Sep 3

Roland Kelts reviews “Tears in the Darkness” for BOOKFORUM

tearscover00Just found out that Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a review of “Tears in the Darkness,” a capacious, brilliantly narrated account of the Bataan Death March in World War II, featuring interviews with Japanese, American and Filipino veterans/survivors — in this month’s issue of BOOKFORUM.  Inhumanity, with novelistic intimacy…

Read the review here: http://www.bookforum.com/inprint/016_03/4339



Aug 27

Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri: Miyazaki, Horibuchi and the virtues of change

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Here’s the latest Daily Yomiuri column from Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, about Hayao Miyazaki in Berkeley, Seiji Horibuchi in San Francisco, Japan’s weekend elections–and the end of the world:

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/arts/20090828TDY13003.htm

Related JetWit Posts:

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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) backstage with Hayao Miyazaki at Berkeley event


Aug 26

Roland Kelts article in Adbusters: “Japanese Simplicity”

Check out the latest article by Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, in AdBusters magazine, titled “Japanese Simplicity:  The only way to leave a smaller footprint would be to die.”

Also stay tuned for Roland’s forthcoming novel titled “Access.”


Aug 11

Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has an article in the August issue of Adbusters magazine addressing the long lineage of Japanese artists’ resistance to the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty and subsequent interdependence.  With the elections looming on August 30th, perhaps this additional context will be of interest JET alum.

The Soul of Japan:  Japan’s crisis is not political, but psychological

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© hideaki kawashima | soak, 2004 | courtesy tomio koyama gallery, tokyo

https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/84/soul-japan.html


Aug 7

Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri on manga program in Switzerland film festival

Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a good column in today’s Daily Yomirui titled “Anime with Texas Roots Debuts in Switzerland.”

redlineAccording to the column:

Manga Impact: The World of Japanese Animation, a special program at the 62nd annual Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland, will include next Friday’s world premiere of the Japanese anime Redline in the city’s historic central square, which can accommodate more than 8,000 viewers.

And Redline is:

a film that piles hybrid upon hybrid–a racing film that blasts into sci-fi apocalypse, as a corrupt alien government seeks to destroy the mortal drivers who dare to compete on their alien planet. The action is relentless, allowing you to catch your breath only in brief interludes, yet the imagery is dense with anatomical grotesqueries–like Lucian Freud on acid, or, if you view Redline as a kind of meta- anime, an anime about the stylized thrills of anime itself, Speed Racer on speed.

If any JetWit readers happen to see Redline–especially if you see it in Switzerland at the film festival–please post a comment and share your thoughts and experience.


Aug 3

For those of you who weren’t able to catch Roland Kelts’ (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) interview with Hayo Miyazaki in Berkeley, CA on July 25, a “fanatically thorough transcript” of the full interview has been posted at the GhibliWorld site:  http://www.ghibliworld.com/miyazaki_on_stage_conversation_berkeley_july_2009.html

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Aug 3

Roland Kelts and young fans at Keio Academy Digital Media Creation program

Over the weekend we mentioned that Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, gave a talk for the students in the Keio Academy of New York Japanese-English Bilingual Summer Program in Purchase, NY in connection with a two-week Digital Media Creation program.  (Additional speakers in the program include Michael Arias, director of “ANIMATRIX” and “Tekkonkinkreet,” Shoji Kawamuri, animation director and mechanical designer and Yuji Nunokawa, CEO of animation producer Pierrot Co., Ltd.)

Here are a couple nice photos from the event:

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Aug 1

KeioAcadThis past Thursday evening, Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, gave a talk for the students in the Keio Academy of New York Japanese-English Bilingual Summer Program in Purchase, NY in connection with a two-week Digital Media Creation program.

Additional speakers in the program include Michael Arias, director of “ANIMATRIX” and “Tekkonkinkreet,” Shoji Kawamuri, animation director and mechanical designer and Yuji Nunokawa, CEO of animation producer Pierrot Co., Ltd.


Jul 30

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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, hosted a talk with Hayao Miyazaki (director of Spirited Away among other animated films) on July 25 in Berekely, CA.  Miyazaki made a rare U.S. appearance to receive the second annual Berkeley Japan Prize for lifetime achievement, presented by the Center for Japanese Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.  (See a Japan Times article on the event here.)

This was familiar territory for Roland, who hosted a talk with novelist Haruki Murakami in October 2008 when Murakami was presented with the first Berekely Japan award.rolandkeltshayaomiyzaki



Jul 28

Bankruptcy Bill #17: BAPCPA Man (cameo by Roland Kelts)

Bankruptcy Bill is a cartoon created by Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, 1992-94) and Gideon Kendall.  For more cartoons, original bankruptcy haiku and even a bankruptcy country song, go to bankruptcybill.us.

A twist in the plot!  (Also, note the Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) reference as the esoteric worlds of manga and bankruptcy find a rare intersection.)

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*BAPCPA = Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, i.e., the 2005 Bankruptcy Law.


Jul 27

Japan-Australia

Check out this interview on Australian radio (ABC) with Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, about the anime industry in Japan, financial foibles and hentai habits.

Roland recently finished a speaking tour in  Australia where made several appearances.

He also hosted a talk with Hayao Miyazaki in Berkely, CA on July 25.  Click here to see video clips of Roland speaking at the JETAA NY Alumni Author Showcase event held back in March 2009, here for photos from the event and here to read a review of the event.


Jul 12

Japan-AustraliaRoland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, is en route to Australia where he’ll be making several appearances.  For JET alums in Australia, here are the dates and locations where you can catch him.  And if you do happen to see him, by all means go up and say “G’day.” He really appreciates meeting other JET alums out there.

Roland will be back in the U.S. to host a talk with Hayao Miyazaki in Berkely, CA on July 25.  Click here to see video clips of Roland speaking at the JETAA NY Alumni Author Showcase event held back in March 2009, here for photos from the event and here to read a review of the event.

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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) signs a copy of his book at the JETAA NY Author Showcase held in NYC in March 2009.


Jun 15

Roland Kelts column on conversation with Haruki Murakami

Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a short “JapanamericanEyes” column posted on Trannet.co.jp titled Surfacing with Strength:  Haruki Murakami at 60.”


Jun 12

Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has been keeping busy.  JetWit just hasn’t been able to keep up.  So here are some recent highlights:

  • A recent Daily Yomiuri SOFT POWER/HARD TRUTHS column about a symposium on the state of the anime/manga industry and some of the challenges it faces, which you can see on 3:00 A.M. Magazine.  The column touches on the shifting market as well as the unsustainable nature of the way anime/manga workers are compensated.
  • Giving a speech at book-signing event in Kyoto next weekend as part of a Creative Writing Lecture Series.  (A good event for any JETs or JET alums in the area!  If you go, say hi to Roland and feel free to report back to JetWit on the event.)
  • Japanamerica is now available on Kindle!

Jun 3

JQ Magazine’s Spring 2009 “Utada Issue” Now Available Online!

The Spring 2009 Issue of JQ (JETAA NY Quarterly) Magazine is now available online at http://jetaany.org/magazine/.

Microsoft Word - JQ Spring 2009 Cover Draft  1.docO-tsuakare sama deshita to Editor Justin Tedaldi (CIR Kobe-shi, 2001-02) for all his hard work in putting out another outstanding issue, this one featuring a one-on-one interview he did with Hikaru Utada in New York.

Tanjo!!  JQ‘s Spring 2009 Utada Issue is Here!

  • What do an Oscar-winner, a celebrated ambassador-turned-president, an international author summit and one of the best-selling singer-songwriters the Eastern Hemisphere’s ever seen have in common? That’s right! They all (I heard) turned down Conan O’Brien to appear in the new issue of JETAANY’s quarterly magazine JQ!
  • Months in the making but well worth the wait, our new issue also features our newly elected officers, Sakura Matsuri at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a you-are-there piece on the Tokyo Marathon that you’re guaranteed to learn a thing or to from, and interviews with an Off-Broadway star, community honchos, noted authors and local JETs-made-good in both Japan and beyond.
  • And how’s this for a main course: for the first time ever our feature interview was too long for the print issue, so we’ve posted the complete 13-page interview with Hikaru Utada at the handy link below. Whether you’re a Hikki-mania or just want to read what might be the most in-depth interview she’s ever done in English, we’ve got you covered.   It all happens in the new issue of JQ. Dozo and enjoy!

SPRING 2009 ISSUEclick to download PDF

(Click Here to Read the Complete Hikaru Utada Interview)

 

Editor: Justin Tedaldimagazine@jetaany.org

 

SPRING 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

  • Page 3…..Letter From the Editor / Letter From the Country Rep
  • Page 4…..Nippon News Blotter / JQ National Photo Contest Winners
  • Page 5…..Comings & Goings – New Officers and JLGC Changes
  • Page 6…..JETAANY Author Showcase by Gina Anderson and Justin Tedaldi
  • Page 6…..TAIKOPROJECT in Philly by Renay Loper
  • Page 7…..Japan Society’s New President Motoatsu Sakurai by Justin Tedaldi
  • Page 8…..JETlog featuring Ed Thompson (Chiba-shi CIR, 1994-97)
  • Page 9…..STOMP New York’s Yako Miyamoto by Liz Wanic
  • Page 10…Running the Tokyo Marathon by Stacy Smith
  • Page 11…Nihonjin in NY – Featuring Noriko Furuhata of the CGJ by Rick Ambrosio
  • Page 11…Sakura Matsuri at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
  • Page 13…Hikaru Utada: The JQ Interview by Justin Tedaldi
  • Page 14…Adren Hart’s ConnectForce Productions Jazzes Up NY by Matt Matysik
  • Page 15…JETAActivity Photos
  • Page 16…An Animated Talk with Japanamerica Author Roland Kelts By Larry Heiman
  • Page 17…Destination Nippon: JNTO and Kintetsu International by Sylvia Pertzborn
  • Page 18…New York-Tokyo Founder Taeko Baba by Marea Pariser
  • Page 19…Film Review: Departures by Lyle Sylvander
  • Page 19…Book Corner: Shutting Out the Sun by David Kowalsky
  • Page 20…Shutting Out the Sun Author Michael Zielenziger Q&A by Kelly Nixon
  • Page 21…Awaji Puppet Theater at Japan Society by Beata Wilk
  • Page 23…Top 14 List / Life After the B.O.E. / Let’s Make Chirashi!
  • Major domo to (from left) Anson Mau, Kayoko & Rob Werner, Marea Pariser, Louie Reyes, Joe Marucheck, Justin Tedaldi, Steven HorowitzLaura Pollak, Stacy Smith, and (off camera) Nancy Ikehara and Peter Mallik for pitching in to mail out the Utada Issue.

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