‘Manga, Comics and Illustration’ at OACC

OAKLAND — The Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 Ninth St., Suite 290, in Oakland Chinatown, will present “Manga, Comics and Illustration” on Sunday, Nov. 17, from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Anime and manga have never been more popular. How did iconic characters like Totoro or Pokemon become Japanese pop culture and attract a worldwide following? And how did Tyrus Wong, a Chinese American immigrant, bring Disney’s Bambi to life?

This free event will celebrate two new books that introduce the world of Japanese animation and manga, and the life of Wong to young readers. San Francisco-based writer Oliver Chin, a co-author of “The Discovery of Anime and Manga,” will share his book about a time-traveling panda named Dao who transports two young companions to the early days of anime and manga in Japan.

Oakland-based illustrator Chris Sasaki will share his storyboards from a new picture-book biography, “Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist,” written by Julie Leung.

“The Discovery of Anime and Manga” is a picture book about how anime and manga came to be. Co-authored by Phil Amara and illustrator Juan Calle, the book is the third in the Asian Hall of Fame series. Chin is the author of over 15 books, including the popular annual children’s book series “Tales from the Chinese Zodiac.” He presents at schools, libraries, and museums nationwide and teaches artists of all ages how to create their own comic books.

Co-presented by OACC and Eastwind Books of Berkeley.

RSVP at http://oacc.cc.