Sakura Sakura

Blooming, can't stop taking photos.

Although they are not so much different... 

Everyone takes photo of Sakura.

Fujiko.F.Fujio museum.

I visited to Fujiko.F.Fujio museum with my friends, Alice and Morgan today!

I asked them because Morgan has Draemon-purse, and he said he enjoyed Stand By Me Doraemon, and the museum is not far from my place.

There is a special shuttle bus from the station to the museum. Fujiko F's characters are all over on it. 

 

The museum cafe. Characters' dishes, drinks.

 
 
 

The museum is located countryside, it has a little yard some characters in.
 

3 shot,Dorami-chan, Alice, and me!

Oh, this is the Jidori-bou (Selfie stick)! It's the first time I saw it in close!

You can't take a photo of the exhibitions. -.- They were nice exhibitions, the museum is not big but worth to visit, if you have time. Nihon Minkaen is near here, so you can visit 2 museum - or 3, Taro Okamoto museum. 

I bought a post card and a book.... Can't resist. 

A punch line(?)

I lost my ticket at the entrance of the museum...I'm sure I'd had it 10 min. before ... where did it go???

...Typical!

Back home and...

Back home and realized 

The AniNite  T shirts of AniNite 2014 has the mascots on it (front), and they are... Wedding Peach!

And it has VIP on the back! Wow, I was a VIP!?

My lost luggage came home on the next day. The day I went back, I got a phone call from Lufthansa Japan and they sent it to my home. 

The luggage seemed to be treated very hard.

The bath salts I bout in Toulouse. It was very hard and I scooped out with a slapstick spoon to use it. But it came back in this shape, crushed completely. Must be shaken very hard. and little hotel soap and a mug was broken...and the little broken pieces was all over inside of luggage. :( 

There is a cup-sake inside of the mug, with newspapers. It was safe, thankfully!

(I gargle with it, it's good for your throat.) 

My absence was more than 15 days, but Mi-ke comes to me on the day I was back home. Guys who live downstairs feed her, so she isn't hungry. She left some food recently... :(

I came back home .

Her leftover is cleansed by a crow.

Another visitor.

By the way... 真空地帯　The Isolated Zone　Japanese edition vol.1 & vol.２+ vol.６  These titles is free now.  Kindle direct publishing. (The link goes to Amazon.com)

　　

AniNite (2)

On the third day, we have interview by Sascha Sierk, Acme.Nipp-on-Air 

It was the third time, AniNite 2012, Animuch 2014, and AniNite 2014. 

You can listen the contents from here. 

The program is in German of course, but I spoke in English and other guests spoke in Japanese (With German translation) 

Post by Acme.Nipp-on-Air - japanische Popkultur auf 107,5 Mhz.

After the con was over, we took some group photos.

After party at a Heuriger. :p

Although it has no musicians ( Schrammelmusik), it was real Heuriger and we had a lot of fun with younger wine(Sturm)!

 

The Hueriger we went to the last time, AniNite 2012, had musicians. 

From Manga Report of AniNite （extra manga of Moon&Blood1 KDP edition) 

The next day - the day I was going to fly to Japan. I and E-chan (AniNite) went to airport earlier, to ask about my lost luggage. Then I was told  "You said you were in Japan on Monday, we sent your luggage back to Narita" WHAT?

I was sure I said "I'm leaving on Monday". Yet, if the luggage came to me on Sunday, I had to bring the heavy luggage which I didn't use at all with me on my back flight. If it sent back directly my home, it was much better than that. 

(My friend gave me a bottle of nice wine at the last night and I had to give it up. Because I have no cabin case, it was BIG shame, though) 

The back flight (Austria airline) was nice, I was lucky. 

2 ladies in my next seat moved to other row, so I occupied 3 seats. 

The monitor was nice, not the latest but new one.

The head set plug is "one " type so I can listen The Hitchhikers Guide with my iPhone during the flight. (my headset was in the lost luggage) The triangular airline food of Austrian Airline was as well, ...why triangle?

Austrian Airline doesn't offer Oshibori (wet towel) , Lufthansa does. 

By the way...

 真空地帯vol.1 & vol.２+ vol.６  These titles is free now.  Kindle direct publishing. 

(The link goes to Amazon.com)

　　

At my dad's funeral

My dad (I've posted some 4koma about him here) passed away a while back. It was all of sudden, although he suffered cancers, and he stays a nursing home because of his quadriplegia, but yet, the doctor said he was OK. The cancers were under control. So we were so surprised when we got a call from the nursing home.

The death can come anytime, all you can do is live in a every precious moment, that's all - I felt. 

Then - We had a ritual for him yesterday. (A kind of second funeral, it's supposed to be held the 49th day after the death - on Sunday somewhere about)

It was a small gathering, , only sisters and brothers of my dad and mom. I've not visited my grandparents(they are not anymore) home since I was a kid - around 15, I believe - there was some people I've not seen for long time and I wasn't sure who was who. It was awkward for you to talk uncles and aunts after the such a long blank!

I hate a kind of "social conventions", it make me tired and confused. ><;

That's so bad I can't draw his story anymore. :/ He wasn't a perfect father, made me upset sometimes, but I loved the stupid stubborn old g.....man.. 

I lost my original drawings!

...seems so. It's the clear-file in the photograph below.

I had a class on 28th Dec,, and brought back it - but I'm not sure if I had the bag when I arrived at home. I bought some sashimi for Moko at a local shop, and ...didn't I have the bag at that time?...not sure ><;;

I've just realized it yesterday, when I prepared the class of today. I phoned railroad/bus company and the shop, but they said no. 

I went to police box at Nakano Station today. The police officer who interviewed with me was very kind and he assured that lost items were reported on most occasion here. But if it was found, it should have been reported already, it was more than 1 week ago. :/

Anyway, the police officer was very interested what I lost, manga drawings, and we had some chat about it. I was amused with it, an otaku police officer in Nakano ?

The file has many my drawings, included Wedding Peach and some useful stuff for teaching manga. I wish it came back to me...please!!

Bad things enough! Something good should happen to me soon! ...Oh well. 

Bye bye Moko

Moko died early on January 5th. Thanks for wards of condolences on FB and Twitter. 

He got a problem with his hind legs on Dec. 31. He tried to walk but his hind legs hardly worked. Still, he ate some food by himself and walked with a stagger to a cat litter and did pee. (outside of the litter)

I talked with his vet on the phone, and decided to stay home, didn't go to the vet. It would not be good for him, just adding more stress, I thought.

I didn't post anything about it, because it didn't suit subject in new year. That's the reason I wrote nothing the post of 3rd January. I didn't know anything to write.

His condition become very ill rapidly, he hardly walked by 3rd. But he wanted to go to toilet, so I hold him in the cat litter. It seemed to work the first time, but just once. Then, he had a major convulsive seizure early on Jan. 4th.

Fortunately -- or unfortunately, he survived from the seizure, but he has no strength anymore, just breathing. I stayed with him, changed his pose and gave him some water regularly. Then, he was gone on the next day.

I'm going to Toronto for 3 weeks from 12th Feb. and I was worried about Moko during my absence, because he'd become weak recently. I'm scared if he died alone. No more worry. In a way, it might be lucky he died when I could stay with him. I was by his bedside when he did his the last breath.

I lived with him more than 17 years, he lived a long life as a cat. I don't say I was not crying, but I can accept his death in calm somehow, that could be the reason. It's not entirely (such as I could give him XX ) , but basically, I'm satisfied with his life.

There is one major regret - I could have started to draw his (my cats) 4 koma earlier. I had 17 years! What a loss - he had a lot of funny episodes. It's not only to show someone, but for myself. You can't remember everything.

Because of my 4koma manga about him, not only "my cat" but also as a cat has certain lovable character, many people shared my loss of him. It makes me happy.

Thank you very much.

A Christmas Present

I have been thinking about having a new my drawing giveaway, it's been a while since the last time. I thought it could be a Christmas present, but I missed it - on the late side a bit.  It would be a new year gift? But again, I'm not sure I can remember and post it on that day.  

It would be better that I do it right now, before it slips my mind, Christmas day has not been over yet, anyway. 

Here is the drawing in this time, and the link. (My FB page, Nao Yazawa's Manga Bangai-chi)

The application is simple. Give comment to this post. The winner is chosen randomly from the comments.

 It'll be closed at 0:00 Jan 1st.

Thank you!

Going to Toronto

I'm going to Toronto in mid-February to teaching manga at JFT（Japan Foundation in Toronto).
Japan Foundation has a section of Japanese language education overseas , and they looked for people who can teach something about Japanese manga/anime for their students.

20 days in Toronto, I'm looking forward even it was in Winter. The idea having manga class in abroad is exciting. There is only one trouble -  I'm concerned about Moko, my old cat. He is 17 years old, getting weak recently. I bought some warm goodies, such as electric carpet, blanket - I'll buy some more and have a cat sitter look after him. In the meantime, I feed him as much as I can. He was a big cat, but skinny now...

I have had a specific schedule of the class yet, but I think I work everyday - night in the week, day time in the weekend. There are 10 proposals of the class, and some of them has several sessions. 

I and a person from Japan Foundation had a meeting today. She asked what the contents of the lecture, and if I needed an interpreter. I wasn't sure - I can communicate in English, but can't say my English is fluent (maybe it's "fluent", but very incorrect)

Having an interpreter means the time you have is going to be half, bother sometimes, but it would be not bad if you have someone who correct my English and interrupt me when I speak, right? (actually, whichever is OK, because I'm not the one who pay the interpreter) 

The Isolated Zone:Shinku Chitai Vol.4

I was asked the data of Vol.4 (The Isolated Zone) data recently, so have started the work - modification of the scanned data and Japanese lettering.. Vol.2 is not yet, (the translation process has been done by the first 15 pages) and I've sent the data of vol.3 at the end of Oct... I would be busy for the check of the translation if vol.2 it comes out soon...

Information

A Kindle Free Book Campaign, English manga

NOZOMI,Shojo manga (English). From 29th Nov., for 5 days.Get it on Amazon. :)

It's 23DL so far...not many, because this is the second time? 

BTW, I fond a new review of NOZOMI today! :D Moon&Blood 1 and The Isolated Zone (Shinku Chitai) got a new one,  too! ^^

Free manga -NOZOMI-

The campaign has started!

A Kindle Free Book Campaign, English manga

NOZOMI,Shojo manga (English). From 29th Nov., for 5 days.

Get it on Amazon. :)

A new project of Coffee Party Book 2

Coffee Party is a group by Nao Yazawa and Saeko Doile, and manga-comic In Search of Lost Coffee is our series.

The second book was released on 20th Oct, Kaigai Manga Fest 2013(International comic fest). The project of the e-book version has started, and to make it more "International", I'd like to ask your contribution like the last time, In Search of Lost Coffee vol.1.(We get many illustrations of main characters, on the first volume of this series)

The format of this time is...
4koma/8koma or 1page comic strip(with some panels or no panel, both are OK) using the characters, Croissant, Eclair, and Dango kun. You can use them all, 2 of them, or just only one. It's your choice.

The reading direction is from left to right, in Western style.

2 page each. The first page should have your name on it, and other information which you'd like to add - such as your contact, introduction, comment, for instance.(in English)

TIFfile

The file size = 2050 X 1450 pixel

Color(RGB)/Black and white(grey) Either one will be fine

The deadline will be 15 Jan. 2014 (I'm sorry for the short notice!)
Send the images to yazawanet@yahoo.co.jp the subject should be coffee-party.

Join us, anyone can partake. If you have no idea about Coffee Party, you can read In Search of Lost Coffee 1 on the web, it's free. They are available via eManga(DMP) and Amimaru's FB/iPad app. And check Coffee Party FB page, you can get some images of the characters, especially about Dango, our new hero.

I hope many contributors join our new book! If you have any question, send message or post to Cofee Party FB page. Thank you!

Examples

4koma (The reading direction is wrong, because this 4koma wasn't drew for this project) 



1 page (no frame) It's a rough sketch, not finished work,

Kindle Free Book Campaign

As I wrote here, Shinku Chitai :The Isolated Zone 1 Japanese Edition (KDP) has been releaced at last. -.-  For the celebration, (lol) I set another Free Book Campaign (20-24 Nov.),

Moon and Blood vol.1 and vol.2 (Japanese edition, too)

Shinku Chitai:The Isolated Zone 1　　　　　 I think you may know about this work, because I posted some entries here,  now and then. What I wrote mainly were about translation/lettering of English edition. Unfortunately, vol.2 English edition has no progress so far. I hope it will start again soon.

For a meantime, The Japanese Edition is going on - the vol.2 will be released on Dec.