Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1246/

Family’s acceptance

It’s a challenge, especially if you’re Asian, yes. Asians go into doctors, they become lawyers or accountants or something. Actually, my father pushed me. “Well, you should go into computers, or take some business, get a business degree, you know.” But I really wanted to do artwork. I quit my job, I went full time into freelance artwork. And lived, moving up to LA from Hawaii. We did not know anyone here, so it was basically knocking on doors, calling, making phone calls, and basically taking whatever I could get. T-shirt designs, book illustrations, magazine illustrations, newspapers. But when Usagi [Yojimbo] happened, I was able to devote, pretty much full time to Usagi. And I remember my first book signing in Hawaii, my father thought he’d come over to see me. And he could not get into the store because of the crowds. So after that, “Well, I guess Stan’s doing okay then.” So I think that was the acceptance right there.


cartoonists comics families graphic novels Hawaii manga occupations (employment) United States

Date: September 28, 2010

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Lynn Yamasaki, Maria Kwong

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Stan Sakai was born in Kyoto, Japan, and raised in Hawai‘i. Sansei illustrator and writer Stan Sakai is known for his creation of the popular comic book character, “Usagi Yojimbo” in 1984. Since 1987, a series of comic books have detailed the adventures of Miyamoto Usagi, a samurai rabbit living in the late 16th and early 17th Century. Sakai is known for his incorporation of actual Japanese history and culture, once winning an award for “skillful weaving of facts and legends into his work.” An exhibition of his work was organized by the Museum in 2011. (August 2012)

Henry Suto
en
ja
es
pt
Suto,Henry

What I wanted to pass down to my children (Japanese)

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

en
ja
es
pt
BJ Kobayashi
en
ja
es
pt
Kobayashi,BJ

Never feeling discriminated against in Hawai‘i

Hawaiian businessman, developer.

en
ja
es
pt
Reiko T. Sakata
en
ja
es
pt
Sakata,Reiko T.

Backstory of Parents

(b. 1939) a businesswoman whose family volunterily moved to Salt Lake City in Utah during the war.

en
ja
es
pt
Harunori Oda
en
ja
es
pt
Oda,Harunori

Next phase

(1927-2016) Shin-Issei businessman

en
ja
es
pt
Herb Ohta
en
ja
es
pt
Ohta,Herb

Living in Hawaii after Pearl Harbor

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Herb Ohta
en
ja
es
pt
Ohta,Herb

Mother taught him how to play the ukulele

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Herb Ohta
en
ja
es
pt
Ohta,Herb

Inspired to play ukulele after hearing Eddie Kamae

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Herb Ohta
en
ja
es
pt
Ohta,Herb

Friend convinced him to make a record

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Herb Ohta
en
ja
es
pt
Ohta,Herb

Number 1 Hit "Sushi"

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Herb Ohta
en
ja
es
pt
Ohta,Herb

Playing 3 shows a night in Waikiki

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Robert T. Fujioka
en
ja
es
pt
Fujioka,Robert T.

Great grandfather working in Hawaii

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Robert T. Fujioka
en
ja
es
pt
Fujioka,Robert T.

Great grandparents' hotel business in Hawaii

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Robert T. Fujioka
en
ja
es
pt
Fujioka,Robert T.

Grandfather's interrogations during World War II

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Robert T. Fujioka
en
ja
es
pt
Fujioka,Robert T.

Grandparents were incarcerated in Jerome, Arkansas

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Robert T. Fujioka
en
ja
es
pt
Fujioka,Robert T.

Grandfather's business in Hawaii while in camp

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt