DUBAI // The UAE's first Japanese-style manga was in the spotlight yesterday at a book signing in Dubai.
Gold Ring, a story about an Emirati teen who trains falcons, has been out for four years and has since developed a cult following among both Arabic and English-speaking teenagers in the UAE.
It was written by Emirati Qais Sedki and drawn by Akira Himekawa - the collective pen name of two Japanese artists A Honda and S Nagano - who were behind the acclaimed Zelda manga series.
All three appeared in Dubai Mall's Kinokuniya book store yesterday to meet fans and sign copies of the books.
"I've had a few kids come up to me and say that they want to have a falcon," said Mr Sedki. "That's exactly what I was looking for. It's very heartwarming."
The purpose of publishing the book was to encourage local children to read classical Arabic, he added.
"A lot of bilinguinal young adults who have the ability to read in English or Arabic, often choose to read in English," he said. "I'm trying to reverse that a little bit by giving them an overnight incentive to use their ability to read in Arabic."
"The reason I set out to do this is to get children reading at a younger age, and to get them to associate something traditional with something cool, like manga."
He said there was a disturbing trend of young Emirati adults shying away from reading.
"They're borderline allergic to it. But they do make an exception for manga. You don't lose any cool points by reading manga."
One of the artists Ms Honda said that there were initially challenges in presenting a culturally appropriate manga.
"This is the first time we did something set in Arab culture, so we had to be really careful about the details," she said. "We couldn't draw a man and a woman in the same scene. It had to be either the husband or children separating them. There was some cultural differences there."
Akira Himekawa and Mr Sedki will also be at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition later this week, where they will present a Japanese twist on the traditional sport of falconry.
Faisal al Remeithi, 29, from Abu Dhabi, said many Emiratis were interested in Japanese culture through anime and manga.
"For 30 years we've been watching Japanese animation on our TVs, but dubbed into Arabic," he said. "Most of us have been watching it since we were children, so this is interesting for us now.
"It's good to have our own manga, and it's important that people read it in Arabic, because that's this country's main language."
Manga fan Johnathan Brewer, 23, originally from the US, said he was impressed by Gold Ring. "I've read a few pages and it seems pretty cool," he said. "As a kid I loved falcons so that's a draw for me.
"It does seem like a good mix of cultures. Manga is a great way about learning of other people and places."
mcroucher@thenational.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Top 5 concerns globally:
1. Unemployment
2. Spread of infectious diseases
3. Fiscal crises
4. Cyber attacks
5. Profound social instability
Top 5 concerns in the Mena region
1. Energy price shock
2. Fiscal crises
3. Spread of infectious diseases
4. Unmanageable inflation
5. Cyber attacks
Source: World Economic Foundation
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Day 1, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Sadeera Samarawickrama set pulses racing with his strokeplay on his introduction to Test cricket. It reached a feverish peak when he stepped down the wicket and launched Yasir Shah, who many regard as the world’s leading spinner, back over his head for six. No matter that he was out soon after: it felt as though the future had arrived.
Stat of the day - 5 The last time Sri Lanka played a Test in Dubai – they won here in 2013 – they had four players in their XI who were known as wicketkeepers. This time they have gone one better. Each of Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva, Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis, and Niroshan Dickwella – the nominated gloveman here – can keep wicket.
The verdict Sri Lanka want to make history by becoming the first team to beat Pakistan in a full Test series in the UAE. They could not have made a better start, first by winning the toss, then by scoring freely on an easy-paced pitch. The fact Yasir Shah found some turn on Day 1, too, will have interested their own spin bowlers.
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PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, May 3
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Dubai Rugby Sevens, December 5 -7
World Sevens Series Pools
A – Fiji, France, Argentina, Japan
B – United States, Australia, Scotland, Ireland
C – New Zealand, Samoa, Canada, Wales
D – South Africa, England, Spain, Kenya
Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season