PROFILE
Pen Name: Vanilla
Country: Indonesia

Favorite manga: Natsume’s Book of Friends
SMA-EX4 Excellence Award: “Little Hero”

“Your fellow manga artists and editors will generously give you tips on how to draw and improve your work.”

What made you decide to come to Japan?

It has always been a dream of ours to work in Japan, where there is a lot of great manga being produced. We are more than happy to gain the know-how through the manga production process. Our family and friends are very happy for us to have been invited to Japan by COAMIX Inc., and we too feel honored to have been invited. Before coming to Japan, we used to draw artworks and publish them in doujinshi magazines.

Our favorite Japanese manga is “Natsume’s Book of Friends.” Japanese manga has a good design and storyline, and once you start reading it, you are immersed in the story. We like to read paper comics because we feel that they are of high quality as well.

What is your impression of Japan, Kumamoto, and Aso?

Aso in Kumamoto is a beautiful place surrounded by mountains and greenery. The scenery is amazing. Sometimes when we spend our days here, ideas for new works come to us naturally.

Also, since it is easily accessible from Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, where we are from, we did not feel any physical or mental burden in coming to Kumamoto.

How do you feel about the Artists Village Aso 096k’s location in Kumamoto as an environment for drawing manga? What’s your impression of the living environment and food?

It’s a great place to work, where people give you a helping hand when you need it. Our colleagues, including Tati, who is also from Indonesia, are always willing to give us tips on how to draw if we ask them. It is also a good place to hone your skills as the editors are the first readers to give you feedback on your work.

The living environment is comfortable. There are six rooms in each residential building, and our roommates are senior Japanese manga artists. They are very kind and also help us with our Japanese studies. Sometimes we are so surprised that we can see them working next to us that we even call them: “Sensei!”

Also, the food served in the cafeteria here is very delicious. We always look forward to lunch time.

What does an average day at the Artists Village look like for you?

It depends on the deadline, but we spend 8 hours a day drawing, not including lunch and dinner. There is a resting area in the facility for a change of pace, so we try to take a well-deserved break after a long day of concentrated work.

What are your goals for the future?

Our goal is to debut as a professional manga creator. We want to continue to draw good works. This has been our dream since we were children. We hope to make the most of the fact that we are a two-person team, and we will be able to work together for a long time, making up for each other’s short-comings.

Please give a message to those who are thinking about working at the Artists Village Aso 096k!

Work hard with the goal of creating a good manga! And don’t forget to apply for the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®. The first step to open the door to the Artists Village is to submit your manga to the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®.

Thank you, Vanilla! We’re looking forward to your original manga debut!

Learn more about how YOU can join the Artists Village and create manga with us!