Inscribed by the author, Frederik L. Schodt, manga/anime scholar, translator, and interpreter, in both Japanese and English to "Steve"

From the back cover:

Manga, or Japanese comics have become a certified cultural megaforce. Born in the Japanese unconscious, their dream life visions and epic, cinematic qualities have launched a multibillion-dollar industry and inspired pictorial storytellers throughout the world.

In this long-awaited sequel to his award-winning Magna! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics, Japanese culture expert Frederik L. Schodt looks at the current state of the manga universe, both artists, magazines, and individual works, and he goes beyond manga to look at manga's impact on society and on the evolution of anime and animation, film, and graphic design. An entire chapter is devoted to the work of Osamu Tezuka, the "God of Comics" and an up-to-date appendix lists manga resources and Internet connections for fans and conventiongoers.

With over 100 black and white illustrations and 8 pages in full color, Dreamland Japanese showcases the astonishing variety of manga today, from Buddhist cosmology and gay romance to tales of atomic cats, pachinko experts, motorcycle girls, and hardboiled heroes. In manga, there is room for every fantasy — every dream.