Category > Events
The good folks from Hyper Japan have just sent us the latest details for their 2024 London festival. Set to run from Friday 19th to Sunday 21st July 2024 at Olympia Events. Hyper Japan will bring you all the fun and games you'd expect including, food and drink, performers, workshops, various exhibitors and of course lots of good stalls selling stuff for fans of Japan.
Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan 2024
Category > Events
The Embassy of Japan in the UK revealed the winners of The 17th Manga Jiman Competition. The awards ceremony for the prestigious competition was held at the Japanese Embassy in London on Friday 22th March 2024.
This years first place went to Edward Taylor for St. Jerome 2.0, while Louis Hey won second place for My Mom. Third place went to Rachel Yelding with Stay Forward.
If you're in London, you can also book a free visit to the Embassy to see the winners exhibition until the end of April 2024.
Read More... | Souce: Embassy of Japan in the UK
Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron has won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film 2024.
The highly coveted gold statue is considered the biggest award in Hollywood circles. Miyazaki is not only the first and only Japanese director to have won in this category, but he has also won it twice! Spirited Away won the Oscar in 2002.
Miyazaki's other movies Howl's Moving Castle and The Wind Rises have been nominated in the past, but did not win. While other Ghibli movies The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There and The Red Turtle have all been nominated previously too.
This is an exceptional achievement and marks another award on the shelf for The Boy and the Heron, which also won a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA.
Souce: The Oscars 2024
Category > Events
The good folks from City String Ensemble have sent us details about an up coming performance. City String Ensemble: Best of Anime which is set to run at EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney) in London on Saturday 3rd February 2024.
They promise an evening of iconic melodies from Studio Ghibli to the adrenaline-pumping beats of Attack on Titan. To get a feel for their performances take a look at their Eventbrite listing which includes links to their Spotify Anime EP along with some other samples on their YouTube Channel.
We've interviewed Sophie Poteratchi, the founder and violinist of City String Ensemble about the up coming event.
Originally the event was scheduled to run in December 2023, however due to rail strikes and venue audience number restrictions for December, they've rescheduled to Saturday 3rd February 2024 instead.
We've heard anime music played by live string quartets before and it is something special. If you're a fan of anime music or classical music, there's plenty to enjoy.
Read More... | Souce: City String Ensemble
Category > Culture
We've just received news from Arcola Theatre and the Japan Foundation who are presenting Sputnik Sweetheart. Based on Murakami's novel it tells the story of love and loneliness, with a detective story thrown in. Sputnik Sweetheart is about Sumire, a young Japanese writer who can't find the words to write, and her friend K's search for her when she goes missing on a Greek Island.
It's been adapted for the stage by Tony Award nominee Bryony Lavery and Tony and Olivier Award nominee Melly Still, running at Arcola Theatre in London from Thursday 26th October until Saturday 25th November 2023.
Read More... | Souce: Arcola Theatre
Category > Manga
The good folks at the Embassy of Japan in the UK have just revealed the details for the 17th Manga Jiman Competition. The annual competition is a chance for UK based artists to demonstrate their manga making skills. Not only that, but there's a great selection of prizes to be won from the competitions sponsors.
Here's a tip. If you do really want to win. Consider entering in the Yonkoma category (Yonoma Youth - 11, 12 or 13 or Yonkoma 14+). There are normally very few entrants for the often overlooked four panel manga section. Even the judges last year were strongly suggesting more people enter in yonkoma.
Read More... | Souce: Manga Jiman Competition
Category > Features
The stage play adaption of The Garden of Words is now hitting the theatre. Set to run from Thursday 10th August until Saturday 9th September 2023 at London's Park Theatre. We've been following the progress of this play since it was announced a few years ago, so were naturally keen to catch a performance on stage.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Culture
The good folks from The Photographers' Gallery in London have just revealed details of their Daido Moriyama Retrospective. Set to run from Friday 6th October 2023 until Sunday 11th February 2024. It's the first UK retrospective of one of the world's most innovative and influential artists and street photographers.
Daido Moriyama is famed for his dense grainy, blurry out of focus images. He sees the camera as a copy machine and captures things around him. The award winning photographer has had many photobooks published over the years (we even have a little collection of them). Recently he's had a range of t-shirts made by Uniqlo, and been the the subject of a documentary chronicling his working process. Tickets to the exhibition cost £6, with £4 for concessions and gallery members get in free (as do Friday Lates (5pm-8pm), under 18s, and disability helpers).
Read More... | Souce: The Photographers' Gallery
Category > Features
Makoto Shinaki's anime The Garden of Words is the story of an out-of-step woman and an offbeat teenager meeting by chance in a Japanese garden. As the kindred spirits bond, the relationship they build could save them or equally ruin them. Melancholy and original the story has just been adapted into a stage play set to run at London's Park Theatre from Thursday 10th August until Saturday 9th September 2023. It's also set to to be staged in Tokyo too.
The play has been adapted by the Whole Hog Theatre who have previously also brought Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke to stage.
We caught up with Alexandra Rutter, who directed and co-adapted The Garden of Words from the material from the anime and novel. Having been aware of this project since before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were keen to find out more about the production and hear what Alexandra has to say.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Events
We've just received details from Whole Hog Theatre and Park Theatre who will present the world premiere stage adaptation of The Garden of Words, which is based the anime by acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai (best known for your name and the just released Suzume)..
We've covered details about the play before, but it's always worth reminding people about this production and that you can catch it this Summer 2023. The more detailed press release reveals information about cast and crew.
Like the anime the play explores the bond between two social misfits in a Japanese garden. It sets out to adapt the story further in a live action setting by combining puppetry, movement, and projection art. The production delves into themes of loneliness and longing, a signature of Shinkai's works. After its London run, the play will have its Japanese premiere in Tokyo. The show will be performed at Park Theatre in Finsbury Park, North London, UK, from 10th August 2023 to 9th September 2023 with ticket prices ranging from £10 to £44.50.
Read More... | Souce: Park Theatre
Category > Anime
London's Park Theatre have just announced their Summer and Autumn line up. Anime fans will be very interested in the stage adaptation of Makoto Shinkai's Garden of Words. Originally it was set to run in August 2020, however COVID-19 prevented it happening. This time it's back and scheduled to run from Thursday 10th August until Saturday 9th September 2023.
Based on the original anime by blockbuster director by Makoto Shinkai (best known for your name and the just released Suzume). It tells the story of a meeting in a Japanese garden, with two people both out of sorts having a melancholy change encounter.
It's been adapted for the stage by Whole Hog Theatre, who are no strangers to bringing anime to theatre. They created a truly excellent stage version of Princess Mononoke.
We've been waiting since 2019 to see the stage version of Garden of Words, so naturally we're very keen to catch this summer in London.
Read More... | Souce: Park Theatre
Category > Interviews
The amazing anime film Belle is out on home video this week (from Monday 27th June 2022). To celebrate it's release we got in touch with Eric Wong, the designer of Belle's virtual world of "U". Wong, a full time architect, was asked by Oscar-nominated, visionary director Mamoru Hosada to create the virtual world "U" that provides the backdrop for the film BELLE. Wong sketched out his dazzling "U" world during his daily commute, creating a labyrinthine wonder for this timely re-imagining of the classic Beauty and the Beast tale, the story of Suzu, a country girl who becomes a music sensation in the virtual world of "U" with the mesmerising avatar Belle.
Thanks to the good folks at Anime Limited we were able to ask Eric some questions behind what it takes to create a virtual world while existing in the real one.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Events
The good folks from Hyper Japan have sent us details of their festival for this year. Set to run from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th July 2022, the UK's biggest festival of Japanese culture, returns to London at Evolution Battersea Park.
The long running Japanese culture festival has been popular with fans of Japanese food from street food to fine dining, along with fans of pop culture where you'll get a great chance to see many performers. Pretty much every aspect of Japanese culture is represented, including of course anime and manga.
To get an idea of what to expect why not take a look at all their exhibitors Be warned as Otafuku Sauce will be there (we have a strong addiction to their okonomi sauce)! Also don't forget to check out their list of performers.
We're looking forward to the fun that will be had at the 2022 festival! It's always fun to go Hyper Japan.
Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan 2022
Category > Anime
The good folks from anime mega company Crunchyroll have taken marketing to the next level in the hipster central part of London by commissioning a mural in Shoreditch.
The hand painted artwork features mascot Crunchyroll-Hime along with promos for Spy x Family,
he Rising Of Shield Hero Season 2 and One Piece. The 14.5m x 6.6m mural is on Chance Street, near Shoreditch Overground opposite Box Park.
The mural was done by Global Street Art Agency who also did a great Belle mural in Camden this February to celebrate the cinema release of Mamoru Hosoda's latest film.
Crunchyroll would also like you know that they'll be screening Spy x Family and The Rising of the Shield Hero at MCM Comic Con London this May too.
We hope that anime murals become a regular thing in London! It's great seeing anime getting such prominent advertising in London.
Read More... | Souce: Crunchyroll
The good folks from the Barbican in London have just sent us details of a very special cinema screening of Early Japanese Animation with live and electronic accompaniment by the Guildhall' School with Benshi narration. The screening and performance is will run on Sunday 5th June 2022 at 15:00 at Barbican Cinema 1.
It's not everyday you get a selection of rarely screened early Japanese animation, showing some of the very first anime films, accompanied by electro-acoustic music with Benshi narration! Tomoko Komura will be performing the benshi narration. The films span from 1925 to 1935.
Read More... | Souce: Barbican
Category > Anime
The good folks from international auctioneers and valuers Bonhams have sent us details of their latest online sale The World Of Anime is set to run from 24th January until 2nd February 2022. The auction features various anime classics included Sailor Moon, Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, Cardcaptor Sakura, Cardcaptor Sakura, One Piece, Evangelion and many more. The sale is being headlines by Studio Ghibli cels including some key scenes from Kiki's Delivery Service and Totoro.
Anime cel auctions are uncommon with traditional auctioneers, but unlike other online avenues you know that they've taken the time to verify the items on sale are authentic.
Highlighting the auction is a Kiki's Delivery service production cel featuring Kiki flying with Jiji. Bonhams estimates this cel will sell for anything between $15,000 - $25,000 (USD). In the same price bracket they've got a cel of Totoro asleep!
We'll be very interested to see what happens with all the cels up for auction. Some have already got some bids in place between the asking prices, while others have yet to gain any attention. As with any auction it's always the last 60 seconds where things get really interesting!
Read More... | Souce: Bonhams
Category > Events
The good folks at Kotatsu Festival have sent us some details of two upcoming events. The two online workshops aimed at beginners cover Japanese Calligraphy and a Japanese Manga Introductory Workshop.
Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival are hosting these workshops for free via Microsoft Teams. Although it is free prior registration is essential. So book early to avoid disappointment.
Japanese Calligraphy - Introductory Workshop for Beginners is run by Yukiko Ayres. It's set for Saturday 29th January 2022 from 11:00 to 12:00 GMT.
Japanese Manga Introductory Workshop for Beginners is run by Shangomola Edunjobi It's set for Sunday 30th January 2022 from 12:00 to 13:00 GMT.
Read More... | Souce: Kotatsu Festival
Category > Events
The good folks from the Kotatsu Festival have just sent us details for their upcoming 2021 event. Set to run in Cardiff - Chapter from Saturday 25th to Sunday 26th September 2021 and Aberystwyth Arts Centre from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd October 2021. As always the Japanese animation festival has a great selection of films including The Deer King, Ride Your Wave, On-Gaku along with Studio Ghibli's first 3D CGI offering Earwig and the Witch.
Not to be outdone by the big titles, they'll also be showcasing the talents of independent animators including
cut-out animation called In Full Bloom and a hand-drawn fresh depiction of affection between two girls in The Mark of Emi.
They'll also be a few workshops and some free online events are also being planned.
As always with events like this we suggest booking early to avoid disappointment.
Read More... | Souce: Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival
Category > Manga
The good folks from the Embassy of Japan in the UK have just sent us details of the annual manga competition. The 15th Manga Jiman. The competition closes on 15th November 2021. This year around theme is light.
The Embassy of Japan has searched for the best comic creators in the UK since 2007. The search now continues with two competitions, Manga Jiman and Yonkoma, with the aim of providing a platform for aspiring comic artists.
Apart from being a great challenge and opportunity the competition always has a great selection of prizes from it's various generous sponsors. So if you have time and the urge to be an aspiring manga artist then check out the Manga Jiman website on how to enter.
Read More... | Souce: Manga Jiman Website
Category > Current Affairs
In sad news this week we learned of the passing of Akemi Tanaka. She died of cancer on Monday 7th June 2021. Many anime fans will remember Akemi as a lively ambassador of Japanese culture. She'd often attend anime events as guest to lecture and explain the world of Japanese culture. An expert in Japanese etiquette she'd often be a kind and eccentric presence at events.
When the 2011 disaster hit Japan Akemi set up the charity Aid For Japan to support the orphans of the earthquake.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends.
Read More... | Souce: Akemi Tanaka's Twitter Account
Category > Events
The good folks from the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival have teamed up with Wales One World Festival to Celebrate International Women's Day. Together they'll be hosting free family friendly online event on 13th March 2021. The event will show case works by up and coming female directors. They'll be showing various family friendly short films on the Zoom Stream. The event is free to attend, but registration is required.
They'll also be running a free drawing workshop with the Japanese animator and illustrator Chie Arai.
Read More... | Souce: Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival
Category > Anime
Localising manga is more than just buying the rights and getting it translated, there's also sorts of factors to consider to bring it to market. While people often consider the translation there's another part of the localisation process to consider, the letterer! All the words you read on the page aren't just magically put into place, there's actually a lot of art and craft to lettering a manga page. So we thought we'd catch up with a manga letterer to find out more about the process.
Sara Linsley is a software developer and comic book letterer living in NYC, she has done lettering for manga including Sweat and Soap, Spoof on Titan, LDK and Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches. Recently she's also just released a font of her own intended for manga use! We thought we'd catch up with Sara over e-mail to find out how letterer can make or break a good localisation.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Events
UK based artists will be very interested to hear about the Manga Jiman competition. The theme this time around is technology. The long running competition lets you submit a short manga entry for the chance to win some amazing prizes, in the past they've included laptops and flights to Japan. The competition is organised by the Embassy for Japan in the UK.
The competition closes on 16th November 2020. So get drawing!
Read More... | Souce: Manga Jiman
Category > Anime
With COVID-19 still limiting peoples movements online virtual events have been proving popular. Animex The International Festival of Animation, VFX & Games has moved on-line and is set to run from Monday 21st September to Friday 2nd October 2020. The event is free to virtually attend this year so book now to grab a place.
The event is packed with workshops, screenings, Portfolio Reviews, Talks, exhibitions and much more.
Founded 20 years ago by Teesside University the festival aimed at creating a world-class inclusive festival that would draw some of the games and animation industries' brightest lights and future stars together to share their knowledge with the next generation.
This is event will be of interest to those who want to get into the animation industry, regardless of if you want to work in VFX, video games, animation or something else! Or for those who are curious to see the inner workings of a creative industry.
Read More... | Souce: Animex - International Festival of Animation, VFX & Games
Category > Events
As autumn fades into winter and the evenings get darker Japan House London have been thinking ahead. They've just announced details a new exhibition to brighten things up. WOW: City Lights and Woodland Shade is set to run at Japan House from Thursday 21 November 2019 until Sunday 22nd March 2020.
The two installations by WOW looking at both the urban future and timelessness of rural Japan.
The installation will offer mesmerising digital displays, images of Tokyo by night projected in a mind-bending 360-degree reimagining of Japan's capital city by night. Plus POPPO is an excursion into the folk art of Japan's countryside.
The exhibition is suitable for all ages and is free to attend.
Read More... | Souce: Japan House London
Category > Events
Fans of Japanese culture in London this weekend will want to head to the Japan Matsuri in Trafalgar Square. Now in it's 11th year the free event is set to run from 10am to 8pm on Sunday 29th September 2019. As always there'll be lots to see and do. Including a watching expert martial arts demonstrations, Japanese music and dance performances.
One of the main draws is always Japanese street food. We've also been told that Japanese fast food favourite MOS burger will be making their UK debut. There's always so much good Japanese food there it can be hard to choose what to eat! Yakisoba! Sushi! Hmmm. It's hard not to drool thinking about food while typing this!
There's also a great family activity tent will teach parents and kids alike manga, calligraphy, origami
and more.
This year's Matsuri marks the official opening of the Japan-UK Season of Culture - an exciting and varied programme of events taking place until the end of 2020.
Read More... | Souce: Japan Matsuri
Category > Events
Manga fans in London are truly being spoilt with all the guests and events currently available over the last couple of months. This trend is continuing with a Special talk event with legendary manga artist - Keiko Takemiya. Known for her shojo manga, pioneer of the Boys' Love genre and author of the iconic manga including To Terra... and The Poem of Wind and Trees. Comic book expert Paul Gravett will be talking to Keiko Takemiya from 2:30pm to 4:30pm on Sunday 25th August 2019 at Foyles Charing Cross Road.
The talk will be followed by a Q&A and an opportunity for books to be signed bring them along with you!
This exclusive UK event is in partnership with Japan Foundation London.
The event costs £8 per person or £5 for students and Foyalty members.
Read More... | Souce: The Japan Foundation London
Category > Anime
Anime fans in London are in for a treat. The Barbican have got anime expert Helen McCarthy to curate a season of anime screenings. Anime's Human Machines is set to run from Thursday 12th to Monday 30th September 2019.
Each screening will have a special introduction by Helen McCarthy. They've also got super mecha designer Shôji Kawamori. Anime fans will best know him for his mecha designs in Macross. He also co-directed Macross Plus. Other famous designs include a series of Dicalone toys for Japanese toy company Takara. This was a collection of transforming robots. Hasbro licensed these toys and rebranded them as Transformers. Mr Kawamori designed a certain truck called Convoy who was rebranded as Optimus Prime!
Shôji Kawamori will be introducing the Ghost in the Shell Movie (the 1995 animated version), at the Barbican on Wednesday 18th September 2019 at 20:45. Kawamori did some of the mechanical design for this film too!
This season has a whole host of awesome films that are all really worth watching on the big screen (Helen's spoilt us for choice). We suggest booking early to avoid disappointment.
They'll also be showing the mind bending Paprika, Patlabor the Movie, Mamoru Hosoda's Summer Wars, plus a few other awesome films.
Not content with just films, they've got a couple of drawing workshops too!
Read More... | Souce: Barbican
Category > Anime
In the window of Japan House in Kensington, a standee of a schoolboy with a baseball cap and backpack beckons. "Hey! Come look at this!" a speech bubble by his head says, inviting you to join him and his two friends inside. The characters have been drawn in the distinctive style of legendary mangaka Urasawa Naoki, and their invitation is for THIS IS MANGA - THE ART OF URASAWA NAOKI, which is open to the public until 28 July 2019.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Anime
The British Museum have just opened the largest Manga Exhibition outside of Japan. Naturally being keen manga fans we were curious. What was it all about? Was it any good? We were invited by The British Museum to check out the new exhibition and find out for ourselves.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Manga
Japan House London have just sent a reminder that manga artist Urasawa Naoki is in town. He's best known for manga such as Monster, 20th Century Boys, Master Keaton, and Pluto (his adaptation of Tezuka's Astroboy).
He's in London to promote his exhibition This is Manga - The Art of Urasawa Naoki. The exhibition has a wide varity of his artwork on display, from his early childhood drawings to now. It includes a lot of original pages from his manga where you can see all the original details of his art. Along with huge prints of some of his amazing work. The exhibition is free is to ender and is set to run from Wednesday 5th June to Sunday 28th July 2019 at Japan House London in Kensington.
As Urasawa-san is in London he's also hosting a few events including a booking signing on Friday 7th June 2019 (from 16:00 to 17:00), but places are limited. On the same Friday Urasawa will be also hosting a live drawing live signing session All Talking All Singing All Drawing! Urasawa Naoki Live in Concert, this is set to run from 18:30 to 20:00. It's also free, but booking is essential.
Japan House London will also have wide selection of merchandise for sale at their shop. This includes his manga, plus t-shirts, mugs, plastic wallets and other goodies.
Their restaurant Akira have also teamed up with Urasawa to create a Yawara themed dish of fish and chips, with deep fried, bread-crumbed eel topped with umeboshi (pickled plum) tartare sauce, lime and egg yolk shavings. A Monster cocktail will also be available which is made with Dewa no Sato sake from Yamagata Prefecture, Czech spirit Becherovka, ginger liqueur, peppercorns, lime juice, fresh ginger and cloves topped with a white chocolate liqueur foam sprinkled with matcha!
Read More... | Souce: Japan House London
Category > Anime
Anime fans in Wales are in for a treat this September and October as the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival returns for another run of great films. Set to run at Chapter in Cardiff from Friday 28th to Sunday 30th September 2018 and Aberystwyth Arts Centre from Saturday 20th to Sunday 21st October 2018.
Japanese animators Tsuneo Goda and Hirokazu Minegishi from dwarf will be in Cardiff for the festival. They're stop motion animation experts. You may have seen their work on NHK World's charming Domo shorts. They'll be there to present a master class and conduct workshops, plus an autographing signing session.
Of course they'll be showing lots of anime on the big screen. They've got an amazing selection of recent anime including the charming Lu Over the Wall (which we've reviewed here), the emotional Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (again you can read our review here), Mary And The Witch's Flower, along with Ghibli classics Arrietty and When Marnie Was There.
There's so much good stuff something for everyone regardless of your taste in anime. If you like a bit more action you can't go wrong with Tokyo Ghoul (the live action version) or Attack on Titan: The Roar of Awakening.
Read More... | Souce: Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival
Category > Events
Fans of Japanese Culture in London looking for something to do at the end of September will be very excited to hear about the Japan Matsuri 2018. The regular festival held at Trafalgar Square brings Japanese Culture in the form of performances, stalls, street food and other entertainment to anyone who get to Central London on Sunday 30th September 2018. The event lasts from 10am to 8pm and is free to attend.
Of course September is a while away, so you might not remember, which is why we've added it to the Otaku Calendar which forms an easy to to keep track of all your otaku events.
Souce: Japan Matsuri
Category > Events
London based fans of Japanese Culture looking for something to do on Saturday 24th June 2017 will want to head over to Spitalfields to celebrate Okinawa Day 2017. The free event is set to run from 10am to 6pm with a mixture of traditional Okinawan culture including folk music, karate performances and Eisa dancing.
Souce: Okinawa Day 2017
Category > Events
Opening just last Friday 26th May, London’s House of Illustration is holding Anime Architecture, the UK’s very first anime backgrounds exhibition.
Yes, you read that right, it’s a gallery dedicated to looking behind the scenes at the silent art within the anime world. This is no doubt a progression for the anime genre in the West, where anime and manga are still known for their big eyes, big boobs and science fiction. If there's anything that can justify the artistic finesse within anime, it's the background art. We quizzed Stefan Riekeles, curator of the exhibition.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Features
In an interesting move from Studio Ghibli, rather than look just in Japan for the talent to direct a new animated movie the fabled studio looked around the world to find someone suitable. They found Michaël Dudok de Wit. The movie they made together was The Red Turtle.
We caught up with the director for an exclusive interview.
The film is set for release at UK cinemas from Friday 26th May 2017.
We know you're wondering Is the movie any good? Well read our review and find out!
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Events
If you're in London and looking for some Japanese Culture on from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th July 2017 you should head over to Hyper Japan to indulge yourself in the festival. It's got something for everyone, street food, cosplay, chiptunes and traditional Japanese crafts. The event will be at The Tobacco Dock,
Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan
Category > Anime
Anime fans who can get to London from the end of May to the start of September will want to head over to House of Illustration who will be hosting an exhibition on Anime Architecture: Backgrounds of Japan.
Visitors will be treated to the background artwork from classic sci-fi anime feature films including Ghost in the Shell (1995), The Patlabor: The Movie (1989) and Metropolis (2001), by Mamoru Oshii and Atsushi Takeuchi.
House of Illustration is the UK’s only public gallery and education space dedicated solely to illustration so is the ideal place to run an event on anime artwork. It's located a short walk from Kings Cross and St Pancras Stations. The exhibition is set to run from 26th May to 10th September 2017. It's closed on Mondays. There is an £8.25 admission charge, this will give you access to all 3 galleries.
Read More... | Souce: House of Illustration
Category > Events
The image of Hokusai's Under the wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave), is undoubtedly one of the most famous images to come from Japan. We know our readers love Japanese culture, so it makes sense you'll want to see more of the great Hokusai's work. The British Museum will be running an exhibition called Hokusai beyond the Great Wave. It's set to run from Thursday 25th May to Sunday 13th August 2017.
The exhibition supported by Mitsubishi Corporation will showcase outstanding examples of Hokusai's work, including landscapes (including Mount Fuji of course), flora and fauna, along with demons, ghouls and other monstrous yokai.
The British Museum tell us "The exhibition will include prints, paintings and illustrated books, many of which are on loan from Japan, Europe and the USA. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these extraordinary works together."
This is indeed a rare chance to catch a glimpse of some amazing artwork. Entrance for British Museum Members is free, while tickets for adults cost £12, with under 16s getting in free. With an event like this we strongly advise booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
Read More... | Souce: The British Museum
Category > Events
Fans of manga looking for something interesting to will want to head over to Foyles Book shop on Charign Cross Road for the Manga: The New Generation talk. Ken Niimura and Miki Yamamoto will be joined by curator and comics writer Paul Gravett to discuss the new wave of manga artists.
The event is set to take place on Monday 17tth October 2016 from 6:30pm.
The event is free to attend but booking is essential.
As always with events like this, we advise booking early to avoid disappointment.
Read More... | Souce: The Japan Foundation London
Category > Events
Fans of Japanese culture looking for something to do this weekend in London will want to head over to the Japan Matsuri in Trafalgar Square. The Japanese festival is set to run from 10am to 8pm on Sunday 25th September 2016. There are no entry charges.
There'll be a big stage with lots of traditional and modern Japanese performances, along with plenty of stalls selling Japanese Street food, plus other goodies such as arts and crafts. A few travel agents will be there too, so it's good to go if you're planning a trip to Japan.
Souce: Japan Matsuri
Category > Events
Just a quick reminder for UK based readers looking for something to do this weekend in London. Why not head over to Hyper Japan? It's the UK's largest celebration of Japanese pop culture. There's plenty to do for fans of Japan, from food, cosplay, anime, gaming, fashion and music.
Then event is set to run from Friday 15th July to Sunday 17th July 2016 at Olympia London.
Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan
Category > Manga
We've already mentioned the Sotheby's auction that contained artwork from Osamu Tezuka and Akira Toriyama. What we haven't covered is how much each item went for.
The prices listed below are the hammer price with the buyer's premium.
The Tezuka artwork went mostly within the estimated prices.
Lot 231 was estimated to sell for 8,000 to 10,000 EUR. It went for 8,750.
Lot 232 was estimated to sell for 3,000 to 4,000 EUR. It went for 3,625.
Lot 233 was estimated to sell for 2,000 to 3,000 EUR. It went for 1,750.
Lot 234 was estimated to sell for 2,500 to 3,000 EUR. It went for 2,750.1
Akira Toriyama's drawing was Lot 235 with an estimated sale price of 2,000 to 3,000 EUR. It sold for 15,000. That's 5 times the original estimated price.
Souce: Sotheby\'s
Category > Manga
Manga fans with cash to splash will want to head over to famous auctioneers Sotheby's for their bandes dessinées auction (drawn strips). The collection of sequential art is mainly European and American artists. However manga fans are in for a treat with manga master Osamu Tezuka artwork for sale with prices ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 EUR. They've also got an original Akira Toriyama drawing too, which is estimated to sell from 2,000 to 3,000 EUR.
The auction will take place on Saturday 14th May 2016 at 2pm in Paris. You can bid on-line, but note that first-time bidders must pre-register 24 hours in advance of the sale in order to be approved by Sotheby's.
Thanks to Deb Aoki for the tip off on this story.
Read More... | Souce: Sotheby\'s
Category > Events
The good folks from Hyper Japan have just sent us details of their July 2016 event. It's set to run at the Olympia in London, from Friday 15th to Sunday 17th July 2016. As always there's so much to do for fans of Japan! It is after all a Japanese Culture event! There'll be cosplay with the COSTest competition, arts and crafts workshops including one where you can create your own Kokeshi dolls. There will also be plenty of Japanese food to enjoy and other fun goodies.
Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan
Category > Manga
The Embassy of Japan have been running the Manga Jiman for 9 years now. The premise of the completion is simple. Each year has a theme and the artists have to create a story around the theme. Previous themes have included "a chance encounter" and "voyages of discovery". This year's theme was "bright young things". Prizes include 2 return flights to Japan for the top prize winner, a laptop for the runner up, plus a top end digital camera.
Read More... | Souce: Embassy of Japan
Category > Events
The good folks from House of Illustration have sent us details of their up new exhibition Shojo Manga: The World of Japanese Girls' Comics. The exhibition is set to run from Friday 18th March to Sunday 12th June 2016 in at House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, King’s Cross, London N1C 4BH.
It's the first major UK exhibition tour of the genre, from its golden era to the present day.
The Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm. It's closed Mondays. Admission is £7.70 (with gift aid), Concessions £5.50 (with Gift Aid).
Read More... | Souce: House of Illustration
Category > Culture
Fans of Japanese music will want to tune into NHK World this weekend to watch Entertainment Nippon's coverage Asian Kung-Fu Generation.
The band has been running for 20 years, you may know their music from the hugely popular anime show Erased. Entertainment Nippon is due to air Saturday 5th March 2016 at 4:10, 11:10, 16:10 and 22:10 (UTC).
NHK World is a free to air station, and is broadcast dubbed into English or with English subtitles.
NHK World is available in the UK on the following
Sky Channel 507
Freestat Channel 209
Virgin Media Channel 625
They offer free live streaming if you don't have a service able to watch it.
It's also widely available around the world, so could be available in your region.
Read More... | Souce: NHK World
Category > Features
Production I.G's latest cinematic masterpiece Miss Hokusai has just hit cinema screens in the UK. We've seen it and recommend you do too. Although a lot is know about the master himself, we were curious to know more about the real life Miss Hokusai. We started to research her history, then remembered we know experts in Japanese woodblock prints! The Japanese Gallery who sell Japanese woodblock prints, antiques and even anime cels, they would already know a lot about Hokusai and his artistic daughter. We asked them what tell us all about the real O-Ei.
Read More... | Souce: Otaku News
Category > Events
Fans of Japanese culture looking for something fun to do near Christmas will be interested in Hyper Japan Christmas Market. It's set to run from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th November 2015 at Tobacco Dock in London.
There's a ton of things to do at this event. They'll be lots of Japanese food, plenty of stalls with things to buy. Along with a whole host of musical performances from the virtual artist IA to the the cute and rather strange Lady Baby.
Cosplayers and fashion fans will be well represented too.
Anime fans will be pleased to hear that anime studio Production I.G will be represented too with anime director Naoyoshi Shiotani (who directed the Psycho-Pass TV series and movie) and producer Rui Kuroki, who will be giving talks throughout the event.
Read More... | Souce: Hyper Japan Christmas Market
Category > Events
Fans of Japanese culture who can get to London on Saturday 19th September 2015, will want to head to Trafalgar Square for the Japan Matsuri. The event free to attend and is set to run from 10am to 8pm with events running pretty much constantly on the main stage, while there are many stalls to interest anyone who's a fan of Japan. They've got a wide selection of food stalls, stalls selling Japanese related merchandise, plus a range of travel agents if you're ever interested in going to Japan, along with a few Japanese cultural organisations and societies.
As always this event is also listed on our sister site the Otaku Calendar.
Souce: Japan Matsuri 2015