The following article was written by Tina Prigge, the President of the Manitowoc International Relations Association (MIRA).
This community rocks! Know what else rocks? Manitowoc’s sister-city friendship with Kamogawa, Japan! And, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of sister-city friendship, Manitowoc International Relations Association (MIRA) and Manitowoc Public Library are collaborating to host a unique teen event featuring Japanese manga artist, Misako Rocks!
Misako Rocks! is a graphic illustrator working in the Japanese manga style and author of, among other books, her new manga graphic novel Bounce Back. Bounce Back is an age-appropriate, kid-friendly manga that tells a story about friendship, new beginnings, and doing what you love, no matter what. It was selected to be on the list of 2021 BEST GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR CHILDREN by American Library Association. On Saturday, September 30, at Manitowoc Public Library, Misako Rocks! will give a hands-on, super interactive, high-energy workshop focused on creating one’s own kawaii manga characters while sharing stories about her personal journey to America from Japan.
What is manga? In Japanese, “manga” refers to all kinds of cartooning, comics, and graphic novels, whereas, English speakers typically use “manga” to specifically mean “Japanese comics and graphic novels”. The first manga ever to be serialized was Machiko Hasegawa’s Sazae-san which began in 1946 and Osamu Tezuka’s Mighty Atom. The animated versions of manga (and all animated Japanese works) are known as “anime”.
Tina Prigge
Following a multiyear Covid interruption during which travel between our two countries was halted, MIRA approached Manitowoc Public Library about the collaboration to reintroduce awareness of our sister-city friendship to local youth in a fun and culturally relevant way. Manga and Anime are some of the most popular forms of Japanese entertainment media injected into global pop culture—popular among both adults and children—and are often credited with offering the first formative exposure to Japanese culture for many non-Japanese people.
In 1990, the state of Wisconsin and Chiba Prefecture established a sister-state relationship. As a result, in 1993, the cities of Manitowoc and Kamogawa established a sister-city relationship. Since that time, the relationship has blossomed into a deep friendship that has positively-impacted multiple generations on both sides of the ocean.
Each person that has participated in sister-city activities has been touched deeply. Over these 30 years, we have shared people, art, music, culture, ideas and, above all, friendship between our two communities. It is our sincere hope that many generations to come will know the genuine bonds of respect and friendship between the citizens of our two cities, and the warmth and joy of the Manitowoc – Kamogawa sister-city friendship.
Ready to learn more about the Manitowoc International Relations Association? MIRA will have an information station set-up prior to and following the Misako Rocks! Manga event. Manitowoc high school students who are interested in participating in the 2024 summer Student Exchange Program can learn more about the experience. Each summer, up to 6 students are selected to participate in an immersive homestay and cultural exchange experience. It rocks!
Interested in Misako Rocks!? Registration is required and opens on Friday, September 15, at 5 PM. To secure your spot for this amazing experience, head to www.manitowoclibrary.org/event/misako-rocks-manga-drawing-workshop on September 15!
