"Otacool," a blend of otaku (geek) and "cool," is a book series guaranteed to please die-hard anime fans--and anyone else who finds the collectors and creators themselves fascinating. "Otacool 3 Worldwide Workspaces," the latest in the series, features photos and stories about 20 celebrated Japanese manga and other artists, as well as 164 anime buffs around the world, and offer a close-up glimpse into their world of fantasy. (Asahi)

A former assistant police inspector here has been arrested for falsifying notarized documents for a sham marriage between a Filipina hostess and a Japanese man. Former policeman Takakazu Narita, 52, is accused of submitting a false electronic marriage certificate to Saitama's Nishi Ward Office in January 2009 for 25-year-old Pacete Analiza Ortega and 24-year-old Takeshi Goto, a Japanese citizen, so Ortega could get a visa to stay in the country. Records show Narita has been making several trips to the Philippines per year, and police suspect him of arranging false marriages. (Mainichi)

Although I appreciate the deep regret that Masayuki Aihara expressed for the Japanese occupation of Korea (Sept. 5 letter, "Occupied Korea vs. occupied Japan"), I feel that he painted a too benign portrait of the U.S. occupation of Japan after World War II. If he were from Okinawa, maybe he would know more about the notorious history of the American bases there. They were built after villagers were evicted from their homes with bulldozers and rifles. Even today, U.S. military facilities occupy nearly 20 percent of Okinawa Island. (Japan Times)

Photographer Mika Ninagawa is full of flower power: Her signature acid-colored shots of buds bursting into bloom have made her one of the most well-known and popular photographers in the industry today. She has had at least 47 photo-collection books published since 1998; twice as many gallery exhibitions in the same period; and she shot to further fame after directing the 2007 film "Sakuran," starring singer/actress Anna Tsuchiya. (Japan Times)

Children's books and criminal organizations go together like water and oil. However, reports weekly tabloid Shukan Shincho (Sep. 9), the pair is apparently coexisting under the same roof at the Tokyo headquarters of the well-known publisher Poplar Publishing, which prints Japanese language editions of the "Thomas the Tank Engine" series of books. Established in 1947, Poplar began its shift in tenants last autumn. "In September, a company joined as a tenant on the 6th floor of the publisher's headquarters in Shinjuku Ward's Yotsuya district," says an individual associated with the publisher who does not name the company in question. "This tenant joined under the direct referral of Hiroyoshi Usuda, the chairperson. The company is said to sell devices that eradicates pollutants from water." (Tokyo Reporter)