203 – One Shot 14 – Manga Poverty with Deb Aoki
We’re joined by lovely manga journalist Deb Aoki this week to talk about the changes in the Western manga industry, compare them to the problems in Japanese publishing that are addressed in Shuho Sato’s memoir Manga Poverty, and rejoice over the plethora of recent manga licensing news!
Check out Deb’s twitter, professional site and Manga Answerman articles!
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If you have any thoughts on the episode, manga suggestions, or anything else please comment below!
Time Stamps:
- 00:00:00 – Intro Song: “More One Night” by Chito & Yuuri from Girls’ Last Tour, Opening, getting to know Deb, Deb learning to draw from Dave Throne in Hawaii
- 00:08:36 – Questions: Deb explains how fans can help get manga localized, discussing what publishers consider when choosing what to publish
- 00:15:25 – Deb tells us how Japanese publishers still focus on Japan first despite the growth of worldwide manga sales
- 00:17:55 – darfox wonders what influence a series’ popularity in the west does for new series in Weekly Shonen Jump
- 00:22:10 – we discuss the grueling process of creating under deadlines and the effect it had the family life of Masashi Kishimoto & Hayao Miyazaki and the health of Osamu Tezuka and Shotaro Ishinomori, Deb talks about the franchising of manga series
- 00:30:37 – Deb gives her thoughts on the quality of user interface/experience for digital manga readers of comixology/cruchyroll/VIZ, we discuss the growth of comics adapting from a published page format to a more digital friendly layout
- 00:38:03 – Main Segment One Shot: Manga Poverty, Transition Song: “Shadow and Truth” by ONE III NOTES from ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept., we talk about Shuho Sato’s history with publishers, Sato providing an affordable rental work space for manga artist, the current interest into cultivating online manga stores in Japan, Cork agency, the amount of control manga artist get over their intellectual property, the debt that manga artists accumulate even after success, Felipe Smith having to finance his own assistant, the varying representation of manga artists within manga, how honest and accurate Sato is being about the manga industry, the Japanese version that comes with a manga foreword, how libraries are normalizing comics/manga to the current American society, the Manga Reborn project
- 01:13:26 – News: brand new manga publisher Denpa Books will be publishing Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji, Inside Mari, PEZ, Maiden Railways, and others
- 01:17:03 – Deb gives some insight on why the licensing of books like Urusei Yatsura, Baki, Devilman, and The Poe Clan have happened recently
- 01:23:04 – We talk about the business potential of bringing over Japanese theatrical adaptations of manga/anime, Deb’s says Haikyu!! over The Prince of Tennis
- 01:28:38 – Whatchu Been Reading: Transition Song: Dragon Ball Z OST “Prologue”, Deb hated Shibuya Goldfish but is looking forward to Witch Hat Atelier
- 01:30:32 – dakazu clarifies his thoughts about Spicy Cafe Girl to darfox, darfox has become a mega fan of Kaiji
- 01:36:52 – Deb really likes Investor Z despite the ugly artwork, One Punch Man season 2 is coming in Spring of 2019
- 01:41:27 – Seamus has read a collection of Masahiko Matsumoto manga that has simple art but mature storylines, Deb suggests the upcoming Yoshiharu Tsuge book from Drawn & Quarterly
- 01:44:38 – dakazu finds the popularity of pretty boy serial killers of Satsukare a little disturbing
- 01:47:28 – Next Week’s Topic: One Shot of Nijigahara Holograph by Inio Asano, Social Media Rundown, Sign Off Song: “wish men” by sunbrain from Beet the Vandel Buster