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Showing posts from March, 2008

Japanamerica at SAKURA CON 2008, Seattle

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Am now in Seattle for Sakura Con 2008 , which is opening in frisky and festive fashion downtown, with its largest number of pre-registrants ever. I've been told this is now the second largest such convention in the US, behind only Anime Expo down the coast in Anaheim. If you're in this town over the next three days, please do swing by and say hello, costumed or not. More info is here . On Sunday afternoon, we'll have a tad more conventional-style reading and signing at the venerable Elliott Bay Book Company in Pioneer Square, info for which is here . All are welcome, admission is free, commentary reasonably unfettered.

"J-Wave USA" at UCLA

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Pretty hard to beat Westwood in Los Angeles in March for a lovely locale in which to convene--and talk Japanamericana. Vast thanks to Adrian Favell, whom I first encountered at the Pink Cow in Tokyo, Kristin Surak and the folks at UCLA for hosting the three-day event (minutely detailed info is here ). It was an honor for me to be introduced by the Consul General and a pleasure meeting friends old and new, such as Laura Miller, Ted Bestor, Mike Tatsugawa, David Marxy, Patrick Macias, Ai Aota and Jamie Rivandeniera, whose brilliant "Japan LA" shop (see here ) I was finally able to visit yesterday. The conference was especially revealing in its focus on entrepreneurship on this side of the Pacific. We all know that what sells in Japan does not always fly in the US, and vice-versa, but it remains fascinating to hear more specific examples of both, and to learn of various strategies for handling the transcultural challenge. One could do worse than Southern California in early s

Disney's Got Toei's Back?

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... and other news from California. Many thanks to the fine folks at UC Berkeley and City College of San Francisco for a stellar last week in the Bay Area. More news to report soon. Up next: UCLA, Thurs-Fri., March 13-14: Join us.

San Francisco CCSF event tomorrow 12-2:30 p.m.

Arrived in a balmy and sun-drenched San Francisco for a few events this week, one of which is open to the public and taking place tomorrow at the City College of San Francisco's Rosenberg Library. If you're in the Bay Area, please join us: CCSF JAPANAMERICA Event Event location MAP