Made in Japan #[nn]

A handsome 2007 anthology from Coconino Press, Made in Japan brings together an impressive roster of international comics talent — Anno, Aurita, Boulet, De Crécy, Davydeau, Guibert, Hanawa, Igarashi, Matsumoto, Nédal, Ott, Prudhomme, Schuiten, Sfar, Tanigawa, and Taniguchi — in a celebration of the cross-cultural conversation between European and Japanese comics. The cover sets a quietly poetic tone: a young girl faces us directly, a small bird perched atop her head and a butterfly resting in her hands, while two smaller figures stand in the background against a clean white field. It's an understated, beautifully composed image that perfectly suits an anthology where thoughtful artistry clearly takes center stage.