Main Feature: Popular Japanese Manga "MOONLIGHT MILE"
Yasuo Ohtagaki came up to Tokyo at the age of 19 after senior high school to study under manga artist Akira Oze, the author of "Natsuko no Sake" and "Boku no Mura no Hanashi." He wanted to make manga love comedies and family stories but first needed to hone his drawing technique. The results were already evident in his debut work, "MY REVOLUTION." Starting out with serials in the Manga Action magazine when he was 25 years, his first long-running manga, "Ippei" - the story of a kind and hard-working police officer - struck a chord among male readers. Serialization of his best-known work, "MOONLIGHT MILE," started in 2000 and had reached 22 volumes by July this year. The near-future science-fiction manga charts the unceasing challenges faced by astronauts working on the moon to develop a next-generation energy source. Loved by people of all ages, the sheer detail, realism and artistic qualities stand out. When drawing a robot, for example, Ohtagaki creates a model first and makes sketches from that for total, realistic consistency. We report close up with an exclusive interview at his studio, asking how he came to SF, the sources of his always convincing characters in this fantastic setting and the secrets behind the detail and delicacy of his drawings.

Creator's interview: Ayaka Nakata, Japanese Animation Director
Japanese animation director Ayaka Nakata majored in animation at the design department of Tokyo Zokei University. She has been working mainly on TV commercials and educational programs since graduating in 2007. Her oeuvre includes "Cornelis" "The Needlework Room of Grandma" and "Yonalure".