Fusion Product, Inc. is a small, fiercely independent company which not only publishes Japan's only critical information magazine about manga and animation, but also runs Japan's only art gallery dedicated solely to exhibitions related to manga and animation.
Comic Box., published bimonthly, is a magazine which, while dealing with the most popular manga, also covers in depth less well-known, but critically acclaimed manga. Special attention is paid to non-commercial, independent animation, both from Japan and abroad. Articles can range from short reviews to in-depth dissections of current manga, from career retrospectives of established artists to introduction to the latest hot talents. Comic Box also makes an effort to discover up-and-coming talents, and introduce them to readers. The writers and artists for the magazine are drawn from all corners of the Japanese manga and animation world, and include many well-known and respected voices in the field. In an attempt to reach an international audience, selected portion of Comic Box are being translated into English.
Comic Box Jr, published monthly, provides an outlet for writers and artists of dojinshi-the amateur manga, both original and parody, which are so prevalent in Japan. While introducing the readers to the world of dojinshi, Comic Box Jr also strives to guide these extremely talented 'amateurs' to professional status. The audience for Comic Box Jr is largely female.
Comic Box Gallery is Japan's first art gallery specializing only in manga and animation. Fans are now able to see, as they never could before, many original art works, roughs, personal items, and much more. In September of 1995, the first international exhibition was held, featuring the work of the famous Russian animator Yuri Norstein. Lithographs of Mr. Norstein's work are now in production.
The staff at Fusion Product also possess strong social consciousness. After the Great Hanshin Earthquake which hit Kobe on January 17, 1995, killing upwards of 5000 people, and leaving thousands more hurt or homeless, it was decided to publish a special issue of Comic Box, all proceeds of which were to go to survivors of the quake. Contributions of manga and illustrations were sought from artists all over Japan (and even outside), the theme of which was to be a message to the children of Kobe. These contributions were later gathered into an exhibit, and were shown around the country.
After France resumed nuclear testing in Mururoa on September 5, against almost universal protest, it was decided to begin a campaign to be called the International No Nuke Cartoon, Animation and Art Exhibition. To this end, once again Japanese and foreign artists were called upon to contribute-manga, illustrations, videos, sculptures, music-anything to express their feelings against nuclear testing. The opening exhibition will be held at the International Cartoon Festival in Angouleme, France (Jan. 24-28, 1996). Planned showings after that include the Hiroshima International Animation Festival in August, Tahiti and Comic Box Gallery. Portions of the exhibition can also be seen at the International No Nuke Cartoon, Animation and Art Exhibition Home Page (http://www.comicbox.co.jp/nnc/nne1.shtml). It is hoped that the exhibition will continue to travel from place to place around the globe, growing all the time, until the last nuclear missile has disappeared from the Earth. In addition to the No Nuke Home Page on the Internet, you can also find the Comic Box Home Page there: (http://www.comicbox.co.jp/).