Hiroaki Tanaka, president ofAir Dive, LLC., has stirred up popularity with his comic book “YOSHIO NO SORA”.
Tanaka, who is a career comic book writer and produces many young artists’ work, is the subject of this article.

“YOSHIO NO SORA” Published by Air Dive LLC.


- The dream of becoming a comic book artist

Tanaka graduated from a private college and experienced working for a printing company as well as a game production company. He loved comic books since he was a child, and abandoning his office worker life, he decided to realize his unending dream. As an up and coming artist, Tanaka made his debut, but the road to becoming a professional artist is never easy. As his experience grew, Tanaka decided he would “seek out talented people, bring them together and make them shine.” In March of 2006, he started “Air Dive, LLC”, a comic book business.

The interior of Air Dive, LLC. (Tanaka on right)


- “YOSHIO NO SORA”: a comic book brought together by fate

A fateful meeting became the beginning of this publication. As Tanaka’s newborn child had a brain disease, Tanaka searched for talented doctors, eventually landing upon Dr. Yoshio Takahashi, a child brain surgeon. As an expression of appreciation to Dr. Yoshio for saving his son, as a means of showing a family’s strong will to overcome a disease, and with hope that more people will decide to become a child brain surgeon… These are the reasons for Tanaka’s writing “YOSHIO NO SORA”. Still, for a little known company to publish a book is no easy task. Planning, production, editing, publication, circulation, sales… The road is long and the journey tiresome.


- Publication of first volume, impressive results

Air Dive LLC’s website © Air Dive

Since he decided to publish “YOSHIO NO SORA”, there hasn’t been a moment of rest. The company he started alone began picking up employees, and they all worked toward publishing this first book. Finally, in January of 2008, overcoming many obstacles, volume 1 of “YOSHIO NO SORA” lined the shelves in bookstores. On October 26, volume 2 will be sold throughout Hokkaido bookstores, as well as on amazon.co.jp. Air Dive LLC is also beginning other projects. “Usada-san”, an online comic book publication on the Air Dive website, is one such project. Tanaka realized a dream that none before him could. He published a comic book with an independent label, harbored growth among fellow creators, and continues to produce work at his business. We hope to see further development accompanied by the release of “YOSHIO NO SORA” volume 2.

Online comic book, “Usada-san” website © Air Dive


Air Dive, LLC.
President Hiroaki Tanaka
http://www.air-dive.com/main.html

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