Let's start off the new year with another long interview between Azuma Hideo and Yonezawa Yoshihiro. I also translated a fan letter from Takahashi Rumiko, and included some samples of a few of the other articles. You could consider this a prequel to the interview in the 'Azuma Hideo <Complete Special Feature> Bishoujo, SF, Absurd Gags, and Disappearance' (吾妻ひでお〈総特集〉美少女・SF・不条理ギャグ、そして失踪). I guess it's worth mentioning tooecchi scanned several tankoubon for Azuma Hideo works that were published in the 1980s like Midare Moko, Scrap School, and Desperate Angel. Despite there being all sorts of re-masters and newer compilations, only a scattering of Azuma Hideo's works like 'Disappearance Diary' and 'Chaos Note' are available for digital purchase (
Bookwalker Digital Versions to Support Azuma Hideo's daughter Chika-chan).
Azuma: Even though they're Lolicon, everyone has different tastes. They're quite divided.
That French Twitter user I mentioned earlier created a meme based on a translation from this thread. He also got the mangaka, Tori Miki, to respond to one his tweets about reading one of his manga. Apparently, he saw the comment I made on the first page where I mentioned Azuma Hideo recommending that people read Tori Miki's manga, which might be the first concrete good that came from this thread. When I used to do manga scanlations, a French anon would also create memes for my projects on 4chan, there's something about the French that makes them better than the average manga and anime fan (they seem to actually pay attention and do useful things).
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Source:『吾妻ひでお大全集』 1981/5/15
Azuma Hideo Interview
Azuma Hideo talks about everything related to himself for four and a half hours. About his debut, about SF, about manga, about his daily life, and about Lolicon. A complete picture of Azuma Hideo is about to be revealed!!
Interviewer: Ajima Shun (阿島俊)
※This is one of Yonezawa Yoshihiro's pennames (Wiki).
"SF...... Whilst in the closet, it grows bigger and bigger and then attacks you in the middle of the night."
"I want to draw manga that appears in newspapers all around the world every day and live a comfortable life."
"My goal this year is to turn my work into play... and turn drinking into my job."
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Azuma Hideo Interview 《PART I》 Edification
"Hidden SF (laughs). I hid SF in 'Midare Moko' and 'Sham Cat', so it was very difficult (laughs). The first time I did SF openly was in 'Peke' (laughs)."
——When did you decide to become a mangaka?
Azuma: Around 17.
——What was your vision of the future before then......?
Azuma: Up until then, nothing. I just stood there with my mouth open.
——Did you ever think about settling down in Hokkaido?
Azuma: It's not as if I never had those thoughts. However, I didn't have any particular goals in minds...... I simply had a vague desire of leaving my parents' home and getting a job somewhere.
——Was the reason you happened to settle in Tokyo because being a mangaka was in your head?
Azuma: Right. Becoming a mangaka was a trend back then (laughs), so I didn't want to fall behind.
——Were you already in a manga club back then?
Azuma: I was tentatively in one.
——What did you create in school before then?
Azuma: Well, I joined an Akita doujinshi.
——Akita Prefecture? So you were a local member......?
Azuma: Right. It was called 'Hourglass' (砂時計). We released half a work. I wonder if anyone from there went pro, though I doubt it.
——Did you start drawing manga after you entered high school?
Azuma: Right. When I was in my second year, I drew my first manga with panels.
——When did you buy your first pen?
Azuma: I guess it was in my second year. So, I learned how to draw by reading Ishimori-san's 'Mangaka Introductory Guide' (漫画家入門).
※Ishinomori Shoutarou (石ノ森 章太郎) (Wiki)
——So you decided to become a mangaka......
Azuma: Yeah. Basically the same pattern as others (laughs).
——Matsuhisa-san was in the same class as you, since your first year of high school, right?
※Matsuhisa Yuu (松久由宇) (Wiki)
Azuma: No, third year. I sort of knew him from before, but we weren't that close.
——And then you entered Grand Companion (グラコン)?
Azuma: Right. I believe it was through Matsuhisa's introduction.
——Were your manga activities during your high school days mainly what you would call doujin activities?
Azuma: Right. Well, I didn't do any major cuts or anything like that.
——Then did you start submitting your works to general magazines after you moved to Tokyo?
Azuma: That's right.
——So you were already determined to become a pro when you were in high school?
Azuma: Right.
——Did you get to know your buddies from Hokkaido during your high school days?
Azuma: Yeah. I was close to Matsuhisa and the other members. I entered Grand Companion late, so I didn't know anyone at all until I was about to graduate and moved to Tokyo.
——So, you graduated and got employed en masse.
Azuma: Not en masse, but I was tentatively employed. Letterpress printing. There's many types of letterpresses, but it seems they specialised in cardboard.
——How many years......?
Azuma: One month.
——Not months, but a month. I don't think there's many guys like that (laughs).
Azuma: I worked there for a little over a month. Then quit.
——So you joined in April and quit in May or June, and it was in 1967 or 1968?
Azuma: Yeah, 1967. It was cold.
——How did you feed yourself?
Azuma: Err, I didn't eat anything in particular. I didn't eat anything at all (laughs).
——So, from then, there was quite a blank until you went to Itai Rentarou-san's place and became his assistant.
※Itai Rentarou (板井れんたろう) (Wiki)
Azuma: There was a two month blank.
——So two months became an empty space in your life?
Azuma: Well, it's a mystery......
——Did you go to Itai-san's place through an introduction or something?
Azuma: No, an advertisement in a magazine.
——Was it live-in?
Azuma: No, commute.
——Where were you living at the time? Did you move out of a company dorm?
Azuma: I didn't live anywhere (laughs). I didn't have a specific place to stay.
——No fixed address.
Azuma: I commuted. Well, it was summer, so it was fine. By autumn, I officially went to live there.
——Back then, there were a lot of those kinds of people.
Azuma: There were. There was some trouble around Shinjuku.
——So it was a fun life......
Azuma: It wasn't fun (laughs).
——So, back then, you had one Boston bag and......
Azuma: That's right. Everything was scattered all over, I had barely anything left.
——I see. How long did you stay at Itai-san's place?
Azuma: One to two years.
——Did your serialisation start before you left Itai-san's place?
Azuma: Ahh, that's right. I was already drawing when I was an assistant. From my first year, I started drawing Cuts for magazines like 'Shounen Sunday' and 'Mangaoh'...... I was invited by an editor-san who visited Itai-san's place.
——Where were you lodging?
Azuma: At first, I was lodging at a friend's house in Takadanobaba.
——Did you contribute or bring anything with you?
Azuma: I didn't contribute. I did bring in a sort of submission. Basically, an editor-san I got to know asked me to show him a manuscript, so I drew one, and he said 'ahh, I see, well, later' (laughs), and I was like 'sorry'.
——Were your first three stories drawn while you were an assistant? When 'Hangover Dandy' (二日酔いダンディー) first began serialisation......
Azuma: I was in and out. I quit for a time, and then came back. I recall it was during 'The Tonzulars'...... I quit around that time.
——What sort of person was Itai-san?
Azuma: He had a cheerful personality and a short temper. A handsome man (laughs).
——Did Itai-san teach you anything?
Azuma: I learned all sorts of things about art. He taught me the fundamentals.
——After 'Mangaoh', you were published in 'Shounen Champion', right?
Azuma: Right. While I was doing 'Mangaoh' (Hangover Dandy), I started 'Shounen Sunday' (The Iropple). Then 'Mangaoh' collapsed, and 'Sunday' ended, so I guess I shifted seamlessly into 'Champion'.
——But it must've been difficult making a living from just a monthly magazine.
Azuma: I wasn't eating good. So, I kept to the ramen life around then. But I somehow managed. The rent was 5,000 yen.
——Were things going smoothly around this point......?
Azuma: Well, somehow. Things were going smoothly. There wasn't much of a break from work.
——How popular were you at the time?
Azuma: I didn't feel popular.
——There's the fact editors bought your work......
Azuma: Yeah. Editors bought my stuff. They were acting like a seed will soon sprout (laughs).
——At what point did you realise you've become a mangaka?
Azuma: Hm, after I started working in weekly magazines. When I was working for 'Sunday', I didn't feel that way yet (laughs). So, I guess it was around 'Eight Beat'. This continued for a long time.
——Was it around 'Eight Beat' you used an assistant for the first time?
Azuma: Right. 'Eight Beat' and 'Kimagure Gokue' (きまぐれ悟空) each lasted for six months. I was washing my hands of them around this time.
——'Eight Beat' and 'Gokue' weren't very popular?
Azuma: They weren't. They seemed to be quite popular among maniacs. I used to receive a lot of fan letters. That's when my fan club was formed.
※Azuma Hideo Fan Club (吾妻ひでお友の会)
——And what about 'Futari to Gonin' (ふたりと5人)?
Azuma: I started drawing it, thinking it would last for 5 or 6 chapters, but it continued for 5 years.
——So you became a popular artist through that (laughs). What were its popularity rankings......?
Azuma: 2nd or 3rd place. However, there was a massive gap between 1st place,'Dokaben', and the rest, which didn't matter at all.
——The reason 'Futari to Gonin' ended was because......?
Azuma: It's common knowledge in the manga world if it's not popular, it ends (laughs).
——That's true (laughs). But it bounced back a few times.
Azuma: No, nothing of the sort. It was a gradual decline (laughs).
——There were a lot of magazines published by Akita Shoten back then.
Azuma: I did various works for 'Princess' back then.
——In any case, everyone was featured in Akita's magazines.
Azuma: I suppose everyone was featured. I forget the past.
——They were the most major back then.
Azuma: Major (laughs).
——And then things started looking bleak...... (laughs).
Azuma: The same time that hateful 'Gakideka' started, things gradually......
——It was around this time you got married.
Azuma: I believe it was right after 'Futari to Gonin' started. I was around 23 or 24, still young.
——Did you start 'Chokkin' (チョッキン) right after 'Futari to Gonin'?
Azuma: No, before that was 'Midare Moko' (みだれモコ). And right after that was 'Chokkin'. That was quite long...... Or maybe not so long?
——Lots of people became your fans thanks to 'Midare Moko'. Is that a reaction to 'Futari to Gonin'?
Azuma: It was a reaction. Around then, the only image I had was 'Futari to Gonin'. My orders were only those sorts of orders.
——'Midare Moko' had an SF feel, but you started reading SF when you were in high school, right?
Azuma: Right.
——So, was it true you always wanted to do SF?
Azuma: I wanted to do SF for a long time. Before my debut, all my memos were SF (laughs).
——So, returning back to the main topic, was 'Chokkin' a long-running serial?
Azuma: No, at first, it was supposed to be 5 or 6 chapters.
——Isn't that the case for everyone? I believe this one was also pretty popular, but......
Azuma: Hmm, I wonder. Why did it continue? It probably continued because it didn't cause any trouble to other manga (laughs). It all started with a plan to do 5 or 6 chapters at first, just so it could fill up the pages a bit (laughs). Even 'Moko' was supposed to end after 5 or 6 chapters (laughs), but the question of whether it ends or doesn't end only comes when its time comes...... (laughs).
——Did you think you would be laid off when 'Chokkin' ended?
Azuma: Yeah, around then, work only came sporadically. Other than that, I was filling in for people who missed their deadlines, and it was pretty awful (laughs).
——You've been doing 'Desperate Angel' (Yakekuso Tenshi; やけくそ天使) for quite some time.
Azuma: Yeah. 'Yaketen' became quite popular, but the reviews in shounen magazines were very bad. Around the time of 'Chokkin', I was hit by a full-scale attack by a net, and that made me lose motivation (laughs).
——'Sham Cat' (シャンキャット) felt like you wanted to do a little more......
Azuma: Well, it was mostly filler, so it wasn't that great.
——So, was the deciding factor the fact you got kicked out of 'Champion'?
Azuma: Probably (laughs).
——As for 'Anywhere Space' (どーでもいんなーすぺーす), you had that idea since long ago.
Azuma: No, nothing of the sort. It was a random idea.
——You mean an SF parody?
Azuma: It simply came to me. I got excited about making it a parody of 'The Cold Equation', but then got worried. Then I was holding my head in my hands (laughs). It was the first time I felt I done something original for a manga. I told myself those who get it would get it (laughs).
——Though, I heard you quickly grew tired of the world......
Azuma: That's simply a creative problem. However, I was enthusiastic about it. Even though I had setbacks, I was happy to draw SF.
——So you never received a request to draw SF before then?
Azuma: Never. I had to force them to let me do it.
——Were things like 'Parallel Kyoushitsu' (パラレル狂室) meant for educational magazines?
Azuma: And also hidden. Hidden SF (laughs). So the editors wouldn't find out, I hid SF in 'Midare Moko' and 'Sham Cat', so it was very difficult (laughs). The first time I did SF openly was in 'Peke' (laughs).
——Around this point, you gave up on 'Champion' and just didn't care (laughs).
Azuma: It felt like I abandoned them around this point.
——Then you started doing things in minor magazines (laughs). You started drawing here and there, and gained a lot of attention. Like 'Absurd Diary' (不条理日記), why did you draw something like that?
Azuma: When I said I liked Tsutsui Yasutaka-san (筒井康隆), an editor told me to draw something like 'Samba of Running and Chasing' (脱走と追跡のサンバ). But how was I supposed to draw that (laughs)? I agonised over it, and that's how it turned out (laughs).
——Did you think you would win the Nebula Award for this?
Azuma: No, the thought never occurred to me (laughs).
——Speaking of 'Absurd Diary', they say even maniacs didn't understand it at first.
Azuma: I believed no one would understand it.
——In what form did news of the Nebula Award come to you?
Azuma: It came in a letter.
——Apparently, someone involved said if they told people in advance, they might tell others, which would've been bad, and that they shouldn't let people know next time. You must've told an editor or someone.
Azuma: I told them. I was so happy I blurted it out (laughs).
——So you were happy?
Azuma: Yeah.
——The Nebula Award made you an instant leader in the SF world.
Azuma: I don't know about that (laughs).
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Azuma Hideo Interview 《PART Ⅱ》 SF
"SF, you see, was a long history of abuse. Perhaps it's because I didn't have any friends like that around me back then, but whenever I try to talk about SF, people would tell me SF is full of lies (laughs)."
——Last year, you won the Nebula Award, and became an instant favoured child of the SF world (laughs). I imagine since then many SF fans have gathered to you, Azuma-san, but what sort of folk usually visit you?
Azuma: Serious student-sans. Speaking of which, some of them were quite radical. Often, when I ask them about it, I find out they're Lolicon.
——Do you generally prefer overseas SF?
Azuma: That's right.
——You also have 'Amazing Stories', that's surprisingly old.
※Amazing Stories (Wiki)
Azuma: Well, I bought those at a used bookstore. I haven't read most of them (laughs). I collect them at used bookstores.
——There's a story you had SF fans in the past, but......
Azuma: For a while. Shortly after my debut. Then, when I was drawing 'Futari to Gonin', they completely vanished all at once (laughs). They thought I was a hentai (laughs).
——Did they come back around the time you were serialised in 'Peke'?
Azuma: They did.
——Have you ever found it difficult to get along with SF fans because they tend to speak in a language unique to SF fans?
Azuma: I have. I didn't have any deep relationships with them. I was a lonely SF fan.
——So you were a solitary fan and didn't attend very many SF fan gatherings. Was it after you won the Nebula Award that you started to attend SF conventions?
Azuma: That's right. Speaking of SF fans, many of them are quite extroverted. Well, there's plenty of people with abnormal personalities. I'm a gloomy person at heart, so I can't get along with them.
——Don't you think they can be divided into several types?
Azuma: However, there weren't many dark SF fans.
——When it comes to SF itself, do you enjoy dark stuff? How do I put it......?
Azuma: No, I always enjoyed light-hearted gags for the most part.
——Which of Sturgeon's works do you prefer? His long stories, or his short stories?
Azuma: I prefer his short stories in general.
——So, what's your favourite long story?
Azuma: As I have said many times (laughs), 'More Than Human'.
——What attracted you to it? The girls (laughs)?
Azuma: I also like the girls, but what I liked was the fact there weren't any decent people in it (laughs).
——What about 'The Dreaming Jewels'......?
Azuma: I also like that.
——What is your favourite short story?
Azuma: I guess 'The Other Cellia'...... It was a story about a girl who sheds her skin.
——You like that (laughs).
Azuma: It's a scary story (laughs).
——What about 'Bianca's Hands'......?
Azuma: That's a story I also like.
——You say you like Sturgeon, Brown, and Sheckley, but it would be weird to ask which of Brown's short stories you like, so what about his long ones......?
Azuma: Long ones...... I wonder. I guess 'Martians, Go Home' (laughs).
——What about Sheckley......?
Azuma: I hardly read any of Sheckley's long stories. But his short stories are sophisticated and interesting. But I doubt neither Brown nor Sheckley are well-known these days (laughs).
——But back in the day, it was normal to start with one of their works. What's the work among Sheckley's you remember......?
Azuma: 'Untouched by Human Hands'. I'm still impressed by that one. I don't believe it's old-fashioned.
——True. However, the world described to be set in the future feels a little different from how we feel now......
Azuma: Ahh, is that so? But when it comes to the image of SF, I like simple stories about a rocket landing on an unknown planet.
——Have you also read any New Wave?
Azuma: I read a little, but the people I like are limited to Delany and Aldiss...... I haven't followed the others very much.
——What about your favourite among Japanese writers......?
Azuma: Tsutsui-san.
※Tsutsui Yasutaka (筒井康隆) (Wiki)
——Could you name your favourite 4 or 5 of Tsutsui's works?
Azuma: The first one I read was 'The Toukaidou War' (東海道戦争), I like that one. 'Chronicle of the Horse’s Head Crisis' (馬の首風雲録) was amazing. Then there's the 'Nanase' (七瀬) series. 'Metamorphosis Archipelago' (メタモルフォセス群島). What else...... What else? SF Manga!
——Have you read 'Virtual Men' (虚人たち)?
Azuma: Yeah. I skimmed a bit, but I read most of it.
——You mentioned 'The Long Afternoon of Earth' (Aldiss) and 'Chronicle of the Horse’s Head Crisis' as works you would like to adapt into manga. What was it about these works that attracted you?
Azuma: For 'The Long Afternoon of Earth', it was the image of the artwork. Like the trees are my personal hobby, those parts. Also, it had a dark feel to it. For 'Chronicle of the Horse's Head Crisis', it was the interesting characters.
——What about the monster-orientation in them? It's debatable whether they should be called monsters......
Azuma: I enjoy things that don't make sense.
——So, what's your favourite SF monster?
Azuma: The sandworms that appeared in 'Dune'. The Traverser that appeared in 'The Long Afternoon of Earth'.
——Weaving a spider's thread......
Azuma: Correct. The rest are brutal, so I don't like them (laughs). I can't make them into a bed.
——Do you like Tezuka-san's monsters?
Azuma: I absolutely like Tezuka-san's monsters. That's basically what they are. My favourite is from 'The Adventure of Rock' (ロック冒険記). The one shaped like a hand. The image around it is......
——You mentioned something like a definition of SF during last year's SF convention, but could you repeat that here?
Azuma: A mad scientist appears, a robot appears, and a beauty is attacked by a monster.
——On that topic, what kind of image do you have of a mad scientist?
Azuma: That scientist from 'The Men who Murdered Mohammed'. He gets angry when he sees his wife cheating on him, so he goes into his basement to create a time machine. He tries to murder his wife's ancestors, but couldn't do it (laughs).
——What part do you enjoy seeing in your favourite SF movie?
Azuma: I haven't watched very many SF. I only watched 'Godzilla' long ago (laughs). And then, for the first time since I came to Tokyo... My favourite is 'Forbidden Planet'. I saw it on TV. It was amazing.
——How about any recent ones?
Azuma: I like most of the recent stuff. I like 'Star Wars' and 'Superman'.
——Do you often go watch SF movies?
Azuma: I watch them as part of my work now.
——You said you watched 'Godzilla' long ago, but which of them do you like best? 'Godzilla', 'King Ghidorah', or 'King Lady'?
Azuma: Who's 'King Lady' (laughs)?
——I don't know (laughs).
Azuma: King Ghidorah is the strongest.
——How about the monsters that show up on the TV show 'Ultra Q' (ウルトラQ)?
Azuma: I liked them quite a bit. Like Namegon (laughs). Also, there was one like Sheckley's stuff, it was fluffy......
——Ahh, Balloonga.
Azuma: I also liked that one. I like those types. It doesn't look useful at all (laughs).
——Sheckley's 'The Leech'. What about supernatural powers? In your case, Azuma-san, you've drawn many stories about supernatural powers.
Azuma: I like supernatural powers.
——If you could have any supernatural power, what would you want to have? And what would you do (laughs)?
Azuma: Telekinesis would be nice (laughs). World domination would be easy.
——So it comes to that. And then you'll conquer all the beauties in the world. And then what will you do (laughs)?
Azuma: All that would be left would be to destroy everything (laughs).
——However, protagonists with that sort of supernatural power are surprisingly rare......
Azuma: That's right. But when it's depicted seriously, the art becomes amazing (laughs). I guess because it devolves into a gag (laughs).
——What's your favourite supernatural power SF work......?
Azuma: The 'Nanase' series! I am also quite fond of 'Mutant Sub'. Also, what was it called, ahh, I liked the 'Hogben' series.
——What's your prediction for this year's Nebula Award in the manga category? Are you thinking it would be one of your own works (laughs)?
Azuma: I don't think so (laughs). ...... Morohoshi-san. The work doesn't matter. As a mark of respect for Morohoshi-san's face (laughs).
※Morohoshi Daijirou (諸星 大二郎) (Wiki)
——Morohoshi-san's face is SF (laughs). Where does the SF inside you come from, Azuma-san?
Azuma: Standing up and reading books. In the corner of a bookstore.
——When you were in school, did you have any friends who liked SF?
Azuma: Nope! Some read them occasionally, but no one said they liked them.
——What does SF mean to you, Azuma-san?
Azuma: It's like a mixture of cod roe and nattō...... (laughs), you sprinkle grated ginger on the cod roe and nattō, and put in the maguro's butsu and mix it up (laughs).
——Understood. I understand the gist of it. (Laughs). That'll no doubt be the new definition. Please talk about the horror of SF.
Azuma: SF...... Whilst in the closet, it grows bigger and bigger and then attacks you in the middle of the night (laughs).
——I knew it (laughs). Talk about the sorrow of SF.
Azuma: SF, you see, has a long history of abuse.
——So it's personal. As an SF fan, did you feel that was what awaited you?
Azuma: I did. Perhaps it's because I didn't have any friends like that around me back then, but whenever I try to talk about SF, people would tell me SF is full of lies (laughs)."
——Has SF been liberated?
Azuma: Personally, I don't feel liberated.
——Do you believe in UFOs?
Azuma: UFOs, hm, I haven't seen any, so I don't believe in them.
——Do you believe a UFO will come from somewhere?
Azuma: It'll come from deep within the mountains of Hokkaido (laughs).
——How much do you spend on SF per month?
Azuma: Well, maybe over a hundred thousand yen.
——Do you usually buy new books?
Azuma: No, not at all. About half.
——Is SF profitable?
Azuma: SF isn't profitable. Ah, well, some do make money, and some don't.
——Do you buy SF magazines?
Azuma: Yes, all of them.
——A few words for each of them. First, 'SF Magazine' (SFマガジン).
Azuma: Conventional.
——'Kisou Tengai' (奇想天外).
Azuma: 'Kisou Tengai' is...... Nice! (Laughs)
——'SF Adventure' (SFアドベンチャー).
Azuma: I want Tsutsui-san to appear more!
——'SF Hoseki' (SF宝石).
Azuma: The interviews are interesting.
——'Starlog' (スターログ).
Azuma: The fake information was interesting.
——Who is your favourite female author in SF......?
Azuma: Hagio-san.
※Hagio Moto (萩尾望都) (Wiki)
——What is currently the best SF manga ever?
Azuma: 'The Living City' (生物都市).
——What colour do you imagine from SF?
Azuma: It feels grey......
——Is there anything you want to say related to SF?
Azuma: Whatever the case, I want to read interesting SF manga and novels.
S-ko-chan (エス子) and F-ko-chan (エフ子) to create SF.
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Azuma Hideo Interview 《PART Ⅲ》 Manga
"I want to draw SF, but I want to draw normal children's manga, something like 'Doraemon' that sells 100,000 copies (laughs). I want to draw a manga for Chika-chan (知佳) to read......"
——You seem to like Morohoshi-san when it comes to SF manga, but who are some other mangaka that you've been enjoying lately?
Azuma: Recently, along with Morohoshi-san, Takahashi Yousuke-san (高橋葉介), Takahashi Rumiko-san (高橋留美子), and Hosono Fujihiko-san (細野不二彦)......
——What sort of manga magazines do you read?
Azuma: 'Bessatsu Margaret' (別冊マーガレット), 'LaLa' (ララ), and 'Hana to Yume' (花とゆめ). As for shounen manga, 'Shounen Sunday' (少年サンデデー) and 'Shounen Jump' (少年ジャンプ). There's also 'Bessatsu Sunday' (別冊サンデー). I don't read very many seinen magazines.
——Say a few words for the mangaka you said you like. First, let's start with Morohoshi-san.
Azuma: Morohoshi-san, I want to read shounen SF! That squiggly one (laughs). Well, if it's Morohoshi-san's work, then I'm fine with anything.
——Takahashi Yousuke-san.
Azuma: I hope a lot more Bishoujo like Bun appear.
※Yoiyamidoori no Bun (宵闇通りのブン)
——Do you think Takahashi Yousuke-san will make it into the majors?
Azuma: He won't make it (laughs).
——What do you like about Takahashi-san?
Azuma: I like the sensation of his girls.
——What about Takahashi Rumiko-san......?
Azuma: Rumiko-san, I want Shinobu-chan to appear more (laughs).
——Hosono Fujihiko-san.
Azuma: Please give us something sexy (laughs).
——Are there any veterans or masters among the artists you like?
Azuma: Tezuka-san and Fujiko-san. But there aren't many Lolicon among the masters (laughs).
——What do you think about gekiga?
Azuma: I also read gekiga. Artists like Miyaya Kazuhiko (宮谷一彦) and Tsuge Tadao (つげ忠男)—!
——In your manga, you parody the works of artists like Abe Shin'ichi (安部慎一) and Tsuge Yoshiharu (つげ義春), but what about the seinen gekiga that were popular in the past?
Azuma: I liked them. Abe Shin'ichi for example. His stories were like pure literature among manga. The same vein as Nagashima (Shinji)-san (永島慎二).
——What about tankoubon gekiga or rental gekiga......?
Azuma: There were no rental bookstores, so I wasn't influenced very much. I don't know much about those things.
——What's the trick to collapsing manga magazines?
Azuma: That's not my fault (laughs).
——Do you have any comments on recent gag manga?
Azuma: I like gag manga and naïve manga. I don't enjoy stuff that's too eccentric.
——I heard you were also greatly influenced by Yamagami Tatsuhiko-san (山上たつひこ)......
Azuma: Ahh, ahh (laughs). That's because I really liked Yamagami-san.
——You said you were also influenced by adult manga, but......
Azuma: Shouji Sadao-san (東海林さだお), Fukuchi Housuke-san (福地泡介), and Sonoyama Shunji-san (園山俊二). I guess Shouji-san's influence is very strong.
——What about Tanioka Yasuji-san (谷岡ヤスジ)......?
Azuma: It's not the case with Tanioka-san. His sense is completely different!
——In the late 60s, Tanioka-san, Kurogane-san, and Hara-san, among others, emerged, but......
※Kurogane Hiroshi (黒鉄ヒロシ) (Wiki)
※Hara Taira (はらたいら) (Wiki)
Azuma: At that time, I was obsessed with shounen manga, so even though I read them, they didn't have much of an influence on me. I feel like I was more influenced by Koushin-san (コーシン).
※Kou Shintarou (高 信太郎)
——What tools do you use?
Azuma: Tools...... A pen (laughs), a kabura pen...... drawing ink. Pilot's security and drafting ink. The black solids are done with Indian ink. A plastic eraser. Construction paper. 135kg of calligraphy paper. The pencils are a 2B and a mechanical pencil.
※Pilot Ink (Link)
——It doesn't look like you use screen tones very much, but......
Azuma: I use them more than I used to (laughs).
——Why didn't you use them in the past?
Azuma: Because it's a hassle (laughs). Now I have assistants, so it's easier.
——Are all your pen-touches done with a kabura pen?
Azuma: That's right.
——I heard the art style is determined by the pen, but......
Azuma: Yeah. But I don't particularly enjoy superficial beauty.
——How about sports manga?
Azuma: I hate sports manga (laughs).
——Then would that include gutsy manga......?
Azuma: I hate gutsy manga (laughs).
——Then what about other manga genres......?
Azuma: None in particular, but I dislike period works. I hate period works and sports spirit.
——What are the conditions to be a mangaka?
Azuma: If you take me as an example...... My greatest trait is my haphazard personality.
——What is the key point of a mangaka?
Azuma: This is the key point.
——What steps do you take to draw manga, and how quickly does it take?
Azuma: I do a Name...... It takes about a day for the Name...... and then another day for the inking.
——How many pages do you draw per month?
Azuma: Around 60 to 90 pages.
——What number of pages is easiest to do?
Azuma: Zero pages is the easiest to do.
——Of the things you're currently drawing, what are you most excited about?
Azuma: Right now, 'Scrap School' (スクラップ学園).
——What do you think of the recent activity of Azuma fans?
Azuma: Hm, how do I put it (laughs)? I'm happy. I'm in awe, completely (laughs).
——Are there any mangaka you're close to?
Azuma: The ones I always drink with are a certain mahjong mangaka who doesn't sell well, and a certain kannou-gekigaka who doesn't sell well. We call ourselves the 'Cattleya Club' (カトレヤ同好会), and just play video games and drink. I don't have any other particular friends.
——Do you have any recent stories that are interesting to share?
Azuma: The other day, my assistant's father was searching for my work. But he couldn't find them anywhere (laughs). He asked if they were all sold out (laughs).
——He better come back soon (laughs)......
Azuma: He said that (laughs).
——Do you have any specific models for your characters, Azuma-san?
Azuma: There are no models for the protagonist class ones. There are sometimes models for passerby-like characters, but......
——Since last year or so, three abnormal characters have become popular, so I'd like to ask you about them, so let's start with Bukimi-san (不気味). Hashimoto Osamu-san (橋本治) said that one is a serious version of Azuma Hideo (laughs), but what do you think?
Azuma: Serious (laughs). That's true. At first, I drew him as a self-portrait, so...... he's correct.
——Bukimi-san has become more talkative than he used to be, but......
Azuma: Exactly. If I made him the protagonist, the story wouldn't move forward unless he spoke (laughs).
——So he was a naturally quiet personality?
Azuma: That's right. So, I made him a bit too cheerful, and 'Totsuzen Dr.' (とつぜんDr.) failed.
——Anything else you can share about Bukimi-san......?
Azuma: Rather than a simple self-portrait, he's a self-portrait I draw when I'm depressed.
——Will Bukimi-san continue to be active in the future?
Azuma: I think so. Characters that are easy to draw stick around. For me, characters that are easy to draw don't require much time or effort...... (laughs).
——For Bukimi-san, there's humans and robots, but what's their relationship?
Azuma: When they become robots, their personalities change, so they're fundamentally different. When they're robots, they become masochists. Ahh, or sadists (laughs).
——Are they normally masochists?
Azuma: Normally. So, it's not a transformation, I believe they're the same lineage, but different.
——About Sanzou-kun (三蔵). He made his debut with the role as a Sanzouhoushi (三蔵法師).
※Sanzouhoushi (三蔵法師) (Wiki)
Azuma: That's right.
——Does he have a model?
Azuma: Nope.
——What were you paying attention to when creating his character?
Azuma: At the time, I was trying to destroy Goku's image as a Sanzou as much as possible. So, as I continued drawing him, he gradually became more realistic.
——Was the object you were trying to destroy Tezuka-san's Sanzouhoushi?
Azuma: The general image......
——So, he became manly and hentai. Since then, he seems to be quite active......
Azuma: He didn't appear for a while, but I used him because I didn't have any other characters. Usually gag artists don't use old characters, but I thought it would be fine to use him.
——Will Sanzou-kun continue to be active in the future?
Azuma: I'm sure he'll be active...... (laughs).
——Next, I would like to ask you about Nahaha (ナハハ). What is his real name?
Azuma: It's......
——Is it Doctor Shicko Moror?
Azuma: Ahh, Doctor Moror......
——You made him the father in 'Fairy Forest' (妖精の森) in his debut.
Azuma: That's right.
——Is Nahaha the only one in the Nahaha clan to have hair? Do the others not have hair?
Azuma: I'm sure Dororon has some.
——The Nahaha clan consists of Trauma, Ninja, Snake, and Fairy King...... Is that all?
Azuma: I believe there's many more.
——I believe the master of Monmontei (悶々亭) is a relative or something similar.
Azuma: That one's different.
——What sort of personality setting does Nahaha have?
Azuma: He doesn't have any particular personality setting...... I guess he's the most abnormal character.
——He often plays the role of a landlord, but do you distinguish between the Landlord Nahaha and the Moror-type Nahaha?
Azuma: Well, isn't it fine for them to be together?
——He always appears in groups of two or three, is he using a cloning technique. Or......
Azuma: I guess he splits into two.
——Other than them, most of these characters are nameless. Did you give any of them special names. For example, Watabiki-san (ワタビキ)......?
Azuma: That's definitely Watabiki-san.
——Hasegawa-san (長谷川)...... The model's name is the same as the character's, but......
Azuma: That's right. He doesn't play a very important role.
——How many characters do you have?
Azuma: There's some I don't use very often, so not that many. I guess I have about 10 I use regularly.
——Itou-kun (伊藤) appears often, but I believe he's a 4th or 5th supporting character, but is he a normal person?
Azuma: He's not a very normal person.
——Was he modelled after your friend Itou-san?
Azuma: Yeah.
——So he's also that sort of person (laughs)?
Azuma: The real one is a slightly harder person, but......
——What happened to Porno Bug (ポルノ虫)?
Azuma: Porno Bug wasn't very interesting (laughs), so he naturally died.
——What about Fukinagashi (フキ流し)......?
Azuma: He seems to not show up very much these days. I sometimes use him.
——You often use fish, but do you like them?
Azuma: I like fish. The shape of their bodies.
——Dead horses often show up, though......
Azuma: Yeah. Dead horses, I like the lower half of horses (laughs).
——How about cats or dogs these days?
Azuma: Those. I used them too much, so they don't agree with me recently.
——In the past, you often draw characters with whites in their eyes......
Azuma: That's the influence of Hisakunihiko-san (ヒサクニヒコ). I liked the illustrations of 'Doctor Sunfish' (ドクトル・マンボウ).
——In the past, there were many monsters you characterised, but recently, they're somehow appearing more like passersby. Is there any thought behind this?
Azuma: Not really. I want to draw those sort of squiggly things as the background.
——What's the idea behind your trumpet tube spaceships?
Azuma: I like trumpet tubes (laughs). SF is very old (laughs). Tezuka-san's streamlined style...... I still have that sort of image in my head (laughs). I haven't progressed from it at all.
——The spaceship in 'Nova' (ノヴァ) was linear, and had a Hijiri Yuki-style (聖悠紀), but......
Azuma: That was drawn by an assistant who was a fan of Hijiri Yuki.
——Some fans are sad you've become major......
Azuma: Ehh!? I haven't become major.
——Is that so (laughs)?
Azuma: I don't know. I've tried to be major (laughs), and I've tried to be minor (laughs). Now I'm trying to be minor. Someone wrote it's a small boom (laughs).
——If you introduced more beautiful boy characters, you would be more popular with female fans, but......
Azuma: Ehh, I'll reflect on that (laughs).
——Is there any art, other than manga, that influenced you?
Azuma: I like surreal art. I like Magritte's art. I somehow feel relaxed in that sort of art.
——Out of the Shoujo characters you've drawn up to now, please tell me your 5 favourites.
Azuma: It used to be Methyl-chan (メチル). In terms of personality, there's Moko (モコ) and Asoko-san (阿素湖). Recently, there's Myaa-chan (ミャア). I like aggressive girls.
——Gags are finished in 2 or 3 panels, and the story jumps ahead, but do you give much thought to the overall flow of your stories?
Azuma: I don't give much thought (laughs).
——Recently......
Azuma: You mean what's coming next?
——Is there anything new you want to do......?
Azuma: A porno with a naïve Shounen (laughs).
——How about something that'll penetrate the majors?
Azuma: Like I said, a naïve Shounen manga.
——Wouldn't that be like a first love story?
Azuma: A daily life manga. Something like a daily life SF.
——How about illustrations or Cuts aside from manga?
Azuma: I want to draw one-panel manga like Magritte.
——You've drawn one-panel manga as well......
Azuma: I haven't drawn one recently. I like one-panel manga.
——Your works themselves seem to be one or two panel manga-like things, but......
Azuma: Ahh, perhaps.
——Is there a manga you want to draw? Can you give us a hint......?
Azuma: A dispassionate one. I can't draw anything with a story, so I'll do a dispassionate one. Hashimoto Osamu-san said a dispassionate one would be nice, so I think it'll be fine (laughs). But I don't believe there's a place for that sort of manga.
——Are the lines of your girls from your daily observations?
Azuma: That's right.
——Do the ideas for your gags come to you as you sit down and face your manuscript paper?
Azuma: Gags......? I see. Well, I think about them all the time, but they feel like they come out when I face the manuscript paper.
——What's your secret to coming up with ideas?
Azuma: Hmm. I'm not conscious of it myself, so I don't know. But lately, I've been consciously drawing nonsense.
——Do you usually write down your ideas in a notebook or something?
Azuma: I draw an image in a one-panel style. It doesn't come out as a gag. It's art I can use later.
——You get your ideas from art......?
Azuma: It's quick, like a one-panel manga.
——Of all the works you've drawn till now, which is your favourite?
Azuma: Generally, I'll say I like them, and I dislike them. But since it's mine, I cannot say anything.
——What is your most memorable work?
Azuma: Something I drew for 'Mangaoh'. From my early days.
——If you were to create a collection of your own works, which would you choose?
Azuma: I don't want to choose (laughs). I'm hopeless when it comes to what I've drawn. Choose them yourself (laughs)!
——Do you have any restrictions when drawing for a magazine?
Azuma: More or less.
——Are they restrictions you impose on yourself?
Azuma: Yes. It really depends on the magazine.
——Do you consider the venue for your presentations to some extent, and then come up with ideas?
Azuma: Yeah.
——I heard you were persecuted quite a bit, but......
Azuma: That's right. It depends on the magazine, but SF is still hated.
——Has the editorial department received any complaints about Azuma-san's laughter?
Azuma: Surely they have. I don't know. It's self-satisfaction.
——It seems they've eased quite a bit recently, though.
Azuma: That's because the place where I'm currently drawing is full of those sorts of people (laughs).
——On the other hand, do you ever find it difficult to draw what you're told to draw?
Azuma: It happens.
——Do you actually listen to what your editors say?
Azuma: I'll listen to what they say. If I'm told to draw such-and-such, I'll say 'yes' (laughs), and not resist.
——A word about your days of suffering.
Azuma: Well...... I was bullied by everyone and couldn't draw SF, which was a learning experience.
——As a mangaka, what do you think of the past one to two years?
Azuma: For now, I can somehow make a living, so I guess it's fine.
——How long do you think this situation will continue?
Azuma: It'll only last this year in the aftermath! Just barely!
——Suppose a critic said your days are numbered......
Azuma: If someone said that, I'll get over it (laughs). Then it'll be dodododo-hh. So before that happens, I'll try to transform as much as possible (laughs). But once I've fallen to rock bottom, I can feel secure no one will say anything (laughs).
——But since you've come this far, this will probably be your lifelong job.
Azuma: I'm not confident about that. If you examine history in general, only a few people survive. Everyone transforms. Even Gou-chan and George-san, who survived, transformed. I like SF, but I don't have a story disposition...... So, I cannot transform into a story artist. I'm not good at drawing, either.
——Wouldn't you like to try writing a short story like Fujiko-san (藤子)?
Azuma: I thought about it, but I believe everyone's constitution is different. I just can't make it work. It tends to get messy halfway through (laughs). That's why I'm thinking of drawing things you want to read simply for their mood.
——Though Tezuka-san once said you could probably draw fantasy......
Azuma: Me? Yeah, I'll draw. ...... I'll draw (laughs).
——I guess the recent one you did for 'Manga Kisoutengai' (マンガ奇想天外) (Kaerimichi [帰り道]) was close.
Azuma: It doesn't have any story spirit, though. It seems like it has a story, but not really......
——But you do have a habit of including gags in your works.
Azuma: Yeah. I don't know which direction they'll go.
——If there was a place you could draw fantasy, where would you like to draw it?
Azuma: I can draw it, but it's minor (laughs).
——Fans shouting that 'Rolling Ambivalent Hold' (ローリング・アンビバレンツ・ホールド) is good are increasing, and......
Azuma: But it's minor.
——I thought there were few gags, but everyone's trying to make it into a controversial work......
Azuma: That's because it's actually a controversial work (laughs).
——What sort of things do you want to draw in the future?
Azuma: I want to draw SF, but I want to draw normal children's manga, something like 'Doraemon' that sells 100,000 copies (laughs).
——I see.
Azuma: I want to draw a manga for Chika-chan (知佳) to read......
——You want to raise your child by having her read your own manga.
Azuma: No (laughs). I won't let her read my manga. I'll make her read shoujo manga (laughs).
——In what you want to draw in the future, what are you going to be paying special to, things like the characters, or things like the lines......?
Azuma: After all, I want to create a manga that sells all over the world. That's what I'm aiming for, and I'm working hard every day and night (laughs). I want to draw manga that appears in newspapers all around the world every day and live a comfortable life (laughs)."
——Basically, an overseas expansion of 'Sazae-san' (サザエさん).
Azuma: Yes, yes.
——What exactly does manga mean to you? What do you pay special attention to?
Azuma: Well (laughs), I guess if you can draw what you like, that's good. In short, it's something you, yourself, enjoy (laughs).
※～※～※～※～※
Azuma Hideo Interview 《Part Ⅳ》 Daily Life
"Since long ago, I've always liked the colour brown. Though it's often called a beggar's colour (laughs). Its smell is...... Ehh, the smell of boiled potatoes...... The sound of my everyday life...... The sound of eating rice (laughs)."
——First, I'd like to ask for some basic data, but did you only recently find out your blood type is O?
Azuma: I recently got it checked before I had my kid. My wife is also type O.
——What's your height and weight......?
Azuma: What did I say the other day......? Let's make it 162, no 163 (laughs), 165 would be nice (laughs). I don't think my weight has changed from 52.
——What is your bust, waist, and hip size?
Azuma: Err, I don't know.
——Your foot size.
Azuma: Maybe 95.
——How many pairs of underwear do you own?
Azuma: Underwear...... I don't know.
——Briefs?
Azuma: Briefs.
——Do you go to the barber?
Azuma: I go once a year. Rest of the time I do it myself at home. I do the front myself. If I mess up, I'll get my wife to fix it (laughs).
——How often do you bathe?
Azuma: Once every two days, but if I'm busy, I don't bathe.
——Do you use any men's cosmetics?
Azuma: Lip cream, that's it. I don't use any hair products.
——What do you use to shave your beard?
Azuma: I shave my beard with an electric razor.
——How many neckties do you own?
Azuma: Let's see...... Around three!
——You're dressed casually today, but do you generally prefer casual clothes? Are you interested in fashion?
Azuma: I pay attention to fashion because there's times I'll use it in my manga, but it doesn't have an impact on me personally.
——Do you look at magazines to see what girls are wearing?
Azuma: I don't look at magazines. I look at people walking around......
——In other words, you sketch based on your every day observations?
Azuma: No. I'll remember it, and go into a coffee shop to make a memo.
——So, you don't get any inspiration from magazines for fashion?
Azuma: Sometimes.
——Meaning you personally don't pay much attention to fashion.
Azuma: Yes.
——Explains the similar feeling for the past decade......
Azuma: That's right (laughs).
——What's your favourite colour?
Azuma: Since long ago, I've always liked the colour brown. Though it's often called a beggar's colour (laughs).
——You're not very fond of primary colours?
Azuma: Yeah.
——How does it smell?
Azuma: Its smell is...... Ehh, the smell of boiled potatoes......
——The simple smell of dinner being prepared. I see. What sort of sound do you like? What's your every day sound?
Azuma: The sound of my everyday life...... The sound of eating rice (laughs).
——When you work, is it better to have some noise? Or none?
Azuma: Some is fine.
——Are you able to work when others are around?
Azuma: I prefer to be alone when I'm thinking of ideas, but I don't mind when I'm inking.
——What BGM do you often listen to while you work......?
Azuma: Well, I don't listen very much. I listen to traditional comic storytelling (落語) and late-night radio shows.
——What sort of music did you listen to while growing up?
Azuma: I wasn't really conscious of music, so...... I wonder.
——What was your grade in music during elementary school... (laughs)?
Azuma: About 3. I guess that's normal. I had a loud voice, so maybe 4 (laughs). No, I think it's 3!
——Have you listened to any folk songs since you came here?
Azuma: At first, I wasn't very interested, but then I started listening to Okabayashi Nobuyasu-san (岡林信康) (laughs), and the one I like most is Mikami Kan (三上寛).
——Basically, you prefer roaring guitars......
Azuma: I really like the roaring.
——What about western pop?
Azuma: I liked Nancy Sinatra. I own nothing but Nancy Sinatra records.
——Are there any other singers from over there you like?
Azuma: Hmm, none at all.
——So you're a nationalist (laughs). Explain the process of shifting from Mikami Kan to a cute girl singer......?
Azuma: I gradually grew bored of folk music.
——Didn't you use to listen to Yoshida Takuro (吉田拓郎) as well? Around that time, you shifted to listening to Okazaki Yuki (岡崎由紀)......
Azuma: I like Takuro, and listen to him a lot. Takuro, Izumiya (Shigeru), and Okazaki Yuki operated simultaneously. But I didn't listen to their songs. First, post a photo (laughs).
——Was this around 'My Wife Is 18 Years Old' (奥様は18歳)?
Azuma: Yeah.
——I see. And since then, there's The Lilies (リリーズ), Agnes Chan (アグネス・チャン), and Hayashi Hiroko (林寛子)...... (laughs). You're not too keen on music these days?
Azuma: I haven't listened to much recently. I can't really concentrate.
——I heard you used to play the guitar when you were listening to folk music. How good were you? I heard you could play 'Farewell Samba' (別れのサンバ).
Azuma: Yeah, I used to play it! (Laughs) I learned all those complicated chords. Once I stopped practising, I immediately forgot them. It's so difficult (laughs).
——I heard you also composed music.
Azuma: I couldn't compose a song in the end (laughs). All I could come up with were melodies I heard somewhere before.
——So you stopped because you felt it lacked originality?
Azuma: Yes, that's right.
——What did you think listening to the Nakajima Azusa Band (中島梓バンド)?
Azuma: Hmm, I thought they were really good (laughs). Professional level...... Though I didn't understand it at all. Maybe cause it was too loud (laughs).
——I heard there were plans to do a talk with Agnes Chan here and there in the past, but in the end, that never came to fruition?
Azuma: In the end, both of us were too minor...... We were not newsworthy (laughs).
——How were you in arts and crafts?
Azuma: 3 or 4.
——What subjects were you good at?
Azuma: I was okay with Japanese. I wasn't particularly good at anything.
——What subjects were you bad at?
Azuma: English and math.
——Did you receive any rewards or punishments? Like saving a life (laughs) or a drawing contest?
Azuma: Hmm, no luck (laughs). I did get selected, and did manage to get to the point of submitting something, but...... Nothing came of it.
——At one time, mahjong often appeared in your manga. Were you interested in it at the time?
Azuma: Yeah. When I first started.
——The way you talk, it sounds like you don't have many fond memories (laughs), what happened?
Azuma: I kept losing (laughs).
——Why did you quit?
Azuma: I suddenly lost interest. I was also really into shogi for about half a year, but then I suddenly lost interest and quit (laughs).
——Other forms of gambling, for example, pachinko......?
Azuma: I was also into pachinko for a while, but I quit (laughs).
——What about bicycle or horse racing?
Azuma: Not interested. Wasn't interested.
——Do you buy any lottery tickets?
Azuma: My wife buys them (laughs). But she never wins. She didn't win this year, either (laughs).
——What other things have you been interested in but ended up quitting? Things like bowling or billiards.
Azuma: I used to play billiards as well, but......
——Why do you think you stopped?
Azuma: Because I couldn't improve. I'm a perfectionist (laughs), so I get frustrated (laughs).
——So, is there anything you're confident in where you're better than anyone else?
Azuma: Nothing in particular (laughs). Ehh, what was it? Yeah, nothing.
——You seem to be pretty particular about food, but what do you like? Anything besides nattō and cod roe (laughs)?
Azuma: I haven't eaten boils potatoes and beans with miso sauce lately. Got bored of them.
——Do you generally prefer salty foods?
Azuma: Yeah.
——What about western food?
Azuma: I don't like them very much.
——Things like curry......?
Azuma: I like it. But you can't get Hokkaido-style curry out here.
——How many meals a day?
Azuma: Two meals.
——How much rice?
Azuma: A lot.
——You're a surprisingly light eater. What was on your menu last night?
Azuma: Boiled potatoes (laughs). Tororo Osuimono (トロロのお吸い物). And then.....
※Osuimono is a soup made from bonito flakes and kelp, seasoned with salt and soy sauce, and containing meat, seafood, and vegetables. Tororo is grated yam.
——So your wife is adjusting to her husband's tastes. Are you the type that cannot eat if you don't have a lot of side dishes?
Azuma: Yeah, that's right. It's better with a lot of side dishes.
——Anything you dislike......?
Azuma: Nothing in particular I dislike.
——Since when did you start drinking?
Azuma: I've been drinking since long ago, but I've only been drinking intensively for the past six years.
——So you'll have a drink at home?
Azuma: Rather than an evening drink, it's more like a drink before going to bed. A nightcap after work.
——Do you ever get together with everyone to have a few drinks?
Azuma: About once a month.
——How old were you when you smoked your first cigarette?
Azuma: High school, third year, 17. 'Wakaba' (laughs).
——How many cigarettes do you smoke a day now?
Azuma: When I'm not working, I smoke about two packs (40). When I'm working, I smoke at least one cigarette. If I have to work longer, I smoke more......
——When it comes to alcohol, do you prefer Japanese or Western liquor?
Azuma: On average, they're about the same. Depends on the mood.
——What about coffee......?
Azuma: I drink 5 or 6 cups a day, maybe 3 at a coffee shop and the rest while at work.
——What brand do you recommend......?
Azuma: I only drink Blue Mountain (ブルーマウンテン).
——Please tell me a proud story about Chika-chan (知佳).
Azuma: Chika-chan's eyes are different sizes and she can move them independently.
——What kind of daughter do you want to raise?
Azuma: A beauty (laughs).
——Are you going to keep raising her in Oizumi?
Azuma: I don't know.
——Do you think it's fine for your daughter to be alone?
Azuma: I don't particularly mind...... I'll leave that to my wife.
——You don't really want to have a boy?
Azuma: I don't want a boy.
——What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
Azuma: I won't say (laughs).
——Give us the gist of it.
Azuma: I don't want to remember (laughs).
——I'd like to ask you about cats. Are you quite fond of them?
Azuma: Cats...... Cats are interesting.
——How many have you raised till now?
Azuma: Three. Linlin, Hakku, and Kuki. I'm not raising them now.
——Did you pick them up off the street yourself?
Azuma: I bought and picked them up off the street.
——That reminds me, it seems there are a lot of cat lovers among mangaka. Do you prefer cats or dogs?
Azuma: I'm not too attached to either. They're just cute to have.
——Have you ever wanted to raise a pet other than those two?
Azuma: Haven't really thought about it. It's too much of a hassle...... It's a responsibility after all. I think about that a lot.
——What about your tubifex worms......?
Azuma: I had them for a while, but they all died (laughs).
——It's better when they can respond to you, right?
Azuma: That's right.
——If you hadn't become a mangaka, what would you have been?
Azuma: I think I would've been a craftsman, someone who makes small things.
——I heard you once wanted to be a tofu maker......
Azuma: I wanted to (laughs). But I don't want to work at a tofu shop cause it requires getting up early in the morning and it's exhausting.
——What novels do you read besides SF?
Azuma: Some Dazai Osamu (太宰治).
——Anyone else?
Azuma: Kita Morio-san's (北杜夫) 'Sunfish' (マンボウ) series and pure literature. Recently, Yamaguchi Hitomi-san (山口瞳) and stuff from weekly magazines. Kannou and mystery stuff, you see. I also read Kawakami Muneshige-san (川上宗薫) occasionally.
——What is your daily life philosophy?
Azuma: My goal this year is to turn my work into play, turn my manga into play... and turn drinking into my job.
——What is your goal for this year?
Azuma: To become major this year.
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Azuma Hideo Interview 《Part Ⅴ》 Lolita
"Her hair should be black. Her eyes should be big and narrow. Her lips should be small and cute, her cheeks should be puffy, and she should be as short as possible. She should look like she would burst into tears easily."
——Regarding Azuma-san, recently, people often say you're the 'Lolicon Emperor', but......
Azuma: Nobody's saying that (laughs).
——Well, that's what I'm told...... (laughs), recently, there's been lots of fans like that, but do those people come visit you (laughs)?
Azuma: Most of them are university students. Though there's some high schoolers......
——I believe this will give us an insight into Lolicon, so have you noticed anything about them?
Azuma: Most of them are anime fans with a few mecha fans mixed in (laughs), they also like SF quite a lot......
——How do I put this? Do you ever feel like you share some responsibility for the recent Lolicon Boom?
Azuma: I've also experienced those symptoms and was affected, so it's not really my fault.
——I see. However, they say the girls Azuma-san draws have been cute since long ago, so many such people became your fans, but......
Azuma: Hmm, is that so (laughs)? I don't know.
——Do you like drawing girls?
Azuma: Yeah. Regardless of the girl, I'll draw them cutely. That's the theme of my art.
——Has that been the case since your debut?
Azuma: Yes. I practised on only drawing girls.
——When you turn girls into art, what do you find charming?
Azuma: Hmm, I don't know.
——For example, which parts do you draw particularly cutely, such as their eyes, nose, or mouth?
Azuma: The lines of their cheeks.
——Do you think of yourself as a Lolicon?
Azuma: I'm a Hobby Lolicon.
——It seems there's some fans who are striving every day to become Lolicon like Azuma-san. Do you have any words for them?
Azuma: What do you mean by that (laughs)? Let's see, this is hard (laughs).
——I believe there's something like a certain aesthetic towards Shoujo, but what do you think?
Azuma: Even though they're Lolicon, everyone has different tastes. They're quite divided.
——Please say a few words about each of the four famous Lolicon characters. Alice, Cybele, Jennie, and Lolita......
Azuma: Alice, I grew quite fond of her when I read her story long ago.
——Do you believe something like Sawatari Hajime-san's (沢渡朔) 'Alice' is close to the image you have in mind?
Azuma: It seems to be very close. That one is also popular among Lolicon (laughs).
——Regarding Cybele......
Azuma: Cybele is the closest to my ideal...... In terms of her age, I think she would be a good subject, a good subject of action (laughs).
Azuma: And I think the best part about Jennie is watching her grow up (laughs). What am I saying (laughs)?
——Where would you like her to stop (laughs)?
Azuma: The process of growing up (laughs), the transformation itself is good. It's interesting to see her grow up gradually, and then change right before your eyes (laughs). But to force that...... No, no (laughs).
——What about Lolita......?
Azuma: Lolita, after all, it's scary, but good.
——So, among these four, who do you prefer?
Azuma: After all, I guess it's Cybele.
——Which do you prefer, Eastern or Western?
Azuma: Eastern. The nose isn't too high.
——What are the conditions of a Bishoujo in your mind, Azuma-san? Once fulfilled, perhaps she'll become your wife (laughs).
Azuma: Her hair should be black. Her eyes should be big and narrow. Her lips should be small and cute, her cheeks should be puffy, and she should be as short as possible. She should look like she would burst into tears easily.
——What about her age......?
Azuma: For me, after all, 18. From 13 to 14. A little older is fine, but that area is......
——What do you think about those oriented towards Youjo?
Azuma: There's not much to imagine.
——After all, when it comes to 4 or 5, that area becomes......
Azuma: Well, if that's what they like......
——In this shape, Azuma-san's Lolicon was formed (laughs).
Azuma: Really (laughs)?
——Which other mangaka do you believe are Lolicon?
Azuma: Well, it's safe to say most people who draw cute girls are Lolicon (laughs).
——Which ones do you believe draw girls cute?
Azuma: Right now, I like people like Hosono Fujihiko-san. And I also like Takahashi Yousuke-san.
——I heard you have Aichmophobia, but do you believe there's a relationship between Lolicon and Aichmophobia?
Azuma: There's a deep meaning behind it, there's a deep relationship, I'm sure (laughs).
——What sort of girls appearing in SF novels do you like?
Azuma: Hmm, I can't think of any. Ahh, I like the girls in 'More Than Human'.
——What about anime?
Azuma: Angie of course...... Clarisse was also good. The characters Miyazaki-san (宮崎) draws, including his girls, have a strong core. That part is a bit dangerous.
——In Azuma-san's manga, your faces used to be long in the past, but have gradually become shorter. Is this a change in preference?
Azuma: That's right. Back then, I was studying preparatory drawing, so it was a time I went crazy (laughs).
——If you were to dress a Shoujo in something, would you pick bloomers, pantsu, or panties?
Azuma: After all, panties. But I'm not too interested in underwear.
——When you draw manga, what do you do? I believe it's impossible to observe this in the city, but...... (laughs).
Azuma: Because I have an assistant who is good at drawing underwear, I have them take the lead in drawing them.
——If you turned into a Bishoujo, what would be the first thing you do?
Azuma: Check out my body (laughs).
——And after that......?
Azuma: After that, I'll put on a frilly outfit (laughs).
——Would that be a desire to crossdress......?
Azuma: Maybe.
——If you were to be reborn again, would you prefer to be a man or a woman?
Azuma: After all, a Bishoujo (laughs).
——Whether or not you're born beautiful is another matter (laughs), but would you rather be a man or a woman......?
Azuma: Even if I'm not beautiful, I would sell my body while I'm still young (laughs).
——I believe Azuma-san's manga stimulates those types of Lolicon, but I believe there's something else to your manga besides the cuteness of the girls......
Azuma: Yeah, things like personality. I pay close attention to what make the girl's movements as cute as possible.
——Have any of your fans said anything to you about that aspect?
Azuma: They say it's kinda cute, things like that. Well, no one wrote any detailed reviews.
——If you were to bully a girl, how would you go about it?
Azuma: I don't really like bullying girls, so something like 'Millennium Zero' (ミレニアム・ゼロ). I mean mentally bully them.
——You mean torture them mentally?
Azuma: Make them cry.
——You seem to like girls who cry, but was it like that when you were little? Making girls cry......
Azuma: They made me cry, every day (laughs).
——So you could call this revenge...... (laughs)?
Azuma: That was back in elementary school (laughs).
——Do you remember the names of the other party?
Azuma: I remember, but won't say (laughs).
——Is there anything else regarding Lolicon?
Azuma: Let's see. Many people nowadays are those with an Alice Hobby.
——Yeah, they're much younger than Lolita.
Azuma: Youjo-oriented. Youjo, or what they call Alice! They're way worse than me!
——How are they worse (laughs)?
Azuma: They're unable to marry for the rest of their life! (Laughs)
——Ohh (laughs). Do you have any thoughts on guiding such people onto the correct path (laughs)?
Azuma: I believe they should be destroyed (laughs).
——You're going to be continuing to draw girls cutely in your manga in the future......
Azuma: I don't know about that.
——'Pollon' in particular, she's what you would call a Youjo, she's very small (laughs). Did you draw her with male fans in mind?
Azuma: No, I didn't have them in mind. That was to be favourably received...... by girls. Though, she has a bad reputation (laughs).
——Normally, if you draw a cute girl for boys, you get some backlash from girls, but that wasn't the case for you, was it, Azuma-san?
Azuma: As far as I could tell, I didn't get much backlash.
——Well, they're different from reality, the ones that are Azuma-san's ideal Shoujo.
Azuma: I guess that's true. Hence why I wonder why I'm well-receive by women.
——Surprisingly, it seems you have a lot of female fans......
Azuma: Perhaps I have an advantage with my art style. Because it's round art.
——Sailor blouses (laughs). Which do you prefer, the summer or winter uniform?
Azuma: Recently, I've grown fond of the summer uniform.
——Do you enjoy drawing sailor blouses?
Azuma: I like drawing them (laughs).
——Finally, some words of wisdom to all the Lolicon fans across the country.
Azuma: Our time is near!
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Yonezawa Yoshihiro: "Please say a few words about each of the four famous Lolicon characters. Alice, Cybele, Jennie, and Lolita......"
Before translating this interview, I had never heard of Jennie, so it took a while to research which book or film she originated from.
Alice: Alice in Wonderland (不思議の国のアリス)
English Novel: 1865; Translated numerous times into Japanese with the first being in 1908.
You could fill entire libraries with all the media influenced by Alice in Wonderland, even the ones where Alice is treated as a sex symbol.
Cybele: Sundays and Cybèle (シベールの日曜日)
French Film: 1962; Japan Localisation: 1963 April 3rd and June 15th
Azuma Hideo's favourite; I think it's worthwhile to watch for the cinematography alone.
Jennie: Portrait of Jennie (ジェニーの肖像)
American Novel: 1939, American Film: 1948
Similar to Alice in Wonderland, there's several translations of the novel into Japanese with the first in 1950, and several others in 1954, 1959, and 2005. The Japanese film localisation was released in 1951. At the moment, I'm completely unaware of this novel's influence within manga or anime, but there's a historically relevant photobook called 'Portraits of Jennies' (ジェニー達の肖像) (Wiki) published in 1998 prior to the 1999 law that had a profound effect on the manga, anime, and game industry, leading to the Kinokuniya Incident.
One Japanese reviewer says he was reminded of 'Portrait of Jennie' when he saw the Ghibli Film 'Omoide no Marnie' (思い出のマーニー), particularly the lighthouse and silo scenes between both works.
Lolita: Lolita (ロリータ)
Russian-American Novel: 1955, American Film: 1962
The first translation of the novel in Japanese was in 1959, which had illustrations of Lolita (Dolores Haze) with big boobs.
Then in 1962, another Japanese edition of the novel was published with a cover based on the 1962 film by Stanley Kubrick, who had a 14 year-old actress play Lolita because Stanley Kubrick wanted the audience to be attracted to her. Japanese comparison of the two novel translations (1959 and 2005) of Lolita (Link).
In 1959, an essay called 'Simone de Beauvoir: Brigitte Bardot And The Lolita Syndrome' (ブリジット・バルドーとロリータ症候群) was published (English Version on Internet Archive). There's an expression called French Lolita (フレンチロリータ), which in Japan is synonymous with what people understand as idols. I'm unsure of the influence of Brigitte Bardot, but 'Syndrome' is very common in Japanese, the first Lolicon manga by Uchiyama Aki in Lemon People was called 'Lolicon Syndrome', the game published by Enix by that one mangaka was called 'Lolita Syndrome', and the anthology by Fusion Product from the 1980s to early 2000s was called Lolita Syndrome (美少女症候群).
Lolita Complex (ロリータ・コンプレクス) by Russell Trainer was localised in Japanese in 1969. The term 'Lolita Complex' is based on the information in this book though the abbreviation 'Lolicon' originated in an underground magazine. (English Version on Internet Archive)
I don't know where 'Lolicon has nothing to do with the book' came from, but these words came from books. People should read these books, so they have an opinion that may be worthwhile.
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Azuma Hideo Critique
Open Secret Rendezvous on the Operating Table
Yonezawa Yoshihiro (米沢嘉博) (Wiki)
<Not Translated>
Yonezawa gives a thorough critique of Azuma Hideo's manga. The three sacred treasures of Azuma Hideo being SF, Bishoujo, and hentai characters, and his ability to juxtapose abstract and concrete, concepts and words, and reality and unreality. Leading to SF fans rejoicing in the parodies, declaring themselves Lolicon, befriending the hentai characters and worshipping them as heroes.
Translated two paragraphs from this article:
What defines Azuma's manga is its neat and tidy 'art'. On a different level from the corporeal art of Yamagami Tatsuhiko (山上たつひこ) and others, it is 'art as a symbol' in the style of Tezuka's manga. The problem of what the depicted object represents has enabled manga to speak and to describe. Meaning, manga art can be said to be art as words. Of course, the complexity of manga art lies in the fact it is much more than that, but the manga screen, which has always struggled with moving images, has continued to fluctuate. The gap between film and manga. I believe you'll get the idea if I say on one side there's Ootomo Katsuhiro (大友克洋) and on the other side there's Azuma Hideo. However, art contains much more information than a single word.
...
Azuma Hideo's Shoujo are cute because of the way they're drawn, but more than that, they evoke all manner of emotions. The Shoujo are nothing more than drawings, and perhaps because of their lack of personality, they allow the reader to imagine them. Because they're symbols, the whole they reference is more ideal than flesh-and-blood Shoujo, and each one is free in their own way. The word 'Bishoujo' is perhaps more erotic than Hiroko or Brooke Shields. It acts as a trigger that draws out something inside the psyche. The Shoujo drawn by Azuma Hideo have a similar effect. The place where anima emerges is Azuma World.
I believe you'll get the idea if I say on one side there's Ootomo Katsuhiro (大友克洋) and on the other side there's Azuma Hideo.
While there's a dearth of information on Azuma Hideo in English, I noticed the English wikipedia article on New Wave mentions Ootomo Katsuhiro, but failed to include Azuma Hideo, who was the other prominent New Wave mangaka. They're often included for various types of New Wave projects and special features. For example, in 'Manga Laugh School' (まんが笑学校), they did a special feature where they had Ootomo Katsuhiro's wife and Azuma Hideo's wife draw a manga. Ootomo's wife had zero manga experience, whereas it's pretty clear Mrs. Azuma is capable of doing a proper yonkoma manga about their daughter Chika-chan and her habit for not only twirling her hair, but other people's hair in her sleep.
Left: Azuma Hideo, Middle: Ootomo Katsuhiro, Right: Watanabe Kazuhiko (渡辺和博)
Manga by Mrs. Ootomo:
Manga by Mrs. Azuma:
There's also a special feature on Superman, and they had Ootomo Katsuhiro and Azuma Hideo write their own perspective on the American Comicbook Superhero, Superman (Osamu Tezuka and Fujiko Fujio also had their own Superman segments).
Azuma Hideo 'Me and Superman':
Ootomo Katsuhiro 'Me and Superman':
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Azuma Hideo Late Night Beauty Talk
Yoshida Akimi VS Azuma Hideo
Yoshida Akimi (吉田秋生) (Wikipedia)
Yoshida Akimi, a huge fan of Azuma Hideo, visited 'Mukiryoku Pro' a certain month of a certain day late at night. Their talk continued until the glowing light of dawn.
Yoshida: I still don't understand what 'warp' means. I've been keeping silent because I know I'll be ridiculed if I say this......
Azuma: Even I don't know that (laughs). Cause I'm inner-space-focused (laughs).
●Boys, Girls
Yoshida: What sort of girl do you like?
Azuma: Hm—mm.
Yoshida: For example, from a movie......
Azuma: I would say 'Sundays and Cybèle'...... It opened my eyes to that sort of sadness and motherly love......
Yoshida: But she's a little devilish, or fairy-ish? Is that what you like?
Azuma: Though, I'm fine with anything (laughs).
Yoshida: If it's a girl (laughs).
Azuma: It doesn't particularly need to be a girl......
Yoshida: Ehh? It doesn't need to be a girl?
Azuma: Well, I mean it could be an adult woman (laughs)......
Yoshida: Ahh, I see. You surprised me (laughs).
Azuma: What were you thinking (laughs)?
Yoshida: Well, that you liked boys.
Azuma: I hate boys (laughs). Yoshida-san, what do you like?
Yoshida: Men? Oh, let's see. One who's firmly built and slim with good muscle quality (laughs).
..
..
●Was Only Drawing Manga......
<Not Translated>
●Will We Fly into Space...!?
<Not Translated>
●Let's Take it Easy...
<Not Translated>
Like how the book 'Azuma Hideo <Complete Special Feature> Bishoujo, SF, Absurd Gags, and Disappearance' (吾妻ひでお〈総特集〉美少女・SF・不条理ギャグ、そして失踪) had a talk between Azuma Hideo and Yamamoto Naoki (aka Moriyama Tou), who was a huge fan of Azuma Hideo. This is a talk between the famous shoujo mangaka Yoshida Akimi, who was also a huge fan of Azuma Hideo. Tried searching for both Yoshida Akimi and Azuma Hideo in English, and got this Yoshida Akimi fansite from 2001 that's in both Japanese and English (Link).
I only translated a snippet of their conversation I thought was funny; there's this silly thing about Azuma Hideo trying to destroy Yaoi at Comiket in 'Disappearance Diary', and some westerner incorrectly interpreted this as Azuma Hideo being 'homophobic'...
Azuma: Youjo-oriented. Youjo, or what they call Alice! They're way worse than me!
——How are they worse (laughs)?
Azuma: They're unable to marry for the rest of their life! (Laughs)
——Ohh (laughs). Do you have any thoughts on guiding such people onto the correct path (laughs)?
Azuma: I believe they should be destroyed (laughs).
While it should go without saying for anyone who has been properly reading the translations in this thread, Azuma Hideo was on friendly terms with Hirukogami Ken, so him saying people like Hirukogami Ken should be destroyed shouldn't be interpreted as Azuma hating him with every fibre of his being, same goes for his comment about destroying Yaoi from Comiket. Even the Lolicon Complete Works has Yaoi between Azuma Hideo and Uchiyama Aki, and in the same issue, Azuma Hideo did a manga about all of the Lolicon being destroyed (things getting destroyed is a common theme in Azuma's manga; everything getting destroyed in 'Absurd Diary' influenced the anime 'Evangelion').
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EXTRAS:
"Asoko—I cannot Speak English" Mock Movie Poster:
In this special feature, SF doesn't mean Science Fiction, it means Sailor Fuku (you'll have to purchase this book to see the sailor fuku).
Characters Azuma Hideo modelled after Real People:
Left to Right: Kamewada Takeshi (亀和田武), Oguchi (from the New Wave magazine 'Kisou Tengai'), Arai Motoko (新井素子), and Ishikawa Jun (いしかわじゅん).
Top Row: Kawamoto Kouji (1 is his appearance in 'Mimi', 2 is his appearance in 'Buratto Bunny', and 3 is his appearance in 'Scrap School').
Mid-Row Right: Agnes Chan (Hahaha...)
Bottom-Row Right: Ajima Shun (Yonezawa Yoshihro, a man born to critique Azuma Hideo, who appears in 'Buratto Bunny').
The Mr.Dandy article claims that the model, Agnes Lum, was the harbinger of the Lolicon Boom. But when she was younger, Agnes Chan was considered a Loli and an object of 'Moe', and Azuma Hideo featured her in his manga. It's believed by this Japanese blogger her insatiable hatred of Lolicon and desire to ban Bishoujo manga stems from a deep, 40-year-old grudge of how she was treated by Azuma Hideo, the originator of Moe (Link).
Christian Idol Agnes Chan Being Molested by Asoko Soko in Desperate Angel:
Agnes Chan and Agnes Lum:
Scrap School Myaa-chan's High Socks :
During the long interview in 2011, the interviewer assumed Sham Cat was based on Chibineko because Myaa-chan's high-socks were based on the way Ooshima Yumiko (大島 弓子), the creator of Chibineko, drew her high socks. I saw this mock-classified advertisement along with a bunch of others (a vinyl pop-up book for Lolicon, degenerate fashion so you can look like Hirukogami Ken):
Sham Cat Anime Information:
Absurd Diary English Mock-up:
There's a short 3-page article about Azuma Hideo's manga appearing overseas, and among the ones in Chinese, and a mock-up German version of 'Desperate Angel', they did a mock-up for 'Absurd Diary' in English, hoping an English publisher will buy this book and see the mock-up, because that's the one work Azuma Hideo wanted to see translated the most into English. To be honest, this work would be a huge pain to translate properly into English; you would need to read both the English and Japanese localisations of way too many SF works so you convey the subtle references properly.
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Chart-style
Genealogy of Bishoujo in Azuma Manga
Endou Yuichi (エンドウ・ユイチ) (Wiki)
<Not Translated>
This is a much longer version of the article Endou Yuichi (aka Endou Satoshi) wrote for the Fusion Product issue in the OP I translated earlier; this one goes over most of Azuma Hideo's Bishoujo characters. In the same Fusion Product issue, Endou Yuichi also drew a map—similar to the one used in this article—about Lolicon and its relationship to everything around it called Sick Wars. The most interesting thing about the Fusion Product map is the part where Lolicon is directly linked to something I doubt anyone here has ever heard about called King Mark Complex. To understand Lolicon, one needs to understand King Mark Complex; it's why Azuma Hideo says he's a Hobby Lolicon and that young people shouldn't be calling themselves Lolicon.
Asoko Soko Group Map:
Healthy Pure Route Group Map:
Female Delinquent Group Map:
(Clinical) Case Report Character Map:
Nanako Syndrome Map:
Well, here's Nanako from 'Nanako SOS' (Wiki). I have no bloody idea how anyone with eyeballs and a brain would assume she's based in any way on Clarisse from 'Castle of Cagliostro'. Her hairstyle and personality are totally different. The only time I've seen anyone make a Clarisse comparison when it came to an Azuma Hideo work was a blog where someone said some background character in the 'Olympus no Pollon' anime looked like Clarisse (Link):
Azuma Hideo doesn't model his protagonist-tier characters after other anime characters or real people; at most they're side characters, like the appearance of Kawamoto Kouji, and the other people shared earlier. Nanako's manga had a prototype version released in the 1979 January issue of 'Peke' where her character was simply called Supergirl (すーぱーがーる) almost a year before the Studio Ghibli movie hit theatres. The name Nanako was given to the character because Azuma Hideo thought it sounded weak.
Shoujo Among Shoujo Manga Map:
There's a line from Tayou Yuuko (太陽夕子) from 'Flap-Flap Donkey' (翔べ翔べドンキー) that leads to Nanako.
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You, Too, Can Become a Lolicon!?
Maybe...
By Bishoujo Press (美少女通信社)
Illustration: Inuneko Usagizaemon (いぬねこ・うさぎざえもん) (Wiki)
※Alternate penname for Toyoshima Yuusaku (豊島ゆーさく).
It's now one in the morning. I just got a call from Alice on the telephone, and I'm invited to her party. I don't know what kinda party, but apparently, she's having a party cause she collected fifty of these things called tankoubon. Anyways, I also decided to attend the party cause Alice said, "I'm going to be wearing my best dress." The party is gonna start in twelve hours. I need to dress up for the party, style my hair into a ponytail, and consider my greetings. But what sort of party is it? I need to take a picture of Alice in her best dress. Or perhaps I should film a video instead. Ahh, it's been so long since I've last seen Alice. It's been a week since we last met, so Alice must've changed quite a bit. An old geezer like me changed a little, so a child like Alice probably changed to the point of being indistinguishable from a week ago. When I arrive at the venue, the first thing I must do is find Alice. I'll go around asking everyone I meet. "Are you Alice?" "Do you know where Alice is?" I wondered if Alice still remembers Japanese. Maybe I should ask my questions in English.
No, maybe Alice can only understand Chinese. Yeah, let's attend the party in a China dress. Ahh, I forgot to ask where the party is being held. Since it's come to this, I better wait till Pyonpyon passes by and then follow her. Ufufu, here she comes. Her long hair-like-ears are so cute. Her white angora sweater looks so warm, and she's hopping around in her red boots. Pyon-pyon, pyon-pyon. Driven by a burning curiosity, I tail her. Are you good at this sort of thing? You may ask, but to be honest, this article is being written by an old geezer who wants to become good at this sort of thing. So, it may not be good enough for those who are already good at this sort of thing. It may be creepy for those who think I'm not the kind of person who is good at this sort of thing. You think there's no one like that among Azuma's fans? That's what I thought. But you're dead wrong. Some cheeky self-proclaimed hard SF fans are trying to steal away Azuma Hideo by saying, "Azuma Hideo isn't a Lolicon." I won't hand him over! That's why this article is dedicated to those who believe, "Lolicon aren't filled with impure desires."
If you wanna be a Lolicon, but are having trouble figuring out how to go about it, or if you're clearly a Lolicon, but feel like your life is turning dark, then you'll be glad to read this article. Your bright Lolicon life starts today, not tomorrow. Let's all be happy! (Or would it be more correct to say let's all be unhappy?)
Those who don't want to spend money, you can look for a girl like Emi-chan from Chokkin, but it's gonna be hard finding a girl like Emi-chan. So, let's start by keeping a diary. Write down every detail about the Bishoujo you meet that day. Start with the age of the Bishoujo, her face, her figure, her hairstyle, her clothes, her accessories, and even the way she walks, moves her hands, and speaks. Write about one page of a college notebook for each girl. At first, you'll have a hard time remembering her shoes, or her expression, but once you get used to it, you'll easily be able to fill up three pages of your notebook. In the event the Bishoujo is an elementary schooler, a middle schooler, (I'm excluding high schoolers this time) or an unforgettable kindergartner, be sure to write down the place and time you meet, and of course, don't forget the day of the week. The timetable for the school (or kindergarten [幼稚園], one mustn't forget these three characters) is different depending on the day of the week. Meaning, the time she goes home also changes depending on the day of the week. Furthermore, lessons—such as cram, piano, electric organ, violin (kyaa, I love it), ballet (♥!), abacus, English, or swimming—are decided based on the day of the week, so be sure to record the day of the week.
Through this, your chances of meeting the Bishoujo again will increase dramatically. "Keep the target within visual range. This is the basis of mobile suit battles under Minovsky particles." Oops, sometimes I get my manuscripts mixed up. When you start writing your Bishoujo diary, your eye for Bishoujo will become sharper. Your buddies will eventually notice your eyes and say, "Your eyes look weird these days." Here, you mustn't answer, "No, the Bishoujo over there is......" They might not understand if you laugh it off and say, "My eyes got bad from staring at vinyl books too much." You cannot call such guys your friends. Throw them away! You'll be thrown away soon, anyways. So, when you reread your diary, you'll understand the type of Bishoujo you like. You'll see the kind of person you are. Your identity-ty-ty-ty. (Did I use that too early?) Depending on the Shoujo they like, Lolicon are divided into three groups. It's written in a certain doujinshi that Heidi Complex (abbr. Heicon) targets those from 5 to 10 years old, Alice Complex (Alicon) targets those from 7 to 12 years old, and Lolita Complex (Lolicon) targets those from 10 to 15 years old. However, this is merely a guideline, and it's normal (for Lolicon) to say, "I think from 3 to 6 is the best." Moreover, some are divided between liking Japanese or Asians, or it must be Western (Blondes! Petite Angie!), or mix-races are nice. However, Lolicon aren't as straightforward as one might expect due to their twisted and complicated nature. When we spoke while looking at photobooks, M-kun——and he admits this himself——found out he overwhelmingly prefers blonde girls with blue eyes (or would it be correct to say blue eyes and red hair; the green-eyed, red-haired Shoujo is Ann with an e), and is actually a huge fan of Fukami Yae (深見八重). This is getting to be a chaotic mess, so let's end the diary talk here.
Next, if you don't mind spending a little money, buy yourself a Lolicon novel or Lolicon photobook. Especially the photobooks these days, so many are being spewed out, you can definitely find one that suits you. However, you cannot get Bishoujo porno photobooks in Japan. They seem to be available overseas. But xxx'ing a Bishoujo is...... I also wanna try it, no, I wanna see it. Bishoujo, an idealist like me loves them. Let's go watch a movie. 'Maladolescenza' is a porno, so it's been cut to shreds, hmm, maybe she's too old? That defiant Persian cat-like Eva Ionesco appears in it, and her lewd nudes are often seen in monthly gravure magazines. She also appears in Irina Okaa-sama's photobooks, and she's a star. But her age is... is her development the upper limit for Lolicon? 'Sundays and Cybèle' is a masterpiece. It's absolutely safe to go watch with the entire family. Cybele doesn't take off her clothes. I bet she'll cry if you flip her skirt. It's a healthy movie, but it's one of the best Lolicon films. Lolicon generally prefer long hair, but Cybele has short hair. Despite that, she's quite popular...... Is it her big eyes? Her lines that are a mix of adult and child? Her expression when she laughs and cries? Or her delicate body and girlish mannerisms? In the end, you'll love everything about her! 'Pretty Baby', where Violet becomes a Shoujo prostitute, was also not erotic at all, and was cute. There are no big or blockbuster movies about Shoujo, so try to visit a cinema further away and don't miss them when they're shown on television. By the way, the convenience of our modern times, through television, we cannot meet Shoujo anywhere except anime or CF (commercial film). The Shoujo in TV dramas are generally no good. They don't have an SF mind. (I did like Hitomi-chan from 'Ore we Abare Hacchaku'.) But among the girls that appear as guests, for example, voices may be unimpressed by 'Kero-chan Choco-chan' (ケロちゃんチョコちゃん), but the Shoujo guest in the episode 'The Phantom White Shoujo' (幻の白い少女) was well-received. "The white one-piece with the embroidered yolk is indescribable." "The hem is made from a different fabric, and the see-through look is irresistible." "From the ribbon to everything, she's like a Bishoujo drawn by Muraso Shun'ichi (祖俊一)." In any case, it's performing well! Even so, anime is still the best, and CF are second. Madora from 'The White Whale of Mu' (ムーの白鯨) is incredibly popular. Even 'Mobile Suit Gundam' (機動戦士ガンダム) has Bishoujo characters. (Don't take it seriously~) There are quite a few cute girls in CF as well.
When it comes to this, some start recklessly spending more and more money, buying a VCR and saying, "Conan' is the pinnacle of SF anime. Lana-chan is cute, and Monsley-chan was cute as a child." Or "The car chase in 'The Castle of Cagliostro' has a power live action doesn't possess. Clarisse is cute, and I bet Clarisse was cute as a child." Then there are those who say things like, "Don't cry, Shaposhnikov.", "Naimushina smiled~", and "How did you win, Davydova?" for the Soviet Union, and those who say, "You're the star of the USA, Talavera." And others who say, "Hiroko, freshly picked, fruity." But I'm at this stage currently, but if I had to imagine, it would go something like this. "After all, Shoujo are best in the flesh." However, you cannot keep them like pets, so you need to take pictures of them, film them on location, and casually invite them on drives... oh crap, not good. That would be a crime.
You get a cookie if you recognise and can name all 5 of these characters!
Doing stuff alone can make some feel depressed and gloomy (though some find it fun and bright when they're alone, but they're the exception), so it's good to make friends with your fellow Lolicon. One way to check whether or not someone is a Lolicon is to ask them, "Do you like Yakushimaru Hiroko (薬師丸ひろ子)?" Regardless of whether they answer NO or YES, ask them for their reason. "She's old or ugly, so NO" means they're a severe Lolicon. "She was really cute in the past" would also be a Lolicon. However, it seems the CIA also employ this method, so be careful. You'll happily gather your buddies to talk and look at photos and watch videos, but then you'll think to yourself, "Doesn't all this feel just unproductive?" Then you'll start drawing pictures and writing stories, and compiling them into a book. Completing a doujinshi. It's only a single hand-written zine, but once it evolves into a copy-zine or offset-zine you start selling at Comic Market and other doujinshi sales events, then you'll become a full-fledged Lolicon. (If every Lolicon believes this and created books to bring to an event, it would be both funny and terrifying.) Azuma Hideo-Sensei, please bring along your own doujinshi (you like this sort of thing, right?) with drawings of 'Porno-version Chokkin' or 'Chibi-Mama for Adults'. I'll help you sell them.
Finally, I (俺), I (私), I (僕) can imitate Hiroko Grace (ヒロコ・グレース). More precisely, I can imitate Hiroko Grace's right ear. If it was taught in a major book, anyone could do it, so it wouldn't be interesting. It's a weapon of stinginess and mediocrity.
Gyoeh, it's already 11:48. I'm gonna be late for the party. And then I'll miss seeing Alice's beautiful dress. If Alice eats or drinks something, the dress will no longer fit her. (Not true. Alice in the original story always wore her dress.) If there was a big mirror, Alice might disappear through it. Ah~, only nine minutes left. Get ready, check complete, go, ah—, who's there? Don't get in my way, there's only eight minutes left, I'm sorry, I may have overdid it a tad bit, but I just want want to catch a glimpse, okay, okay, I wanna meet Alice. Wa—h, I'm so sorry......
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One Panel of Beautiful Memories
Takahashi Rumiko (高橋留美子) (Wiki)
Now then, what should I do? Despite being asked to write an 'article about Azuma-Sensei', they were vague, so what should I write......? This isn't the time to be fretting. I need to hand this over in an hour.
I don't analyse manga. I've never read them with a methodical approach, and I'm not smart enough to write a nuanced essay. So I think writing a fan letter would be best. Let's go with that.
Congratulations on the release of 'The Iropple' (ざ・色っぷる). When that manga was serialised in Shounen Sunday, I was a plump and fat girl somewhere between elementary or middle school at the time, and I would read it over and over again in my older brother's well-ventilated bedroom. It moved me, and I enjoyed drawing portraits of 'Iropple'. It's truly one panel of beautiful memories. I was fascinated by 'Iropple' from the moment of its preview Cut. I remember her holding something like a Nyoi-Bō diagonally in both hands, but...... above all, the pleasant sound of the word 'Iropple' is a beauty that cannot be depicted even in art. The feeling of 'Iropple' was fresh. Even now, I vividly remember Iropple and Mama were about to duel two men out in the wilderness with the men indulging in mothercon and Lolita fantasies to be continued in the next issue...... That sort of final scene. I'm not certain about my reasoning now, but I was a plump and fat girl back then, and I was deeply moved by that panel.
Now then, I've been speaking in the past tense so far, but that's not just because I'm talking about memories. Unfortunately and undutifully!! I still haven't gotten my hands on a copy of 'The Iropple'!!! I've been looking for it in bookstores, but...... Can someone please tell me where it's being sold? Ah, this isn't the time to be writing such selfish things. I have 45 minutes left to finish this manuscript and head to the promised land, not curry favours.
Has it been almost 15 years since then? Azuma-Sensei's manga was always the sumptuous feast, oceans of wine and mountains of meat, that made every magazine prosper. The tankoubon by Sensei I have on hand right now—like 'Parallel Kyoushitsu' (パラレル狂室), 'Methyl Metaphisik' (メチル・メタフィジーク), 'Bratto Bunny' (ぶらっと・バニー), among others—are in Azuma-Sensei's current style, but as someone who doesn't read very many SF novels, I can't always tell which parts are parodies. So, I can't write any clever critiques on Azuma-Sensei's current works.
Now then, let's run away and change topics. His girls are as cute as ever, aren't they? They all have skin as soft as mochi. They look warm to the touch. How does he do it? Azuma-Sensei's art seems to have reached a state of perfection for quite some time now, yeah, Azuma-Sensei's characters have been around since the Yaketen (やけ天) period...... Let's roughly categorise them between the 'Iropple' period, the 'Animal Company' (アニマル・カンパニー) period, and the 'Yaketen' period. It feels like the skin of his girls have gradually gotten warmer, and they've grown finer (I mean their skin). If this keeps up, a girl might appear who is so hot, she'll combust and burn up. What a happy thought. However, as for his current girls, I like how they all look good in sailor suits and cutie-pie one-piece dresses. Please let me hold their hands next time.
Now then, I used up 20 more minutes. Hmm, hmm, how should I fill the remaining half? Actually, I have a toothache right now. I have a Salonpas patch on my cheek. What does Azuma-Sensei do when his tooth aches? Just as I was writing this, the waste-paper for toilet-paper exchanger rang the chime on my front door. So I opened the door wearing my yellow pyjamas and a red hanten coat with a Salonpas on my cheek.
"I caught a cold, so that's why I look like this......"
I lied. On a personal note, living on the 4th floor, you can't just call out to the waste-paper for toilet-paper exchanger as they pass by; you need to wait for them to come to you. I gladly handed over my newspaper, but I didn't have very many, so I didn't get any toilet paper. The exchanger just made a profit. This is a true story that just happened.
Well, I have 10 minutes left. That said, I need to get dressed and dash to the promised land in 5 minutes, and I still need to draw a cut after this, so I've run out of time. Kisou Tengai Oguchi-san (小口), I'm going to be about 10 minutes late. I'm so sorry.
Lastly...... I'm a fan of Azuma-Sensei, but when I'm asked to 'write something about him', I get nervous and can't write anything. I wish I could write something clever, like 'Azuma-Sensei was trying to portray such and such in this work'...... I'm sorry I couldn't write anything but boring stuff. However, I always enjoy reading his works, so I hope he does his best for a thousand years. I'll be supporting him until I'm also all covered in moss.
Left: Takahashi Rumiko's Fanart of 'The Iropple'.
Right: 'The Iropple' Cover by Azuma Hideo that influenced Takahashi Rumiko as a middle schooler.
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As far as I know, Dylan Acres is the only person on Youtube to do a video on Azuma Hideo. Making his video both the best and worst because it has no rivals. However, like everything I've seen up to now, like this nonsense with Miyazaki Hayao's Clarisse or this thing where Ootomo Katsuhiro is mentioned at the top in the New Wave manga wikipedia entry, westerners seem to have this bias where the artists that have been localised into English are important, and someone who hasn't had his work turned into a popular anime or film like 'Urusei Yatsura' or 'Akira' are somehow lesser, ignoring the fact that mangaka do not care about the commercial success of their peers.
Dylan Acres said:
"As Takahashi’s star was on the rise in the early 1980s there were mangaka that she was enamored with and those who were enamored with her. Hideo Azuma falls into the later category. "
The above is false, and the opposite is true. I don't know how someone could come up with that sort of bizarro-world assessment. Takahashi Rumiko was a fan of Azuma Hideo growing up; he influenced a great many artists, which includes her, hence why he's Osamu Tezuka's equal in terms of influence. I doubt Dylan is going to correct his article or video to be more accurate to the reality. But this misconception needs to be nipped in the bud wherever it may sprout.
Showa Period Azuma Hideo (JP):
Three Founders of Moe (JP):
Hopefully someone creates a much better English video or article on Azuma Hideo in 2025. 
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