To learn more about Book Spotlight, read this first.

The Last Kappa of Old Japan, written and illustrated by Sunny Seki, is the story of a friendship between a village boy, Norihei, and a kappa, Kyū-chan.

What I liked:

• The Last Kappa really reminds me of the Japanese children’s stories I grew up with! I read the Japanese text first, just to see if the story felt similar to ones I remembered, and it did. Both the Japanese and English versions seem to fit the story well, not surprising if Seki wrote them himself.
• Bilingual children’s books, especially by 日本人 and 日系 authors, seem to me one of the most important cultural touchstones for young nikkei readers, even more so for readers growing up in bilingual households. I don’t see too many such books being published these days, but I know there are plenty of bilingual, up-and-coming nikkei creators, and I’m hopeful for the future.

What I learned:

• The note at the end of the book seems to indicate TMNT started out as kappa – is this true?! I had no idea, but I’ve also never looked into the history of the show. If so, hilarious!
• A quick look at Seki’s website shows he has won Rafu Shimpo’s “Artist of the Year” multiple times, for some absolutely adorable illustrations. I wonder if very many emerging nikkei artists actively participate in art competitions within the community, and if any in the LA area have approached Seki for mentorship. The website also includes a video link to an interview with NTB (in Japanese, no subtitles). I only watched part of the interview, but it includes some interesting information about Seki’s background and creative approach.

Questions I had:

• Is Seki still actively producing bilingual picture books? He clearly has the skills and background necessary to execute these types of projects. I also wonder if he is acquainted with Robert Kondō and Dice Tsutsumi at Tonko House. It would be wonderful to see these three creators collaborate on adapting Japanese stories.
• How does Seki view his work in relation to work by other nikkei creators? I often think bilingual Japanese creators are potentially the most effective bridges between Japan and the diaspora, but also, no individual creator is obligated to promote this type of exchange.
• What do the Japanese immigrants of today think of creators like Seki? I’m thinking particularly of young and middle-aged Japanese professionals, who have left their established lives in Japan for the US or another country due to a work transfer. Do they find some immediate form of familiarity in work by creators like Seki or the opposite?

Follow-up:

• Seki has published several other children’s books, which I’m looking forward to reading as soon as budget allows.