Otaku's Voice 2.0

Bridges of Culture (Stores)

2011-03-09T11:40:00.007-05:00

Buying the newest international items would be fine for some people. They would buy the newest Asian imports from the nearest online store without a care in the world. But, there are a few people who are willing to venture outside his or her comfortable confines. They are willing to see what is beyond and share it will the rest of us. These few people and stores act like “bridges of culture” to other people around the world.

Below are just a few companies that have taken the big leap and communicated with other fans around the globe to see what they are like. Surprisingly their counterparts are exactly like them. The only difference is that they speak different languages. Having something in common is the greatest thing a fan can have. Trying to speak to each other will come later.

(Photo by: Ichigo Black. Used with permission)

Ichigo Black is an alternative clothing company run by Sasha Thomas. She is currently attending Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is majoring in Fashion design and has been sewing professionally for over 4 years. Sasha has a passion for Japanese street fashion. Her goal is to create Japanese inspired fashion for the US market that fits a person’s changing lifestyle.

(Photo by: Brian S. Mah. Used with permission)

Mandarake has been the place for all things Japanese pop-culture for over 30 years. With its humble beginnings as a bookstore in western Tokyo, Mandarake has become a destination for fans of Anime, Manga, and video games from around the world. Mr. Kono from the Mandarake’s international office was gracious enough to answer some questions regarding bridges of culture.

(Photo by: Brian S. Mah. Used with permission)

GAMETECH is a Japanese company based in Fukuoka, Japan. The company specializes in custom cases for the PSP, iPhone, and iPod models. The designs come in typical Japanese names, WaSaBi, Kataki, Yawaraka, Miyabi, and Iki. Gametech had a booth at New York Comic Con 2010 with many people trying to buy these cool designs from Southern Japan. Mr. Morita was kind enough to answer some questions.

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1. How long have you been selling products?
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Ichigo Black: 6 years total, but I've been selling under the name "Ichigo Black" for 2 years only.

Mandarake: We have been doing business in Nakano Broadway building since 1980.

GAMETECH: Our Company was founded in 1985; it‘s our 25th Anniversary. We have released more than 1,500 items since then.

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2. How long have you been a fan of Japanese popular culture?
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Ichigo Black: For as long as I can remember! Going to Japan had been a dream of mine to experience it all for myself since I was a kid.

Mandarake: Some of our staff loves American toys as well, but we mainly focus on Japanese culture.

GAMETECH: We have been doing business in Japan. Lately we have just started studying about the U.S. culture.

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3. Have you noticed any changes in the customer's buying habits over the years?
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Ichigo Black: Yes, the economy has left a lot of people jobless with less expendable cash. Last year I noticed buying necessities comes first and then there's not a lot left after that. This year has been a little better, but I find people only buy something if they know where they'd where it and what they'd wear it with. In past years, if someone saw something and thought it was cute, they'd usually end up buying it whether or not they've got anything specific in mind.

Mandarake: Increase in customers who doesn't look like typical "otaku" but true Otaku.

GAMETECH: We feel people tend to buy more items for Smart Phone than video game items.

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4. What genre has always been popular with fans?
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Ichigo Black: I'm not sure genre is the best word to describe it, but what's always been popular is any and everything with animal ears. At the moment most fans fall head over heals for the Animimi hoodies. They're cute hooded sweatshirts with animal ears (and tails coming soon)! They're kind of new, so there isn't a lot available on the site, but we do make sure to have quite a selection when we sell at anime cons.

Mandarake: Animations being aired on TV, manga on Jump magazine, pop games, Idols, anime voice actors, and a lot of other things.

GAMETECH: iPhone is becoming the most popular in our product.

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5. What are some of the difficulties facing your business today?
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Ichigo Black: The main difficulty I'm facing today is the rising cost of materials here in the US. Also, since the decline of the economy, a lot of the smaller discount fabric stores have closed down and the local factories have moved their production to China. Another problem I've noticed is that the major stores have caught on to the popularity of Japanese pop culture and the bigger chains are starting to produce styles similar to mine for about half the cost (since they can afford to outsource their production).

Mandarake: If many of the future products will be based on downloading data such as games, rather than selling goods.

GAMETECH: Gamers’ preferences are becoming more and more diverse everyday.
It is difficult for us to target a certain range of users.

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6. What do you think are ways to increase understanding of different cultures?
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Ichigo Black: The Internet is very helpful for informational purposes, but it can only go so far... Traveling is probably the easiest way to gain a better understanding from your own experiences.

Mandarake: Fastest way is to take interest in something, and to understand that something you like.

GAMETECH: We would say people should respect each other and acknowledge that a good thing is good. (We are worried if you understand this.)

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7. What is your personal favorite item in your store?
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Ichigo Black: My personal favorite items would have to be the wrist cuffs. They're versatile so they go with almost any outfit ^_^

Mandarake (Kono): Transformers, Macross, and Gundam

GAMETECH: WaSaBi iPhone4 Metal Cover, which is coming soon.

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8. What are the biggest obstacles preventing more cultural exchanges?
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Ichigo Black: I think the biggest obstacle preventing more cultural exchanges is the lack of opportunities for young people to travel to other countries. I know quite a few people who have not left the state they were born in far less the country. I've been traveling since I was 3 years old and that's the reason I've always had the urge to experience other cultures. I think if kids were able to travel more often, it would open their eyes, from an early age, to the wonders of the world around them :)

Mandarake: If there is a mutual interest such as Animation or Manga, we do not think there will be any big obstacles.

GAMETECH: I personally think a language would be one of the obstacles. Many Japanese can’t speak English. In addition, they are very reserved and shy. (I am NOT) But I feel American people do not call down foreigners just because they do not speak English properly. This is what I felt when I went to L.A. It would be very useful if people across the world had a common language！

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9. What do you think is the next "hot" item?
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Ichigo Black: I honestly have no idea >_< As long as its nothing like the crazy 80s that's going on now, I'm happy to see what will be next!

Mandarake: We would like to know as well.

GAMETECH: Next generation of iPhone

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10. What advise would give to people who want to make the leap to
work with other cultures?
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Ichigo Black: There are quite a few teaching opportunities for those who don't mind jumping right in and living in a different country for a while... You can also just hop on a plane and wing it... which I've done and, depending on where you're going, I've found people in other countries are quite nice and very helpful to visitors ^_^

Mandarake: To pursuit on something you love, will lead to work.

GAMETECH: I would say, “Don’t be shy and don’t think your culture is the standard of the world. Different people have different thinking.”

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Next up, several people have been interviewed who are bridges of culture.
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Current State of Entertainment Industry: Production (Part 3)

2010-10-31T16:53:00.000-04:00

By: Brian Mah

Putting the writer's words and the artist's vision together is the responsibility of production creators. Actors/Actresses give the writer's words a voice by bringing to life through their interpretation of what the writer wanted to say. Directors, Editors, and camera operators bring an artist's renderings to life.

(Photo by Brian Mah. Published with permission)

Yoshihiro Shimizu is the general manager for Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd. Mr. Shimizu has been a consultant for over 30 years. He has been working for Tezuka Productions for the past decade.

(Provided by Rahi Chun. Unauthorized publication is prohibited.)

Rahi Chun has been acting professionally since 1992. He has worked on film and TV, such as "Scrubs" and "Dumb and Dumber." He is currently a producer in the Los Angeles area.

(Provided by Amy Howard Wilson. "Space Battleship Yamato" created by Leiji Matsumoto. Unauthorized publication is prohibited.)

Amy Howard Wilson has been voice acting for nearly 3 decades. Born in 1955, and bit by the acting bug in High School, Amy then attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and graduated in 1975. She was fortunate to have been cast to voice the character of Nova in Star Blazers, but to also has been chosen to voice Miranda, in the Irresponsible Captain Tyler OVA. Amy now lives in Virginia, with her husband, Dave, and their 5 fabulous felines! Amy now records audio books from her home studio and for her company, Studio V.O.I.C.E.

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How long have you been a professional in your respected industry?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: I've been a professional in my industry for the past decade.

Rahi Chun: I joined the Screen Actors Guild, our professional union, in 1992 via a commercial for Buick, and have worked in film, television and commercials ever since.

Amy Howard Wilson: Since 1979. Star Blazers was my first professional acting job.

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Who were your influences when you were growing as a professional?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: Tezuka obviously.

Rahi Chun: When I was growing up, I had many influences, obviously my father and my mother and my sister being three. As far as influencing my draw to entertainment, my heroes growing up were all TV characters; the six million dollar man, Starsky and Hutch, etc. Once I began working, I was drawn to film actors such as Denzel Washington, Sean Penn, and Daniel Day Lewis.

Amy Howard Wilson: Lucille Ball and Angela Lansbury top the list. Not only because of their awesome talent, but also because of their career choices as actresses. I'm going to look back at the end of my career, and be equally proud!

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Have you seen any changes (positive or negative) since you first started?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: The most positive changes is that anime has gained so much notoriety around the world. At the same time the negative changes are the mass merchandising of animated works. Many television broadcasters are trying to mass merchandise their products.

Rahi Chun: Since 1992, I'd say the playing field has been leveling, meaning today, no one blinks an eye when they see leading African American men or women playing lead roles on TV. In 1992, there was the token one minority in a cast of series regulars; today, there are many more shows that reflect reality as far as its diversity. We still have a long ways to go to really level the playing field; but there's been steady progress as more and more younger writers and producers and directors play key decision-making roles in story telling.

Amy Howard Wilson: Yes. Both. Anime has become big business in the US, and that has had mixed consequences. On the plus side, there has been work for many actors and actresses. On the minus side, very often there has been the sacrifice of quality in the quest for quantity, just to get the titles on the retail shelf.

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Have you met anyone famous?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: Besides Tezuka, I got a chance to meet a wide variety of people. I had the pleasure to meet the Prime Minister of Japan. On the other hand I met some Yakuza when I was at a carnival. They were low level Yakuza in charge of organizing masks for vendors.

For industry people, I had the pleasure of meeting Osamu Dezaki and Rintaro. I briefly met the writer of Pluto, Naoki Urasawa.

Rahi Chun: When I was starting out, most of my scenes were with the leads of the movie or TV show I was shooting. In BHC III (Beverly Hills Cop 3), my scene was with Eddie Murphy, in Dumb and Dumber; it was with Jim Carrey, Ray Romano, Ellen Degeneres, Heather Locklear, Noah Wyle, etc. Today, some of my former acting classmates are well known celebrities; Heather Graham, Adam Scott, Poppy Montgomery, etc. And none of them are any different than you or me.

Amy Howard Wilson: Yes. Going to conventions has not only been tremendous fun for me as a guest, but I also had the pleasure of meeting Ray Harryhausen, the amazing stop-motion animation master.

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What kind of changes in technology have you seen over the years affect the way you did your work?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: Changing from film to digital production was a huge change. In the past much of the key animation and background painting was done by hand. Now much of the production is done by the use of the computer. The animating film process before took over 10 people. Now it only takes 2 people.

Rahi Chun: The changes in technology over the years have really affected directors in giving a wider array of tools to tell the story, and producers as far as saving money, or spending more money in getting their films made. For actors, unless you specialize in simulated acting for effects films like Avatar, acting is always acting and I suspect that human element will always be at the heart of human story telling.

Amy Howard Wilson: Surprisingly, the fundamentals haven't changed all that much. Everyone goes in to the studio and records individually, with the script on a music stand, a mic, and a monitor, so you can see the animation. The biggest change is that now it's all done on computer, so if you don't quite match the lip flap, it can be corrected very easily, with a few keystrokes. 30 years ago, if you flubbed a line, the sound engineer would have to stop, rewind, and re-take.

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How has the invention of the Internet influenced the way you do business?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: It made me a lot busier.

Rahi Chun: As an actor, it really hasn't very much. It affects the work of my agent and manager in the ways they submit me for work. The actor's demo reel has somewhat replaced the headshot in being considered for auditions, and those can be emailed to anyone in a moment. I was cast in MI:3 for a scene with Tom Cruise based on the casting director (who knew my work already) sharing my demo reel with the director. (The scene unfortunately, was ultimately cut from the final film). Doing research has become much easier; any show can be viewed to get a sense of its style and tone online now through Hulu or Netflix.

As a producer, communication and networking is highly facilitated by the research we can do on possible collaborators via the net. This is the case for anyone though in any industry.

Amy Howard Wilson: Amazingly! Not having animation production being done where we live, I was fortunate to find a lucrative alternative, doing audio books from my home studio, for my clients here in the states, and in Australia and Japan. I record the text, format the files as MP3 and ftp them where they need to go. When I get final approval on the completed work, I burn and package the CDs, or make them available as downloads.

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What kind of challenges has been the greatest impact on your industry?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: For Japanese animation for instance there is a decrease in the production team. Key animation and inbetweening used to done by hand, that process is changing with the introduction of more digital equipment.

Rahi Chun: Well, the last several years have affected actors and the amount of work available as a result of the writers' strike two years ago, and then a pending actors' strike which followed, and then Jay Leno moving to prime time. Every three years the producers union re-negotiates contracts with the writers' and actors' unions covering key items such as residuals and our health and pension plans. Because so much content viewing is moving to the internet, the creative unions want to negotiate a residuals system that is comparable to current tv and film. This was the sticking point causing these recent strikes and almost strikes. Jay Leno moving to prime time meant five fewer shows per week for writers, directors, and actors. We are all glad the idea tanked.

Amy Howard Wilson: Probably the biggest challenge that is dealt with today is piracy. Whether you're talking about anime, music, whatever.... There are people who think that simply because they want it, they are entitled to take it, free of charge. Where I grew up, that was called theft. The result of this rampant thievery is that many artists are not creating new stuff. The impact on the industry has been described as "catastrophic", thanks to these criminals.

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Have the younger artists inspired you to strive to do better?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: I admire young people who are not just talented, but can work in a team. There are many talented young artists.

Rahi Chun: As an artist, I always strive to create and inspire my own realm of artistry and process.

Amy Howard Wilson: No. I have always given 100% to my work, and will continue to do so. This is a very competitive business, and there is no room for complacency. I respect many of my fellow artists, both younger and older, and I will always give my work my best, as I'm sure they will.

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What kind of observations have you made with the current programs (TV, film, net, etc.) airing today?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: Since I have been busy, I don't have a chance to see anything current. I try to see the latest work by Hayao Miyazaki. To be honest I don't remember the last animated series I watched.

Rahi Chun: There's a lot of good television writing out there, particularly on the cable networks. That's inspiring. Unique stories told in unique ways. Creativity is always inspiring when it's given the freedom to really be explored and trusted.

Unfortunately, that has all but died in the realm of film today. All the studios are banking on formulaic comic hero movies, and they are predictable and formula driven to cater to the least common denominator in audiences. All of the human drama films have disappeared with the prestige mini studios that used to create them; Miramax, Paramount Vantage, Warner Independent Pictures. Except for during awards season, when a few get to squeak through like a Precious or Hurt Locker.

Amy Howard Wilson: With few exceptions, I find the majority of what I've seen in recent years to be absolute rubbish. So often, things like style, creativity, a good story, and good characterizations have been abandoned, in favor of the worn out, lame, smarmy tactic - just because "it sells". The whole concept makes me ill. My husband and I no longer have cable TV, for this very reason.

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What advice would you give to someone who wants to go into your respected industries?
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Yoshihiro Shimizu: Spread out your antennas out and always look for new ideas. Present yourself in a professional manor. Be courteous, basic things. Be aware of what you don't know. Don't be a "know-it all."

Most importantly, be curious about what you want to do. Don't be lazy when you research for a topic. Hard work pays off in the long run.

Rahi Chun: Follow your Heart. Make sure it's your Heart and not your Head or Ego. You have to love what you do in life. And do it fully.

Amy Howard Wilson: Keep your feet on the ground, and your head in the clouds. In other words, treat this as a business, with all that that entails, but never lose the passion and enthusiasm for your work. If you're in school, stay there. Do NOT quit, just to be a famous actress or actor.

If you can't necessarily audition and get cast in the role of a lifetime right off the bat, start from where you are. Get involved in your school drama club, Community Theater or perhaps your local radio station. When Star Blazers came along, I was doing clerical work at an acting school in New York. This business is unlike many others, because you'll find work in the most unlikely ways.

Most importantly, NEVER compromise your values, just because it'll mean a paycheck. More often than not, people who do, end up broke and forgotten about. Years from now, when you look back on your career, you want to be able to hold your head up and be proud. I wish you great success!

With an ever changing entertainment industry has many perils. Unfortunately the internet and media have a wide volume of people talking with inflated egos. It is good to know that there are still those still follow the old skill of observing, listening, and speaking something meaningful.

Check your ego out the door.

Current State of Entertainment Industry: Artists (Part 2)

2010-08-11T17:24:00.011-04:00

By Brian Mah

Artists are the people who create life to a writer's words. Artists use different tools at their disposal to provide enjoyment to their audiences. An artist can create any kind of emotion with a simple pencil stroke or a powerful design program. Below are some talented artists who have constantly used his or her craft to entertain the public.

(Photo provided by the artist. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.)

Cojo is a New York independent artist. He has quickly rose up the ranks of the commercial and illustration industries. He has created commissions for many A-list celebrities, such as Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, and Ashanti.

(Photo provided by the artist. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.)

Mohammad Haque is behind the widely popular web comic, AppleGeeks. He has also illustrated graphic stories. He is currently working on several comic books for Dark Horse Comics.

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How long have you been a professional in your respected industry?
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Cojo: 16 years. The first 4 years I was a colorist for Marvel Comics; the next 11 years I was an Illustrator for Magazines, Advertising, and fashion. I'm currently branching off into Fine Art.

Mohammad Haque: Well, I got my very first job when I was 15 at an internet PR firm. I was doing basic HTML coding. From there, I moved up doing basic web graphics. Then I got into Flash work. From there I got into illustrations and graphic design.

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Who were your influences when you were growing as a professional?
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Cojo: My dad and mom. My dad is a cartoonist, my mom is a graphic designer, so I'm sort of an amalgam of the two. Also comic books, graffiti art, cartoons, and pop art.

Mohammad Haque: I would say the comic book industries. I thought myself about art by collecting comic books.

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Have you seen any changes (positive or negative) since you first started?
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Cojo: Illustration is dying. Print itself is dying, so magazines don't have the art budgets they once did, hiring freelance illustrators is one of the first cuts they can make.

Mohammad Haque: Oh yeah. Every time I look at my old work, I ask myself "What was I thinking? The art sucks!"

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Have you met anyone famous?
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Cojo: Odd question, of course. If you live in NY you see at least two famous people a day just walking around.

Mohammad Haque: Since I go to a lot of conventions, I have met a few famous people on the way. Such as Jim Lee, Frank Cho, the penny arcade guys.

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What kind of changes in technology have you seen over the years affect the way you did your work?
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Cojo: When I started out I was coloring line work with Dr. Martin Dyes, brushes, and markers. Later I colored with Adobe Photoshop. I now color and ink with Adobe Illustrator.

Mohammad Haque: Photoshop has changed a lot and tablets. Tablets are improving a lot, from a basic tablet to a cintiq.

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How has the invention of the Internet influenced the way you do business?
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Cojo: I used to have to hand deliver artwork, or send files on zip disks in the mail. Now you can just email files or upload them to client's servers or my server and have the client download it. I also have clients on the West Coast, Chicago, in Europe, China, Australia etc. whom I have never spoken to over the phone, met, or even know what they look like. All communication I've had with them has been through email. Also people all over the world have access to my websites, can read my blog or see my artwork without having to buy anything.

Mohammad Haque: The Internet allows me to share my work to millions of people for free.

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What kind of challenges has been the greatest impact on your industry?
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Cojo: The Internet bubble bursting. All the .coms that advertised in Magazines folding, and pulling their advertising. Magazines had to thin out. Also the web phasing out print.

Mohammad Haque: The greatest challenge is trying to be original. You're competing with other talented people who might think just like you.

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Have the younger artists inspired you to strive to do better?
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Cojo: Not really, I always strive to be my best.

Mohammad Haque: Actually, it seems to be the opposite. The younger generation seems to be inspired what I do.

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What kind of observations have you made with the current programs (TV, film, net, etc.) airing today?
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Cojo: That people's attention span has shrunk to 3-5 seconds. Watch a commercial and see if the camera stays on one shot for more than 3-5 seconds without cutting to another angle.

Mohammad Haque: Not much, since I don't watch that much TV. I'm glued to my computer.

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What advice would you give to someone who wants to go into your respected industries?
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Cojo: Learn how to draw. Learn how to meet deadlines. Get a consistent style together, a style that is your own. Don't be afraid to show people your work.

Mohammad Haque: Observe what other people are doing. Don't give up.

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The final group will be posted next month.

Current State of Entertainment Industry: Writers (Part 1)

2010-08-11T16:41:00.017-04:00

By: Brian Mah

Writers have been the backbone of creators in the entertainment industry for generations. They spend every waking hour trying to devise a way to keep the reader actively engaged in the writer's work. Through their use of the pen, writers have created so many memorable characters and stories that are still known today. Many of the writers who were interviewed have over a decade of experience. Their knowledge can provide a clearer picture of the current state of the entertainment industry.

(Photo taken by Brian Mah. With the permission of the writer.)

Helen McCarthy is a writer, speaker, designer, and curator. She has written many books and articles on Japanese Animation. She is most known for writing "The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga" (2010 Harvey Award Winner) She is currently living in London.

(Photo taken by Brian Mah. With the permission of the writer.)

Fredrik Schodt has been a writer and a part of the anime industry since the 1970's. He first worked as a translator for the late Osamu Tezuka. He wrote many books on the Anime industry, such as "The Astro Boy Essays." He is a frequent guest at Anime conventions in the US and around the world.

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How long have you been a professional in your respected industry?
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Helen McCarthy: I've been writing about anime and manga since the early 1980s but I suppose I've been a professional since Anime UK magazine started up in 1991. My first book was published in 1993, but I didn't become a full-time writer until three years ago when I was made redundant from my day job.

Fredrik Schodt: I actually have three professions. I am a writer, a translator, and a professional interpreter, and I've been doing all of these things now for about thirty-four years.

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Who were your influences when you were growing as a professional?
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Helen McCarthy: Frederik L. Schodt's Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics was published in 1983 and I first saw a copy in 1984. It really inspired me because it showed that comics culture could be treated with the same levels of respect and seriousness as any culture, yet still be accessible and enjoyable. Apart from that, there are a number of critics and writers I admire, the film critic Pauline Kael and the art critic Brian Sewell among them. One doesn't try to imitate their style, but to emulate their high standards and respect for the material and the intelligence of the audience.

Fredrik Schodt: For writing, I was very influenced when working on my first book by Robert Whiting, who wrote The Chrysanthemum and the Bat. I was also deeply influenced by William Zinser, who wrote On Writing Well. I was also deeply encouraged by the editor of my books, Peter Goodman, who is now the head of
Stone Bridge Press.

For translation, I was deeply influenced at one point by Donald Philippi, who was both a technical and non-fiction translator. You can read about him on his website. I am also deeply indebted to Osamu Tezuka, the manga artist.

For interpreting, I am deeply indebted to my teacher, Mitsuko Saito, who was a professor of communications at International Christian University and a pioneer in the simultaneous interpreting business in Japan.

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Have you seen any changes (positive or negative) since you first started?
---------------------------------
Helen McCarthy: On the positive side, the Internet has made it possible for everyone to get access to material and information, and more people are becoming interested in cultures outside their own. There's less of that old-fashioned jingoistic thing about Caucasian culture being automatically superior to every other kind, I think - more acceptance that all culture is human culture, and therefore we can engage with it if we make an effort to see the world through other eyes. Unfortunately the unmediated nature of the Internet means that myth and misinformation flourishes too. Tezuka warned us about putting too much faith in technology! And of course it has facilitated piracy and the notion that content should be free on demand, which makes it difficult for professional writers and artists to make a living. Every time someone makes an illegal download they're taking money from the pockets of the people who created the material. That makes it harder for creators to survive, and I want creators to survive.

Fredrik Schodt: Everything has changed! I wrote my first book in long-hand, and then typed it up on paper, and then physically cut and pasted the paragraphs to edit it, then typed it all up again, corrected it, typed it up again, etc.

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Have you met anyone famous?
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Helen McCarthy: I've been very fortunate to meet a huge number of interesting people. Some of them are famous in their field and one or two are famous on wider fronts, but I don't think it makes a difference to how interesting they are!

Fredrik Schodt: I have been fortunate to meet many people in the manga and anime business that are now quite famous. Also, in working as an interpreter, I have met many famous people in industries such as film and entertainment, and high technology. They've all been very interesting. George Lucas wrote a blurb for one of my books, America and the Four Japans: Friend, Foe, and Model, Mirror (Berkeley, Stone Bridge Press, 1993).

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What kind of changes in technology have you seen over the years effect the way you did your work?
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Helen McCarthy: The spread of video technology has made my work possible. Before the invention of the VCR the only way to see foreign TV was to go there, and foreign film meant attending festivals or going to art cinemas. We're so much more aware of world culture and creativity now, because we can see it every day. People talk about the problems of dumbing down, of reducing everything to a monoculture, but there are a lot of intelligent people in the world who can now see each other's work and communicate more easily.

Also, increasing computer power has enabled those intelligent people to form communities independent of location, and has been a huge benefit to me personally. Research is faster, I can check multiple language sources much more easily, tracking down rare books and other source material has become easier, and buying things from anywhere in the world is now really simple. It's only just over a decade since buying from another country meant paying huge bank charges or sending cash in registered envelopes. Now I can go online and buy a rare book from Scandinavia or Japan or the USA with no problem.

Fredrik Schodt: Computers have changed everything fundamentally in writing and translation, since nearly everything is digital now. It's often no longer necessary to go to the library to do research, whereas before I used to spend hours, weeks, even months in libraries. In the field of interpreting, little has changed yet. It's still necessary to be physically present at a job.

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How has the invention of the Internet influenced the way you do business?
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Helen McCarthy: It's enabled me to make and maintain contacts far more easily and to improve my research. My Tezuka book had beta readers in the USA, Europe and Japan. Even ten years ago that would have involved sending packages of manuscript in the mail. Now I can just hit a button, and hundreds of pages arrive in inboxes all over the world in seconds. Instead of responses having to be packaged and posted, they come back to me the same way. I can check library catalogues online before I visit. I can have a conference with people on another continent - or two or three at once. Apart from saving me time, it's so much better for the environment to cut back on mail and travel.

Fredrik Schodt: It's changed everything. Nearly all my business correspondence is now via the Internet. I collect more and more information via the Internet. I communicate via Skype on the Internet. I almost never use letters and faxes anymore. In fact, I need to get rid of one of my phone lines, which has been dedicated to fax, to save money.

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What kind of challenges has been the greatest impact on your industry?
---------------------------------
Helen McCarthy: Piracy and the growth of demand for free content. We're still struggling to find an effective model to pay artists and creators for their work in the digital age. Sometimes it seems like anyone can make money packaging and providing someone else's work, but the original creators get left out of the equation. That's not fair.

Fredrik Schodt: The publishing industry is undergoing great convulsions now, and that has affected me greatly. Also, it seems harder to make a living at translation and writing than it did before. Interpreting is more cushioned from changes in technology, but it is very influenced by changes in the economy in general.

---------------------------------
Have the younger artists inspired you to strive to do better?
---------------------------------
Helen McCarthy: People whose work I admire inspire me regardless of their age, but I don't see myself in competition with them. I compete with myself. I want to do a better job today than I did yesterday.

Fredrik Schodt: Of course. But I am also a realist, and have always believed that there are many people who are better than I am at what I do. It keeps me humble, and working hard.

---------------------------------
What kind of observations have you made with the current programs (TV, film, net, etc.) airing today?
---------------------------------
Helen McCarthy: Some of them are great, some of them are awful, most of them are somewhere in between. In any era, in any nation, most of what is produced by any industry - art, housing, entertainment, politics - is cheap disposable filler, designed to keep the masses quiet and content for the moment. Most politicians of all parties would rather you spent your time obsessing over American Idol than holding them to account over climate change or where all the money for reconstruction in Iraq has gone.

Fredrik Schodt: I don't watch a great deal of TV, except for news and occasional documentaries. With HDTV, the pictures have gotten a lot better, that's for sure. I'm often astounded at the quality of the images. I like commercials, but there aren't enough good ones. I hate the ads run by pharmaceutical companies for all sorts of medications, and truly wish they would ban them from TV.

I watch a lot of movies, and love the good ones. Recently, I have been quite in awe of Man on Wire, The Hurt Locker, and even Avatar. I think Hollywood produces a lot of wonderful films; more than it used to.

---------------------------------
What advice would you give to someone who wants to go into your respected industries?
---------------------------------
Helen McCarthy: I'd advise anyone to get the best general education they can afford, and then to carry on reading and learning forever. Make the best work you can and always be true to your own values. For anyone wanting to work in a multilingual medium, learn at least one foreign language. That may sound pretty basic, but you'd be surprised at the number of people who want to work in an anime studio in Japan, but don't expect to have to learn the local language.

Fredrik Schodt: I was lucky, in terms of timing. I think it is much more difficult to make a living at the things I do now. So it might be better to try something different, something new.

------------
The artists get their turn next month. Stay tuned.

Current State of Entertainment Industry

2010-08-11T16:40:00.003-04:00

By: Brian Mah

The entertainment industry has lately been in a constant state of flux. With the current state of economic affairs that are happening globally, an entertainer's job is more important than ever. Writers, artists, and production creator's main job are to keep the public entertained.

Several members of the entertainment industry were asked a series of questions regarding the current situation that impact their respected industries. Their insight and experience shed new light on how their work has affected the entertainment industry as a whole. The interviews are broken into three parts: writers, artists, and production (directors, actors/actresses, and editors fall can under this category).

The industry people interviewed have a combined experience of over 50 years in his or her related field. Many of them were influenced by past masters, which still draw them to excel in his or her craft.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (Part 1)

2010-05-08T11:30:00.001-04:00

By Brian Mah

On November 13th to December 13th 2009, The Smithsonian's Freer art gallery had an exhibition and panel discussion of the work of the father of modern anime and manga, Osamu Tezuka. Mr. Tezuka is perhaps most known for this series, "Mighty Atom" or "Astro Boy."

Many well-respected authors, such as Frederik Schodt, Helen McCarthy, Natsu Onoda Power, and Ada Palmer were on hand for the November panel discussion of his work. Mr. Yoshihiro Shimizu, general manager of Tezuka Productions, answered questions during the December event.

A series of Questions were asked to the panelists via email and private interviews regarding their impressions of Mr. Tezuka and his work in the anime and manga industry. Fredrick Schodt, Helen McCarthy, Natsu Onoda Power, and Yoshihiro Shimzu participated in the interviews.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (Part 2)

2010-05-08T11:29:00.001-04:00

By: Brian Mah

===================
How long have you been a fan of Japanese Culture?
===================
Fredrick Schodt: I came to Japan in 1965 with my family. I was aware of Japanese animation during 1960's. The 1960's were a time of political battles between the Radicals (Student protesters) and the Police. This would be unthinkable in the US. The universities were closed during this time.

Helen McCarthy: When I was a teenager my history teacher set me a project to compare the culture of bushido with Western chivalry. She liked to take us out of our comfort zones! I was fascinated by what I learned about Japan's feudal and Edo-era culture, but to me, Japan was all about cherry blossom and tea ceremonies and geisha. Until 1981, when I met Steve Kyte, I didn't even think about contemporary Japan except as a maker of inexpensive electronics. I had actually seen some anime - we never got Astro Boy, but British TV showed Marine Boy and a few other things. However they weren't labeled as Japanese so we weren't really aware of them as products of a distinct culture.

Steve had been to Spain just before we met, and had seen Mazinger Z on Spanish TV. European nations, especially Italy, France and Spain, had very strong comic cultures and you could find translated manga there. Anime was on TV in Europe from the 1970s. When he showed me the comics and toys he'd brought back from Spain I was really excited by their visual and narrative power.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (Part 3)

2010-05-08T11:28:00.000-04:00

By Brian Mah

=====================
What was the first anime you saw?
=====================
Fredrick Schodt: The first series I saw was called Obake no Q-Taro or The ghost of Q-taro in 1965-66. I remember the girls wearing the trademark hairstyle based on the manga. This was about the time when Astro Boy was finishing. Astro Boy was showing in real time, but I remember Obake no Q-Taro more.

Helen McCarthy: Marine Boy, on British TV. The first anime I knew as anime when I saw it was Mazinger Z, but of course that was just in the Spanish comics Steve brought back. Then I saw Mobile Suit Gundam and was hooked.

Natsu Onoda Power: Honestly, I don't remember. The first "TV animation" was probably re-runs of Tom & Jerry, which my brother and I watched obsessively, but that's not Japanese. But (as I explained in my book), Japanese children (at least when I was growing up) didn't really distinguish between Japanese and foreign animations, we just called everything "anime." They were dubbed so my brother and I had no idea which was Japanese and which wasn't. The first "Japanese" animation that I distinctly remember as probably Doraemon.

Yoshihiro Shimizu: As a child I watched Astro Boy, Gigantor, and Popeye.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (Part 4)

2010-05-08T11:27:00.001-04:00

By Brian Mah

==================
What was the first manga you read?
===================
Fredrick Schodt: Koya no Shonen Isamu (Isamu of the Plains). Norborn Kawasaki wrote it.

Helen McCarthy: Candy Candy, in a French translation.

Natsu Onoda Power: This is also tricky... probably Doraemon. The first Tezuka manga I read was Umi no Toriton (Toriton of the Sea). It's still one of my favorites. It makes me cry.

Yoshihiro Shimizu: Apollo Song. It dealt with sexual education.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (Part 5)

2010-05-08T11:26:00.001-04:00

By Brian Mah

==================
When was your first trip to Japan?
==================
Helen McCarthy: We went to Japan in 1997 so that I could interview Hayao Miyazaki for my book about him. We had friends over there and had been promising ourselves a trip for ages, but it never worked out that we could both take time off work when we had enough money to travel. Then I was told that Mr. Miyazaki could see me on one day three weeks ahead, so the whole trip was arranged in a huge rush, but it was well worth it. About six hours after we touched down on Japanese spoil for the first time, I was sitting in his private office.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (Part 6)

2010-05-08T11:25:00.000-04:00

By Brian Mah

================
What were the positive and negative things Mr. Tezuka contributed to the Japanese anime and manga industry?
================

Fredrick Schodt: Tezuka created the framework for the modern anime and manga industry. He helped to improve the great storytelling in the manga. He didn't do it alone, but he was most responsible for creating the gigantic, self-contained, symbiotic Godzilla-like creature that is the anime and manga industry. At the same time he has been criticized, mostly in animation, for establishing a system of default low wages and limited movement. It wasn't his intent, but it was the economics of the time. Hayao Miyazaki was highly critical of that system.

I think you can also say that he really demonstrated more that anyone else in the world that his belief that the comic book format came from the west and is more conceptual than previously thought. He tried to elevate comic books to the to the same level as novels.

Helen McCarthy: The huge diversity of Tezuka's work and his fearlessness in tackling any subject are one of the reasons why manga and anime have such wide appeal. Also, he gave every character real respect, by refusing to pigeonhole them as just 'good' or 'evil. He showed that every living thing has reasons for its actions, whether human or not, whether a star or a bit part player. That's something we can still learn from. It's too easy to label things by outward appearance or by association. Tezuka makes us think about where actions come from, why characters do things. Sometimes we have to wait for another story or appearance to find out their true motives or backgrounds. Just as in life, his characters aren't transparent and obvious.

Natsu Onoda Power: That's a super big question. His contribution is so huge... and perhaps had different influences in manga and anime. For one thing he valued storytelling. His plots are so intricately woven and experimentally crafted, like a film or a novel. (The story is not always told chronologically, or from one point-of-view, etc.) He introduced vocabularies of film, live theater, and numerous other art forms into his comics (other people did this too, but he did it so extensively). He made children's comics into a mainstream media. You can't summarize his contributions into a paragraph. We have a hard time summarizing it into a book!

Negative? He is often accused of inventing some of the "cheap tricks" in TV animation to save costs. But I don't know if that's actually unique to Tezuka... I feel like it was an innovation out of necessity.

Yoshihiro Shimizu: The most positive things about Tezuka's work were that he had the ability to influence a wide range of audiences, from children to adults.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (Part 7)

2010-05-08T11:24:00.000-04:00

By: Brian Mah

------------------
The next question was asked to Mr. Frederik Schodt about receiving an award from the Japanese government for his work on Japanese popular culture.
------------------

==============
How has the "Order of the Rising Sun" award changed your life?
==============

Frederik Schodt: Well, I flew in a Lear Jet. Seriously, it hasn't changed my life. It was a huge honor to receive the award. I didn't feel worthy of accepting it. My fear was that I was getting old. The award is usually given to older people. I think there are 60 different ranks. Tezuka was given a higher rank. If I came to Japan and told people I got the award, they wouldn't believe that I got the honor. Again it was a huge honor.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (part 8)

2010-05-08T11:23:00.000-04:00

By: Brian Mah

---------------------
A similar question was asked to Ms. Helen McCarthy about receiving an award from the British government for her efforts in promoting ties between Japan and the UK.
---------------------
=================
How has the awards given to you by the UK government changed your life?
=================

Helen McCarthy: I wish I would say it gets me huge respect and good tables in restaurants, but it hasn't changed a thing. Recognition for one's work is always pleasant, though.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (part 9)

2010-05-08T11:22:00.000-04:00

By: Brian Mah

=================
How has Tezuka's work influence other artists?
=================

Helen McCarthy: I can't think of a single manga artist in Japan who isn't reacting to Tezuka in some way, whether influenced by him or rejecting his influence. But much more important, I think, is his influence on wider Japanese society, especially in science. There are doctors, surgeons, inventors, roboticists, all kinds of people who are actually changing our world and making our future, who say that they would not be doing what they're doing if it weren't for reading a Tezuka manga or seeing a Tezuka anime. That's a level of influence that goes far beyond the artistic.

Natsu Onoda Power: Again, it is such a big question. It's like saying "how has Shakespeare influenced theater?"

Yoshihiro Shimizu: Tezuka's work influenced so many artists to count.

The Smithsonian celebrates the work of Osamu Tezuka (part 10)

2010-05-08T11:21:00.002-04:00

By: Brian Mah

===============
Did you get a chance to meet Mr. Tezuka or his family?
===============

Frederick Schodt: I knew Tezuka fairly well. In 1977, I started to worked for him as his interpreter. I worked with him until his death. When he came to the US I came as his interpreter. He was one of the first Japanese artists to attend ASIFA related events around the world, such as Canada and Europe. (ASIFA is an international organization relating to Animation.) He was kind of like an ambassador. He even spoke at the U.N. It was one of the smaller rooms, not the general assembly.

Helen McCarthy: Never, much to my regret. I got in to anime in 1981 but I just didn't have contacts on the level that would let me meet a giant of the field and I wasn't in Japan or the USA at a time when I could have met him as a fan. But I feel as if I've got to know him a little through writing a book about him. Every day for three years, I've spent time with Osamu Tezuka, and it was fun.

===============
Do you think Tezuka's work is still prevalent in today's society?
===============

Helen McCarthy: Very much so. You can look at his influence on science, like the Atom Project currently being championed by Japanese scientists, but there are lots of examples in art and culture, like the 2008 Tezuka Gene art exhibition at Parco Shibuya where 35 fine artists produced tributes to his work. He was ahead of his time in so many ways - we're only just catching up with his environmental awareness.

Frederick Schodt: I agree with Helen. The Astro Boy anime was a great kids show. If you read the original manga, even though he wrote the manga for kids it had a lot of serious issues. He wrote about Man vs. Machine relations, Artificial Intelligence, and Terrorism. Some of the stories will go over the kid's heads, but the parents will still find the stories relevant today. The Pluto comic series is a good example. The manga is a new interpretation of one story based off the Astro Boy manga.

Natsu Onoda Power: Yes yes and yes (can't imagine anyone saying no).

Yoshihiro Shimizu: Without Tezuka's post war manga, it would be unthinkable. He pioneered the concept called "Story Manga." Tezuka's animated works act as a bridge for foreign animation.

Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga, Father of Anime (Part 2)

2009-12-15T17:28:00.006-05:00

By: Brian Mah

(pictured: Yoshihiro Shimizu and Smithsonian Translator: Ms. Wakoko)

December 11th to 13th was the last of the Tezuka events. The title of the panel was called Tezuka and the History of Anime.

The last panel speaker was Mr. Yoshihiro Shimzu, the general manager of Tezuka Productions. He gave an in depth discussion of how Tezuka's work has continued to inspire a new generation of anime and manga fans.

Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga, Father of Anime (Part 1)

2009-11-20T13:23:00.014-05:00

By: Brian Mah

From November 13-15, the Smithsonian Freer gallery had a panel discussion relating to the work of Osamu Tezuka. Below are some photos and sound bites I took during the event.

In attendance were: Frederik Schodt, Helen McCarthy, Natsu Onoda Power, Ada Palmer, and Tom Vick of the Smithsonian Freer Gallery.

Friday, November 13th - Introducing Astro Boy
(pictured: Tom Vick and Frederik Schodt)

Saturday, November 14th - The Film is Alive: Osamu Tezuka Filmography
(pictured: Natsu Onda Power, Ada Palmer, Helen McCarthy, Frederik Schodt, and Tom Vick)

Sunday, November 15th - Marine Express
(pictured: Helen McCarthy, Frederik Schodt, and Tom Vick)

Animation Gear (Part 2)

2009-10-29T17:46:00.000-04:00

By: Brian Mah

Many animators also rely on special pencils when creating their work. COL-ERASE Pencils comes to mind as a vital tool for animators. Most animators use two colors (red and blue) when creating an animated character, background, or FX. What is great about the COL-ERASE pencils is the ability to be easily erasable. Plus it is much clearer to see the images on the animation bond paper using the pencils.

An artist wouldn't be without his or her trusty sketchbook. Several paper companies try their best to give what the artist needs. One company in Japan, Maruman, has been a faithful companion to artists in Japan for over 50 years. One reason why the Maruman sketchbooks are so popular is the quality of the paper and the price. Many artists in Japan usually have one or two sizes of Maruman sketchbooks in his or her book bag.

When you have completed the thousands of drawings, you then need to check how smooth the animation will look. You could spend hours and hours scanning the images on a computer or you could do it the old fashion way and use an animation lunchbox and camcorder. Animation Toolworks' animation control panel is the perfect tool when making a low budget animated short. When the lunchbox first came on the market it was just a cool toy for animators to play around. Jump a decade later; the folks behind the lunchbox now have a steady stream of supporters. The lunchbox is widely used in schools and by independent animators. The mechanics behind the lunchbox are simple and easy to use. The lunchbox has a counter for telling how many frames to shoot, a playback feature, and other features an animator needs to create his or her masterpiece.

Designing and constructing animation requires a lot of hard work and dedication. It pays to have the right tools at your disposal.

Animation Gear (Part 1)

2009-10-29T17:45:00.004-04:00

By: Brian Mah

Animation like all art forms is in a constant state of flux. Equipment and techniques that were relevant 50 or even 10 years ago are not applicable in today's fast paced industry. The newest 3-D animated movie or FX driven 2-D anime show could enthrall audiences today, could be antiquated relics a year or more later.

Cell paint, for instance has been replaced with computer aided coloring programs. Sleek digital cameras have put the bulky Film cameras out to pasture. With the introduction of newer and faster tools at a studio's disposal, there is one thing that keeps things constant, the animator. An animator is only as good as their tools. It doesn't matter if a person works for a studio, like Disney or Studio Ghibli, or is an independent animator; you still need to have something to work with.

For all animators around the world relies on one thing, which is paper, more specifically animation bond paper. Culver City, California based animation supply company, Cartoon Colour, have been supplying animators vital animation equipment for over 50 years. What is special about animation bond paper as a posed to regular paper is that animation paper is thinner and more translucent. It can be easier to see when making an animated character.

Another key feature of animation bond paper are three small holes on either the top or bottom of the paper. These holes are called animation registration. The animation registration can be held together with something called a "Peg Bar." The animation holes have a three-lined pattern with a circle in the middle. There were two popular kinds of animation registration, Oxberry and Acme. The Oxberry holes were a lot rounder than the Acme, which were more slender. The Oxberry style was eventually replaced by the Acme system. A more in-depth diagram of the animation registration is located on Finnish animator Jan-Eric Nyström's web site ANI-MATO! Coincidently Acme is also the same name of a fictitious company that supplies various props to the Warner Brothers cartoon characters, most notably Wile E. Coyote, created by Chuck Jones.

Astro Boy (Part 2)

2009-10-26T14:43:00.000-04:00

By: Brian Mah

There are also some memorable one liners that will have probably have passed over the youngsters. "Is this thing on?" comes to mind when Donald Sutherland's character talks as a robot. Samuel L. Jackson's booming voice says "I'm old school " would bring cheers to the audience. Mr. Jackson is also the voice of Afro in the series "Afro Samurai." It was difficult at first to notice that Mr. Jackson did the voice of the construction robot, "ZOG."

This is sure to be on the shelves of many fans next year when the movie is released on DVD and blu-ray. One can hope that the Japanese dialogue will be in the DVD version.

Astro Boy (Part 1)

2009-10-26T14:42:00.004-04:00

By: Brian Mah

(Some of the comments stated below contain spoilers. Please don't read if you haven't watched the movie.)

Friday, October 23rd was the US release of the highly anticipated animated movie, "Astro Boy." Astro Boy is the creation of the most well respected anime and manga artist, Osamu Tezuka. In the US, the movie is ranked 6th with a total ticket sale of $7 Million.

The movie had the best animators from Japan and the US. They also had some talented voice actors, such as Nicholas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Samuel L. Jackson, Nathan Lane, and Charlize Theron. The film had the makings of a great-animated movie. The animation used some of the most cutting edge technology that can be used today. The story stayed faithful to the original series created by Tezuka.

Since this is a movie geared toward younger kids, much of the scenes that involve death were substituted with something less objectionable. One scene that comes to mind is the death scene of Toby. The boy was vaporized because of a rampaging robot. There was no body to be found, Dr. Tenma (Nicholas Cage) used a single strand of hair found in Toby's hat. Bill Nighy (Dr. Elefun) was the voice of reason to Dr. Tenma during the construction of Astro. Mr. Nighy was a good choice for the good doctor.

The likeness of Tezuka and his work were widely displayed in the movie. One of the scientists in the movie looked like Tezuka. One of the billboards had one of Tezuka's famous characters, a pig called Hyoutan-tsug, which was created by his little sister.

It was interesting to see and hear some of the veteran actors, such as Donald Sutherland, really get involved in the voice acting. It was refreshing to see the lighter side of these actors become the characters. At the same time you can sympathize with the actors during the low emotional points in the movie. For instance, you can tell the inflections of remorse and pain in Nicholas Cage's voice when he looses his son. It was also very impressive to hear Freddie Highmore's voice has matured as an actor.
You can hear Asto's pain when his father dejects him. For some younger audiences those scenes may be boring, but this might hit a nerve with their parents.

Nathan Lane was the comic relief as the sinister Ham Egg (In Japanese it would be translated into Hamu Tamago). It was nice seeing Mr. Lane act as a villain. You are so fooled by his coy personality that when you realize what has happened, it is too late.

Anime Music (Part 3)

2009-10-11T23:53:00.001-04:00

By: Brian Mah

Recently, a number of foreign and Japanese artists composed lyrics for the Osamu Tezuka inspired anime music video, Ravex. Some well-known Japanese artists, such as Anna Tsuchiya, Namie Amuro, and Yuuko Ando contributed some music. In addition Monkey Majik, DJ Ozuma, BoA, and Lisa were some of the foreign musicians who added their own musical styles into this CD. The basic premise behind the Ravex story focused on three musicians (Fantastic Plastic Machine, Shinichi Osawa, and Taku Takahashi) who try to revive a fallen comrade to help fight the citizens of Tezuka's world from an evil alien race. Some of Osamu Tezuka's greatest creations, for instance Astro Boy, Black Jack, and Princess Knight aided the three musicians.

Puffy is a perfect example of how popular Japanese groups have broken into the US market and had some success to get a wider audience. Tokyo born Ami Onuki and Osaka born Yumi Yoshimura have created catchy tunes in Japan since 1996. They haven't been renown in the US until they got a chance to sing the theme song for Cartoon Network's Teen Titans. In response to the popularity of the Teen Titans song, Puffy was given a chance to acquire their own TV series. The series was called Hi! Hi! PuffyAmiYumi. The series centered on the cartoon adventures of Ami and Yumi on their road trip across the US. The series can also be seen on Cartoon Network's sister station in Japan.

Hikaru Utada made her name in the Japanese music scene in the early 1990's with her New York-influenced music. Ms. Utada is perhaps most familiar among anime fans for singing the opening song "This is love" for the OAV (Original Animated Video) Freedom. Katsuhiro Otomo, the famous creator of Akira, produced the OVA.

Mari Iijima is perhaps most recognized among anime fans as the voice of Lynn Minmay of the hit anime series Macross. Ms. Iijima is currently an independent musician in the Los Angeles area. She reprised her role as Minmay for the English dubbed version of the Macross series. She is currently writing music and performing in the LA area.

Many of these musicians have acted as bridges to help spread Japanese popular culture to many fans around the world. Through their hard work and dedication many of the anime series have found a voice in these talent musicians.

Anime Music (Part 2)

2009-10-11T23:52:00.001-04:00

By: Brian Mah

The most well known collaboration between artists and musicians in Japan were between the robotic clad techno duo, Daft Punk and the master of the sci-fi anime genre, Leiji Matsumoto. They created the musical masterpiece Interstella 5555. The combination of the fluid sci-fi animation of Mr. Matsumoto and the digital styling of Daft Punk made the anime an instant classic. The basic story of the Interstella 5555 centered on a group of musicians who entertained their planet with digital music. An evil alien stole the musicians and sent them back to earth. A fan of the group, who was also a solider, tried to get them back to their home planet. There were a lot of references to some of Mr. Matsumoto's earlier works, such as Space Pirate Captain Harlock.

Rapper/Producer, Kanye West and Independent artist Takashi Murakami teamed up on the video, "Good Morning." Kanye created the original story and added the audio soundtrack. Kanye's technique complemented with Murakami's use of bright psychedelic colors and unusual anime character designs. The premise of the video was a bear trying to make it to his graduation. The futuristic setting in the video was homage to "Back to the Future Part II."

The British Indie group, Bôa, was best known for the opening song, "Duvet", used in the anime series Serial Experiments Lain created by Yoshitoshi ABe. The approach of how Bôa harmonized together with Mr. ABe's characters and story was a hit with fans that still enjoy listening to the song.

Korean born artist BoA is another foreign musician who entered the Japanese music scene. BoA exploded into the Japanese music scene back in 2001. It wasn't until she sang the closing song "Every Heart" for the anime series Inuyasha that anime fans took notice.

Anime Music (Part 1)

2009-10-11T23:51:00.015-04:00

By: Brian Mah

In Japan, music and anime have been together since the beginning. Just as their counterparts in the West, much of the first animated films in Japan relied on live musical scores or simple audio tracks during the screening of each film. TV made it possible to combine complex music with animation. Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy is a perfect example of how music and anime blended together. The opening sequences of the original Astro Boy is the genesis of how the anime industry has used music in their TV series and films.

Adding modern music, made the shows more appealing to a wider audience. For instance, Space Battleship Yamato, Macross, Gatchaman, and Cowboy Bebop are some examples of how modern music and anime created a global fan base.

Musicians from the entire world have added segments of anime series into their music videos. For instance, in the Michael and Janet Jackson video, "Scream," incorporated sequences from the series Akai Kōdan Zillion. Matthew Sweet utilized sequences from the anime series Urusei Yatsura in the song, "I've been waiting", and Space Adventure Cobra in the song, "Girlfriend." Both songs were broadcasted numerous times on MTV when the videos were released in the late 1990's.

Maid Cafe (Part 2)

2009-10-11T12:41:00.000-04:00

By: Brian Mah

Another notable cafe is Pinafore. These ladies always have a smile on their face. They have two cafes. One cafe is near the Akihabara Yodobashi Camera. The maids are very friendly and they serve the best cup of coffee (500 Yen). The bartender, Suzu, can make a tasty parfait. Her pigtails add more to her cuteness. Pinafore was also in the movie, "Train Man", starring Takayuki Yamada and Miki Nakatani

If you want to bring your camera and take pictures of these nice ladies, you are forbidden to do so. Wakana, an experienced maid at Pinafore explains when the cafes first started there were some not so nice folks who took pictures of these talented ladies in pink. She said some of the ladies were displayed on tobacco products without the consent of the maid or her cafe.

In addition to the various maid cafes, there are an increasing number of butler cafes. These cafes are more for a female clientele. The butlers are girls dressed up as a male servant. It is similar to the Tarazuka Revue, but on a smaller, more intimate scale. The most well-known butler cafe is Swallowtail, which is located in Ikebukuro. Another butler cafe is Checkmate.

Detailed listings of the various cafes are located on the Akibanana web site. It gives a detailed listing of what each cafe specializes in, the cafes range from the basic maid cafe to a clinic-style cafe where you get a head massage. If you are wondering what the name of the massage place, that massage place is called Reflangel. Tabi, Simona, KｲKｲ, and Gina are the web-mistresses who maintain the website.

So, if you are tired from shopping at all of the anime stores in Akihabara, make sure you stop by at one of these cafes. By the way, the cafes can take a picture of you and the waitress of your choice. Who in turn will decorate the photo for you. These gracious waitresses are here to make sure your stay in Akihabara is a memorable one.