Some surprising local publications

I went to a couple of booksales this weekend and found some cartoon publications with local ties that surprised me.

The New Yorker isn't based here of course, but they do specialty books on demand. Here's a local one that was probably a fund-raising premium for the local public radio and tv station:



The New Yorker Book Of WETA Cartoons
New Yorker Magazine
New York: Cartoon Bank, 2004

The University of Maryland's Terrapin Anime Society (TAS) produced at least 10 issues of this Tsunami fanzine:





This Fandom Directory out of Springfield, VA was a complete surprise to me. The online version lives at FANDATA:



Fandom Directory Number 19 2000-2001 Edition
Hopkins, Harry and Mariane S.
Springfield, VA: FANDATA Publications, 2000

When I finally get all of my local books and comics arranged in one place, it will probably be at least a bookshelf and not the Six Feet of Local Comics I had expected. I bought about eight signed Herblock books this weekend too which will take up most of a shelf by themselves.

Dec 9: Howl's Moving Castle at JICC

A great Miyazaki movie.

ANIMEZING 2011 © Walt Disney Pictures © Swank Motion Pictures, Inc. Friday, December 9th @ 6:30 pm   Mark your calendars!   J-Film Series TBA 12/15@ 6:30 pm   2012 Nengajo Design Contest Commemorating friendship between Japan and the U.S. in the Year of the Dragon Deadline: 12/19      Where: JICC 1150 18th St., NW   Washington, DC 20036   (202) 238-6900  jicc@ws.mofa.go.jp      Directions Add to my calendar     Sophie, a diligent teenage girl working in her family's hat shop, finds her quiet life thrown into chaos when the dashing, mysterious wizard Howl comes into her life. Their friendship quickly catches the ire of the Witch of the Waste, who casts a spell on pretty, young Sophie, transforming her into a ragged old woman. Unrecognizable to her family, friends, and even Howl, Sophie seeks shelter in the magnificent moving castle, hoping to find a way to reverse the witches' spell. There she discovers that she is not the only one dealing with a strange transformation - Howl has a secret of his own.     Hayao Miyazaki, the Japanese animation director who wowed audiences worldwide with his Oscar award-winning film Spirited Away, brings another visually spectacular tale  to life on the big screen. Based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones, the Oscar-nominated Howl's Moving Castle is a flight of fancy for the whole family-transporting audiences to a distant land of dreams and scenes more beautiful than our own.   Japanese with English subtitles. Rated PG. 119 min, 2004. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.   This event is free and open to the public. Please note that seating is limited and registration does not guarantee guests a seat. Registered guests will be seated first. Open seats will be given to guests on standby when the program begins. Register Now!

Embassy of Japan | 1150 18th St., NW | Suite 100 | Washington | DC | 20036

April 2: Anime at Cherry Blossom time in Freer Gallery

FESTIVAL NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL ANIME MARATHON* Saturday, April 2, 11 am|Freer, Meyer Auditorium   The Freer's ninth annual anime marathon is hosted by anime expert Roland Kelts, author of Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the US. It features a Miyazaki kids' classic, a cosplay contest, a Makoto Shinkai feature and sneak preview, and a tribute to the late Satoshi Kon, who visited the marathon in 2007.    This event is cosponsored by Otakorp, Inc., and copresented with the DC Anime Club.

Today at 2pm: Summer Wars anime in Arlington

Today at 2pm, the Artisphere is showing Summer Wars anime movie in Arlington.

Summer Wars anime interview in today's Express

Destruction of Oz: Mamoru Hosoda's anime 'Summer Wars' illustrates the perils of a networked world.
Written by Express contributor Ryan Little
January 14, 2011
http://www.expressnightout.com/content/2011/01/mamoru-hosada-summer-wars.php

Dec 4: DC Anime Club Presents StarBlazers Marathon Press Release

DC Anime Club

Presents

  StarBlazers Marathon

 

On Saturday December 4, 2010 DC Anime Club will be hosting  a Marathon of the Anime classic Star Blazers with special guest voice actress Amy Howard Wilson who is the voice of the character Nova from Star Blazers
at 2:00pm-5:00pm at Martin Luthur King, Jr Memorial Library 901 G St NW Washington, DC 20001 Room A10.

About Star Blazers: Star Blazers is an American animated television series adaptation of the Japanese anime series, Space Battleship Yamato I, II & III ( Uchū Senkan Yamato?). Star Blazers was first broadcast in the United States in 1979. Significantly, it was the first popular English-translated anime that had an over-arching plot and storyline that required the episodes to be shown in order. It dealt with somewhat more mature themes than other productions aimed at the same target audience at the time. As a result, it paved the way for future arc-based, plot-driven anime translations.

About Amy Howard Wilson: Detroit native AMY HOWARD WILSON had the honor of being cast as the voice of Nova (Mori Yuki) in the classic 1970s anime series STAR BLAZERS, Season 1 - The Quest For Iscandar and Season 2 - The Comet Empire. In 1997, after many years of thinking about Star Blazers only as a fond memory, she was delighted to learn that there are fans around the world who still enjoy it. Since 2002, she's been recording and producing audio books; has formed a family friendly, full service audio production company called  studio V.O.I.C..E., and coined a new title CVO (Chief Vocal Officer). Amy recently entered a new joint venture with Writers Exchange E-Publishers - http://www.writers-exchange.com/. Please visit her website - http://www,amysvoices.com/.

 

 

For more information please call (202) 262-2083 visit the DC Anime Club website at http://dcanimeclub.org.

 

 

About DC Anime Club:

DC Anime Club was established in 2003 to introduce and educate people in the Washington, DC area about East Asian culture, through viewing and discussion of Japanese animation (also known as anime) and Japanese comics (manga).

We also work to provide a positive, alternative activity to the youth in the area by exposing them to foreign culture, encouraging artistic expression and creativity, and providing opportunities for participation in community activities and leadership.

DC Anime Club is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. Contributions to DC Anime Club are tax deductible to the extent allowable under the law.

DC Anime Club has been featured in many newspapers and publications .

In addition to our bi-weekly meetings, the club holds an Art Show, a Cosplay Party fundraising event, and anime lectures at local schools . Our club works with the Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan, Smithsonian Freer Gallery and DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival on their anime screenings. Our Marketing Team has helped promote performances for several Japanese bands such as Puffy Ami Yumi, Pine am, The Slants, The Captains and Ayabie.

DC Anime Club was founded by Chris Wanamaker (President), Jules Chang (former Vice President) and Craig Vaughn (Vice President) on Saturday June 5, 2003. We have a strong membership that continues to grow. 

 

 

 

 

 

Japanese anime music band played in DC last night

Well, I missed the Boom Boom Satellites at the 9:30 Club. How about you?

Boom goes the dynamite
By May Wildman
University of Maryland Diamondback October 12, 2010

Satoshi Kon obit in Post, and the New York (Comics) Times

The Post had a little wire story obituary of anime director Satoshi Kon today.* Instead of worry about finding that, read animation historian Charles Solomon's excellent one:

Satoshi Kon dies at 47; Japanese anime director
His boldly original visions and technical sophistication made him one of the
most admired in contemporary animation. Among his films were 'Millennium
Actress,' 'Paprika' and 'Tokyo Godfathers.'
By Charles Solomon, Special to The Los Angeles Times
August 26, 2010

or the NY Times one:

Satoshi Kon, Anime Filmmaker, Dies at 46
By A. O. SCOTT
August 26, 2010

and speaking of the Paper of (Comics) Record, this one in antiques might sneak by people, but an Edward Gorey collection's been donated to Columbia University and pop culture auctioneer Heritage Auctions is coming to Manhattan:

Restoring the Studio of a Meticulous Sculptor
By EVE M. KAHN
August 26, 2010

Finally, Michael Cavna's got a bit on the Baltimore Comic-Con:

BALTIMORE COMIC-CON: Has it become the supreme antidote to San Diego?
By Michael Cavna
Washington Post Comic Riffs blog August 27, 2010

*this one it turns out:

Japanese animated film director Kon dies at 46
By MARI YAMAGUCHI (AP) August 26 2010

Publishers Weekly's Otakon report

Baltimore's Otakon Draws 28,000 Anime, Manga Fans
By Erin Finnegan
Aug 03, 2010

Otakon 2010 in Baltimore this weekend

Their website has all the information. Including a pretty complex schedule.

And here's how they describe it:

About Otakon

Otakon is the convention of the otaku generation: by fans, for fans; and we're back for our 17th year in 2010!

Join thousands of your fellow fans as we descend on Baltimore to celebrate all anime, manga, and all facets of Asian pop culture!

Ever since 1999, we've taken over a sizable chunk of Baltimore's Inner Harbor for a 3-day festival celebrating the pop culture that's brought us everything from Astroboy to Yu-Gi-Oh, from the Seven Samurai to Spirited Away.

Post on The Last Airbender and an interview with the director

This is only online, and it's a very good interview with the director over the 'racial controversy' that's sprung up around the movie adaptation of the cartoon -

Talking with director M. Night Shyamalan about 'Last Airbender,' race and more
By Jen Chaney
Washington Post's Celibritology 2.0 blog July 1, 2010

and here's the paper's review -

It's easy to drift away from 'Last Airbender'
By Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post July 1, 2010: C10

Anime Festival at Freer and Sackler Galleries, Saturday, April 3

Celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival at the Freer and Sackler Galleries, Saturday, April 3 Eighth Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival Anime Marathon Meyer Auditorium, 11 AM - 7 PM Chocolate Underground, 11 AM The 2010 National Cherry Blossom Festival Anime Marathon Cosplay Contest, 1:30 PM Sword of the Stranger, 4 PM Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, 7 PM The Art of the Kimono: Trunk Show and Sale Freer Gallery Shop, 10 PM - 5:30 PM Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony Sackler Gallery, Sublevel 2, 1 & 3 PM "Ideals of Beauty" Text-Message Scavenger Hunt Freer Gallery, 1 - 3 PM Curator-Led Tour of "Cornucopia: Ceramics from Southern Japan" Freer, 1 PM Curbside Cupcakes Delicious cherry-blossom inspired cupcakes will be available for purchase, Freer Courtyard, 1 - 4 PM SAVE THE DATE! Islamic Art for Christian Patrons: The Painted Ceilings of the Cappella Palatina (Palermo, Sicily), circa 1140 Tuesday, April 13, Meyer Auditorium, 7 PM Click here to take our survey! We appreciate your interest in the Freer and Sackler Galleries and hope that you enjoy the exhibitions and programs that we offer. Please take less than five minutes to share more about yourself with us.  find us on flickr                        become a fan                      follow @ FreerSackler

Gazette on Katsucon

Katsucon sets sail for National Harbor
Japanese culture, anime and manga convention moves to Oxon Hill for its 16th celebration
by Joshua Garner
Gazette February 4 2010

Feb 12-14: Katsucon anime and manga festival

16th year at the Gaylord in National Harbor, MD. $50 registration at the door. See http://www.katsucon.org for more information.

Updated - Eden in the comments says "Saturday only is $35, which is reasonable. Sunday is also only $20"

Feb 3: Satoshi Kon's Tokyo Godfathers at JICC

Satoshi Kon's Tokyo Godfathers anime is at the Japan Information and Cultural Center at 1155 21st St, NW at 6:30. Call 202-238-6949 for reservations

More SHOCs - Batmania and Japanese anime in 1966

I went through a couple more fragments of 1966 Detroit Free Press newspapers today.

One of the big stories was apparently the Batman tv show - this illustrated an article on Batmania:


Things don't appear to have changed much in 40 years, do they? It's by Thurston, who also did one of the Odd 'Change comics in yesterday's post.


I'm guessing that DC wasn't paid for this use...


And this wire photo of a Japanese anime character surprised me. I had to go Wikipedia to find out this was Obake no Qtarō (or Oba-Q as in the caption here). From February 28, 1966.

Dec 4: Tezuka Family Weekend at Freer

Tezuka Family Weekend  Friday, Dec. 4 - Sunday, Dec. 6 (click image for details) Kamishibai Performances and Workshops by Yassan Kamishibai ("paper dramas") are a form of performance popularized in Japan in the early twentieth century by traveling performers who bicycled from town to town, dazzling children and adults alike with exciting tales illustrated with colorful pictures. Today Yassan, one of its foremost practitioners, comes to the Freer to celebrate the work and legacy of Osamu Tezuka with a series of performances and workshops. Performances Friday, Dec. 4, 12 & 2 pm Saturday, Dec. 5, 11 am & 1 pm Sunday, Dec. 6, 11 am & 3 pm Films The Fantastic Adventures of Unico Saturday, Dec. 5, 3:45 pm Tezuka on Television Princess Knight Marvellous Melmo The Three-Eyed One Sunday, Dec. 6, 1 pm Family Tours  Friday, Dec. 4, 12:30, 2:30 & 3:30 pm Saturday, Dec. 5, 11:30 am, 1:30 & 2:30 pm Sunday, Dec. 6, 11:30 am, 3:30 & 4:30 pm

Onion interviews Schodt on Tezuka

For the forthcoming set of programs, the Onion talked to Schodt the premier Anglo-speaking manga expert on Tezuka, the 'Walt Disney' of Japan. See The "God of Manga," humanized: Osamu Tezuka scholar Frederik Schodt explains the anime pioneer, by Chelsea Bauch, Onion AV Club November 11, 2009.

Nov 11: Metropolis

Metropolis to be screened at the Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan.

DC Anime Club in collaboration with Japan Information and Culture Center, Embassy of Japan Present screen Metropolis on
Friday November 13, 2009 6:30 pm at Lafayette Center III (Lower Level) 1155 21st Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 as part of inaugural showing for a new film series based on both Anime (Japanese Animation) and Manga ( Japanese Comics).

Kenichi and his detective uncle, Shunsaku Ban, leave Japan to visit Metropolis, in search of the criminal, Dr. Laughton. However, when they finally find Dr. Laughton, Kenichi and Shunsaku find themselves seperated and plunged into the middle of a larger conspiracy. While Shunsaku searches for his nephew and explanations, Kenichi tries to protect Tima (a mysterious young girl), from Duke Red and his adopted son Rock, both of whom have very different reasons for wanting to find her.
This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required.

RSVP to jiccrsvpfall09@embjapan.org.

Seating is limited and granted on a first come, first served basis.

For more information please visit the Japanese Information and Culture Center website at

http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/index.htm or visit the DC Anime Club website at http://dcanimeclub.org.


CONTACT: Chris Wanamaker, (202) 262 2083 president@dcanimeclub.org

Post's Astro Boy review

This was buried in the Weekend section, but at least they reviewed it - "He's caught between two worlds," By Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, October 23, 2009.