Novels Present GUNDAM Creator`s Own Vision of His Spectacularly Successful Cult Franchise Source: Stone Bridge Press
On April 3rd, Stone Bridge Press will publish the second edition of Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation by Yoshiyuki Tomino, translated by Frederik L. Schodt and with an introduction by Mark Simmons. A cornerstone of anime science fiction, Japan`s GUNDAM franchise boasts a worldwide cult of devotees. In the Gundam universe, the Earth Federation battles rebellious offworld colonies, and “Newtype” warriors with evolved mentalities pilot gargantuan suits of high-tech armor. This novelization presents creator and director Yoshiyuki Tomino`s unvarnished vision for his own core series with richer characterizations and a shocking ending. These novels were originally published in Japanese in late 1979 to coincide with the end of the TV series and the theatrical release of the first compilation movie. They were quite controversial when they first appeared in English translation in 1990. A must-have for the avid anime fan, otaku collector or science-fiction aficionado, Mobile Suit Gundam is three novels in one book. They are less a straightforward novelization of the original MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM (????????, Kidoo Senshi Gandamu) television series than a radical re-imagining of its world and characters in unprecedented detail. This second edition has been redesigned for a new generation of fans. Yoshiyuki Tomino is one of Japan`s best known sci-fi animation directors and the author of numerous fiction and non-fiction books. Since working on the ASTRO BOY (?????, Tetsuwan Atomu) series in 1964, he has directed or created some of Japan`s top robot and fantasy-themed works for television, theaters, and the original video anime market. Best known for the hugely popular GUNDAM TV shows, most recently he has attracted attention for his works BRAIN POWERD (??????? Buren Pawaado, 1998), TURN A GUNDAM (????????????, Tan Ee Gandamu, 1999) and OVERMAN KING GAINER (OVERMAN???????, Oobaaman Kingu Geinaa, 2002). Frederik L. Schodt is a translator and author of numerous books about Japan, including The Astro Boy Essays, Manga! Manga! and Dreamland Japan. He often served as Osamu Tezuka`s English interpreter. In 2009 he received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette for his contribution to the introduction and promotion of Japanese contemporary popular culture. Mark Simmons is author of Gundam: The Official Guide. Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation Second Edition Author: Yoshiyuki Tomino Translator: Frederik L. Schodt Publisher: Stone Bridge Press ISBN: 978-1-61172-005-1 Date: March 27, 2012 Price: $15.95 Format: Trade Paper (5.5 x 8.5") Pages: 520, 24 B&W illustration
About Stone Bridge Press
Stone Bridge Press was established in Berkeley, California, in 1989. Authors published by Stone Bridge Press include Donald Richie and Frederik L. Schodt. Stone Bridge is admired for its reference works on Japanese popular culture, including comics and film, and for its illustrated approaches to the study of Japanese characters. Its publication of a book on wabi-sabi by Leonard Koren in 1992 helped spur an international design revolution. Many Stone Bridge Press books have been adopted by high school and university classrooms. What has fascinated so many people about Japan is its extraordinarily rich coherency, how tenets of art and spirituality are reflected in work and daily life. For 1,500 years Japanese culture has been evolving in a more or less straight line, absorbing foreign influences but remaining identifiably "Japanese." It`s a culture that breeds both beauty and arrogance. It demands patience and erudition. And it gives the publisher delicious editorial challenges and an alluring design vocabulary: asymmetry, surface decoration, white space, boldness, delicacy, a quick splash of color.