Find out why the artist behind
Final Fantasy and
Vampire Hunter D loves American superhero comics, how he straddles the worlds of fine art, video games and
anime and his creative strategies that has made him one of the most successful illustrators in Japan.
Read an interview with Tite Kubo, the creator of
Bleach and
Zombie Powder. Kubo-
sensei came to San Diego Comic-Con 2008 and answered questions from his fans about
Bleach and how he creates the exciting and addictive adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki and his Soul Reaper friends (and foes).
Read an interview with Japanese
manga artist Hiro Mashima, the creator of
Fairy Tail and
Rave Master. Mashima-
sensei came to San Diego Comic-Con 2008 and showed off his upbeat personality and mischievous sense of humor that makes
Fairy Tail one of the most fun and exciting
manga debuts of 2008 from Del Rey Manga.
Japanese
manga artist Yuna Kagesaki made her first visit to an American
anime convention at Sakura-Con 2008. Kagesaki-
sensei answered questions about her life as a
manga-ka, the
Chibi Vampire manga and
anime, her impressions of her American fans and her plans for her next projects.
With the latest volume of her award-winning global
manga series due in the stores, we interviewed Madeleine Rosca, the artist, author and creator of
Hollow Fields. In our conversation, we talked about what inspired her to create her steampunk adventure story and the low-down on what it's like to be a
manga artist from Down Under.
Read our interview with
yuri manga (girls love) expert and publisher Erica Friedman and find out her favorite stories where the girl gets the girl. Also, learn more about the origins of
yuri manga and YuriCon, America's only convention dedicated to girls love
manga and
anime.
Read an interview with the editors of the English edition of
Gothic and Lolita Bible, Jenna Winterberg and Michelle Nguyen. With the American debut of this influential "mook", Winterberg and Nguyen talk about what makes this Japanese style trend so appealing to Western audiences and designers.
Read our interview and find out how Chip Kidd and Saul Ferris combined their shared love for Batman memorabilia from the Sixties to collect rare and long-forgotten
manga stories from Shonen King magazine into
Bat Manga! The Secret History of Batman in Japan, a comics art book from Pantheon Books.
Read our interview and find out how Patrick Macias and Izumi Evers of jaPRESS published
Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms, wrote
Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno, and edit and write for numerous Japanese and American publications including
Otaku USA,
Japan Times and more.
Read our interview with
Faust Editor Katsushi Ota from Kodansha and find out how this innovative Japanese editor is bringing his unique mix of manga and prose to American audiences and beyond, and why he thinks Harry Potter has a lot in common with Nintendo.
Legendary artist, author and educator Keiko Takemiya has been creating and innovating in the world of
manga for over 40 years. Read our interview and discover Takemiya-
sensei's take on being a female artist in the Seventies, her role in the creation and evolution of boys love /
yaoi manga, and her feelings about the 2007
anime version of
To Terra.
We interviewed Svetlana Chmakova at the 2007 New York Anime Festival, as
Dramacon Volume 3 was released and her next series,
Night School was announced. With so much accomplished and so much on the horizon for this global
manga creator, we spoke with Chmakova about
Dramacon and her plans for her next series,
Night School.
Takehiko Inoue, manga artist and creator of Slam Dunk, Vagabond and Real, recently made an appearance at the Books Kinokuniya in NYC. In our interview with Inoue-sensei, we talked about his manga, his love of sports, and his relationship with his readers.
Takehiko Inoue, Japanese
manga artist and creator of
Slam Dunk and
Real came to New York to paint a special mural featuring characters from his
seinen manga series,
Vagabond. See photos of Takehiko Inoue's mural painting event and reception at Books Kinokuniya's new Bryant Park branch in New York City in November 2007.
As editor for
Dragon Ball,
One Piece and
Shonen Jump magazine, Jason Thompson spent the better part of the last decade in the center of the
manga universe. Read our interview with Thompson and find out how he read and reviewed over a thousand
manga for his book,
Manga: The Complete Guide.
Once named "The Most Powerful Person in American Manga," Kurt Hassler was graphic novels book buyer for Borders. He's since taken his lifelong love of comics and moved to the publishing side of the business as the head of Yen Press, a new
manga publisher. Read our interview and find out how Kurt Hassler is hoping to change the
manga business, one book at a time.
In just a few years, Del Rey Manga has gone from newcomer to industry leader in the
manga publishing business, largely thanks to Dallas Middaugh, Associate Publisher and self-confessed
otaku at heart. In our interview, we talk about his beginnings, the future of manga in the U.S. and new OEL manga titles he's unveiling in 2008, including
Yokaiden and
The Reformed.
About.com interviews Dr. Masami Toku, the curator of "Shojo Manga: Girl Power," a traveling exhibit featuring 23 of the top shojo manga artists from 1950 through the present. Dr. Toku talks about what makes shojo manga so unique and appealing to U.S. audiences and the unique challenges that came with bringing the original artwork by Keiko Takemiya, Fumi Yoshinaga and CLAMP together for this show.
Shojo manga artist Arina Tanemura made a rare U.S. appearance at the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con. Read our interview and see how she answered questions from her fans about her creations, Full Moon o Sagashite, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne and her latest hit Gentlemen's Alliance Cross.
Considered by many to be the father of modern manga, Dr. Osamu Tezuka created numerous memorable characters and stories in his 43-year career in Japanese comics. Read about his life, his most notable creations and accomplishments.
Dark Horse Manga interviews Kanako Inuki, author of classic horror manga including
Presents and
School Zone.
NarutoFan provides an extensive biography of Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of
Naruto.
Official homepage for Kazuo Koike, the creator of
Lone Wolf & Cub,
Crying Freeman and
Samurai Executioner.
Bleach Portal provides a brief biography of Tite Kubo, the creator of
Bleach, including his early influences and career accomplishments.
Lambiek.net's biographical sketch of Akira Toriyama, the creator of
Dragonball,
Dragonball Z and
Dr. SlumpAnime News Network provides a brief outline of Ai Yazawa's life, comics and accomplishments, including her popular manga series
Nana and
Paradise KissIn this edition of Flipped, David Welsh's Comic World News column, he interviews Katherine Dacey-Tsuei about the appeal of the 4-artist collective, CLAMP.
