Onoderasan's First Doujinshi: A Tale on How to Survive Comiket's Common Contingencies

Article: Nobuyuki Kubouchi / Photography: Kazuki Miura / Editing: Hitomi Sakuma

Onoderasan is famous for his Comiket Otogibanashi Zenshu - Comiket's Fairy Tales, a collection of stories set at the Comic Market fair and based on popular fairy tales. It's crazy to believe that even someone as skilled as him was once a beginner...

Today, we're going to chat with Onoderasan about his first doujinshi and ask him his labors!

・Impossible deadlines

・The miscalculated book mountain

・The struggles with the resolution of manga works and the strives of printing

In this article, you'll find these stories and many more!

Moreover, in the second part of this interview, we'll provide some useful tips for all those who're struggling with the making of doujinshi... Approved by Onoderasan!

Deadlines approaching: it wasn't supposed to go like this

What would it have taken to make it on time?

-- When did you decide you'd create your first doujinshi?

Onoderasan: When I was in high school, I had the chance to see the doujinshi that my friends and others used to make. Around the time I entered university, I decided to try my hand at them. I decided I'd make a 32-pages booklet, but my progress was slower than I expected... (laughs)

-- How did you decide your work schedule?

Onoderasan: With all the time I spent on pixiv, I figured I had a grasp about how much time I needed to do everything. Two weeks for the storyboard, two weeks for lining... That was supposed to be enough. And it was a mistake (laughs)

When I decided to start thinking about the storyboard, I was sure I could figure everything out as I drew the first draft. I soon realized that working on a 32-pages booklet was totally different than working with a single page. I was screwed. I had no idea how to gather my ideas, and before I could wrap my head around it, two weeks had already passed.

Onoderasan: Eventually, I was able to draw a couple of pages anew. Then four. Eventually, I wrapped it up at 10 pages, and decided I would use my previous work to fill up the 32-pages booklet... But alas, the 32-pages booklet turned out to be a 20-pages one. At this point, I was totally panicking. Finally, I managed to get to the lining phase...

That's not gonna happen

-- Did you have trouble with the lining as well?

Onoderasan: When it comes to posting comics on the internet, I usually draw whatever comes to mind and post it right away. It's quite a sloppy process. However, since I had decided to publish my work in a physical magazine, I decided to be more precise with my work. That's when I realized I didn't really have it in me to be precise...

Onoderasan: I was late on my schedule since from the storyboard stage, so at that time I had no other choice but to push through.

-- With that pace, there's no way you made it on time...

Onoderasan: Also, at the time, I was a pure young man with no understanding of additional costs*, so I managed to submit my work before the deadline and with no additional charges. However, after finally understanding additional costs, I started thinking "if I can buy one more day with a few thousand yens, then it's worth it" and being late became a habit. I caused so much inconvenience to the guys at the print shop...

*By paying an extra fee to the printing company, one can adjust the deadlines for submitting their work. However, since it makes the process more expensive and it causes extra hassle for the printing company, it would be better to avoid it.

Don't try this at home

-- If you wind it like that every time, preparing the fliers for doujinshi conventions must be hell...

Onoderasan: Oh, about the flyers. I always bring them to a convenience store or copying service store the night before the convention. I don't know if copying shops know about the conventions as well, because the night before the event they're often on standby. After being up all night I head to the convention venue and can't focus all day... (laughs)

Another thing that happens quite a lot is forgetting the manuscript inside the copy machine of a convenience store. When you go back to get it, you never know if one of the clerks or another customer saw it... Honestly I just wish they burned it!

The resolution was too low, but it finally took shape.

-- Did you check the results your efforts at the convention after making it through with your first doujinshi?

Onoderasan: I did. I was so excited at the idea that something of mine was finally made into a book. When I finally took into my hands the fruit of my labors, I was in ecstasy. However...

-- However?

Onoderasan: The brand new part of the magazine, the first few pages, was still okay. I mean, they still sucked, but that's because of my scarce abilities. I remember flipping the pages, excited because it was my book, but when I got to the part of my old works, the ones I used to post on social media, I realized something was wrong. The resolution was too low, and overall my 4-koma comics looked like mosaics. That was the time when I finally understood the concept of resolution.

Onoderasan: When I checked later, I found that those 4-koma comics were just about the size of a web banner. When creating something new, you should always think about how it will look once printed, otherwise things can get complicated. But that was my first doujinshi, so the resolution in the first half of the pages was completely different from the one in the second half. Browsing through the pages, I kept thinking "this book sucks...". That's what happens when you try printing something without knowing anything about printing. I just recently understood the concepts of printing gutter and cuts.

The hardships of estimating how many copies to print

-- By the way, how many copies did you print the first time?

Onoderasan: Judging from the number of followers I had on social media, I estimated I would be able to distribute about 50 copies. Also, since I planned to distribute the same doujinshi at about 3 more events, I printed 200 copies.

-- That's... a lot of copies.

Onoderasan: Yes, it really was. I should have taken into count the fact that old doujinshi don't sell as well as new publications. (laugh) I managed to distribute around 40 copies. Regarding the 160 copies I had left... I didn't like the idea of distributing the same low-resolution magazine more than once, so I ended up putting them on a shelf.

Having so many unsold leftovers you can start a huge bonfire.

All it takes is trying it once

-- What did you make of the experience of creating your first doujinshi?

Onoderasan: Obviously, creating an exchange with the convention participants holding your very own doujinshi was the best thing for me. It gave me the motivation to work on the next one.

Kasa Jizo's impactful lines are apparently based on the actual reaction by Onoderasan.

Onoderasan: Also, the experience gave me some ideas on how to improve my future doujinshi works. In particular, I wanted to become better at drawing and overall a better artist. And because of the resolution incident, I decided I had to learn about printing. I also understood that your booth gets hardly noticed by people who don't know you, so I decided I had to put more effort into promoting myself.

-- Do you have any advice for those who want to start creating their own doujinshi?

Onoderasan: First of all, please listen to the advice of those who've done it before you. Ask for advice, if necessary. If you don't, you're going to have troubles with the resolution of your comics, or you're gonna get a call from the printing company tell you that you forgot to delete the gray line (=the one that separates the area to be printed from the rest) and you'll have to apologize.

Onoderasan: If you start creating your doujinshi after being selected for the Comiket, you're gonna run out of time and panic just like me, so please apply only after you're done with the manuscript. Only then you'll figure out your production pace. And don't make a habit out of paying the printing shop extra fees!! I'm serious!

Once your first doujinshi is done, you're going to figure out how much time your favorite authors spend creating their works and you're going to enjoy the doujinshi world even more!

It's all set! A strong ally for doujinshi creation

Onoderasan's Comiket Otogibanashi Zenshu is based on his true convention experiences, so it might be a good reference for all those who wish to participate in a similar event.

Based on Onoderasan's common contingencies related to doujinshi creation, Epson offered us advice on how to avoid mistakes and accidents by printing at home.

Solve your problems by printing at home!

・Print your stuff freely, without complicated terms and rules.

When submitting your work to a printing company, you have to know everything about resolution, file format, and other technical terms. At home, you print what you see on your PC screen. Print an actual-size copy of your work at home before submitting your work to a printing shop, and avoid the mosaic-effect disappointment at the venue!

・Print just one copy, or print a hundred.

First-time convention sellers are often on the fence about the number of copies to print. When undecided, it's a good idea to start by printing a small number of copies with your home printer. Some printers have automatical page imposition and double-sided printing (and a booklet-printing function), which makes creating a magazine even easier.

・Print at the last minute, with no extra charges.

With your home printer, you don't have to worry about submission deadlines. After submitting your doujinshi to a printing shop, leave it to your home printer to take care of flyers or copy-books. However, make sure to get your beauty sleep the night before the conventions! It's important that you get to the event in optimal physical condition.

An ally to all doujin artists! Epson EcoTank Model

When you're a doujin artist, there seems to be no end to the things you have to print. And when printing at home, ink quality, paper quality and costs are three of every artist's main worries.
We would like to introduce the Epson EcoTank Model EW-M630TB/TW, which brilliantly deals with all the issues above.

If low-cost home printing has piqued your interest, you can learn more about the Epson EcoTank model here.

Epson's EcoTank model is equipped with a large-capacity ink tank that can print about 6,000 A4 color documents with a single ink refill! In other words, you can print 300 copies of your 20-pages doujinshi without an ink refill. You can already print over 3,600 pages with the ink that comes with the printer when you first purchase it.

Moreover, you can check the remaining ink level from the printer's front window, so you don't have to worry about accidentally running out of ink just before an important event. Furthermore, the eco tank method cuts printing costs by 90% compared to the cartridge method! Black and white documents can be printed for the low cost of about 0.4 yen (excluding tax), so your life as a seller can get a little bit easier!

・6,000 A4 color documents with a single ink refill (*1)

・Clear black for sharp text and tones

・The EcoTank method cuts printing costs up to 90% (*2)

・Print one black&white page in approx. 4 seconds (*3)

*1: Click here for the number of printable pages (yields) in each color and a calculation of printing costs. Prices for consumables are calculated based on the price posted by Epson Direct Shop, excluding tax (as of August 30, 2018).

*2: Compared to our cartridge-style printers. This is a result of the comparison between our EW-M630TB/TW and PX-M650F models' A4 colored document prints.

*3: About 15 A4 black&white documents per minute (approx. 15 ipm). Click here for a calculation of printing speed.

Onoderasan gives the EcoTank model his seal of approval

Onoderasan was pleasantly surprised by the quality of his home-printed copy-book that came out, and he was all over the super low-cost EcoTank model which allows artists to print up to 6,000 pages with a single refill.

"I thought printing doujinshi (copy-books and flyers) at home would be a cumbersome experience because of the costs and the hassle of exchanging cartridges. But if I can print so many copies for such a low cost... Does your company really make a profit with this!?" he ends up asking, shamelessly, to the Epson staff.

"All doujinshi creators should own one of these! Why do you keep this a secret!?" he declares, giving the printer his seal of approval. Epson's EcoTank model helps creators to bring their works to the world. Definitely check it out if you want to create doujinshi in a hassle-free way!

Onoderasan
He is the author of gag comedy manga such as Comiket Otogibanashi and Kaguya Luna Gachi-zei no Nichijyo. Publishes his works on Twitter, pixiv and niconico.
pixiv
Twitter

Learn more about the Epson EcoTank model here.

Access Epson's Creators Portal website for useful information about manga and illustration creation

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Three lucky winners will be randomly selected to receive a EW-M630TB/TW printer for FREE!

To apply,

① Follow Epson's authorized Twitter account "@EpsonCreativeJP"

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Onoderasan's First Doujinshi: A Tale on How to Survive Comiket's Common Contingencies

Deadlines approaching: it wasn't supposed to go like this

The resolution was too low, but it finally took shape.