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The original Japanese version of this graphic novel looks more like a Japanese college-age fiction book than a graphic novel which is probably exactly what the Japanese designer was going for. The story itself, however, is very indie-friendly. Angsty boy and confused girl with unsatisfying relationship issues and crappy jobs play music in a band that's going nowhere whilst wearing lots of Converse. Of course it ends up being more than that, which is always nice.
Instead of using the art the Japanese publisher had provided for the cover, I chose interior art, blew it up and colored it. Asano's art style is advanced, contemporary and separate from the traditional manga-style. I believed showcasing that (as opposed to tiny figures in the distance) would not only represent the story better but it would attract a different audience. For the c2 and c3 flaps I created collages from other pieces of art from inside the novel which represent the pivotal parts of the storyline (without really giving anything away). The bunnies also play an allegorical role in the story and so I featured them on the cover and tried to have them stamped on the side but that turned out to be too expensive. Boo. I also illustrated some border elements based off sampler and mixer designs.
This graphic novel was nominated for the 2009 Eisner Award for the Best Re-release of International Material - Japan and is currently nominated for a 2009 Harvey Award for Best American Edition of Foreign Material.
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