SHINTARO KAGO GETS RELEASED IN FRENCH!

Exciting news for French speaking fans of the weird and experimental. A new collection of manga by our friend Shintaro Kago has been published in French by Editions IMHO! The collection is titled, Carnets de massacre: 13 contes cruels du Grand Edô and is available now via their site, Amazon.fr and other online retailers!



This is extremely exciting progress on the expansion of Kago's overseas notoriety. This book is a nice addition to the short list of his works available outside of Japan (I believe two monographs of his stories were published a few years back in Italian, by d/visual that are now out of print. As noted in the comments by Ileca, Kago also had a story appear in ORANG 8, as well as the French collection, "EXTRÊME ORIENT.

Hands off to Benoit, the head of Editions IMHO, for snatching up the license for this book and making it happen. Editions IMHO is basically the dream publisher for Same Hat fans, having books by Suehiro Maruo, Tori Miki, Atsushi Kaneko, Usumaru Furuya, Yusaku Hanakuma, Shigeru Sugiura, Imiri Sakabashira, and others in their impressive catalog. Now here's to an English edition finally happening for us North American fans...!

I've got an email out to Benoit asking which specific Kago comics are in the book, and will update this post once I hear from him!

[PS: Happy New Year 2011! I'm off to a slow start with blogging but have many plans to pick up and delight you guys soon!]

SHINTARO KAGO GETS RELEASED IN FRENCH!

Exciting news for French speaking fans of the weird and experimental. A new collection of manga by our friend Shintaro Kago has been published in French by Editions IMHO! The collection is titled, Carnets de massacre: 13 contes cruels du Grand Edô and is available now via their site, Amazon.fr and other online retailers!



This is extremely exciting progress on the expansion of Kago's overseas notoriety. This book is a nice addition to the short list of his works available outside of Japan (I believe two monographs of his stories were published a few years back in Italian, by d/visual that are now out of print. As noted in the comments by Ileca, Kago also had a story appear in ORANG 8, as well as the French collection, "EXTRÊME ORIENT.

Hands off to Benoit, the head of Editions IMHO, for snatching up the license for this book and making it happen. Editions IMHO is basically the dream publisher for Same Hat fans, having books by Suehiro Maruo, Tori Miki, Atsushi Kaneko, Usumaru Furuya, Yusaku Hanakuma, Shigeru Sugiura, Imiri Sakabashira, and others in their impressive catalog. Now here's to an English edition finally happening for us North American fans...!

I've got an email out to Benoit asking which specific Kago comics are in the book, and will update this post once I hear from him!

[PS: Happy New Year 2011! I'm off to a slow start with blogging but have many plans to pick up and delight you guys soon!]

NEW KAGO PIECES FOR SALE

I just noticed that Shintaro Kago posted another batch of original art for sale on his site-- and this time most of them are only $50 dollars! These include a number of really catchy and sharp watercolor paintings (some of which were reproduced as part of his postcard sets):

• Color pieces for sale
• Black and white pieces for sale

Instructions for ordering a piece of original art on listed on the pages above, and in my experience Kago is a very fast and careful shipper. Christmas presents, anyone?

NEW KAGO PIECES FOR SALE

I just noticed that Shintaro Kago posted another batch of original art for sale on his site-- and this time most of them are only $50 dollars! These include a number of really catchy and sharp watercolor paintings (some of which were reproduced as part of his postcard sets):

• Color pieces for sale
• Black and white pieces for sale

Instructions for ordering a piece of original art on listed on the pages above, and in my experience Kago is a very fast and careful shipper. Christmas presents, anyone?

COVER FOR NEW SHINTARO KAGO MANGA

Exciting news for Shintaro Kago and monster manga fans! The cover of his new manga, アナモルフォシスの冥獣 (The Dark Beast Animorphosis), has just been published on the ANIMORPHOSIS blog:



Here is a video of Shintaro Kago inking this cover illustration. I read on Kago's twitter that he just finished proofing the book a week or two ago... The book is scheduled to be published in in Japan on 11/18/2010, published by コアマガジン (Core Magazine).

UPDATE: Here's a newly-added description of the book on Amazon.co.jp:

事件や事故の現場を再現し被害者の霊を呼び出す降霊イベント”ア ナモルフォシスの館”。特撮セットの中で非業の死を遂げた男の霊 の降霊に成功するが、イベント参加者の男女６人が次々と怪死を遂 げていく・・・。（帯文） 前作「フラクション」で第三回世界バカミス☆アワードを受賞し、 ミステリ漫画家としても評価の高まる駕籠真太郎の133ページ もの単行本書き下ろし長編第二弾。著者の特撮への造詣の深さを思 わせる小ネタ、オカルト描写など、これまでの駕籠真太郎作品の別 解釈＋αがてんこ盛り。一挙書き下ろしを通じて新たなマンガ体験 をお楽しみください。書き下ろしと同時収録されるのは、全て単行 本未収録の短編が9本。

Will post a quick translation when I'm not riding on a bus (feel free to Google Translate or suggest one in the comments)

UPDATE 2: They added a short book trailer for the title as well:

COVER FOR NEW SHINTARO KAGO MANGA

Exciting news for Shintaro Kago and monster manga fans! The cover of his new manga, アナモルフォシスの冥獣 (The Dark Beast Animorphosis), has just been published on the ANIMORPHOSIS blog:



Here is a video of Shintaro Kago inking this cover illustration. I read on Kago's twitter that he just finished proofing the book a week or two ago... The book is scheduled to be published in in Japan on 11/18/2010, published by コアマガジン (Core Magazine).

UPDATE: Here's a newly-added description of the book on Amazon.co.jp:

事件や事故の現場を再現し被害者の霊を呼び出す降霊イベント”ア ナモルフォシスの館”。特撮セットの中で非業の死を遂げた男の霊 の降霊に成功するが、イベント参加者の男女６人が次々と怪死を遂 げていく・・・。（帯文） 前作「フラクション」で第三回世界バカミス☆アワードを受賞し、 ミステリ漫画家としても評価の高まる駕籠真太郎の133ページ もの単行本書き下ろし長編第二弾。著者の特撮への造詣の深さを思 わせる小ネタ、オカルト描写など、これまでの駕籠真太郎作品の別 解釈＋αがてんこ盛り。一挙書き下ろしを通じて新たなマンガ体験 をお楽しみください。書き下ろしと同時収録されるのは、全て単行 本未収録の短編が9本。

Will post a quick translation when I'm not riding on a bus (feel free to Google Translate or suggest one in the comments)

UPDATE 2: They added a short book trailer for the title as well:

KAGO INKING THE COVER OF HIS NEW MANGA

As a follow-up to my previous post from last week, another video has been posted of Shintaro Kago's mesmerizing inking technique. The previous post and this one feature him inking pages from his newest manga, アナモルフォシスの冥獣 (Dark Beast Animorphosis), which looks to be a Horror/SF kaiju-Cloverfield mutation story. There aren't a lot of details yet on the book itself, but it's schedule to come out in Japan on 11/23/2010, published as a book by コアマガジン (Core Magazine).

Here is a new video posted on the "ANIMORPHOSIS" blog, basically a sped-up clip of him inking the cover illustration. Pretty amazing to watch him fill in all the details:


More details as I have them about the book itself. You know I'm gonna have to talk the San Francisco Kinokuniya into importing myself a copy!

KAGO INKING THE COVER OF HIS NEW MANGA

As a follow-up to my previous post from last week, another video has been posted of Shintaro Kago's mesmerizing inking technique. The previous post and this one feature him inking pages from his newest manga, アナモルフォシスの冥獣 (Dark Beast Animorphosis), which looks to be a Horror/SF kaiju-Cloverfield mutation story. There aren't a lot of details yet on the book itself, but it's schedule to come out in Japan on 11/23/2010, published as a book by コアマガジン (Core Magazine).

Here is a new video posted on the "ANIMORPHOSIS" blog, basically a sped-up clip of him inking the cover illustration. Pretty amazing to watch him fill in all the details:


More details as I have them about the book itself. You know I'm gonna have to talk the San Francisco Kinokuniya into importing myself a copy!

SHINTARO KAGO INKING VIDEOS FROM HIS NEW MANGA

We haven't posted lately about our friend Shintaro Kago, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been keeping busy! Between gags and a longer "sumo detective" comic for the eManga periodical ComiCloud, Kago has also been working on a new book called アナモルフォシスの冥獣 (Dark Beast Animorphosis), which sounds like a twisted kaiju science fiction/monster comic. AWESOME!



I'm not sure of many of the details about this book, but did find a great series of videos on this new "ANIMORPHOSIS" blog of Kago penciling and inking a few panels from the book. They don't give away much plot-wise, but the level of precision and detail he puts into his line work always amazes me. I was lucky enough to snag two pieces of his original work, and I find myself often squinting and staring at them in our hallway remaking on the insane cross-hatching, dot tones, and fine inking. No matter the subject matter, magazine or medium, dude is truly impressive.

I'll dig around for more information on this book (coming out this week on November 18, 2010) and will post them on Same Hat. In the meantime, enjoy these videos!

Video 1 of 2


Video 2 of 2


Consolidated 2x speed video!

SHINTARO KAGO INKING VIDEOS FROM HIS NEW MANGA

We haven't posted lately about our friend Shintaro Kago, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been keeping busy! Between gags and a longer "sumo detective" comic for the eManga periodical ComiCloud, Kago has also been working on a new book called アナモルフォシスの冥獣 (Dark Beast Animorphosis), which sounds like a twisted kaiju science fiction/monster comic. AWESOME!



I'm not sure of many of the details about this book, but did find a great series of videos on this new "ANIMORPHOSIS" blog of Kago penciling and inking a few panels from the book. They don't give away much plot-wise, but the level of precision and detail he puts into his line work always amazes me. I was lucky enough to snag two pieces of his original work, and I find myself often squinting and staring at them in our hallway remaking on the insane cross-hatching, dot tones, and fine inking. No matter the subject matter, magazine or medium, dude is truly impressive.

I'll dig around for more information on this book (coming out this week on November 18, 2010) and will post them on Same Hat. In the meantime, enjoy these videos!

Video 1 of 2


Video 2 of 2


Consolidated 2x speed video!

JAPAN 2010 TRIP: BIG AX FESTIVAL

At some point last weekend between eating pizza, drinking beers in the park and eating indian pizza, my buddy Ramenate reminded me that I still haven't posted the majority of the massive stockpile of photos and dispatches from my trip out to Tokyo earlier this year. How true!

I have a knack lately with all the blogs, projects, brainfarts (oh yeah, and day job) I'm foolishly juggling of forgetting that coming up with an idea is like 10% of the actual work. I am gonna try to be better about this and post more goodies for you guys... How many times have I said that? BUT THIS TIME I MEAN IT :B

So anyway, Nate put me on blast for being lazy while we were inventing a kimchi bloody mary cocktail we're calling the "Gwangju Mary:

(so damn tasty! click above for the recipe)

Ready to prove him wrong, here is the next in a series of posts I've labeled Japan 2010!

BIG AX FESTIVAL AT BILLIKEN GALLERY


I had a short list of things set in stone for my Tokyo trip earlier this year that I specifically wanted to check out & photograph for Same Hat. One of the most auspicious was the BIG AX FESTIVAL, a month-long art show organized by manga publisher Seirinkogeisha. The exhibit was held in Billiken Gallery, and featured a huge set of featured artists; in fact, the month-long show was split down the middle with two separate openings and sets of artists. I was lucky enough to visit the final weekend of the exhibit with Nate, and see the 2nd half of BIG AX FESTIVAl (which featured original works by Same Hat patron saints Suehiro Maruo, Yusaku Hanakuma, Shintaro Kago, and many other amazing artists).

Billiken Gallery (Billiken Shokai) is a super cute shop in the highly fashionable and consumerist Aoyama neighborhood of Tokyo. For those that haven't had the pleasure, Aoyama is the 'hood further down the way from Harajuku, home to the crazy Comme des Garçons and Vuitton flagships, swank little eateries, and some of the hottest/fanciest ladies in Tokyo.


(photo by saripom)

The gallery space at Billiken Shokai is in the back, while the front half of the shop features American indie comics (David Bowing by Clowes, David B's Epileptic, etc) along with vintage vinyl figurines, tin toys, and other collectibles. The staff there was cute and polite, a juxtaposition to the wacky-ass art hanging for the AX show. I took a few photos (below) before they informed me that was actually frowned upon... and ended our time there by buying some autographed manga and pins for friends.

Check out the Billiken Gallery's exhibit blog for lots of pics of their ongoing exhibits; I have found tons and tons of contemporary artists to follow/stalk/read about from their blog! It makes me wish that the SuperFrog Gallery in San Francisco was 1/10th as, well, relevant for lack of a better word. Not to harp on this, but it's spaces like Billiken that underscore how much of a missed opportunity for Japan/Manga/Cartoon gallery space the New People building is in its current form.

ON WITH THE PICTURES! HERE ARE MINE:

By Yuka Goto, awesome artists of the Justice Corps series. She captures this art brut x nasty high school girl's diary aesthetic really well (and has a story called The Neighbor in the AX Anthology)


Paintings & prints mounted on the wall, manga by AX artists stacked for folks to peruse on all the tables!



BIG AX FESTIVAL t-shirt (not for sale)


Oh yeah, and every issue of AX to date (along with paintings by Maruo, drawing by Hanakuma)


Glass case full of AX/Seirinkogeisha artists pins, including sets by Suehiro Maruo.


Tsuge, Hanakuma, Hayami, and others! These pins were for sale (and are also available at Taco Che

MORE PICS FROM THE BILLIKEN BLOG

Hirakuchi Hitomi


A painting by one of the Same Hat pantheon: Shintaro Kago!



Shimatora Torada, author of the lovely manga, Träumerei


Minimalist pen drawing by Yusaku Hanakuma


Pieces by Yoshikazu Ebisu


This dude is jolly: Yoshikazu Ebisu


Suehiro Maruo signing books


Damn dude! Yoshikazu Ebisu, Minami Shinbou, and Suehiro Maruo


Yuka Goto and Toshiko Suzuki(?)


Check out this sea of talent! That is Mr. Buff Hotness (Hanakuma!) in the purple turtleneck.


Original painting by Suehiro Maruo. It was sold when I visited, for something like $1200? (Wait, it had to be way more than that... I forget)


The dude Nishioka of Nishioka Kyoudai


Piece by Kurihara Takashi


Piece by Imiri Sakabashira


Piece by Toyo Kataoka


Piece by Fukuzawa Minako


Piece by Akino Kondoh


Every issue of AX!


Piece by Kazuichi Hanawa

I hope folks enjoyed this collection of photographs and details on the gallery. There are more pics on the Billiken Gallery blog, but it doesn't have permalinks to previous posts unfortunately. Just go back through the archives to February to see 'em!

I would definitely include Billiken Shokai on my list of Tokyo stops, especially if you're already over in West Tokyo at Harajuku or kicking it on the Chuo Line. I just added it to the Same Hat Guide To Everything for anyone planning an upcoming trip!

UPDATE ABOUT THE AX ANTHOLOGY FROM LEIGH AT TOP SHELF:

Hey guys,
Leigh here from Top Shelf. The AX book is indeed real, not to worry! It's available via direct order from our web site or at conventions. Unfortunately we had some logistical delays with the book moving through distribution channels, but Diamond has it now and will be distributing to comic shops, bookstores, Amazon, etc within a week or two. Sorry for the confusion and hope you enjoy the book!

The direct order page for AX is here, by the way (
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog/ax-vol-1-a-collection-of-alternative-manga/645) and as Jose-Luis mentioned, we are in the middle of a big mail-order sale right now. Thanks everybody for all your interest and support!

JAPAN 2010 TRIP: BIG AX FESTIVAL

At some point last weekend between eating pizza, drinking beers in the park and eating indian pizza, my buddy Ramenate reminded me that I still haven't posted the majority of the massive stockpile of photos and dispatches from my trip out to Tokyo earlier this year. How true!

I have a knack lately with all the blogs, projects, brainfarts (oh yeah, and day job) I'm foolishly juggling of forgetting that coming up with an idea is like 10% of the actual work. I am gonna try to be better about this and post more goodies for you guys... How many times have I said that? BUT THIS TIME I MEAN IT :B

So anyway, Nate put me on blast for being lazy while we were inventing a kimchi bloody mary cocktail we're calling the "Gwangju Mary:

(so damn tasty! click above for the recipe)

Ready to prove him wrong, here is the next in a series of posts I've labeled Japan 2010!

BIG AX FESTIVAL AT BILLIKEN GALLERY


I had a short list of things set in stone for my Tokyo trip earlier this year that I specifically wanted to check out & photograph for Same Hat. One of the most auspicious was the BIG AX FESTIVAL, a month-long art show organized by manga publisher Seirinkogeisha. The exhibit was held in Billiken Gallery, and featured a huge set of featured artists; in fact, the month-long show was split down the middle with two separate openings and sets of artists. I was lucky enough to visit the final weekend of the exhibit with Nate, and see the 2nd half of BIG AX FESTIVAl (which featured original works by Same Hat patron saints Suehiro Maruo, Yusaku Hanakuma, Shintaro Kago, and many other amazing artists).

Billiken Gallery (Billiken Shokai) is a super cute shop in the highly fashionable and consumerist Aoyama neighborhood of Tokyo. For those that haven't had the pleasure, Aoyama is the 'hood further down the way from Harajuku, home to the crazy Comme des Garçons and Vuitton flagships, swank little eateries, and some of the hottest/fanciest ladies in Tokyo.


(photo by saripom)

The gallery space at Billiken Shokai is in the back, while the front half of the shop features American indie comics (David Bowing by Clowes, David B's Epileptic, etc) along with vintage vinyl figurines, tin toys, and other collectibles. The staff there was cute and polite, a juxtaposition to the wacky-ass art hanging for the AX show. I took a few photos (below) before they informed me that was actually frowned upon... and ended our time there by buying some autographed manga and pins for friends.

Check out the Billiken Gallery's exhibit blog for lots of pics of their ongoing exhibits; I have found tons and tons of contemporary artists to follow/stalk/read about from their blog! It makes me wish that the SuperFrog Gallery in San Francisco was 1/10th as, well, relevant for lack of a better word. Not to harp on this, but it's spaces like Billiken that underscore how much of a missed opportunity for Japan/Manga/Cartoon gallery space the New People building is in its current form.

ON WITH THE PICTURES! HERE ARE MINE:

By Yuka Goto, awesome artists of the Justice Corps series. She captures this art brut x nasty high school girl's diary aesthetic really well (and has a story called The Neighbor in the AX Anthology)


Paintings & prints mounted on the wall, manga by AX artists stacked for folks to peruse on all the tables!



BIG AX FESTIVAL t-shirt (not for sale)


Oh yeah, and every issue of AX to date (along with paintings by Maruo, drawing by Hanakuma)


Glass case full of AX/Seirinkogeisha artists pins, including sets by Suehiro Maruo.


Tsuge, Hanakuma, Hayami, and others! These pins were for sale (and are also available at Taco Che

MORE PICS FROM THE BILLIKEN BLOG

Hirakuchi Hitomi


A painting by one of the Same Hat pantheon: Shintaro Kago!



Shimatora Torada, author of the lovely manga, Träumerei


Minimalist pen drawing by Yusaku Hanakuma


Pieces by Yoshikazu Ebisu


This dude is jolly: Yoshikazu Ebisu


Suehiro Maruo signing books


Damn dude! Yoshikazu Ebisu, Minami Shinbou, and Suehiro Maruo


Yuka Goto and Toshiko Suzuki(?)


Check out this sea of talent! That is Mr. Buff Hotness (Hanakuma!) in the purple turtleneck.


Original painting by Suehiro Maruo. It was sold when I visited, for something like $1200? (Wait, it had to be way more than that... I forget)


The dude Nishioka of Nishioka Kyoudai


Piece by Kurihara Takashi


Piece by Imiri Sakabashira


Piece by Toyo Kataoka


Piece by Fukuzawa Minako


Piece by Akino Kondoh


Every issue of AX!


Piece by Kazuichi Hanawa

I hope folks enjoyed this collection of photographs and details on the gallery. There are more pics on the Billiken Gallery blog, but it doesn't have permalinks to previous posts unfortunately. Just go back through the archives to February to see 'em!

I would definitely include Billiken Shokai on my list of Tokyo stops, especially if you're already over in West Tokyo at Harajuku or kicking it on the Chuo Line. I just added it to the Same Hat Guide To Everything for anyone planning an upcoming trip!

UPDATE ABOUT THE AX ANTHOLOGY FROM LEIGH AT TOP SHELF:

Hey guys,
Leigh here from Top Shelf. The AX book is indeed real, not to worry! It's available via direct order from our web site or at conventions. Unfortunately we had some logistical delays with the book moving through distribution channels, but Diamond has it now and will be distributing to comic shops, bookstores, Amazon, etc within a week or two. Sorry for the confusion and hope you enjoy the book!

The direct order page for AX is here, by the way (
http://www.topshelfcomix.com/catalog/ax-vol-1-a-collection-of-alternative-manga/645) and as Jose-Luis mentioned, we are in the middle of a big mail-order sale right now. Thanks everybody for all your interest and support!