London Anime & Gaming Con Recap

mayamada February 14, 2015 No Comments

Our year of conventions got off to a great start with mayamada attending London Anime & Gaming Con earlier this month. LAGC is one of the more community focused conventions on the calendar and we joined some cool anime fans, gamers and exhibitors at the London Metropolitan University’s Rocket Complex.

We’ve been exhibiting at LAGC for a few years now and always enjoy the chance to spend more time speaking with the anime and gaming community. This time around was even better as we were given the chance to talk on stage about how we put together our manga books.

Of course we brought along our original anime inspired clothing, including a brand new kawaii t-shirt. The design features Hannah, one of the character from the 11th Hour story.

But the best treat was the thee flavours of Samurai Chef chocolate debuted at the convention! Green Tea, Cherry Blossom and Crunchy Noodles were a real hit at the convention with every bar gone by Sunday.

Cosplayers is a big part of any convention and LAGC is no exception. Check out our cosplay photos from the two days of LAGC and we’ll see you at our next convention, MCM Comic Con Birmingham.

Samurai Chef Creators: Writers

Nigel February 12, 2015 No Comments

Over the past few weeks we’ve been looking back at the making of the complete edition Samurai Chef manga, talking to the people who played a part is bringing it to life.

We’ve heard the thoughts of the book’s illustrator (both of them), editor and printer. Without every one of these people the book would not have been possible, let alone look as good as it does!

But we couldn’t let them have all the fun, so here are our thoughts on the Samurai Chef book too:

Which part of the book did you work on?

Lao and I created the Samurai Chef character and story.

This involved developing the plot, creating the characters within the story and writing the script for Pinali to translate into the final comic pages.

We were also responsible for managing various elements of production from writing, to the Kickstarter, all the way up to the printing.

What was your highlight during the process?

Seeing the story slowly come together with each completed comic page.

Even though we already knew how the story would unfold, it was amazing to see the words of the script come to life visually page by page.

Pinali has a talent for bringing the characters to life and seeing the little touches she added along the way meant we could experience the story in a new light.

What was the biggest challenge for you?

The editing process. After we got through enjoying the comic, we had to get to the work of making sure it was printed without any mistakes.

We also wanted to get the book finished in time to send books to our Kickstarter backers before Christmas and for Hyper Japan in November. There was a lot of pressure on to put everything together in a short space of time.

Luckily we had a great editor, Lara-Lee, who caught all spelling a grammar mistakes…turns out there were a lot of them! But she stayed alert throughout the whole process and is the reason the book reads as well as it does.

What do you hope readers will take away from Samurai Chef?

Without giving too much away, there are some lessons in teamwork that hopefully come through over the course of the book.

Aside from that, we hope people will take away the belief that if you have a good idea you can bring it to life. The Samurai Chef is an original story idea that we created from scratch. If you’re working with your own idea, it can be done!

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

We love all the Samurai Chef characters equally as if there were our own children…but we like Zane more equally.

He doesn’t have a huge part in the book but we liked the way he maintains a cool assuredness and balances out Kamu’s somewhat unstable energy.

Other notable mentions go to Ms Yasahsii, Jimi and of course the Samurai Chef himself.

What’s next for the Samurai Chef and mayamada?

The Samurai Chef story is complete for now, but it’s not the end of the character and another book is definitely a possibility in future.

For now we’ll be working on releasing comics for other mayamada stories. Serious is coming next, but expect to see something from 11th Hour and Hot Lunch stories too.

We’ve got a lot happening in 2015 including new clothing designs and event plans too. Stay tuned…

Samurai Chef Creators: Printer

mayamada February 7, 2015 No Comments

We’re back again for another look at the people that brought the new and complete edition of Samurai Chef to life.

Once the script was written, illustrations illustrated and spelling and grammar corrected it was time to get the book printed and finally in our hands.

We first met Rich Hardiman when producing Samurai Chef Volume 1. He was the reason the book came out so well so when it came printing the latest comic he was the only person to speak to:

Which part of the book did you work on?

The book printing.

What was your highlight during the process?

Getting to see the idea evolve over the course of a couple of years. The plot was in place early on, but it was great to see the mayamada team develop & learn the ropes of publishing.

What was the biggest challenge for you?

Meeting the deadlines! The guys supplied files in really good condition, so that wasn’t a problem.

What do you hope readers will take away from Samurai Chef?

I hope they’ll have a lot of fun with it, and look forward to seeing more from the mayamada network. Samurai Chef is a really novel idea, with a remarkably well developed universe, considering that it’s been created out of nothing!

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

You can’t really look past the Samurai Chef himself, can you? I love the idea of having the pivotal figure completely inscrutable right up to the climax.

If you could be a mayamada character, which animal would you be?

I’d like to say cat, but I suspect I’m not really wily enough for that… Perhaps some sort of dog. One of the tenacious ones – a terrier or something.

As for the show – I’d like a police procedural drama if it’s on offer. That’d work with a terrier, right?

Samurai Chef Creators: Editor

mayamada February 5, 2015 No Comments

In the lead up to London Anime & Gaming Con we’re giving you an insight into the making of our new manga title, the complete edition of Samurai Chef.

So far we’ve looked at the illustrators who brought the story and characters to life. But images are only half of any good comic, what about the words?

This week we’re talking to Lara-Lee, the editor of the book and the person who made sure the dialogue was accurate and made sense…well, as much sense as a monkey samurai chef on a fantasy television network can make anyway:

Which part of the book did you work on?

I edited the book – so if you spot any mistakes (not that you will…) Don’t. Tell. Anyone!

What was your highlight during the process?

Holding the finished product. Working with Nigel and seeing the story and characters come to life was a pleasure – my job would have been a whole lot harder if he wasn’t as receptive to the changes that needed to be made.

What was the biggest challenge for you?

The time constraints. We had a strict deadline to work to so the pressure was intense towards the end, but I’m a lawyer by day so I’m used to it!

What do you hope readers will take away from Samurai Chef?

Hunger – not just because some of the dishes could be quite yummy (before they come to life), but also a hunger for reading, anime and finding out more about mayamada!

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

It has to be the Samurai Chef himself, specifically when he’s battling the Cherry Kitchen’s taffy cake. I couldn’t stop laughing at his face throughout this part!

What book are you enjoying now?

Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer – I don’t read many books more than once but this is my third time round. I love the contrasting circumstances of the main characters and seeing them evolve throughout the book. I love any book that has ability to make my jaw drop!

Samurai Chef Creators: Illustrator

mayamada February 3, 2015 No Comments

We’re continuing our look into the making of the new and complete edition of Samurai Chef by talking with all the the people that had a major role in putting it all together.

It’s been two months since we released the book an you can now find it at Orbital Comics, Petit Miracles Hub and the Prince’s Trust Tomorrow Store. You will also be able to get your hands on Samurai Chef at the London Anime and Gaming Con, February 7th-8th.

For now, here’s the view from another illustrator responsible for the book’s introduction page, Nikki:

Which part of the book did you work on?

The Premise page.

What was your highlight during the process?

Getting to draw something anthropomorphic for a change.

What was the biggest challenge for you?

Fitting all the text on the page!

What do you hope readers will take away from Samurai Chef?

Enjoyment and belief that monkeys can be samurais too. And sometimes your dinner can bite back! 😀

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

Would have to be Samurai Chef. What is there not to like about a quiet, deadly protagonist?

Who has been your most inspiring illustrator?

Attack on Titan (and impatiently awaiting the new season).

Petit Miracles Hub

mayamada January 19, 2015 No Comments

2015 was off to a great start as we moved into the Petit Miracles Hub, a new retail location in West 12 Shopping Centre.

Launched in December, Petit Miracles Hub is a new store for new independent brands and we’re happy to say that we’re one of them.

You can now find our line of anime inspired clothing and comics in store. The Petit Miracles Hub is also the only retail location where you can find the limited Collector’s Edition of the book!

After releasing the complete edition of the Samurai Chef manga book, we put together a limited edition for the collectors out there. Only 30 Collector’s Edition copies have been printed, which comes with a new cover, 4 additional pages of story and an exclusive badge set.

Make sure you stop by and say hi to us or any of the staff doing who have been doing a great job of pulling everything together and managing the different brands.

You can find the Petit Miricles Hub on the first floor of the West 12 Shopping Centre, opposite Westfield. Just look out for the mayamada banner in the window.

Stay tuned for news on an upcoming event at the store in February where we’ll be teaming up with the social enterprise Strip ClothingS. You will also see the launch of a new characters and story with Blake Serious.

Samurai Chef Creators: Illustrator

mayamada January 13, 2015 No Comments

It’s been two months since we released the complete edition of Samurai Chef out into the wide world. The response has been great since its debut at Hyper Japan and the book has since been picked up by Orbital Comics, Petit Miracles Hub and the Prince’s Trust Tomorrow Store.

You will also be able to get your hands on our new manga book, plus the Collectors edition at the London Anime and Gaming Con, February 7th-8th.

Before our first event of the year comes along, we want to take a moment to look back and give you an insight into the making of the book by talking with the people responsible for putting it all together.

This week we’re talking to the illustrators on the book starting with the person responsible for bringing the characters and the book to life, Pinali:

Which part of the book did you work on?

I was responsible for the majority of the artwork in the book, which means character design sheets for every speaking character, translating the provided script into a comic layout, sketching, inking, shading and lettering/sound effects for each individual page.

I also did the cover artwork and illustrations for most of the promotional materials, like the Kickstarter rewards!

What was your highlight during the process?

Probably reading the script for the second half for the first time and getting to see how it ends and begin visualising in my head how I’m going to get it across in image form.

What was the biggest challenge for you?

I’m a huge perfectionist, so if a drawing isn’t coming out just right I have the bad habit of redrawing it over and over until it does, which can end up cutting into time I should be spending, say, eating, for example. This happens quite a lot, so I’d say that was the biggest challenge; overcoming those perfectionist moments and realizing that what I think is imperfect probably looks fine to just about everyone who isn’t me.

What do you hope readers will take away from Samurai Chef?

I hope it gives them some laughs, mainly, and that the characters will stick in readers’ minds for a while. I really think the characters are one of the strongest points of the book. I love them all.

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?

Probably Jimi; I love how passionate he is about what he does. Kamu is a close runner-up. He’s just so serious about beating this monkey! It really seems to offend him that the Samurai Chef is a monkey for some reason.

Who has been your most inspiring illustrator?

Bill Watterson; I often find myself using techniques I learned at the age of 8, looking at Calvin & Hobbes strips, and it’s probably my biggest inspiration when it comes to having that life and visceral quality in my drawings.

Popup Runway @ The White Lion

mayamada December 17, 2014 No Comments

Last month we took part in the first Popup Runway fashion event arranged by Catch Project. It was our first major runway event and something we’re looking forward to being part of in 2015.

We quickly found out how different photoshoots are from runway shows. It’s a little like comparing films to theatre productions. Both take a lot of preparation and can get hectic once things get started, but with a live runway show you only have one chance to get it right. Add a live audience waiting and watching and it’s a whole other experience.

Thankfully, we had a great team of people organising the event to make sure everything went according to plan…90% of the plan at least! From models to hair & make up artists to everyone at the White Lion, everyone played their part to put together a fantastic evening.

As well as mayamada, other brands involved – Ounce Clothing, Strip Clothing, All Thingz Nice and See:Saw Clothing especially – put on a great show and a successful Popup Runway.

Musicians: What Does Creativity Mean To You?

mayamada December 8, 2014 No Comments

After the great response we got from illustrators about what creativity means to them, we’re continuing our series with a different group of creative people.

This time around we spoke with musicians to ask what creativity means to them and get an insight into their creative process:

Chromatone

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m trying to figure that out, often by writing music, playing guitar, singing or break dancing.

What does creativity mean to you?

It means fulfilling our human potential. Creativity is what sets us apart from other animals; it’s our greatest asset. Growth only ever flows from creativity

Describe your creative process.

There isn’t really a fixed process as such, as no day equals another. However, in terms of songwriting, most ideas do start as a hummed vocal melody on my phone recorder and are then developed into full songs on the guitar.

Arranging is usually done on Sibelius and recording, mixing and mastering follows in various studios.

When are you at your most creative?

Late at night or early morning hours. Not very convenient. Sometimes also after eating vindaloo curries, I swear they put LSD in that stuff.

Who is the most creative person to you and why?

Difficult question, but if I had to choose only one person, it would be Quincy Jones. As a songwriter, arranger and producer, he masterminded a very influential musical legacy, covering a very wide range of genres.

Twitter: @chromatone

Soundcloud: Chromatone

Youtube: Chromatone

MegaRan

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Raheem Jarbo, aka Mega Ran, a former teacher turned hip-hop artist and speaker.

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity means the ability to create, but also the vision to see something amazing before it’s even formed.

Describe your creative process

My process, as weird as it sounds, is to let life take me in a new direction…

I like to try to sit in a quiet place and meditate, but I get so much more out of being out and doing fun or new things.

I have to keep a notepad on me though, because these ideas come so fast.

When are you at your most creative?

In the shower, or while I’m driving or riding a bus or train. Sometimes just being in a creative space, like the studio, will bring out songs and ideas that weren’t there.

Who is the most creative person to you and why?

My friends. I have some of the most awesome musicians, artists and game developers as friends, and I look up to them and draw so much inspiration from what they do. That just makes me want to work harder and do better every day.

Twitter: @megaran

Tumblr: randombeats.tumblr.com

Okiem

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Okiem, or Oak for short.

I’m a professional musician and composer. As well as playing the piano/keyboards for artists including Tinie Tempah, Leona Lewis, Delilah (and others), I also write and produce my own music.

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity to me, is an opportunity. An opportunity to express who you really are. After spending years developing your craft and your technique, creativity is that place that allows it all to come together and create something that can then affect other people.

I like to approach it as a big experiment, which takes away any sort of pressure from the process, and when you get it right it’s a great feeling to sit back, listen and enjoy your creation, and share it.

Describe your creative process

It does vary from project to project and depending on who else I’m working with.

Currently I’m composing a solo piano album so I like to just sit at the piano, press record and start playing.

On occasion, an entire song comes out. Exactly as I’d like it. I may then go back and re-record it but for the creative part of the process, I try to just let it happen.

Other times I may record 6 or 7 minutes of music and then go back through the takes. From that, there may be a melody or a section that inspires a whole song.

When are you at your most creative?

I’m most creative as soon as I wake up (that includes after my daytime naps!)

Who is the most creative person to you and why?

My answer to this question probably changes from week to week but right now a Producer/Artist called ‘Sohn’ is blowing my mind!

He has created an amazing sound; really soulful vocals, live instruments fused with electro synths. Amazingly tight productions. Love it.

Twitter: @OakTV

Instagram: @OakTV

YouTube: WannaPlayPiano

Rich Stephenson

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Rich. I’m a singer-songwriter, performer and composer for TV and film. In the past I’ve penned tracks for E4 Skins, supported The XX.

My new EP ‘I AM RICH’ has just been launched on iTunes and Spotify.

What does creativity mean to you?

Creativity is what drives me. From writing songs, to cooking food, to arranging the books on my shelves, I always aim to express in a way that is ‘me’. I don’t know what I’d do without it!

Describe your creative process

It’s a little chaotic! I very rarely write a song in one go. I’m constantly writing snippets of ideas (lyrical hooks, guitar riffs, choruses) and record/jot them down on whatever is to hand when inspiration strikes (on my phone, computer, notepad, back of envelopes, beer mats!).

It makes for a jumble of formats, but suddenly out of the disorder, these snippets start sitting together and become the songs that I release and play live.

It’s always a comfort to have an arsenal of ideas waiting in the wings. Some ideas can be dormant for months – or years! – before they make it into a song.

When are you at your most creative?

When I am at my most relaxed. I’ve tried giving myself an allotted time to sit and be creative, but it never works!

This does mean that inspiration can strike at the most inconvenient moments: there have been times when I’m at a gig or club and had to rush to the toilets or outdoor smoking area to record an idea on my phone. I’ve started to ignore the strange looks of those around me.

Who is the most creative person to you and why?

I’d struggle to name one! I admire artists who never give in and keep on expressing themselves in their own unique way, regardless of trends, styles and the ‘norm’. Tom Waits, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Ryan Adams are all up there.

The band Future Islands are really floating my boat right now too – the singer is so passionate and heartfelt on record and in performance.

Twitter: @stephensonrich

Facebook: stephensonrich

Tony Goff

Who are you and what do you do?

I’m Tony Goff, front man of the trio act ‘Tony Goff’. I also play rhythm guitar in the band.

We write, upbeat catchy indie/pop tracks, with life lessons and adventures in the lyrics, revolving round my ‘Tony Goff’s life.

My new EP ‘Butterflies and Compromises’ has just been launched on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify.

What does creativity mean to you?

It’s a vast word, cause its used for a lot of things, I personally think its coming up with anything your proud of. Bad or good.

But then there’s inspirational creativity which is what moves and inspires people through the ages. That is not the norm.

Describe your creative process

I write from the heart, so what you hearing from the band is my pain and happiness, will for this EP anyway.

I will have to go through something quite emotional to write something I feel has any worth, but then again it does differ sometimes. I’ve written snakes and ladders in a pub in 20 minutes, now its our most played and viewed track.

When are you at your most creative?

Goes back to previous question in times of happiness or sadness. sometimes a few bevys can loosen me up to making it easier for me to divulge my feelings to paper.

Who is the most creative person to you and why?

Never thought of this until now, I don’t have a most creative person, as everyone is different and I admire that.

Twitter: @TonyGoff1

Soundcloud: Tonygoffmusic

YouTube: Tonygoffmusic

Samurai Chef Complete Edition

mayamada November 23, 2014 No Comments

It’s been months in the making and we’re so excited to finally have the complete edition of the Samurai Chef manga now printed and in our hands!

We’re forever grateful for the support of everyone that backed our Kickstarter campaign, it’s because of you we were able to get the book done when we did.

It was disappointing to see our first Kickstarter get so close but fail to reach its goal. After it ended we still had people contact us to ask how they could support the book and that led to us launching a second Kickstarter that was successfully funded on October 27th 2014.

Managing the Kickstarter was barely half the battle as we still had to illustrate and edit the book once it was written. Thanks to the amazing efforts of both Pinali (illustrator) and Lara-Lee (editor) we managed to wrap up everything in time to showcase the book at Hyper Japan Christmas.

This edition includes Samurai Chef volume 1 & 2 in 144 pages of action-comedy goodness. It’s printed on 120GSM uncoated paper, 300GSM silk and gloss laminated cover with perfect bound spine.

We’ll start shipping special Kickstarter editions of the book this week. If you didn’t back the campaign, you can get your copy of Samurai Chef online right now.

This book brings the Samurai story to a dramatic (and messy) conclusion. That doesn’t mean it’s the end of the characters, but we’ll begin working on new stories with other mayamada characters in 2015 so stay tuned!