I Hadn't At All Consider This Line Of Thinking, But I Can See It Work And I Like How It Ties That Plot

“Certainly Humans are Sinfully Stupid, but What’s wrong with that?”

Summary: I will be dividing this essay into two main parts to address what Dazai had said in this panel to Dazai-sensei’s writing. Then, in one short part I will attempt to connect some of what I had said back to BSD Dazai as a theory.

A/N: Basically take it as me rambling about my favorite bsd dazai panel and some of my personal take on dazai works which escalated and turned out much longer than I originally imagined…  (by that I mean this became 6k+ words) Also just my contribution to Dazai’s birthday <3 Also note that use of Chinese is present in this, since it’s much easier to find translated works of Dazai in this language, but if I do quote it, I will attempt to translate it

Warnings: Mentions of suicide, (if you’re uncomfortable with it) religious wording, spoilers to some of Dazai’s stories (works discussed [in relatively more detail]: No Longer Human, Otogizoshi, Blue Bamboo, Thinking of Zenzo, 正義與微笑, 思考的蘆葦)

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Japanese Linguistic Observations in Spy x Family - part 6

Part 6 – Supporting character musings – Eden kids

In the first three parts of this post series, I talked in detail about how each of the Forgers' specific ways of speaking in the Japanese version helps shape their character. Now I want to analyze the supporting SxF characters in terms of their speech and see what traits we can infer. I'll discuss the Eden kids first, and then the supporting adult characters like Yuri, Fiona, etc, in the next post.

I'm going to start with Damian since I feel he has the most complexity in terms of what can be analyzed from his speech. While there's nothing about his speech that really stands out to me, at least compared to the Forgers, there's still little telling nuances based on his choice of words and honorifics. He uses casual speech for fellow kids his age, and polite speech for (most) adults, which is normal…I say "most" adults though because, while he uses keigo (the standard polite form of Japanese speech) for Eden teachers and the adults in his family, he doesn't use it at all during his first encounter with Loid. He even calls Loid おっさん("ossan"), which is basically "mister" but for middle-aged or older men, instead of 兄さん("niisan"), which is the same, but for a younger man akin to Loid's age.

Later, as Loid's goody-goody act gets on his nerves, his speech becomes a bit vulgar. He adamantly shouts that he "won't hang out with that peasant girl," using the "crude" conjugation of "won't be friends with/hang out with", 相手にしねー! ("aitei ni shine!") instead of the casual 相手にしない ("aitei ni shinai"). He even says うるせー ("urusee") which means "shut up" and is even more rude than うるさい ("urusai"). I'm actually surprised he let himself talk like that in front of Donovan. I suppose it shows how passionate he is about his "aversion" to Anya.

Speaking of Anya, he's never addressed her by name in the Japanese version, opting instead to call her, at best, the casual form of "you," "omae" ("お前") and at worst, some rude name like "temee" ("手前"), the derogatory form of "you."

When it comes to his family, he addresses Donovan and Melinda as 父上 ("chichi-ue") and 母上("haha-ue") respectively. These are more formal terms for the standard polite ones typically used to address your father and mother, "o-tou-san" (お父さん) and "o-kaa-san" (お母さん). For Demetris though, he's more casual. Not only does he use plain speech, but he also calls Demetris 兄貴 ("aniki"), which is a term of endearment, like "Big Bro."

He uses casual speech with Jeeves as well, which makes sense since Jeeves is a butler and thus "lower" than anyone in the Desmond household.

To me, all of this implies that Damian is a fairly normal kid in terms of how he addresses those around him, with the exception being his extreme formality with his parents. Terms like "chichi-ue" and "haha-ue" are mostly used in uptight, flatulent families, and obviously families like the Desmonds match that description. But it also shows how this is forcing Damian to rarely get the affection and bonding he craves from his parents.

As a side note, I don't have much to say about Bill and George, since they're such minor characters and nothing about their speech stood out to me in the few chapters they appeared in. But I found it interesting that they both call Damian "Damian-kun," with "-kun" in this case being an honorific to show endearment for a male equal, similar to "-chan" for females. However, Damian doesn't use "-kun" with any of the other male students, which is another indication of his comparatively standoffish personality.

Ewen and Emile speak similarly to Damian, using casual speech for fellow kids and keigo for adults. The exception with them, however, is that they address Damian with keigo as well. Not only that, but they call him "Damian-sama," which is unusual among friends their age. The honorific "-sama" is more humbling than "-san" and is often translated as "Lord" or "Master." I wonder what Damian has done to make them think so highly of him.

Moving onto Becky, she uses feminine speech in most situations. This speech is defined by adding softening interjections at the end of sentences, like "ne" (ね), "no" (の), and especially "wa" (わ). She also uses a variety of honorifics for the other characters. She calls Anya "Anya-chan," with "-chan" being a term that shows affection between female friends. She uses the feminine "I/me" pronoun "atashi" as well.

Because of her infatuation with Loid, she calls him "Loid-sama," with "-sama," as I just discussed, being a very polite honorific used for someone you're subservient to, or at least someone you look up to immensely.   

She's actually never called Yor by her name – at first she calls Yor 奥さま ("oku-sama"), which is a polite way of addressing someone else's wife, typically translated as something like "honorable wife." But after she sees how strong Yor is and "officially" decides to be her mentee (in her mind anyway), she calls Yor 師匠 ("shishou") which means "master" or "teacher" in a trainee to trainer sense.

But despite her high social status as a Blackbell, Becky uses the most childish terms for her mother and father, "papa" (パパ) and "mama" (ママ) respectively.

It's not uncommon for very young kids to address their parents in such a way, but it is ironic that everything else about Becky makes her seem like she wants to be more "grown-up" than she actually is, but she's still just a kid deep down, at least when it comes to her relationship with her parents.

<- Return to Part 5

A manga coloring request from @vilandel ! I hope you like it, and I’m sorry it’s taken so long 🥺!

I've been thinking a lot about Hakubo lately because of the season's annoncement and the importance of flowers for him.

His youngest appearance is him watering lotuses showned by the only thing he could have called his family

Flowers crowns have always been associated with Sumire in his life.

They are also always showed next to the Kannagi statuettes. He even brings flowers to Sumire's when he is not able to hold them for too long.

It's the first things he offers to Aoi, having the whole boat filled with them, to calm her after bringing her into an unknown place. Knowing that Sumire used to love them a lot and not understanding why she doesn't seem pleased with this offering.

Hakubo also spared the children who were weaving flowers baskets, creating the school rumor and tradition because of it.

He is the mystery confirmed to have been assigned by Sakura who is clearly associated to flowers (hence the Cherry tree in this chapter guiding Sumire to make them reunite)

Flowers are a leitmotiv throughout Hakubo's whole arc especially compared to any other mysteries which don't have any flowers in their boundaries, his being the only one with so many in it. (Yako's doesn't have flowers when it's under her command)

I just think it's so sad that he can't be in contact with something that has been present his whole life and reminds him of the only person important to him.

So Damian wins the carnival prizes for her and Anya kills the bugs for him when they’re dating?

It is 2024 I am once again asking for a tsubasa reservoir chronicle anime remake

about kowloon generic romance (kgr) first episode i have to say it's a bit disappointing... i think one of the best parts of the manga is that yes, the characters talk about the nostalgia, but you can feel it radiating from the pages too!! and at least this episode I don't think the anime got the vibe lol

and i do understand the decision to put everything until the picture reveal into the first episode, bc everything before is kind of an introduction so everything was a bit rushed and a lot was cut, but there are so moments i do miss (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠) i hope the rest of the season does go slower and takes the time that's necessary to build the suspense, confusion and ROMANCE!!! (in the "love" way and the literal romance way)

Maomao is the consorts pet cat:

1) She gets rid of pests

2) She eats things she’s not supposed to

mitsuba has taken me to places of my brain i don't like (thinking seriously about beast dazai and oda)

Interview

Part 1:

AidaIro: Mangaka. With Iro as the writer and Aida as the illustrator, the two create as a team. Their works include Furyō to Megane to Koi to Sensō, published in the September 2012 edition of Monthly G-Fantasy, and Dear My Living Dead, published in the November 2013 edition. Following a miniseries version in 2014, Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun has been serialized in G-Fantasy since 2015. Starting in 2018, they created a spinoff called Hōkago Shōnen Hanako-kun hosted on Pixiv Comic in the online publication “P-Fantapy”. Along with receiving an anime and musical theater adaptation, Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun begins its second season in January 2025.

The appeal of Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun lies in its slightly retro setting, where the author blends eastern and western concepts with unpredictability, such as turning infamous Japanese urban legend Hanako-san of the Toilet into a boy, as well as another familiar topic to its Japanese audience: “the seven wonders of the school.” Even the items, hairstyles and clothing featured in the work create their own narrative. The supernaturals encountered leave a lasting impression with forms that are more than just terrifying, and Hanako-kun’s boyish qualities that contrast greatly with his dark side create a gap in personality that gets your heart thumping. We asked AidaIro to tell us more about the captivatingly comical and serious world of Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun, its characters, and the making behind it.

…

Interviewer: The theme of this special feature of Quarterly S magazine is “the supernatural.” In a prior interview, Iro-san talked about how they love Western and Japanese horror, folklore, nursery rhymes, and more, but could you tell us what draws you to them? On the flipside, Aida-san mentioned that they watched something based on “Hanako-san of the Toilet” when they were younger. We’d love it if you could tell us about creative works that have left an impact on you both over the years.

Iro (Writer): Fear is universal, something that all of us are familiar with, right? Even in our day-to-day lives we fear the dark, imagining there’s something lurking inside it. And if you were to combine this fear with a fable, like one about a “monster that lurks in the dark”, it helps to strengthen the power of the imagination. Adding a sense of realism to fiction, leaving the reader wondering if what’s written down could actually be true, is something I really enjoy. Also, I think there’s a part of me that sees horror as a kind of entertainment, like a rollercoaster.

Aida (Illustrator): I watched a TV program called Ponkickies that featured an anime called “Gakkou no Kowai Uwasa: Hanako-san ga Kita!! (Scary School Rumors: Here Comes Hanako-san!!)”. The Hanako-san in that show is an ally, so it left me with the deep impression that Hanako-san is “one of the good guys!”. “Sacchan no Uwasa (The Rumor of Sacchan)” and “Kaijin Tonkaraton (Phantom Tonkaraton)” were episodes that I found particularly scary.

Iro: I found the song “The Girl Who Trod on the Loaf” from NHK’s “Kodomo Ningyou Gekijou” scary. It was only a shadow puppet, but there was this visual of a girl sinking into a puddle of water…

Interviewer: ”The Girl Who Trod on the Loaf” is meant to teach kids a moral lesson, but the story and the events that transpire are pretty severe, so I could see how viewing it at a young age would be pretty traumatic. “Sacchan no Uwasa” and “Kaijin Tonkaraton” are both urban legends. Were there any rumors like that at the schools you two attended?

Aida: When I was in school, there was a horror boom. On school trips, everyone desperately tried to get their hands on paranormal photographs. Of course, the professional photographers never had any spirit photography available…

Iro: The school I went to had no ghost stories whatsoever. I looked around, but sadly I found none…

Interviewer: During the boom, I saw a lot of spirit photography for sale on television programs. And now, I’d like to hear about the kinds of fictional settings and motifs you both enjoy.

Aida: I have an appreciation for the old over the new. For example, back in the 1910s when commercial illustrations began to appear, they had these posters, like of posing actors, that I personally find really cool. Much of the furniture and clothing made back then I still find cute today. I also like how the people of the 1960s imagined the near future—what’s called the “retro future”.

Iro: Whether it be reading or writing, I love settings with fantasy elements. Like what you might find in a children’s book…… Recently I read House of Many Ways (Howl's Moving Castle Series #3). I enjoy the horror and mystery genres as well, but I think I prefer watching them over reading them.

Interviewer: The time periods that intrigue Aida-san are close in time to the fictional settings seen in Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun. Moving on, I want to ask you both more about manga. What was it that got you to create manga together in the first place?

Iro: I started off writing short stories alone. When I was a student I wrote a script for a play, and after gaining the experience of working with multiple people, I wanted to try creating more works as a team. I liked manga, and after meeting Aida-san in college, I fell in love with their art at first sight. I asked them if they would be the manga artist for my stories. 

Aida: I read Iro’s work, thought it would be fun to work with them, and readily agreed. But once I agreed I wondered, “How exactly does one draw as a team!?” and began to worry (Laugh). In the end, the manga BAKUMAN。had a great influence on the way Iro-san and I work together. It's a great example of creating manga as a writer-illustrator duo, and it was what helped me first understand what that really looked like.... It told me what I should do and gave me the push I needed when I was just starting out. Besides that, I thought, "I can't be the only one reading Iro-san’s fictional worlds. I want more people to experience their writing!" and that was a great motivator as well.

Interviewer: What a wonderful story. Have there been any changes between the way you two produce the manga today in comparison to when you first started?

Iro: We used to meet up before, but nowadays we mostly work via voice call. Aida-san and I live close enough that we can reach the other's house before a bowl of soup cools, so we go out together often when there are events in the neighborhood and such. When we meet up, our conversations will naturally drift to work-related topics; perhaps that's a sign that we keep close contact.

Interviewer: Thank you so much. Moving on, I’d like to look back and discuss your debut work, Dear My Living Dead (included in Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun, Vol. 0). Lilia’s unchangeable fate and the path that Cult chose were really heartbreaking.

Iro: I like anything related to zombies.

Aida: I designed Lilia to look soft and full of happiness, while Cult was given a simple design that conveys an intense weariness. When drawing the important scenes, I would adjust the lines and angles until the faces looked just right, to the point where a single panel could take me 5 hours to draw. This isn’t limited to just Cult and Lilia, but I was conscientious of how lower eyelids would move when I was drawing.

Interviewer: 5 hours... that's incredible! I find it fascinating that you even paid attention to the way the lower eyelids moved. Furyō to Megane to Koi to Sensō (included in Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun, Vol. 5) is a comedic work that was published before Dear My Living Dead. It contains Akane-kun and Yamabuki-kun, who appear in Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun.

Iro: Akane and Yamabuki were created before JSHK. They were positively received back then, so we decided to have their characters reappear in Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun rather than leave them lying around.

Interviewer: Is that so! This was followed by a three-chapter miniseries (included in Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun, Vol. 0) which then kickstarted the serialization of Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun. Themed around a well-known concept, “the seven wonders of the school”, and mixed with unexpected elements like having a male “Hanako-san of the Toilet”, the manga sucks you in with its retro fictional setting. Tell us how you develop ideas for stories that combine dark themes with humor.

Iro: It was originally a short story I wrote for an assignment that I then turned into a manga. The main characters were Yugi Amane, Hanako-kun in his previous life, and the character who would later become School Mystery Number 4, Shijima Mei. It didn't have any love comedy or ghost story elements, it was just about Amane and Mei's lives as high school students and their interactions. When we added the "seven wonders of the school" element, Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun was born. The retro and ghost story elements were added after; the foundation of the story, its darker parts, were there first.

Aida: When brainstorming ideas, there are times when we’ve done it over meals, but we don’t typically decide on things that way? Usually it starts with either a suggestion from Iro-san or a new character I designed. For example, the school mysteries Number 6 and Tsuchigomori had their character designs completed first. In the seasonal events we host on social media, it starts with an illustration I draw, then I create a world and clothing to go with it, and finally have Iro make a story out of it.

Interviewer: So you have a flexible creation process. I see. “Picture Perfect”, the arc where Yugi Amane and Shijima Mei appear, didn’t start with a rumor but with the characters being unknowingly captured by a supernatural and taken to a world that confuses the ordinary with the extraordinary. It was a very memorable arc.

Iro: I started writing the Picture Perfect arc with a desire to create a story that you could read as a standalone, like something that could be adapted into a movie. In movie adaptations, the story takes place on a large scale and ends with a dramatic finish, so I kept that in mind while I was writing. Within the pilot version Shijima-san was in love with Number 7 (Hanako-kun), but when she came to the long series adaptation of Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun that element disappeared. Since I was writing about school ghost stories, and haunted art rooms are a common theme in those, I wanted to include one here.

Interviewer: It was extremely dramatic, it had me invested. The “Number 6” arc, where Number 6’s (Hakubo’s) story is told, also took place on a large scale. The visual of him wearing a bone mask left an impression on me.

Aida: We decided a character wearing bones would appear early on in the series… Later on we settled on Number 6 being a shinigami (god of death) and the decision that he would be an oni came after. He has an invigorating face, like one that would belong to a member of a baseball club, but his actual personality is nowhere near sportsmanlike. Being able to dig deep into Aoi’s character during the No. 6 arc was really fun.

Iro: Since the Picture Perfect arc was a refreshing change of pace, I started conceptualizing the No. 6 arc by going in the opposite direction. I wanted to create a grimy, unpleasant story, containing self-serving old customs and disagreements between the characters. It was fun to have the characters get shaken up by new plot developments; I labored really hard while writing it.

Interviewer: Being able to see sides of Aoi she wouldn’t show to Akane and seeing her get worse was painful. I feel that seeing the characters grow and change is another one of the highlights of reading Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun. I also felt that Mitsuba and Kou had a nice relationship in the “Night Out” arc.

Iro: I enjoy writing about Mitsuba and Kou’s relationship. Writing the script for the Aquarium arc wasn’t easy…

Aida: We were mulling it over during karaoke when suddenly we saw clown fish and coral reefs pass by on the monitor. “Should we do an aquarium?” “Aquarium sounds good.” And the rest was history.

Interviewer: So that's how that came to be! Next, I want to talk about the spinoff, Hōkago Shōnen Hanako-kun (After-school Hanako-kun). The humorous chapters and crazy plot twists make it so fun! Tell us more about the chapters you were able to make because they were made for Hōkago Shōnen Hanako-kun and the scenes that you personally enjoyed.

Iro: I plan it so that all of the characters get equal amounts of screen time. That said, occasionally there is some bias. We were able to create the chapter where Nene turns into a Mokke precisely because it was a chapter made for “Hōkago.” That chapter (Day 9: Truth of the Mokke) is my personal favorite.

Interviewer: Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun, a brand rife with animated shows, events and the like, is nearing its 10th anniversary! Congratulations! I’m looking forward to all of the anniversary events.

Aida: Thank you! A lot of merchandise has been made in celebration. Get excited!

Interviewer: Additionally, Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun Season 2 begins airing in January 2025! Tell us what you’re looking forward to seeing in the new anime.

Iro: There is so much I’m looking forward to it’s hard to choose… I’m excited to see the opening and ending.

Interviewer: The opening and ending are like a condensed version of the work, so it makes sense they would grab your attention. To cap things off, not limited to just Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun, tell us what’s been on your mind, what you’re into lately, or something you want to try in the future.

Iro: I love escape rooms, so I have a dream of one day collaborating with SCRAP and making one. I also love haunted houses, so I want to collaborate with one of those someday, too. I want a Mokke alarm clock. Also, I want to make a Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun horror game. I love video games, and I’ve always felt an urge to create them. This feeling will never die.

Aida: I like railroads, so I would like to ride the Jungfrau in Switzerland one day. There are many railways I haven’t ridden yet that I’d like to ride within Japan, too.

Interviewer: Thank you for answering all of our questions!

Part 2:

Comments about the cast from AidaIro themselves! Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun’s Human and Supernatural Cast 

Hanako-kun | Leader of the Seven Mysteries・No. 7 “Hanako-san of the Toilet” A ghost story in the old building of Kamome Academy, “Hanako-san of the Toilet.” Dons a gakuran and school cap. Although cheerful and innocent, he’s experienced gloomy events in his past. His favorite food is homemade donuts.

Iro: Hanako-kun thinks Nene is cute, so he keeps close to her. He can be excused for this because he’s younger than Nene. Aida: The decision to make the toilets western-style came naturally. And because Hanako-kun lives in them, we didn’t want to make them too uncomfortable to live in. I thought stained glass would help make the bathroom look more attractive.

---

Yugi Amane Hanako-kun’s name during his “lifetime.” Loves stars. His personality is more mild than Hanako-kun’s. During the time period he’s shown interacting with Tsuchigomori-sensei, he’s drawn with ever-present wounds. Within the story, his physical appearance varies; he’s seen in his early childhood, his adolescence, and even as a working adult.

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Yashiro Nene A first year student in the high school division. In order to get her beloved Teru-senpai to reciprocate her feelings, she summons the rumored wish-granter, “Hanako-san of the Toilet.” Contrary to expectations, she winds up with the mermaid’s curse, and turns into a fish when she gets wet. Cares deeply about the subject of daikon legs. Ends up learning she’s going to die soon…

Aida: In manga, a character can’t always be in full view, so you have to ensure that a character’s unique characteristics shine through when nothing below the face or bust are shown. That’s what Nene’s skull broach and magatama hair clips are for. As for her daikon legs, I recall the editor-in-chief asking for the heroine to have a defining feature of some kind. Her face is pretty.

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Mitsuba Sousuke (Mitsuba) | Seven Mysteries・No. 3 “The Hell of Mirrors” A cute face with a problematic personality. Loves to take photographs. As a ghost, he met Kou and was able to let go of his lingering regrets, but due to Tsukasa and his posse he gets transformed into a terrifying form. Mitsuba, whose appearance has changed multiple times, continues to live as a supernatural. Although he is no longer the old Mitsuba Sousuke, Kou continues to be friends with him, and encourages him whenever Mitsuba feels disheartened.

Iro: He first appears in Vol. 4, and was created out of a desire to make a character of a different archetype than the rest. Aida: In contrast to Hanako-kun and Nene whose colors look chic when combined, we wanted him and Kou to really pop together. Iro: Mitsuba made his exit at one point, but because there was potential to show more between him and Kou, and because we thought he could help us dive deeper into Kou’s character, we decided to bring him back.

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Minamoto Kou A third year student in the middle school division. A hot-blooded teen who feels his emotions intensely. His omamori piercing is his trademark. Through his interactions with Hanako-kun and Mitsuba, he begins to empathize with supernaturals, unlike his brother. His special skill is cooking.

Aida: His staff and omamori piercing were designed to easily communicate the genres of the work, Japanese and Horror. Moreover, his hairstyle and face scream "lively!", though he might make more soft expressions now than he did at the beginning of the manga.

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Minamoto Teru A second year in the high school division. The student council president who doubles as a powerful exorcist. While on the outside he appears to be a dazzling, fine-looking man, when it comes to supernaturals he is unforgivingly harsh. Fond of his little sister Tiara and terrible at cooking.

Aida: Teru keeps his elbows in and legs straight, giving him great posture. I always take care to draw him making refined gestures. When he’s thinking, he has a habit of touching his chin. Incidentally, Kou touches his ear or cheek. Iro: In his first proper appearance in Chapter 9 (published in Vol. 2 of the comics), he tries to exorcise Hanako-kun. In the magazine’s questionnaire, he scored super low (Laugh). It was then that I understood that being pretty wasn’t enough to absolve you from all crimes.

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Aoi Akane | Seven Mysteries・No. 1 “The Three Clock Keepers” Nene’s classmate. A prodigy who serves as the student council vice president. Aoi’s childhood friend. Confesses his feelings to her and is continuously rejected. Even his reason for becoming a Clock Keeper links back to Aoi. Has the ability to stop time.

Aida: When he turns into his Clock Keeper form, I try to draw him a little more mature. When he’s with Aoi, his eyes sparkle with delight, but with everyone else he loses his enthusiasm and his eyes seem to gloss over.

---

Akane Aoi Nene’s best friend and the popularity queen of Kamome Academy. Knows a lot about the rumors circulating through the academy. Rejects Aoi’s advances because her name would change to Aoi Aoi if they ever got married. In the “No. 6 arc”, after she confessed the feelings she’d bottled up inside, she began to see supernaturals, and now her behavior is overall more laidback.

Aida: When drawing beautiful girls (Aoi) and beautiful men (Teru), I line in a lot of extra detail, creating silky smooth hair and sparkling eyes. In comparison to Nene-chan, her eyes have smaller highlights and are overall darker. I feel these traits are both very Aoi-chan, and very cute. ♥

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Yako | Seven Mysteries・No. 2 “The Misaki Stairs” An Inari statue with feelings for the human Misaki. In charge of the “Misaki Stairs.” Now that her yorishiro’s been destroyed, she pretends to be a cat and is taken care of as one in Kamome Academy. She and Tsuchigomori get along like dogs and cats.

Aida: The bib in her kitsune form turns into an apron in her human form, maintaining a sense of unity between the two. The basis of her design are the colors red and white, and I take care not to ruin the balance between those colors in both of her forms.

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Tsuchigomori | Seven Mysteries・No. 5 “The 4PM Bookstacks” A supernatural that’s dwelled in Kamome Academy for many years now. He was Amane’s homeroom teacher when Amane lived, and now works as Kou’s homeroom teacher. His defining features are the spider web-like pattern on his forehead and his long fingers. Wears a white lab coat and can be found in the science prep room.

Aida: There was no trouble when designing Tsuchigomori. I think I designed his supernatural form first. He’s a kind supernatural with an indifferent face.

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Hyuuga Natsuhiko A second year in the high school division. Lures Nene and friends in with his casual tone of voice. Sakura treats him like the air. A human that won’t die however many times he’s killed whose blood is deathly toxic to supernaturals. Works to destroy the yorishiro of each of the seven mysteries.

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Nanamine Sakura A third year in the high school division. An aid to Tsukasa, she spreads rumors about supernaturals in the broadcasting room. A beautiful young lady whose eyes are usually downcast. Like Nene, she formed a bond with a supernatural (Tsukasa) as payment for a wish.

Aida: When I draw the three members of the broadcasting club in a panel together, I make it so they’re all looking in different directions. With Sakura-san as their leader, there is a cool atmosphere. This contrasts with the main character group (Hanako-kun, Nene-chan, Kou-kun), who tend to gather in a circle and exchange looks. By the way, Natsuhiko has a habit of putting on airs and posing like he’s going to be photographed, while Tsukasa floats freely through the air.

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Yugi Tsukasa The younger twin brother that Hanako-kun (Amane) says he killed, Tsukasa. They resemble each other, but he has a higher level of brutality and a deep darkness inside of him. The cursed red house is haunted by “something” taking the form of a young Tsukasa. It seems he was trapped inside in exchange for saving Amane, who was terribly sick. The seal on his cheek is pasted on the opposite side to that of Hanako-kun’s.

Aida: Even in the pilot, many compositions were created with the idea that Tsukasa was a thing. Iro: It’s not that I particularly like twins, I just think it’s cute when two characters share the same face. Or I’ll think I want there to be more of a face I like, and split them into separate people to give that face a variety of different facial expressions. And then the number of twins increases, for whatever reason. Aida: Isn’t that the same as liking twins? (Laugh)

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Shijima Mei | Seven Mysteries・No. 4 “Shijima-san of the Art Room” A supernatural born from lament towards the fictional rumors that started after the death of Shijima Mei. Able to create ideal worlds within her boundary. Memorable for her ability to bring drawings to life.

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Hakubo | Seven Mysteries・No. 6 “Shinigami-sama” A supernatural with the power to control life and death. The visual of him wearing a skull head covering in addition to his animal-like hands leave a strong impression.

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Mokke

Iro: I always have fun when writing about the Mokke. In truth I would like them to appear more in the main story, but alas… Even when the main story gets serious, the Mokke are there living their Mokke lives.

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“The Boundary”: What Connects This World and The Next The boundary, the place where the Seven Mysteries can exercise their power to its max potential. The visuals within the boundaries are extravagant and large scale. No. 2’s is like a road approaching a shrine, No. 6’s has arched bridges, and the Clock Keepers’ boundary is composed of clock parts big and small. Each boundary is original and impactful in its own way.

Aida: The boundaries of the Seven Mysteries are composed of two things: something related to the Mystery’s name, and something that has nothing to do with the name at all. For example, Number 2’s boundary is composed of stairs and dolls, Number 5’s is bookshelves and butterflies, etc. Number 6’s boundary is composed of large lotus flowers and buildings resembling the stacked rocks of Sai no Kawara (Children’s Limbo.) This is based on what someone from his past told Number 6 the afterlife—“Paradise”—was like. The lotus spirits (one-eyed creatures who speak in various combinations of ma, mi, mu, me, and mo) are the part that have nothing to do with the name. The boundary I’d want to go to is Yako’s. Iro: The boundary I want to visit most is also Number 2’s. It’s photogenic, like something you’d see on Instagram.

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Aida's Key Points for Illustrating

Line Art Style Crisp lines drawn with varying degrees of pressure give the art a charming, three-dimensional style. Compared to the style used early on in the series, the lines are now sharper and have a stronger presence on the page. The effects produced by distorting lines are interesting, too. Aida: When drawing impactful scenes, I will alter the panels that come before and after and adjust the balance of the inking. I also apply light sources to produce effects rather than to show the actual light source.

Balance Between Black & White Hanako-kun's black hair and gakuran aren't just inked in pure black--strokes are added to express their sheen and create a three dimensional feeling. The balance between black and white can also be used to convey tension in a scene. Aida: Once I'm finished inking, I distribute the lighting and shading so as create contrast with the other drawings.

Triangle Motif The triangle motif appears when worlds crumble after a yorishiro is destroyed, in backgrounds and props, and even in the texture of Mitsuba's scarf. Triangles also appear in the designs of the volume covers; see for yourself! Aida: The triangles were included because I wanted to add an effect that was unique to the work. I was partially inspired by the uroko- (scales) patterned kimono worn in kabuki theater. Other than that, perhaps I incorporated them because I enjoy glass and glass-like things.

The Beautifully Decorated Recap Pages The decorations surrounding the panels are also worth looking at. Particularly in the "recaps", where characters will introduce themselves and get readers caught up on the story. The witty lines accompanying the characters’ self-intros are part of the fun. Aida: Since Hanako-kun is currently serialized in a magazine, I drew them thinking that readers who have not yet read Hanako-kun may be intrigued by seeing something cute and retro while randomly flipping through the pages. If they find the panels unique and wonder why that is, then we might succeed in grabbing their attention.

Styling the Eyes The eyes in Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun are unique, being shaped and detailed in such a way that you can tell the characters apart through their eyes alone. Here are some of the various eyes seen in Hanako-kun, showcasing emotional highs and lows to the seemingly inhuman. Aida: Nene looks at others head-on, so her eyes clearly reflect what she’s seeing. I try to make Hanako-kun and Tsukasa distinguishable through their character design. I often give eyes no highlights when I think it’ll produce a good effect.

Index Pages The table of contents pages in the manga volumes are also beautiful. The index in the Picture Perfect arc is linked to the story by depicting an unsettling broken canvas. Volume 21 contains the school festival, and depicts a flyer posted on a bulletin board. The same design appears in the story itself. Aida: The index page designs are often chosen based on how exciting they are. I create many drafts depicting impactful scenes, then select one from the group.

Covers Aida: The cover illustrations are decided by the characters. I will draft many different compositions for each cover, and there is always a lot to consider. Even the main color of the volume, which I might pick out early on, can change if it doesn’t fit the feel when I start coloring in the characters. It is a dynamic creation process.

Drawing Tools [For colored pages, colored illustrations, and black-and-white pages] Tablet: LCD Tablet (Wacom Cintiq) Art Program: Easy Paint Tool SAI 2 (Most-used brush: 鉛筆・平筆 (Pencil/Flat Brush)) Aida: I struggle with pen pressure, but I find the pressure sensitivity in SAI to be the easiest to draw with. I use Clip Studio Paint to add screentones to black-and-white pages. Also, I sometimes use Muji’s 週刊誌４コマノート (Weekly 4koma Notebook) when drafting the manuscript. At first I only ever drafted things on PC, but occasionally I feel like 'drawing while eating tasty food!', so I also do it non-digitally.

Q: What is indispensable when creating manga? Iro: Definitely Japanese Tea. I fill a 700ml teapot and have it placed beside me as I work, and I can empty it up to 3 or 4 times a day. There’s also this handmade coaster I received from a reader a long time ago that I still use to this day. When I conceptualize the story, I put on background noise that would have played during those story events. Back when I was brainstorming the scene in volume 5 where Nene meets Yugi Amane in the past, I played the 5 PM / Evening Chime on repeat for 10 hours. Aida: I take a walk for about 2 hours every day. I’ll go to the gym, or the library, or play with my hamster… in addition to copious amounts of drawing. Occasionally I’ll go on walks with Iro-san.

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Houkago Shōnen Hanako-kun: Houkago Shōnen Hanako-kun is more humorous than Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun, featuring many slice-of-life episodes where readers can learn new, unexpected sides of the characters. Editor: When the editorial team was planning to collaborate with pixiv to create an online magazine (P-Fantapy), I pitched the idea of a Jibaku Shōnen Hanako-kun spinoff and brought it to AidaIro-san. I remember telling them it would be nice to have a spinoff where readers could take a breather from the seriousness of the main plot and enjoy humorous short stories.