I Am a Wolf, After All - Maki Sasaki

Maki Sasaki

50 Watts Books

Maki Sasaki is a manga artist, illustrator, and picture book writer who made a brilliant debut with Garo in the 1960s. First published in 1973, I Am a Wolf, After All is the next title in our series of Japanese picture book classics.

I Am a Wolf tells the story of a lone wolf cub prowling the streets in search of friends. Feeling like a misfit in a city of rabbits, deer and goats, the young wolf ultimately finds happiness in accepting himself. In print for over 40 years in Japan and published now for the first time in English, readers are sure to delight in the book's bold imagery and self-affirming message. Read with ages three and up.

About the Author

Born in Kobe, Japan, in 1946, manga artist, author and illustrator Maki Sasaki came from humble beginnings. After dropping out of art school due to the high cost of materials, Sasaki debuted as a mangaka in 1966, drawing experimental comics for the avant-garde manga magazine Garo. It was here that the character of the black wolf and his sardonic “humph” first appeared. Sasaki’s experimental comics caught the eye of the young Haruki Murakami, who requested that Sasaki illustrate the cover for his first published novel.

While working as an illustrator, Sasaki expanded into children’s books in 1973 with the publication of I Am a Wolf, After All. Drawing inspiration from Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen, this a-typical picture book has proved a hit with children, while its blend of adorable yet dark characterizations recall Sasaki Maki’s mangaka experience.

About the translator

Ottilia Tanaka is a British illustrator, writer, and Japanese language specialist. She previously co-translated, with Yosuke Kitazawa, The King of Circles by Shuntaro Tanikawa and Kiyoshi Awazu. A fascination with woodblock prints led her to study BA Japanese at Leeds University. A year spent studying abroad in Kyoto on a JASSO Scholarship at Doshisha University (2011–12) allowed Ottilia to immerse herself in Japanese art and visual culture. Following an internship at the East Asian Art Museum in Bath (2014–15), she gained a place on the JET Programme working as Coordinator for International Relations in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture and Tokyo (2015–20). During this time, Ottilia translated her first published book, The Hagi World Heritage Sites and undertook an MA in Illustration with Falmouth University, focusing on children’s books. Today, she seeks to occupy the intersection of art and language by exploring communication, both visual and linguistic, from her home in Machida, Tokyo.