The Beatles carry a strong influence on his work, and also his way of life. He feels close to John Lennon, because they both had an absent father. He has voiced Mei and Satsuki's father, Tatsuo Kusakabe, in the Japanese version of the My Neighbor Totoro anime film, has been a judge on a few episodes of the Japanese shows Iron Chef and Hey! Spring of Trivia, and has also co-authored a collection of short stories titled Yume de aimashou ("Let's meet in a dream") with writer Haruki Murakami. His latest book, Chiisai Kotoba o Utau Basho (A Place Where Small Words Are Sung), is an anthology of writing collected from the Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun. "Hobo Nichi" (as it is called) is currently releasing a series of T-shirts on the theme "Sentimental Territory", which feature simple drawings of cute