Life as a Manga Assistant in Japan: Jamie Lynn Lano Pens New Memoir

Life as a Manga Assistant in Japan: Jamie Lynn Lano Pens New Memoir

In 2004, American comics creator Jamie Lynn Lano moved to Japan to pursue her dream: to become a professional manga artist. Through a mix of luck, talent, and perseverance, Lano got a job in Tokyo, working as an assistant to Takeshi Konomi, creator of The Prince of Tennis (Tenisu no Ōjisama), a popular and long-running sports manga series serialized in Shonen Jump Magazine, and published in the U.S. by VIZ Media.

After serializing her ups and downs, her triumphs and heartaches behind the drawing board in Japan on her blog, Living Tall in Japan, Lano is now ready to share her adventures in a book: The Princess of Tennis: The True Story of Working as a Manga-ka’s Assistant in Japan.

The Princess of Tennis is now available for pre-order via ShopEnvy. Priced at $20, this 250-page self-published book will include illustrations, photos, and mini comics, plus a postcard, and the price includes free shipping to addresses worldwide. It’s due to be published by June 15, with a note saying that pre-ordered copies may be shipped earlier than that.

Want a taste of what’s in store in the book? Check out Lano’s numerous entries detailing her experiences working at Konomi’s studio on her blog. They’re pretty detailed, and entertaining too, with lots of photos and anecdotes.

You can keep up with Lano’s latest adventures on her blog, her Twitter feed at @jamieism and her Facebook page.

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