STONE BRIDGE PRESS
MINAMATA STORY GN
(W) Sean Michael Wilson (A) Akiko Shimojima
A powerful graphic novel that tells the story of "Minamata disease," a debilitating and sometimes fatal condition caused by the Chisso chemical factory's careless release of methylmercury into the waters of the coastal community of Minamata in southern Japan. First identified in 1956, it became a hot topic in Japan, growing into an iconic struggle between people versus corporations and government agencies. This struggle is relevant today, not simply because many people are still living with the disease but also because, in this time of growing concern over the safety of our environment, Minamata gives us as a very moving example of such human-caused environmental disasters and what we can do about them.
SHARING A HOUSE WITH NEVER ENDING MAN 15 YEARS STUDIO GHIBLI
(W) Steve Alpert
Steve Alpert, a Japanese-speaking American, was the "resident foreigner" in the offices of Studio Ghibli and its parent Tokuma Shoten and played a central role when Miyazaki's films were starting to take off in international markets. His one-of-a-kind portraits of Miyazaki and long-time producer Toshio Suzuki, and of sly, gruff, and brilliant businessman Yasuyoshi Tokuma, capture the hard work and artistry that have made Ghibli films synonymous with cinematic excellence. And as the lone gaijin in a demanding company run by some of the most famous and influential people in modern Japan, Steve Alpert tackles his own challenges of language and culture. No one else could have written this book.