PROFILE Name/Pen Name: Italo Eiji Age: 22 Country: Brazil Favorite manga: Bakuman Favorite movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Favorite Quote: “It is true that I will regret it if I keep to my dreams and failures, but I will regret it much more if I don’t even try.” -Takagi Akito (Bakuman) Entry title: “Butterfly Eye” Round: SMA17 “Moments of HASTE, RAGE, or SMILES” Award: Excellence Award Runner-Up

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“Believe in yourself, and make a fun manga. Entertaining the reader is the most important.”

  About SMA

• How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? I’m very happy, I took the first step as a manga artist.

• What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? I was in my room thinking about what to draw to send to SMA, and then a butterfly came through the window and I had an idea to create the “Butterfly Eye.”

• What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? I had never done manga before, and I had a lot of doubts at first. The first page is the hardest to draw, but then it becomes easy when you get into a rhythm. I overcame my doubts by reading and studying manga.

READ Italo Eiji’s SMA17 ENTRY HERE!

 

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  About your Manga

• How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners? I always liked to create characters, but I never did any manga chapters, because I always thought that my art was not good, and that I needed to practice. The tip I have for those starting out is “Just do it!” Sometimes we need to believe in ourselves. I really regret having waited so long to draw a manga.

• Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw digitally and also draw on paper the traditional way.

• What was the first manga you picked up? Death Note.

• Which manga changed your life? Bakuman.

• Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? Niizuma Eiji from Bakuman. I like this character because he is very charismatic. Even though he is a fictional character, he encouraged me to learn to draw. Because of this character I will become a mangaka.

• What kind of manga do you want to make next? Romantic comedy.

 

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  About You

• What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I read manga and watch anime.

• What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I work in a metal parts factory.

• Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? All I want is to work with manga. I hope to be able to accomplish this in 5 years.

• What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? Just do it!

• What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Believe in yourself, and make a fun manga. Entertaining the reader is the most important.

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Thank you, Italo Eiji! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!

Get some inspiration by checking out the other AMAZING awarded works from SMA17!