Bio
Bio
Stu Levy is an international entrepreneur, producer, investor and writer. Founder of the pioneering media company TOKYOPOP, Stu is known for establishing the manga market in North America.
As a producer, Stu has a number of live-action and animated feature films and television shows in various stages of development. He produced English adaptations of television and home video anime series including the hits Initial D, GTO, and Rave Master. His first major studio feature film as Executive Producer was Priest, released theatrically worldwide in 2011 through Sony Pictures.
Stu has directed two feature films (his feature documentary Pray for Japan and his award-winning feature debut Van Von Hunter), the 8-episode docu-reality series America’s Greatest Otaku, and several music videos. Stu wrote the Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero’s Journey, Princess Ai and Juror 13 graphic novels, as well as Karma Club and Sailor Moon novels.
Fluent in Japanese and a licensed California attorney, Stu served as chair of the Producers Guild of America’s International Committee, its Online Video Committee, and the PGA Producers Showcase (ProShow); and as a Board Member of its New Media Council. His philanthropic activities over the years have included Japan’s Tohoku tsunami recovery, projects with Make-a-Wish Foundation, and literacy advocacy. Besides speaking at numerous industry events and guest lecturing to students, Stu’s a father of two adorable monkeys who have successfully melted him into a helpless blob of putty, a former avid endurance athlete who compared himself to the Energizer bunny sans ears, a very amateur composer, and an iPhone-photo-trigger-happy foodie.
Press
Press
Press Links
EXTERNAL LINKS
- Berlin Film Festival interview
- Hollywood & Manga
- Juror 13 Film Adaptation with China
- ICV2 2019 Interview with TOKYOPOP's Stu Levy
- ICV2 2018 Interview with TOKYOPOP's Stu Levy
- Black Flag Special K Podcast
- Anime3000.com Interview
- Tsunami blog for the NewYorker
- San Diego Comicon 2016 Manga Panel
PDF ARTICLES
Speaking Engagements
Speaking Engagements
Featured Videos
Contact
For speaking inquiries or requests, please contact Zach Radoski at
American Program Bureau, Inc.
313 Washington Street, Suite 225
Newton, MA 02458
617.614.1601
Or email zradoski@apbspeakers.com.
Previous Speaking Engagements
2023
- Keio Business School (Tokyo, Japan) March 2023 - Entrepreneurship Masters Class Guest Lecturer
- University of Potsdam / Erich Pommer Intitute - European Film Business & Law LLM/MBA Program (Berlin, Germany) November 2023 - Guest Lecturer "Global Production - Business and Legal Aspects to Anime"
- Chinese Americam Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA) November 2023 - Awards Presenter and Speaker, Summit: "When IP Meets AI"
- Latin America Training Center Global Film & TV Program (Los Angeles, CA) November 2022 - Lecture, "International Production Trends: Anime and Beyond"
2022
- Saturday AM (Live Online) January 2022 - Saturday Con Keynote Panel "THE HISTORY OF MANGA IN THE WEST"
- Keio Business School (Tokyo, Japan) March 2022 - Entrepreneurship Masters Class Guest Lecturer
- University of Potsdam / Erich Pommer Intitute - European Film Business & Law LLM/MBA Program (Berlin, Germany) October 2022 - Guest Lecturer
- Chinese Americam Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA) November 2022 - Awards Presenter and Speaker, Summit
- KR8tif Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) November 2022 - The Business of Digital Comics : Future Trends and the Next Best Thing! - Panelist
2021
- Keio Business School (Tokyo, Japan) March 2021 - Entrepreneurship Masters Class Guest Lecturer
- Chinese Americam Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA) November 2021 - Awards Presenter and Speaker, Co-Production Panel
2020
- Chinese Americam Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA) November 2020 - Awards Presenter and Speaker, Co-Production Panel
2019
- Berlin Film Festival (Berlin, Germany) Feb 2019 - Blockchain and Film panel - Blockchain Curation and Monetization in a Fragmented Landscape
2018
- Anime Japan (Tokyo, Japan) March 2018 - moderator for North American anime market panel
- Golden Rooster Awards (Hainan, China) March 2018 - award presenter
- Middle East Film & Comic Con (Dubai, UAE) April 2018 - Master Class for Visual Storytelling
- Singularity University (Berlin, Germany) June 2018 - How to make your company ready for the future panel
- Anime Expo (Los Angeles, CA) July 2018 - TOKYOPOP panel
- San Diego Comicon(San Diego, CA) July 2018 - Disney Manga panel
- New York Comicon (New York, NY) Oct 2018 - Nightmare Before Christmas 25th Anniversary panel
- New York Anime Fest (New York, NY) Oct 2018 - TOKYOPOP panel
- New York Media Festival (New York, NY) Oct 2018 - Blockchain panel (collectible assets)
- New York Media Festival (New York, NY) Oct 2018 - Blockchain panel (blockchain and gaming)
2017
- Hong Kong Filmart (Hong Kong) March 2017 - Develop, Produce and Commercialize Quality Content for Global Audience
- C2E2 (Chicago, IL) May 2017 - TOKYOPOP presentation
- American Library Association (Chicago, IL) June 2017 - Disney Manga presentation
- San Diego Comicon (San Diego, CA) July 2017 - Manga around the World panel
- New York Comicon (New York, NY) Oct 2017 - Disney Manga presentation
- MCM Comicon (London, UK) Oct 2017 - TOKYOPOP presentation
- Chinese American Film Festival (Los Angeles, CA) Nov 2017 - Award Presenter
- US-China Co-Production Seminar (Los Angeles, CA) Nov 2017 - welcoming remarks
- Hakaya Misk Abu Dhabi Cultural Conference (Abu Dhabi, UAE) Nov 2018 - Master classes for film and visual storytelling
2016
- 2016 Korean Culture Supporters award (sponsored by KOCCA)
- Los Angeles International Culture Film Festival (LA, CA) Jan 2016 - International Co-Productions & Keynote
- UNIJAPAN Contents Business Forum (Tokyo, Japan) Feb 2016 - ハリウッドメジャーにおけるマーケティング手法とローカルプロダクションの現状 Moderator
- ESCY lecture (Yokohama, Japan) April 2016 - Japan's Future
- Anime Expo (Los Angeles, CA) July 2016 - TOKYOPOP and POP Comics update (panel)
- Project Anime AX (Los Angeles, CA) July 2016 - keynote From Revolution to Evolution: the Future of America's Love for Asian Pop Culture
- San Diego Comicon (San Diego, CA) July 2016 - TOKYOPOP and POP Comics update (panel)
- San Diego Comicon (San Diego, CA) July 2016 - Manga Pros (panel)
- Columbia College (Los Angeles, CA) July 2016 - Career discussion (guest lecture)
- Diamond Retailer Summit (Baltimore, CA) Sept 2016 - Bringing Manga Back: What You Need to Know Now (panel)
- Hangzhou Media Conference (Hangzhou, China) Oct 2016 - Keynote speech and welcoming remarks
- Shenzhen Makers Week (Shenzhen, China) Dec 2016 - Keynote speech
2015
- Anime Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) January 2015 - TOKYOPOP update
- NATPE (Miami, FL) January 2015 - Programming Trends around the Globe
- Los Angeles Venture Association (Santa Monica, CA) March 2015 - Mobile LAVA - Startup Stories: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
2014
- NATPE (Miami, FL) Jan 2014 - International Co-Productions in TV (moderator)
- Silicon Beach Fest (Santa Monica, CA) June 2014 - International Start-ups in LA and LA Startups going International)
- Anime Expo (Los Angeles, CA) July 2014 - "Knockouts" and "Riding Shotgun" Sneak peek
- Megacon (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) November 2014 - Personal Keynote
- Taipei Film Academy (Taipei, Taiwan) December 2014 - Masters class on Visual Storytelling
2013
- Anime Los Angeles - Los Angeles, CA (TOKYOPOP - Past, Present & Future)
- Morikami Museum - Boca Raton, FL ("Pray for Japan" Q&A)
- UCLA Anderson School 2013 MEMES Week - Los Angeles, CA (digital video, curation & disrupation panel)
- Produced By Conference - Los Angeles, CA (PGA - Brave New World of Producing Films panel)
- [Hong Kong Filmart - Hong Kong, China (From Book to Screen panel)]
- PiFan/NAFF (Seoul, Korea) July 2013 - NAFF Project Competition Jury
- International Film Expo (Manila, Philippines) Sept 2013 - CoProduction Primer
- Rio Film Festival (Rio de Janiero, Brazil) Oct 2013 - The Future of Entertainment
2012
- Japan-America Society of Northern California - San Francisco, CA (Tohoku recovery)
- UDX Open College - Tokyo, Japan (Japanese Pop Culture Overseas)
- Anime Expo - Los Angeles, CA (Tohoku recovery "Pray for Japan"; TOKYOPOP - Past, Present & Future)
- PiFan NAFF - Seoul, Korea (Transmedia development)
- Tony Blair Faith Shorts (film festival) - festival judge
- Royal Film Commission - Amman, Jordan (filmmaking w/ digital pipeline, "Pray for Japan" Q&A)
- UNHCR Refugee Film Festival - Tokyo, Japan ("Pray for Japan" Q&A)
2011
- Keio Business School - Tokyo, Japan (March) (entrepreneurship)
- Asian Film and Policy Forum - Busan, Korea (Oct) (Filmmaking role in disasters)
- Asian Producers Network - Auckland, NZ (Nov) (PGA-APN affiliation)
- Screen Producers of Australia Association (SPAA) - Sydney, Australia (Nov) (PGA-APN affiliation)
2010
- SupaNova - Brisbane, Australia (Director's Panels for VVH)
- Produced By Conference - Los Angeles, CA - Prep for your Rep: Finding and Working with Agents, Managers and Lawyers
- International Film and Game Lounge – Los Angeles, CA
- Anime Expo – Los Angeles, CA
- Fantasia International Film Festival – Montreal, QC, Canada
- San Diego Comic Con – San Diego, CA
- Otakuthon – Montreal, QC, Canada
- Columbia College producing class -- Los Angeles, CA
- Transmedia Conference at Pusan International Film Festival-- Pusan, Korea
2009
- Bunkacho - Tokyo, Japan
- Human Media - Tokyo, Japan
- Royal Film Commission - Producers Guild of America presentation - Jordan
2008
- Hong Kong Filmart
- New York Comicon - Digital Comics and Technology
2007
- DICON - Korea "Successfully Propelling Korean Comics into Hollywood: Priest"
- Akiba Tokyo, Japan "manga market"
- Akita International University - Tokyo, Japan - Entrepreneur program
- SPADA - Wellington, New Zealand "Niche, Niche, Niche"
2006
- AMD Award presenter - Tokyo, Japan (presented to Takashi Murakami and Yoshiyuki Tomino)
- METI Producers Breakfast Club - Tokyo, Japan
- Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo - Tokyo, Japan "Launching the Global Manga Revolution: the TOKYOPOP story"
- Tokyo University - Tokyo, Japan "Technology and Art"
- Akita International University - Tokyo, Japan - Entrepreneur program
2005
- Association of American Publishers - AAP General Annual Mtg, NYC "Debunking the Myth of Low Margins and Low Growth: What's
- Working" Columbia College - LA "Producing Films - Graphic Novel Adaptations"
- UCLA Asia Leadership Council - Tokyo, Japan
- Waseda Marketing Forum - Tokyo, Japan "That's Entertainment: Amusement Marketing in the 21st Century"
- Monash University - Melbourne, Australia "Global Pop Culture"
- Tokyo Anime Fair
2004
- Kidscreen "Doing business in Japan"
- IT Biz Social Net - Tokyo, Japan "Contents Business"
- Youth Marketing Mega-Event - Anaheim, CA "The Influence of Japanese Pop Culture on American Tweens"
- JETRO LA "The Influence of Japanese Pop Culture on America"
- SICAF Korea "OSMU Business Plan based on Comic Book in America"
- Japan America Society LA - "Can manga conquer the world?"
2003
- Big Apple Anime Fest (Presidents' Panel)
- LMU Korean Students
- JETRO LA
- UCLA - Manga/Anime Symposium
2002
- Taiwan Book Fair
- UCLA - Japan Pop Culture trends
2001
- LARTA University
- Georgetown Alumni Entertainment Careers
- BCCW - Korea (Digital Delivery and its affect on contents)
Pre-2001
- Philippines (Manila)
Philanthropy
Philanthropy
Stu believes very much in the age-old adages of karma and giving back to one's community. While philanthropical endeavors can take many shapes, Stu focuses on his true beliefs and pitches in wherever he can.
In the early days, Stu volunteered for the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) in Los Angeles, assisting abused immigrants in the area of family law. With TOKYOPOP, Stu was actively involved in two Make-a-Wish projects, one involving a tour of Japan's anime studios, and another involving the creation of an original manga. Both ended in tears, but bringing even a small amount of joy to such tragic circumstances is perhaps the most fulfilling of all charitable acts.
Stu has regularly donated TOKYOPOP manga to libraries across the U.S. as well as to The Kids' Wish Network, a non-profit foundation that deploys toys and books to hospital emergency rooms across the nation.
With the recent climate change, two natural disasters affected Stu on a deeply personal level -- the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku, Japan, and the November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
Pray For Japan
Stu's charity-based feature documentary
On March 11, 2011, Japan’s Tohoku coastal region was destroyed by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami that followed. PRAY FOR JAPAN takes place in the devastated region of Ishinomaki, Miyagi – the largest coastal city in Tohoku with a population of over 160,000 people. Stu filmed the tsunami aftermath during his trips to Tohoku as a volunteer and over a period of 6 weeks, captured over 50 hours of footage.
PRAY FOR JAPAN focuses on four key perspectives of the tragedy – School, Shelter, Family, and Volunteers. With each perspective we meet victims who faced significant obstacles and fought to overcome them. Through these four vantage points, the audience is able to understand the vast ramifications of this large-scale natural disaster – and the battle these real-life heroes fought on behalf of their loved ones and their hometown.
Losing loved ones cuts emotional scars which run deep.
We can help heal these wounds by paying tribute to the amazing resilience and quiet spirit of the many victims and volunteers of Tohoku. By letting them know we admire and respect them, we encourage them to continue the good fight – at a time when even the strongest warriors would grow weary. We also gain insight into how our own inner strength can help us if we ever find ourselves in a life-threatening situation.
We can all learn from these incredible heroes!
The resilient people of Tohoku, Japan
4ThePhilippines
4thePhilippines is a grass-roots effort formed by Filipino-American writer/producer Eric Calderon for the purposes of relief efforts following the tragic loss of life and property caused by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) on Nov. 8th, 2013.
The YouTube channel was launched by Eric, together with Stu Levy (founder of TOKYOPOP; filmmaker of the documentary 'Pray for Japan' following the tragic 2011 tsunami in Tohoku, Japan).
You can help out by spreading the word about the channel, submitting your short video, either a simple message to the victims, or a showcase of your talent dedicated to the Philippines. Email to 4thePhilippines@gmail.com once you've made your video.
And, most important, if you have yet to DONATE please consider www.4thePhilippines.org, which currently has a partnership with NPO Operation USA (founded in 1979) through which all of its financial donations will flow directly to those in need in the Philippines.
Together we can help!!
Tour de Tohoku
10 cyclists, 4 days, 311 km across the Tohoku coast
TOUR DE TOHOKU is a fancy name for the 311 km bike ride Stu and a group of friends embarked upon in September 2013. The goal was to simply enjoy the gorgeous coastline of devastated Tohoku, Japan -- and to do what we could as simple tourists.
Since March 11, 2011 was the date of the tsunami, the term "3.11" means something significant in Japan. So, Stu and his friends also embarked on a trip symbolized by "311" - a 311 km bicycle ride from Kamaishi in Iwate, through Miyagi, and to Minami-Soma in Fukushima.
Another beautiful Tohoku sunset...
10 friends began the trip, and while only 4 made it to the very end (work and physical limitations interfered along the way), everyone had a wonderful time in Tohoku. The thought is to make this an annual pilgrimage, and whether or not it's possible every year, hopefully word will get out and others decide to enjoy the natural beauty of the Tohoku coast, and help support the local economy.
This photo journal shows off some of the trip's highlights.