Afterword
The fourth volume so soon(?). Including other series, I’ve put out five volumes in a year and a half. Not bad for Gatou the Slow! (Well, I guess I was still pretty slow overall...)
Nothing special to write about this time, so I guess I’ll just comment a bit about each episode.
Bando Biino’s Extraordinary Circumstances This is an episode about Bando Biino, the girl who would occasionally show up covered in blood.
The story of the various characters’ petty despair was originally going to be even more cruel, but my supervisors Morii-kun and Arima-kun said, “It’s really graphic and harsh. It’ll make the young readers lose all hope” with tears in their eyes, and that made me restrain myself.
The riddle quiz tournament is partially inspired by a feeling I get when I play a certain quiz game on my smartphone on the train. I think you know that feeling— it asks for the name of the wife of some celebrity, and you’re like, “how am I supposed to know that?!” Or the name of an Olympic fencer. “How am I supposed to know that stuff?! Don’t be ridiculous!” (I say as I pay money to advance).
Let’s Film a Promotional Video
As I proceed through the story, I find myself with side characters that I really enjoy. Tricen was initially meant as a bit of a bit player, but I’ve grown fond of him lately. He finally gets a cover page illustration in volume four, so he’s probably hunching over from nervousness.
This story was originally published as a short in Dragon Magazine, and it was a meant to introduce readers to the characters of AmaBri. But despite that being the intent, I forgot to include Latifah-san. Sorry.
Family Affair.
Biino’s story was mainly a comedy of errors, with almost no drama there, so I wanted to write a quieter chapter. It ended up being about Seiya’s family situation. But when I thought about it later, I realized that Biino also had a not-related-by-blood sibling. I repeated myself. Sorry.
Five-Man Meeting
We’ve seen a lot from the three stooges, Tricen and Wrenchy-kun, but AmaBri is really full of all kinds of fairies(?). I wanted to introduce them and give Moffle a little bar talk that was different from the usual. Incidentally, these cast leaders might be in the anime starting this fall. Watch out for it, okay?
Oh, speaking of the anime! The production company is Kyoto Animation! The director is... Takemoto Yasuhiro, continuing on from Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu! About that! It’s not a situation like “Oh, Of course... I knew it,” or “I’d rather have some new blood!” Right now, Takemossan and I are clashing a lot, passionately! Especially on the question of whether or not Isuzu’s bosom will bounce! (I’m in the thinks-it-will camp.)
If you want to learn more about the anime, check the official site!
Book five is scheduled for autumn. I’d better get a move on (sweats).
And to Yuka-sama, thanks for always producing such great illustrations on such a tight schedule. I know it’s hard, but let’s do our best!
May 2014, Shouji Gatou
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