Deb Aoki @debaoki Twitter profile

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Deb Aoki

29 days

POLL: if there were weekend, in-person workshops to learn 1:1 from manga instructors/editors from Japan, would you be interested in attending?

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Depends on cost

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Depends on location

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

Best Spy x Family cosplay at #AnimeExpo2022 ? Maaaaybe?

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

The panel asks Junji Ito what he thinks of Animorphs - “when they’re morphing, is there a chance that they get stuck in the in-between state? If yes, then 7 on (1-5) scary scale!” #crx2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

4 years

Ha! a guy shot a live action video of himself around Shibuya Station in Tokyo to mimic video game action

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

It’s pretty ridiculous that Rumiko Takahashi gets passed over every. damn. year. for the Eisner Hall of Fame, despite the fact that she probably influenced a lot of comics creators today. Don’t know who she is? Start here 👇🏻

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

Generally, my 1st check for “is it a shojo/shonen/seinen/josei manga title?” is to see what magazine it was originally published in Japan, since that’s your best indicator of its original target reader demographic. However, i understand the confusion when its published overseas

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

One takeaway from #ax2024 is how many people desperately want to draw manga, but don’t know how to get to the level where they’ll get published / can go pro. When i tell them that if they want to work in Japan, they should learn to speak/read Japanese, they’re so sad.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

30 days

One thing that makes me sad about the US manga creator ecosystem is how creators end up spending more time & creative energy making prints & “merch” to sell in artists alley vs making comics. The Kodansha editors fr JP noticed this diff too & were slightly puzzled by this.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

After talking with JP manga & US comics editors, I’ve heard a few common themes / tips for aspiring manga / webtoon creators: 1. Start with one-shot short stories, and do a lot of them! It will help you build your storytelling muscles and develop your individual art style

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

7 years

#TCAF book look: "my lesbian experience with loneliness" by Nagata Kabi fr. @go manga - a woman comes to term w/ her sexuality w/ an escort

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

we announced our next @mangasplaining manga license at #SDCC2022 : Giga Town by Fumiyo Kouno - a collection of witty comics explaining “manpu,” the visual language of manga. It’ll be out in print in Spring 2023 with our latest publishing partner, @UdonEnt !

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

Tatsuki Fujimoto draws his manga in digital format, so what’s on display are printouts from his drawings - both sketches and final art

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

The #crx2019 panel has junji ito rating anime cats on a “scary” and “cute” scale... Doraemon “we’re not sure he’s a cat, so he’s kind of creepy”

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

30 days

Meanwhile, comics shows in Japan like comitia cost maybe $50-$75 for a table. It’s only one day, so usually ppl don’t need to fly in or book hotels for several nights. Thus, artists’ costs to participate in JP comics shows = less pressure to make profits.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

8 years

A Rachnera / Monster Musume cosplayer on a giant spider at the @gomanga booth at #AX2016

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

30 days

Meanwhile, when i go to comics/doujinshi shows in Japan like Comitia or Super Comics City — yes, ppl sell merch, but it’s primarily people selling printed comics. And the merch is mostly handmade/small production run goods.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

30 days

One reason for US Artists Alley focus on making “merch” to sell vs making comics is that AA tables at big anime conventions are expensive. Add in travel & hotel costs, and amateur/semi-pro artist are spending minimum $1000 - $2000+ just to be there.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

A public service announcement from @creativedebuts UK

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

7 years

The Paradox of Tolerance...

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

30 days

And portfolio reviews? That’s built into the Japanese comics shows I’ve visited. Table after table of manga magazine editors reviewing work by aspiring manga creators. At US anime cons? Not so much.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

Here we goooooo! One Piece in NY Times Square! #NYCC2022

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

When asked what a cat’s best “charm points” are, Junji Ito says he’s most charmed when cats sleep and have a double-chin - he draws a quick sketch for us #CRX2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

A great way to start on your 1-shot story journey is to read 1-shot stories or early short-story works by manga artists — the Tatsuki Fujimoto “before chainsaw man” collections fr. @VIZMedia & Ryoko Kui (Delicious in Dungeon) collection fr @yenpress are terrific places to start.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

It’s official - Junji Ito is a very good sport. 😸 #crx2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

30 days

IMHO, In US, the pressure on aspiring comics/manga creators to make prints & merch instead of comics, + few opptys to get real feedback to improve their visual storytelling skills are factors that stunt/hinder their growth towards becoming pro comics creators.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Otomo’s new film is called Orbital Era. It’s his 3rd feature film. It’s a “coming of age story” set in a space station. The opening scene was a skateboard floating in space to reveal a huge space station. #ax2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

Biggest mistake i see from aspiring manga artists: making their first project that ambitious, epic multi-volume manga story they’ve been dreaming of drawing since they were kids. My tip: DON’T do this. Build skill with short stories first.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Teeheehee. #CRX2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

4th announcement - a new 4K remaster of the original Akira film - coming out in early 2020 in Japan, US soon after #ax2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

3 years

for the manga vs US comics discussion, maybe we need to look at a more 🍎:🍏 comparison: US superhero comics vs. shonen manga for starters, shonen manga is primarily made with tween/teen readers in mind. US hero comix today seems to be more like seinen manga, for older readers

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

8 years

This Hawkgirl cosplayer at @DCComics has some amazing retractable wings! #SDCC2016

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

Best Manga - @Crunchyroll #animeawards - My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi fr @gomanga | read it!

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

Aaaaand the winner of the Best Manga at the Harvey Awards 2018 is... My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Nagata Kabi fr. @gomanga ! #nycc18

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

It’s live drawing time at the Junji Ito cat panel at @Crunchyroll Expo #crx2019 - its Colin the ghost cat from Soichi’s Beloved Pet

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

My other tip for aspiring manga artists: pay attention to your paneling/komawari and page composition. Is your story easy to read, intuitive for readers to follow the action, dialogue and when/where things are happening? More tips:

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

It aint easy to do cosplay based on @junjiitofficial art, but props to the peeps who did at @Crunchyroll Expo! #CRX2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

Junji Ito is the goodest of good sports that has ever lived 💖

Godswill Ugwa Jr.

@GodswillUgwaJr

1 year

Life in plastic is fantastic

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

4 years

I hope @junjiitofficial saw this!

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

At the press tour for the Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man) exhibit at @bdangouleme nao

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

Also on my “omg France’s manga selection is bonkers” tour, i also visited the “BD/Mangas/DVD/Musique” annex of Gibert Joseph on Bd Saint-Michel, near the Sorbonne

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

From Circana (aka NPD Bookscan): in the US “manga sales have quadrupled since 2019, growing 27x faster than the total print book market”

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

What makes stories like Delicious in Dungeon and Spy x Family so delightful and memorable for fans is how each character has a distinct look and personality, and their interactions are fun and true to their motivations, moods and circumstances

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

A common weakness i see in work from aspiring manga/comics artists is that they spend too much time drawing pin-up/cover art illustrations of characters, but not enough time really thinking about their characters’ personalities, backstories, and interactions with others

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

Haha. I guess this is my way of saying, “it’s not that Japanese publishing is weird/hard to understand, but maybe their take on what readers enjoy reading is more open-minded/progressive/blended than western comics publishing is now, & maybe that’s the bigger issue?” 🙃

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

7 years

SUPER excite abt Tokyo Tareraba Girls by creator of Princess Jellyfish - sharp & funny single girls comedy out 2/14

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

. @remoteryan asked Junji Ito what he thought of the tributes & memes inspired by his manga, like this scene from Steven Universe and this episode of Spongebob Squarepants. His reply: “I’ve seen this online but thought it was just fan art! It’s an actual kids TV show?” #TCAF2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

Drawing comics pages is only one part of making manga — you need to also understand visual storytelling, pacing, how to write dialogue, create interesting characters, and how to engage readers to keep them coming back for more. It takes time & practice to master these skills.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

3 years

Wow, sad news -- KIKU, the longtime Japanese TV station in Hawaii is switching to a 24-hour shopping channel as of June 28, 2021. :-( I watched tokusatsu shows like Kikaida, anime like Ikkyu-san, TV shows like Aburenbo Shogun & Soko ga Shiritai on KIKU.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

3 years

After a year of carefully spacing out my binge read/watch of One Piece (i started in June 2020), I finally caught up with the latest chapter on @shonenjump 🥲

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

27 days

So the comics shows i’ve been to in Japan (Comitia in Tokyo and Super Comic City in Osaka) are basically comics marketplaces 1st, maybe cosplay gatherings 2nd, and a place where magazines do portfolio reviews 3rd. They’re not like US anime cons, full stop.

AdolRed

@3rdGayestMole

29 days

@debaoki I'm curious since I really have no idea - how much are artists at JP cons competing with things like arcades, panels, concerts and such? And the people that come there largely to socialize and catch up with con friends?

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Exciting! Uzumaki anime! Directed by Hiroshi Nagahama (Mushishi) / Production IG, music by Colin Stetson (Hereditary)- coming exclusively to Toonami / Adult Swim

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Junji Ito’s drawing of Colin the ghost is quickly shaping up! #crx2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

The good news for aspiring manga creators: you’ve got more opportunities than ever to get your work seen by manga editors & possibly get published than ever before. The @VIZMedia Originals and One-Shot programs are worth a shot: #AX2024

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Junji ito is a good sport, making a neko paw pose for the camera! #crx2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

10 days

. @UdonEnt at #SDCC2024 - Kenichi Sonoda shows off some previously unseen sketches from a proposed Bubblegum Crisis reboot from 10 yesterday ago that never happened. He hopes by sharing these, it’ll revive interest in the project!

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Yon and Mu are in cat heaven - junji ito’s current cats are Tenmaru (blk/white) and Tonichi (wht/orange) -they get along pretty well, it seems! #CRX2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

26 days

Man, if y’all’s minds are blown about what I’ve been describing about the Japanese manga “amateur to pro” ecosystem, your heads are gonna 🤯 when I get around to describing the webtoon publishing system / economy / creator pay scale in S. Korea.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

This cover of Shonen Magazine from 1969 is just amazing. I can pick out Takao Saito (Golgo 13) -2nd row L, Shigeru Mizuki (kitaro) - 1st row L), Kazuo Umezu (Drifting Classroom) - top row, 2nd from L), Fujio Fujiko A & F - 3rd row R), Shotaro Ishinomori (Kamen Rider) 4th row R…

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

“We’re just starting discussions on this. We’re bringing Akira back as a new production - it’s not a sequel. There are 6 volumes of the manga, so we want to take more of it in. - Makoto Asanuma, CEO sunrise “that’s all I can say for now” #ax2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

I have never seen this at any US comics convention, but our Angouleme taxi driver keeps a mini sketchbook where he asks his (often cartoonist) riders to draw him a picture

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

One mistake that overseas readers frequently make is assuming that all “romances” or stories centered around female protagonists are either shojo or josei (girls / womens) manga series. Horumiya, Emma & Ranma 1/2 were all serialized in shonen/seinen magazines.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

3 years

2021 @HarveyAwards Hall of Fame inductee is Rumiko Takahashi, creator of Inu-Yasha, Maison Ikkoku and so much more - here’s here acceptance message, via @VIZMedia

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

WHOAH. The latest volume of Spy x Family fr. @vizmedia is the #1 BESTSELLING BOOK (not just graphic novel) in N. America this week, according to the bestsellers chart on the @PublishersWkly homepage. Added bonus: Jujutsu Kaisen vol. 19 is at #5 !

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

Here’s Devil Man, drawn by Go Nagai at his @PONYCANUSA / #AX2018 panel

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

11 months

I got a copy of the letter that was sent to publishers/“valued partners.”

Manga Mogura RE (Manga & Anime News)

@MangaMoguraRE

11 months

North American Anime & Manga Webshop "RightStuf Anime" will shut down on Oct 10, 2023 after previously getting acquired by Crunchyroll. The products will be sold on the Crunchyroll Store going forward.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

Okay, so the main reason why I wanted to visit Tokorozawa @sakuratownjp was to check out @Kadokawa_Museum - that big building that looks like a rock, but is a big love letter to books, manga, anime & light novels

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

Love this advice from Kaoru Mori to “your younger self when you first started drawing #manga ,” from the Bride’s Story exhibit at @kyotomm -

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

. @shonenjump @ #SDCC18 Q: “All-Might is such a supportive mentor. Do you base him on anyone in your life?” Horikoshi: “No, not anyone in real life. I based him on Goku in Dragon Ball.”

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 months

At last! Our next @mangasplaining release from @UdonEnt is available for pre-order! Gigatown: A Guide to Manga Iconography by Fumiyo Kouno (In This Corner of the World) explains commonly seen symbols of manga in charming 4-panel comics and will be in stores on Sept 3!

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

. @KodanshaUSA at #ax2018 - new print license! Witch Hat Atelier by @shirahamakamome - March 2019! In a magical world, a girl lacks powers to become a witch. Gorgeous art, voted one of top 10 manga in JP 2018

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Reminder that junji ito drew his cats for some @Crunchyroll Expo exclusive goods #CRX2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Aaaaahhhh! Look what arrived in the mail today from @fantagraphics - The Poe Clan v.1 by Moto Hagio, translated by @rachel_thorn_en

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

26 days

Yep, that’s correct. And that’s another broken part of the comics ecosystem in the US. A lot of it is “work for hire,” meaning you’re hired to write or draw a story, but you dont get creative ownership like many manga artists do.

吉田@日曜東Y22a

@roikfbuwgc254

29 days

@debaoki I have a question. In America, even if you become a creator for a major publishing company, the copyright of the work belongs to the company, so I hear that your main income comes from manuscript fees.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

“I had a cat that would pee a lot (in in appropriate places). One time it came to sleep with me, and it slowly got warmer.... (eeewwww) - Junji Ito cat stories that didnt make it into the cat diary manga...😹 #crx2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

Is it that hard for western publishers/readers to imagine a comics magazine aimed primarily at young boys would have romance stories, or that a boys volleyball team story would be just as appealing to girls/women readers? Or that adults might enjoy an “all-ages” series? I wonder.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

But a lot of manga that overseas readers consider to be “all-ages friendly series” were originally published in seinen manga magazines. Chi’s Sweet Home, Witch Hat Atelier, Yotsuba&! were/are serialized in seinen manga magazines in Japan, like Morning Two or Dengeki Daioh

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

7 years

Thread abt origins of BL / Yaoi manga 👇🏻

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

9 years

Never too early to take a pic of Deadpool Pikachu checking his poke-phone at #AX2015 http://t.co/HAqtuCPud9

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

8 years

People were running after this guy at #ax2016 yelling "Tubbs! Tubbs!" See? Localization works! 😌

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Akira Toriyama is up for "voters choice" for the Eisner Hall of Fame awards. - don't get me started on why he isn't there already... Read DragonBall - & Dr. Slump & you'll see why i say that

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

if you ever wondered about the lengths a manga artist will go through to NOT be photographed, i give you Paru Itagaki (BEASTARS, now avail. fr. @vizmedia ) and her chicken mask. (bonus live iguana too)

Dia

@diaCLB

5 years

If you were ever wondering what a chicken holding an iguana would look like 🐔🦎 BEASTARS’s Itagaki Paru & Mairimashita! Iruma-kun’s Nishi Osamu at an event for Shōnen Champion’s 50th anniversary. Both have TV anime series coming up in October. In the meantime, read BEASTARS!!🐺

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

More of the @ToeiAnimation One Piece Red takeover of NYC Times Square #nycc2022 - opening in US theaters Nov 4!

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

Awww yeah! Interviewed manga legend Go Nagai at @AnimeExpo for @AnimeNewsNet

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

Here’s a closer look at the finished drawing of Soichiro’s beloved pet Colin, as drawn by Junji Ito at @Crunchyroll Expo #crx2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

If you’re in Tokyo/Yokohama in May, there’s a “Gourmet Comic Convention” - just for indie comics about food/eating/cooking! / @gurucomi01

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

And Junji Ito’s drawing of Soichi’s beloved pet Colin is done! #crx2019

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

Ok France, you win.

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

3 months

We’re working on it! @udonent should have an update on the release date for this upcoming @mangasplaining co-publication soon.

manga|saltaria

@saltaria2

3 months

Has anyone had an update on the English edition of Veil? 👀 I just see “2024” and that it’ll be 2-in-1s. Just wondering… 💖

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

@DarkHorseComics “It’s important to remember that manga was made for Japanese readers. At @DarkHorseComics , manga is 1% of our output, but represents 66% of our sales.” - Michael Gombos - at “Found in Translation” panel at #SDCC2023

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

2 years

Here’s 15 seconds of people at #nycc2022 walking by the “masks required” sign at Javits on Sunday. Count the masks… 😷😬

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 month

@KodanshaManga @ccacomics Also from @KodanshaManga is “A Kingdom of Quartz,” a fantasy series by Canada-based creator Bomhat. It’s serialized in JP monthly manga magazine Afternoon, i saw it on stores in Japan months before the English edition hit shelves here.

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@debaoki

7 years

"Nyankees" is a play on words - "nyan" = meow, "Yankees" are street thugs . They fight over turf, food and girls

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

. @shonenjump at #AX2018 - “Burn the Witch” new one shot 62-page manga by Tite Kubo (Bleach) - debuting in July 16 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump “a rom-com set in London - I got a sneak peek & the art is pretty cool

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

One lucky person won this sketch of Deku drawn by Kohei Horikoshi at the My Hero Academia #sdcc18 panel

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@debaoki

2 years

My new favorite #japan train station poster! “Even if you lose your temper, getting violent is no good-nya!” Cat conductor: “please stop-nya” 😾🙀😸

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

5 years

The Uzumaki anime will premiere in US on Toonami/Adult Swim - before Japan! “We went to the temple to get blessings, so we wouldnt get cursed for showing this (even on a late night slot) on a kids’ cartoon network”

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

1 year

Besides the traditional “shojo/shonen manga” magazines, there are magazines that are kinda/mostly thought of as “shonen” magazine that are aimed at both male & female readers’ tastes, such as Square Enix’s GFantasy, home of Black Butler (fr @yenpress )

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

6 years

Haha! As seen at my neighborhood liquor store 😅

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

7 years

Dear American comics: here's why you're losing readers to manga & anime (a twitter talk recap)

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Deb Aoki

@debaoki

3 years

On Wed (5/12), the chat I had with TCAF special guest Nagata Kabi ( @gogatsubyyyo ) will debut on YouTube: (big thanks to @brainvsbook for translating!) Her latest, My Alcoholic Escape from Reality fr. @gomanga goes on sale on 5/11 -

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