An epic celebration of Godzilla’s 70th anniversary, exploring every aspect of the creation, design, and evolution of King of the Monsters in Toho Studios' films and TV series from 1954 to the presentGodzilla: The First 70 Years is a narrative and visual history of Japan’s King of the Monsters, chronicling the triumphs, challenges, and meaning of seven decades of city-trashing, kaiju-smashing mayhem.It's also a tribute to Godzilla’s creator...

"An appreciation of Japanese fantasy-film history through the eyes of a filmmaker whose name is obscure but populism remains influential." — Chicago TribuneIshiro Honda, arguably the most internationally successful Japanese director of his generation, made an unmatched succession of science fiction films that were commercial hits worldwide. From the atomic allegory of Godzilla and the beguiling charms of Mothra to the tragic mystery of

See Dragon Ball with new eyes. This book is your cultural tour guide of Dragon Ball, the world’s most recognized anime and manga series.Over 11 years in development, at over 2,000 pages of content, and featuring over 1,800 unique terms, Dragon Ball Culture is a 7 Volume analysis of your favorite series. You will go on an adventure with Son Goku, from Chapter 1 to 194 of the original Dragon Ball series, as we explore every page, every panel, and every sentence, to reveal the hidden ...

The third installment in comics icon Stan Lee's series showing readers how to draw some of the most exciting and dynamic superheroes of all time.Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, and the Avengers all share a common trait -- these hugely popular Marvel Comics superheroes were co-created by the legendary Stan Lee. Now, Lee shows readers everything they'll need to make their own mighty superheroes, just like his classic creations. Lee exposes hi...

Translated by Audie E. Bock."A first rate book and a joy to read.... It's doubtful that a complete understanding of the director's artistry can be obtained without reading this book.... Also indispensable for budding directors are the addenda, in which Kurosawa lays out his beliefs on the primacy of a good script, on scriptwriting as an essential tool for directors, on directing actors, on camera placement, and on the value of steeping oneself in literature, from great novels to de...

Planets in Play is the first foundational book that lets the reader reimagine his or her inner life through the self-exploratory language of astrology. Author Laurence Hillman-a widely respected astrologer with a loyal following and a formidable online presence-reconnects the planets with the character traits given them by the ancients.Whether one accepts astrology as being "real," its language and concepts can go a long way toward helping us see the archetypes that play o...

**"Impressive, exhaustive, labyrinthine, and obsessive—The Anime Encyclopedia is an astonishing piece of work." —Neil GaimanWith over 10,000 entries nothing comes close . . . from classics to hidden gems, all the anime you love is finally at your fingertips.This 3rd edition of The Anime Encyclopedia brings the landmark reference work up to date with six additional years of information on Japanese animation, its practition...

A tribute to Japan's God of Manga by his long-time American friend and translator.The pioneering genius of Japan’s “God of Comics,” Osamu Tezuka (1928–89), is examined through his life’s masterwork: Tetsuwan Atomu, also known as Mighty Atom or Astro Boy, a comic series featuring a cute little android who yearns to be more human. The history of Tetsuwan Atomu and Tezuka’s role in it is a road map to understanding the development o...

The first book-length collection by the most respected writer on anime and manga today.Anime’s influence can be found in every corner of American media, from film and television to games and graphic arts. And Fred Patten is largely responsible. He was reading manga and watching anime before most of the current generation of fans was born. In fact, it was his active participation in fan clubs and his prolific magazine writing that helped create a m...

World Film Locations: Tokyo gives readers a kaleidoscopic view of one of the world’s most complex and exciting cities through the lens of world cinema. 50 scenes from classic and contemporary films explore how motion pictures have shaped the role of Tokyo in our collective consciousness, as well as how these cinematic moments reveal aspects of the life and culture of a city that are often hidden from view. Complimenting these scenes from such varied films as Tokyo Story, ...

Moe is a huge cultural phenomenon and one of the driving forces behind the enormous success of Japanese anime and manga—not just in Japan but now throughout the world.In Japan, avid fans of manga comics, anime films and videogames use the term Moe to refer to the strong sense of emotional attachment they feel for their favorite characters. These fans have a powerful desire to protect and nurture the youthful, beautiful and innocent characters they adore—like Sagisa...

This guide to anime offers an overview of the art form, looking at its development in Japan and its export to other cultures. It includes a history of Japanese animation from early examples to the relaunch of animation as a viable commercial entity and its enormous rise in popularity after WWII. Anime explains the difference between manga and anime, offering a brief history of manga including its development from traditional art form (woodblock prints) to massive commercial success with mi...