Long-time readers will know that I've been a big fan of Kiki's Delivery Service for (gulp) over a decade now. For years, every time we were at the NJ Kinokuniya (sadly now closed, and the replacement bookstore isn't half as good) I'd look at the original Kiki novels and wish I could read them. Finally, last year, the first installment was translated and published in North American by Annick Press (where you can read a brief excerpt), and then finally, last month I got off my ass and ordered a copy. I'm giving it two thumbs up -- if you're a fan (not necessarily a Miyazaki fan, but a Kiki fan) you'll definitely want to read the original stories. And the translation is very good, at might not be precise but it reads really well and that counts for a lot as far as I'm concerned. The cover art is off-putting (the original book design was so nice!) but they did at least retain the original illustrations for the interior. Now I just have to hope they decide to translate a few more!
A funny aside -- in 1992 we were in London for UKCAC, and while walking around one day came across the London office of Yamato Transport. We loved the logo and scored some stickers of it from the nice office ladies (for years I kept seeing t-shirts of it in Japanese magazines, but never got hold of one!). It was years and years before we knew that there was a connection between Yamato and Kiki!
Wow! I only just saw the movie this year and I thought the whole premise was really great! :)
ReplyDeleteMy manga loving husband is all excited now! We'll be heading out to get those!
Ooh, you know, also worth looking for but probably hard to find -- there was a series of children's picture books put out around 1992 based on Nausicaa, Kiki, Totoro and Laputa -- we actually bought all but the Laputa volume when they came out. Luckily, you've got a while before Tess can read! I never see them, but I'm sure they show up here and there. And maybe they'll get rereleased with the DVDs coming out, too. I think they're called the "Magical Adventure Series" or something like that...hmm, got to find me that Laputa book...
ReplyDeleteThe Kiki novel is really wonderful, but yeah, the cover can really make one go cross-eyed. Kiki shouldn't look like she's flying with a big "Duuu-huuurr-huuuurrrr" on her face. I made my own cover in photoshop, both front and back. I took one of Miyazaki's illustrations, changed it to sepia, and printted it out on sticker paper. It pasted up real nice on the front and back.
ReplyDeleteThe interior illustrations are very nice though.
-Rikki
ironically enough on my way to work this morning was yamato transport truck complete with giant logo, so I guess they're in the US too.
ReplyDelete