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Original Manga, Manga Cookbook, Gift Books in the Works from Japanime
posted on by Mikhail Koulikov
Japanime, the company behind the Manga University line of drawing guides and the Kanji de Manga series, which use comic strips to introduce students to reading and writing Japanese, has unveiled five original titles that combine the skills of American and Japanese artists and writers.
The first of these, Harvey and Etsuko's Manga Guide to Japan, will be written by lawyer Charles Danziger and illustrated by the manga artist Mimei Sakamoto. Sakamoto recently received much attention for an article she wrote for Shukan Bunshun magazine that strongly criticised fans of moe. Glenn Cardy, CEO of Japanime, describes the guide as a "country mouse visits the city mouse" setup that will serve to educate readers about life in Japan.
Saori Takarai, who draws Japanime's Manga Moods: 40 Faces, 80 Phrases artbook, will work with her sister Misato on Manga Sisters, a 96-page book of stories and full-color manga illustrations. And, in time for Christmas 2007, Japanime will unveil The Manga Cookbook (llustrated recipes of various traditional Japanese foods and snacks), and 50 Little Things We Love About Japan, a "mini-encyclopedia."
For their first original (fiction) manga title, Japanime has turned to another artist who has worked for the company for some time: Atsuhisa Okura, illustrator of the Manga Guide to Sudoku. Okura, thrice winner of Kodansha's Best Independent Manga Artist award, will write and draw Moe USA, the story of two female American anime fans who move to Tokyo and acquire a pair of magical maid dresses that give them the power to control otaku in Akihabara.
Source: Publisher's Weekly
