First Look: George Takei's New Book, It Rhymes With Takei

It was a pleasure to witness George Takei's first viewing of his newly published book It Rhymes With Takei and to hear him exclaim his iconic catchphrase "Oh my!" Takei then graciously pre-signed copies of the graphic novel along with copies of They Called Us Enemy (over 300 books in all!) in preparation for JANM's book launch event. Due to the ongoing activity in downtown Los Angeles, the signing event originally scheduled for this Saturday has been postponed to Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Growing up in the 1970s, I loved watching reruns of Star Trek. There was something magnetic about those early episodes—the optimistic vision of the future, the diverse crew working seamlessly together, and yes, Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu at the helm. As a grade-schooler, I couldn't articulate why seeing Sulu on the bridge of the Enterprise felt so significant, but it resonated with me in a way I wouldn't understand until decades later. It was representation, though I had no concept of that word or its power at the time.

Years later, I discovered a behind-the-scenes story that perfectly illustrates Takei's thoughtful approach to representation. In "The Naked Time," one of Star Trek's most memorable episodes, a mysterious disease lowers the crew's inhibitions, leading to Sulu's memorable sword-wielding rampage through the ship. Originally, the creators planned to have Sulu use a Japanese katana, but Takei intervened, explaining that his cultured, well-educated character would more likely fence with an épée. It was a small but crucial detail that cemented my George fan status—I still get giddy every time he visits the JANM campus!

What makes this memoir particularly powerful is how it weaves together historical context with intimate personal experience, showing how the personal and political have always been intertwined. The richly emotional words and images depict a journey from the terror of feeling trapped and the anguish of advocating publicly for numerous causes while remaining silent about his most personal truth, through the grief of losing friends during the AIDS crisis, to ultimately finding joy in true love with Brad Altman and declaring that love openly before the world.

Looking back on his astonishing life on both sides of the closet door, George Takei presents a case for how far America has come—and how precious that progress truly is. For those of us who found something indefinable but essential in watching him pilot the Enterprise, It Rhymes with Takei offers the full story of the man behind the representation that shaped us, even when we were too young to understand why it mattered.

The highly anticipated book launch event is rescheduled for Thursday, July 10th at JANM's Democracy Forum. Signed books will be available for purchase, and Takei will personalize them during the event. For those unable to attend, signed copies are also available online at janmstore.com.

Tickets for the live event are available at janm.org/events/2025-07-10/rescheduled-book-launch-it-rhymes-takei-george-takei

For a deeper dive into It Rhymes With Takei read Discover Nikkei's article:  George Takei’s “Most Personal” Artwork Yet: It Rhymes With Takei