Download or read book Tokyo Geek s Guide written by Gianni Simone and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2017-07-11 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tokyo is ground zero for Japan's famous "geek" or otaku culture--a phenomenon that has now swept across the globe. This is the most comprehensive Japan travel guide ever produced which features Tokyo's geeky underworld. It provides a comprehensive run-down of each major Tokyo district where geeks congregate, shop, play and hang out--from hi-tech Akihabara and trendy Harajuku to newer and lesser-known haunts like chic Shimo-Kita and working-class Ikebukuro. Dozens of iconic shops, restaurants, cafes and clubs in each area are described in loving detail with precise directions to get to each location. Maps, URLs, opening hours and over 400 fascinating color photographs bring you around Tokyo on an unforgettable trip to the centers of Japanese manga, anime and geek culture. Interviews with local otaku experts and people on the street let you see the world from their perspective and provide insights into Tokyo and Japanese culture, which will only continue to spread around the globe. Japanese pop culture, in its myriad forms, is more widespread today than ever before--with J-Pop artists playing through speakers everywhere, Japanese manga filling every bookstore; anime cartoons on TV; and toys and video games, like Pokemon Go, played by tens of millions of people. Swarms of visitors come to Tokyo each year on a personal quest to soak in all the otaku-related sights and enjoy Japanese manga, anime, gaming and idol culture at its very source. This is the go-to resource for those planning a trip, or simply dreaming of visiting one day!

Download or read book The Ikigai Journey written by Hector Garcia and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2020-06-23 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Ikigai Journey, authors Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles take their international bestseller Ikigai: the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life a step further by showing you how to find your own ikigai through practical exercises, such as employing new habits and stepping outside your comfort zone. Ikigai is the place where our passion (what we love), mission (what we hope to contribute), vocation (the gifts we have to offer the world) and profession (how our passions and talents can become a livelihood) converge, giving us a personal sense of meaning. This book helps you bring together all of these elements so that you can enjoy a balanced life. Our ikigai is very similar to change: it is a constant that transforms depending on which phase of life we are in. Our "reason for being" is not the same at 15 as it is at 70. Through three sections, this book helps you to accept and embrace that--acting as a tool to revolutionize your future by helping you to understand the past, so you can enjoy your present. Section 1: Journey Through the Future: Tokyo (a symbol of modernity and innovation) Section 2: Journey Through the Past: Kyoto (an ancient capital moored in tradition) Section 3: Journey Through the Present: Ise (an ancient shrine that is destroyed and rebuilt every twenty years) Japan has one of the longest life spans in the world, and the greatest number of centenarians--many of whom cite their strong sense of ikigai as the basis for their happiness and longevity. Unlike many "self-care" practices, which require setting aside time in an increasingly busy world, the ikigai method helps you find peace and fulfillment in your busy life.

Download or read book Mimi and the Cutie Catastrophe A Graphix Chapters Book Mimi 1 written by Shauna J. Grant and published by Scholastic Inc.. This book was released on 2022-07-19 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rising star Shauna J. Grant makes her Graphix Chapters debut with this humorous and wholesome series. Get drawn into reading with Graphix Chapters! Graphix Chapters are ideal books for beginning and newly independent readers aged 6-8. With approachable page counts, easy-to-follow paneling, and artwork that supports text comprehension, these engaging stories with unforgettable characters help children become lifelong readers. Meet Mimi. She's charming! She's cheerful! She's cute! But that's not all! She's also a loyal friend and fun playmate, who has the best adventures with Penelope, her magical toy dog. But when Mimi notices people treating her like she's too cute, can she show them that she's much more than meets the eye? Or will she be stuck in this cute-astrophe?

Download or read book The Dragon and the Dazzle written by Marco Pellitteri and published by Tunué. This book was released on 2010 with total page 734 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In the worldwide circulation of the products of cultural industries, an important role is played by Japanese popular culture in European contexts. Marco Pellitteri shows that the contact between Japanese pop culture and European youth publics occurred during two phases. By use of metaphor, the author calls them the Dragon and the Dazzle. The first took place between 1975 and 1995, the second from 1996 to today. They can be distinguished by the modalities of circulation and consumption/re-elaboration of Japanese themes and products in the most receptive countries: Italy, France, Spain, Germany and, across the ocean, the United States. During these two phases, several themes have been perceived, in Europe, as rising from Japan's social and mediatic systems. Among them, this book examines the most apparent from a European point of view: the author names them machine, infant, and mutation, visible mostly through manga, anime, videogames, and toys. Together with France, Italy is the European country that in this respect has had the most central role. There, Japanese imagination has been acknowledged not only by young people, but also by politicians, television programmers, the general public, educators, comics and cartoons authors. The growing influence of Japanese pop culture, connected to the appreciation of its manga, anime, toys, and videogames, also urges political and mediologic questions linked to the identity/ies of Japan as they are understood--wrongly or rightly--in Europe and the West, and to the increasingly important role of Japan in international relations."--Back cover

Download or read book Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan written by Patrick W. Galbraith and published by Duke University Press. This book was released on 2019-12-06 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From computer games to figurines and maid cafes, men called “otaku” develop intense fan relationships with “cute girl” characters from manga, anime, and related media and material in contemporary Japan. While much of the Japanese public considers the forms of character love associated with “otaku” to be weird and perverse, the Japanese government has endeavored to incorporate “otaku” culture into its branding of “Cool Japan.” In Otaku and the Struggle for Imagination in Japan, Patrick W. Galbraith explores the conflicting meanings of “otaku” culture and its significance to Japanese popular culture, masculinity, and the nation. Tracing the history of “otaku” and “cute girl” characters from their origins in the 1970s to his recent fieldwork in Akihabara, Tokyo (“the Holy Land of Otaku”), Galbraith contends that the discourse surrounding “otaku” reveals tensions around contested notions of gender, sexuality, and ways of imagining the nation that extend far beyond Japan. At the same time, in their relationships with characters and one another, “otaku” are imagining and creating alternative social worlds.

Download or read book Before and After Superflat written by Adrian Favell and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a history of the Japanese art world from 1990 up to the tsunami of March 2011, and its struggle to find a voice amidst Japan's economic decline and China's economic ascent. It looks at how the pop-culture fantasies of Takashi Murakami, Yoshitomo Nara and the other artists of the Superflat movement came to dominate the art of Japan today. It also delves into what lies behind their imagery of a childish and decadent society unable to face reality.

Download or read book The Orphan Master s Son written by Adam Johnson and published by Random House Incorporated. This book was released on 2012 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The son of a singer mother whose career forcibly separated her from her family and an influential father who runs an orphan work camp, Pak Jun Do rises to prominence using instinctive talents and eventually becomes a professional kidnapper and romantic rival to Kim Jong Il. By the author of Parasites Like Us.

Download or read book Snowman s Big Adventure written by Ed Masessa and published by Reycraft Books. This book was released on 2022-06 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This humorous picture book begins with a girl's drawing of a sweaty, smelly snowman named Sue who argues with the girl about her artistic choices. As she continues to draw, the girl weaves a tale that displeases the snowman. Will the tutu-wearing snowman get his way and change the story, or will the girl, a dragon, and a puppy named Puddles win out?

Download or read book Kerry and the Knight of the Forest written by Andi Watson and published by Random House Graphic. This book was released on 2020-07-07 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kerry might be lost in this fantastical middle-grade graphic novel, but that doesn't mean he'll give up! With twists and turns at every part of this adventure, Kerry's adventure is perfect for fans of Amulet and Mighty Jack. It'll just be a quick shortcut, right? After a spirit leads Kerry astray, he finds himself in an enchanted forest filled with mysterious creatures and dark dead ends. The further Kerry travels, the more hopeless his quest seems. . . . To get back to his parents, Kerry will have to find his way, figure out who to trust, make some tough choices about the kind of person he wants to be -- or remain lost in the woods forever. An adventure about fear, loss, and finding your own way, this enchanting story comes to life with a hero that every reader can relate to.

Download or read book Japanese Demystified written by Eriko Sato and published by McGraw Hill Professional. This book was released on 2010-06-15 with total page 478 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Say sayonara to your fears of speaking Japanese! Interested in learning to speak Japanese but feel intimidated by the complex characters and pronunciations? No need to worry! Even if your only experience is ordering sushi, Japanese Demystified will have you saying konnichiwa to your new language skills in no time. Beginning with a review of Japanese writing systems, basic pronunciation, and everyday expressions, this book covers key grammar fundamentals such as particles, nouns, verb forms, and honorifics. You'll build your Japanese vocabulary with essential words and phrases and quickly master this challenging language. Test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement that you're fast on your way to speaking, writing, and understanding Japanese. This fast and easy guide features: Clear and straightforward explanations of Japanese grammar fundamentals Numerous examples of simple and complex sentence structures Japanese hiragana, katakana, and kanji with phonetic transliterations for all Japanese words Helpful writing and speaking exercises that bring the Japanese language to life Coverage of everyday topics as well as conversational expressions Quizzes at the end of each chapter to reinforce new material Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for a more experienced student, Japanese Demystified is your shortcut to mastering this complex language.

Download or read book Narrative Mechanics written by Beat Suter and published by transcript Verlag. This book was released on 2021-05-31 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What do stories in games have in common with political narratives? This book identifies narrative strategies as mechanisms for meaning and manipulation in games and real life. It shows that the narrative mechanics so clearly identifiable in games are increasingly used (and abused) in politics and social life. They have »many faces«, displays and interfaces. They occur as texts, recipes, stories, dramas in three acts, movies, videos, tweets, journeys of heroes, but also as rewarding stories in games and as narratives in society - such as a career from rags to riches, the concept of modernity or market economy. Below their surface, however, narrative mechanics are a particular type of motivational design - of game mechanics.

Download or read book Millennial Monsters written by Anne Allison and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2006-06-30 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Millennial Monsters explores the global popularity of Japanese consumer culture--including manga (comic books), anime (animation), video games, and toys--and questions the make-up of fantasies nand capitalism that have spurred the industry's growth.

Download or read book Studio Ghibli written by Colin Odell and published by Oldacastle Books. This book was released on 2009-09-01 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The animations of Japan's Studio Ghibli are amongst the highest regarded in the movie industry. Their delightful films rank alongside the most popular non-English language films ever made, with each new eagerly-anticipated release a guaranteed box-office smash. Yet this highly profitable studio has remained fiercely independent, producing a stream of imaginative and individual animations. The studio's founders, long-time animators Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, have created timeless masterpieces. Although their films are distinctly Japanese their themes are universal—humanity, community, and a love for the environment. No other film studio, animation or otherwise, comes close to matching Ghibli for pure cinematic experience. All their major works are examined here, as well the early output of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, exploring the cultural and thematic threads that bind these films together.

Download or read book Love Both Keep Both written by Ken Reiman and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2019-10-15 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A diplomat with dual nationality tells the story of his heritage from a Japanese mother and American father, and his lifelong desire to serve the United States as a member of the U.S. Foreign Service in Japan. In a memoir both personal and public, Ken Reiman, a diplomat with dual nationality, tells the story of his heritage from a Japanese mother and American father, and his lifelong desire to serve the United States as a member of the U.S. Foreign Service in Japan. Reiman traces his education in Arizona, childhood summers in Japan, and his grandmothers' love as driving forces behind his unwavering commitment to be a bridge between the U.S. and Japan. At 24, Reiman entered the world of diplomacy serving the U.S. with distinction in Asia, Africa, and South America. He takes us on many journeys describing good times as well as high stress and bureaucratic obstacles while always seeking an appointment in Japan. Throughout heartbreak and struggles to prove his loyalty, his story argues for advantages for both countries to utilize dual nationals instead of shunning them. He calls for beneficial new considerations governments should undertake to promote diversity, diplomacy, and peace.Love Both, Keep Both is informative as well as heartfelt, especially for Americans who understand the inherent value of diversity and Japanese who view the U.S. as their greatest ally. The message is simple: embrace dual nationality as a gift, and never apologize for loving all of who you are to become the positive force for change God intended you to be.

Download or read book The Rough Guide to Manga written by Jason S. Yadao and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2009-10-01 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Rough Guide to Manga is the ultimate handbook offering a comprehensive overview of one of the most fashionable genre's in today's popular culture. The guide features the manga story: from manga's twelfth-century roots to the rise of English-language manga with profiles of influential creators like Leiji Matsumoto and CLAMP as well as publishers to look out for. You'll find an overview of manga's unique styles, techniques and genres decoded as well as a canon of fifty must-read manga, including the iconic Astro Boy, global hits Fruits Basket and Battle Royale, plus less well-known works like Please Save My Earth. The Rough Guide to Manga demystifies unfamiliar terms and genres for newcomers whilst offering manga fans plenty of new recommendations including listings for manga magazines and websites along with a glossary of terms. Crammed with illustrations, and including a section on the anime connection, this is must-have Manga for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Download or read book Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula written by Andi Watson and published by First Second. This book was released on 2015-02-24 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Princess Decomposia is overworked and underappreciated. This princess of the underworld has plenty of her own work to do but always seems to find herself doing her layabout father's job, as well. The king doesn't feel quite well, you see. Ever. So the princess is left scurrying through the halls, dodging her mummy, werewolf, and ghost subjects, always running behind and always buried under a ton of paperwork. Oh, and her father just fired the chef, so now she has to hire a new cook as well. Luckily for Princess Decomposia, she makes a good hire in Count Spatula, the vampire chef with a sweet tooth. He's a charming go-getter of a blood-sucker, and pretty soon the two young ghouls become friends. And then...more than friends? Maybe eventually, but first Princess Decomposia has to sort out her life. And with Count Spatula at her side, you can be sure she'll succeed. Andi Watson (Glister, Gum Girl) brings his signature gothy-cute sensibility to this very sweet and mildly spooky tale of friendship, family, and management training for the undead.

Download or read book Louder and Faster written by Deborah Wong and published by University of California Press. This book was released on 2019-09-10 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A free open access ebook is available upon publication. Learn more at www.luminosoa.org. Louder and Faster is a cultural study of the phenomenon of Asian American taiko, the thundering, athletic drumming tradition that originated in Japan. Immersed in the taiko scene for twenty years, Deborah Wong has witnessed cultural and demographic changes and the exponential growth and expansion of taiko particularly in Southern California. Through her participatory ethnographic work, she reveals a complicated story embedded in memories of Japanese American internment and legacies of imperialism, Asian American identity and politics, a desire to be seen and heard, and the intersection of culture and global capitalism. Exploring the materialities of the drums, costumes, and bodies that make sound, analyzing the relationship of these to capitalist multiculturalism, and investigating the gender politics of taiko, Louder and Faster considers both the promises and pitfalls of music and performance as an antiracist practice. The result is a vivid glimpse of an Asian American presence that is both loud and fragile.