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Frederick Children's Book Inspires Minetarō Mochizuki's New Manga
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The 25th issue of Shogakukan's Big Comic Original magazine revealed on Friday that Minetarō Mochizuki and Naoto Yamakawa will launch a new manga titled Frederick in the magazine's second 2020 issue on January 4. Mochizuki will draw the manga, and Yamakawa will write the story. The magazine noted that Leo Lionni's Frederick children's book about a poet-mouse serves as the inspiration for the manga, but the manga's plot centers on a boy who leaves Japan and journeys to Europe.
Lionni published the original work in 1968, and it is now regarded as a children's book classic. Shuntarō Tanikawa translated the Japanese version of the book in 1969.
Tokyopop published Mochizuki's Dragon Head manga in North America in 2006-2008. Three prominent Japanese directors — George Iida, Katsuhito Ishii, and Jōji Matsuoka — have adapted Mochizuki's Dragon Head, Shark Skin Man and Peach Hip Girl (Samehada Otoko to Momojiri Onna), and Bataashi Kingyō manga as live-action films. Mochizuki launched the Chiisakobee manga in 2012 and ended it in 2015.
Mochizuki's manga adaptation of Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs (Inugashima) film serialized in Kodansha's Morning magazine from May to July 2018. Dark Horse Comics licensed the manga, and it will ship in English on February 12.
Source: Big Comic Original issue 25 and magazine's website
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