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MANGAKA SPOTLIGHT Q&A:  Naked Ape  – 2 of 2

アバター Penmaru 18/03/2021 5 min read

“I don’t even mind if all the men in the work are handsome.”

  We sent out the call for questions, and we chose 5 of the best, from pro and con of the team work as duo to in-depth character creation.  Here are the rest of the questions and answers with Naked Ape sensei !   QUESTION 3: What is important when creating a character with special abilities? When I set up a special ability, I try to think about setting up both strength and weakness of that ability at the same time. Most of the readers do not have special abilities, so even if they are interested in a genius being portrayed as a genuine genius, it would be difficult for them to sympathize with that genious character. Therefore, by depicting the weaknesses, worries, and pains that come with having special abilities at the same time, we can feel closer to the character, thinking that they suffer the same way we do.  

Chap1 of Suicide Line published by Zenon.

  QUESTION 4: For a buddy type manga like Suicide Line, how do you start creating the two characters? Are there any tips to make them balanced and different from each other? By setting the personalities of the two main characters as opposites, the contrast between them is stronger and their individualities are portrayed more clearly. The more opposite the personalities, thoughts, and actions are, the more conflicts and restrictions can be created in the drama, which make it more exciting. In terms of appearance, I try to create a picture of contrasts. Since manga is in black and white, the amount of black and white in each character’s hair color and clothing can be drawn in opposite ways so that each character’s personality stands out and readers find it easier to distinguish them.   QUESTION 5: What is it like to draw a pair of beautiful male protagonists? One reason is that we both simply like handsome men, and another reason is that Nakamura, the artist, is good at drawing handsome men. Our target readers are women who, just like us, relish beautiful men. This work is a buddy piece, so both of the main characters are handsome, but to be honest, I don’t even mind if all the men in the work are handsome. That is our style.

Chap1 of Suicide Line published by Zenon.

 
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