●BOOKLET● ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO ZENSHŪ KAISETSU 3 HIGHWAY STAR (大友克洋全集解説 3 ハイウェイスター )

 

Independent Katsuhiro Otomo researcher and archivist Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也), who in 1999 started the website Apple Paradise: Otomo Katsuhiro Data Base has published the fourth of a series of booklets to accompany the KATSUHIRO OTOMO COMPLETE WORKS collection that is currently being published by Kodansha. This booklet commentaries correspond to Otomo's early manga works collected in the book OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 3: HIGHWAY STAR (ハイウェイスター )

These COMMENTARY SERIES booklets scheduled to be produced for all volumes will include commentaries regarding each volume and as they have the same size as the books that will accompany, they will work  perfectly as dividers since they  prevent vinyl covers from sticking to each other.

The booklet was sold for the first time today in COMITIA 147 (コミティア147) in the stand CHI42a ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO KENKYŪ (ち42a大友克洋研究)You can follow and contact Jun'ya Suzuki on Instagram and Twitter.


BOOKLET DETAILS

Author: Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也)
Release date: 2024-II-25
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥1,000


●FOREWORD● RINTARŌ's MA VIE EN 24 IMAGES PER SECONDE

  

Katsuhiro Otomo has written the foreword to the first comic written by his friend and animation director RINTARŌ (りんたろう) with whom he has collaborated many times in the past. The book was first released in French language by KANA and was presented in this year's 51st edition of ANGOULÊME FESTIVAL where several screenings and meetings were devoted to him.


MA VIE EN 24 IMAGES PER SECONDE narrates Rintarō's  journey from post-war Japan to 2001 and the release of the film METROPOLIS, based on Osamu Tezuka's (手塚 治虫) manga and with screenplay by Otomo himself. This journey is made of meetings, opportunities, endless evenings, jazz, cigarettes, but above all cinema, a passion that was passed on to him by his father and which gave him the desire to become a director very early on. And it is animated cinema that offered Rintarō this opportunity. 

You can read Otomo's foreword in French and the first pages of the comic here


FOREWORD by KATSUHIRO OTOMO

It was in 1958 that HAKUJADEN (白蛇伝 ), the first Japanese animated feature film in color, was made. Then came SHŌNEN SARUTOBI SASUKE (少年猿飛佐助 ), then, in 1960, SAIYUKI (西遊記) adapted from BOKU NO SON GOKU (ぼくのそんごくう) manga by Osamu Tezuka, who was credited in the film as "Original author responsible for the narrative structure'. Indeed, knowing that Tezuka was very influenced by the Disney animations that he loved, TOEI ANIMATION (東映アニメーション) , which wanted to become the Disney of Japan, had asked the mangaka to participate in the pre-production, writing and directing of the film .

Unfortunately, things didn't go the way Tezuka hoped. It's easy to imagine how difficult it was for a young, popular and promising mangaka to get along with the artisan blacksmiths of animation. He must have felt immense frustration and bitterness. At least that's a figment of my imagination. Apologies if I extrapolate!

But isn't Osamu Tezuka a man who uses failure to bounce back? This is how he created his own company, MUSHI PRODUCTION (虫プロダクション), in 1961, just a year after Sayuki. Was he very angry? Had this harsh ordeal triggered a real trigger in him? Still, the following year, he directed ARU MACHIKADO NO MONOGATARI (ある街角の物語) and the first episode of TETSUWAN ATOM (鉄腕アトム ).

From the start, Mushi Production operated recklessly, since, in the event of a financial deficit, Tezuka drew his mangas to cover debts.

The first Japanese television animation, Tetsuwan Atom, was created from Tezuka's own manga, so it was not subject to adaptation rights. It even ultimately generated revenue through the sale of derivative products, and this success led to the proliferation of animated television series. Rintarō's comic strip clearly shows that at the time, at the dawn of this flourishing industry, Mushi Production even ensured human resources devoid of any experience because its production system seemed attractive to certain young people. Unlike Toei animators, endowed with a real educational background and solid technical training, those of Mushi Production launched into the adventure simply being pushed by the spirit of entrepreneurship: the one who has the greatest passion is capable of doing for the best.

How exciting it was to acquire the know-how alongside older animators or the same age, despite the pressure of deadlines and the mountain of work that was piling up! In Japan, this spirit still seems to prevail in this industry.

Mushi Production faced some criticism because its preferred themes were neither educational nor emotion-based, but rather entertainment-oriented. The fact remains that society has enabled previously unknown artists to flourish. And, quite naturally, Japanese animation has moved towards the adaptation of popular manga, since young artists have naturally followed the example of Tezuka, the founder of Mushi Production, who himself adapted his own manga. one after the other. Of course, there were successes and failures!

In the 1970s, television animation therefore developed alongside the rise of manga. Japan was probably the only country experiencing such a phenomenon at the time. Rintarō, too, began directing within Mushi Production, directing works such as JUNGLE TAITEI SUSUME LEO! (ジャングル大帝 進めレオ!) or SABU TO ICHI (佐武と市), before leaving the company to become independent. His series JETTER MARS (ジェッターマルス) , GRAND PRIX NO TAKA (アローエンブレム・グランプリの鷹) and UCHŪ KAIZOKU CAPTAIN HARLOCK (宇宙海賊キャプテンハーロック)  attracted the attention of the president of TOEI so much so that he entrusted Rintarō with the direction of the feature film GINGA TETSUDO 999 (銀河鉄道999)  which was a huge success. This is how animated television series reached the level of quality of a feature film. Subsequently, feature films were screened in international festivals, then occupied a dominant place with the arrival of video cassettes, laserdiscs and DVDs. And it is therefore thanks to the influence of these precursors that today young people are creating original animations all over the world.

By reading this comic, which closely combines the history of animation with Rintarô's personal life, from his childhood to his adolescence and adulthood, I realize how much I owe to my elders, the "anarchists" from the Showa era (1926-1989), which I warmly thank.

大友克洋



BOOK DETAILS

Publisher: KANA
Release date: 2024-I-26
Language: French
Number of pages: 256
Size: 22.8 x 2.8 x 30 cm
Retail price: 27.9€
ISBN-10: 2505076383
ISBN-13: 978-2505076384

AVAILABILITY
Amazon JP: -

●BOOK● OTOMO: LA NOUVELLE VAGUE DU MANGA

 

French publisher PIX N LOVE has published the book OTOMO: LA NOUVELLE VAGUE DU MANGA (Otomo: The new wave of Manga) written by Ludovic Gottigny with preface by Jean-Pierre Dionnet.  Gottigny previously worked in the AKIRA special number for the French magazine ROCKYRAMA.

The book was also published in a collector's hard cover limited and numbered edition of 1000 copies with an exclusive cardboard sleeve with selective varnish and a numbered certificate of authenticity.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

■Acknowledgments
■Preface
■Foreword
■Prologue: walking in the sky
■A youth in the heart of the Sendai plain
■Part 1: the path to prodigious deicide
-Chapter 1: On the shoulders of the giants, in the contesting typhon
-Chapter 2: On the influence of the New American independent cinema and Avant-garde manga
-Chapter 3: Tokyo vice
-Chapter 4: To the sound of the new wave
-Chapter 5: Children's dreams
-Chapter 6: Pop culture is about to explode!
-Chapter 7: Building on the ruins of Neo-Tokyo
-Chapter 8: Ghost writer
■Part 2: An animated destiny.
-Chapter 1: Omnibus departing from Armageddon
-Chapter 2: A.D. 2019.
-Chapter 3: Memories of digital issues.
-Chapter 4: Illusions lost in the steam
-Chapter 5: Short Peace
-Chapter 6: Staying original
■Part 3: From pencil to camera.
-Chapter 1: Cinema desires
-Chapter 2: In search of lost japan
-Chapter 3: A life on film
■Part 4: Inside Otomo
-Chapter 1: Jack of all trade, master of all
-Chapter 2: Quotes and thoughts
■Part 5: Side stories
-Chapter 1: The shadow of the AKIRA myth.
-Chapter 2: The book eater
-Chapter 3: All for the music
-Chapter 4: Corpus - A selective bibliography
■Bibliography

BOOK DETAILS

Publisher: PIX N LOVE
Release date: 2023-XII-8
Language: French
Number of pages: 560
Size: 16.5 x 5.2 x 24 cm
Retail price: 29.9€
ISBN-10: 2371882283
ISBN-1: 978-2371882287

AVAILABILITY
Amazon JP: -


BOOK DETAILS -Edition Collector Neo Tokyo-

Publisher: PIX N LOVE
Release date: 2023-XII-19
Language: French
Number of pages: 560
Size: 16.5 x 5.2 x 24 cm
Retail price: 39.9€

AVAILABILITY
Editions PIX N LOVE website:


●BOOKLET● ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO ZENSHŪ KAISETSU 2 BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ (大友克洋全集解説 2 BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ)

 

Independent Katsuhiro Otomo researcher and archivist Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也), who in 1999 started the website Apple Paradise: Otomo Katsuhiro Data Base has published the third of a series of booklets to accompany the KATSUHIRO OTOMO COMPLETE WORKS collection that is currently being published by Kodansha. This booklet commentaries correspond to Otomo's early manga works collected in the book OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 2: BOOGIE WOOGIE WALTZ

These COMMENTARY SERIES booklets scheduled to be produced for all volumes will include commentaries regarding each volume and as they have the same size as the books that will accompany, they will work  perfectly as dividers since they  prevent vinyl covers from sticking to each other.

The booklet was sold for the first time today in COMITIA 146 (コミティア146) in the stand M20a ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO KENKYŪ (M20a大友克洋研究)You can follow and contact Jun'ya Suzuki on Instagram and Twitter.


BOOKLET DETAILS

Author: Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也)
Release date: 2023-XII-3
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 34
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥1,000

●CONVERSATION● Katsuhiro Otomo × Minetaro Mochizuki

Katsuhiro Otomo talked with Minetaro Mochizuki (望月ミネタロウ) in his Special Issue Mook (Magazine-book) published by Kawade with the title: SŌ TOKUSHŪ MOCHIDZUKI MINETARŌ ― SŌZŌ TO HAKAI TO KAKUSHIN TO  (総特集 望月ミネタロウ ― 創造と破壊と革新と。)


TABLE OF CONTENTS

■First full-scale long interview
A 25,000 character interview that talks about everything from his upbringing to his debut to his latest work.
■Newly drawn manga “Lost Manga, Lost Life” (没有漫画 没有人生) Special Extra Edition
■Rare works included:
ZUBERBER (ズベルバー) (published in 2010)
STICKLERS! (スティックラーズ!) (published in 2017)
■Respect Conversation “Katsuhiro Otomo x Minetaro Mochizuki”
Minetaro Mochizuki's first conversation with Katsuhiro Otomo, a master artist whom he greatly respects.
■Special contribution (in order of appearance)
Inio Asano (浅野いにお), Taiyo Matsumoto (松本大洋), Shin'ichi Sugimura (すぎむらしんいち), Akira Sasō (さそうあきら), Masakazu Suzuki (鈴木マサカズ) , Jinko Kobayashi (小林じんこ), Haruki Izumi (和泉晴紀), Sayaka Yamasaki (山崎紗也夏) and  Yama Wayama (和山やま)
■Special interview
Hisashi Eguchi (江口寿史) , Tadanobu Asano (浅野忠信), Kaseki Cider (かせきさいだぁ)
■Essay
Ira Ishida (石田衣良), Junichiro Shimada (島田潤一郎)
■Mochizuki World Deciphering:
Jun Ishikawa [Bataashi Kingyo]
Hiroshi Odagiri [Tokyo Kaido]
Nobuhiko Saito [Dragon Head]
Minami Nobunaga [Food scene]
Aso Yamawaki [shoes and fashion]
Kiyoshi Kusumi [Bikemen]
■Color illustration gallery
Treasured illustrations such as “Bataashi Kingyo” and “Dragon Head”,
Contains plenty of illustrations from French newspaper and magazine covers!
■Work room & character sketch notes released
■Bike & Car Encyclopedia
■[Mochizuki Manga] Quotes
■Complete data pages such as explanations of major works, list of works, and chronology.


MOOK DETAILS

Publisher: Kawade Shobo Shinsha (河出書房新社)
Release date: 2023-XI-30
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 288
Size: 14.8 x 21 cm
Retail price: ¥1,793
ISBN-10: 4309980635
ISBN-13: 978-4309980638





AVAILABILITY

Amazon US: 
Amazon CA: 
Amazon UK: 
Amazon DE: 
Amazon FR: 
Amazon IT: 
Amazon ES: 

●MAGAZINE● ANIMELAND No.244: AKIRA

 

The issue No.244 of French anime magazine ANIMELAND marks the arrival of a new formula, from now on, each issue of the magazine will present itself as an ultimate guide to a manga, a franchise or a theme including three times more text than before, thus making it a publication to keep and cherish. To mark this shift and to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the film AKIRA, this issue dedicates around 100 pages out of 144 to Katsuhiro Otomo and his film.

ANIMELAND has been a magazine dedicated to Japanese animation and manga published for over 30 years in France. A historical reference in the sector, it offers its readers cutting-edge content that is ever richer and more exciting year after year.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

■Photo report on the film's exhibition in Tokyo, 
■Extensive interview with the film's leading animator Toshiyuki Inoue (井上俊之)
■Interview with Satoshi Takabatake (高畠 聡) assistant of Katsuhiro Ôtomo in his AKIRA days. 
■Interview with Steve Oliff, the colorist of AKIRA for Marvel
■Portrait of Katsuhiro Ôtomo
■Revelations of the film's creation secrets
■Analysis of Ôtomo's trace in the manga industry
■Return on the reception of AKIRA in France and Japan
■Focus on music and much more
■30 pages to learn about the origin, meaning and representation of the Cyberpunk, a still evolving genre: Interview with Hiroyuki Ochi (越智 博之)
■Eight portraits of cyberpunk references in Japan: Masamune Shirow (士郎正宗),  Tsutomu Nihei (弐瓶 勉) and others
■Seven page mini-file on French SF including a very extensive interview with the staff of the film MARS EXPRESS  film directed by Jérémie Périn.
■The last third of the magazine consists on 5 parts:
-Wishlist: A notebook  listing the best manga, anime, goodies and blu-rays of the moment.
-Japan: School bullying, an investigation into a social subject in Japan.
-Let's talk VF: A subject on the work of dubbing actors 'Can we repair a failed dubbing?'
-Secret Files: Section focused on Japanese editorial content. A board illustrating a fight – with humor – between Yasuhiko Yoshikazu (安彦 良和) and Yoshiyuki Tomino (富野 由悠季)
-Tribute: Farewell and testimony to Buichi Terasawa (寺沢 武一), COBRA's dad.


MAGAZINE DETAILS

Publisher: Ynnis Edition
Release date: 2023-X-18
Language: French
Number of pages: 144
Size: 19.4 x 27.1 cm
Retail price: 14.95€
ISBN-10: 2376974151
ISBN-13: 978-2376974154

AVAILABILITY
Amazon JP: -

Official Website Store

●BOOKLET● ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO ZENSHŪ KAISETSU 1 JŪSEI (大友克洋全集解説 1 銃声)

Independent Katsuhiro Otomo researcher and archivist Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也), who in 1999 started the website Apple Paradise: Otomo Katsuhiro Data Base has published the second of a series of booklets to accompany the KATSUHIRO OTOMO COMPLETE WORKS collection that is currently being published by Kodansha. This second booklet commentaries correspond to Otomo's early manga works collected in the recently published book OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 1: JŪSEI (銃声)

These COMMENTARY SERIES booklets scheduled to be produced for all volumes will include commentaries regarding each volume and as they have the same size as the books that will accompany, they will work  perfectly as dividers since they  prevent vinyl covers from sticking to each other.

The booklet was sold for the first time today in COMITIA 145 (コミティア145) in the stand P52b ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO KENKYŪ (P52b大友克洋研究)You can follow and contact Jun'ya Suzuki on Instagram and Twitter.


BOOKLET DETAILS

Author: Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也)
Release date: 2023-IX-3
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 30
Size: 248 x 172mm
Retail price: ¥1,000

●EXHIBITION● AKIRA CEL EXHIBITION

Today has opened in Mixalive TOKYO the exhibition AKIRA SERU GATEN (AKIRA セル画展) showcasing over 600 pieces of cels and other production materials from Katsuhiro Otomo's animation film AKIRA. The event will take place from August 10 to 31, 2023 in Ikekuburo (池袋), Tokyo.

Taking pictures at the exhibition is forbidden for the visitors except for the Night Bear scene reproduction  whose design and construction was supervised by Otomo. The only pictures available come from news pages such as NTV and ePLUS.

NTV NEWS coverage of the exhibition

●BOOK● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 5: Fire-Ball


The fifth volume of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS collects 12 short stories created by Otomo from 1977 to 1978 when he was 24-25 years old. 

This volume collects two stories previously collected in the book SHORT PEACE (ショート・ピース) published by Kisōtengaisha in 1979 and re-published by Futabasha in 1984. Four stories from the book HIGHWAY STAR (ハイウェイスター) published by Futabasha in 1979, three stories from GOOD WEATHER published by Kitansha in 1981 and one story from the book HANSEL & GRETEL (ヘンゼルとグレーテル). Finally the last two stories: FIRE-BALL and HAIR, both were previously collected in Kodansha's 1990 book  KANOJO NO OMOIDE (彼女の想いで…)

In addition, the never before collected story TŌI MATSURI (遠い祭り) an original story by Nobuyuki Shirayama (白山宣之), was included in this book. As in the previous volumes, the manuscripts that had colors are reproduced in color, the same way they were first published in magazines but this time with a pristine printing quality. 


BOOK DETAILS

Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-VII-19
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 310
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥3,190
ISBN-10:4065273137
ISBN-13:978-4065273135

AVAILABILITY

Amazon US: 
Amazon CA: 
Amazon UK: 
Amazon DE: 
Amazon FR: 
Amazon IT: 
Amazon ES: 

COLLECTED STORIES

Manga Action Zōkan (漫画アクション増刊 )
7・8 | 1978-VI-23 | 23 pages | B&W

Weekly Manga Action ( 週刊漫画アクション)
7・21 | 1978-VII-12 | 16 pages | B&W

TŌI MATSURI (遠い祭り)
Manga Action Zōkan (漫画アクション増刊)
8・18 | 1978-VIII-4 | 27 pages | B&W

HENZERU TO GUREETERU (ヘンゼルとグレーテル)
Zōkan Young Comic (増刊ヤングコミック)
8・20 | 1978-VII-20 | 28 pages | B&W

TAIKYŌ (大麻境)
Zōkan Young Comic (増刊ヤングコミック)
9・20 | 1978-VIII-20 | 24 pages | B/W & Limited 

KAZOKU (家族)
Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画アクション)
9・21 | 1978-IX-7 | 20 pages | B&W

CINEMA CLUB (任侠シネマクラブ)
Young Comic (ヤングコミック)
10・25 | 1978-X-11 | 24 pages | B&W

ASHITA NO YAKUSOKU (あしたの約束)
Weekly Manga Action (漫画アクション増刊 )
10・27 | 1978-X-13 | 26 pages | B&W + Limited Color

KATSU KARE (カツ丼)
Weekly Manga Action (漫画アクション増刊 )
10・27 | 1978-X-13 | 26 pages | B&W + Limited Color

SHINCHO SENKI (信長戦記)
Zōkan Young Comic (増刊ヤングコミック )
12・20 | 1978-XI-20 | 24 pages | B&W

FIRE-BALL 
Action Deluxe (アクションデラックス) No.1
1・27 | 1979-I-13 | 52 pages | B&W

HAIR 
Young Comic (ヤングコミック)
2・28 | 1979-II-14 | 25 pages | B&W

●BOOK● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 1: JŪSEI (銃声)


The first volume of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS collects 11 short stories created by Otomo from 1971 to 1974 when he was 17-19 years old. 

Among the collected works in this book, the first four are completely unpublished stories, studies and contributions drawn before Otomo's professional debut in 1973, at the young age of 19 with JŪSEI (銃声) published in August 4th issue of  Manga Action Zōkan for which Otomo also drew the cover illustration. 

The debut work and the rest of the stories have never been collected in any book after their appearance in their respective magazines and can be finally enjoyed with a pristine printing quality for the first time after half a century. 


BOOK DETAILS

Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-VII-19
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 320
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥3,190
ISBN-10: 4065273153
ISBN-13: 978-4065273159

AVAILABILITY

Amazon US: 
Amazon CA: 
Amazon UK: 
Amazon DE: 
Amazon FR: 
Amazon IT: 
Amazon ES: 

COLLECTED STORIES

Honorable mention in the February issue of COM (コム) magazine

●SENJŌ ―SHŪSAKU― (戦場 ―習作―)


●LOUISE (ルイーズ)

JŪSEI (銃声)
Weekly Manga Action Zōkan (漫画アクション増刊)
8・4 | 1973-VII-20 | 24 pages | B&W

Weekly Manga Action Zōkan(漫画アクション増刊)
10・6 | 1973-IX-21 | 29 pages | B&W

Weekly Managa Action Zōkan (漫画アクション増刊)
11・3 | 1973-X-19 | 29 pages | B&W

Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画アクション)
11・29 | 1973-XI-15 | 26 pages | B&W

Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画アクション )
12・20 | 1973-XII-6 | 22 pages | B&W

Weekly Manga Action Zōkan (漫画アクション増刊)
1・26 | 1974-I-11 | 24 pages | B&W

Weekly Manga Action (週刊漫画アクション)
2・28 | 1974-II-14 | 23 pages | B&W

●ADVERTISEMENT● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS vol.1+5

Advertisements for the upcoming publication of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS Vol.1: JŪSEI and Vol.5: Fire-Ball started to appear in the latest issues of Young Magazine published by Kodansha. 

Here some of the magazines in which the advertisement is printed:

YOUNG MAGAZINE (ヤングマガジン) No.29 | 7・3

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-VI-19
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/3qSHgbX


YOUNG MAGAZINE (ヤングマガジン) No.31 | 7・17

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-VII-3
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/3XZOibs


YOUNG MAGAZINE (ヤングマガジン) No.33 | 7・31

MAGAZINE DETAILS:
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-VII-14
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/3XW3AxE

●ANNOUNCEMENT● AKIRA CEL EXHIBITION key visuals

The first two key visuals for the upcoming exhibition AKIRA SERU GATEN (AKIRA セル画展) that will take place in Mixalive TOKYO from August 10 to 31, 2023 have been presented in the official OTOMO ZENSHU twitter and instagram accounts. Both posters will be available for purchase during the event. 

The exhibition will showcase original cels from Katsuhiro Otomo's animation film AKIRA, some of which are being collected in the OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS volumes 23, 24 & 25, volumes related to Animation AKIRA Layouts & Key Frames that are being published by Kodansha this days.  

To learn more visit the exhibition's official website.

●BOOK● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 24: Animation AKIRA Layouts & Key Frames 2


Kodansha has published today the second of three volumes, that collect a huge amount of layouts, original drawings, and  corrections used in the production of the anime version of AKIRA

The layout is a drawing that has the information (such as art setting, background and character movement) of each scene of the film and serves as a blueprint to draw the animation. The animation director, the art director and the director Otomo, were involved in the creation of this layouts. The selected ones included in this book are mostly drawn by Otomo himself. In addition to those original drawings, replicas of the cels and background art that made into the final photography of the film are also collected in this book.

The film AKIRA was divided in four parts during production: A, B C and D. Animation AKIRA Layouts & Key Frames 2 (Volume 24 of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS) collects the material selected by Otomo from his personal collection of parts B (continued from previous volume 23) and the beginning of part C. The next volume 25 will include the rest of the material. 

BOOK DETAILS

Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-V-17
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 710
Size: 248×172mm 
Retail price: ¥7,700
ISBN-10: 4065293561
ISBN-13: 978-4065293560

AVAILABILITY
Amazon US:
Amazon CA:
Amazon UK:
Amazon DE:
Amazon FR:
Amazon IT:
Amazon ES:


●ANNOUNCEMENT● AKIRA CEL EXHIBITION at Mixalive TOKYO

Mixalive TOKYO will hold the first exhibition of original cels from Katsuhiro Otomo's animation film AKIRA to showcase the original artworks that are being collected in the OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS volumes related to AKIRA that have been recently published by Kodansha. AKIRA SERU GATEN (AKIRA セル画展) will take place from August 10 to 31, 2023 in Ikekuburo (池袋), Tokyo. Stay tuned to the official website for more information.

TWEETS by OTOMO (May 9, 2023)

■(Regarding the exhibition taking place in Tokyo) When this project came out, I thought about holding it in the Kansai area. When I told the people in the business department about the plan, they said they didn't understand. Of course, it would be difficult to hold the event anywhere but in Tokyo, so I don't think I had the energy to think about holding it in a rural area.  I was actually thinking about Hakata and Sapporo. We are looking for people who can help us! 

■Bamboo shoots are also welcome.

■I will design one T-shirt for event goods. I would like to create a design that everyone can wear stylishly, rather than focusing on characters.

■When I was looking for the AKIRA layouts, a lot of cels came out. They were so beautiful that I wanted everyone to see them. It's just what I kept at home, so I don't have all the cuts but they are 40 years old, so I think they are valuable.

●BOOKLET● ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO ZENSHŪ KAISETSU 8 DŌMU (大友克洋全集解説8童夢)

Independent Katsuhiro Otomo researcher and archivist Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也), who in 1999 started the website Apple Paradise: Otomo Katsuhiro Data Base has published the first of a series of booklets to accompany the KATSUHIRO OTOMO COMPLETE WORKS collection that is currently published by Kodansha. This COMMENTARY SERIES booklets scheduled to be produced for all volumes will include commentaries regarding each volume and as they have the same size as the books that will accompany, they will work  perfectly as dividers since they  prevent vinyl covers from sticking to each other.

As stated by the author, for the first booklet ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO ZENSHŪ KAISETSU 8 DŌMU (大友克洋全集解説8童夢), the personal impressions were eliminated, speculations and considerations were minimized, and the text was built from interviews and articles and direct interviews with the people involved in the creation of the manga DŌMU (童夢)An English language version is on the works.

The booklet was sold for the first time today in COMITIA 144 (コミティア144) in the stand O 08a ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO KENKYŪ (お08a大友克洋研究)You can follow and contact Jun'ya Suzuki on Instagram and Twitter.


BOOKLET DETAILS

Author: Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也)
Release date: 2023-V-5
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 24
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥800

●ANNOUNCEMENT● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS update


OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS Vol. 24: ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEY FRAMES 2  is beeing printed and bounded and is due to be published on may 17, 2023.

TWEETS by OTOMO (April 21~27, 2023)

■(Regarding the arrest for fraud of a man age 33, named exactly Katsuhiro Otomo) About three or four years ago, someone with the same surname was arrested. What about last name judgment? Criminal or cartoonist?

■I thought that a scam group had deceived me with "I sell Katsuhiro Otomo's autograph". This is not fraud.

When I told them this information, I laughed out loud and thought, "I wonder if it's a common thing," and it became a simple comment. No crime, no matter the name.

Animation AKIRA Layouts & Key Frames 2  has arrived. Thick! And it's hot!! ︎ The release is a little ahead, but there is no book like this in the world!

I've been thinking about a book with this specifications for a long time, but I don't think any publisher would put out a book like this. I think I was able to do it because it was in the complete series. Now it's your turn. 

■(Regarding who makes a profit out of this book) No one is making money. I published this book for those who have been waiting for it 

●ADVERTISEMENT+ANNOUNCEMENT● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS vol.24

Advertisements for the upcoming publication of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS Vol. 24: ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEY FRAMES 2  started to appear in the latest issues of various magazines published by Kodansha. Nevertheless, the official tweeter account @Otomo_Zenshu has just informed that the publication date of the upcoming volume 24 will be postponed from April 3rd to around May 17th due to a accident during the production process of the book.

Here a list of the magazines in which the advertisement of Vol. 24 is printed:

YOUNG MAGAZINE (ヤングマガジン) No.15 | 3・27

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-III-13
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/40rvGBp


YOUNG MAGAZINE  (ヤングマガジン) No.16 | 4・3

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-III-20
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/42IOX2S



MONTHLY SHONEN SIRIUS (月刊少年シリウス) No.5

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-III-25
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 736
Size: 25.7 x 17.9 x 3 cm
Retail price: ¥780

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/42LUfKL


YOUNG MAGAZINE (ヤングマガジン) No.18 | 4・17

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-IV-3
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:

The official @Otomo_zenshu twitter account
apologized with regards of the announcement
made in this Young Magazine No.18 stating that
Otomo Complete Works Vol.24 is now on sale.
Due to the production progress of Young Magazine,
the postponed release date of Vol.24, set to around
May 17, 2023, couldn't be inserted in the printed ad.

YOUNG MAGAZINE  (ヤングマガジン) No.19 | 4・24

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-IV-10
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/3L1MCJx

The ad was updated with Vol.24's new release date
and an apology note was included.


YOUNG MAGAZINE  (ヤングマガジン) No.20 | 5・1

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-IV-17
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/43LuvyC


YOUNG MAGAZINE  (ヤングマガジン) No.28 | 6・26

MAGAZINE DETAILS: 
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2023-VI-12
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 25.8x18 cm
Retail price: ¥480

AVAILABILITY:
Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/40SScUT


●SIGNATURE● CINE WIND

Katsuhiro Otomo attended  the 1st NIIGATA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL (第1回新潟国際アニメーション映画祭) where a retrospective of some of his animations works is taking place and where the film NEZUMIKOZO JIROKICHI (鼠小僧次郎吉) in which he collaborated was premiered.

TWEETS by OTOMO (March 13~21, 2023)

■I'm going to the Niigata International Animation Film Festival. I am looking forward to going to Niigata for the first time. Please tell me something delicious

■(After some delicious culinary recommendations) Thank you. I want to go to Miyoshi.

■(After even more recommendations) I also like B-class gourmet, so it's okay.

■Niigata Miyoshiya's Chinese soba has arrived! Thank you to everyone who introduced us!! ︎

■I'm walking through the town of Niigata right now 

■(After a recommendation: A bar called Camarado (カマラード) in Furumachi (古町)). I visited the bar you introduced. On the way, director Kitakubo notices... is it safe? I was able to enter the bar!

■I finished all my plans for Niigata and am on the Shinkansen. Thank you to everyone who came to the venue. I'm sorry if you didn't receive your sticker.

■(After a compliment about not getting old) As you can see, I'm old.