AnimeVice News

Subject: Toshio Okada's Sayonara Mr. Fatty! A Geek's Diet Memoirs.

Published by Vertical Inc. Sayonara is less about telling to what to eat, and more about changing the way you feel about eating. Focused on that glut of fat and large food portions that pervade our societies, Okuda presents more how this situation creates not only the resources to maintain obesity, but makes us seemingly ignore that reality.

While I'm sure the Anti-diet, diet book is in no way unique, books like this tend to thrive off its ability to reach a demographic. Toshio Okada, for example, has some clout with the otaku crowd. His work with Gainax kind of forces you to nod politely as he passes in the hall. Inside the book, Okada details how he manged to lose over a hundred pounds in a year, not because of a particular diet, but because of a some greater self awareness. By learning why he wanted things, when he wanted them, he placed himself in control of some of his desires, thus objectively deciding when to indulge, and when not to.

I'd really like to read this book, because its the kind of self-improvement I really dig. Rather than give us lists or guidelines, Okuda gives us examples to empower the mind, and force it to rationalize the behaviors may let run unfettered. Though, I will state that my entire awareness of this novel came from a Vertical Panel I was covering, and this well phrased review by Serdar Yegulalp, of Genji Press. If further interested, I definitely recommend checking out his feelings on the novel, or just wait till I get my hands on it.