The Eastern Edge

I just finished reading a Jason Thomson "House of 1000 Manga" column that I had bookmarked since October about Japan Inc, a subject that interests me. I'm a fan of Jason Thomson's columns, so I was suprised and a little flattered to see myself quoted in… more »

About 5 months ago I wrote about legal scanlation and some of the ideas people have been throwing around that would amount to a free-labor industry for translated comic books.It didn't take long for Shuho Sato, one of the first big time comic creator… more »

When Kentaro Takekuma entitled his book "Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga", I wonder if even he knew how right he would be only a short time later?The "Shonen Manga Plot Shish Kebob" is no longer only Shonen Manga, it's rapidly becoming a perfect analogy… more »

However, while I agree that digital content distribution is the way of the near future, and I understand the sentiment that wants a role for ‘honest’ scanlators, I don't think that scanlators and their model will lead to a solution. more »

I'm sure there are a handful of people out there who will insist they've never downloaded or read a bootleg comic online, and maybe there are a few who really haven't. But I think that comic books are right up there with any other media content among the… more »

As easy as it is for anyone to say "I knew it!" now, I started talking about the coming fall of manga in North American nearly four years ago - back when people still thought it was going nowhere but up. more »

Japan picked just the right time to address the issue of child porn and virtual child porn for Americans to come out guns ablazing linking action on a movement that UNICEF has been pushing for many years to the Christopher Handley case.First… more »

Welcome to Japan!A place where trivial issues such as the rights of gays and lesbians, women, and foreigners in general barely make a blip on the the societal radar, but yet you can marry a goddamn game character and make national and international n… more »

Feedback was great. No scarcasm or cynisism here, I mean that sincerely.What it all seems to boil down to, however, is a great big collective yawn with a couple Frank Miller insults tossed in for fun (some just can't resist, can they?).I'm no pla… more »

To everyone who has commented on my post yesterday so far,Thanks for the feedback. It's very much appreciated! My intention was to I wrote that post not because I care about Nick what happens to Nick Simmons, or because I have anything against Ba… more »

If you're American and you rip-off Japanese comics like this:American fans of those Japanese comics will not only expose you, they will rip you and new one and make sure the world knows what a scumbag they think you are. more »

I had some very thoughtful comments from readers - all of whom I thank very much for sharing their thoughts - about the Japanese weeklies.Obviously when you state that an up-to-now successful status quo has to go, you're going to get various reactio… more »

Why do you have to prove to the world that you have no life in order to be a respected comic artist in Japan?What would be wrong with making some of these weekly anthologies that many artists are killing themselves to appear in into monthlies? Couldn… more »

Yesterday I wrote about the importance of the spirit of collaboration for Japanese comics in future, but I didn't really another major factor that is stiffling creativity here - the weekly serials! Let's get this kicked off with an excerpt from my tran… more »

The decade is over, most of the "best of" lists have been compiled and published, and reaction and commentary on what has been and what will be abounds.I don’t have a lot to say about the previous decade and I have few “most anticipated” upcomi… more »