center, Embasy of Japan located at Lafayette Center III 1155 21st Street, NW Washington, DC 20036-3308. Seating for the screening of Doraemon is limited and attendees are encouraged to rsvp by sending an e-mail to jiccrsvpfall08@embjapan.org.

This program is free and open to the public. For more Information please visit the Japanese Information and Culture Center website at http://www.us.embjapan.go.jp/jicc/ or visit the DC Anime Club website at http://dcanimeclub.org.

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From the DC Anime Club Press Release

Post NYAF 2008 with Michael Gombos

Check out my Pre-Anime Festival with Dark Horse

So how has Michael Gombos been doing since our last interview? “I think that I’m looking pretty darn good. ^_^ Actually, I just got married, so I am doing great. I am getting ready to go to Japan for a couple of weeks to work on some new exciting projects that will be heading Dark Horse’s way. It’s fall (my favorite season), the weather is clear and the leaves are falling. I’m drinking coffee from a Hellboy mug, listening to the Samurai Champloo soundtrack and making comic books with my friends. I am translating the new Evangelion Manga. Keeping a 32-inch waist. Hellsing 9 just came out. Things are good.”

First time I ever interviewed Mike, I did not ask some basic, general information about this cool guy. This time I was able to and got some information back. He turned 32 this year, and according to him “that’s the official lower-end age limit of the last of the “Classically Trained Translators.” He currently resides in Portland, Oregon, but he said “technically, I suppose it’s Milwaukie, Oregon, birthplace and current home of Dark Horse Comics.”

He is married to a lovely Korean woman, who he met in the business "(yes, it happens more often than you think).” He said that she “probably knows more about licensing than I do. She’s responsible for the majority of Manhwa titles in the US today.” Go Mrs. Gombos Go! Michael’s nationality is American, but you might be able to consider him as Greek-American. “I don’t like hyphenating my ethnicity, but I think that’s the most common way to do it. Shortly put: Born in Bakersfield, raised in Portland via Japan.” Now, on with his experience and work at the New York Anime Festival 2008 acronym NYAF 2008.

In case anyone did not know, this was Mike’s first NYAF and when I first spoke to him he was quite excited about the event. So what were his overall impressions of it? “It was really great.” Even though he had a wonderful time at the event, he told me that he thinks that his opinions “might be a little skewed.” Now why is that you might ask? “Since we’re the official publisher of the two guests of honor. Having Mr. Amano and Mr. Kikuchi there made it the best show it could have been for Dark Horse.” Other then the presence of two great artists, Yoshitaka Amano and Hideyuki Kikuchi, “the fans were great and friendly and most importantly — into manga and anime, and Peter Tatara and friends orchestrated a really great show.” Then Mike tells me how much he understands and appreciates the work put into the festival, but wish they had something. “I know it’s hard to run a smooth show (especially in New York), and they really did a top-notch job. In short, I have no complaints about the show except for one — I really wish the Javits center would get a PA so they could let fans know that the show is closing in 15 minutes or whatever, rather than have staff running up and down the aisles shouting it. In a way, that gives a show some personality, though, I suppose.”

Aside from being excited, Mike knew he had a job to do. It meant that being part of the NYAF also meant that there was Dark Horse work to be done. So what was the life like at NYAF 2008 for the Director of Asian Licensing? “We got there in the afternoon the Wednesday before the show started. So Mark and I went shopping and looked around New York, and basically made sure that we were ready to go for the show.” Now, this is what Mike had to say about the Big Apple: “New York is amazing — but it’s hard to think it’s so amazing when you have lived many years in Tokyo. That being said, New York feels more “foreign” to me than Tokyo does.” Remember, that Mike grew up in Japan.

Since NYAF was work for him, he did not have many personal expectations for the show. “I am representing Dark Horse full time, so I have to put that first. But from working the booth to doing panels to being at Mr. Amano’s press gigs, etc., it was a full show.” Think of it as three days of working as Dark Horse, instead of at the office, but at the NYAF. Remember that a job is a job. It is not always fun and games.

Since he was working for that entire weekend, what was the schedule like? Did he even have break time or leisure? “It consisted of being in the booth and selling our products, and then going to whatever panel Amano-sensei or Kikuchi-sensei had, or whatever panel I had, and then moving back to the booth, where my colleague, Mark Bernardi was running the show. So, I’d be at panels and press interviews half the day, and then at the booth (usually give Mark a break) the rest. The last day was a little more relaxed, and we got to wind down by selling the rest of our books, and talk with the fans.” Even though work will always be work, it does not mean that Mike would not have liked to check out some things outside of work. “So, basically, I always go on trips thinking, “It’d be great if I had a chance to see_________” but this is what I do for work, so that always comes first. We had about 6 hours to kill before getting our plane, so we did some shopping and looking around the city, which was nice.” So what did he do when he came back to the Dark Horse office? “I tossed my schedule when I got back (my office gets really cluttered with all the stuff and book samples I get, so I am trying to keep things as “tidy” as possible.” Yes the pictures below are of Mike's office (^_^)

Now from his duties tending to Mr. Amano, taking care of the booth and selling dark horse products, did everything work out? According to Mike, “it went as smooth as I could have imagined; this is again where I’d like to thank Peter Tatara for being so accommodating to us as well as the actual guests of honor.” What also helped ease the process was that “Amano-sensei is a veteran traveler.” He has lived in New York before, “so he’s quite low-maintenance, as it was, and always a pleasure to have at shows.”

Other then aiding Mr. Amano, Mike was able to have chitchats and chill with the great artist. “We had a lot of chances to chat throughout the show. We talk quite a bit.” Not only that but it was a learning experience also. “I am always learning something new from him. I only get to see Mr. Kikuchi about once a year, and it was my first time meeting Kevin Leahy (translator of VHD), so it was nice to mingle with old friends and new!” It is good to hear about Mike’s experience and enjoyment, but what about us fans?

This year Dark Horse borrowed the booth, but some fans were unable to spot the booth due to the lack of a visible Dark Horse logo. I was able to spot the booth, because I remember the distributors name. So I asked Mike what happened to the Dark horse logo?
“That was simply because the Dark Horse graphic logo didn’t arrive in time. Although it did cause some confusion, we’re grateful that Diamond let us use part of their booth.”

Even though there was a lack of a sign, there were fans that were able to spot out the booth, for example, by the products and items on display. So what were the fans reactions? “Very good. It’s all about the reactions to the products. I have said it before, and I will say it again: Fans don’t usually care about who is publishing what — they just want the product. Many companies are publishing or making products expressly to promote their brand, using the property or product as a vehicle for that. This rarely works out. While there might be folks who see the Dark Horse logo and buy whatever it is, I’d wager that they’re very few and far between, and this is the same with every company. Fans want BLOOD+, Naruto and Suzumiya Haruhi. It doesn’t matter who puts it out, though if you do a shoddy job with it, you risk negatively impacting your company. People tend to pick up on the negative more and faster than the positive.” Honestly, speaking as a fan, I just go for what I am looking for, example BLOOD+, not who publishes it. So, from my point of view and my experience, yeah I agree with Mike.

Besides work and greeting fans during the festival, Mike had some other things to do after the event related to the event. Can you guess what they are? If not, let Mike tell you. “Make sure the products and money are all accounted for, and ship things back. Make the plane in time. Shows — no matter how wonderful they are — always end with a sigh of relief and happiness of closing a show well.”

Even though the show is over and I spoke to Mike about his work experience, I wanted to know and understand the deeper details and thoughts he had for NYAF. One question I asked was “what are the ups and downs?” According to Mike, “no real ups or downs that wouldn’t be expected at any show. NY is on the other side of the country, so the travel can be taxing. That being said, I rarely go anywhere but Japan, San Diego and Los Angeles, and compared to the flight from Portland to Tokyo, the NY flight is a breeze.”

Was there anything he wished they had but did not and why would it be important to have it? “Besides the PA system (which isn’t the fault of the show), I always thought it would be nice if they’d feature the publishers that attend. I mean, you can drop a lot of money and sponsor the show, but I think it’s just as meaningful to show your support by attending the events. Yen Press and Del Rey Manga had their booths adjacent to ours, and it’s always great to realize that these companies have their people out in the field with the fans at these events. Many of them are VPs or Directors, too, which shows a lot of care. Don’t get me wrong: Financial contributions are important, too, and essential to running a successful show. I just think it’s great when there are people there talking to the fans and talking about books and these things we love, even if you have only one person there representing the company.”

I wondered what was his most memorable moment at the festival was and why did he chose it? “I think that’d probably be the Amano panel. He’s got a magnetism that’s really unparalleled. He’s a gentleman, and always spends so much time signing books from the fans, tirelessly answering the same set of interview questions hour after hour after hour, and really gets into the panels.”

What about his happiest moment? “I was most happy when, at the Amano panel, a fan stood up and thanked him, saying that his artwork was the reason they got into art. Immediately following that, dozens of others stood up and said, “Me too! Thank you!” Hobbies inspire us. Many of the fans said that they went to art school and pursued being an artist because of Mr. Amano.”

So, would Mike want to relive the moment of NYAF 2008 again? According to Mike, it is not about him reliving the moment, but it is about his excitement for NYAF 2009!

Mike’s final words: “Just to thank all the fans that stopped by and talked, and that thanked us for our books!”

Thanks Mike for the pictures of your office!!!
For more information about the Mr. Amano please visit http://www.darkhorse.com/Zones/Amano
Photograph of the Dark Horse NYAF 2008 Booth by Linda Thai.
© 2008 Linda Thai

Media Report: Manga for Dummies

The informative "Manga for Dummies" in a staircase like display on the table where the author of the book, Kensuke Okabayashi, was lecturing.

Kensuke Okabayashi and John Fuller, the manager of Kinokuniya bookstore, posing behind the lecture table located in the event area.

Smile guys! Kensuke Okabayashi, with his books in his hands, and John Fuller enjoying a moment with the camera (^_^)

OOoo!!! Manga style drawing (^_^) ! Kensuke explains how drawing characters is all about shapes. I see them anime circular shaped eyes. NICE!

Story time! We all love stories, right? Kensuke tells a story of how an artist he knew gave up drawing the minute he realized that he wasn't able to draw simple shapes anymore. No kidding! Even when I draw the shapes are all over the place…

Reddness! Kensuke shows how simply shading in specific areas can really change the mood of the character from happiness to anger. So, what mood do you think the color me red character is displaying?

I want to see a chibi! Where can I get one? Oh it’s right on the window sill. Kensuke shows off an example of a chibi. He uses the figure to show dimensions of the character's head and body and how it's different from ordinary manga characters. Chibi chibi chibi! They so cute and small (^_^)

Hey, it looks like a line frame of a person. Kensuke began to explain how chibis are drawn using a measurement called "heads" and a basic full sized character as a model. He added a little comedy to the explanation by starting to count in Japanese then switched to German before finishing the counting in English. So can you repeat the numbers Kensuke said? In German please.

Aww it is a chibi! Look at that cute simle! But how did Ken do it? In his second part of explaining how chibis are drawn, Kensuke used the measurement marks of the full-sized character to show the difference in dimensions for chibis. Dimension guys! Don’t forget them!

Focus people focus! If you want to learn to draw, you got to pay attention to Kensuke. A captivated audience looks on as Kensuke explains how to add hair to characters. Look! Even John is drawn in by the power of Kensuke’s lecture.

Come let’s go talk to Kensuke! Jessica Ruiz and another former member of the NYC Technical College Anime Club chat with Kensuke about the "Manga for Dummies" book. Sign it please! We need an autographed copy!

Let’s get to know him more! A member of Japanese media is interviewing Kensuke. Who speaks Japanese??? Help please…

Thanks for the assistance on the descriptions, Jason Linetsky!
Photography by Jason Linetsky.
© 2008 Linda Thai