Hello, who’s this?

It’s Noriko from Japan.

Okay, so where are you calling from and what do you do?

I am a fashion researcher based in Kobe and also writing poetry with three published books. London is my another home town to me so I’m trying coming back as often as possible. Since I got the chance to translate a Japanese graphic novel into English, I have started to think I’d like to be the bridge between English and Japanese independent comic scene.

Wow! That sounds interesting! How did you get involved in self publishing?

Thank you. I’m originally fond of small publishing. Sometimes I create small hand-made books for myself in the name of ‘poetry of dress’. I love papers and small things.

You know I’m a great fan of comics, but I cannot draw… luckily some of my close friends in Japan are unique comic writers, and now enjoying writing original scripts to collaborate with them.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

Just started to translate other Japanese independent comic writer’s work into English.

How do you feel the UK small press scene differs from what goes on in Japan, are there similarities?

Thanks to getting to know Jimi and Peter, I have got more freedom to be creative and less stereotyped image of small press scene: closed, only opened for the geeks. Compared to Japan, the border amongst the other arts is quite less. Enjoy yourself is the most important, I have learned this from England.

I’d like to see some of the things you have worked on, where can I see them?

You can purchase two different stuffs of mine at Rough Trade East in London and Bimbo Tower in Paris. Pedantic Love is a series of fashion manga where Lolita girl working at a second hand record shop has struggled with communicating with people in her daily life. ‘Ink of Blue Black Roses’ is art charity activity zine for the big earthquake in Japan, which I edited various kinds of work like manga, poems, photographs, and music of the contributors from Japan to Europe.

Okay, so, its been great talking to you, can’t wait to see you at the IAPF2! Would you like to say anything to anyone thinking about coming?

I have yet to contribute anything to Alternative Press which has let me involve into English independent publishing scene. Through some small press fairs in England, I met many nice people and become good friends. In the near future, I would like to return something for you. Thank you always, looking forward to warm and friendly, REAL international press festival.