Stone Bridge Press, the house that has done important reference books on Japanese pop culture including the Anime Encyclopedia and the Anime Companion, will be publishing two new anime books this fall. 

Watching Anime, Reading Manga is a collection of essays and reviews by Fred Patten, who helped to create the booming anime fan scene of today through his magazine writing and active participation in fan clubs.  The writings in this collection span 25 years; the book is illustrated with original fanzine covers and archival photos. 

This 360-page, b/w trade paperback (with an introduction by Carl Macek) will be priced at $18.95.  It's scheduled for release in September.

Cruising the Anime City, An Otaku Guide to Neo Tokyo is a street-smart guide to the Tokyo of the anime fan, covering '...studios, toys, museums, games, film 'locations,' music, plus where to hang and how to cruise.'