U.S. Papers Adding Japanese-Style Comics

Stuart Levy, chief executive of TOKYOPOP Inc., responds to a question during an interview with The Associated Press beside a rack of 'manga' comics in Tokyo Thursday, Oct. 20, 2005. From January next year, the Sunday funnies of major American newspapers will be adding a comic style that's slightly different and far heavier in its use of doe-eyed women in skin-tight outfits, a manga trademark. "Manga is the core of this kind of lifestyle and culture, which is becoming a global trend," he said. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) (Shizuo Kambayashi - AP)

Levy, 38, is a Los Angeles native who came to Japan in 1989 to attend university. He quickly realized manga was hot as a lifestyle statement, touching on fashion and music, in the same way hip hop has defined a cultural attitude.

"Manga is the core of this kind of lifestyle and culture, which is becoming a global trend," he said in his Tokyo office. "I'd tell people Japan is such a creative place, and they would say, 'No, no. no. Japan is not creative. It just copies the West.' And I said, 'That's totally wrong.'"

Levy is now working on a musical film based on manga.

His next project: offering an English-language manga service on the Web that will allow people to view the comics online or download them onto their mobile phones to read on the go.

"This is getting so popular now," said Levy, switching into fluent Japanese and displaying manga on his cell phone screen. "Japan is way ahead of the world in this."

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TOKYOPOP Inc.: http://www.tokyopop.com/