Fleeting Light is the story of Kian, a paparazzo who is apathetic about his job, but feels resigned to his current life. However, when he meets a mysterious, young actress, long-suppressed feelings rise to the surface. Pulled into a spur-of-the-moment adventure by Anika, the actress, Kian begins to remember his past ambitions. Fleeting Light asks the question: do dreams ever truly die? Or do they simply need a small spark to reignite? Follow Kian and Anika on their journey to photograph a rare comet, and in the process, find the bravery to dream.

READ Fleeting Light IN ENGLISH HERE!

To commemorate the award, a Q&A article with monami was published in the magazine alongside Fleeting Light. Read on to learn more about what inspired monami to create this award-winning manga! 

How do you feel about winning this award? 

I’m incredibly happy and thankful to receive this award!

How did you think of the idea for Fleeting Light? 

I wanted to tell a story about people who give up on their dreams too soon, and to remind them that it’s never too late to chase those dreams. Around that time, I was fascinated by stars and planets, so I decided to mix the two ideas together.

What do you think is the best part of this piece? 

For me, the heart of the story is the character’s realization that his work and passion truly mattered, and that it had the power to touch lives in the way he had always dreamed it would. So often, we get caught up in rejections and setbacks, and we lose sight of the impact we’re capable of making.

What did you struggle with when creating this piece? 

Coming up with the story and script was definitely a challenge. It went through many changes, and there were moments when I wasn’t even sure what I wanted. But thanks to my editors, who worked with me patiently as a team, I was able to refocus and bring it all together in the end.

Was there anything you tried to keep in mind while creating these characters? 

I wanted the characters to be guided by what they truly wanted in life. Their desires are what bring them together. I liked the idea that they could help each other get what they were looking for, and that meeting each other made that possible.

What are your favorite manga? 

Recently I have been reading Naoki Urasawa-sensei’s works. I want to improve my storytelling and I find his works to have very engaging storytelling.

What kind of manga do you want to draw next? 

I want to try my hand with a tragedy and a serious kind of story.

What is your latest obsession? 

Skincare. Sooner or later, we all get there.

Do you have any final comments for the readers? 

Never give up on your dreams! Fight for them, so you won’t have any regrets. And thank you for reading my manga!

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