• +

●SIGNATURE● AKIRA CEL EXHIBITION Message Wall

Katsuhiro Otomo did this signature auto-portrait in the AKIRA CEL EXHIBITION Message Wall that opened its doors today.


Ad by AA&NN Ltd.

●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
Ad by AA&NN Ltd.

●MANGA● ZENSHŪ-KUN GA IKU (全集くんが行く) part 5

 

ZENSHŪ-KUN GA IKU (全集くんが行く) part 5
Published in otomo-complete website
2023-VIII-9 | 1 strip | B&W

Read the 4 panel manga strip here: 
Ad by AA&NN Ltd.

●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Among the collected works in this book, the first four are completely unpublished stories, studies and contributions drawn before Otomo's professional debut in 1973, at the young age of 19 with JŪSEI (銃声) published in August 4th issue of 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)
Publication date: 2023-VII-19
Release date: 2023-VII-21
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 320
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥3,190
ISBN-10: 4065273153
ISBN-13: 978-4065273159

AVAILABILITY
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/4eCAoT0
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.

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

●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)
Publication date: 2023-VII-19
Release date: 2023-VII-21
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 310
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥3,190
ISBN-10:4065273137
ISBN-13:978-4065273135

AVAILABILITY
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3OdFB9a
※We earn a commission from your purchases through these links.

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

●KATSUDON (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

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

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

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

●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)
Publication date: 2023-III-30
Release date: 2023-V-17
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 712
Size: 248×172mm 
Retail price: ¥7,700
ISBN-10: 4065293561
ISBN-13: 978-4065293560

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


●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 O08a ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO KENKYŪ (お08a大友克洋研究). You can follow and contact Jun'ya Suzuki on Instagram and Twitter to get the book.

BOOKLET DETAILS
Author: Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也)
Release date: 2023-V-5
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 26
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥800


OTHER EDITIONS
ŌTOMO KATSUHIRO ZENSHŪ KAISETSU ⑧ DŌMU (大友克洋全集解説⑧童夢)
Expanded and Revised Edition (増補改訂版)
BOOKLET DETAILS
Author: Jun'ya Suzuki (鈴木淳也)
Release date: 2024-VIII-18
Language: Japanese
Number of pages: 34
Size: 248 x 172mm 
Retail price: ¥1,200

AVAILABILITY:
Shosen Grande (書泉グランデ) Bookstore: 
Fukkan.com (復刊ドットコム):
Kosho Bi Bi Bi (古書ビビビ) Bookstore 
Togetsuya (兎月屋書店) Bookstore

●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
※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.


●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.

●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
Mami Koyama (小山 茉美)
Michitake Kikuchi (菊池 通武)
Takahiro Sumi (鷲見 昂大)
Yuuki Hoshi (星 祐樹)

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)

Editing:
Kazuhiro Nii (新居 和弘)

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

●SIGNATURE● KABA 2 signature


Signature in the back cover of KABA 2 book.

●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: 
※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. 

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)