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[IMG: The Cute and Cool World of Kawaii: An Interview with Abbie Quirk]

22nd Nov 2024

[H4] The Cute and Cool World of Kawaii: An Interview with Abbie Quirk

We're super excited about the recent release of The Super Kawaii Coloring Book, with 124 whimsical
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[IMG: Taking a Gamble on Japan: An Interview with Robert Whiting]

8th Nov 2024

[H4] Taking a Gamble on Japan: An Interview with Robert Whiting

One of our most exciting releases this year has been Robert Whiting's Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers
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[IMG: Tuttle Takes on Comic Con]

12th Jun 2024

[H4] Tuttle Takes on Comic Con

Join Tuttle, the Leading Publisher of Books on Asia, at upcoming conventions this year!
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[IMG: The Cute and Cool World of Kawaii: An Interview with Abbie Quirk]

[H2]
We're super excited about the recent release of The Super Kawaii Coloring Book, with 124 whimsical Kawaii scenes, characters and vignettes to color and make your own. And today we're catching up with the book's author and illustrator, Abbie Quirk, to talk about her approach to art and creativity. Enjoy!

1. Congratulations on the release of your new book! Tell us a little bit about your background and the process that led to creating this wonderful book.
Thank you so much! I'm thrilled to share The Super Kawaii Coloring Book with everyone. I've always been excited by art that brings out happiness in people, and kawaii style perfectly embodies that! My background is in illustration and animation, and creating adorable, playful characters has always been my passion. This book is a culmination of years of doodling cute little characters on my ipad. Seeing them all come together in one place has been a dream come true!
2. Can you introduce our readers to the Kawaii genre, and talk some more about what you love about drawing and creating in the Kawaii style?
Kawaii, which means "cute" in Japanese, is a genre known for its lovable, simple, and sometimes silly characters that just make you smile. Whether it’s a tiny kitten, a smiling piece of toast, or a cheerful cloud, kawaii art has a way of brightening your day. I love working with this style because it reminds me to appreciate the small, joyful moments in life. Drawing kawaii characters feels like an instant mood boost, and I'm excited to share that with readers through this book.
3. Are there any particular pages or characters in your book that you are especially fond of? Any cute kittens or clouds or sea creatures that stole your heart? Tell us about them!
Oh, that’s such a fun question! There’s a page with two little chubby pineapple penguins playing on the beach — they were so much fun to draw! And there's a whole spread of underwater friends, including an octopus with big, curious eyes and a sea turtle who’s all smiles. One of my favorites has to be the crickets playing cricket; that'd be a funny game to watch. Each character has its own personality and quirky characteristics, and I hope they make everyone smile as much as they did for me while drawing them!
4. What are your hopes for this book as it gets out into the world? Can coloring cute Kawaii characters and scenes bring about world peace? (We think yes!)
I hope this book becomes a happy escape for anyone who picks it up. Colouring kawaii characters can be so relaxing and joyful. It’s a little time for yourself to unwind, be creative, and embrace that playful part of your imagination. And while world peace might be a tall order, I do think these happy, calming illustrations can bring a bit of peace to everyone’s day!

5. Where can people find you online? And do you have any future projects in the works that you can tease for us?
You can find me on Instagram and TikTok, where I share my latest doodles, tips 'n tricks, and behind-the-scenes peeks into my creative process. As for future projects, I’m currently working on a video game, filled with cute characters! I can’t wait to share more soon!Get out your pencils, markers and crayons and get ready to immerse yourself in the world of Japanese Kawaii cuteness and cool! The 124 whimsical and wonderful scenes, characters and vignettes in this book are yours to experience and transform. Perfect for all ages and abilities, and available now.

[IMG: Taking a Gamble on Japan: An Interview with Robert Whiting]

[H2] One of our most exciting releases this year has been Robert Whiting's Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies. It's a rare insider's look at modern Japan through the eyes of foreigners who took a gamble on creating a life there, no matter the cost. Here's our recent conversation with Robert.

Congratulations on the success of Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies! Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how the book came to be?
I have lived in Japan for 40 of the past 60 years. I first went to Japan in the early 60’s with the USAF. Stayed and went to Sophia University and then worked for Encyclopedia Britannica editorial. Then I wrote a book called The Chrysanthemum and the Bat about the respective cultures of the US and Japan through the lens of baseball—the national sport of both countries. Back then there was a nationwide telecast of Tokyo Giants games every night. Baseball was the only thing I could actually understand on TV, which helped me learn the language.
I did a follow-up baseball book in 1989 called
You Gotta Have Wa which became a best seller. The shady proprietor of an Italian restaurant in Tokyo I patronized approached me after having read Wa and told me his colorful life story about arriving in Japan after the war and getting involved on the black market with Japanese gangs. After extensive research, that story turned into Tokyo Underworld, which was a huge best seller in Japanese, hitting #1 on many Tokyo lists and optioned five times by Hollywood.
I began working on a sequel about similar underworld characters I ran into along the way. I initially called it Tokyo Outsiders, but the title eventually became Gamblers, Fraudsters, Dreamers & Spies.
Give us a sense of what drew you to these colorful people and stories, and how you were able to obtain such detailed information about things that are usually hidden from plain sight. Is there a unifying theme or idea that you are seeking out?
Yes! Crime unifies people across cultures. It brings people of diverse backgrounds and languages together in the pursuit of profit. People like to talk about themselves and brag about their misdeeds, I discovered, if you approach them in the right way. Verifying all their tales took a lot of time, with countless visits to the library, the police, newspaper morgues — just constantly digging up characters from the past. Doable —  but time consuming!

Are there any particular characters or stories that struck a deeper chord for you in the process of researching and writing about them? Do you have any favorites?
One of my favorites is MK Taxi founder Sadao Aoki. He was an ethnic Korean who overcame discrimination to found a truly great Taxi company. He's the only person in the history of Japan to sue the Japanese government (over a taxi monopoly that fixed prices) and win. Another one is Carlos Ghosn — the arrested Nissan CEO who escaped from Japan in a music box.
How do you think your book will help western readers understand modern Japanese history?
Simply put, Japanese history can be very colorful and easy to read about and understand when presented through the prism of crime.
Thanks for your thoughtful answers, Robert! Where can people find you and your writing online?
People can find me on Substack at
Robert Whiting’s Japan, and on my website, Tokyo Junkie. I'm also active on X/Twitter and Facebook.
Critically acclaimed author and longtime Japan resident Robert Whiting turns his attention to the fascinating stories of foreigners who made waves and achieved notoriety in post-World War II Japan.
In this rare insider's look at Japan through the eyes of foreigners, this book covers a fascinating swathe of Japanese history.
Available Now: Amazon | B&N | BAM | Bookshop