The Nightmare Dentist tells the story of dentist Mentaro Brushido. While Mentaro might appear scary to his young patients, there is more to him than meets the eye! The battle to protect children’s dental health is more complicatedーand more violentーthan anyone may have guessed. This unexpected hero is on the front lines of that battle, protecting children’s smiles with a toothbrush and a dream! 

READ The Nightmare Dentist IN ENGLISH HERE!

To commemorate his award, a Q&A article with Monster Jaja was published in the magazine alongside The Nightmare Dentist. Read on to learn more about what inspired Monster Jaja to create this award-winning manga! 

How does it feel to receive a Kyushu International Manga Award?

Honestly, I’m truly so honored and grateful to receive this award. I put everything I had into this one-shot, so seeing that effort recognized genuinely means a lot to me. I hope to use this experience as fuel to create something even better next time.

What inspired you to create The Nightmare Dentist? 

The idea came from my own experience of having my wisdom tooth removed. The treatment was painful and honestly quite scary, but at the same time, I also felt grateful to my dentist. That strange mix of fear and gratitude stayed with me, and I wanted to express that feeling in this one-shot.

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

One of my favorite scenes is when the dentist pulls out his own tooth. To me, this moment symbolizes his determination and self-sacrifice. It was the page I enjoyed drawing the most, and I hope the emotion of that moment comes across strongly to readers.

What did you struggle with when creating this piece? 

During the action scenes, it was a challenge to balance clarity in the story with vigor in the drawings. I struggled with the placement of solid blacks and effect lines, but this experience taught me a great deal about how to create clarity in your pages.

What kind of manga do you want to draw next? 

In the future, I would like to create battles that combine exciting action with moments that move the reader emotionally. I hope to make stories that are both emotional and humorous.

Do you have any final comments for the readers? 

Thank you very much for this opportunity. I have felt the passion packed into each page of the many stories that inspire me, and I hope readers will also feel my passion for manga in my work. I will continue working hard, and I hope to create an even better story next time.

Follow Monster Jaja on X here: MonsterJaja92, and on Instagram here: monsterjaja92!

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