From left to right: Peter Prout (illustrator), Giles Murray (author), Tadashi Nomura (manga artist).

This blurred photograph shot with a spy camera shows the intensely private man known only as "The Ernst Stavro Blofeld of the Japanese language publishing business." Shown here raising a glass to his lips at the 13 Secrets for Speaking Fluent Japanese launch party, he is the mastermind behind not just Giles Murray's books, but also Kodansha's world-dominating Japanese For Busy People series.

Naoko Ito is the designer of this website. She also helped with researching 13 Secrets. She works in Tokyo designing corporate brochures, corporate websites and tradefair exhibition booths. The million dollar question - Is she the computer's slave...or is she its master?

Mieko Murai designed and programmed the 'Manga Movie Theater' feature on this website. When not riding around Japan on her expensive 'Voodoo' mountain bike, she works as a freelance web-designer, programmer and illustrator.