PROFILE
Pen Name: Tati (DS STUDIO)
SNS Profiles: Instagram: dsstudio_id, Facebook: DS STUDIO
Country: Indonesia

Favorite manga: Your Lie in April
SMA5 GRAND PRIX: “I’m Happy”

“Sometimes I get character ideas from being surrounded by nature and living daily life here in Takamori.”

What made you decide to come to Japan?

The main reason I came to Japan was to learn more about Japanese manga and to gain experience in the life and work of a manga artist. Japanese manga is wonderful. It tells a story through pictures and delivers a thoughtful message to the reader. It is memorable and resonates with the heart. Second, I wanted to learn more about Japanese culture and language. And third, I wanted to make drawing my full-time career, to gain rich experiences and enjoyment, and to make my life more colorful. For me, drawing is something that transcends the boundaries of work or hobby, and is something that I am passionate about above all else.

Before coming to Japan, I worked as an art teacher at a vocational school in my home country while doing freelance manga after work and on my days off. In my home country Indonesia, it is common in manga production to divide the work between the original story and the drawings. Therefore, I also formed a two-person team named DS STUDIO and was the one in charge of the drawings.

I am happy to say that my family supports my decision to come to Japan after COAMIX invited me. My sister loves Japanese anime. My brother loves to draw, and watching him growing up is what inspired me to draw manga.

What is your impression of Japan, Kumamoto, and Aso?

In Indonesia, Japan is considered a clean and disciplined country. I have felt this while living here in Kumamoto.

There is also a lot of entertainment such as manga, video games, and anime, and the culture is rich. As a lover of horror stories, Japanese yokai are very interesting to me.

How do you feel about the Artists Village Aso 096k’s location in Kumamoto as an environment for drawing manga? What’s your impression of the living environment and food?

Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, where I am from, is a big city plagued by smog.

On the other hand, Takamori in Kumamoto is an environment full of greenery, which is rarely seen in Jakarta. The beautiful nature surrounding me here often inspires me with ideas for our characters.

I like to eat fish dishes here because they are delicious. I also like fried chicken. But…I sometimes think I need a little more habanero pepper, hahaha.

What does an average day at the Artists Village look like for you?

I spend all of my days here drawing. When I’m not drawing, I play board games, go for walks, play baseball with my fellow manga creators, play games, and go shopping. Of course, I also get a good night’s sleep.

There is an editorial staff and a family-like community here, which gives me a sense of security that makes life easy for me.

What are your goals for the future?

To create and illustrate heartwarming stories. I also hope to grow as a person through this process.

Please give a message to those who are thinking about working at the Artists Village Aso 096k!

“Dream as if you will live forever, Live as if you will die today.” If you are not sure whether to come here or not, it is better to come first. Do the best you can do right now!

Thank you, Tati!! We’re eagerly awaiting your original manga debut!

Learn more about how YOU can join the Artists Village and create manga with us!