A menagerie of mascots and characters inhabit the islands of Japan, cheerfully guiding citizens through all sorts of daily activities and situations. Hello, Please! collects photographs of hundreds of the these cute (or kawaii) creatures in their native habitats, which are virtually everywhere: from public street signs to supermarket shelves, in doctor'soffices and instruction manualseven emblazoned on the sides of Tokyo's emergency vehicles. Authors Matt Alt and Hiroko Yoda explore the cultural context of these ubiquitous, hard-working critters and their relationship to anime and manga, commercial characters like Hello Kitty, and the cult of cute, while introducing readers to a host of adorable new best friends they never knew they had.
| ||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Matt Alt is the co-author of Super #1 Robot. He and Hiroko Yoda live in Tokyo, where they run the translation company AltJapan.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Alen Yen
Format:Paperback
This is a great coffee table or gift book. Awesome photographs, beautiful design and insightful text. Totally captures the quirkiness of this aspect of Japanese pop culture...
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By D. Tjoa
Format:Paperback
Okay, I admit this isn't the most eloquent review, but I'm giving this book a shout-out because it is so amusing, adorable, funny. The authors classify these cartoony characters into five sections with an intro for each and an overall introduction prefacing it all. The intros were somewhat informative, not terribly deep in explanation but deep enough. I liked the variety and quantity of images they included and how their captions were set in a solid-color version of the character they are describing on that page. Great gift idea for anyone who likes Japanese pop art and cute, bubbly cartoons in general.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By R. Harkavy
Format:Paperback
The immediate and obvious appeal of this book is seeing so many of these mascot characters "in the wild," but more importantly, the book provides context, explaining how Japanese aesthetics and traditions have affected the widespread adoption of these characters throughout the years. I really recommend this to anyone who is interested in Japanese culture and/or cartooning.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
How neat can it get?
Like many people I've become enamored with Japan. I have found my love of kawaii... anything... to be very strong and not easily sated. Read more
Published 11 months ago by sproutingsherbet
3.0 out of 5 stars
Cute but...
... a little bit poor in my opinion. I imagine something more sophisticated but it is ok
Published on November 2, 2007 by Cecilia B. Monte Alegre
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Listmania!
|
|
So You'd Like to...
Look for Similar Items by Category
- Books > Arts & Photography > History & Criticism > Criticism
- Books > Travel > Asia > Japan > General
