Once upon a time, straying out of the
path of commitment and dedication to shounen (boys') manga, I went to
draw shoujo (girls') manga.This essay by Mitsuro Adachi appeared in the first volume of the "pocket" edition of Urusei Yatsura (Shogakukan bunko, 1998).
Adachi is a well-known manga artist, with series like "Touch", "Miyuki", "Rough"... He was born in 1951, which makes him 6 years older than Rumiko Takahashi. In the U.S., his short stories (from the "Short Program" collection) are being published in Animerica Extra.
This translation was not easy, and I could not have done it without the help of my Japanese teacher, Hatanaka-sensei; however, the final choice of words is mine, and so are any remaining errors or inaccuracies.
The original essay is, I imagine, copyrighted to Mitsuro Adachi and Shogakukan, as is the cute little self-portrait of Adachi which accompanies it and which I have reproduced here. If any of the copyright holders object to my posting of this translation, or of the accompanying image, I will remove them at once. Conversely, this translation is my intellectual property, done exclusively for non-profit purposes: please do not reproduce it in any kind of commercial book, magazine, or anything of the sort.
Comments or suggestions are welcome at jgeabana@comp.uark.edu (Julio Gea-Banacloche)
Once upon a time, straying out of the
path of commitment and dedication to shounen (boys') manga, I went to
draw shoujo (girls') manga.
Whereas in shounen manga I had felt like a pitcher with a dislocated shoulder who is required to throw super fast balls, on the shoujo manga grounds I learned to change my pitching style to slow balls and change balls.
Originally I had no aspirations to become an "ace", and I had, from the start, taken the attitude that doing really good shoujo manga was just not within my powers, so I felt rather carefree (as long as I didn't think about the future): it was, all told, not a bad way to make a living.
...yes, this is about Rumiko-sensei, but I didn't meet her until later, sometime, I think, after I started publishing my series "Nine" in Shounen Sunday Special. It was on that same year (1978), in which I came back to doing shounen comics after a few years' absence, that "Urusei Yatsura" started out in Weekly Shounen Sunday.
Now, in those days, there had already been many instances of male artists (including myself) who did shoujo manga, so it was not an unusual thing, but female artists who did shounen series were almost non-existent. Moreover, unlike me, who was doing shoujo manga without any great pretensions, this female artist was clearly aiming to become an "ace" of shounen manga.
We eventually got to talk to each other at length sometime later, after I started doing "Touch" (1981-86) in Weekly Shounen Sunday. The people at the magazine planned for us to get together for a meal and talk about various things; but, according to the then-editor of the magazine, the tape that recorded our conversation showed almost nothing other than the sounds of people eating meat.
Now, it's true that we are not, neither of us, very talkative people, and I don't remember a very lively conversation, but certainly we did not just sit there in uncomfortable silence. To prove it, Rumiko-sensei and I have often, since then, gotten the editor to join us for a meal. I talk about the things I want to talk about, and so does she.
I sincerely believe that if she had not been at Sunday I would not have continued to draw shounen manga for as long as I have. Her involvement with shounen manga, and her hard work, have been an inspiration and a stimulus for me.
As for "Urusei Yatsura", it was a series that made me pay attention to it a little against my will-- I mean, almost every week it filled me with admiration, that's all, you know. How could she create such charming characters, how could she draw such good stories in a mere 16 pages, week in and week out... But, actually, it is in her later works, and in her self-contained stories, where her greatness can be experienced. Especially the self-contained stories show a multifaceted talent in which I feel an overpowering strength, the kind that, if I was a batter coming up against such a pitcher, and there was no one on first base, I'd just as soon decline the challenge.
Talent, and a wonderful attitude towards manga. I can't imitate her talent, but sometimes I wish I could somehow imitate her attitude. And yet, this, too, is hard...!
Anyway, for a long time now we have both been pitching for the same team, and without even noticing it I have come to be branded a "veteran", somewhat to my chagrin. And yet, being a person who really likes manga, for as long as there are things I want to draw I imagine I will continue to rack my brains and go through the birthing pains.
For my part, I have quite a few bad "children" (that is to say, works); but the children you have given birth to are, every one of them, of the highest quality.
Since, such as I am, I am a mangaka, I think I understand how hard it is to continue to produce hits, and how great the pressure is, and I do worry about your health, because you are a strong-willed girl from Nigata, who will continue to work hard until you collapse from exhaustion; and yet, as my ace number 4 hitter, please continue to inspire and stimulate me, for as long as you like.
Let's try to get our editor to take us out for some really good food again, next time.
Adachi Mitsuro