What to see at Tokyo Disney Sea?

IMG_3537.JPG

Goodness knows, Disney does not need my endorsement or free advertising, but I had to let you know how enjoyable it was at Tokyo DisneySea theme park in Japan.

Even in a typhoon.  That’s right. A typhoon was ripping its way up the western side of Japan at the time, and we were so afraid of getting weather bashed-out of all the fun. 

Fortunately, the weather cooperated, somewhat.  We did get hit with strong winds and some rain, but generally, it was bearable.  You want to know the best part?

Bad weather means fewer people at the park!  So, there were shorter lines and less wait time for rides. 

I have a feeling that DisneySea is not as famous as Tokyo Disneyland, so there are fewer visitors.  It’s one park where as soon as I entered, I felt transported to another world!

The gorgeous architecture in the harbor grabs you as you first walk in and is influenced by the Mediterranean, with a bit of fantasy flair!  Every area feels like another adventure and even when it’s busy, feels relaxed and comfortable.

I will admit that the rides are not as fantastic compared to Disneyland, but they are enjoyable and imagination filled.  The more intense ones are in the Lost River Delta area where you can explore with Indiana Jones or take a roller coaster ride through Raging Spirits.   

Raging Spirits ride!

Raging Spirits ride!

One of my favorites was the FINDING NEMO ride at Port Discovery.  It made you feel like you were in a small submarine going on adventures with Nemo and Dory through the ocean.  If you get seasick though, this is NOT the ride for you. Plenty of rocking and gliding up and down!

In the American Waterfront area that looks like New York City in the 1920’s, you have the famous Tower of Terror ride, which we didn’t get on because we’ve been on it in America and the Turtle Talk experience where you can talk with an animated version of Crush the green sea turtle from Finding Nemo.  This one was surprisingly fun, and even though it was in Japanese, relatively easy to understand.

I love the Toy Story movies but the ride, Toy Story Mania!, even in bad weather, was the one ride that was packed all day long with insane wait times, so we had to skip it.  If you had a chance to make it in, let me know what you thought!

IMG_1726.JPG

The Mysterious Island area looked the coolest, and we had fun riding 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.  We will need to go back to the Arabian Coast and ride Jasmine’s flying carpets -even though it’s basically the Dumbo ride. 

Because the weather was rough due to the typhoon, it was an excellent relief to head over to Mermaid Lagoon where they have an entire indoor play area with rides, food and a playground.

In front of the Mermaid Lagoon

In front of the Mermaid Lagoon

Our absolute favorite show was in the Mermaid Lagoon Theater where a performer, dressed as Ariel, is suspended from the ceiling on wires and swings around over the audience below like she's swimming and sings well-known songs from the Little Mermaid film. 

My eight-year-old daughter loves mermaids and almost didn’t see it.  We waited forty-five minutes to get in and as soon as we sat down, with amazing seats, by the way, she says, “I need to go to the bathroom!”  Really? We were just standing all that time, and you didn’t think about going then?

She couldn’t hold it so my wife, who watched this show here before, was kind enough to take her out to the restroom but of course, the theater needed to close the show so they couldn’t get back in.

They thought it would be best for me to at least stay and watch it since we waited all that time and I’ve never seen it.  I must admit, it was pretty fantastic and felt like a small Cirque Du Soleil show!

When it was over, I was so ecstatic about the experience, my daughter was more than ready to stand in line again.  She loved the performance, and I was glad to see it a second time! Make sure to look for the Mermaid Lagoon Theater, it’s pretty hidden in that indoor play area, and see the show when you go.

All in all, it was a fantastic trip to Tokyo DisneySea even in such a massive storm.  We never got extreme rain, but some pretty strong winds hit us a few times. In the evening, we stayed to watch the Fantasmic Mickey Mouse light show that was pretty fun.  They had to modify it a bit due to the weather but still worth watching.

For a new Disney parks experience, I strongly recommend taking your family there next time you’re in the Tokyo area.  Ta-ta for now. See ya' real soon!

Khalid

 

How To Get Specific and Bring Your Work ALIVE!

Let’s just say you want your art, writing or comics to feel more genuine and appealing to your audience. 

I’m finding that making sure to add in specific aspects of the culture or area where the characters are living but adding problems we all recognize, makes your work feel ultra-specific but relatable at the same time. 

FCSLittleOrigamiGIANTBOAT.jpg

For this Little Fried Chicken and Sushi comic, I needed to show Tanuki using his magic and the theme for the week’s strips was Origami paper folding.  That in and of itself pertains to Japanese culture, but I wanted to see if I could add more.

I jumped over to Google and looked up the most popular things to make with Origami.  Cranes, shuriken, boats and paper cranes came up. A boat! They could be riding on a large origami boat that Tanuki made.  But where?

It could be going down the river in their town of Shimamoto but the background is rural so would not look like any recognizable place in Japan. 

Choosing the Yodo river that runs through Osaka city would give more choices of buildings and bridges to draw that readers who have been to the city would know.

Drawing the Umeda Sky Building behind them was a fun addition.  The curving white bridge to the left of them- I have no idea what it’s named- is a well-known sight in Osaka as well. 

Umeda Sky building and bridge pic.jpg

Coming up with the joke is the challenge.  I asked myself, “What’s the problem in this situation?” 

That was an easy answer for this strip.  The boat is made out of paper!

Perhaps, Tanuki’s magic is surrounding the paper boat and allowing them to stay afloat but the fact is the situation is odd.  Come to think of it, so is a ‘paper’ boat!

You know, if this were real life, someone would have pointed that out.  J is usually the character who thinks about important issues or solves problems creatively.  So, it felt natural that he should be the one delivering the punchline.

When you’re writing or drawing, keep asking yourself how you can make it specific and general at the same time. 

Give people something they know and something new they’ve never experienced before.  Make them curious and then surprise them!


 

Hotaru: How fireflies create magic in Japan

Fireflies are a beautiful part of June in rural areas of Osaka. Tanuki adds a little magic to the experience in this comic!  Would you soar with real fireflies?

FCSLittleSoaringWithFIREFLIES.jpg

I remember it was magical going down to the river when I was living outside of Osaka city in Shimamoto, to see the fireflies in the evenings of mid June.  All the kids out trying to catch them or count how many they can spot first.

Go out and make some magical memories with your friends and family this summer!  Time really ‘flies’ by fast.

FCSLittleKarlLIGHTNIN BUGS.jpg

If you grew up in the south, you must have called fireflies ‘Lightnin’ Bugs’ at some point!  Even if you were in other parts of the U.S., I bet you did. 

My wife was raised in the city and never saw them before visiting my little suburban town of Shimamoto, back when I lived in Japan.  I’ll never forget how excited she was to see them for the first time.

I loved seeing fireflies growing up in Atlanta, Georgia.  It was so magical to go out on a summer evening and look for them by the creek.  

Other kids were talented at catching them and pulling the fireflies apart to add to necklaces.  That was a little too cruel, and gross, for me. I did enjoy capturing them in jars though to watch them light up together. 

It’s a blessing to have an opportunity to share summer memories with you through writing and comics.  Hope yours is the best yet!

On Breaking Your Own Rules: Black Panther comic strips

LittleFCS Black Panther Magic Cosplay.jpg

When I first started drawing Little Fried Chicken and Sushi comic strips my main goal was to make them timeless by not adding any current events or obvious pop-culture references.

After watching the Black Panther movie, I changed that goal. Breaking my rules looked scary. I couldn’t stop thinking about if I draw strips based on a popular movie, it will date the strip when I eventually collect them into books.

I had to do it!

Black Panther was spectacular in so many ways film wise and as a part of not only black culture but American culture as a whole. There was no way I wasn’t going to make strips about the film!

Of course, it also made about a bajillion dollars at the box office. Not bad for a movie about powerful African characters. There was definitely an audience for this.

First, I thought about how I felt right after seeing it.

LittleFC&S+Black+Panther+Parents+Cry.jpg

The feeling of creating the boy characters J, Ryan and Karl as T’Challa, Klaue and Killmonger in the above strip was enormously fulfilling. This was my first time creating strips that directly related to real movie characters. I couldn’t believe how much fun I was having!

It took some research and a great deal of drawing details, but I did my final of three Black Panther strips on the women. Mom as Queen Ramonda and little Kasha as Princess Shuri.

Little+FCS+Black+Panther+Cosplay+Queen+Ramonda.jpg

Tanuki’s magic ended up being a great way to experiment with cosplay on the main characters and try my hand at adding in current events.

My mind is more relaxed with the idea now and it’s already churning away thinking of possible gags to add in more pop-culture references in future strips.

Yes. This means the strip changes into something more timely rather than timeless, but I’m pretty sure it will be enjoyable to make and hopefully fun to read.

All the best,

Khalid

My appearance on the Surviving Creativity podcast!

Take a listen to the latest episode of the podcast Surviving Creativity where I'm one of the 'celebrity' panelists on the Match Game (in the last 15 minutes).

 

A few weeks ago, I received an email out of the blue from well-known cartoonist of Evil Inc., Brad Guigar, asking if I would like to be on his show Surviving Creativity. 

I never replied.

Surely, he wasn't asking me directly.  It must have been a mass email to thousands of fans of the show.  You must know that I love this podcast.   Brad and his co-hosts Scott Kurtz of the webcomic PVP, and Cory Casoni talk about the ins and outs of cartooning and living a professional creative life.  I never miss an episode.

A week passes and Brad messages me on Twitter asking again if I would like to be a part of Match Game on the show.  I was shocked!  

We set up a time and Brad asked questions and recorded it all to be pieced together for the show.  My last answer comes off as a little strange in the context of the game but either way it's so fun to be a part of such a fantastic podcast. 

Hope you listen and enjoy the fun! 

Tanuki's New Design!

New Little Fried Chicken and Sushi comic strips relaunched on Monday, March 26 here and on GoComics. There was one change to the strip.  Did you notice?

That's right, Tanuki's character design got an upgrade!  He's cuter and has actual hands that will make it easier to create gags where he needs to hold objects.   Take a look at this model sheet I put together with pictures of actual Tanukis for comparison.

LittleFCS Tanuki NEW style page.jpg

What do you think about his new design?  Let me know in the comments.  

Kid Inventors Creating ROBOTS! Sketches of a diverse tech future

Little Genius- Tyrell- "My robot will be your best friend!  He will follow you wherever you go and answer any question you have!"

Little Genius- Tyrell- "My robot will be your best friend!  He will follow you wherever you go and answer any question you have!"

I have a vision of the future.  A future where children of all colors have access to resources and technology to design and build robots that help the world.  This vision inspired me to open a sketchbook and illustrate children from diverse backgrounds standing with their inventions.  I called them, Today’s Little Genius, and posted them on my INSTAGRAM page.

Little Genius- Aiko- "This robot will pump your gas and wash your windows."

Little Genius- Aiko- "This robot will pump your gas and wash your windows."

Here’s a collection of my Little Genius drawings with captions explaining the robots they created and how each one works.  I believe that this future is possible, and already here in many areas of the world, where children are creating astounding inventions with their ingenuity, resources, and sweat.  If you have a little tech inventor at home, encourage them and give as much as you can to help them succeed! 

Little Genius- Troy- "My robot ferret will find all your lost toys around the house!"

Little Genius- Troy- "My robot ferret will find all your lost toys around the house!"

Little Genius- Twins Molly and Melody- "Meet our robots Cupcake and Frosting!  They make dessert anytime you want it."

Little Genius- Twins Molly and Melody- "Meet our robots Cupcake and Frosting!  They make dessert anytime you want it."

Little Genius- Jenny- "My floating server robot will help deliver food and drinks at restaurants!"

Little Genius- Jenny- "My floating server robot will help deliver food and drinks at restaurants!"

Ninja Space Bunny!- Inktober drawings the first week

Ninja Space Bunny hangs on!  Day 1 of Inktober from the prompt FAST!

Ninja Space Bunny hangs on!  Day 1 of Inktober from the prompt FAST!

Every October illustrators and cartoonists all over the world have the opportunity to participate in the daily drawing event entitled Inktober.  Created by the amazing artist, Jake Parker, the main rule is to create a drawing in ink on a regular basis in the month of October.  You can post something online every day or a few times a week.  The point is to push yourself, try something new and grow as an artist. 

Ninja Space Bunny should keep his music down.  Inktober day 2- NOISY

Ninja Space Bunny should keep his music down.  Inktober day 2- NOISY

I have been participating for the past two years and find it to be a challenge but a great way for my drawing skills to improve.  This year, without having regular Fried Chicken and Sushi comics to draw, I chose to try and post something every day.  I never work much with animals so each week I'll focus on a different cartoon animal and illustrate it using the prompt list Jake Parker came up with.  It's great because each day there's a word to use as inspiration for drawing ideas. 

"In space, carrots are hard to come by.  You must collect them when you can." -Ninja Space BunnyInktober day 3- COLLECT

"In space, carrots are hard to come by.  You must collect them when you can." -Ninja Space Bunny

Inktober day 3- COLLECT

Here are all 7 of the first round of Inktober drawings done mainly with Pigma Micron pens, Sharpies and even an inexpensive Magic Drawing Pen I bought at a 100 Yen store in Japan.  The theme revolves around a Ninja Space Bunny and his adventures.  A silly concept but it was more fun to draw than I expected.  Hope you enjoy them!

You can keep up with my Inktober drawings on Instagram where I'm friedchicksushi and also on Twitter as @khalidbirdsong.

Ninja Space Bunny should remember to eat before a spy mission! Inktober day 4- HUNGRY

Ninja Space Bunny should remember to eat before a spy mission! Inktober day 4- HUNGRY

Ninja Space Bunny is so tough, he cuts cake with his hands!  Unfortunately, no one ever comes to his birthday parties. Inktober day 5- SAD

Ninja Space Bunny is so tough, he cuts cake with his hands!  Unfortunately, no one ever comes to his birthday parties. Inktober day 5- SAD

Ninja Space Bunny finally convinced a friend to come over to his ship to play hide and seek!  Inktober day 6- HIDDEN

Ninja Space Bunny finally convinced a friend to come over to his ship to play hide and seek!  Inktober day 6- HIDDEN

Some say he gave up on the life of being a Ninja Space Bunny.  Others say, he was just lost.Inktober day 7- LOST

Some say he gave up on the life of being a Ninja Space Bunny.  Others say, he was just lost.
Inktober day 7- LOST

Happy Batman Day!

Little prancing Batman ready to fight crime with a flair for the silly!

Little prancing Batman ready to fight crime with a flair for the silly!

Saturday, September 17th 2016, marked Batman Day, a time to commemorate the creation of the Dark Knight and appreciate the cultural impact the character has had on the whole entire world!  Special events were held around the globe and celebrities, artists and big companies joined in. 

Me?  I completely forgot!  

Batman is my favorite superhero and even though life has been pretty busy lately, I squeezed in time to draw the above sketch.  Actually, I didn't draw this one until a few days after Batman Day but it was still fun. 

It's quite pleasurable to take serious characters and add a little silly to them.  Can you imagine how odd it would look to see Batman prancing down the street at night?  He'd probably scare off all the criminals.  Batman's gone crazy!

I used blue pencil for the sketch and then black pen I got from the dollar store in Japan.  It's called a Magic Drawing Pen by Rushon, 0.5 size.  Even though it was cheap, I love inking with it!

Have a great day and do a little prance to commemorate good ol' Batsy!

 

 

3 Creativity Hacks Inspired By Japanese Wood Carvings

What do monkeys; a cat and an elephant have in common?  Believe it or not, inspiration for expanding your creativity!

Actually, the animals I’m talking about are ornately carved on structures made over 400 years ago at Toshogu Shrine in the city of Nikko, Japan.  The famous shrine and world heritage site is just north of Tokyo, and was built as the final resting place of ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu.  He founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, the final military dynasty in Japan that lasted from 1603-1867.

Even though Japan has been a part of my life for thirteen years I can’t recall hearing about this place until this summer.  My family and I visited Nikko for several days and were quite impressed with the history and colorful beauty of the area.

Not only was it lovely, there were several takeaways I discovered about the creative process just from pondering these wood carved animals at Toshogu Shrine. 

Nemuri-Neko, the sleeping cat, guarding Tokugawa Ieyasu's resting place.

Nemuri-Neko, the sleeping cat, guarding Tokugawa Ieyasu's resting place.

 

1.    The Sleeping Cat shows us how we can receive inspiration while at rest

Nemuri-Neko, carved by Hidari Jingoro, is of a sleeping cat surrounded by flowers.  It was placed at the entrance of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s grave to ward off mice and has become a famous recognizable symbol to Japanese people.  What fascinates me is that the cat is sleeping and, similar to a real feline, still seems alert!

I’m reminded of how cats take frequent naps but are still aware of their surroundings and can wake quickly when approached.  Just like when we’re trying to get creative inspiration for our projects, thinking hard doesn’t usually get results.  It’s when we’re sleeping, taking a walk or even using the restroom that the great idea pops into our heads!  If you jump right away and make a mental note or write it down, you can catch it like a little mouse.

Learn to fill your mind with images and information from research related to the project you need a great idea for.  Then take a break so that it can all gel in your brain.  When you let go by doing something different and turn your mind away, the answers will come!

The artist carved the elephant on the right without ever seeing a real one.

The artist carved the elephant on the right without ever seeing a real one.

2.    The Elephant shows that if you commit to taking risks you can create something no one has ever seen before

On top of a building that was used as a warehouse called “Kamijinko” is a carving of an elephant.  The artist never actually saw one in real life and I think it turned out looking pretty accurate.  I assume he was going off of written descriptions of what elephants look like.

There must have been quite a bit of pressure because this was to be done to honor the emperor.  Since there are no elephants in Japan and no cameras at that time, he had to use his imagination to create his own interpretation.  Yes, we could say that no one else had seen real elephants back then either so he could have created whatever crazy animal he wanted, but it looks like he took it seriously.

The artist couldn’t see any references for what he needed to create but still took a risk and made it happen.  I’m sure he sketched plenty of ideas early on (and probably hated all of them) but found something good eventually through continually doing the work.

When you’re coming up with a new idea or design, use what you know and have the courage to put down ideas even if they look or sound awful.  Getting started is the key.  Learning through continually working on and through your ideas by facing fears, taking small risks and trying styles you’ve never taken on before will create something amazing.    

The three monkeys reminding you to hear no evil, speak no evil and see no evil.

The three monkeys reminding you to hear no evil, speak no evil and see no evil.

3.    The Three Monkeys want you to train your brain and avoid evil

On the sacred horse stable or Shinkyusha are 8 carved boards along the top that depict the life of a monkey and caricature human life.  One of the most famous boards illustrates the famous Buddhist teaching -if we hear no evil, speak no evil and see no evil; we can live a good life.

It’s something we have to train ourselves to do.  I’m sure all of us have times when we get in deep trouble for speaking evil my mistake!  As we grow in life, we learn when to speak up and when to stay quiet.  You can also train yourself to be more creative as long as you understand that it will take time.  It will take less time if you have a purpose.

Just like the monkeys in the carving you can make a point to avoid evil but pay attention to all the inspiration that you hear, say and see in the world.

Read more and make a point to remember one detail that you feel is important.  Look at the work of artists you admire or despise and study what makes their work special.  Learn a new skill.  Spend time with people you think of as creative and talk with them about what inspires you.  Question everything!  The answers will create new inventions, characters and stories.  

The bottom line is to make a point to take inspiration breaks while you work, commit to consistently taking risks and exercising your creative mind with more than just your art, music or writing.  Keep these ideas in your head each day and watch your creative power expand in ways you never thought possible!

Of course, you should also take a trip to Nikko, Japan.  It’s pretty amazing!  

    

KUBO and the Two Strings Fan Art Process

My Kubo fan art using pen, markers and colored pencils.

My Kubo fan art using pen, markers and colored pencils.

A young Japanese boy named Kubo, with his magical shamisen and a monkey companion embark on a journey to find his father’s samurai armor and defeat a vengeful spirit from the past.  Kubo and the Two Strings is the latest stop-motion animated film from Laika studios and is a gorgeous work of art!  Beautifully animated and surprisingly emotional, I was completely taken in by this film.  So much so, that I created fan art. 

My first sketches of Kubo's head.  One looks like a girl and another looks too old.  I had to keep trying!    

My first sketches of Kubo's head.  One looks like a girl and another looks too old.  I had to keep trying!    

 

After sketching several heads of Kubo for practice, I felt confident enough to try a full body pose.  Using blue pencil first, I sketched out his pose, changed his feet a few times and settled on the final look.  I used Pigma Micron pens, 03 and 05 sizes, to ink over my pencil.  It was fun to use a combination of colored pencils and Copic markers for color. 

The inked version before adding color.  I really wanted the color black added throughout the drawing to add weight and balance.

The inked version before adding color.  I really wanted the color black added throughout the drawing to add weight and balance.

 

Kubo plays his shamisen and makes origami paper fold on its own into animals and characters that move.  My goal was to capture that first moment when he begins to play and the magic happens. 

 

If you haven’t seen Kubo and the Two Strings I strongly encourage you to see it!  I wasn’t sure if it was going to be interesting but I enjoy stop-motion animation so I took a chance.  Within the first few minutes, I knew this movie was a masterpiece! 

 

My only gripe was that they used white actors to play the main characters.  This is supposed to be ancient Japan.  I know Hollywood feels that it needs famous names to draw crowds but it’s sad when you have someone as well known as George Takei playing a background character with two lines. 

 

As an actor of Japanese descent, he really should have been given a bigger role.  If they plan on distributing it in Japan, I would love to hear what it sounds like with actual Japanese actors doing voice-overs.       

 

Even with that in mind, Kubo and the Two Strings is such a great film and the artistry of a story told with animation done by hand is too captivating to miss.  Make sure you go see it and tell me what you think!  

Gudetama gets cooked! In a real restaurant?

Surely you’ve heard of Gudetama the egg character from Sanrio, the same company that brought you Hello Kitty.  He whines about not wanting to do anything and his purpose in life is to lie around and wait to be eaten.  He’s all over the internet and television in Japan, with over 650K followers on Twitter and animated shorts on the TBS channel. 

 

I love this guy and think he's pretty hilarious!  You can imagine my surprise when I was out with my wife shopping in Osaka and came across a restaurant named Cafe Costa Mesa in Namba Parks that was serving special dishes with eggs that look like Gudetama.  I’ll admit, we didn’t have time to eat there but I had to take a few pictures for you. 

Cafe Costa Mesa serving breakfast, desserts and even salad with Gudetama.  Looks like they have merchandise as you walk in. 

Cafe Costa Mesa serving breakfast, desserts and even salad with Gudetama.  Looks like they have merchandise as you walk in. 

Which one would you try? 

Which one would you try? 

Gudetama is Sanrio’s most unmotivated character and has absolutely no energy to move.  The first part of his name, Gude pronounced (goo-deh) is a Japanese onomatopoeia for describing something or someone with no strength.  Tama comes from the word tamago, which means egg. 

 

Even though he looks like just one character, he actually represents every egg in existence since the age of dinosaurs!  Sometimes you even see two of them lying around making sure to do nothing. 

 

You can buy merchandise with Gudetama on it like chopsticks, keychains, pens and iPhone cases.  Now, you can go to a restaurant and eat him!  After all, the saying on his Twitter account page is, “I’m only going to be eaten in the end.”  Thanks Cafe Costa Mesa for giving us the opportunity!   

Rio Olympics Tanuki!

Tanuki reaching out to make friends with the Olympic mascot, Vinicius.  Nothing says peace like sharing cookies! 

Tanuki reaching out to make friends with the Olympic mascot, Vinicius.  Nothing says peace like sharing cookies! 

Did you know that the mascot for the 2016 Rio Olympics looks like an animated cartoon character?  His name is Vinicius and they made actual animated shorts with him that played on Brazil's Cartoon Network. 

 

He looked like a fun character so I tried drawing my version and it didn't turn out half bad.  Vinicius is a combination of animals that you can find in Brazil and full of color to lift your spirits. 

The illustration of Tanuki with a gold medal, excuse me- a chocolate chip cookie medal, was a fun idea my publisher and I came up with.  We wanted to honor the amazing athletes in the Olympics and show the support Fried Chicken and Sushi gives to both the U.S. and Japan. 

Congratulations athletes of the 2016 Olympic games!  Tanuki couldn't decide which country to support so he just went for both.

Congratulations athletes of the 2016 Olympic games!  Tanuki couldn't decide which country to support so he just went for both.

I love everything about the Olympics, the greatest athletes competing and bringing the world together.  My whole family is looking forward to Tokyo hosting it next in 2020!  I'm sure it will be magical.

Little FC&S Coming to an end...

After 2 years of online syndication with Universal Uclick my run of Little Fried Chicken and Sushi comics is coming to an end on my website and at GoComics.com.  I’ve had a ton of fun creating comics for you about American kids living in Japan and now I have enough strips to make two book collections!  The final Little FC&S comic will post on Monday, May 30th 2016.   

As most of you know, I worked on the original Fried Chicken and Sushi webcomic, about my experiences teaching English in Japan, twice a week for four years.  Little FC&S is the spinoff kid version.  Six years total of FC&S comics has been quite an enjoyable ride but it’s time for me to move on.

I feel thankful to have had the chance to tell stories of living as an expat in Japan and meeting my wife.  Also, showing an African-American family living overseas might inspire others and open their minds to the idea that world travel is possible no matter who you are or where you’re from.  This has been a very personal project and I thank you all for joining me on this journey through the years.

My Patreon page will shut down May 31st and you can subscribe to the email list here on my website at www.friedchickenandsushi.com.   You’ll get updates and news about new book collections and projects coming out in the near future. 

I have signed with BluTrinity Comics and they will publish two book collections of Little Fried Chicken and Sushi.  The first book, with over 120 strips, will go on sale next month! 

You can also LIKE the Fried Chicken and Sushi Fan Page on FACEBOOK to stay connected or follow me on TWITTER

Thanks again for your friendship and support! 

All the best,

Khalid  

 

 

Here’s Why You Must Visit Japan for New Years!

KhalidatShrine.JPG


Happy New Year!  Or, if you were in Japan, you would say “Akemashite omedetōgozaimasu!”  That can be difficult to say- believe me I know- but it conjures up wonderful visions of the magic during this time of year.
 
If you’re living in Japan right now, you understand what I’m talking about.  I lived in Osaka for two years and go back every summer to visit my wife’s family.  Summer is fine but I really miss the New Year celebrations.  We actually visited for Oshogatsu (New Years) two years ago and it was wonderful to be there for it all again.
 
New Years in Japan is something I’m sure you would enjoy!  When you visit, make sure to go to a shrine on New Year’s Eve.


 
They are normally packed with people looking to ring in the New Year with a blessing.  Even with the crowds, entering a shrine in Japan calms you.  People do their best to visit on New Years day or within the first three days of the year. 


 
What surprised me the most on my first visit were how many things they have for you to do… 
 

You can say a prayer for health, happiness and prosperity and even get a fortune for the year. You might need someone that can read Japanese to translate your fortune because the little paper you receive is packed full of information.  If it’s a good fortune, you keep the paper.  If it’s bad, you can tie it to a tree in the shrine for better luck.        
 


The smell of the cold fresh air mixed with food cooked by street vendors like okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza), takoyaki (fried ball of dough with a piece of octopus inside) and dango (round rice dumplings) helps you feel content as you walk through the shrine.   You should take a chance and eat something you’ve never tried before.  One of my favorite foods is yakisoba.  They’re like stir-fried ramen noodles with veggies and pork.  Oishii (delicious)!
 
Of course, the most important food to eat on New Year’s Eve is toshikoshi soba noodles.  The long thin noodles represent a long and healthy life.  You can go to a restaurant or buy some and make them yourself.  
 
One of the coolest parts of spending time at the shrine is when the clock strikes twelve.  The shrine will ring a large bell 108 times to get rid of the 108 human sins and worldly desires in the Buddhist belief system.  The bells remind me to stop and think about the year that has passed.  The bell ringing truly helps me feel like any negativity inside of my body is being cleared away.
 
 
The first three days of the year are sacred for Japanese people.  They take time off of work and relax at home with family.  Children are given gifts of money called Otoshidama.  The amount they receive can be anywhere from $50-$150!  You can see that it’s a nice chunk of change that can help kids learn about how much to spend and save for their future.  My daughter loved receiving money but I think she was more excited about the envelopes with manga characters on them that they came in. 
 
If you get a chance to spend time with a Japanese family during Oshogatsu you can enjoy eating traditional cuisine called Osechi Ryori.  The selection of fish and vegetables are beautifully arranged inside of three tier boxes and look like works of art.  You can buy osechi ready made and there’s plenty of food so bring your appetite!
 
The New Year in Japan is full of food, family and lots of drinking! 
 
Travel is significantly cheaper compared to other times of the year if you’re flying in from another country.  You can get great deals so look into them and decide where you would like to visit.  Tokyo is fun but of course I’m partial to the Osaka or Kansai region because I have family there.  There’s so much to see in Kansai like the gorgeous historical area of Nara, the city of Kobe and one of my favorite places to visit shrines, Kyoto.
 

Start planning your trip now!  That way, you can have all year to look forward to the enchanting experience of celebrating the New Year at a shrine in the extraordinary country of Japan!
 

 
 
 

 

You will stick out in Japan. Just deal with it!

When you visit Japan you will look like a foreigner.

Sorry.  That’s just the way it is.

Even if you’re Asian, you will sound like a foreigner. 

This can be frustrating and I know that hearing about this can make you scared to visit Japan or any country in Asia.

You don’t want to look different or stand out but you can’t hide it.

Even if you learn to speak Japanese fluently, you will always be considered a foreigner.  You can never truly fit in. 

This is difficult to accept if you’re from North America or Europe where any person can come from another country and become a citizen in a society full of people from different races and backgrounds.   

What can you do if you want to visit or even live in Japan?

Get rid of your need to feel comfortable.

For all humans, being comfortable is a major need in life.  Everything we strive for can come down to our goal of getting, as my daughter likes to say, comfy

Traveling to Japan, or anywhere for that matter, requires that you change your idea of what living comfortably means.

Remember these truths while in Japan:

-Everyone does not live the same way that you do and that is ok!

-You are in the minority; people will stare at you and treat you differently at times.

-You will not understand what people are saying but that’s fine.  Use your eyes and pay attention to what is going on around you.  If your face looks confused, someone might notice and help.  Accept their assistance.  

-People will be fascinated with you and maybe a little scared.

-Japanese people treat foreign visitors very well.  They are normally friendly and excited to see you.    

-If you are living there, it will take some time for them to get used to you so take things slowly.  Keep quiet, smile and behave as politely as possible. 

Many of these seem obvious but it’s amazing what can tick us off over time.  Micro-aggressions can really drive you crazy if you cannot put them in the proper perspective. 

You don’t need to wait until you travel to Asia to open up your thinking.  Do it today when you’re running errands.  Think about how you perceive people of different races.  Are you being fair? 

The more open minded you become, the easier your time in Japan will be.

Best of luck,

Khalid

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

The ONE reason you're not traveling the world

You are afraid.

I love to travel but I hate how scary it is.  Going to a place you've never been before and you can't even speak the language... 

Not easy!

One of the reasons I draw Fried Chicken and Sushi is to inspire people to get up off of their butts, conquer their fears and take a trip overseas. 

You gotta see what’s really out there! 

Yes.  It can be expensive. I must admit it can also be frustrating dealing with culture shock in a country you’ve never set foot in. 

The surprise gift of it all is being forced to grow as a person.

As you probably know, personal growth ain’t easy!  There can be a ton of laughter and tears but I know you can do it.  Some of you already are.

 When you read my comics each week I want you to feel the reality of living in Japan (aside from the magical Tanuki).  The ups and downs of travel or living in another country can be full of humor and fun with a bit of sadness thrown in for good measure.  All of this helps open your mind and push you to become more tolerant, patient and aware of who you really are. 

One of my goals is to help you see that anyone can leave their comfort zone, travel very far away and still be a success.  Even if they make a pile of mistakes along the way!

If you’re thinking about taking a trip overseas, start making concrete plans and take consistent action to make it happen.  That might mean saving a little money each month, or researching your dream country online.  Take it one step at a time and you will be enjoying mind-boggling experiences on foreign soil before you know it!

Thanks for joining Karl and his family each week on their adventures in Japan. 

Now, go out and create yours!

Best of luck,

Khalid

FC&S Comics in the newspaper!

I'm proud to announce that Fried Chicken and Sushi comics will be in print!  The new Laugh-O-Gram comic strip only newspaper features FC&S along with many other amazing syndicated comic strips every week.  It's a dream come true to see my comic in a newspaper, especially right above The Family Circus.  Talk about contrast! ;)  The picture below shows that I'm just a little excited about all of this. 

You can subscribe and get four issues a month delivered to your home by subscribing online at http://www.laughogrampaper.com/

Thanks for being such great fans!  It makes things like this possible.

FC&S Comics moving to Monday updates only (for now?)

Dear my friends and fans,

Money isn’t everything but it sure can help!  My Patreon page is a wonderful way to receive financial support from my true fans.  Many thanks to all of you that are supporting me!  Unfortunately, over the last year, it hasn’t grown as high as I’d hoped it would. 

As much as I hate to admit it, for the little money I’m making drawing FC&S comics, I can’t afford the time to continue posting three times a week.  Therefore, I will be posting one comic strip a week every Monday starting tomorrow.

The strip will still be in color and my plan is to add more panels on a page (5-7 instead of 3-4) so that it’s similar to a Sunday comic.  This way, I can put in more than one gag so you get more laughs, but it doesn’t take much longer to create.  Please leave comments under the comics and let me know what you think about the new format.

I truly appreciate your patronage and I will feel grateful if you choose to supporting my cartooning on PATREON HERE.  If you are already a supporter and would like to raise your monthly pledge or tell friends to become patrons, that would really help!

The Milestone Goals on my Patreon page have changed.  If we can reach them, I can afford to go back to updating two or even three times a week!   

Thank you for being a part of the Fried Chicken and Sushi family and I hope the Monday comic strips will keep you rolling in the aisles with laughter. 

All the best,

Khalid Birdsong