Ask John: How Can Fans Convey Best Wishes to Creators?

Question:

I just finished watching NANA anime today. The anime is absolutely fantastic, and its unique and realistic portrayal of characters moved me a lot. But unfortunately it ends in a rather inappropriate place. Even more unfortunate is that it seems production for the next season will start only when the manga is complete. I understand that Ai Yazawa sensei is recovering from an undisclosed but curable illness, and therefore the manga is stalled. I also fully understand that she must be going through a period of great stress and may not exactly be in the best frame of mind to continue working on a manga which is as emotionally draining just to watch, as NANA.

Obviously as a big fan, I am praying for her recovery, and really hoping that she finishes the manga. But apart from praying there is not much I can do. Is there any way for a fan to show support to mangakas like Yazawa sensei in their time of need? Is it even possibly for me to send her a “get well soon” card? In the meantime, is it a good idea to continue reading the manga, or as it is anyway stalled should I just wait for the second season to come out?

Answer:
Fans often want to express their gratitude and support to the creators responsible for beloved stories, but directly conveying those feelings is not always easy or practical. Some manga artists have active personal web pages with message boards while others use Twitter. However, there are also artists who aren’t easily directly approachable by their fans. In such a case, especially for foreign fans who may not speak or read Japanese, options seem limited. Supporters of artist Ai Yazawa may consider sending their fan letters to the San Francisco headquarters of Viz Media. Since Viz is partly owned by Ai Yazawa’s publisher, Shueisha, Viz may be able to forward fan mail on behalf of American fans. Continuing to purchase, read, and support Ai Yazawa’s work is also an effective means of demonstrating support. I believe that it’s logical to assume that an artist may be more encouraged to recover from illness and return to work when she knows that fans eagerly await her new work.

Fans can send letters to Viz Media with a polite request to forward mail, if possible, at the mailing address:
VIZ Media, LLC
P.O. BOX 77010
San Francisco, CA 94107

Alternately, fans can also try sending mail directly to publisher Shueisha’s Japanese headquarters at:
Shueisha, Ltd.
2-5-10 Hitotsubashi
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Japan
#101-8050