We’re thrilled to announce that MasterClass member Roberto F. has taken over as the main artist for the children’s book series Forest Warrior Bonolon! 


The titular Bonolon is an enormous orange giant who hails from the magical forest of Tasmun. Each issue, Bonolon encounters a crying child who needs help with a specific problem. Bonolon uses his kindness, his wisdom, and a pinch of magical power to help each child in unexpected ways, while also teaching them important life lessons! 

Forest Warrior Bonolon is a collaboration with Seven Bank, Ltd., the banking branch of the Japanese convenience store giant, Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. With the support of Seven Bank, Ltd., new issues of Forrest Warrior Bonlon are produced and printed every three months. The paper copies are available for free at any Seven-Eleven convenience store nationwide, so any child, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can enjoy the story. If you’re in Japan, don’t forget to pick up a copy from the nearest Seven-Eleven! 


Currently in its 20th year of production, the scripts for each issue of Forest Warrior Bonolon have been written by Horie Nobuhiko, CEO of COAMIX and 5th editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump, since its inception. The legendary manga creator Hara Tetsuo, of Fist of the North Star fame, creates the storyboards based on Horie-san’s scripts. Then, Roberto F. translates Hara-sensei’s storyboards into full color double page spreads.

Roberto F. had this to say about working directly with these two manga superstars:

“First of all, it is truly an honor to be working on the same project as Hara-sensei and Horie-san, two legendary figures in the manga industry. Having the opportunity to work with visual material created by Hara-sensei, to receive his guidance, and to be involved in a story written by Horie-san is something incredibly valuable and unique. Beyond that, the story takes place in a gentle and natural setting, very much like the place where I live, Takamori. Fundamentally, Bonolon is a work meant for parents and children to experience together, and I truly feel that every element has been carefully crafted to make that experience special.”

Roberto F. was also introduced to the readers of Forest Warrior Bonolon under his Japanese pen name ‘Houseki’ on the official website! Read the full interview in English below! 


Why did you come to Japan? 
When I was a child, I loved Japanese anime like Dragon Ball and Saint Seiya. I was influenced heavily by Japanese manga, and as my admiration grew, I began drawing manga with my friends at 14. After that, while working as a freelance designer, I contributed to a variety of manga and games under the name Roberto Fernandez. After winning Grand Prix Runner-up in the 4th round of the Silent Manga Audition, I was invited to move to Japan. Currently, I devote myself to my work at the Artists Village Aso 096k, located in Takamori, Kumamoto Prefecture, a place rich in nature.

Since the day I first encountered Japanese manga, I’ve felt a deep admiration and gratitude towards Japanese culture. If possible, I want to continue living in this wonderful country for as long as possible. 

Where does the pen name ‘Houseki’ (or ‘gemstone’ in English) come from? 
Actually, ‘Houseki’ is a word I have a long history with. ‘Houseki’ is the title of an original RPG I created, which I’ve been enjoying with my friends for the past few years. On top of that, my real name, “Roberto” is actually pronounced more like “Hoberto” in Portuguese, so it starts with the same sound as ‘Houseki’. 

There’s one more important reason I chose this pen name. Gemstones take the light from their surroundings and reflect it back to us as something beautiful and sparkling. As a creator, I also want to take my life experiences and reflect them back as something that sparkles… I chose this name with that in mind.

How did you feel when it was decided that you would take over as the main artist for Bonolon? 
It’s really a blessing, so I was happy from the bottom of my heart. I’m really proud to be working on the same story as Hara Tetsuo-sensei and Kitahara Seibou-sensei (Horie Nobuhiko’s pen name). Over the last twenty years, Bonolon has delivered deep emotion to many children and their families. It’s a big responsibility to be in charge of the art for Bonolon, but at the same time, I feel like I have the power to leave a mark on the world. 

For here on out, how do you want to portray the world of Bonolon? 
I want to portray a world that will warm readers’ hearts. The story of Bonolon touches on some important themes, such as compassion, forgiveness, and courage. It’s not just entertainment; it actually enriches the hearts of those who read it. I want to create works that children will read with sparkling eyes, and which will help adults remember how they felt when they were children themselves. 

Do you have any messages for the readers? 
Thank you for always supporting Forest Warrior Bonolon! I’ll plant my hopes that kindness and bravery will bloom in the heart of every reader into each page and draw to the best of my ability! I want to use my art to convey messages that are necessary for the world we live in today. I hope you’ll enjoy it! 

The deadline to join SMA24 is May 10th. Enter for a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan!