[Kodansha Ltd.] [Dean Fujioka’s translated picture book comes with a bonus bookmark & design revealed] A hot topic, reaching number one on Amazon(*) after pre-orders began! The bookmark features an original illustration of “Chef Dean” by the original illustrator.
Kodansha Co., Ltd. Press release: September 2, 2025 To Members of the Press [Dean Fujioka’s translated picture book comes with a bonus bookmark & the design has been revealed] This much talked about book has reached number one on Amazon(*) since pre-orders began! The bookmark features an original illustration of “Chef Dean” by the original illustrator. Also featured are behind-the-scenes shots from the translation of Dean’s first translated picture book, “Ant Chef’s Appearance,” and a glimpse of the memorable afterword exclusive to the Japanese version. The translated picture book comes with a bonus bookmark, the “Chef Dean Stuck in a Stash Bookmark”! It features an illustration of “Ant Chef Dean” inspired by Dean Fujioka. Image
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1719/7619/1719-7619-4a24fffc33040d060967eeffb9874f8d-1600×900.png Amazon Rakuten Books A noteworthy translated picture book that reached #1 on Amazon* Image
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1719/7619/1719-7619-9003184baee997c4bdced455d20e0ae5-1334×1788.jpg “Ant Chef’s Introduction,” which comes with a bonus bookmark, is Dean’s first translation. The book will be released by Kodansha on Thursday, October 16, 2025. Shortly after pre-orders began, it reached number one on Amazon(*). This work weaves a warm and humorous story that has been translated into various languages around the world in Dean’s carefully crafted Japanese. It has been a hot topic on social media, especially among Dean’s fans, with comments such as
“translating picture books is perfect for Dean, who values words,” and “I’m looking forward to seeing a translation that captures Dean’s personality,” suggesting that anticipation is building ahead of the release. * In the Italian Literature (Books) category as of July 29th – August 1st, 2025 Behind-the-scenes shots also revealed for the first time Dean’s actual translation of “The Ant Chef’s Introduction” also made its first public appearance
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1719/7619/1719-7619-5e172da44d04f551aa92887430bcec2c-1334×2000.jpg Dean’s poignant afterword is available only in the Japanese version.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1719/7619/1719-7619-a9943068fec552235295fafe2cd95fb3-1334×2000.jpg The Japanese version also includes an afterword written in Dean’s own words. It contains a message from Dean himself about the story, which depicts the “richness of differences” and “the feeling of caring for others.” ◆Excerpt from Afterword◆
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/1719/7619/1719-7619-db08dfa268e6fa5c5c9e035760c43dfb-1200×800.png A video of a conversation with the original authors will also be released for the first time. Click here to see Dean’s trip to Milan, Italy, to talk with the original author, Dario Pomodoro, and illustrator, Lorenzo Sangio. Dean says that meeting face-to-face allowed him to share the worldview of the original work. 〈Picture book stories〉
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfOPQjdud8M 〈Greetings〉 https://img.youtube.com/vi/0_JOssMP9Tg/sddefault.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_JOssMP9Tg ◆“Arisan Chef’s
“Shoutaijo” Story Introduction ◆ Welcome to Chef Ant’s Dinner Party! The great Chef Ant invites animals to a dinner party. …But deciding the seating arrangement is a challenge! The Mouse probably wouldn’t want to sit next to the Cat, The Sheep might end up getting treated to a feast if they were to share a table with the Wolf! The owl probably wants to eat in a dark room… What a complicated puzzle! So, will Chef Ant’s dinner party go well? A puzzle-like seating arrangement leads to a surprising conclusion. This heartwarming book, full of humor, will bring a smile to the faces of both children and adults. [Dean Fujioka Profile] Born in Fukushima Prefecture in 1980. He is active internationally, primarily in Asia, as an actor, artist, and film producer. Fluent in English, Chinese, and Japanese, he possesses a rich international sensibility, a deep understanding of languages, and a delicate ability to express himself. As a father of three, he is involved in child-rearing and has often appeared in the role of a father. NHK morning drama “Asaka Kita”, historical drama “Seiten wo Tsuke”, “The Count of Monte Cristo – Magnificent Revenge”, “Sherlock”, “Taigan no Kaji”, the movie “My Father and I’s Never-ending Song”. Regular personality on TOKYO FM’s “DEAN FUJIOKA New Calendar”. ＞Bibliographic information Title: Chef Ant’s Invitation Author: Dario Pomodoro Illustrations: Lorenzo Sangio Translated by: Dean Fujioka List price: 1870 Yen (tax included) Size: AB (257mm x 210mm) Full color / 34 pages Release date: Thursday, October 16, 2025 *Release dates may vary by bookstore. Kodansha 〈Pre-order here〉 ■Amazon https://amzn.to/44YzgGO ■Rakuten Books
https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/18313391/?l-id=search-c-item-text-0 For other information about picture books, please visit the official editorial department website. We will be updating the information on our social media accounts from time to time. Don’t miss it! [Kodansha Overseas Character Editorial Official SNS] X:
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