Merry Christmas (And Our Gift to You)

Making one of our favorite issues free to all.

Merry Christmas! It’s still a few days away, but we’re starting our celebration early. Which is to say: we’ve brought you a gift.

Back in September, we released our first paywalled Thursday issue for members. It breaks down the techniques of a master filmmaker — Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira, Combustible). The piece goes deep into the way he storyboards and builds the worlds for his films, and into how he’s evolved since his start in the ‘80s.

We’ve published plenty of members-only issues, but this first one still holds a special place for us. It’s big, ambitious and full of Otomo’s incredible sketches. Whether you know a little or a lot about Otomo’s work, there’s something here to intrigue you. “Great read about one of my idols,” wrote Ben Bocquelet, the creator of The Amazing World of Gumball.

So, as a Christmas present, we’ve unlocked the issue. It’s now free to everyone. Find it through the link below:

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The Art of an Otomo Storyboard

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We hope you’ll enjoy this dive into Otomo’s storyboarding style! Think of it as a companion to our issues about Satoshi Kon — Otomo’s protégé, and a master storyboarder in his own right.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!