10/4 on Air! "Drawn to Japan: A Manga Adventure" #1

Based on Charles Danziger's amazing "Harvey and Etsuko's Manga Guide to Japan," Drawn to Japan: A Manga Adventure is the story of an irascible American cartoon mouse named Harvey who is fed up with being unemployed and living with the other cartoon characters under the bed of his cartoonist, Charles. Harvey knows a better life is out there, and asks Charles to draw him in a "manga" - a wildly popular Japanese-style comic book. But Charles is an American cartoonist and doesn't draw manga. In desperation, Harvey decides to travel to the home of manga to find employment. He commands Charles to "draw me to Japan!"

Once he hits Tokyo, Harvey realizes he has a lot of competition ("Tokyo looks like one big manga!"). He survives a night in a capsule hotel, despite telling the surly concierge: "there is no way I'm going to sleep in a mousetrap full of capsules!"

Harvey decides to get down to business and asks Charles for help. Charles (who appears live from the U.S.) introduces him to a top manga artist, Mimei Sakamoto (who appears live from Tokyo). When Harvey meets Mimei's assistant, Etsuko, she is unimpressed ("Manga Conversion Rating...Difficult!"). But she decides that he is a sporting mouse, and agrees that Mimei will consider drawing Harvey in a best-selling manga - on one condition: Harvey must first pass a test about all things Japanese.

Thus begins Harvey's misadventures in Japan. He experiences (and is harshly graded on)...

BUSINESS CARD ETIQUETTE (Harvey picks his teeth with the cards);

JAPANESE HOT SPRINGS (Ahhhhhh!);

TOILETS (The pre-heated seat is comfy, but...);

BULLET TRAINS (Trains are never supposed to be on time!);

TEA CEREMONY (This bitter green tea is very, ahem, special. Does anyone have any sugar?);

SUBWAY (Sardined mouse??);

CHOPSTICKS (Chopsticks are too long for a little mouse like me. What if humans had to eat with poles?);

BLOWFISH (A deadly liver and a fishy alibi);

NOODLES (You slurped!!); and

SAMURAI WARRIORS (I'm not stupid. I happen to know that Tom Cruise was the Last Samurai...Nothing is more deadly than a cartoon mouse with a black belt and bad attitude!)

Harvey is not a great student, and suffers through Mimei's constant threats of "You fail! Go home!" But Charles and the cartoon characters back home cheer him on. Harvey is on the borderline, and knows he has to ace the final exam to pass. He gets advice from a surprise celebrity (who also appears live).

Will Harvey pass Mimei's test and find the keys to manga fame and fortune in Japan? To find out, watch this zany combination of manga mahem and "east meets west" fun!