00:00You could say that last year I was pretty much a bit of a distraction, with 4 videos in a year - not an incredible level of productivity, I admit.
00:08Hello, I forgot the formalities, excuse me, I hope you're okay.
00:12Here I am in my streaming studio, this is the first time I'm showing it on YouTube, I hope you like it.
00:16This is my little teenage bedroom, without the smell.
00:18I have a lot of important things to tell you in this video.
00:21It turns out that for years I've been keeping a little PDF with tips for a first trip to Japan, for my friends,
00:27what I add to my travels, what to do, in how many days, the must-sees, what you absolutely have to taste.
00:33I even have a whole page on vocabulary words, basically like a little guide.
00:36So the project has been in front of me since the beginning, I'm going to draw a comic strip about my passion for Japan,
00:41which is aimed at all those who love my world, the stories I tell, but also people who are fans of pop culture,
00:47People who want to plan a trip to Japan, why not, this is for you.
00:49It's a year later, I'm making the official announcement, I'm releasing my comic book, The Worst Guide to Japan.
00:54It's 200 pages, with obviously comic strips, anecdotes, mine but also those of friends that I tell inside,
01:03photos, illustrations.
01:04I made about ten trips there, I went from north to south, I visited lots of cities, lots of prefectures,
01:09and I have so many things to tell you that I put inside.
01:11I organize it like a guide, that is to say I draw anecdotes by city, by district, even by prefecture,
01:17and above all, I analyze a little of Japanese society, food, toilets, customs,
01:23how I lived, earthquakes, coffee shop emails, driving on the left, cat cafes, and so on.
01:29And often, I drew the boards live to get a little bit of your opinions, your reactions,
01:32So it's a little bit of your comic too, yeah.
01:35We have to find the license that is the least exciting anyway.
01:37Well, I'm telling you straight, I underestimated the workload,
01:40like really, it took me twice as long, twice as much energy as I imagined,
01:43but I really had a blast doing it, and it did me a lot of good too,
01:46and I became passionate about drawing grimaces.
01:50I put it everywhere.
01:51I tried to make the most beautiful, funniest, most interesting book about my passion for Japan,
01:56consider it as a continuation of my sketches on Japan or my short films,
02:01This is in direct line with everything I have been saying on the Internet for years,
02:04This is the ultimate Japan video in a way, but on paper.
02:07Pre-orders start now on lepierguide.com, it will only last a few weeks,
02:11but I didn't just create the comic.
02:13Oh no, I took the opportunity to create different packs with associated products that I would never have released.
02:18if I hadn't made a comic about Japan.
02:20Careful, let me explain.
02:20When I think of Japan, I think of trading cards.
02:23Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Dragon Ball, One Piece.
02:25So, I created my own trading card game.
02:29And it was there from the beginning.
02:32It's called Shuricard, and all the cards are inspired by characters in my comic.
02:36There are also three YouTuber cards in it, friends of mine who love opening cards.
02:39I'll let you guess who it is.
02:40Let's do a Booster opening right now so we can wait.
02:44Here we go, this is the first time I've opened them.
02:46I'll show you already.
02:48Wow, the back of the cards.
02:50The little madness.
02:52There are 41 different cards, and I think the work is amazing.
02:55So, we have Pirate of Hakone.
02:57I adore.
02:58Capitalist doe.
03:00The Onsen monkey, of course.
03:03Japanese crane.
03:04And the holographic card, because yes, there is a holo card in each pack.
03:07Wow, the Harajuku unicorn.
03:10I can't believe I'm the one who created these cards.
03:12Honestly, guys, the work is monumental.
03:14Congratulations to all the illustrators, the graphic designers, the printer.
03:16Honestly, if it ever works, we'll make more extensions.
03:18But that's exclusive to pre-order, that's for sure.
03:22When I come back from Japan, I always come back with...
03:28...figurines.
03:30All the time.
03:31I wanted the best quality possible.
03:33That's why I collaborated with Art Toys, to create figurines in the image of the character in my comic book.
03:39Him, there.
03:40I did the drawings, the expressions, then I went back and forth with the modeling.
03:44We validated the prototypes.
03:46To get to this little beauty, admire its little cuckoo, there, declined in five different expressions.
03:51You can also place it like this, against a book, about Japan, for example.
03:54Do you want to imagine which one?
03:55They come in little Gachapon balls, so you never know which one you'll get.
03:59This is the little surprise.
04:00It's typically Japanese.
04:01Come on, let's open it.
04:03Oh no!
04:04The one that glows in the dark!
04:06Oh no!
04:06So cool!
04:07I have to tell you about the Ultimate Collector's Pack, which is a beauty.
04:12It includes all the different figures, boosters, but also other products from the other packs.
04:16And an exclusive holographic card in its acrylic holder.
04:20All in a box that parodies the packaging of the Super NES, for those who know.
04:24Gorgeous.
04:25It's going to end up in the scenery, that's for sure.
04:26Maybe above the arcade strip, I don't know, but this is the ultimate pack.
04:29We put everything into it.
04:30We've seen things in a big way to delight you.
04:32By pre-ordering the comic, you will have your name in the book at the end as a thank you.
04:36It's the least we can do.
04:37But above all, you will have a premium edition of the book, with a hardcover cover, a fabric spine, and selective varnish.
04:43But above all, the associated products, like cards, figurines, and I haven't mentioned everything here yet, are exclusive to pre-order.
04:48So once the pre-orders are over, we won't be able to get them anymore.
04:52Pre-orders end on July 11 and shipping will occur in November 2025.
04:56It's just time for me to finish the last boards, etc.
05:00Sorry I'm a little slow because I'm doing this at the same time as the videos and stuff.
05:03Go man!
05:04Head over to lepireguide.com, I promise to make you love the figurines, with boosters to open, which will delight you.
05:12I did this project to make someone happy.
05:14This is me when I was 7 years old and dreamed of becoming a comic book artist.
05:17Consider me the original Japanese bandit.
05:19I'm sorry, it can't get any better than that.
05:20Look at it!
05:21I love Dragon Ball!
05:23Thanks to everyone who worked on this large project.
05:25Ben for the color, Maïeul for the model.
05:27The illustrators of the cards, the work they did is incredible.
05:29But also the publishing house that made it possible.
05:31Thanks to you too, if you are interested, it generally supports everything I have been doing for years.
05:35The rhythm on my YouTube channel is slowly returning.
05:37I've released some videos that I'm very proud of and I've prepared a sketch and a short film for you this month.
05:41I have other big projects in parallel that I will announce to you very soon.
