#nemimi

March Birthdays

Question: Congratulations on the release of Log Horizon 10. Let's jump straight to the questions. How did you feel when you were overtaken by the anime while writing volume 10?

Mamare: It was all according to keikaku (nervously) (TL: He didn't actually say that, but that's the gist). Actually, that's a lie; it was really rushed. I felt like I was going to die during the weekly anime meetings where I had to give them the plot and materials.

Question: In the settings book and the TRPG, you've given out details about some of the characters in the real world. Will you be doing that for the rest?

Mamare: There will be some characters that will never be given any background. I write them when it's needed, but in most cases, giving them a background will limit the freedom in writing them (TL: he's referring to fan artists/fan writers). With William, his name isn't as important as where he's from and what kind of place he lives in. But with Naotsugu, his name is a big part of who he is.

Question: Charasin takes an active role in this volume. Is he doing this for a girl?

Mamare: There are times when fighting for your friends (the mission) is more important than having a lover.

Question: I've heard that you like Häagen-Dazs. Please tell us about it.

Mamare: Sicilian Lemon Pie is delicious, although it has a mafia-like name. (TL: It's a Japanese-original flavor, and I think the whole "mafia" thing loses some context in the West since we have more connotations about Sicily than just the mafia.)

Question: Nemimi made an appearance in the anime due to her popularity. Please tell us about her shoulder pads. (TL: Nemimi's the girl that was being bullied by the merchant at the end of S1 and reappeared for the Akiba raid.)

Mamare: Nemimi rents out a room in the inn that has a built-in bed, and brings a kotatsu in as well. Since she gradually falls asleep while reading the Akiba Chronicle, she doesn't keep her shoulder pad on normally. It's a coordinate item. If she gets shy talking to Shiroe, she'll ram him with her shoulder. (TL: Literally what.)

Question: Where do you want to go to play?

Mamare: My first choice would probably be Mito. It's around two hours from home. Kairaku-en is also very beautiful and cozy. (TL: Mito is a city in the Ibaraki Prefecture, Kairaku-en is a garden located in Mito and is called one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan.)

Question: Kanami has played an active role in the anime. Please tell me her three sizes. (TL: What the hell? For those who don't know, the 'three sizes' is the Japanese term for bust, waist, and hip measurements.)

Mamare: That's Hara-sensei's affair, but I think she looks great. I'd love to know what diet she has to maintain that figure.

Question: A question about the Log Horizon Gaiden. Did you work with Yamane-sensei?

Mamare: Since Yamane-sensei is cautious, we were generally ahead of schedule. He was quite serious about it, too. Occasionally I heard him mutter things like "Work is late...The one in charge of clients changed...Specification changes...Death march..." I think he may have been traumatized in the past. It's alright. Publication is black, too.

Question: Please tell us a bit about the Gaiden's protagonist, Kushi Yatama.

Mamare: I'd say that she's very "normal" in several regards. While she likes the game, it's not her sole hobby; even though she wants the company of others, she's not overly fearful, and she is good at caring for others. It's her natural reaction to help a friend in trouble. Her "normality" is her strength and charm that draws people to her in this abnormal state of events. She's the kind of person who would ask you to be her friend.

Question: Please tell us about Kushi's friend, Yaezakura.

Mamare: (TL: I can't be bothered to try and decipher what was said about a character most people don't know about. I think Mamare basically said that Yae's constant insistence that she has a boyfriend should be suspect.)

Question: Please give a word to potential side-story authors.

Mamare: First, I would like to thank Yamane-sensei for leading the vanguard; I'm glad I got to read his works beforehand. (TL: Not translating the middle sentence because it's one of Mamare's long descriptions, something about accidentally putting two sugar sticks into coffee when there's 104 minutes till dawn. Probably writing struggles.) I hope the number of side-stories will continue to grow.

Question: Last question. What's the story in the next volume?