The 21st edition of Paris Manga opening its doors this weekend, it is time to make a recap of the Japanese guests of this edition. As a reminder this edition will take place on February 6 & 7, 2016 The Japanese guests will be 5 for this time: a mangaka, a director / scriptwriter, a Japanese animation specialist (animation director, chara-design, animator) and two actors. 
From Cowboy Bebop to Space Dandy, Shinichiro WATANABE is one of the key players in Japanese animation in recent years. A prolific director and screenwriter, he has become a renowned artist.
By joining the animation studio Sunrise in the 1980s, Shinichiro WATANABE worked as a storyboarder on the series Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory and became for the first time director on the OAVs of Macross Plus in 1994.
When he worked on the series Cowboy Bebop as a director and then on the spin-off feature film Cowboy Bebop : Knockin' on Heaven's Door, Shinichiro WATANABE proved all his talent and gained international recognition. If his collaboration with the Sunrise studio comes to an end, he will then direct two of the short films of the Animatrix series in 2001, then direct in 2004 the animated series Samurai Champloo at Manglobe which is also a great critical and public success.
Among his major works, Shinichiro WATANABE has since directed the anime Space Dandy, a science fiction comedy series and the animated series Terror in Resonnance released in 2014, of which he is also the author and screenwriter. 
Masahiko KOMINO is a Japanese artist specializing in animation. Since his debut, he has worked on the biggest anime manga adaptations (Bleach, Accel World, Naruto Shippuden… ) as a key animator, storyboader, chara designer or animation director.
For his very first trip to France, Masahiko KOMINO the chara designer and animation director of the series Jojo's Bizarre Adventure – Stardust Crusaders will meet his fans during signing sessions and public lectures. 
Kenji ÔIWA is a mangaka who was able to demonstrate his talent on the Assassin's Creed license, the bestselling video game saga, by making the acclaimed manga adaptation " Assassin's Creed Awakening " directly inspired by the episode Black Flag, published in France in 2015 by Ki-oon editions! It was for the author, passionate about video games, a consecration in view of his young career.
Before his professional debut, he was already gravitating in the world of books, notably by working in a bookstore specializing in manga. His passion for writing as for drawing pushes him to launch himself as an author in fanzines. A way to enjoy and exploit your passion and get closer to the professional environment.
His career began in 2003 with the successive publication of Goth (Pika editions) and Bienvenue dans la NHK (Soleil Manga) titles, both of which met with success both in Japan and internationally. Kenji ÔIWA comes to France for the first time. 
A key figure of the "Récré A2" generation, Kenji Ohba is inseparable from X-Or, a space sheriff who came to defend the Earth from the infamous C-Rex! Trained at Sonny Chiba's Japan Action Club, Mr. Ohba began as a stuntman on several famous "tokusatsu" series such as Kamen Rider or Goranger. It can also be seen in San Ku Kai. In 1979, he played Battle Kenya in Super Sentai Battle Fever J before being Denzi Blue on Denziman. He also appeared in several series broadcast on "Club Dorothée" such as Metalder or Jiraiya. In Kill Bill Vol.1, he shares the screen with his mentor Sonny Chiba during a memorable argument scene. For the 30th anniversary of X-Or in 2012, he reprised his role in Space Sheriff Gavan: The Movie. Mr. Ohba is waiting for you at Paris Manga to come and "transmute" you with him! 
A living legend of Japanese action cinema, Sonny Chiba demonstrated his many talents as a martial artist in several cult films such as The Street Fighter and Shogun's Shadow. In Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon, he plays the famous hitman created by Takao Saito.
In 1978, he was one of the stars of Message from Space, a Japanese-style Star Wars from which a series that became famous in France: San Ku Kaï was based. In 1998, he was the memorable villain of The Storm Riders, a Hong Kong fantasy film. Mr. Chiba was invited by filmmaker Quentin Tarantino to participate in Kill Bill : Vol.1 in which he plays Hattori Hanzo, the master of arms making Uma Thurman's sword. In 2006, he was a yakuza leader in Fast & Furious : Tokyo Drift. Mr. Chiba was also the founder of J.Has.C. (Japan Action Club), martial arts and stunt school that revealed several major talents such as Hiroshi Watari (Sharivan), Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai, San Ku Kai) or Kenji Oba. He also plays the father of the latter in the cult series X-Or. We do not forget the additional information!
Address : Pavillon 3, Paris Porte de Versailles 1 place de la Porte de Versailles – 75015 Paris
Timetables
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Presales: 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Onsite: 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. VIP ticket: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Presales: 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Onsite: 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. VIP ticket: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Please note that the show's cash desks close at 6:00 p.m. The lounge closes at 19:00. Visitors with a presale will have the chance to pay less for their ticket and enter the show an hour earlier (9:30 am). Visitors with a VIP ticket will have the chance to return even earlier (8:30 am), to have gifts and many benefits (queue breaks, discounts, …)
