Hokusai's "Mangas" constitute a comprehensive visual encyclopaedia of the Japanese civilization in the XIXth Century. He also depicts the Japanese landscape: wildlife, vegetation, mountains, countryside, seaside, the changes of weather, architecture as well as religious and mythological themes.

A mysterious 1823 advertisement for illustrated books by renowned artist Katsushika Hokusai refers to an otherwise unknown work called Master Iitsu's Chicken-Rib Picture Book. According to the ad, the book was conceived in the same year that the final volume of Hokusai's famous Manga series was supposed to have been published. Many therefore believe that the Chicken-Rib Picture Book was meant to be a continuation of the famous series, but a published copy of it has never been found. This eclectic and engaging collection of drawings from the peerless Japanese art collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, was likely intended for that lost book. It includes the sort of lively, behind-the-scenes sketches of daily life that have made the Manga series so beloved, as well as imaginatively conceived sea creatures, refined flowers, deities, heroes, and a variety of craftspeople and labourers. Reproduced here in full for the first time as a stand-alone volume, this rare sketchbook of Hokusai drawings makes for delightful fare.

Hokusai was one of the great masters of the Japanese woodblock print. His exquisite compositions and dynamic use of color set him apart from other printmakers, and his unequalled genius influenced both Japanese and a whole generation of Western artists. Now available for the first time in paperback, this book reproduces the artist's finest works in plates that convey the full variety of his invention, each of which is provided with an informative commentary. In his introduction, Hokusai expert Matthi Forrer traces the artist's career and defines his place in relation to his contemporaries and to the history of Japanese art. Examining all genres of the artist's prolific output -- including images of city life, maritime scenes, landscapes, views of Mount Fuji, bird and flower illustrations, literary scenes, waterfalls and bridges -- Hokusai, Prints and Drawings provides a detailed account of the artist's genius.

The Black Jack series is told in short stories. Volume 12 will contain 14 stories, each running approximately 20 pages in length. This eleventh volume includes the following stories: Wildcat Boy: Black Jack is called out to the jungles of Indonesia to help an old friend with some unique research. Renowned Paris based Professor Dr. Triufeaux has stumbled upon a rare case of a modern day wolf-boy. However, in this case the boy believes he is a wildcat. White Lion: Whille preparing to have a nice homecooked meal, Black Jack and his assistant Pinoko are interrupted by a wrapping on their front door. Awaiting to enter and speak with the doctor are two men, an odd couple of sorts, with a request for the doc's services. The director of the local zoo and a representative from Angola are desperate to have a recently transplanted animal treated immediately.

In recent years, Manga has seen phenomenal success, not only in Japan, where it dominates the publishing industry, but also in the West, where it is steadily growing in popularity and influence. As swift and sudden as the popularity of this graphic art form may seem, Manga has, in fact, deep roots in Japanese culture, drawing on centuries-old artistic traditions. As early as the twelfth century, Emakimono scrolls existed, a narrative form in which stories of all kinds—romantic, fantastic, even comic—were told through the combined use of text and illustration. Japanese art continued to change as profound political, social, and economic transformations remade the country in the centuries to follow. Today there is little doubt as to the meaning of the term Manga—nor to the astonishing popularity of the form—but few in the West understand the long artistic history that gave birth to this phenomenon and the social factors that continue to shape it today.One Thousand Years of Manga is both an informative account of the genesis of the form and a visual delight. Through its captivating illustrations and enlightening text, the book situates Manga in its proper context, appreciating it for what it truly is: an integral part of Japanese art and culture that is as rich and revealing as it is popular.

Published on the occasion of an exhibition held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, April 15, 2015-August 9, 2015.