japanamerica

[with Hayao Miyazaki backstage at UC Berkeley, 7/25/09] Soft Power, Hard Truths / Miyazaki, Horibuchi and the virtues of change Roland Kelts / Special to The Daily Yomiuri When animation master Hayao Miyazaki observed that I was not wearing a necktie before our onstage conversation at the University of California, Berkeley late last month, he promptly unknotted his own necktie and stuffed the balled-up garment into the hands of his longtime producer, Toshio Suzuki. Then he smiled and nodded at me. He was ready. Miyazaki was similarly casual throughout the evening, charming the 2,000-plus audience with a playful Cheshire smile, and deftly sidestepping questions that didn't appeal. I was prepared for worse; Miyazaki is notorious for terse rebuttals and curmudgeonly grunts. And while he did emit the occasional groan, he was also surprisingly candid. "Disasters are things to be lived through," he said of the apocalyptic themes in his work. "They're not evil. They bri

A little over a year ago, I filed my Yomiuri column (re-posted below) after giving a talk at the Japan America Society in San Francisco and meeting Seiji Horibuchi, the founder of VIZ media. Seiji told me about his dream project, the four-floor J-Pop Center, which he planned to open in the heart of the city's fading Japantown. Later in the year, I met Seiji in New York. The subprime spiral was in full downward motion; the economy was tanking. I asked Seiji about his project and he laughed -- somewhat ruefully, I thought. The J-Pop Center, now called "New People," opens tomorrow. Read it all about it here . I had hoped to take Seiji up on his gracious invitation to be on hand, but deadlines have me grounded in NYC. Nevertheless, I hereby raise a transcontinental toast to Horibuchi-san and his grand vision. SOFT POWER, HARD TRUTHS / Manga magnate aims to redraw San Francisco Roland Kelts / Special to The Daily Yomiuri Historian Ronald Takaki wrote that while New York&#

The Soul of Japan Japan's crisis is not political, but psychological. Roland Kelts | 10 Aug 2009 | 5 comment s America japan Western My latest contribution to Adbusters magazine is now out in the August issue. An excerpt and link to the full story below: J apan has a curiously utopian image in the West right now. Everything from anime and manga to sushi and sudoku seems to emit the whiff of cool culture in the globalized 21st century. Even Japan’s renowned bullet train is on the export docket: California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is said to be negotiating with Japan Rail to purchase Japanese high-speed train intellectual property for an upcoming Los Angeles-Las Vegas line, and possibly extending it to San Francisco and other West Coast destinations in the coming years. But inside the borders of this ancient archipelago, self-confidence is scant. While the aftershocks of a collapsing US economy cause tremors throughout the rest of the world, Japan is suffering a homegro

Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times Miyazaki wowed fans at Comic-Con San Diego recently. Animator Hayao Miyazaki moves beyond good vs. evil plots The famous Japanese director tells an American audience that he deeply mulls the stories behind his popular films, including the upcoming Disney venture, 'Ponyo.' By Charles Burress August 9, 2009 Once the standing ovation died down, anticipation among the 6,500 people packed into a Comic-Con convention hall in San Diego was almost electric as they waited for the first words from the silver-haired alchemist of animation, Hayao Miyazaki. To the opening question from Pixar leading light John Lasseter about how he develops his stories, the white-jacketed, 68-year-old director replied, "My process is thinking, thinking and thinking -- thinking about my stories for a long time." Then with an impish smile, he added, "If you have a better way, please let me know." His answer sparked laughter and affectionate applause, if l

Here's my latest for the Yomiuri in Japan: a story about the world premiere of Madhouse's "Redline" anime feature, including interviews with director and animation artist Takeshi Koike ("World Record") and screenwriter Katsuhito Ishii ("The Taste of Tea"). The boffo, over-the-top racing caper will debut next Friday, 8/14, at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland--beneath the stars in the open-air Piazza Grande, no less. The story features interviews with both Koike and Ishii that I conducted with them back in Tokyo: Anime with Texas roots to debut in Switzerland Roland Kelts / Special to The Daily Yomiuri "Manga Impact: The World of Japanese Animation," a special program at the 62nd annual Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland, will include next Friday's world premiere of the Japanese anime Redline in the city's historic central square, which can accommodate more than 8,000 viewers. Also featuring tributes to Yos

KEIO 09 Thanks to Rieko, Miyoshi-san and the other fine folks at Keio Academy New York for a very fulfilling, tour-ending talk last week before a keen 'japan-american' audience (literally half and half), whose questions were astute and plentiful. It was an honor to be invited back, and this year I was better prepared for the age group. A few photos (courtesy of Miyoshi-san) of me and the kids below. I launched from Tokyo to Sydney three weeks ago, trekked through Brisbane, Melbourne, LA and San Francisco/Berkeley. Seven cities in 14 days. Lovely to wrap this leg at 'home' in New York: (Awaiting the intro & cue) (JapanAmerican kids 1) (Queries about the cover--Who? Why?) (JapanAmerican kids 2)