Posts Tagged ‘Ohta Shuppan’
With the Toronto Comic Arts Festival coming up, I felt it best to tell the world more about Natsume Ono. She’s been getting much acclaim among manga critics however, the truth of the matter is — the English-speaking world has only grazed half of her works. Natsume Ono still has lots to offer.
There’s more to Natsume Ono than Italian restaurants and kidnappers. In fact, doing this spotlight for Natsume Ono requires a journey for my readers. If you would allow me, I’d like to take you to a journey down to Ono’s lane because knowing her works takes more than just looking at her pictures. You’ve got to immerse yourself and experience her works to understand how Natsume Ono is definitely not simple.
Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy! \o/
I did mention in my spotlight that Nakamura Asumiko has taken a break to recover her health after her hectic work duties. But it seems that she’s back on track and returning to Opera to continue her current work “Sora to Hara.” They’re giving a colored cover for her return as well as a surprise front page feature for her series Sotsugyousei and Doukyuusei. It seems that the girls in Opera are planning something and Fuuko of Hazukashiikedo thinks it’s an illustration album for her Doukyuusei series! (The Opera article doesn’t say much beyond saying that there’s a surprise feature!! Mou! >3<)
I’m quite excited to see that she’s slowly returning to drawing again and I look forward to seeing her continue her other projects.
Happier news still, her series Anata no Tame Nara Doko Made Mo’s drama CD will be on sale on April 28. The detective, Takachiho, will be played by Toriumi Kousuke and the hot swindler, Nanami, will be played by Miki Shinichiro. I am quite amused that MikiShin is still acting in dorama CDs, BL ones at that.
I’m so happy that Asumiko-sensei is back on track and I look forward to see more of her works up soon.
I was reading through my feeds this morning and caught on Manga Erotics F announcement on the sale of Natsume Ono’s Nigeru Otoko. It’s a title that started last year and for the release of its first volume, it seems that they will hold an exhibit for Nigeru Otoko. 18 fabulous illustrations from the comic will be displayed and based on this image, it must be bloody amazing. How I wish I was in Japan right now.
I haven’t read Nigeru Otoko but the story summary says its premise lies on the bear which children never manages to see but never fails to appear. In this context, a girl heads out to a forest to meet a man and encounters this bear. I’m thinking that the story is a take on those fairy tale tropes and I’m mildly curious to see more about it now that I see this fantastic image for the exhibit.
Natsume Ono’s getting popular internationally because of the US publication her works Not Simple, the Gente series, and now House of Five leaves which is nominated for an Eisner. I’m thinking, since this is an Ohta Shuppan title, Vertical might catch it (if it’s good enough). If not, you can bank on Viz to grab a hold of their artist’s work. I do wonder if she’ll also feature this work in Toronto as well. Well, we’ll have to see how it goes~
Ohta Shuppan, publishers of magazine Manga Erotics F has launched their online manga portal called Pocopoco. It’s an interesting website that allows you to preview some of the published Ohta Shuppan Manga titles (mostly from Manga Erotics F) and at the same time read some fantastic one-shots from their authors.
It was launched yesterday and I had almost forgotten about it if not for the announcements over at twitter. Currently, they’re uploading previews of their manga so if you’ve got some Japanese skills and would like to read some titles before they even get on English shores, this is probably the best place to see them.
Ohta Shuppan’s quite a hot publishing firm now in terms of manga. They’re a small publishing company however they have an array of fantastic titles to offer. Some of the interesting titles featured in Pocopoco already are Utsubora by Nakamura Asumiko, Lychee Light Club by Usamaru Furuya1, and Ristorante Paradiso by Natsume Ono.
What I love about this website though is the regular releases of special one-shots. Currently online now is a Lychee Light Club one-shot set some years before the current timeline. It’s called Bokura no Hikaru Club (Our Light Club) and it’s quite an interesting read. Now I wish I had the rest of Lychee Light Club with me to know what’s going on.
Nakamura Asumiko’s Adolte to Adarte should be published today and I’m just waiting for them to basically upload the one shot.
I personally love this effort in making Ohta Shuppan’s manga accessible. I’m happy they’re embracing this digital access without having to install a gajillions of programs just to view the comics. The quality is pale in comparison to print, but that’s expected. The works are still readable and is enough to at least whet one’s appetite for manga.
Wandering Son’s author, Shimura Takako will also be posting her one-shot Awashima Hyakkei in the website soon!
EDIT: I noticed one interesting thing at the bottom of the pages and I think it’s quite genius on their end. At the bottom of the page, they have links directing people to e-mail them if they’re interested for licensing. Sweet. 
EDIT 2: NAKAMURA ASUMIKO’S COMIC IS IN FULL COLOR!! sdakfsgasgsaghsagja!! *A*) HOW BEAUTIFUL! READ IT HERE NOW!
EDIT 3: Took out Opera as suggested. I often mistake Opera and Manga Erotics F under the same publishers as most authors from Manga Erotics F write for Opera (and vice versa). OTL. For reference to those who are interested, Opera is under Akaneshinsha.
- Although, this preview is no different than Vertical’s page 1 preview, so read that instead [↩]
I believe I’ve been told by one of my advisers that I shouldn’t write something that I’m obsessed about. Bias, after all, is one of the greatest sins in historical writing. It’s like a painted picture where everything is all right or all wrong and it’s hard to tell whether it’s the truth or not because of all the biases people have on it. Is it pretty? Is it ugly? Does the picture really translate the heart of what it’s trying to represent? Or are we simply translating what the painter wishes to portray and nothing more?
It’s hard to get rid of biases but when images sway you to the point of obsession then maybe, just maybe, that picture has more truth that it should hold.
It is in this obsession that I cannot forget Nakamura Asumiko. She draws a gaze that convinces me more than ever that she deserves this spotlight.
kirsten on 
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d4rkn on 
