Trendspotting: Story, Literature, and Japan

Fiction writing, screenwriting, and literature all seem to be on the rise in popularity with younger male readers in Japan. There are more Japanese novels being released in the United States than any time before, with things like light novels based on anime, and fantasy and science fiction novels such as Brave Story and All You Need Is Kill. And famous Japanese scriptwriter Dai Sato—who started writing professionally at the age of 19—starting his screenwriter consulting company StoryRiders as recently as 2007. Never has the Japanese love for literature and the printed word been so strong collectively. I can’t wait to see how this develops in the future.

I've been into anime and manga for a long time now, and I don't remember Japanese printed literature that wasn't primarily visual, like novels, scripts, and whatnot ever having this much visibility in the American anime mainstream. Personally, I've always been a writer since at least the age of 16 or so,  but it's nice to see a visual medium like anime seeming to really start considering story and literature more.

Stop thinking of yourself for once, prick....

And START thinking about people who are richer and more famous than you! How are they gonna eat, huh?!

Now they're gonna have to drive in a limo HALF that size and jerk off on a pile of money one third as massive the size!

Asshole!!!

My current Teacher in Art...

So I remember my most recent teacher, Donna Frank of Orlando, once  telling me in person how in terms of her current cityscapes, the production design and architectural designs I've drawn for Parallax influenced a lot of her painted Impressionist cityscape interpretations of Downtown Orlando's Architecture. I was kind of honored that I'm now actually directly influencing a member of the fine arts community, not just anime online, which is a tad bit different than what I'm used to. Usually it's just teenage Asian girls online who want to copy Mono's trenchcoat and draw their own renditions of it. It's nice to talk to a fellow local artist directly. Hasn't happened before now for a while. She did receive some of her art education in France and Italy during her career at one point. So technically, even though I haven't been to France to study art myself (yet!), I'm still the protege of an older artist who DID have some of her art education take place in France for quite a  while. Better than nothing I suppose.

The most feared man ever to walk the earth...BLAH!

I am the most feared man in entertainment. My enemies have got some big ass balls, primarily because they have the audacity to talk back to someone as powerful as me. You got balls, kid. I like that.

Academic Theories: Surrealism Makes You A Visionary

I like Surrealism, and I've derived a scientific psychological-developmental theory around it. I saw a lot of surrealistic imagery as a child, and not surprisingly, I grew up to be a very creative designer and general artist.

That is why I can't help but suspect the following scientific theory:

If you view a lot of surrealistic images at a young age, in print (comics, children's books), on TV, and on computers, (NOT anime. Surrealism. Difference.), your brain will automatically become highly imaginative and creative visually. Visual intelligence.

My theory is similar to the notion that "Listening to Mozart makes you smarter"

And because other than Science fiction and fantasy, Surrealism is the most creative visual art, and it will likely broaden your creative mind, and make you a better visual stylist when you grow up.

I wonder if psychologists will ever test this theory and conduct research related to it...Hmmm.

The French Animation Scene (IS there an animation scene in France???)

French Animation Productions

“Co-Production Market”

• Totally Spies
• Valerian and Laureline
• Marathon Animation
• Oban Star-Racers
• Code Lyoko
• W.I.T.C.H.
• Martin Mystery
• Fantastic four: World’s Greatest
• The Mysteries of Alfred Hedgehog
• Magi-Nation
• The Amazing Spiez
• Team Galaxy
• Gormiti
• Redakai
• Bots Master

It’s clearly anime and manga influenced, yet quite distinctive and different from those styles and

genre-mediums. They all have realistic backgrounds, use a lot of perspective and stylistic

character design. There are a lot of angles and sharp edges in the clothing and character design,

and fashion savvy costumes; vibrant color scheme and color composition. Their production

values are profound, cinematic, and high standard, much like anime.

French Animation and Co-Productions:

The French TV animation market was built on co-productions. French animation on TV is very co-production friendly. It’s the entire market. The concepts of co-production and French animation are interchangeable.

So why are so few TV shows available in America on DVD. This one's, that aspect of it, is a mystery to me.



The French television animation style is actually a very distinctive style of Western animation.

I Like My Cartoons BLACK Just Like I LIke My Metal...

Ever since I found out that “Noir” is the French word for the color “Black”, I’ve been fascinated by, and addicted to, the aesthetics and execution of the Noir genre. Whether in comics or animation. Interest in this genre is at an all time high in the mainstream and in the international film and comics world. From the Sam Noir graphic novel, to the French animated film Renaissance, to the anthropomorphic Cerebus-esque painted comic book Blacksad, to the live action adaptation of Frank Miller’s equally neo-noir comic book Sin City, to my own comic book cover style. Noir, or “Black Cinema and Comics” seems to be everywhere, particularly in French comics and animation, and in live action film. Black, while seemingly one dimensional and traditionally considered “evil” on the surface, allows for much expressive potential in the arts, literature, and cinema.

I’m quite proud and more than happy to at least appear like and feel as though somehow I pave a path to in other people’s eyes, somehow come across like I’m one of those modern day auteurs who have his finger on the pulse of something like that. Or not.

The French were some of the first appreciators and connoisseurs of the Black Cinema movement, the “Noir Thing”.

To me, Black and Dark are the same genre. Noir Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Gothic Fantasy. Future Noir (“Future Black”; Blade Runner). Noir and Goth. German and American Expressionism. Though other people don’t always think this way, they’ve always been integrated in the creative parts of my mind. The words and terms can be translated and intermixed both ways. Not just one way. Noir is not as big in Japan, but if you ask me, it’s only a matter of time, what with stuff like Darker Than Black, Hipira, Big O I & II,  Black Jack, Ghost in the Shell (Noir), Berserk, Akira, Strait Jacket, X/1999, Hellsing, Vampire Hunter D, Trinity Blood, Sword of the Stranger, and Karas I & II. I don’t know if the color black will ever be as heavily used in Japan as big eyes, but WHATEVER direction it takes over there, it seems well beyond being on its way.