Artbook Interview: Shirai x Posuka (November '20)
Kaiu Shirai sensei and Posuka Demizu sensei, who have been serializing The Promised Neverland in "Weekly Shonen Jump" for about 4 years. On a certain summer day, shortly after the serialization, both mangaka gave us time to talk about the four-year serialization, the origin, and the future.
Experience with the Editor
Shirai: It was fun, but difficult (laughs). However, the reason I was able to continue serializing for 4 years in Jump filled with genius mangaka was that Demizu sensei, another monster-level genius mangaka-was on my side (laughs).
Demizu: No, no...it was also because I had Shirai sensei! I think sensei is a genius in terms of output and composition. Sensei’s ability to connect the dots is amazing- from the beginning and till the end of it.
Shirai: But thinking about the inconveniences I’ve caused with my late storyboard submissions, my top impression in these four years is feeling apologetic to Demizu sensei.
Demizu: I wasn’t worried about the delay with the storyboard at all. Rather, I sometimes thought “the deadline is longer than expected!” (laughs) Everything was adjusted by the editor Sugita san.
Shirai: He was a big help every week, but when he was at the limit of overwork, Sugita san was scary. He was fierce. (laughs)
Demizu: There was a time like that, yes. (laughs) But basically, no matter how busy he was, it was amazing how he never changed. Even when I told him that a mail is enough when he’s busy, he’d come to meet me at the workplace. I consulted with Sugita san about work, but he left most of the basic things to me. Of course, he says “please turn down” if there is a circumstance where I’d want to turn down a request, and when he can’t say that, he has the “you can do it!” aura (laughs) Also, I was advised by several mangaka to refrain from updating social apps when there were troubles with deadlines, but when I asked Sugita san, he said, “don’t worry about it.”
Shirai: But the trouble with deadlines was my fault. I think he would be angry if I were browsing social apps instead of submitting my storyboard...like, “Hey, you!” (laughs) I don’t use social apps, though. Anyway, I’m really thankful to Sugita san for his help. If it weren’t for Demizu sensei and Sugita san, TPN couldn’t be serialized.
To the depths of TPN
|| TPN is seemingly accepted by readers as a western-style series. Please tell us about what you paid attention to while creating a world where humans are eaten by demons.
Shirai: Because I was pretty twisted as a child, I couldn’t bring myself to watch the shows similar to “World masterpiece theatre” that had a clean and nice atmosphere. But I thought that TPN needed that atmosphere. Moreover, when I was changing TPN’s initial draft to the serialized version, the episodes of World Masterpiece Theatre were on trial release on the official TV Channel. At that time, I paid attention to it for the first time and carried out this vigorous and impolite research on its first episode. After letting the readers feel the gentle and peaceful atmosphere similar to those that are shown there, I was conscious to incorporate the “main” part into work, showcasing the hellish nature of the world.
Demizu: I wanted to get closer to Shirai sensei’s sensibility when I heard that Shirai sensei was watching those movies. I was conscious of matching Shirai sensei’s view of the world, so I tried to watch the western drama as well. But it’s a bit difficult to continue watching (laughs).
Shirai: Must be because they were too long. (laughs)
|| Please tell us what you were aware of while portraying the growth in two years within the work.
Shirai: As an author, I had the before/after view on it even before starting to serialize. Things like the beginning and end of the series, character personalities, and growths were framed out. Therefore, there weren’t many changes in the growth of characters that deviated from my desired flow. Especially the main characters. I decided it from the beginning, as it was drawn.
Demizu: Regarding character design and clothing design, I thought about how to make changes. Speaking of appearance, I don’t think the characters changed dramatically. I thought about changing Phil’s hairstyle. But each character’s physique has changed throughout two years due to physical growth, so I decided that it was enough to express the change in two years.
Shirai: That’s right. Main characters like Emma stay in readers’ memory, so I thought it’s okay if they have a significant degree of growth. However, I considered that the readers may forget the original appearances of the characters that had little exposure, so I asked not to change them too much. That’s why there are characters that have changed, and characters that haven’t changed much.
|| Did Shirai sensei ask for specific changes in characters? Ray’s scarf, for example?
Shirai: The change of appearances was mostly left to Demizu sensei. (laughs)
Demizu: Ray had an offscene chapter with a muffler, so I thought about turning it into a scarf. Emma now has something to wear on her upper body, Norman has changed a lot suddenly. So I thought that I wanted Ray to have some sort of change too, and suddenly remembered “Ah! The muffler!” and changed it to a scarf.
Shirai: Heated emotions, right? He threw away the muffler soon after escaping the House, but wore the scarf till finding Emma at the very end.
Demizu: That’s right. If I have to explain in a bit cooler manner, it also had the purpose of hiding the ID number on the neck.
|| From the reader's point of view, Norman’s growth seems to be outstanding.
Shirai: Norman is the character who changed the most inside and grew up. However, Norman’s change too was according to what was decided from the beginning: growing enough to be able to show his ‘uncool’ sides, his ‘weak’ sides in front of Emma. Saying things like “help me.”
Demizu: As for the design, Norman was the only one who was made to look older, not just a 13 year old.
Shirai: Yes. At first, he had the so-called 13 year-old-appearance, but as an author, there were circumstances to address-such as wanting to mislead Norman as W. Minerva. So I asked Demizu sensei to make him look a little older.
Demizu: As Shirai sensei has pointed out, the children’s individualities were within their degree of growth. So I kept in mind that there would be children with adult-like growth and modified the designs in a way that would be realistic within that range.
|| Could you name a character who you think you could create ‘successfully’, along with your reasoning? It can be considered a success in various ways, such as visually, proper incorporation into the story, getting unexpected degrees of reactions etc.
Shirai: I felt completely lost with Yuugo and Leuvis. Yuugo really gave me a hard time. Thanks to him, I couldn’t have my Obon Holidays (laughs). On the contrary, it went really well with Don, so I could proceed with my storyboard quickly and had some rest in the New year holidays (laughs).
But still, I think Yuugo was successful- being the one who was born from such a level of hard work, eventually earning the love of the readers and the children; and being salvable by the end even when he had to die.
On the other hand, Leuvis’ unplanned introduction in GP was a surprise even for myself, but I could show his way of thinking and some other good aspects, so I think he was a success as well. The answer was supposed to be one, but I think it’s the two of them. (laughs)
Demizu: For me, it’s Ayshe. When making character designs, I draw them first and take them to Shirai sensei and Sugita san for approval. I hear their opinions and make corrections; and for Ayshe’s design, Shirai sensei’s suggestions and corrections improved her design drastically. I love Ayshe’s design now. She’s fun to draw, the readers’ reaction was good; and if there’s an extra edition side story or spinoff, she has a brilliant character setting and design for it, so I’d like to draw it.
Also, my personal favorite is Phil. (laughs) I really think the design of his mouth was great.
Shirai: Looking at him would cheer you up.
Demizu: That’s right. There’s no saying over that little mouth and those eyes. I always drew him while thinking, “Ah, Phil is so cute!”
Shirai: I really love him as well. The frequency of his appearance increased thanks to me abusing author’s privilege. (laughs)
|| Was there any moment that you particularly enjoyed during TPN serialization?
Shirai: Being able to see Demizu sensei’s beautiful paintings before anyone else. Seeing my storyboard becoming Demizu sensei’s manuscript was always a pleasure! Also, another big pleasure was when the readers were surprised or happy. When the reaction met my expectation or went beyond my expectation, I felt happy enough to rejoice with a “yess!”
Demizu: Could you see the reactions on social media?
Shirai: Yes, and also the fan letters. Although it could be time-consuming.
Demizu: Of course, fan letters are fun! I'm very excited until I get an impression. That’s why when I made the Jump covers or the recent Hinata/Tanjiro/Yuuna/Emma collaboration Jump Giga cover- I was always wondering “was this okay?” “what am I going to do if they bash me?” until the books went on sale.
Shirai: Well, I think the liking: disliking proportion was 10:0. (laughs) I have tremendous respect for making that art piece, and the cores of each character came out wonderfully.
Demizu: Is that so? (laughs) Although I received Sugita san’s remark that it was good, I was very nervous every day until seeing the reaction of the readers.
If the reactions are good, it doubles the joy. But at the same time, the pressure for the next one increases the same way (laughs).
|| During serialization, did you ever reward yourself as a break from the work?
Shirai: The avocadoes I ate all night were delicious. (laughs) One morning, when the storyboard was completed, I opened the refrigerator while thinking if I would go to sleep or eat breakfast; there were avocadoes inside. Although I ate them raw with soy sauce and wasabi, they were really delicious. (laughs)
Demizu: Did avocado become your reward since then?
Shirai: At that time, it became my personal trend! Even if I had to work overnight, I could motivate myself thinking I’d eat avocadoes in the morning. (laughs) But working overnight made my body feel tight, so I let go of the habit. Now I take Chinese tea to refresh myself when I’m tired.
Demizu: There wasn’t any personal reward for each chapter. For TPN, the work didn’t end even when the manuscripts were completed. I had Shirai sensei check them for me, so I felt tense until I received sensei’s reply. (laughs) So I didn’t think that “the work is done, now I’ll take some rest.” In my case, I valued taking breaks in a certain order, it helped me to work efficiently every day.
Since the amount of drawing each week was fixed to some extent, having time divisions for the days was suitable. For example, if the manuscript was completed sooner while there was still some time left, I could finish the coloring. I made a schedule so that I could have some to do what I liked around the night. I spent most of my time drawing pictures as a hobby, eating what I liked, or talking with someone. As a result, it became my reward.
A Parallel World
|| In The Promised Neverland anime, some scenes were different from the original manga, such as the conversation between Emma and Isabella in the last scene before the escape. What is your impression?
Shirai: I think the production was wonderful. Regarding Emma and Isabella’s conversation on the wall, I think it’s okay to have another TPN worldline where that happened, it’s also okay to have that version of Emma and Isabella. But I’m a person who likes harsh things, so I wouldn’t let someone talk over there. (laughs)
Demizu: I really love that scene (in anime). But still, if I dare to choose between the two, I’d choose the original version (laughs)
Shirai: The fun of TPN media is being able to see various world lines.
|| Several other fields will continue to open, such as animation, live-action, and western drama projects.
Shirai: What if Emma and Isabella had a conversation up there? You can see that in the anime. This concept of the “same but different universe” is quite intriguing. Thankfully, various forms of adaptations are taking place; such as anime, movies, and western drama; so it’s interesting that the fans are able to see various parallel world lines of TPN with scenes that couldn't be seen in the original story.
Demizu: I think it’s really nice to have the story developed in various directions. I love it, and I’m happy. On top of that, I like to think that I would have this “Yay! Yess!”-type of feelings if the scenes I imagined are animated. However, if they do get animated, there are other emotions that start sprouting up. I feel a bit sad if some great scenes or designs are there in the anime (laughs). I take it as some sort of rivalry, a reason to work harder. So I think it’s like a sort of stimulation.
Origin of Creation
|| I want to ask about your personal side. What manga did you two read when you were young?
Shirai: That would be Dragon Ball, Yu Yu Hakusho, One Piece, Naruto, and HunterxHunter. I also liked "Childragon”, where a boy claimed that he was reborn as Bruce Lee. When I was in Highschool, I read Osamu Tezuka sensei’s manga and Naoki Urasawa sensei’s “Monster” (etc.) afterward.
Demizu: It seems you were reading everything.
Shirai: I started reading Jump Magazine for the first time when I was in Junior High. One Piece was the trigger that made me subscribe to it like a machine, and then I thought “other manga are fun too!”, and thus became addicted.
Demizu: I read about everything when I was in Elementary and Junior High.
|| What was the turning point, when you decided to become a mangaka?
Shirai: I was quite late. I wanted a different job after quitting my old job. Demizu sensei was quite early, right?
Demizu: It’s hard to define one specific point. There were several. I first drew manga when I was in High School. I was invited by a senior to a manga club, where I joined. It was the first turning point. When I was in my third year of High School, I was nominated for the Rookie award. That’s the second turning point. The third turning point was when I visited Osamu Akimoto’s atelier at the “Rookie award supplementary award". However, I wasn’t serious about drawing any manga after that, I just enjoyed my college life (laughs). I didn’t expect to be a mangaka in the future. About two years later, I happened to draw a manga and sent it to a publisher, the editor was there. That’s the fourth turning point. But after all, meeting Shirai sensei and The Promised Neverland was my life’s biggest turning point. (laughs)
Shirai: Wha- you were already active before meeting me, though!
|| What were your most common idea inputs during making manga?
Shirai: After becoming an adult, various news programs. What I took from there was used for ideas and planning. Instead of pushing the current social conditions into it, the story materials were made to sprout from a concrete base. However, the foundation of the story were the manga I read and movies I watched as a kid. The manga and movies I’ve binged after becoming an adult were for studying how to narrate and direct, but I don’t think those are used as my original creation material. Maybe my ways to absorb media have gotten worse after growing up. (laughs)
Demizu: Like Shirai sensei, I think a little input came after becoming an adult, and the foundation was mostly the things that left a good impression on me as a child.
If forced, I’d say it was like playing an online game against opponents. If the reactions of the people online were fun and there were interesting conversations, I could draw pictures with that as my topic.
|| Creating quirky characters?
Demizu: No, they’d look like normal characters. Since I was a kid, I liked Paint chats which let you interact with strangers. I take my inputs from StreetView for expanding the worldview, such as buildings or scenes. Seeing various things from various places gives you the feeling of traveling. Also, looking at the animator’ works as I mentioned earlier, or seeing the poster of Live Action-which made me think “This forest looks so good. I’m envious!”, or checking out the buildings for the movie’s setting and feeling that “I want to draw something like that”-I think this is what influences me.
And from now onwards…
|| Please tell us if there are some interesting behind-the-scenes stories during the serialization, now that it has been completed.
Demizu: In the Paint chat I mentioned a while ago, I posted a hobby art from an account different from my personal account. A comment once came from a child who was probably a junior high or high school student: “It seems to have the touch of TPN arts!” (laughs)
Shirai: It’s the OG herself! (laughs) Did you try to change the touch of TPN in your art?
Demizu: I did, of course! I used different art software from what I use, I was very careful! (laughs)
Shirai: What was your reply?
Demizu: “I’m a fan, so I’m influenced”-something like that. (laughs)
Shirai: I think Demizu sensei is great at changing her style, I wonder how it was found out.
Demizu: If I want, I think I can change the style to a certain extent. However, the people who gather are those who have similar tastes and like similar atmospheres. The roots are the same, so I think it’s easy to associate. In the future, I may not be able to enjoy the pure fun of posting arts there as my hobby because of the nervousness I feel after posting them (laughs)
|| While rereading TPN, what are the points you’d recommend to friends to pay attention to?
Shirai: Even though there are antagonists, if you think “Are they really bad? Isn’t it a bit different in reality?”- you may be able to see the other side of this world. I write the humans and the creatures as multifaceted, so you can make new discoveries about them if you change your viewpoint.
Demizu: If you pay attention to the names including the demon names, you can feel Shirai sensei’s commitment to it. I really like the sound of demon names.
Also, in the French translation of TPN, the phrase “Itadakimasu (let’s have a meal)” has been changed to “Bon Appétit.” (enjoy your meal). I was thinking that everyone says “let’s have a meal”, but the nuance here has been changed to a phrase only said by Mom to “enjoy their meal.” There are things to discover like this one.
|| What type of challenges are you planning to take?
Shirai: Now, I can really empathize with an interview of Yusei Matsui sensei that I saw before. I would like to create interesting work in a short-term intensive serialization. It’d be completed in a volume, but it’d be interesting. Of course, I’d be happy to make a long-term serialization, but a story that completes in a single volume is something that needs to be created and expressed in a completely different way; so I’d like to give it a try.
Demizu: I have two. The first one is to create new character designs. Before, I created a lot of monster designs. But I took TPN as an opportunity to start creating human designs, and I want to become more of a “human lover”. (laughs) The other one is to always keep loving TPN and making it a work that’d continue being loved by the fans. I think what shaped me to my current self are the manga I read as a kid, and their creators. I’ve met the mangaka of a work I really liked as a kid at a New years party, and hearing that the sensei still loved that manga as much as before made me very happy. Just like that, I want the young fans and readers from junior high and high school to feel the same about TPN as I do, and I'll do my best so that TPN would keep on being cherished by these boys and girls as a wonderful memory.
Shirai: Surely, that’s right! The creators of favorite manga are special people, aren’t they? I’ll add this to my list (laughs)
Shirai: It’s undecided when and where it’ll be, but I want to properly address the plot points that the readers interpreted as hints and foreshadows. I’m aware that some of them haven’t been revealed yet, so I want you to rest assured.
Demizu: There are other things, such as anime season 2, Live-action movie, and western drama project.
Shirai: There may be some things. (laughs) Please look forward to them! (laughs)
Demizu: I’d say I want to stay the same, and remain in good health forever! (laughs)
Shirai: That’s also true (laughs). Health is important!
|| Lastly, do you have any message for the readers?
Shirai: I think this turned out to be a very TPN-like artbook. Stuffed with the wonderful arts by the great sensei; in addition, even on this page, there’s a special device for the readers (*pages of the secret gallery, you can view new illustrations in the artbook by flipping the pages from backward). So please enjoy to your heart’s content!
Demizu: This artbook also has art pieces that weren’t adopted in the front pages.
Shirai: Ah! Let me tell you about that. These were rejected, but these aren’t illustrations to be rejected. I could only choose one from many sketches, so it became a storehouse to weep at! Because each of them was so incredibly pretty!
Demizu: The cover of the first volume was to carry the message of what type of story it’d be, so I tried out various patterns. Even if a person sees this book at a bookstore without having prior knowledge about it, I wanted the worldview to be transmitted to them. Of course, there were strategies to make the books stand out among other comics. (laughs) The unadopted sketches are compiled here. Both adopted and unadopted sketches carry their own feeling, so I’d be very happy if you see them. For example, each of these covers summarizes the concurrent events of the main story, and I personally drew Emma and everyone that I want you to see now. In fact, I stuffed it with my personal interpretation of the story. It’s the culmination of four years of work, so enjoy it till the last page.
“This part was amazing, Demizu sensei!”-Shirai sensei thinks!
The original author, Kaiu Shirai, was the closest to Posuka Demizu sensei and was able to see it earlier than anyone else. We would like to hear about the great points of Demizu sensei that Shirai sensei wants to convey to the readers, as the original author of TPN.
The destructive power of the decisive shots is amazing!
Of course, the usual arts are amazing. But the destructive power of the decisive shots is terrific! Mama standing in front of Emma in ch.3, Norman deciding to crush Mama’s plan, the stray demons that appeared immediately, GP demons ready to go all out, Gillian’s machine gun firing, Pepe against Bayon, Nigel’s imagination, Submerging GP, the demon approaching behind Andrew, stray demons who caught Emma in a mass-producing plant, the spread of Zazie cutting off the demons, the spread with the gate of seven walls, Gilda’s tears, diced Giran, trampling of the Queen, Peter’s smile while saying ‘let’s die together’, his smile after being asked to live together in ch. 173, Emma shedding tears in front of the graves, all scenes of “let’s live together”...I can’t list enough, there's so much more! The power of art!! The facial expressions, the beautiful atmosphere of a split second where time is stopped...how they come in pictures is far beyond imagination. Whatever I ask is incorporated in the manuscript. I absolutely love the arts, so I always return to look at them. I’d like to print the image of mass production plant demons who caught Emma. The crazed expression full of hunger is amazing.
Everyone’s Mom!
At the end of Volume 5, there’s a sketch titled “Everyone’s Mom”. How each of these children feels around their Mom, each of the children, and Mom’s character portrayal can be seen absolutely clear-that’s how godly that sketch is. If I remember correctly, it was drawn before serialization. Norman’s shipment, Ray being Mom’s true child and the informant, and having no infantile amnesia- Demizu sensei knew none of that at that time! Yet, she drew this! How amazing is that? She’s like an esper! As if she read the storyboard in advance back then and created it. As the author, nothing can make me happier. The sketch and manga art are both perfectly on point! Demizu sensei is really amazing.
I love the movement of the legs
I like the way Demizu sensei draws the girls’ legs. Not in a sexy way-the balance of muscles and bones when starting to move is exquisite, so I really like it. That’s why I asked Demizu sensei to make Gillian return from skirt to shorts around the final chapters (*It would also be difficult to ride on a horse otherwise.) The legs are really well done.
The chibi kids are too cute!
Demizu sensei’s depiction of children is divine, and Emma and Ray’s young appearance was very lively and adorable! To utilize this cuteness, I added a lot of their chibi versions in the seven walls. Thanks to that, I think that the atmosphere became bright and fun to read. You don't have to pay attention to deep meanings, please enjoy the chibis! It was the best!
Jarring is a good motif
After passing the serialization contest and due to various reasons, I decided to change the way Conny was killed to one that characterizes demon culture better. However, I didn’t think I’d be told after passing the contest- that I was in a big rush (looking back now, it’s quite normal). I argued with Sugita san about revision policy and completely changed my storyboard’s scene to the current Vida/jar version before submission. When I talked with Demizu sensei, she said “Jarring is a good motif, I look forward to drawing it!”...! She’s like a god!
Desperation in the nightmares
The intro art of chapter 12, the nightmare of chapter 15- both had such exquisite images of nightmares…! They’re like the ultimate image of anxiety and fear that could be created in the mind! It was an endlessly creative and descriptive power. I bow down earnestly.
Demons’ designs are too cool!
I love the demon’s designs, especially Yverk and Leglavalima’s designs are too cool! Even though I threw them at a terrifying pace (I threw them all at the same time) such nobility, charisma, and powerful presence! I want their figures!
The folds of the clothes are cool!
GF Boss demon robe, Sonju’s cloak, bedsheets, Carol’s swaddle, Mom and Sisters’ aprons-the way all types of cloth’s folds are drawn is really cool! Please pay attention to them.
Stepped on by Her Majesty
As with the folding of the clothes, the dresses drawn by Demizu sensei are also cool! And the way the Queen stands…! How her hair hangs down, the angle of her fingernails, all of it! Even though Demizu sensei has to draw all of the characters, the quality of the art is amazing.
The sophistication of frame division
The frames are split tightly in the storyboard, and Demizu sensei arranges the frames according to the usual frame splitting. However, sometimes when there’s not enough time, the storyboard's unrefined frames are fixed by Demizu sensei in pinpoint accuracy. There are many examples, but I would mention the first frame of volume 5, page 45. It was Demizu sensei who pulled out three vertical frames. In the original storyboard, only the right side of the row was drawn in one panel. Demizu sensei’s changes were (1) Jemima sees the bottom on the cliff and is afraid, (2) Ray understands the depth of what he was giving up on, (3) 4 panels of Ray’s monologues by the time he crosses the cliff. There can’t be a better frame division with a complete improvement, in such a limited time. I bow down to it. I really wanted to talk about it when the manga was selected for the Manga award during serialization.
Norman is too white!
I asked, “I want to go with a top to bottom white uniform for Grace Field (but it becomes scary afterward)”; the problem was that Norman was too white in the drawings. In a black and white manga, Norman has white hair, white skin, and white clothes. There hasn't been a character so white since Near from Death Note. Not to mention, this child is in the middle of other children, who are also wearing white. The attention would slip towards the secondary characters instead. Isn’t this bad?
I noticed this before serialization, and Sugita san and I were worried. However, Demizu sensei says in a second: “It’s okay, I’ll adjust it!”, and now we have this screen of TPN. She wasn’t worried at all! It’s too subtle to notice, but the screen is made of various techniques, such as placements of lines and shadows, adjusting to the background and surrounding children, and so on. She was so amazing and so reliable, Demizu sensei herself felt like Norman to me.
The depiction of flames is powerful
The depiction of flames in the burning House was insanely cool. I think some draw soft flames with the tones, but this is a violent flame, a depiction of fire mixed with the oil! All in black and white, the power is amazing! Moreover, her genius remark is “I try to change the way of drawing flame every week because readers might become tired of it”! It’s all too amazing and cool!
The liveliness of House Children
The liveliness of the children is great throughout the story. The wake-up scene from chapter 1 is already on a godly level. Sherry in chapter 5, Eugene in chapter 18, Phil in volume 4- all of these children drawn by Posuka sensei is wonderful. Not only in pictures but also in the story. Without Demizu sensei, TPN couldn’t happen. I always look at page 31 from volume 3.
Inventing the Demon designs
TPN demons are memorable, unpleasant, and horrifying! The closer to humans, the more they feel uncomfortable… Yet, there are also cute demons like Mujika, cool ones like Leuvis, adorable ones like Aura and Maura. Demizu sensei’s designing capability is on a whole new level.
Children’s drawn arts are really nice!
It’s a remark from volume 1, but it’s still amazing. An adult is drawing these arts, right? It doesn’t look like that at all, they’re really like children’s paintings. Moreover, in each picture she actually changed the brush strokes, to make each of the drawings look like they were drawn by different children. It’s so good! Phil’s drawn art under the cover of volume 2 is really great, so please take a look at it.
The idea and creativity have no bounds!
The demon masks don’t have facial features so it’s scary if their face is all skin and bones, Leuvis having two cores, the suitcase having the string telephone, Luce not walking on his own- there are so many details to list that were added by Posuka sensei. The creativity is great and the amount of ideas is off the scale, that’s why such wonderful illustrations, characters, worldviews, and manga drawings could be created. It was a series of exciting selections and I was overwhelmed by the awesomeness. I love that Isabella’s image color was silver. Please see it on the sketch (p. 142)
Incredible visual depictions
There are tons of visual depictions in TPN, and it’s amazing how everything was made into such cool and exciting pictures! Especially the seven walls and Queen’s resurrection! If you tell her that you want this type of image, she’ll draw it hundred times better than you'd imagined! My brain scouter broke many times during serializations due to this drawing power. I was grinning each time.
The Liveliness of animals is of another level
Not only Little Bunny and Palvus, but I’d also recommend the snakes of Marvin and Alva Pinera (images from Ugo’s adventure)! A wide variety of facial expressions and a lively feeling of animation even in a still image! Even these small animals feel like they could take the leading role somewhere, anyone would fall in love with them in a single shot. Demizu sensei is like a great producer.
There's no end to great things!
All in all, I can't stop. There are many great aspects to Demizu-sensei's work and it's unimaginable just how much she has helped us week after week. All of the huge stacks of papers filled in the drawers, the drive, the idea, and creativity. It's the world that could only be created by the one and only Demizu-sensei. Her vast experience is very admirable. Starting from the children, people, demons, and animals- everything is done with excellence and individuality, which are Demizu-sensei's greatest aspects- that in my opinion have shaped the foundation of this world. I have deep respect. I'm glad to have worked with Demizu-sensei. We're aiming to celebrate as far as its tenth birthday. Thank you for your continued support!
INTERVIEW WITH DEMIZU POSUKA
There are also answers to readers' questions!
In The Promised Neverland, Demizu Posuka sensei delighted readers with her detailed drawings and her compositions where characters looked like they could come alive anytime.
We talked a lot about her expression techniques, her particular tools, the works that influenced her, along her memories from the serialization period.
Expression method to draw images as you see them
Demizu: The composition is decided so that all characters are delivered the way Shirai sensei indicated. For example, have you ever thought that the whole thing doesn't fit-when you take a picture with a camera from a smartphone? In such a case, you can use the panorama function to take the complete picture. I also use that function when taking pictures for materials.
I aim for the perspective and the composition that will allow me to draw “images” the way I see them, like the way places you’re looking at get emphasized or things that don’t fit the camera but are visible to the eye.
Demizu: First, I'm aware of the things that I've never drawn before. It's part of your first impression when you glance at it. But there are also the composition and perspective as we discussed earlier.
|| Did you ever get requests or memorable remarks from Shirai sensei or editor Sugita that you would share with us?
Demizu: Maybe things like that happened, but since it was 4 years ago, I don’t really remember. If something was suggested, I'd change accordingly. That state of mind at that time would become my “default state”; so I don’t think I’ve changed things because I was specifically asked something by either of them.
Demizu: I like the whole “Itadakimasu (Let's have meal)” scene. I am often being asked this kind of question (laughs). So whenever I hear it, my answer is always this.
|| And the opposite, a scene or panel that troubled you?
Demizu: I feel like I was constantly worried. I draw while wondering every time if it’s okay. For example, in the last scene from the last chapter, when Ray is shedding tears. I doubted and redrawn it several times, and until people read it, I stayed nervous and always doubted things like “Were the faces of the trio correct in the handshake scene?” or “Is it okay to have characters standing behind?”. This had been the case from chapter 1 to chapter 181.
|| In TPN, which situation would you dream to draw?
Demizu: Phil’s fall into darkness (laughs).
Building the characters' personalities
Demizu: It’s not limited to just these kids, in each sketch I design characters so that they stand out as much as possible. The kids you mentioned may have eventually become popular, but as far as design is concerned, they have nothing different from those other characters whose names weren’t mentioned.
|| Would you tell us the idea behind their designs?
Demizu: I try to concisely include the necessary elements to convey. And that readers can imitate to some extent. For example, I designed some characters who you can differentiate from their silhouettes. It’s a bit difficult for everyone so I will explain from those you mentioned earlier: Mujika is roughly as tall as Emma and I had the idea that she’s likely to become her friend. Gillian is “energic”, you see.
And the GP kids are the ones who have survived there, so they have skills and toughness.
|| What about Leuvis?
Demizu: Leuvis wasn’t just Leuvis alone, I created him while considering the balance of all demons that had appeared in the hunting grounds. Like I do with all the other characters, I created him while taking his position within the group into account.
Leuvis is strong, but instead of just strength, we thought it'd be great if he could look like a gentleman while being a demon, being calm upon having lived so long, or more tamed compared to his long battle experience of the past.
|| Within TPN, who’s your favorite character visual?
Demizu: We talked about this a little in the discussion we’ve had with Shirai sensei, it’s Phil. I also really like the Grandpa that appeared just before the final chapter and protected Emma. But I tend to have the characters I currently draw to always become my favorites, so of course, the characters from the final chapters are at an advantage!
|| In the commentary of the fanbook, Shirai sensei said "It was amazing that Demizu sensei made the shape of the demon's eyes vertical, which amplified the creatures’ vibe". Did you always have in mind to draw a creature with vertical eyes?
Demizu: Indeed. Since I’ve made plenty of creature designs for a long time, to some extent I think I have this “Gross Principle” in my mind.
For example, the shifting of the eyes, adding elements that are close to humans, or mixing animals and humans.
I think I was able to come up with various demon design proposals. Until then I had worked on creatures in mobile games and manga for young children, so for TPN’s demons, I aimed for a design that was scarier and looked good in black and white.
However, once a character has his colors decided as black and white because he got completed as such, it may become difficult to make him with colors.
Demizu sensei’s style and work technique
|| What are the most important things to keep in mind while working as an artist?
Demizu: It's more of a general rule of thumb than a job description, but I’m mindful of taking good care of the people I go along with.
Let’s say you fell out with your colleagues. Working in an unpleasant atmosphere is hell, right? It also reduces your work efficiency. You'd want to have fun working. Apart from that, I try to keep the environment as clean and tidy as possible by cleaning and tidying up frequently.
Also, because of my line of work, I try to stay up in the morning so that my neighbors don’t get suspicious (laughs).
|| Please tell us how you refresh yourself.
Demizu: That too we talked about a little in the discussion with Shirai sensei, I try to live following a schedule where we set up a one-day break.
The recent breaks to finish serialization were like this: From 7am to 9am, I get ready for work. I sometimes make rough sketches at that time too.
From 10am to 9pm, it’s time to get down to serious work such as adding lines and finishing. After 11pm, it’s time for my hobbies. I can refresh myself by drawing whatever I like, you see. Gaming is also at that time.
|| Do you have any special tools?
Demizu: Now that I've been finishing the lineart using a digital clip studio, I don’t really have particular tools in themselves but since I’ve been creating the TPN goods I often use them.
Also, I love my set of 100 yens-shop signature brush pens so I use them a lot.
|| “The cunning mason works with any stone”, right?
Demizu: No no, it’s not like that. They’re all the same pens, but there’s a “play” in the making of each, like their personality differs and the drawing feeling is different! It’s interesting and fun! (laughs)
|| Since you are working digitally now, you are no longer using analog tools.
Demizu: But the French Curve I'd been using since the time I started drawing manga has the longest lifespan. I’m still using it. It’s not tattered, it’s sticky from overuse. (laughs)
 |
| photo: Demizu Posuka’s beloved French Curve. In the photo’s right side, the aligned 100 Y shop pens. |
Demizu: But they’re dirty (laughs). Apart from that, I have a thumbtack pinned to the ink lid and I check every day after work to see if it’s still there.
|| A thumbtack?
Demizu: The thumbtack is an essential small prop to draw concentrated linework. As it plays an active role on a daily basis, I pay close attention to not drop and lose it.
|| Did you have new technologies introduced or that challenged you during the serialization of TPN?
Demizu: We halved the size of the manuscript and changed it so that the drafts can be done faster than before. I also started using tablets, which I didn't use before the serialization.
|| It seems that the weekly serialization alters your way of life drastically…
Demizu: Indeed. I made full use of online shopping. Amazon of course, but I also use SEKAIDÔ online shop for art supplies.
In addition, we increased the number of people who could make backgrounds as much as possible so that things would still be okay in case of sudden sick leave of staff members, and I bought a stand to make it easier to take pose pictures of yourself with a smartphone. I also moved to a larger room to improve the working environment, and recently I made a gun rack in the room to put the reference model gun.
|| In your artbook PONE you said, "I sometimes use photographs taken while traveling as texture material." Is there such material in TPN too?
Demizu: Did I? I don’t really remember right now.
As I mentioned earlier, I lived a life fully made of online shopping, I hardly went out during the serialization. There was no realistic way to go and collect material by traveling.
Dealing with colors
|| Please tell us how you decide the image colors of each character.
Demizu: It's like this, right? The sun! The moonlight! The darkness! I think that's how it is? Respectively Emma, Norman, and Ray. Darkness may sound like a bad imagery but darkness is born because there’s light. It’s needed, isn't it?
|| What about Don and Gilda?
Demizu: Don is the earth and Gilda is a grassland!
|| Demizu sensei, what’s your favorite color?
Demizu: Peacock green. (image)
|| Do you have a particularity regardings colors?
Demizu: I’m not picky with colors, but there are colors I inevitably end up using. Especially when I handle watercolors, no matter the number of times I layer the colors, they always end up mixing into a similar color. To put it bluntly, I always have in mind to be careful to not let it all become a similar color.
Also, above all, I think that colors shouldn’t refer to specific colors but rather everything should be balanced and relatively valid.
For example, the gray from a bright white color and the gray from a dark black color is the same gray, and yet will give off a different impression; I think. Rather than “what’s your predilection color”, it’s more like “How do you balance the colors with their surroundings”. I like to focus on this.
|| What color did you use often during serialization?
Demizu: I think it’s orange. But since I eventually pile up a lot of layers, the color I use often won’t always look the same as the one you often see on the magazine pages. Orange is Emma’s color and since I frequently use it for retro or warm items, I feel like I use it a lot. Sometimes I layered the entire manuscript with it.
|| A color you didn’t use much during the serialization?
Demizu: That’s red. I wanted to draw bright red pictures, I kept thinking about it, but in the end, I rarely did it.
|| What did you discover about colors during the serialization?
Demizu: Even when you fill the entire manuscript with color, it somewhat works.
Also, I would say manga are rather monochrome, right? I discovered that the technique of applying colors makes things surprisingly alive, even when in black and white.
Is it a little embarrassing to interact with fans?
|| Previously, when asked “Which character is similar to you?” you answered “Thoma and Parvus”. Would this answer still be the same now?
Demizu: Yes, it hasn’t changed. I mention Parvus because Leuvis is sort of like Shirai sensei. (laughs)
|| Did you ever hear or see the voices of foreign fans?
Demizu: I sometimes read the comments or others received on social apps. Many people send comments but because I’m embarrassed, I can’t look at them positively.
|| You’re embarrassed?
Demizu: Yes. Even fan letters get me “Whoa~”, part from being happy, part from being embarrassed. Since most of my drawings are my personal life and my own escape, I am super shy. But I’m grateful to everyone who sent them. Thank you so much. I’m glad!
Influences on work
|| Demizu sensei, would you tell us about the authors or illustrators that influenced your work?
Demizu: Is it okay if I go by the working title? I love and have often read the picture book “Big Big Sweet Potato” (* Ookina Ookina Oimo, by Suekichi Akaba/ original draft by Ichimura Hisako ) and “Birthday Feast” (* Tanjoubi no Gochisou, by Kimura Yûichi / Kuroi Ken).
Speaking of picture books, in a picture book series of world masterpiece anime, there’s an author who does designs I love. In this series, all different painters are drawing and everyone is very good at it. One author I particularly like is Yutaka Oono who drew illustrations such as “Ikkyû san” or “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”.
In his drawings, he reproduces many castles, towns, food, animals, tons of treasures, skirt wrinkles, and so on.
I was really lucky to be given dozens of masterpiece anime picture book series as a kid. I was that close to throw them away as I got older but I have been keeping them at my parents’ house even now.
|| In our conversation with Shirai sensei, we talked about games and the internet.
Demizu: Regarding games, I got influenced by artworks from the Final Fantasy series and foreign indie games you play on PC, Pokemon series, The Sun is in Your Hand (Bokura no Taiyou), Mushiking, and Oreca Battle. But no way I have played the entire series of Final Fantasy. Regarding the Internet, it’s “Oekaki BBS”, you see.
Last but not least, I can't not mention the two great individuals that are Kawai Junji sensei and Kaiu Shirai sensei.
|| Could you tell us if there’s any story related to Kawai Junji?
Demizu: It all started because my baseball-loving family bought me a manga. It impressed me specifically because my family didn’t read manga all that much. Reading Kawai sensei's manga was the first time I had the experience of comically laughing out loud. I also think that “being good at caricatures” was the occasion for me to learn about the fun of painting. By the way, the sensei who influenced me in the meaning of "living as a manga artist" was Akimoto Osamu sensei. When I was in high school, thanks to having received a manga award extra prize, I got to visit his workplace; sensei’s production style and the very neat and tidy workshop were particularly cool.
|| You don’t see that in weekly serialized magazine places.
Demizu: Yes. I came to think that weekly magazines' workplaces are harsh and dirty, so I decided that if I get to become a mangaka, I'd definitely try to copy him.
|| So Akimoto sensei was the root of your work approach and workplace tidiness, I see. Thank you for today!
TELL US, POSUKA SENSEI!
Reader's Questions corner
Q: All TPN characters are impressive and unforgettable once you see them. How do I draw characters that make an impression?
A: Please turn the character towards you. I’m not very good at it either, but when a character looks right at the camera, it’s easier to remember them.
Q: How did you come up with the design of the buildings (The house, the shelter, etc)?
A: In most cases, I create a combination of multiple buildings I like. I spend around 30 minutes a day navigating in Google Street View and bookmark for later the places I like, then from these multiple elements and what’s stocked in my head I create the actual building.
Q: Is Lord Bayon’s mansion modeled after the Alcazar Castle in Spain?
A: I don’t know about Spain castles but since I’ve actually traveled to the UK, Germany, and Portugal, the memories of that time may have influenced me.
Q: There are many designs of grapes and red wine in the color pages of the Weekly Shônen Jump, was there any intention behind it?
A: I thought that wine was generally easy to understand example of high-class food made over 10 years. When I started reading TPN, I wondered “Is it worth spending 10 years over one food?” Wine is something we are familiar with and easy to have in mind.
Q: In chapter 58 head illustration, Yuugo and the kids' dolls are at the table. Among them, only Don is seen with his nickname tag pierced by a fork instead of using tape. Is there a deep meaning in this?
A: There isn’t. He just ran out of tape. (laughs)
Source: The Promised Neverland artbook world (November'20)
(This translation is a collaborative work, Thank you @14th Neah!)
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