Asa Higuchi interview

[la_vie_noire]

Here is an interview to Asa Higuchi, mangaka of baseball-themed series Ookiku Furikabutte, and there are some things I found extremely interesting:

I: I guess baseball isn't at the center of their lives yet, after all, is it?

H: Yes, that's right... I really understood that there are still a lot of childish sides to the players, by asking what they're like at home. And then, when they're on the grounds, they all look cool, right? I find that gap really interesting and I think it's something that can "complete" the characters inside my head as full persons, so I want to pay attention to these details.

In manga drawn by men, even if the mothers appear, they're never lively, energetic mothers. They're not realistic, always stereotypes. That's something that may make me different from other authors because I'm a woman.

There's something else I realized by doing this (=mixing with the moms) and that's how much high school boys change from being first years to third years. Like, when you realize "Waah, he's become so reliable!". I want to draw the growth that leads there!

I think that's extremely important, some role that is always forgotten or badly portrayed in shonen manga is the protagonists mother/s one, and Higuchi does a great job with the kids mothers in her manga.

I: Also, you've inserted things like mental training and psychology-like elements in the story...

H: Yes, I researched that, too. You see, when training everyone plays well, but during a game (things are different), for example if the ace fails, it's the worst time to cry, but tears just pour down in a waterfall. I think that things like this don't depend on how much physical training you've had, it's rather a mental problem. And it's something you can only experience in a real game while being under pressure. I was thinking with all my might about this problem and I discovered there is a field called "mental training", so I thought of introducing it in a casual way.

I thought it'd be good to spread it more among high school students, too, even just the concept that "there is a way not to feel under pressure!" to be understood... Because in a real game there's a constant tension of making errors and having to say goodbye to everything, so "if they could just be able to play at their best..." is what I think. So I looked into it (mental training)and made a through research so that I won't write incorrect information.

That's why her manga is so good, she researches. (And not really shonen, but a seinen.)

Also, it's lovely to hear her talk.

Comments

[vi]

My interest in this series has increased from a neutral 0 to a very interested +10! Thanks for this interview excerpt.

[la_vie_noire]

Yeah, it's really not your stereotypical sport manga. It's mostly character driven, and the characters really act like real school kids, it's obvious she was aiming for something different.

[vi]

Thinking that it would just be a sport manga is what stopped me from getting into it actually- so I'm glad to hear it's more character driven. Gosh I love people who do their research!

[pseudo_tsuga]

I just spent yesterday reading all the scans so it's nice to come back and read this interview. I love the way mom are shown to be a presence in their lives because they're all still at that age when their moms are a big support. I love that they're not shown as foolish even when they, say, mess up on videotaping the game.

[la_vie_noire]

Ahahaha, yeah, it's very amazing how they aren't the "stereotype mom," but women who have kids and go to games, etc.

[fujurpreux.livejournal.com]

...Es la primera vez que este manga/anime me llama la atención. o.o

[la-vie-noire.livejournal.com]

Ahaha, en serio? Es adorable, muy atípico en cuanto a manga de deportes se trata.

[fujurpreux.livejournal.com]

Es que los mangas de deportes por lo general no me llaman. >>

[la-vie-noire.livejournal.com]

A mi tampoco, de hecho Oofuri es el único que leí, y es por los personajes.

[fujurpreux.livejournal.com]

Pensaré en darle un vistazo. Esto sí me interesó 8D

[sha-chan.livejournal.com]

OOFURIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ♥

ALSO VI QUE BUENO QUE NO FUE NADA GRAVE REALMENTE TE EXTRAÑO TE QUIERO Y Y Y ;;;; *se te trepa*

[la-vie-noire.livejournal.com]

<3333333333333333333

GRACIAS SHA, YO TAMBIEN TE EXTRAÑO, ILU! <3333

[sha-chan.livejournal.com]

ILU MOAR!!!!! <3333333333333333

[la-vie-noire.livejournal.com]

NO, ILU MOAAR!!

[sha-chan.livejournal.com]

YO TE QUIERO MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS

[la-vie-noire.livejournal.com]

NO. YO MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS