#mangaka interview

(printed in AnimaniA 4/2018, p.58 - 61 / interview originally given in March 2018 at the Manga-Comic-Con in Leipzig, Germany)

Osora-sensei, is this your first time visiting Germany? How is your impression of the country and your German fans?

— I've had a temporary stop at a German airport while traveling before,  but this is my first real visit here. The German fans are all incredibly kind! The atmosphere here is really familiar in a way. Before coming here, I assumed everyone would be very serious, but I was actually met with a lot of smiles, and that made me happy! When we went out to get food with the team and my entourage talked to the waiter in the restaurant, that exchange seemed so friendly and natural that I thought they were acquainted, but they weren't. Things like that typically don't happen in Japan and I thought it was a really nice and interesting experience. I really like this kind of friendly, familiar atmosphere!

How did you start drawing manga?

— I've always loved drawing, anytime and anywhere – even on the back of flyers that my mother would give to me. I discovered the manga style during high school, when I was 15 or 16. That's also when I first started teaching myself how to draw comics. I was still a bit embarrassed about drawing back then, though, so I never showed it to anyone. When I entered college, I got my first own computer, continued drawing and eventually started publishing my works online as well.

Are there specific manga or mangaka that you liked back in school, that have influenced your own work in some way?

— I’ve always really liked the fantasy manga Mahoujin Guru Guru by Eto Hiroyuki-sensei. The art is cute, but lots of strange characters like plants or elderly men show up as well. This was the first series that I collected and read with a passion. I’m sure this has had a lot of influence on me.

The designs of your characters are very recognizable. Could you tell us a little bit about the designs for Himeko and Shuji from Boku to Senpai no Tekken Kousai?

— Himeko’s design is shiro lolita based, so she’s a cute lolita character with a lot of bows and frills. Shuji as her counterpart was designed to be the polar opposite, so his outfit is mostly black and fairly simple, with almost no decorative elements. I really enjoy drawing characters with contrasting designs. And since manga are drawn in black and white anyway, their outfits make them easy to recognize as well.

And how did you develop the designs for Akatsuki and Paca from The Ones Within?

— In Boku to Senpai no Tekken Kousai, the main character wears a blazer, so for The Ones Within, I wanted to draw a gakuran (the traditional boys’ school uniform). That has a more serious look to it. Because Shuji was kind of uptight and serious, I wanted to make Akatsuki the opposite of that, so he’s kind and friendly, maybe even a little bit naïve – just the kind of character that is easy to take a liking to! With Paca, I didn’t put as much thought into it. But I didn’t want people to entirely hate him as the antagonist, so I gave him a cute design. Sometimes I also draw him a bit more mascot-like so he won’t come across as too scary or two-faced to the readers.

The Ones Within revolves around Let’s Players who get trapped in a mysterious game. How did you come up with the idea of putting the topic of gaming / streaming into your manga?

— The topic was actually suggested to me by my editor. I was thinking of a story where boys and girls have to escape from a locked room, and we ended up combining those concepts. Let’s Plays were also pretty popular back then, so we hoped for a good reception. Also, a game setting leaves a lot of room for different sceneries and outfits – there’s a lot of interesting things to explore and that’s why we decided to go for this set-up.

Do you also watch Let’s Plays?

— I do! I really enjoy Let’s Plays and I usually watch videos about Minecraft or horror games.

In an interview, Oshioshio shared insights on creative process, advice for aspiring artists, and inspiration behind Nokotan being a deer. Note this interview took place during Anime Expo 2023.

With the recent popularity of My Deer Friend Nokotan anime, we have decided to republish our interview with the mangaka, Oshioshio. My Deer Friend Nokotan was initially published in Japan in Shōnen Magazine Edge in November 2019 and later made available on Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket website. ©Oshioshio/Kodansha/Hinominami High School Deer Club The manga had its North Amoserican debut in 2022,…

Arina Tanemura Interview Part 2: Working as a Mangaka by Nancy Thistlethwaite

Here is the conclusion of my interview with Arina Tanemura. This section delves into her creative process, what it’s like working with Japanese manga editors, and she answers Shojo Beat fan questions!

Nancy: How many assistants do you have?

Tanemura: Oh, ten assistants in total. I usually have three people work with me for about a week, and all ten of them will come to help on the last day.

Nancy: And how many of them have gone on to publish their own manga series?

Tanemura: Hmm... About six people, I think.

Nancy: They all debuted as shojo mangaka?

Tanemura: That’s right.

Nancy: How long does it take to complete one manga chapter?

Tanemura: Hmm, an average of one week.

Nancy: One—wow!!

Nancy: That’s the storyboard to the final draft?

Tanemura: In that case, it’s 10 days.

Nancy: Wow.

Nancy: How many manga editors have you worked with over the years?

Tanemura: About ten or so.

Nancy: Do you have the same editor for an entire series?

Tanemura: Change can happen in between.

Nancy: Have you ever pitched a story that was rejected?

Tanemura: I haven’t experienced getting my work turned down that much. My storyboards as well. No one has asked me to revise them for the past 10 years.

Nancy: Oh, wow. Okay. Also, I was wondering how editors and mangaka, in general, work out differences of opinion.

Tanemura: I listen to what the editor has to say, but I secretly sneak in what I actually want to do. In that way the best idea comes out...which is halfway in between.

Nancy: So by compromise.

Nancy: What function does the side story have in a manga series?

Tanemura: Hmm, I think it helps the readers enjoy the series even more... It’s like a bonus piece. Whenever I create a side story, I get extremely positive feedback from readers. And I enjoy working on the side stories because it helps me get a deeper view of the characters. Nancy: I also noticed that side stories tend to be more risqué. Sometimes there is material in there that you don’t normally see in a manga magazine like Ribon. It seems like they loosen the reins a bit.

Tanemura: Right. I might be a little more free when I work on the side stories.

Nancy: Your manga chapter titles are so beautiful and descriptive. How do you come up with them?

Tanemura: Ah, let me see. For Sakura Hime, I often just pick out a line about a character from that chapter. It’s like a code or theme that I want to write about. I decide on the chapter titles in the beginning when I’m drawing the chapter title page illustration (since the title needs to be printed on it). The chapter title is like an instruction or a marker that will guide my way through that chapter so I won’t get sidetracked. Nancy: Right. So it’s part of creating the story.

Nancy: In your essay manga you mentioned you want to read manga that is 4-koma, essays, and trendy love stories. Why do those appeal to you?

Tanemura: Aaah, I read manga before going to sleep. I’m always working or playing with other people when I’m awake. The time I have to read manga is in bed before I fall asleep. But I can’t fall asleep when I get excited from reading a serious manga or an adventure manga or a battle manga... Comedic manga and whatnot are easy because I can fall asleep whenever I want to.

Nancy: A friend who does her own comics in America wants to know how much you spend on screentones a year. She figures it is probably a great amount.

Tanemura: Aaah, I’ve never really counted them. But I have like 50,000 sheets at home.

Nancy: Do they send you screentones?

Tanemura: Oh no, I buy them myself. I buy them online and have them shipped to me.

Nancy: You talk a lot about music in your manga. What music you are listening to now? Do you still listen to idol groups?

Tanemura: Ha ha. Mainly Fudanjuku. Apart from that, it’s pretty much anime soundtracks.

Nancy: What activities revive or inspire you? If you have days off, what’s the first thing you want to do?

Tanemura: I talk and play with my friends. Or maybe I’ll go watch a live performance by Fudanjuku. I watch movies too. This and that, you know, to revive myself every day.

Nancy: You visited Kyoto to do some research on Sakura Hime. Are there other trips you’re planning for your manga?

Tanemura: For my manga...? I’m not thinking of going anywhere for a while for research, but I would like to go to Kyoto again once Sakura Hime is over.

Nancy: By the way, I went to Mount Shasta after Mistress Fortune came out. It’s a really nice resort. They have hot springs. [Mistress Fortune has some scenes in Mount Shasta and other parts of California.]

Tanemura: Aaah, I’d love to go. I’d love go visit San Francisco again too.

Nancy: We want you to come back.

Nancy: Are there any videogames you are currently playing?

Tanemura: Uta-no-Prince-sama. What else is there... The game I’m really hooked to right now is called “Shanghai.” It’s kind of like playing pairs using mahjong tiles.

Nancy: Now I want to ask you about Twitter... From what I’ve noticed, a lot of mangaka have met on Twitter, and they’ve been able to interact with fans and meet other mangaka in a way they couldn’t do before. Would you talk a bit about your experience on Twitter and how it’s influenced you?

Tanemura: Ah. I do really think that many of the mangaka have become much more sociable by using Twitter. We lock ourselves up in our houses to work, so it’s hard to make friends in this business. But they’ve now begun to meet each other using Twitter. I’ve been able to make many new mangaka friends as well.

Nancy: I remember you had tweeted something about Yun Kouga Sensei and fans tweeted you, saying, “Oh! Kouga Sensei is on Twitter! Here she is!” They introduced you guys. [Yun Kouga is the creator of Loveless and Crown of Love.]

Tanemura: Kouga Sensei is my closest friend right now. And every month, she comes down to my house to drink.

Nancy: I’ve seen the pictures of mangaka parties on Twitter. You guys  take pictures of food and drinks—it all looks so fun!

Nancy: Now for some questions from fans on our Shojo Beat Facebook and Twitter. Alissa asks if you would ever consider making a tutorial using watercolor and pencil instead of ink.

Tanemura: Hmmmm, watercolor is rather difficult, so I don’t use it that often. But I would like to challenge myself and use it more.

Nancy: Actually, I’m curious as to why they use inks instead of watercolors and paints. Is it because of the printing process?

Tanemura: Well, it’s smooth, and the colors are nice and bright so they come out nicely.

Nancy: Okay. So it’s better to be reproduced in ink...

Nancy: Let’s see... Brianne asks, “Where do your stories come from? Some of them seem to be quite sad.”

Tanemura: I think a lot of the time the stories reflect how I feel at that moment. Or I’d have seen a movie and thought, “If it had been me, I would have written the story this way!” That could be a source of ideas.

Nancy: Jessica asks, “How is she able to get so deep into the characters? I swear I always connect to each of her main characters.”

Tanemura: Deep insight... I basically put myself in those characters’ shoes... It’s as if I’m playing the role of that character while I’m drawing. While I’m creating a character, I think, “Why did this character grow up to be so cheerful? Why did this character grow up to be so sad?” That really helps me come up with ideas.

Nancy: I see. Merci asks, “How long does it take to create and make a character?”

Tanemura: Hmmmm. Well, I create the characters as I work on the story... It basically takes as long as the story keeps running.

Nancy: Alissa asks many questions. First up: “How does she come up with poses in her cover art?”

Tanemura: I do a rough draft before I start drawing it. How do I come up with the poses... Hmm... When I want to draw freely, I just draw the face first and work down to create a pose that would suit that face.

Nancy: She also asks how you know where to put screentones and how to panel. I think she’s asking if there was training involved or if it’s a natural gift.

Tanemura: It’s both, actually. I do it by instinct, but at the same time half of it is through calculation.

Nancy: Did your editors correct your paneling a lot when you were first starting out? Or did you just automatically know?

Tanemura: They let me draw them pretty freely. I’ve rarely been asked to revise it.

Nancy: Interesting... Because for shonen manga I’ve been told that paneling is so important that it’s the Japanese editor’s focus in training the mangaka.

Nancy: But then, he also said that he didn’t understand shojo manga.

Tanemura: I think shojo manga tends to be more free.

Nancy: Yes, yes. Okay, one last question. From Dishna: “What kind of paint does Tanemura use and which brand?”

Tanemura: Paint? For the colors? It’s Dr. Martin’s color ink. [See Dr. Ph. Martin’s: http://www.docmartins.com/] And I also use Copic.

Nancy: Well, thank you so much.

Tanemura: Thank you.

~~~

*No part of this interview may be uploaded elsewhere without prior written permission.

You can find Arina Tanemura’s Shojo Beat manga series here: http://goo.gl/Nc2Y6k

You can find Part 1 of this interview here: http://officialshojobeat.tumblr.com/post/133147682059/arina-tanemura-interview-part-1-recurring-themes

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Arina Tanemura Interview Part 1: Recurring Themes by Nancy Thistlethwaite

I first met Arina Tanemura back in 2007 when she came to our offices before San Diego Comic Con. I’ve been a fan of her work for a very long time, and it’s always a pleasure and an honor to meet with her. This is the first part of a long, enjoyable interview I had with her during AnimeFest in 2012. As part of our Shojo Beat 10th Anniversary celebrations, I’m now revealing it to you! 

Arina Tanemura began her manga career in 1996 when her short stories debuted in Ribon Original magazine. She gained fame with the 1997 publication of I•O•N, and ever since her debut Tanemura has been a major force in shojo manga with popular series Phantom Thief Jeanne, Time Stranger Kyoko, Full Moon, The Gentlemen’s Alliance † and Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura. Her latest series, Idol Dreams, is out in bookstores this month.

Nancy: First of all, I just wanted to thank you for making me a character in Mistress Fortune. I never had a chance to thank you in person, so thank you very much.

Tanemura: Not at all. I’m happy to be able to see you again after all this time. I was really surprised when I saw the shikishi (autograph card) just now. The last time we met was five years ago, wasn’t it?

Nancy: Yes, five years.

Tanemura: Time really is so fast.

Nancy: Did you enjoy the panel?

Tanemura: Yes, it was very fun.

Nancy: I think the fans really liked it.

Tanemura: There were quite a lot of people there. I’m glad it turned out nicely.

Nancy: I’d like to ask you some things about Sakura Hime to start.

Tanemura: Okay.

Nancy: Asagiri... Actually, is it okay if I ramble for a bit? Recently I rewatching Fushigi Yugi, and I noticed that Miaka is being prepped to be a sacrifice throughout the whole thing. I hadn’t realized that before, but all the things she goes through—she’s a sacrifice preparing for the big sacrifice at the end. Asagiri reminded me of that because she sacrifices everything for her town. Sakura also sacrifices what she really wants in order to fight youko. They give their lives for others. Would you talk about this theme of sacrifice in Sakura Hime?

Tanemura: Ah, sacrifice. Self-sacrifice. I have a feeling that a lot of Japanese people tend to lead a life of self-sacrifice. So personally, I thought it was a natural thing to include. Also, life isn’t fun if you don’t have somebody precious to you, so they prioritize and protect those who are important to them.

Nancy: The characters of Kohaku and Asagiri are so strong that they could each star in their own manga series. How did you decide on a main character?

Tanemura: Ah. Many of the supporting characters have backstories that are pretty intense. On the other hand, Sakura is a character who doesn’t really have experiences like that yet. She’s a character who is being reared right now, so she is a pure and innocent girl... I was careful not to give her too much color.

Nancy: I know that Eichi-kun is deceased before Full Moon begins, but it seems for Sakura Hime that this is the first time you’ve killed off characters as it’s happening in the manga. Is it difficult to kill off characters and do you feel guilty for killing them off?

Tanemura: Yes, I do think I am saddened a lot more by their deaths than the readers are. But I have to keep my mind empty because if I get too attached to the characters, I feel so sad that I am unable to kill them.

Nancy: Right. You have to distance yourself a little bit.

Tanemura: I try not to think about it too much. But I did get a little teary when I was drawing Asagiri’s death.

Nancy: One of my favorite gags in the series is when Aoba is drawing Sakura, but he draws her in the art style of the Heian era. And then he’s like, “Oooh, it looks exactly like her!”

Tanemura: The one about the illustration!

Nancy: Was it difficult to draw the detailed clothes and other historical aspects in a modern shojo manga?

Tanemura: Ah, yes, it was difficult. The really difficult part wasn’t the artwork though—it was coming up with the story. This was an era in which people segregated you by your lineage—your blood... But the people reading the manga are from the present day, and I was told that I was not allowed to include those things. It’s the “segregation” that makes this era interesting, but I’m not allowed to write about it... So that was difficult.

Nancy: What made you decide to do an I.O.N bonus story in volume 8 of Sakura Hime?

Tanemura: Oh. Let’s see. We were planning to publish a bunkoubon (omnibus) version of I.O.N, and they wanted to include a new chapter in that. That’s why. Actually, it was supposed be very short, like eight or ten pages. But because I had the chance to draw it, I wanted to create a 32-page oneshot that could be put in the magazine, so I asked for permission to do that.

Nancy: I wanted to ask you about the other projects you’re doing. You’ve made your own music CD, which I think you took to Comiket. How did that come about?

Tanemura: I wanted to write lyrics as a hobby, but if they end up being used in an anime or something, other professional lyricists revise them. So it is my work, but at the same time it’s not really my work anymore. I wanted to see how much I could express myself—my colors—without receiving help from other people.

Nancy: Was that Comiket your first time there? What was your experience like?

Tanemura: I’d been there before, but that was the first time I went to sell things myself. I’ve been there to buy things, and I’ve also taken part in it as an “uriko”—Do you know that “uriko” is?—for my friend before. But it was totally different from being a circle participant because I was responsible for everything. [Uriko means “sales helper” or “vendor”. It is a term used for friends who come to help sell doujinshi.]

Nancy: Wow.

Nancy: Recently in the Sakura Hime sidebars, you mention DJing at anime music events. How did that start?

Tanemura: My friend was the one who proposed doing a live DJ performance, and I was invited to take part in it as a DJ. I think there’s always time to try something new, so... And I love anime songs, so I thought I would be able to do something with them.

Nancy: D-Did you have fliers? I wonder if there were fliers. Tanemura fliers.

Tanemura: We did hand out fliers.

Nancy: That’s great. I want to attend one of those.

Nancy: So Fudanjuku... How did the idea for that manga come about? Did the idols approach you? Tanemura: No. I’ve known them personally for some time. And we’re very good friends in our private lives. I had heard that their dream was to star in their own manga. I had my own series to work on, so I didn’t think it would be possible to create one for them. In the beginning, I was thinking about introducing them to another manga artist. But then I began to worry. What if I have someone else do their manga and it turns out to be no good? I’d feel really bad for them because it was their dream... I think it was fate for me to have met them, and I’m their friend, so I was determined to create their manga myself. That’s why I created it.

Nancy: You’ve been working for Ribon magazine for a long time, and each shojo manga magazine has a different style of stories for their readers... What are the characteristics of the Ribon heroine?

Tanemura: A happy and cheerful heroine—someone who doesn’t worry too much.

Nancy: What do you think makes your manga popular?

Tanemura: Oooh, I don’t know. I wonder what it is... Hmm, maybe because I draw detailed artwork?

Nancy: And how do stories come to you? When I talked with Shinjo Sensei, she had mentioned that the drawing was her inspiration. The story was based around what she wanted to spend her time drawing. What is your inspiration?

Tanemura: Ah. I’m flooded with ideas when I’m moved by something. Movies, scenery, anything. Ideas start to pop up in my head from nowhere when I’m moved by those kinds of things.

Nancy: So it’s emotional. That makes sense.

Nancy: Another theme I noticed in your manga is that of betrayal. The heroine experiences being betrayed by a loved one. And it seemed to me that part of growing up is when you learn that you can’t trust like a child. Would you talk some about that theme?

Tanemura: Hmm. Hmm. Right, I do write about betrayal a lot. How can I put it... Of course, I’ve experienced betrayal on a personal level, and maybe that experience has helped me draw about it. But... Being betrayed and forgiving is like the ultimate self-sacrifice in some ways, I think. It’s the greatest form of showing respect to the other person. How the main character faces and deals with that betrayal decides the human nature of that character. Maybe when I am betrayed, I want to draw and see how the main character reacts. And it’s very challenging to draw about that.

Nancy: Yes. When I first read the part in Phantom Thief Jeanne when Finn betrays Jeanne, it was so... It was very emotional.

Nancy: Another theme I’ve noticed in your work is that of twins or doubles. It seems that one character will take the place of another because of sickness or an inability to perform a duty or handle a responsibility. Why do you put twins in your manga?

Tanemura: In the very beginning, I introduced twins in my manga because a reader requested it. She said she wanted to see twins in my work. And when I drew them, I realized it was very interesting. I believe twins share some sort of mystical connection, so it’s a very manga-like subject. I really like twins, so I would like to include them in my future works.

Nancy: Did it start with Time Stranger Kyoko?

Tanemura: Oh, I didn’t really see them as being twins when I created that. The very first real “twins” I drew was in The Gentlemen’s Alliance. Tanemura: I think the concept of a twin is “the other me.” That’s what twins are like.

Nancy: Your manga has been published in Ribon, a magazine for young girls, but you include stories about adults and parents—Oshige and Wakaoji-sama in Full Moon and Haine’s parents in The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross. Not many shojo manga deal with parents or adults. Why do you write about adult characters, and why you think they’re important in shojo manga?

Tanemura: Ah, well, I’m already a grownup myself, so I want to include characters who are close in age to me.

Nancy: I think including those characters make the stories more balanced—more relatable.

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*No part of this interview may be uploaded elsewhere without prior written permission.