PROFILE

Pen Name / Name: Jennyfer CABALLE
Country: France
Social media profiles: Instagram: @jycaa_-_
Age: 25
Favorite manga: Probably & by Mari Okazaki, but in my childhood it was Tokyo Mew Mew by Mia Ikumi and Naruto!
Favorite movie: Without any doubt On the Wandering Paths with Jean Dujardin! I could watch this movie over and over again. It’s so poetic and the narrative voice takes me away every time… I don’t know if there is any translation of it but I highly recommend it, especially for the camera angles used. As for international films, my favorite is Old Boy. It also really blew me away!
Favorite quote: 
“Certes, ce sentiment qui m’envahit, terrible et jaloux, c’est vraiment de l’amour, il en a toute la fureur triste ! De l’amour, – et pourtant il n’est pas égoïste! Ah! que pour ton bonheur je donnerais le mien, quand même tu devrais n’en savoir jamais rien, s’il ne pouvait, parfois, que de loin, j’entendisse rire un peu le bonheur né de mon sacrifice!”

“Yes, that is love, that wind of terrible and jealous beauty, blowing over me… that dark fire, that music… Yet, love seeketh not his own! Dear, you may take my happiness to make you happier, even though you never know I gave it to you. Only let me hear sometimes, all alone, the distant laughter of your joy!” – Edmond Rostand, Cyrano De Bergerac
Entry title: “FELIX CULPA”
Round: SMA23 “My Dream”
Award: Honorable Mention

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“You can’t create based on nothing. You need to imagine that your brain is like a huge library, and the more things you see, the more entries you’ll have in your database. So be curious!“

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
I feel so honored, but at the same time so  relieved, since I was very stressed before the results ! I put a lot of effort into this work, and I was also nervous whether the story would be good enough for SMA. In the end, I felt really happy and enthusiastic after reading the comments, and I want to do better in another SMA round!

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
I really wanted to try a style that I had never drawn before, like a science fiction story. I wanted to do something like one of my favorite books, Outsphere by Guy-Roger Duvert, or something with the environment of NieR:Automata and an atmosphere like Ergo Proxy or Wolf’s Rain.

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
The main problem for me was the rhythm and showing the readers my message, so they could properly understand characters’ stories. I ended up wanting to show too much, so my manga lacked clarity. Another challenge for me was to build an atmosphere which can tell a story itself. Despite those challenges, I honestly had so much fun drawing it, and I hope you enjoyed it!

READ Jennyfer CABALLE’s Awarded Work HERE!

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About Your Manga

How and when did you start making manga? What do you wish you knew as a beginner? What advice would you give to someone who wants to start drawing manga?
I started drawing manga really late. Even though it had always been a big dream of mine, I only drew illustrations for years. I practically never drew a single manga page from the time I was 8 until I was 17. It was only when I started going to a manga school and learning with my sensei Nakashima Chiharu that I started purposely drawing manga pages.

I wish I had known to be more curious. Now, whenever someone younger than me asks for tips on how to become a mangaka, I always respond with the same thing:

“You can’t create based on nothing. You need to imagine that your brain is like a huge library, and the more things you see, the more entries you’ll have in your database. So be curious! Creating manga is not just about reading manga. You need to watch movies, read books, visit theatres and museums, learn about art history, and learn about other cultures… All of this will help you create outstanding stories and characters for your future readers.”

That being said, I don’t know if I am doing it right in my own work, but I try harder every day.

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
I have and always will draw traditionally, with paper and ink. There are just two things that I do on my iPad now in order to save time: the storyboard and my drafts, which I create just before inking on paper.

My favorite tools to use with paper are my gold Zebra G-pen (but they are so expensive in France), my black Mono “dust catch” eraser, and Kent 135kg B4 manga paper from Deleter.

What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live?
My very first manga I ever owned was Kare First Love by Kaho Miyasaka. Since manga is pretty pricey in France, my dad used to go to second hand stores. There, manga was usually offered in a buy 2 get 1 free sale. That’s how it all began for me!

Which manga changed your life?
It was definitely Sennetsu by Ayako Noda, or Incandeescence, as the title was translated in France. I read this specific manga at a very difficult time in my life. It was during manga school, and it reignited my passion for creating manga. After reading it, I really knew that I wanted to draw josei manga,  just like my sensei.

More recently Kenji Tsuruta blew me away with his art in Emanon. I also need to mention that I’m a really big fan of CLAMP and Jun Mochizuki. Their characters and universes are probably my favorites ever!

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
It has to be Haru from the movie The Cat Returns from Studio Ghibli. She’s not from a manga, but I’m clumsy like her, and I found her so cute when I was younger!

What kind of manga do you want to make next?
In my next work, I really want to test out all kinds of different story types, but at the same time always incorporate a josei manga touch. I want to use a very cinematographic way of telling stories based on human emotions and subjects from our society.

In my country, I think most readers are used to reading shonen manga, so most French mangaka draw shonen. The challenge will be to stand out enough without losing any readers by differing too much from what they normally read.

About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
When I’m not drawing manga, I crochet and sing a lot.

I also spend time with my boyfriend by watching him playing video games (although I usually fall asleep haha), and I enjoy hugging and taking care of my two little sweet baby bunny girls: Praline and Miffy!

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
I teach manga and drawing classes to middle school and high school students, but most of my time is spent on my own manga, Ruins: Urah’s Mystery. I’m hoping it will be published soon through my editors at Myria Éditions. I also want to take a moment to give a big thank you to my precious friend Juliette, who really helped me stay faithful to my deadlines xD


Where do you see your manga career in five years time?
I honestly don’t really know how to respond! There is one thing on my mind, though: I will never stop learning and trying to tell stories better. One of my biggest dreams is to make the josei manga genre shine in France, but not as a Japanese mangaka would do it. I want to use the standard language of Japanese manga, but add a more french touch in terms of feeling, relationships, etc. I don’t know if I will be able to do it, and I know it could sound presumptuous, but I really want to try my best. I think dreams exist for this reason!

What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
I would give you exactly the same response as in the fourth question, but I’ll just add that I should learn to be more patient, and that it’s okay to fail. Being so afraid of failing that you never do anything will never help you grow. That feeling will lead you nowhere. Trying is learning. If you’re always waiting for someone to tell you ‘now is the right moment!’ or ‘you’re a real mangaka now!’, you’ll never do anything.

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
Innovate! Put your whole heart in it, and maybe…a little of you? Like a living experience, a personal fear, or a happy memory? Make your readers experience emotions. When working towards this aim, imperfection is actually necessary, so don’t just try to get ‘better’ at drawing. After all, our flaws make us humans ‘perfect’.

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Thank you, Jennyfer CABALLE! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!