"I want to cherish 'gentleness' with both the art and the story" - an interview with Totsukuni no Shoujo author Nagabe

I use two felt tip pens which I bought in a convenience store - a thick one and a thin one.

I use these pens for everything but for Sense's clothes, border lines and tones. I like the fact that they dry out after a while, and the effect of those lines is really appealing. It's the perfect tool for Totsukuni no Shoujo. I like the texture they give to Sense's hair and clothes.

The tips start wearing out after about 50 pages. I use the newest pens for solid coloring, and usually I have to replace them after one chapter. They come and go pretty fast!

The key is not to think about Totsukuni no Shoujo as a manga. The style is similar to a manga, but I wanted it to look like a picture book to give it an unique feel. Since I like a style of drawing where lines overlap each other, I want to minimize the use of mid-tones.

I love drawing forests, but every time I'm struggling with a final result that doesn't match my expectations. To paint a solid-looking forest in black and white means that Sense's dark silhouette will disappear in the middle of it. (laughs) When I realized that, I started depicting forests with a range of lines, but the final result ended up looking pretty coarse and I wasn't satisfied with that either since the characters wouldn't stand out at all. Even now, I'm conflicted about whether I should prioritize characters or the general atmosphere.

There are many fun things! My favorite thing is probably wood grain. Every time it comes out, I take my sweet time with it! (laughs) I love taking trips to the local flea market to take a look at some miscellaneous antique goods, and I'm influenced by it because I always change the composition of my illustration until the wood grain appears clearer.

After working on Buchou wa Onee and Nivaua to Saito, I realized I really had to fix that part of me that hated drawing backgrounds. I took some time to collect materials and resources. I figured instead of twiddling my thumbs I had to accept there are things I cannot do, and at the same time focus on the things I could do and on strategies to improve. After gathering resources I incorporated other people's styles into my own until I thought I was good to go. Lastly, I drew a ton of backgrounds, to settle things down. It takes time to grasp the most efficient techniques, but after one year I finally got used to drawing backgrounds too.

I used a book by Tasha Tudor, who is both a picture book author and a gardener. She influenced how I depict gardens and houses.

Of course it is, but I don't think of it as an annoyance because drawing is really fun to me. Even now I always carry my sketchbook with me, especially on trains. I also draw when taking breaks from my job, to get refreshed.

If you really like to draw, you should do it all day, every day, until you get tired of it. Don't force yourself to draw, because if you want your dream to come true it will, after a lot of effort and challenges. That's why you should really enjoy drawing. Life is supposed to be easy, so why struggle? Also, don't forget that Totsukuni no Shoujo vol.3 is coming out in April. Please buy it!