Naoto Tsushima, also known as NAOTO, is a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo. He is well-known here as the writer and artist for Japan's Transformers manga and mostly draws shonen and toy-related comics, such as Super Robot Wars, Gundam, and a 2003-era Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles manga. My friend, Yoshi, thinks he's the best Transformers artist in any country working today.
I had met him and seen his work at other art shows over here and had been meaning to get him to do something for me, but for various reasons, it didn't happen until this past weekend at the Japan Comic Art Expo. It was day two of the expo and I had not had a chance to get on his list, but when I checked in with him he said he could work me in depending on what I wanted.
I initially thought, "Why be complicated? Just get an Optimus Prime G1 and he said in Japanese, "No problem. I can knock one of those out in no time." He then started putting pencil to paper. However, he had some art books at his table and I was looking through one of the complimentary copies he lets the fans peruse and I saw this really nice version of Ultra Seven.
If you don't know, Ultra Seven was a Japanese "tokusatsu" (Japanese-style special effects) science fiction TV series created by the great Eiji Tsuburaya, the co-creator of the original Godzilla/Gojira. Ultra Seven is the third installment in the Ultra series after Ultra Q and the original Ultraman series.
Now, to be honest, I was out of the age range when G.I. Joe and Transformers were all the rage back in the day, and even though I watched the cartoon a time or two and maybe bought one or two of the comics to check them out, I was never what you would call a huge fan. Now, Showa-Era Ultraman shows, on the other hand, are definitely in my wheelhouse.
So I asked, "Umm, I like your Ultra Seven. Is it too late to change?" Once again Tsushima-san said, "No problem!" and immediately started erasing the outlines he'd put on the page. I watched for a minute or two, but I had to get back and help Jim Cheung so one of the people at the table with him told me he'd come get me when it was done.
When he did, I went back to Tsushima-san's table to pick it up. Seeing me coming, he held it up and upon seeing it, right away, I knew I had made the right decision.
