Acclaimed manga creator Natsume Ono in Toronto, May 7-8! TCAF 2011

TORONTO, Ontario – The Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) is excited to announce that internationally renowned manga creator Natsume Ono will make her first-ever North American public appearance as a Featured Guest at TCAF 2011. Hailing from Japan, Ono is one of the most exciting and unique women working in the medium today, and she will appear on panels and sign books in support of her English language works at Toronto Reference Library, May 7 and 8 2011. Ono appears with the support of her English-language publisher Viz Media.

“Ono's fantastic work fits squarely into the ‘art comix’ idiom that's at the core of the Festival,” enthuses Festival Director Christopher Butcher. “It's the type of work we try to encourage. She's a true auteur, working in a variety of styles and on different subjects, and her work is sure to find favour with fans of our other Featured Guests including Chris Ware, Jillian Tamaki, Mawil, and Adrian Tomine.”

With a loose, gestural and even melancholic style that is at odds with most fans' view of contemporary manga, since Viz Media began publishing Ono's work in English two years ago she has quickly become a favourite of North American readers. Touching on themes of family bonds, abuse and neglect, and responsibility, her works have a surprising weight, and the types of characters and settings she employs are rarely seen in comics on either side of the Pacific.

“This is an exceptionally rare event,” said Butcher. “It's the first time Ms. Ono has made a North American appearance, and for someone of her stature and popularity in Japan to choose to visit TCAF? It's a real coup for us, we're absolutely thrilled.

Natsume Ono will appear at TCAF on Saturday May 7 and Sunday May 8, for a panel discussion and signing period each day at Toronto Reference Library. Because of Ms. Ono's popularity and the expected swell of interest in her public appearance, admission to both the panels and signings will require pre-registration. Pre-registration details will be announced in April, 2011.

ABOUT NATSUME ONO:

Short Biography:

Natsume Ono made her professional debut in 2003 with the webcomic La Quinta Camera. Her subsequent works Not Simple, Ristorante Paradiso, Gente, and House of Five Leaves have continued to draw critical and popular acclaim, and their publication in English and French have opened up a new world of fans for her.

Natsume Ono has published over 20 volumes of manga to date. Her series Ristorante Paradiso and House of Five Leaves have both been adapted into TV anime series that have aired on Hulu.com, Funimation.com, and Crunchyroll.com, in North America.

Key Works:

Not Simple: Ian, a young man with a fractured and abusive family history, travels from Australia to England to America in the hope of realizing his dreams and reuniting with his lost sister. His story unfolds backwards through the framing narrative of Jim, a reporter driven to capture Ian's experiences in what will be his final novel. A heartbreaking tale of the injustices we inflict upon one another. (Graphic novel)

Preview: http://www.sigikki.com/series/notsimple/index.shtml

Ristorante Paradiso: At the age of 21, Nicoletta travels to Rome to find her mother, Olga, who abandoned her long ago. She finds Olga the wife of a restaurateur, and the restaurant Casetta dell'Orso is filled to the brim with attractive, bespectacled waiters (in keeping with Olga's tastes!). Her mother allows Nicoletta to stay, on the condition that she keeps their familial bond a secret from her new husband, and offers her apprenticeship at the restaurant, a place to live, a shot at love, and a chance to understand why her mother left. (Graphic novel.)

Gente: Welcome to Casetta dell'Orso, a quaint little restaurant in the heart of Rome. The food's delicious, but the handsome staff is the real draw. Follow these dashing men home and witness their romances, heartaches, hopes and dreams in this delightfully whimsical continuation of Natsume Ono's beloved Ristorante Paradiso. (3 volumes.)

House of Five Leaves: Naïve, diffident samurai Akitsu Masanosuke has been cast out of his master's employ. Hungry and desperate, he agrees to become a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a group calling itself "Five Leaves." Although disturbed by the gang's sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi's motives are not what they seem… (Ongoing series with 3 volumes published in English.)

Preview: http://sigikki.com/series/houseoffiveleaves/index.shtml

All books published by Viz Media, http://www.VIZ.com

PRESS:

All general press inquiries, interview and press accreditation requests should be submitted to: [email protected].

Inquiries from Canadian media looking to cover Natsume Ono in the context of TCAF, either in the lead-up to or on-site at TCAF should contact Festival Director Christopher Butcher, 416-533-9168, [email protected].

General inquiries from media looking to cover Natsume Ono, or for book copy requests, should contact Jane Lui at Viz Media: 415-546-7073 x176, [email protected]

ABOUT THE TORONTO COMIC ARTS FESTIVAL:

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is an annual celebration of comics and graphic novels presented by Toronto Public Library and The Beguiling Books & Art in Toronto, Canada. Featuring more than 200 cartoonists from nearly a dozen countries, TCAF exists to promote the breadth and diversity of comics as a legitimate medium of literary and artistic merit. The 2010 Festival saw 12,500 attendees over 2 days, and the festival is expecting to grow this year. Festival events include readings, discussion panels, publisher and artist displays, a large-scale art show featuring German cartoonists produced by The Goethe-Institut, and the 2011 Doug Wright Awards for Excellence in Canadian Cartooning. Admission is free.

SPONSORS:

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival would not be possible without the assistance of our sponsors and partners, including presenting sponsor Toronto Public Library and retail sponsor The Beguiling Books & Art.

TCAF would like to recognize the efforts of the following sponsors who have helped in the planning and support of TCAF 2011:

The Goethe-Institut - http://www.goethe.de/ins/ca/tor/enindex.htm

The French Consulate in Toronto - http://www.consulfrance-toronto.org/

The Italian Cultural Institute in Toronto - http://www.iictoronto.esteri.it/IIC_Toronto

Viz Media – http://www.VIZ.com

Sponsorship opportunities for TCAF 2011 are still available, please contact us at: [email protected] for more info.