Japan Ai: A Tall Girl's Adventures in Japan

An autobiographical explosion of colour, comedy and adventure. Possibly one of the most accurate books about being a (very tall!) tourist in Japan.

The writing itself is sparse and small snipits are allocated alongside some (beautiful and endearing) doodles. It is like reading a diary, with all the good and funny bits left in, and all the rambling taken out. All the sweet juice is left over.

The places to visit are all varied and interesting, and the personal touches make the book feel more accessible. The locations are all listed in the back of the book, with a few handy (though sadly not detailed) maps of where Aimee's gang wandered.

This book is a delightful read for any anime/manga fan that is looking to go to Japan and is lost in show more the LONELY PLANET section. I read this book before going to Japan myself (and I was glad I did!), in fact, reading this book will make anyone who considers Japan too expensive, rethink their choice.

This book ooozes cuteness, sass and comedy. Five stars if you are an anime/manga fan, four stars for the rest. show less

A cute sketch travelogue of Aimee's trip to Japan with her friends AJ and Judy. Self-proclaimed geeks, their trip includes stops that would delight any fan of manga or anime, including a trip to Animate and an onsen (hot spring resort). The simple, loose sketches and fun stories with clear notes make for a delightful read!

This is a wonderful description of an American girl's adventures in Japan -- charming in both description and illustration as well as humorous. The author really is six feet tall and part of the charm of the book comes from her descriptions of how she gets along in a country not really sized for tall persons. I highly recommend it.

This is a very cute "graphic journal" of one woman's trip to Japan with a few of her friends. It appeals to the otaku in all of us. She regales her trip with humor and respect.

This is a very cute "graphic journal" of one woman's trip to Japan with a few of her friends. It appeals to the otaku in all of us. She regales her trip with humor and respect.

A delightful graphic novel travelogue of the author's trip with friends to Japan, where they indulged in Japanese popular culture including anime, manga, cosplay, specialty shops, theater and more. I felt I got a good overview of current Japanese popular culture and the format was a fun way to illustrate its more colorful aspects. If you're into all pop culture things Japanese, "Japan Ai" may just inspire your own trip to Japan. Appendix includes websites and addresses of the stores and places the author visited.

Have you ever felt like you stood out from the crowd? Like you were so strange and different, that people couldn’t help but stare? Lately, Aimee’s been getting that feeling all the time. Yes, she’s a fangirl from California who has the ability to detect all things cute. She loves dolls, drawing, manga, and video games. In her spare time, Aimee and her friends like to cosplay, which is making costumes and dressing up as your favorite anime or video game character. But none of these things are the reason that Aimee stands out like a sore thumb. Aimee’s 6’ tall and, while that’s not such a big deal in California, when you’re visiting Japan, you might as well be Godzilla.

When you’re 6’ tall and in Japan, you tower over show more almost everyone else. People might mistake you for a monster out of a Godzilla movie. You don’t always fit in every bathroom stall. Losing your luggage on the flight is a big deal, because finding cloths your height is almost impossible. People are scared to share a hot springs pool with you. And dressing up as a geisha means you need two people and a chair just to put on a wig.

Aimee’s determined to have a good time while she’s visiting Japan. It’s her dream to see Kyoto, home of traditional Japanese culture, and Tokyo, a city that’s all about the future. Along the way, she and her friends, A.J. and Judy, visit temples, watch musicals, get lost on the trains, cosplay in Harajuka, and adopt a doll. Japan Ai: A Tall Girl’s Adventures in Japan is Aimee’s sketchbook journal of the entire trip. show less