This is something I posted over at SNOW Magazine a couple of weeks back, and forgot to mention here, even though I think it’s important to note in the context of all the digital publishing talk I cover here. It’s a new piece of software called ComiPo, a “manga sequencer,” and the idea is that it gives anyone — even if you have no drawing abilities — the means to create comics and manga. If you look at the video in the article, you’ll see exactly what I mean (and check Patrick’s original post for more details).

Momus is indeed in Tokyo for a few weeks — as you’ll know if you follow his Click Opera blog, which has turned into a literal Tokyo/Japan lovefest since his arrival — and he also has a free show planned for December 22 (from 20:30) at the recently opened GM Ten Gallery in Azabu Juban, a space produced by Osaka designers Graf.

Starting December 20, the gallery will be hosting an exhibition of works by manga legend Eico Hanamura — here’s an interview with Hanamura on PingMag which was, believe it or not, published during my short tenure there.

Patrick Macias has a new episode of his Hot Tears of Shame podcast, and fans of otaku culture will not want to miss it. “Otaku Internationale: The Shinjuku Summit” brings together Patrick #1, Patrick #2 (that would be The Otaku Encyclopedia‘s Patrick W. Galbraith), PhD student Renato Rivera, and Otaku2 co-founder Adrian Lozano, covering a host of otaku-powered topics.

Let me also add that if you’re hosting a session of The Beatles: Rock Band and you need a singer, Patrick is your man.

Patrick Macias gave a lecture this past week at California State University, covering “Theoretical Perspectives on Manga, Anime and Otaku,” and he’s now made if available as a download as an episode of his Hot Tears of Shame podcast series (#33).

As Patrick explains, “[w]hile some of this territory was covered before in my speech earlier this year at Temple University Japan Campus, there’s a lot of new stuff here (including sections on American fandom and Hating the Otaku Wave) in this one hour-long recording.”

Fans of the amazing Junko Mizuno rejoice, since Last Gasp has finally released Little Fluffy Gigolo PELU Vol. 1 — and if you haven’t, best to pick up Pure Trance as well. Both were produced by Patrick Macias and Izumi Evers’ jaPRESS.

I’ve mentioned it a few times already, but let me take some time to try and convince you why you should be picking up a copy of The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider’s Guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan. The book was written by Patrick W. Galbraith, and if anyone was to write a guide to otaku culture in English, I don’t really think you could find someone who was better suited — sure, I’m not forgetting our good friend Patrick Macias, but his take on otaku culture wouldn’t be quite the same. Patrick G. is not only an otaku himself — take a look at his Otaku2 site — but he’s a researcher in the field as well, currently still hard at work on his Ph.D at Tokyo University. And guess what, he also happens to give weekly tours in Akihabara, dressed in full Super Sayajin (of Dragonball) gear, AND he is the narrator of the upcoming Tokyo Realtime audio guide to Akihabara. So he knows his stuff.

Next point, it was edited by Andrew Lee, a name you’ve certainly seen mentioned plenty here, since he’s the terrific art director of Arcade Mania (and Matt Alt’s Yokai Attack too). Even though he didn’t design this book, he had a strong hand in directing the visuals, and The Otaku Encyclopedia has ended up with the same sort of fun pop look that I think helped make Arcade Mania a visual tour as much as a textual one. So don’t think that the “Encyclopedia” in the title means you’re just getting a long list of term definitions: the entire book is as fun to leaf though as it is to read.

So time to get your hands on the current DEFINITIVE guide to all things otaku. The book is out now in Japan, and is available for order online with shipping worldwide from both Amazon Japan and through Kodansha International directly. The book will be available in stores in the rest of the world in October — here’s the pre-order page on Amazon US — but remember that this will be the exact same book that you can already buy now.

And if you still need some convincing, or want more of a peek inside the book itself, here’s a post from PechaKucha Daily where you’ll find all the images that Patrick used in his PechaKucha Night presentation last month, and here’s an extremely visual review from another otaku celebrity, Danny Choo.

Lastly, even if you missed last month’s launch party — yes, it was held in Akihabara — another party to celebrate the book’s launch is happening this Saturday (July 18) at the Vitamin Water event space (8th and 9th floor of the H&M building in Harajuku) from 15:00 to 18:00. Free drinks for everyone, and the author will be in attendance, so a good chance to get copies signed.

Some very good news indeed: Viz is launching a new online magazine named after — and inspired by — IKKI, a Japanese comic monthly aimed at the older crowd. The site is currently in beta form, and will officially launch after this summer’s San Diego Comicon. All manga will be free to read online, and the most popular series — based on feedback from readers — will get eventual print releases in digest form.

Publisher’s Weekly covers the announcement, and to echo a tweet by Patrick Macias, it’s good to see the PULP font used again (PULP was an earlier attempt by Viz to publish a monthly manga compilation for adults, to which Patrick was a columnist.)

Patrick Macias is in town for a bit — still jet-lagged — and is giving a talk, “Otaku Power: Trivia, Desire, and Transformation,” at Temple University this Friday (March 13, 18:30). More details here.

Over at Boing Boing, Cory Doctorow covers the new Bat-Manga collection, an anthology of Batman manga produced in the sixties, edited by Chip Kidd.

Well, the title says it all: Marxy and Macias, together again, this time for a new Néojaponisme podcast covering the topic of “Cool Japan.”

I’m just waiting for the them to take their shtick on the road.

Next up for Naoki Urasawa (Monster, 20th Century Boys), a new manga series called Billy Bat in which he supposedly brings back a “lost American Hero” from the forties. The new series will appear in Kodansha’s Morning comics magazine, starting this week. Via Anime News Network.

A bit of craziness at this weekend’s Comike it seems.

Read the full ANN report here. Via Patrick Macias.

After 21 years in print, publisher Shogakukan’s Young Sunday comics magazine is calling it quits. Anime News Network has details on what will happen to all of its manga titles — most of them are heading to Big Comic Spirits.

Some good news for fans of the works of Junko Mizuno. Publisher Last Gasp and Patrick Macias’ jaPRESS are translating the Fancy Gigolo Pelu manga. It should be out in spring of next year.

A lot of you probably remember Matt Alt — I already pointed you to the superfun book he wrote last year with his wife, Hiroko Yoda: Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan. Matt has teamed up with Hiroko again for a book that has just come out from Kodansha International. Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide offers up a tour of Japan’s mythic and legendary monsters.

I love this book. I mean, just take a look at the page above, which gives you a good idea of what to expect. Manga creator Tatsuya Morino illustrated the entire thing, and his style seems perfect for the subject matter. The book’s art director, Andrew Lee, deserves some props too for his amazing work, and since he’s also art directing the book I’ve been working on, you can see why I’m so happy.

Yokai Attack! is out now in Japan, and should be available in most books stores — it’s on Amazon Japan too, which of course offers international shipping options. The book comes out in North American and Europe in the fall, just in time for Halloween. Matt offers up more info about the book in this post on his blog.