What inspired you to come up with the story?

I don’t really remember, as my initial proposals were rejected and after a lot of thought, I squeezed out the story. It’s more like I came up with the characters first, and the story naturally followed.

How did you start drawing manga?

Ever since I was a child, I loved manga and drawing, so I don’t know when exactly I started. But I began to draw seriously when I was 19, in my first year of college. I was separated from my high school friends, so I didn’t have people to talk to anymore.

Which character was the most fun to draw, and why?

Yodo, who first appears in Volume 4. She’s the type of character I rarely draw, so she was a challenge for me. I have a lot of emotional attachment to her, and I also love bad girls.

How are Unoki and Toramaru different compared to the characters in the doujinshi that you originally wrote?

At first, the characters that became Toramaru, Matsuri, and Yutaka were all boys. I created Unoki based on Toramaru, so there was no basis for him. But the personalities and roles of the character didn’t change much.

Do you have a message you’d like to send to your readers abroad?

Thank you so much for reading this work, despite the differences in language and culture. I’m going to do my best to bring you enjoyable manga.