Takehiko Inoue

A couple of days before Thanksgiving madness started, I went to a Viz Media event (you know, the people who bring you those really cool Viz bags) at Kinokuniya, a Japanese bookstore that just opened a brand new store across from Bryant Park. Takehiko Inoue, a manga-ka who is one of my favorite artists working now, painted a mural for the new store. He has written and drawn two titles I love- Slam Dunk and Vagabond. These series strangely mirror some of my obsessions of the last decade or so: basketball, and mindless violence and mayhem, often centering around the use of the exquisite art of the samurai sword. Interestingly, considering his obsession with basketball and the NBA, he looks a little like Stephon Marbury, dead-beat point guard for the Knicks.

Inoue's drawings are stunningly beautiful, and he also writes an engaging narrative with compelling characters. If you are curious about manga, he may be the place to start, he certainly got me sucked in. If you're already a fan, you're probably jealous I got to be in the same room with Inoue sensei (one of the many benefits of being married to Calvin).

I never thought I would want to watch an artist paint, what could be more boring than watching someone else work, but I really enjoyed seeing Inoue work the brush. I forgot my camera! What kind of a fan am I? I was reduced to taking the bad camera phone pics below (Calvin took the picture at the top of the post).

Look for coverage in PWCW and The Beat later in the week.