Monsters, Martial Arts and Romance

Translated by: Takayuki Karahashi

Inuyasha, your new work that the entire world's been waiting for, has finally begun serialization in Japan, and the English translation is already underway. ^[1] Can you tell us the basis for the idea or story inspirations when you were creating Inuyasha?

Takahashi: Well, that's difficult to say, but for one thing, I wanted to draw a story-oriented manga. Also, I liked the idea of a historical piece. Something I could easily draw. That's the premise I started with.

Compared to your previous work, Ranma 1/2, were there aspects or trends in the story that you intentionaly tried to change?

Takahashi: It's not intentional, but Inuyasha is less comedic that Ranma 1/2. Actually, I would like to get a few more laughs in, but I think that can wait until I can organize it better myself.

That certainly feels the way it's going. I've read the manga up to the fifth installment. I did feel it's less comedic, and I kept on waiting for the laughs to come up. I don't remember which story, but the main character Kagome makes Inuyasha quiet down by chanting a mantra... and it's "sit!" I laughed out loud there.

Takahashi: I'd like to have more of that sort of thing myself.

So right now, you're more at the level where you're setting up the story?

Takahashi: Well, yes... that's the current stage.

Inuyasha's setting is purely Japanese. I'm sure that after the story has been translated into English, it will also be translated into various other languages of the world. Now, I'm sure world readership wasn't the first thing you had in mind when you were creating the story. How do you feel about a purely Japanese story going out to the world?

Takahashi: Well, some aspects of Ranma 1/2 and Urusei Yatsura were truly universal, but I wonder how it will work out in Inuyasha. For example, I must wonder how much of historical Japan foreign readers will understand. But of course, when I'm drawing the story, I'm drawing it for the Japanese readers, and historical settings don't matter to them. Instead, I have to draw a piece that will register to them as manga. In that sense, I think it will work out. ^[2]

The serial's just started, and we're all interested in how the story will develop. As one of your readers, I'd be happy if you could tell me what I should look for in the story and keep in mind to enhance my enjoyment of the manga. Of course, I'm sure you have story spoilers that you don't want to give away just yet.

Takahashi: Well, I'm not really sure about it myself yet, but if I could, I'd like to depict a bizarre world view.

Okay... well, the serial's just started, but how far have you planned out the story?

Takahashi: Well, I have a rough idea of how the personal relationships should work out, but that's all. I'm hoping the plot will follow. But I'm wondering about getting too tied up in relationships. So, I'd really like to be able to improvise as I go.

So you're just preparing the characters and their relationships and letting the plot develop by itself?

Takahashi: You could say that. So I don't want any premeditated conclusions.

It looks like there will be more characters introduced over time, but do you plan of having, say, so-and-so many characters at such-and-such point in the plot? Would that be in response to the plot development?

Takahashi: Of course, it would be in response to the plot, but currently, there are only antagonists, so I would like them to find friends soon. I am hoping for that.

You're just hoping and don't have specific ideas for such characters right now?

Takahashi: Right, I don't have specific characters for that yet. I'll probably come up with one the week I have to draw the story. ^[3]

It must be tough work to do a weekly serial.

Takahashi: It truly is tough.

Do you almost never get time off?

Takahashi: You can say that. Once it starts, it's difficult to get time off.

There was quite a while between the end of Ranma 1/2 and the beginning of your current serial when you didn't have regular work. Were you able to have some leisure time during then?

Takahashi: You could say that (laughs). I went to Mexico. It was my second time, but it had been a while. I'm glad I was able to go. ^[4]

Where in Mexico did you go?

Takahashi: I went to the Yucatan Peninsula again. I saw the ruins and the pyramids.

Did you stay in Cancun in Yucatan?

Takahashi: I went to Cancun and then to Mérida for a total of ten days.

I hope you can find time to come to the U.S. again. When you came to the San Diego Comic-Con two years ago, it was such a big event, for the fans and probably for you as well. ^[5] We were glad you came.

Takahashi: It was fun.

I hope we can invite you to San Diego again, but I'm sure you have something else to concentrate on while you have a serial.

Takahashi: I'll say. That does tend to become the case.

Society and times have changed since you first started Ranma 1/2, haven't they? And naturally you're older and more experienced as well... How are your feelings different now that you've started Inuyasha from how they were when you began Ranma 1/2?

Takahashi: Well, I didn't realize it myself when I started Ranma 1/2, but I must have been under pressure to match my previous two works, and I think I was rushing. I was thinking I had to create memorable scenes as soon as possible. In that sense, I think I feel like now I'm free to do what I can do.

Are you that much more relaxed?

Takahashi: I wouldn't say I'm more relaxed. I wonder how you'd describe it...

You've grown up?

Takahashi: I wouldn't say "grown up" either. I'll always be a kid (laughs).

But you don't feel the pressure like last time?

Takahashi: I do feel the pressure, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm at the age when I can keep on drawing shonen manga forever. But I do... I do want to keep on drawing shonen manga until I die.

I certainly hope you'll go on for a long time yet (laughs). Inuyasha is just starting its run in the U.S., but we'll be doing our best to take painstaking care with it, so I hope we can have your blessing. Now, I'd like to ask a few more questions on something besides Inuyasha. Your American readers learned last year the news that you've sold a cumulative total of over one hundred million tankobon copies. It's hard to imagine what the number one hundred million copies means, but how do you feel about that?

Takahashi: It's really, really hard to have a feel for it. I didn't suddenly make one hundred million copies - it was the result of many years of steady work. But it really made me happy too.

It averages out to every person in Japan owning a copy of your book. That's monumental.

Takahashi: But I do have the great mentor in Mitsuru Adachi. I could always see what Adachi's done and I would know how to follow in his footsteps. ^[6]

So tentatively, your next goal is two hundred million copies?

Takahashi: Two hundred million copies would be tough. I've only recently realized how tough it would be to make one hundred and fifty million copies. ^[7]

In creating your works, is there a particular place that inspires you the most, or do you have a unique way of coming up with ideas?

Takahashi: Well, I basically think at home, which is my workplace. But I'm thinking about my serial work whenever I go out. Especially in Inuyasha, the task of observing minute details is very important, so I keep an eye out for what's going on in newspaper columns and what-not.

Do you mean you often get ideas from daily observations?

Takahashi: Yes. Although, that's true whenever you're drawing manga.

Do you read books or see movies when your serial is going on?

Takahashi: I read books. I see more plays that movies, though.

Do you have a recent favorite play?

Takahashi: Well, I've been going to see Takarazuka (laughs). ^[8]

That you very much for your time today. I really hope you can come again to the U.S. when you have the time.

Takahashi: Thank you. I really made fond memories last time.

I hope you'll be able to make new fond memories.

A Grand Day in the Life of Rumiko

When Rumiko Takahashi's comics passed the coveted one hundred million sales point for her titles (Ranma 1/2 volume 34 was the book that pushed the total over the edge), a grand celebration was held on 6 July 1995, hosted by her publisher, Shogakukan. Guests for the event were greeted at the door by two girls dressed in "Lum" costumes... and that was just the opening salvo. Takahashi herself was escorted to the proceedings by one of her favorite Takarazuka actors, Yoka Wao, and a number of presentations soon commenced. ^[9] The voice-actors for "Lum" and "Ataru" narrated a film clip of her works to date, then Takahashi was presented with a huge piece of framed art signed by other artists, presented to her by Mitsuru Adachi, the 100,000,000-selling artist of titles such as Miyuki, Touch and more. ^[10] The highlight of the evening was no doubt the moment when a wrestling ring appeared out of nowhere- Takahashi being a great fan of wrestling- and an exhibition match between a costumed "Genma-panda" from Ranma 1/2 and "Kotatsuneko" from Urusei Yatsura began. This was followed by a tag-team match between six famous Japanese female wrestlers- Manami Toyota, Reggie Bennett and Kaoru Ito vs. Aja Kong, Kyoko Inoue and Takako Inoue. ^[11] At the end of the match, the championship belt was held high, and the annoucement rang out: "The real winner tonight is Takahashi!"

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Footnotes

• [1] When Inuyasha was first published in English it was very close to a simultaneous release, and Viz advertised it as such. However, with the Viz edition coming out at a rate of two chapters per month while the Japanese edition had four chapters per month, Viz very quickly fell behind. Takahashi's following series, Kyokai no RINNE would become the first simultaneous manga release in English history through Viz's short-lived ShonenSunday.com website.
• [2] Horibuchi and Takahashi discussed this same question in their prior interview, "The Manga Wunderkind," four years earlier in Animerica.
• [3] Takahashi's more episodic stories such as Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2 and Kyokai no RINNE lent themselves to being written week to week, however readers may be surprised to know even in her story manga, such as Maison Ikkoku and Inuyasha, Takahashi tended to write week to week as well. In 2022 she stated that because MAO, is a story with an overarching mystery, it required her to plot out parts of the storyline before beginning, which is not her typical method of writing. However she said once she started the series she began to add things she had not foreseen and began ad-libbing.
• [4] It is difficult to say with certainty when Takahashi went to Mexico for the first time. She mentions Mexico fairly often in the table of content comments that run in the back of each issue of Shonen Sunday. In 1990 she mentioned going to a department store exhibition about Mexico and Mayan culture and then in 1994 she said she would like to climb one of the pyramids in Mexico which she had done by the time of this interview in 1997 (she also mentions having done this by 1996). In 2000 she mentioned having gone to Mexico "about a decade ago". She has continued to speak very fondly of the country in the years since. In 2016 she said that she would like to go back to the Mexican pyramids once again.
• [5] You can read Joe Rispoli's recounting of Takahashi's appearance at the 1994 San Diego Comic Con here.
• [6] Mitsuru Adachi is the author of Nine, Slow Step, Miyuki, Touch, H2 and many other hit manga. Because he and Takahashi were both mainstays of Shonen Sunday and both were writing romantic comedies they have hand a lengthy friendship. Adachi had also sold over 100 million copies of his work at the time of this article (and 200 million as of 2008). They've done many collaborative drawings over the years and worked on a joint short story, My Sweet Sunday together as well.
• [7] Takahashi reached 200 million copies sold in 2017 with volume 35 of Kyokai no RINNE. You can see the artwork her fellow mangaka made to celebrate the milestone here.
• [8] In the table of contents comments in Shonen Sunday Takahashi had mentioned going to a number of Takarazuka plays. For one trip she was accompanied by mangaka Koji Kumeta (Sayonara Zetsubo-sensei, Katte ni Kaizo). Takahashi wrote a short story about Takarazuka, Reserved Seat.
• [9] Yoka Wao (和央ようか) was a Takarazuka actress who specialized in male roles (an "Otokoyaku"). Wao worked on the Takarazuka stage from 1988 to 2006 before retiring and transitioning to Broadway. In 2015 she married Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn.
• [10] Though Animerica did not mention their names this would of course be Fumi Hirano and Toshio Furukawa, the voices of Lum and Ataru.
• [11] Takahashi has often spoken about her favorite wrestlers and previously mentioned Dump Matsumoto. In a later interview she singles out Manami Toyota as her favorite.

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