In Japan, there has long been a tendency to tease or reject people who stand out for being different—so much so that there is a proverb that says, “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.”
Social pressure to conform has often been strong, and in many situations, fitting in and being “the same as everyone else” has been valued more than individuality.
Recently, however, increased interaction with people from other countries and the spread of social media seem to have gradually encouraged greater acceptance of diversity.
Even so, I still feel that many people would rather make someone conform to what is considered “normal” than see their differences as interesting and help them grow. Perhaps that is why so many art styles, fashion choices, and creative works end up looking similar.
My manga and art style are sometimes criticized by Japanese people. Of course, I also receive criticism from people overseas. But there are still people across the world who genuinely love what I create, and to me, meeting them is nothing short of a miracle.
I’ve spent my whole life being made fun of and laughed at, and that’s why I believe this:
Whether it’s a physical feature that makes someone look different, their hobbies, their art style, or the way they draw, all of those things are precious, important, and wonderful parts of who they are—things that belong to them alone.
Most importantly, they’re not hurting anyone!
So what if I have jagged teeth? So what if my art style, skill level, or way of drawing doesn’t look typically Japanese? What exactly is wrong with that?
…Well, I suppose it would become a problem if I turned into a zombie and bit someone ꉂ🤣
With teeth this jagged, it would probably hurt twice as much, you know?? And even the smallest bite would infect you. I sometimes bite the inside of my own mouth and give myself ulcers, after all 🤣
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