The Minamata Story
The book we are working on now. The visuals here are mostly just rough - more finished images to come soon.
A true story of environmental damage and personal tragedy in Japan due to corporate miss-management and government cover up.
A graphic novel /manga on ‘Minamata disease’, which looks at the devastating effect of mercury poisoning by chemical company of coastal communities of Japan, especially the fishing village of Minamata. Following the college research of a young student, Tomi, and his grandmother we discover a tale of corporations evading responsibility, government cover ups and the very moving story of the local people who suffered the consequences with bitterness, pain but with deep strength and courage.
Written by Sean Michael Wilson
Illustrated by Akiko Shimojima
Coming from the respected publisher of Asia related books, Stonebridge Press, Summer 2020.
Get it on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Minamata-Story-Sean-Michael-Wilson/dp/1611720567
Barnes and Nobel:
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-minamata-story-sean-michael-wilson/1133785165?ean=9781611720563
A true story of environmental damage and personal tragedy in Japan due to corporate miss-management and government cover up.
A graphic novel /manga on ‘Minamata disease’, which looks at the devastating effect of mercury poisoning by chemical company of coastal communities of Japan, especially the fishing village of Minamata. Following the college research of a young student, Tomi, and his grandmother we discover a tale of corporations evading responsibility, government cover ups and the very moving story of the local people who suffered the consequences with bitterness, pain but with deep strength and courage.
Written by Sean Michael Wilson
Illustrated by Akiko Shimojima
Coming from the respected publisher of Asia related books, Stonebridge Press, Summer 2020.
Get it on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Minamata-Story-Sean-Michael-Wilson/dp/1611720567
Barnes and Nobel:
www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-minamata-story-sean-michael-wilson/1133785165?ean=9781611720563
From the Press Release:
- this graphic novel dramatizes the story of "Minamata," famous around the world as one of the most egregious examples of environmental poisoning; identified in 1956, a final compensation settlement was not reached until 2010; over 2,000 people were affected and over 1,700 have died
- many people have heard about Minamata, but few know the real story or the human cost
- the artist is Japanese, the writer a UK citizen residing in Japan, giving the book a great mix of narrative and authentic representation
- movie connection: a movie titled Minamata starring Johnny Depp is currently being filmed in Japan; release date TBD (2020?); it is based on the life of W. Eugene Smith, whose photoessay on Minamata in the 1970s stunned the world (we do not know the release date and our book is not a direct or licensed tie-in)
- author Wilson has a solid track record of historical documentation of Japanese history and culture: The Book of Five Rings, Yakuza Moon, Black Ships; note that New Internationalist, a CBSD client, publishes Wilson's recent book The Many Not the Few 9781780264448
- appeals to ecowarriors of all ages, but manga presentation makes it a good choice for younger readers (although it is not marketed as a children's title)
- most recently, the story of Minamata reminds us of the problem of lead-poisoned water in Flint, Michigan, and represents the same kind of governmental bungling and indifference