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●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 

Ad by AA&NN Ltd.

●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
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.


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
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.



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
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.


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:
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.

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
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.

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
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.


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
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.


Ad by AA&NN Ltd.

●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.
Ad by AA&NN Ltd.

●SIGNATURE● KABA 2 signature


Signature in the back cover of KABA 2 book.

●ANIMATION FILM● NEZUMIKOZO JIROKICHI (鼠小僧次郎吉)

Today it was premiered at the 1st NIIGATA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL (第1回新潟国際アニメーション映画祭) in Niigata Civic Plaza (新潟市民プラザ), the latest project by  director Rintaro (りんたろう), titled NEZUMIKOZO JIROKICHI (鼠小僧次郎吉), a 25 minute long animated manga-movie tribute to Sadao Yamanaka (山中貞雄) a Japanese film director and screenwriter who directed 26 films between 1932 and 1938. Katsuhiro Otomo was involved as the character designer in the film.

INTRODUCTION

During the early days of Japanese cinema, spanning from the silent film era to the early days of talkies, director Sadao Yamanaka (山中 貞雄) rose to prominence before his untimely death at a young age. One of the works he left behind, NEZUMIKOZŌ JIROKICHI - EDO NO MAKI (鼠小僧次郎吉-江戸の巻) [The Life of Jirokichi the Rat – Edo Chapter], has now been reimagined as a silent animation by Rintaro, the renowned Japanese animation director known for GINGA TETSUDŌ 999 (銀河鉄道９９９) and GENMA TAISEN (幻魔大戦).

This unprecedented and unique visual project is supported by an impressive lineup: character design by Katsuhiro Otomo, celebrated worldwide for Domu and AKIRA, and Yoshinori Kanemori (兼森 義則), known for Yawara! and PLUTO. The music is composed by saxophonist and composer Toshiyuki Honda (本多 俊之), while the role of the benshi (silent film narrator) is performed by Mami Koyama (小山 茉美), the voice actress famous for her role as Arale Norimaki in Dr. Slump.

This marks the birth of a bold new challenge in animation.


STORY

When the eight hundred and eight districts of Edo are cloaked in the darkness of night, a certain figure stirs in the attic shadows. You know him well—the chivalrous thief Jirokichi the Rat, who steals from the wealthy and shares his bounty with the poor townsfolk.

In the bustling city lives Osuzu, a commoner who, after losing her husband, struggles through harsh days with her young child. But her hardships do not go unnoticed; Bonji Angorō and Chōgorō, schemers with their own agendas, aim to use her to unmask the true identity of Jirokichi.

And then there’s Kan’emon, a seasoned and intuitive police officer hailed as a master detective. His motto: “Hate the sin, not the sinner.”

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Edo, this poignant human drama unfolds—a tale of sorrow, hope and connection.


RINTARO'S COMMENTS
[Long, Long Ago]
With a long jaw, unkempt beard, a hand towel wrapped around his head, and thin geta sandals on his feet, film director Sadao Yamanaka made a striking figure as he raced through Japan’s silent and early talkie film eras, passing away at the young age of 29. I first came to know his name while working on the TV anime adaptation of Shotaro Ishinomori’s Sabu and Ichi’s Detective Tales.

As it was the first period drama anime, director Teiji Matsuda, who had been active since the silent era, supervised the post-recording sessions. Matsuda told me about the brilliance of Sadao Yamanaka, but years passed without me having a chance to watch any of his works. Then, one day, I encountered Yamanaka’s Humanity and Paper Balloons at a theater called Namiki-za, tucked away in the basement of a small building in Ginza.

The entire film was suffused with an oppressive sense of tragedy that weighed heavily on the viewer. I still vividly remember leaving the theater deeply moved, particularly by the ephemeral final scene, where a paper balloon—a symbolic motif—drifts softly down a gutter in a dimly lit alley.

Later, with the release of VHS and DVDs, I was able to watch Tange Sazen and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo and Kōchiyama Sōshun. I was in awe of Yamanaka’s skillful and modern touch in Tange Sazen, where he succinctly captured the story with lighthearted sophistication. Meanwhile, Kōchiyama Sōshun showcased his meticulous craftsmanship, modern cinematic style, and remarkable ability to shape characters, leaving me completely captivated.

When I learned about another side of Yamanaka—how he would draw flipbook animations or caricatures in the margins of his notebooks—and how his friends affectionately called him “Long, Long Ago” because of his long jaw, I grew even fonder of him as a person.

This short animated film we’ve created is a modest homage from our team to the late director Sadao Yamanaka. It is based on The Life of Jirokichi the Rat – Edo Chapter, a script he wrote. Yamanaka once wrote in a wartime journal, “It’s a bit sad if Humanity and Paper Balloons remains my final work.” If we could present this new work to him, even if just a little, it would make us happy.


MAIN CREDITS
CAST
Benshi:
Mami Koyama (小山 茉美)

STAFF
Screenplay:
Sadao Yamanaka  (山中 貞雄) 

Original story: 
Based on  Jirō Osaragi's (大佛 次郎)
"Nezumikozo Jirokichi Edo no Maki"

Director and Adaptation:
Rintaro (りんたろう)

Character design: 
Katsuhiro Otomo (大友克洋)
Yoshinori Kanemori (兼森 義則)

Music:
Toshiyuki Honda (本多 俊之)

Producers:
Masao Maruyama (丸山 正雄)
Taro Maki (真木 太郎)
Emmanuel-Alain Raynal
Pierre Baussaron

Animation production:

Production:
Miyu Productions

Japan-France co-production / 2023 / 23 min

●ILLUSTRATION+INTERVIEW● TŌKYŌ “HEN'AI”-RON


Katsuhiro Otomo drew the cover illustration for the new edition of the book TŌKYŌ “HEN'AI”-RON ANATA GA SHIRANAI TŌKYŌ NO MIRYOKU O KATARU (東京“偏愛”論　あなたが知らない東京の魅力を語る) edited by Hisao Taki (滝久雄) for which Otomo was also interviewed.

INTRODUCTION
Kengo Kuma (隈 研吾), a world-famous architect, Katsuhiro Otomo, author and manga artist of AKIRA who has enthusiastic fans all over the world, and Katsuhiko Hibino (日比野克彦), president of Tokyo University of the Arts and contemporary artist, present their unique perspectives on "the charm of Tokyo", and talk about “places to be favored”. The interviewer is Hirokazu Yanase (柳瀬博一), professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology.

"Tokyo is full of strange people. It was so funny I couldn't help it."- Otomo

TABLE OF CONTENTS
■INTRODUCTION: Let's love Tokyo one-sidedly
■CHAPTER 1: Let's talk about our 'favorite' Tokyo Round-table discussion
■CHAPTER 2: The charm of Tokyo is buried in inconspicuous places Kengo Kuma's "Partial Tokyo''
■CHAPTER 3: If you live in Tokyo, you can live freely in anonymity Katsuhiro Otomo's "Partial Tokyo"
■CHAPTER4: Hachioji, Shibuya, Roppongi, Ueno - Every day is interesting Katsuhiko Hibino's "Partial Tokyo"
■CHAPTER 5: It seems that the source of our "favoriteness" lies in something different from the stereotype.
■CHAPTER 6: You can't talk about Tokyo without 'Railway', 'Topography' and 'Food' Hisao Taki's 'Partial Tokyo'


BOOK DETAILS
Publisher: Nikkei Publishing (日経BP)
Release date: 2022-III-18
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 192
Size: 188 x 128 mm
Retail price: ¥1,760
ISBN-10: 4296115707
ISBN-13: 978-4296115709





AVAILABILITY
Amazon US: 
Amazon CA: 
Amazon UK: 
Amazon DE: 
Amazon FR: 
Amazon IT: 
Amazon ES:
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.

●ILLUSTRATION● ADIDAS CONSORTIUM × KASINA × THE MASTER; WITH FRIENDS

South Korean boutique KASINA will held a special exhibition to honor the life and legacy of the late artist Kim Jung Gi and commemorate his collaboration with the sporting brand ADIDAS. From Japan, Takashi Murakami (村上 隆) , Katsuya Terada (寺田 克也) , Yasuhiro Naito (内藤 泰弘) and Katsuhiro Otomo provided each a pair of yellow Adidas Campus 80s shoes decorated by hand.

Official website: https://www.kasina.co.kr


<<EXHIBITION>> THE MASTER; WITH FRIENDS
2023. 03. 10 (Fri) - 2023. 03. 19 (Sun)
11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Casina Hannam, 4th floor, 266 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Admission to the exhibition is free of charge regardless of product purchase

PARTICIPATING FRIENDS
Junggi Kim, Takashi Murakami, Katsuhio Otomo, Karl Kopinski, Miss. Jisu, Dong Ho Kim, Viktor Kalvachev, uniquelab, Yasuhio Nightow, Terada Katsuya, Nicolas Nemiri, Jaekwang Park, Zipcy, Hans Olo, James Jean, Jin Kim, Andy Park, Jim Lee, Danny Kim

●ANNOUNCEMENT● NEZUMIKOZO JIROKICHI (鼠小僧次郎吉)

Long time Otomo friend and collaborator director Rintaro (りんたろう) will debut his latest work in 14 years, titled NEZUMIKOZO JIROKICHI (鼠小僧次郎吉), a 25 minute long animated manga-movie tribute to Sadao Yamanaka (山中貞雄) a Japanese film director and screenwriter who directed 26 films between 1932 and 1938. Katsuhiro Otomo was involved as the character designer in the film.

The premiere will take place on march 20, 2023 at the 1st NIIGATA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL (第1回新潟国際アニメーション映画祭) in Niigata Civic Plaza (新潟市民プラザ). The festival will take place from March 17 to 22 and tickets are already on sale in the festival's website. 

In addition to this and many other animated works the festival will pay tribute to Otomo's filmmaker career presenting a retrospective of his works.

SCHEDULED FILMS
Cine Wind / March 18 / 10:00 am
Cine Wind / March 20 / 12:15 pm

■AKIRA (Digitally Remastered Edition)
Cine Wind / March 18 / 12:40 pm
Cine Wind / March 20 / 3:00 pm

Cine Wind / March 19 / 10:00 am
Cine Wind / March 21 / 4:40 pm

Cine Wind / March 19 / 12:15 pm
Cine Wind / March 21 / 10:00 am

Cine Wind / March 19 / 4:40 pm
Cine Wind / March 21 / 7:00 pm

Cine Wind / March 19 / 7:00 pm
Cine Wind / March 20 / 5:30 pm

■ROUJIN Z (老人Z) + GUNDAM: Mission to the Rise + ROBOT CARNIVAL (ロボットカーニバル) OP･ED + DŌMU pilot (童夢パイロット版）
Cine Wind / March 20 / 10:00 am
Cine Wind / March 21 / 12:40 pm

Niigata Citizen Plaza / March 20 / 12:00 pm

●ANNOUNCEMENT● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS update


The next release of THE COMPLETE WORKS will consist in just one book: OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS Vol. 24: ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEY FRAMES 2.  due to be published in April 3, 2023. This book will be the second of three books that collects layouts, modified original drawings, and original drawings made by Katsuhiro Otomo for the movie AKIRA, selected by him from his personal collection.

Available in Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/3m2E9vw

There has also been announced  in OTOMO-COMPLETE official website that the deadline for applying for the benefits of the first period (11 volumes in total) is scheduled for the end of the month, three months after the publication date of the final batch of the first period. The T-shirt that will be gifted to everyone submitting the 11 proofs of purchase will be announced soon.

TWEETS by OTOMO (Feb 5, 2023)
■(Regarding the name of the last book of the final batch) JŪSEI (銃声)? I don't want to sell it.

■(Regarding the design of the bonus T-shirt) I haven't finished it yet. But everyone is looking forward to it, so I will do my best. I'm also confused about sizing. I'm thinking of M, L, XL, but would it be better to have S as well?

■ The body of the T-shirt is white.

■ Please put it on, relax, and use it as a waste cloth. That's the right life of a T-shirt. Don't try to make money by reselling.

●ANNOUNCEMENT● HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2023

OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS season 2 starts in 2023! The upcoming books will include volume 1 and 5 collecting short manga stories and the second and third part that comprehend the continuation of volume 23: Animation AKIRA Layouts and Key Frames vol.1


TWEETS by OTOMO (December 31, 2022)
■Thank you very much for all your help this year. It took some time, but I'm really happy that I was able to publish the layout collection at the end of this year. It was a book that had never existed before, so it was difficult to get a lot of people to understand it. But please look forward to the second and third layout collections coming out next year, which will be even more powerful.

■(On the price of the books) Sorry it's a little pricey though. It's not my fault.

■(Regarding the publication of his first published work JŪSEI (銃声) in volume 1) The proof print is already out.

■Next year, there will be things that you have never seen before. This is Complete Works.

■All pages of MACCHI URO NO SHŌJO (マッチ売りの少女)  that I drew in my second year of high school will also be included.

■(Regarding the inclusion of SHIN'YŪ (親友), in the first volume) Of course. Moreover, it is beautiful because it was scanned from the original manuscript. But it's an old work, so take it easy...

■(On the inclusion of SOGEKI (狙撃), one of Otomo's first submissions to a magazine) Since it was a submitted work, the manuscript has not been returned. 

■The first volume of the complete collection includes MACCHI URO NO SHŌJO (マッチ売りの少女) , JŪSEI (銃声), SHIN'YŪ (親友), and others. DŌMU is volume 8 and AKIRA Layout Collection 1 is volume 23. This is "Complete Works". I don't know how many volumes there will be in total, but please look forward to it.

■(Regarding the inclusion of unfinished works such as APPLE PARADISE) Of course! It's not over yet.

■(On collecting all the volumes and submitting the proofs of purchase) Thank you. I would like to give everyone who collects all of them something wonderful, but it may change depending on the total number of entries, so nothing has been decided specifically.

■Thank you all for your many comments. After this, I have to eat New Year's Eve soba, so I'll continue next year!! Thank you for another year.

●BOOK● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 23: Animation AKIRA Layouts & Key Frames 1


This is the first 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 1 (volume 23 of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS) collects the material selected by Otomo from his personal collection of parts A and B. The subsequent volumes 24 and 25 will include the rest of the material. 

BOOK DETAILS
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Publication date: 2022-XI-30
Release date: 2022-XII-2
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 650
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥7,700
ISBN-10: 4065286972
ISBN-13: 978-4065286975

AVAILABILITY
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.


●MANGA● ZENSHŪ-KUN GA IKU (全集くんが行く) part 4

ZENSHŪ-KUN GA IKU (全集くんが行く) part 4
Published in otomo-complete website
2022-XII-1 | 1 strip | B&W

Read the 4 panel manga strip here: 

●MANGA● ZENSHŪ-KUN GA IKU (全集くんが行く) part 3

ZENSHŪ-KUN GA IKU (全集くんが行く) part 3

Published in otomo-complete website
2022-XI-23 | 1 strip | B&W

Read the 4 panel manga strip here: 
http://otomo-complete.com/news/details/2022-11-23.html

TWITTER Q&A by OTOMO (November 23, 2022)
■Thank you for reading such bubble comics

■(Regarding a reservation made in Otomo's birthplace (登米市) Tome City ) Where? Kōbundō (光文堂) where I used to buy comics? But it's Aeon (イオン), right?

■It's sad that Sako (佐高) school building is going to be rebuilt. But in Shotaro Ishimori's (石森章太郎) time it was a wooden school building.

■(Regarding if he is the one riding the bike) Of course. I am the one running from Inagi Ohashi (稲城大橋) towards Hino Bridge (日野橋)

●ANNOUNCEMENT● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS update

Starting today, bookstores in Japan have set up a trial reading booklets for OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS Vol.23: ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEYFRAMES 1. This booklet is for bookstore placement only and it will not be sold. In it, Otomo drew an introductory instructions on how to read the 650 page book that will be released at the end of the month with a retail price of ¥7,700.

Otomo's instructions
① The animation cuts are layered in order from the bottom
② Check the movement by dropping from cell 1 to 2, 3, 4, 5, and so on
③ This book has a page structure that reproduces it. Lay the body down first
④ From the bottom page, Please take a look while dropping only the odd-numbered pages.
⑤ After reading up to page 1, please turn the book over so that the back cover is facing up.
⑥ Page down, please enjoy the even-numbered pages in order from page 2.

BOOKLET DETAILS
Publisher: Kodansha (講談社)
Release date: 2022-XI-10
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: -
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: Not for Sale







■Vol.23: ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEY FRAMES 1 will be the first of three books that collects layouts, modified original drawings, and original drawings made by Katsuhiro Otomo for the movie AKIRA, selected by him from his personal collection.

Available in Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/3WV7PJ4


TWEETS by OTOMO (November 10, 2022)
■Printing and binding of this book is troublesome, so it will take time to reprint. We recommend that you make a reservation early. 

■(Regarding hands cramped flipping the pages) Of course they cramp. In such a case, stretch the cramped fingers with your left hand.

■(Regarding his latest illustration) The real new work is Zenshu-kun. I am drawing it right now. 

■I had never had a book like this before, so it was hard to get the publisher to understand. I wanted to reproduce the number of pages and the colored pencils that were instructed, so I used full color. There are various things and it has become expensive.

■Since it is basically a collection of layouts, timesheets are not included. It's like this. 

■(Regarding the stuffed bear toy scene) Hirotsugu Kawasaki (川崎博嗣) carefully drew the original drawings, so the finish was the best. It was a little dark. 

●ANNOUNCEMENT● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS update


It has been announced  in OTOMO-COMPLETE official website that the fourth batch of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS will only consist in Volume 23 ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEYFRAMES 1 and the previously announced Volume 5 FIRE-BALL will be published in the near future. The increase in the number of pages of the Vol.23, its full-color printing, and the large amount of cels included in it, have increased the price of the book to ¥7,700  and despite Otomo's efforts to try to convince Kodansha's sales department, they have finally decided that Vol.23 will be released by itself, scheduled to be published on November 30th. Reservations at each bookstore are scheduled to start tomorrow.

■Vol.23: ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEY FRAMES 1. This will be the first of three books that collects layouts, modified original drawings, and original drawings made by Katsuhiro Otomo for the movie AKIRA, selected by him from his personal collection.

Available in Amazon Japan: https://amzn.to/3WV7PJ4

Despite the delays on the publication dates of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS, the number of volumes to be released in the first season hasn't change and will still consist on 11 volumes. Stay tuned to @otomo_zenshu official twitter account where Otomo himself answers questions of fans from time to time.

TWEETS by OTOMO (October 11, 2022)
■Volume 23 ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEYFRAMES 1 is the highlight of the first season. I have carefully selected the layouts that I currently have in my possession, and also include cels that I had on hand. This is the first and last time that AKIRA layouts will be published in a book. Please don't make a T-shirt out of the pictures in this book.

■It's a gorgeous book, so I wanted to increase the number of copies and make it cheaper, but Kodansha's sales department wouldn't listen to me. 

■I'm thinking of a sales method that won't cause tears for local people and those who can't buy it even if they line up locally. Let's eradicate resellers.

■We make T-shirts and hoodies, but what else would you like? 

■Masking tape is OK! 


TWEETS by OTOMO (August 28~30, 2022)
■(Regarding comics he read recently) CHAOS GAME (カオスゲーム) serialized in Afternoon Magazine. I'm hoping that it won't be a boring manga that continues forever. 

■(Regarding if he considers a sequel to AKIRA) No.

■(On his favorite drink and how to drink it) It's actually Japanese sake, but I can't drink it for health reasons. Warm it up and have a cup of oden.

■(Regarding his favorite Moebius work) Le Garage Hermétique de Jerry Cornelius

■(On his favorite music this days) It's 'Imploding the Mirage' by The Killers. I bought the jacket, and the songs were good.

■(On his favorite watch) It's an IWC Portugieser. 

■(On how to make thin lines with a G-pen) Try with a round pen. 

■ (Regarding his opinion on studying in a university) School doesn't teach you anything. What I want to learn is written in a book somewhere, so I buy it at a bookstore.

■(On the recent passing of film director Takashi Ishii (石井隆)) I think he was a senior in many ways in my life. RIP. 

■(Regarding if he eats sweets while working) I buy sugar-free chocolates next to Seiyu's cash register.

■(On his favorite French movie) Philippe de Broca's LES CAPRICES DE MARIE. 

■(On his favorite oden ingredients) Shirataki and Gummo. And soup.

■(Regarding the use he gives to the pen holder Jean Giraud 'Moebius' gave to him) This is not allowed. I have kept it safe.

■(Regarding a YouTube channel that he regularly watches) "Elden Ring Yuneko Channel". This Kansai dialect is healing.

■(A recommended curry shop) COCO Ichi's spicy curry. 

■(On how to draw in a way that conveys to others) Take a step back and try to draw things. 

■(regarding the release of AKIRA official merchandise) When I put out something official, the offers come one after another, and is tiresome.

■(On manga artist that are amazing or frustrating) There are many.

■(On how he discovered Moebius' work) I think it was in the Japanese version of Starlog magazine.

●SIGNATURE● R.I.P. Kim Jung Gi

Katsuhiro Otomo shared in his OYAJISHU Twitter account a sketch remembering the late Kim Jung Gi (김정기) who passed away suddenly at the age of 47 last October 3. Otomo's eulogy reads like this:

Every time we met,
Kim was always smiling.
Katsuhiro Otomo

●ANNOUNCEMENT● OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS update


The fourth batch of OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS that was announced as Vol.20: ANIMATION AKIRA and Vol.25: SCRIPTS, due to be released last July 20 was delayed and some changes in the upcoming releases have been announced in OTOMO-COMPLETE official website.

The newly announced fourth batch will consist on:

■Vol.23: ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUTS AND KEY FRAMES 1. This will be the first of three books that collects layouts, modified original drawings, and original drawings made by Katsuhiro Otomo for the movie AKIRA, selected by him from his personal collection.

■Vol.5: FIRE-BALL. It will collect Otomo's short manga stories originally published during the years 1978 and 1979.

Due to the change in the release date, subsequent publications previously announced will be postponed. Stay updated in the @otomo_zenshu official twitter account where Otomo himself answers questions of fans from time to time.

TWEETS by OTOMO (August 6, 2022)
■(Regarding the inclusion of the timesheet in the upcoming ANIMATION AKIRA book) It doesn't come with a sheet, but you can flip it around.

■(On the upcoming Vol.23 ANIMATION AKIRA LAYOUT & KEY FRAMES book release) The highlight of the first season is this. I haven't seen anyone other than the staff yet.

■Basically, Kaneda and Tetsuo's corrections are made by Takashi Nakamura, the animation director. I did Colonel, Doctor and Kiyoko. The corrections are like that, but I drew anything in the layout.

■Usually, the director doesn't do the correction work. It means that if everyone didn't do something, it wouldn't have ended. 

■(Regarding drawing a manga in the future) Actually, I'm drawing it, and it may be posted somewhere in a little while. Cartoons are hard.

■(Favorite Japanese singer/band) Hiroshi Moriya, Junichi Inagaki, Eiichi Otaki, Morio Agata, Miyuki Hatakeyama, Megumi Hanare...there are many, but I've listed the names that come to mind right now.

■(Books or manga recomendations) I bought Kido Okamoto's (岡本綺堂) OZUMI NO REI (お住の霊). I've read this book many times and it's still fun to read. It's all a true story.

■(On SOL being based on a razor) At that time, I used things around my desk as the source material for the design. Even the ink bottle was going to be a robot.

■(The most memorable place) The rice field in the countryside where I lived when I was a child. When the water was drawn in spring, the sky was reflected and it was very beautiful. It looked like it was flying through the air. 

■ (Favorite miso soup ingredient) I like eggplant and tofu. It's nice to have fried tofu.

■(Regarding the appearance of Kosuke Kawamura on the TV program Jonetsu Tairiku (情熱大陸))I saw it. He said he would treat me when he became famous, but I wonder what happened………………

■(Favorite yogurth flavor) I don't eat yogurt much, but if I had to say it, it would be blueberries.


TWEETS by OTOMO (August 8~11, 2022)
■(On the influences of DŌMU) I liked De Palma back then. Dōmu is also influenced by Carrie.

■(Regarding his Favorite Summer song) Natsu no Klaxon (夏のクラクション)  by Junichi Inagaki (稲垣潤一). 

■(Regarding the best meal he eat recently) Ginger soba from Sasaki Mendokoro in Nishiogi. It was the best first half of the year. 

■(On his actual audio system) TRIODE released a CD player, so I think I'll buy one. Aren't vacuum tubes good? 

■(On his favorite recent movie) I haven't seen a movie recently, so it's a little while ago, but it's Suburra.

■(Regarding a sequel to Uchuu Patrol Shigema) There is no sequel because it is a gag of the time. Shigemasa works at Jusco in Sendai. 

■(On his favorite bike) Specialized and Shimano Dura-Ace electric derailleur. Not disc brakes. But I can't ride due to corona and intense heat. (Otomo)

■(regarding the size of AKIRA books) The manuscript is reduced in size to the magazine publication size. I draw with that in mind, but the manga tankōbon books are too small. In order to convey the world I drew to the reader, it had to be that size. 

■(On his favorite Rokugo story) There are a lot of Rokugo, so I can't narrow it down. But I like Shinsei the most. It's the best when the person is living the Rokugo, not the story. 

■(On his favorite work of Kurosawa, Kubrick and Tezuka) "Seven Samurai", "Barry Lyndon", and "Astro Boy" from 1955.

■(Regarding his favorite flavor from his hometown) Haha. In the Kanto region, it is called Suiton.

■(Favorite Techno DJ or artist) Justice Robertson.

■(Regarding the bike on the Grand Seiko ad) It is a full campa delta brake. 

■(Regarding the age at what he was able to make a living with manga alone) I think I was around 24 or 25, since it was around the time when the book HIGHWAY STAR came out.

■(Regarding the most difficult chapters or illustrations he has work on) The spread of the collapse of the Neo-Tokyo Building in Volume 3 of AKIRA was really hard, and I didn't make it in time for the deadline. 

■(Favorite motto) "Every day is an excuse". It's a copycat of photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto (杉本博司).

■(On recent hobbies) It's not a hobby, but maybe it's about understanding tube audio. 

■(Regarding the status of the new AKIRA animation project) I would like to know too.

●ILLUSTRATION● POSTER for EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH


Director and choreographer Shintaro Hirahara (平原慎太郎) offered Katsuhiro Otomo to illustrate the poster of the avant-garde opera "Einstein on the Beach", in which minimal music master Philip Glass and director Robert Wilson attempted to interpret the scientist Albert Einstein poetically back in 1976.


OTOMO'S COMMENTS
Why did you get the offer?
The image came from the title "Einstein on the Beach".
I wanted to paint a picture of the sea.

In producing the illustration
It was hard because it was my first painting in a long time.

CREDITS
Einstein On The Beach (Abridged Version)
An Opera by Robert Wilson and Philip Glass
© 1976 Dunvagen Music Publishers Inc.

Music:
Philip Glass

Lines:
Christopher Knowles
Samuel Johnson
Lucinda Childs

Translation:
Konosu Yukiko (鴻巣友季子)

Composition:
1975-1976

Premiere:
July 25, 1976
Avignon Theater Festival (France)

Japanese premiere:
October 18, 1992

TRAILER

●EXHIBITION● AKIRA The Architecture of Neo Tokyo



AKIRA: The Architecture of Neo Tokyo exhibition curated by Stefan Riekeles, Managing Director of the Riekeles Gallery and Hiroko Myokam (明貫 紘子) of Eizo Workshop, in collaboration with Nadejda Bartels, Director of Tchoban Foundation, presents 59 original production backgrounds, layout drawings, concept designs and image boards created for Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 animation film AKIRA.

The exhibition includes works by the film's art director Toshiharu Mizutani (水谷 利春) and background artist Katsufumi Hariu (針生 勝文), Norihiro Hiraki (平城 徳浩), Shinji Kimura (木村 真二), Satoshi Kuroda (黒田 聡), Hiromasa Ogura (小倉 宏昌), Hiroshi Ohno (大野広司), Hajime Soga (曽我 元), Tsutomu Uchida (内田 勉) and Takashi Watabe (渡部 隆) who was in charge of layouts.

The exhibition will take place from June 4 to September 4, 2022  in Tchoban Foundation Museum for Architectural Drawing in Berlin, Germany. Admission: 6€ (regular), 4€(reduced)

Follow Stefan Riekele's gallery on Instagram and Twitter

Hiroshi Ohno, Toshiharu Mizutani and Katsufumi Hariu at Studio Fuga, Tokyo, Japan in Dec. 2021. Photo by Yasuyuki Takagi.


Available products
Three high quality solegraphs and posters approved by Katsuhiro Otomo and licensed by Kodansha have been produced for the occasion. Solegraph is the name for Yamada Photo Process’ high-grade ink-jet art prints that tries to approximate the print to the original artwork as close as technically possible. For more information on the scanning and printing process check Riekeles Gallery's Solegraph page.


AKIRA production background, cut no. 1, solegraph
Artist: Toshiharu Mizutani (水谷 利春)
Edition of 100, numbered and signed by the artist
Print type: solegraph high-grade fine-art print
Paper: Radiant White 270 g/m²
Format: 100 × 70 cm
Artwork size: 92 × 52.5 cm
Price: 1.200€

Availability:




AKIRA production background, cut no. 182, solegraph
Artist: Toshiharu Mizutani (水谷 利春)
Edition of 25 copies, numbered, signed by the artist
Solegraph (high-grade fine-art print)
Format: 84.1 × 59.4 cm (A1)
Artwork: 55.0 × 43.0 cm
Price: 1.200€

Availability:







AKIRA production background, cut no. 207, solegraph
Artist: Hiroshi Ohno (大野広司)
Edition of 25 copies, numbered, signed by the artist
Solegraph (high-grade fine-art print)
Paper: Radiant White 270 g/m²
Format: 70 × 50 cm
Artwork: 42.3 x 36.0 cm
Price: 980€

Availability:


AKIRA production background, cut no. 1, poster
Artist: Toshiharu Mizutani (水谷 利春)
Edition: 1000 copies
Print type: lithograph (offset print)
Paper: Magno Volume 200 g/m²
Format: 70 × 50 cm
Price: 65€

Availability:






AKIRA production background, cut no. 182, poster
Artist: Toshiharu Mizutani (水谷 利春)
Edition: 500 copies
Print type: 7 color offset
Print size: 70 × 50 cm
Price: 65€

Availability:







AKIRA production background, cut no. 207, poster
Artist: Hiroshi Ohno (大野広司)
Edition: 500 copies
Print type: 7 color offset
Print size: 70.7 × 50.0 cm
Price: 65€

Availability:








More background reproduction solegraphs and posters of METROPOLIS for which Otomo wrote the screenplay and other anime productions such as GHOST IN THE SHELL and PATLABOR are available in the Riekeles Gallery store.

BOOKS
All these background illustrations and many more are also collected in the books ANIME ARCHITECTURE published by Thames & Hudson in 2020 and PROTO ANIME CUT ARCHIVE published by Kehrer in 2011. The author of both books is Stefan Riekeles the curator of this exhibition who stablished Riekeles Gallery in 2021 with the mission of offering high-end reproductions of anime artwork.
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