Katsuhiro Otomo appreciation thread

[Otomofan]

Yeah I've tried so many times to like Steamboy but I just can't.

The one thing I do like is the storyboards book...all hand drawn by Otomo. You can never go wrong with that.

This weekend a theater in Tokyo is showing "Neo Tokyo" ("Manie Manie in Japan but titled "Neo Tokyo" in the US to cash in on AKIRA)....it was a 60 minute animated movie with three segments. All three segments are really good. Otomo's segment is his first animation work, predating AKIRA.

The main reason I'm going is cause THE MAN himself is gonna be there, giving a talk about the movie afterwards! It's always awesome to be lucky enough to be in the presence of genius but I get so bummed out that I've been in the same room with the guy several times now, but he simply does NOT sign stuff. I'm even daydreaming of having him sign my arm and I'd get it tattooed, but I already know I won't get the chance.

 

[spindrift]

Yeah I've tried so many times to like Steamboy but I just can't.

The one thing I do like is the storyboards book...all hand drawn by Otomo. You can never go wrong with that.

This weekend a theater in Tokyo is showing "Neo Tokyo" ("Manie Manie in Japan but titled "Neo Tokyo" in the US to cash in on AKIRA)....it was a 60 minute animated movie with three segments. All three segments are really good. Otomo's segment is his first animation work, predating AKIRA.

The main reason I'm going is cause THE MAN himself is gonna be there, giving a talk about the movie afterwards! It's always awesome to be lucky enough to be in the presence of genius but I get so bummed out that I've been in the same room with the guy several times now, but he simply does NOT sign stuff. I'm even daydreaming of having him sign my arm and I'd get it tattooed, but I already know I won't get the chance.

Lucky man! Take pics if possible...

 

[Otomofan]

The event today was cool...lots of Otomo fans were there and we were all excited to be able to see the master himself on stage.

Unfortunately, he didn't do any signing, as usual. But it's always fun to see him in person, and I see the same obsessed fans in the audience every time. It's almost like going to see your favorite band!

(Otomo's the guy in blue...the other guy was the interviewer.)

 

[Solidus]

Does Otomo just refuse to sign anything, or do the event organizers block fans from approaching him?

By the way, neat thread! Last year, I picked up both the Akira 35th Anniversary Box Set, as well as "Art of Wall". I really love his art style and storytelling.

 

[Otomofan]

Usually he's protected by the organizers so that he doesn't get swarmed by over-zealous fans. This being Japan, just a stern "Sorry, stay back" is usually enough. No need for armed bodyguards or anything.

I think he doesn't like to sign stuff in general....he just has to be in the right mood. Even his peers and fellow manga artists have to beg him to sign stuff, but then sometimes he'll go all out and do a full sketch and stuff. And I've noticed he's a lot more "generous" when he's in the States. He signs posters and stuff at the rare appearances he makes in the US and it pisses me off cause that goes straight to ebay, and not to fans that would treasure it.

At an event like this weekend, he probably just didn't want to deal with the hundred or so fans that were there so it was easier to slip out the side exit.

ONCE I saw him actually stop and pose for a selfie after a talk event, but he had been drinking that night and was in a good mood, so maybe that was it. If it's a case of him just not wanting to sign stuff cause he doesn't want to exclude anyone, I can understand that. I'm gonna keep trying though.....that man's autograph is my white whale!!

The "Art of Wall" book is pretty cool...it's presented in an interesting format. I'm kind of biased cause I saw the REAL wall in person and it was so impressive, a book doesn't really do it justice, but it's still good to have in the collection.

I LOVE the 35th Boxed Set.....definitely the ideal way to read AKIRA. I haven't sat down with it since it came out...maybe I'll take some time over winter break and really savor the experience again...

 

[Solidus]

Usually he's protected by the organizers so that he doesn't get swarmed by over-zealous fans. This being Japan, just a stern "Sorry, stay back" is usually enough. No need for armed bodyguards or anything.

I think he doesn't like to sign stuff in general....he just has to be in the right mood. Even his peers and fellow manga artists have to beg him to sign stuff, but then sometimes he'll go all out and do a full sketch and stuff. And I've noticed he's a lot more "generous" when he's in the States. He signs posters and stuff at the rare appearances he makes in the US and it pisses me off cause that goes straight to ebay, and not to fans that would treasure it.

At an event like this weekend, he probably just didn't want to deal with the hundred or so fans that were there so it was easier to slip out the side exit.

ONCE I saw him actually stop and pose for a selfie after a talk event, but he had been drinking that night and was in a good mood, so maybe that was it. If it's a case of him just not wanting to sign stuff cause he doesn't want to exclude anyone, I can understand that. I'm gonna keep trying though.....that man's autograph is my white whale!!

The "Art of Wall" book is pretty cool...it's presented in an interesting format. I'm kind of biased cause I saw the REAL wall in person and it was so impressive, a book doesn't really do it justice, but it's still good to have in the collection.

I LOVE the 35th Boxed Set.....definitely the ideal way to read AKIRA. I haven't sat down with it since it came out...maybe I'll take some time over winter break and really savor the experience again...

Fairly peculiar that he signs like that, and it seems like you just have to be in the right place at the right time. If you ever have news that he'll drop by NYC, let me know, and I'll try to get something signed for you. I often attend the anime conventions and NYCC whenever I get the chance.

I can't imagine what it must have been like seeing the wall in person. There's also an English version of "Art of Wall" that's being released soon, so it's definitely cool that Akira is having so much coverage again. Mentioning the 35th Anniversary set, I was just blown away at the quality of the panels. I took a week to read through all of the books, because the art was so beautiful to look at.

 

[Otomofan]

Here is the info that's been released for the OTOMO COMPLETE project. Unfortunately, it's all in Japanese, but who knows, maybe down the road they'll print them in English.

This is what's on the schedule for 2022:

Otomo Complete Works

1: A Gun Report (11/18/22)
2: Boogie Woogie Waltz (03/18/22)
3: Highway Star (05/20/22)
4: Sayonara Nippon (07/20/22)
5: Fire-Ball (09/20/22)
6:
7:
8: Domu (01/22/22 2970 yen)
9:
10:
11:
12:
13:
14:
15:
16:
17:
18:
19:
20: Animation AKIRA (with bluray) (07/20/22)
21: Animation AKIRA Storyboards 1 (01.22.22 4400 yen)
22: Animation AKIRA Storyboards 2 (03/18/22)
23:
24:
25: Scripts 1 (05/20/22)
26:
27:
28:
29:
30:
31:
32:
33:
34:
35: The Live Action Mushishi (with bluray) (09/20/22)

I know the ones with blurays are over 10,000 yen but I forget how much. Also, if this is chronological order, it's gonna go a lot more than 35 releases, cause "Mushishi" was back in 2006!!

It's gonna take yeaaaaarrrs to finish this project.

I already have almost all of this already but I'm buying it again cause I'm a sucka. But if you don't mind it in Japanese, it looks like a great way to start a comprehensive Otomo collection. It'll all be available on amazon japan.

 

[Otomofan]

 

[Otomofan]

Double page spread in today's Young Magazine:

The first two books are being released on Saturday. "Domu" and "Akira Storyboards 1." Otomo kept the actual covers under wraps but Amazon Japan blew the surprise:

I like the details on the covers but I'm honestly not thrilled with the glaring neon colors. Plus I don't love the goofy "face" spelled out with the letters O T O M O.

At least when the series is actually completed ( IF they complete it!! ) all of the covers should have the same uniform design. Otomo takes that stuff pretty seriously, so that's cool.

 

[Solidus]

I saw the "Complete Works 8" on Amazon Japan. Was there a previous 1-7 released?

 

[Otomofan]

No, for some crazy reason he's releasing them all out of order.

8 (Domu) and 21 (AKIRA Storyboards 1) came first.

Scroll up a bit; I listed everything that's been revealed so far as well as release dates. It's allll over the place.

Allegedly there will be 41 releases in all....gonna take a few years to complete!

 

[Otomofan]

Here's the OTOMO COMPLETE ad with a black background this time...

 

[Otomofan]

No real news to report....just a damn shame that DOMU is in Japanese only, cause the new printing is definitely the best edition I've ever seen.

It's printed on MUCH nicer paper than ever before, the dimensions are a little larger, it restores the chapter break art that has never been printed in the collected editions, and even has a few color pages.


DOMU is an all time classic. You can read it in one sitting, and just take it in like a Hollywood blockbuster. Even though the story takes place all in one setting, (this giant spooky-ass public housing building) Otomo draws it with this incredible grand scale. It's ultra-violent though...not for the faint of heart. The story is very simple but captivating....it shows a battle between an old man and a young girl but both of them are incredibly powerful psychics.

If they had the budget to shoot it as a movie, using the comics as a storyboard, it would look incredible. But only if they didn't half-ass it. Guillermo Del Toro supposedly had the rights for years, but probably could never get funding.

I can see why they chose DOMU to lead off the "Complete" project with....it's hands down his best comics work after AKIRA.

Unfortunately, it's long out of print in any English edition. I have the first ever English printing, which was 3 issues from Dark Horse, but I never bought the collected edition. All of them are worth money, so I really kick myself for not picking up the collected English edition.

If you just wanna read it and don't care about it being digital and not in print, there are scans of the Dark Horse version all over the internet for free. As long as you're reading it on a big screen and not a phone, I say go for it, cause the art is breathtaking.

 

[Otomofan]

The next two books in the OTOMO COMPLETE were released today. So far there's been no preorders for the next ones, which is too bad. I hope there are no delays, but this is Otomo we're talking about, so there's gonna be delays!

Unfortunately, I'm gonna end up paying a LOT more to complete this collection than I intended since I have to move out of Japan soon. I just hope amazon japan will ship to America. They're weird about some items.

Anyway, to commemorate the publication, Otomo put up a new little cartoon on his website:

 

[Otomofan]

Otomo attended a celebrity "Go" tournament today.

I didn't go cause I knew I'd never possibly get close enough to try for an autograph.

Apparently they did distribute a postcard with brand new art on it, drawn by Otomo.

I'd have liked to get it, but it's not the end of the world. Within hours, the postcards were on mercari for $100 a piece. Not signed, mind you...just a POSTCARD. Ugh. People are vultures.

 

[Otomofan]

Not a lot going on Otomo-land right now, but this just popped up on twitter....a poster advertising a performance of Philip Glass's "Einstein on the Beach."

 

[PBall]

Dear all.

I have a question for Otomo fans.
I have a copy of AKIRA volume 2 from Dark Horse's 2000s edition, which has a problem with some panels towards the end of the book (see attached picture): the paper is so thin that we can see the shadow of the other side's drawings.

The question is: did Kodansha Comics editions arranged this ?
Thanks for your responses as I am pondering buying a copy.

 

[Otomofan]

I haven't flipped through my copies in a while, but I don't remember any egregious examples of art bleeding through. I'm not saying it doesn't happen at all, because it is very common in comics, especially in black and white. I do know that the paper and printing is MUCH better than the Dark Horse editions from 2000-2001. I bought those when they were released and remember feeling disappointed at how flimsy and cheap they felt.

The 35th anniversary box is on sale on amazon right now for $113. That's an absolute STEAL. I paid retail rpice when it came out and never once felt ripped off. Getting all 6 volumes in hardcover is worth it as it is, but you also get AKIRA Club in hardcover, as well as the very nice box housing them all. I own all the Japanese editions as well, and this one is still nicer than all of them. I wholeheartedly recommend the boxed set to anyone reading this now! Do not miss that price...it's worth every penny!!

Not much else to report in Otomo news right now. Some sad news; about a week ago the Korean artist Kim Jung Gi died unexpectedly while on his way to the NYCC. The comics industry all over the world was shocked at this sudden and senseless loss of an amazing talent. He was popular in Japan, and had participated in the Otomo Tribute event in 2017. As soon as news broke out, Otomo posted this drawing of him on twitter as a tribute.

 

[Otomofan]

OK, just checked my hardcovers.

YES, there is some art bleed that happens, and it's mostly when an image has a lot of white. You can see the panels through from the other side.

But the paper is definitely superior to the Dark Horse editions. I still think this is the absolutely ideal way to experience AKIRA, so I stand by my recommendation to buy this awesome set now while it's on sale!

 

[PBall]

Hi Otomofan, and thanks for your time.

I didn't mention it, but I was in fact asking about Kodansha's soft cover edition.
Does anyone in the forum has a copy of it ?