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@Edit
Translated by @Linali
[...]
- First, storyboard. How's impression now, that it's finished?
Hiro: I won't know, until I hear what my readers think about it, but I drew last chapter satisfied. It wasn't really touching or literary, but it contains maximum of the "essence of FT", so I think people who'll read it will be pleased.
- You prefered this "essence of FT"?
H: Yes. I believe, that every fan of FT has it inside. [...]
- Serialization started in 2006 in magazine no. 35 and finishes in 2017 in magazine no. 34. Exactly 11 years.
H: I didn't plan to keep it on for so long.
[...]
- Are there things left to draw?
H: Not at all. I embodied in the manuscript everything I wanted to draw.
[It's first time since 11 years that WSM will be published without FT, because Mashima never took a break; Mashima is in good health, his physical strenght dropped a little, but his spirit is getting stronger instead; Mashima thinks, he clinged to shounen genre]
-----------------------------------------------------
- Natsu's existance was great, wasn't it?
H: As simple and straight main character as him won't become seinen manga hero. Natsu was Natsu from the beginning to the end.
- But he grew, didn't he?
H: Od course. But his Natsu-ish side never shook. [...]
- Impressive since the first chapter. But honestly, he didn't fight to save Lucy back then, right?
H: Natsu was mad because of lies about Fairy Tail. But in the end he did save her.
- He's not the kind of hero, who helps others with their troubles. Main hero has something important to him and is devoted to it.
H: That's what I'm drawing since first chapter (laugh).
- Are there other thing you want to say about Natsu?
H: One detail... Natsu doesn't have many monologues, he's a kind of guy, who shows, what he thinks through his actions, so there's nothing left to say.
- Many characters appeared in manga, didn't they?
H: Thanks to some project, I was told, how many named characters appeared in manga - it's over 300.
- This project was held 2 or 3 years before last chapter, now it must be over 400 characters. Do you remember them all?
H: No, it's impossible (laugh). In one before last chapter many characters appeared all together, but I don't remember their shaping.
- (laugh)
H: I thought: "Come on, I can draw them, they're mine characters", but when I later looked back at them, I could hardly recognize them (laugh)
- The story grows, right? New guild appears and we have 10 new characters.
H: When the story began, I wanted to draw a lot of charaters, I thought, that I can draw as many as I wish. But in the end, when I was drawing group pictures in color, I was wondering, why are there so many characters? I reap what I sow tho, drawing is so much fun.
- Did you want to draw a "guild" from the beginning?
H: Group of people, or rather team. I wanted to draw a community, where people can gather. The more people, the more fun - that's what I was trying to propagate.
- Being a member of a guild seems fun.
H: Yes. It's hard to put it into words, but I always contain things like bonds and friendship in my mangas, I think that in FT I was able to highlight it stronger than in Rave.
[...]
- Usually it's about fighting with enemies, participating in different events and making more friends.
H: There were challenges. But that's the world I wanted to show.
- Actually it's mainly defensive battles. I find it revolutionary.
H: Really?
- Main characters want to become someone in the future or there are things they desire, and that's what they are fighting for. But Natsu already has everything he wants - friends, family, enjoyable everyday.
H: Thay's why he can nothing but fight to protect it. He protects it with all his power. Because he has it all, it's irreplaceable for him.
- In the last arc, I thought they will go to Alvarez, but in the end they came back to the guild and another defensive battle began.
H: It's because I wanted to draw the final battles in the guild. I decided it some time ago.
- No matter how strong the enemy was, the stance didn't change until the end.
H: It's about protecting friends. This part was never about to change (laugh).
[In second chapter many new characters appeared. Mashima new, it might be confusing for readers to see so many new facet at once, but without it he wouldn't be able to show their friendship and bonds. He made them start a fight and then Makarov appeared. It's symbol of the guild - they can be reckless, but there are moments, when they come together. But readers may not understand that, so here Lucy's role begins]
H: Lucy is in the same poistion as readers, it's first time she's in the guild, and thanks to her reaction it was esier for readers to emphatize with the story. From "members of Fairy Tail", through "peacemaker Makarov" to "Lucy, who's having an overhead view on things", it all makes it easier to read.[...]Without Lucy, FT wouldn't be logical story.
- Last chapter will probably start with Lucy's monologue...
H: Lucy is a core of FT. No matter, how surprising and irrational the others acted or how complicated the situation became, Lucy is always on the readers' side and says, she doesn't understand things they don't understand [...].
- There are many mangas, were protagonist has to carry out this duty.
H: It would be impossible for Natsu (laugh). Natsu doesn't have monologues, so he couldn't do explanations to gain readers' empathy.
- That's true, Lucy seems to be one step behind and observing.
H: At the beginning, she was the last one to join the guild, that's why she may give a vibe of outsider. [Now there's part about when Lucy said, that if she didn't meet Natsu and Happy, she wouldn't be who she is today and how they wish, that FT readers said the same]
- May I ask something about Gray?
H: I'm saying it for different occasions, but he came up as better character than I thought. I didn't intend to create a character, who makes cool impression, but rather someone, who got carried away easily for humorous purposes. Yet, he became who he is now little by little. Originally he was suppose to be opposite side to Natsu among the narrow circle of regurally appearing men.
- I have an impression, that Gray was made to go through many human-like sorrows.
H: Really? I wasn't aware of that. But episode with END wouldn't make sense without Natsu and Gray's relationship.
- What is the most impressive scene with Gray for you?
H: His fight with Silver. It was pleasure to draw.
[Later they talk about some situation with manuscript Mashima can't recall]
Part2
- What about Erza?
M: It's a character born from a snap decision. At first Gray and Erza were series characters. But they both became very popular, so I decided to make them regular members. That's why among the other characters Erza gives the strongest vibes of "the character raised by readers". She was growing along with them.
- She's strong, isn't she?
M: Yes, she is. She's like a symbol of "strenght" I wanted to draw. There lies her the greatest identity. That's why fans' reactions splited in two. There were people, who were saying: "I don't want to see Erza loosing no matter what!" and those, who were saying: "She's too strong. Make her loose once in a while".
- She's got girlish side too, isn't she?
M: She likes sweets and cute clothes, I'm also charmed by this side of her.
- What is the most memorable scene with Erza for you?
M: Pandemonium during GMG. I was able to draw a chapter, where Erza's strenght was the most prominent, thus it's my favourite. It's popular among the readers too. Erza has also "older sister" side, I like this kind of character.
- That's the first time I hear it.
M: Since childhood I longed for sister. That's why I do my best, when I draw characters like this. I remember, that that was the reason why Haru had a sister.
- I want to ask about other characters but there's so many of them... Maybe let's talk about one more.
M: Maybe Wendy then? Until then, in my mangas there was no little, cute warrior like her. But when she finally appeared, she was so, so cute (laugh). I draw her by myself, but I really came to like her.
- It could've been hard to treat her properly in battle manga.
M: If she wasn't a Dragon Slayer, probably she would become minor character. Originally I planed to create bit older female DS. But when I planned to create Wendy, I thought, that it's proper time to use this plan. In the end it was good decision.
- What is the most memorable scene with Wendy for you?
M: The final stage of her fight with Ezel, when she awakened DF. I managed to include her bond with Charla, just as I wanted. I even hesitated, if she won't die now. But I decided to not kill her, I didn't want to confuse readers, so forcibly I added scene, where Mest saves them both.
- I guess, there were various opinions about hurting Wendy.
M: She's a little girl, so I'm sure there were people, who were against. My editor also told me, that it's too much. But Wendy is not someone, who needs protection, she's a warrior. Warrior's duty is to fight, and when he fights, he gets injured and that is to be expected.
- You said that during preparatory meeting too, didn't you?
M: I wanted to draw Wendy as someone, who fights along with her friends. Even if she's a little girl, if she don't get injured along with her friends, then their friendship is falsehood. It may be painful, but there's no other way. She gets injuries, she has painful experiences, but I think that's what mean to be friends.
- Mashima's philosophy?
M: That's not such a cool thing (laugh). Actually there are countless of minor "FT rules" like this one. I can't explain it precisely, but when I'm was drawing FT, it was natural for me to remember about them.
[Here comes a part about "feeling the atmosphere" of manga; Mashima believes, that many mangakas has this ability]
- Various characters has various fans.
M: It's manga, so depending on chapter, there are salty opinions, some character may loose and a lot of fans of this character are mad. "Why did you make Gray go through something like that" for example.
- Do you worry about it?
M: I accept the critique overall, but I decided to not ponder over every opinion one-by-one. There are many fans, who aren't familiar with social network media, I can't focus only on those, who are. It refers to both posiitve and negative opinions.
- So the story isn't influenced by fans' voices?
M: I would like to say it's not, but is it really so? I intend to cut off from them, but maybe I receive them unconsciously. I'm not sure.
- Was there large amount of opinions on some matter?
M: I'm surprised that there are so many controversies around shipping. But in this case, I especially decided to not to take into consideration fans' opinion. I'm sorry, but I decided everything myself and I concluded it as I wanted.
- FT is very popular aboard too [not literally word by word, but meaning is the same]
M: I'm really glad, that FT became so popular aboard from the first chapters. That's why I decreased jokes and word plays as much as possible and drew round speech bubbles, so it was easier to translate.
- Did you aim at it?
M: No way, I'm surprised even now. I was wondering "Maybe that's why it became so popular?" many times, but I didn't find possible answer. I can only say, that I was really lucky.
- Do you actually feel, that your manga is received aboard?
M: Majority of my followers on Twitter are foreigners, so I really feel it. And foreign wiki is during completion. They write about detailes, that even I forgot about. Don't tell anybody, but I'm really thankful (laugh).
- Among all mangakas, you have the most followers on Twitter, it's over 1 milion people.
M: I'm grateful. I created account around GMG arc. By chance, it was a time of big popularity, so I received a lot of positive messages like "It was soooo interesting!". And as I'm a simple guy, it felt so good (laugh). Most of the messages come from foreigners too, so I'm trying to read them using translation software, once in a while I tweet something in English. Besides, pictures are commonly understandable all over the world, so I post a lot of scribbles, I hope my foreign fans are pleased.
Part 3
[Mashima doesn't have brieffing sessions for plot, but for storyboard only ever since Rave]
- Why so?
M: There are many authors, who can't draw storyboard without plot being decided. On the contrary, I can't draw storyboard with plot being decided. It limits me. I don't want it so I said to my editor "If it wasn't interesting, then reject it as many times as you wish, just don't reject the storyboard please". Now that I think, I sounded like cheeky youngster (laugh).
- But in the end FT became great manga.
M: At the beginning it was rejected many times (laugh).
- What changed since you were drawing Rave?
M: I became more aware of my readers' existance. In the past I was drawing what I wanted to draw, thinking, that if there were readers, who will be pleased, then it's ok. It was my editor's influence: "Maybe you want it draw like this, but I think, that fans would prefer something different".
- How about it now?
M: Now I myself think, how to please the readers even before editor tells me to do so. But in the end I'm lucky author, because things I wanted to draw and things Magazine's readers wanted to read were very similar. So it's not manga, in which I "killed" myself and draw only for fans. I always enjoy drawing mangas.
- You're going to official tours very often.
M: I visited many places, in the country and abord. Whereever I went, I was welcomed by local fans.
[It's not that Mashima likes to travel, but he has to go to various events in Japan and abord; sometimes he doesn't have a chance to finish his work on time and draws manuscript in hotels; sometimes before the sign meetings Hiro is anxious, if fans will come]
- How many chapters can you write at once?
M: I got enough time for preparations, so I didn't have problems with that. It's not that I draw 2 chapters per week, but I systematically draw little by little and accumulate it. But every time I do so, my editor deprecates me, it breaks my heart (laugh). "Editorial department snatched away manuscript from Mashima's stock again!".
- It's half truth, so what can I say (laugh). You accumulate drawings separately for game day off, don't you?
M: That's right. I love playing games, so when release date of the game is announced, I prepare one week ration and stock it. Ofc, I forwarn my editor about it. One day, I suddenly bring storyboad for two chapters, another day suddenly manuscript for two chapters arrives.
- That's incredible, that you don't choose to take a break.
M: Right now editors understand that. When I said "I want to play a game, so I'm going to bring storyboard and manuscript for one chapter ahead" for the first time, he just answered: "What?" in high voice (laugh).
[...]
- Do you plan your next manga already?
M: I think about it sometimes, but for now, I need some rest. My editor also persuades me to do medical check-up, lately he was telling me about rest even during work.
- Can you rest properly?
M: It's impossible to rest completely. My manga ended, but I still have things to do. Besides, now that I don't have to write 20 pages per week, everything will change. I think I can slow down for the first time in 11 years, but...
- But?
M: Editor-in-chief tells me every week: "Start your new series as soon as you can" (laugh).
- Sounds like mantra (laugh).
M: Exactly (laugh). On a serious note, he says so, because he cares, so I'll do my best with my next work. I'll be happy, if you will support my next manga too!
- Thank you for last 11 years.
M: Thank you too. See you again with my next work. Thank you for reading Fairy Tail until the end!
Translated by @Linali
[...]
- First, storyboard. How's impression now, that it's finished?
Hiro: I won't know, until I hear what my readers think about it, but I drew last chapter satisfied. It wasn't really touching or literary, but it contains maximum of the "essence of FT", so I think people who'll read it will be pleased.
- You prefered this "essence of FT"?
H: Yes. I believe, that every fan of FT has it inside. [...]
- Serialization started in 2006 in magazine no. 35 and finishes in 2017 in magazine no. 34. Exactly 11 years.
H: I didn't plan to keep it on for so long.
[...]
- Are there things left to draw?
H: Not at all. I embodied in the manuscript everything I wanted to draw.
[It's first time since 11 years that WSM will be published without FT, because Mashima never took a break; Mashima is in good health, his physical strenght dropped a little, but his spirit is getting stronger instead; Mashima thinks, he clinged to shounen genre]
-----------------------------------------------------
- Natsu's existance was great, wasn't it?
H: As simple and straight main character as him won't become seinen manga hero. Natsu was Natsu from the beginning to the end.
- But he grew, didn't he?
H: Od course. But his Natsu-ish side never shook. [...]
- Impressive since the first chapter. But honestly, he didn't fight to save Lucy back then, right?
H: Natsu was mad because of lies about Fairy Tail. But in the end he did save her.
- He's not the kind of hero, who helps others with their troubles. Main hero has something important to him and is devoted to it.
H: That's what I'm drawing since first chapter (laugh).
- Are there other thing you want to say about Natsu?
H: One detail... Natsu doesn't have many monologues, he's a kind of guy, who shows, what he thinks through his actions, so there's nothing left to say.
- Many characters appeared in manga, didn't they?
H: Thanks to some project, I was told, how many named characters appeared in manga - it's over 300.
- This project was held 2 or 3 years before last chapter, now it must be over 400 characters. Do you remember them all?
H: No, it's impossible (laugh). In one before last chapter many characters appeared all together, but I don't remember their shaping.
- (laugh)
H: I thought: "Come on, I can draw them, they're mine characters", but when I later looked back at them, I could hardly recognize them (laugh)
- The story grows, right? New guild appears and we have 10 new characters.
H: When the story began, I wanted to draw a lot of charaters, I thought, that I can draw as many as I wish. But in the end, when I was drawing group pictures in color, I was wondering, why are there so many characters? I reap what I sow tho, drawing is so much fun.
- Did you want to draw a "guild" from the beginning?
H: Group of people, or rather team. I wanted to draw a community, where people can gather. The more people, the more fun - that's what I was trying to propagate.
- Being a member of a guild seems fun.
H: Yes. It's hard to put it into words, but I always contain things like bonds and friendship in my mangas, I think that in FT I was able to highlight it stronger than in Rave.
[...]
- Usually it's about fighting with enemies, participating in different events and making more friends.
H: There were challenges. But that's the world I wanted to show.
- Actually it's mainly defensive battles. I find it revolutionary.
H: Really?
- Main characters want to become someone in the future or there are things they desire, and that's what they are fighting for. But Natsu already has everything he wants - friends, family, enjoyable everyday.
H: Thay's why he can nothing but fight to protect it. He protects it with all his power. Because he has it all, it's irreplaceable for him.
- In the last arc, I thought they will go to Alvarez, but in the end they came back to the guild and another defensive battle began.
H: It's because I wanted to draw the final battles in the guild. I decided it some time ago.
- No matter how strong the enemy was, the stance didn't change until the end.
H: It's about protecting friends. This part was never about to change (laugh).
[In second chapter many new characters appeared. Mashima new, it might be confusing for readers to see so many new facet at once, but without it he wouldn't be able to show their friendship and bonds. He made them start a fight and then Makarov appeared. It's symbol of the guild - they can be reckless, but there are moments, when they come together. But readers may not understand that, so here Lucy's role begins]
H: Lucy is in the same poistion as readers, it's first time she's in the guild, and thanks to her reaction it was esier for readers to emphatize with the story. From "members of Fairy Tail", through "peacemaker Makarov" to "Lucy, who's having an overhead view on things", it all makes it easier to read.[...]Without Lucy, FT wouldn't be logical story.
- Last chapter will probably start with Lucy's monologue...
H: Lucy is a core of FT. No matter, how surprising and irrational the others acted or how complicated the situation became, Lucy is always on the readers' side and says, she doesn't understand things they don't understand [...].
- There are many mangas, were protagonist has to carry out this duty.
H: It would be impossible for Natsu (laugh). Natsu doesn't have monologues, so he couldn't do explanations to gain readers' empathy.
- That's true, Lucy seems to be one step behind and observing.
H: At the beginning, she was the last one to join the guild, that's why she may give a vibe of outsider. [Now there's part about when Lucy said, that if she didn't meet Natsu and Happy, she wouldn't be who she is today and how they wish, that FT readers said the same]
- May I ask something about Gray?
H: I'm saying it for different occasions, but he came up as better character than I thought. I didn't intend to create a character, who makes cool impression, but rather someone, who got carried away easily for humorous purposes. Yet, he became who he is now little by little. Originally he was suppose to be opposite side to Natsu among the narrow circle of regurally appearing men.
- I have an impression, that Gray was made to go through many human-like sorrows.
H: Really? I wasn't aware of that. But episode with END wouldn't make sense without Natsu and Gray's relationship.
- What is the most impressive scene with Gray for you?
H: His fight with Silver. It was pleasure to draw.
[Later they talk about some situation with manuscript Mashima can't recall]
Part2
- What about Erza?
M: It's a character born from a snap decision. At first Gray and Erza were series characters. But they both became very popular, so I decided to make them regular members. That's why among the other characters Erza gives the strongest vibes of "the character raised by readers". She was growing along with them.
- She's strong, isn't she?
M: Yes, she is. She's like a symbol of "strenght" I wanted to draw. There lies her the greatest identity. That's why fans' reactions splited in two. There were people, who were saying: "I don't want to see Erza loosing no matter what!" and those, who were saying: "She's too strong. Make her loose once in a while".
- She's got girlish side too, isn't she?
M: She likes sweets and cute clothes, I'm also charmed by this side of her.
- What is the most memorable scene with Erza for you?
M: Pandemonium during GMG. I was able to draw a chapter, where Erza's strenght was the most prominent, thus it's my favourite. It's popular among the readers too. Erza has also "older sister" side, I like this kind of character.
- That's the first time I hear it.
M: Since childhood I longed for sister. That's why I do my best, when I draw characters like this. I remember, that that was the reason why Haru had a sister.
- I want to ask about other characters but there's so many of them... Maybe let's talk about one more.
M: Maybe Wendy then? Until then, in my mangas there was no little, cute warrior like her. But when she finally appeared, she was so, so cute (laugh). I draw her by myself, but I really came to like her.
- It could've been hard to treat her properly in battle manga.
M: If she wasn't a Dragon Slayer, probably she would become minor character. Originally I planed to create bit older female DS. But when I planned to create Wendy, I thought, that it's proper time to use this plan. In the end it was good decision.
- What is the most memorable scene with Wendy for you?
M: The final stage of her fight with Ezel, when she awakened DF. I managed to include her bond with Charla, just as I wanted. I even hesitated, if she won't die now. But I decided to not kill her, I didn't want to confuse readers, so forcibly I added scene, where Mest saves them both.
- I guess, there were various opinions about hurting Wendy.
M: She's a little girl, so I'm sure there were people, who were against. My editor also told me, that it's too much. But Wendy is not someone, who needs protection, she's a warrior. Warrior's duty is to fight, and when he fights, he gets injured and that is to be expected.
- You said that during preparatory meeting too, didn't you?
M: I wanted to draw Wendy as someone, who fights along with her friends. Even if she's a little girl, if she don't get injured along with her friends, then their friendship is falsehood. It may be painful, but there's no other way. She gets injuries, she has painful experiences, but I think that's what mean to be friends.
- Mashima's philosophy?
M: That's not such a cool thing (laugh). Actually there are countless of minor "FT rules" like this one. I can't explain it precisely, but when I'm was drawing FT, it was natural for me to remember about them.
[Here comes a part about "feeling the atmosphere" of manga; Mashima believes, that many mangakas has this ability]
- Various characters has various fans.
M: It's manga, so depending on chapter, there are salty opinions, some character may loose and a lot of fans of this character are mad. "Why did you make Gray go through something like that" for example.
- Do you worry about it?
M: I accept the critique overall, but I decided to not ponder over every opinion one-by-one. There are many fans, who aren't familiar with social network media, I can't focus only on those, who are. It refers to both posiitve and negative opinions.
- So the story isn't influenced by fans' voices?
M: I would like to say it's not, but is it really so? I intend to cut off from them, but maybe I receive them unconsciously. I'm not sure.
- Was there large amount of opinions on some matter?
M: I'm surprised that there are so many controversies around shipping. But in this case, I especially decided to not to take into consideration fans' opinion. I'm sorry, but I decided everything myself and I concluded it as I wanted.
- FT is very popular aboard too [not literally word by word, but meaning is the same]
M: I'm really glad, that FT became so popular aboard from the first chapters. That's why I decreased jokes and word plays as much as possible and drew round speech bubbles, so it was easier to translate.
- Did you aim at it?
M: No way, I'm surprised even now. I was wondering "Maybe that's why it became so popular?" many times, but I didn't find possible answer. I can only say, that I was really lucky.
- Do you actually feel, that your manga is received aboard?
M: Majority of my followers on Twitter are foreigners, so I really feel it. And foreign wiki is during completion. They write about detailes, that even I forgot about. Don't tell anybody, but I'm really thankful (laugh).
- Among all mangakas, you have the most followers on Twitter, it's over 1 milion people.
M: I'm grateful. I created account around GMG arc. By chance, it was a time of big popularity, so I received a lot of positive messages like "It was soooo interesting!". And as I'm a simple guy, it felt so good (laugh). Most of the messages come from foreigners too, so I'm trying to read them using translation software, once in a while I tweet something in English. Besides, pictures are commonly understandable all over the world, so I post a lot of scribbles, I hope my foreign fans are pleased.
Part 3
[Mashima doesn't have brieffing sessions for plot, but for storyboard only ever since Rave]
- Why so?
M: There are many authors, who can't draw storyboard without plot being decided. On the contrary, I can't draw storyboard with plot being decided. It limits me. I don't want it so I said to my editor "If it wasn't interesting, then reject it as many times as you wish, just don't reject the storyboard please". Now that I think, I sounded like cheeky youngster (laugh).
- But in the end FT became great manga.
M: At the beginning it was rejected many times (laugh).
- What changed since you were drawing Rave?
M: I became more aware of my readers' existance. In the past I was drawing what I wanted to draw, thinking, that if there were readers, who will be pleased, then it's ok. It was my editor's influence: "Maybe you want it draw like this, but I think, that fans would prefer something different".
- How about it now?
M: Now I myself think, how to please the readers even before editor tells me to do so. But in the end I'm lucky author, because things I wanted to draw and things Magazine's readers wanted to read were very similar. So it's not manga, in which I "killed" myself and draw only for fans. I always enjoy drawing mangas.
- You're going to official tours very often.
M: I visited many places, in the country and abord. Whereever I went, I was welcomed by local fans.
[It's not that Mashima likes to travel, but he has to go to various events in Japan and abord; sometimes he doesn't have a chance to finish his work on time and draws manuscript in hotels; sometimes before the sign meetings Hiro is anxious, if fans will come]
- How many chapters can you write at once?
M: I got enough time for preparations, so I didn't have problems with that. It's not that I draw 2 chapters per week, but I systematically draw little by little and accumulate it. But every time I do so, my editor deprecates me, it breaks my heart (laugh). "Editorial department snatched away manuscript from Mashima's stock again!".
- It's half truth, so what can I say (laugh). You accumulate drawings separately for game day off, don't you?
M: That's right. I love playing games, so when release date of the game is announced, I prepare one week ration and stock it. Ofc, I forwarn my editor about it. One day, I suddenly bring storyboad for two chapters, another day suddenly manuscript for two chapters arrives.
- That's incredible, that you don't choose to take a break.
M: Right now editors understand that. When I said "I want to play a game, so I'm going to bring storyboard and manuscript for one chapter ahead" for the first time, he just answered: "What?" in high voice (laugh).
[...]
- Do you plan your next manga already?
M: I think about it sometimes, but for now, I need some rest. My editor also persuades me to do medical check-up, lately he was telling me about rest even during work.
- Can you rest properly?
M: It's impossible to rest completely. My manga ended, but I still have things to do. Besides, now that I don't have to write 20 pages per week, everything will change. I think I can slow down for the first time in 11 years, but...
- But?
M: Editor-in-chief tells me every week: "Start your new series as soon as you can" (laugh).
- Sounds like mantra (laugh).
M: Exactly (laugh). On a serious note, he says so, because he cares, so I'll do my best with my next work. I'll be happy, if you will support my next manga too!
- Thank you for last 11 years.
M: Thank you too. See you again with my next work. Thank you for reading Fairy Tail until the end!
――いま、最終回のネームを？ 真島：ついさっき、最後の打ち合わせが終わりましたんで、完成ですね。
――ボツにはされなかった？ 真島：なんとか（笑） 担当：一発オッケーでしたよ！
――ひとまずネームですが、描き終えて、感想は？ 真島：読者の感想を聞くまではわかんないですけど、僕としては満足の最終回が描けました。感動的とか文学的っていう方向性じゃなくて、「FTらしさ」「FTっぽさ」を最大限に出したので、ここまで読んでくれた人たちには満足してもらえる終わりかなと。
――真島さんの思う「FTらしさ」を優先した？ 真島：そう。ファンそれぞれの中に、ファンそれぞれの「FTらしさ」は持ってもらっていると思う。だけど最後ばかりは、僕の思う「FTらしさ」を全開にさせてもらいました。
――２００６年３５号で連載開始。２０１７年３４号で完結。ぴったり１１年ですね。 真島：こんなに長く続けるつもりじゃなかったんだけどな。
――２９歳で連載をはじめて、いま４０歳。３０代をすべてFTに捧げましたね。 真島：いちばん脂の乗ってる時期をね。でも、それだけの物語が描けたと思ってます。大満足です。
――描き残したことはありますか？ 真島：まったくないなあ。描こうと思ってたこと、描きたかったこと、全部ちゃんと原稿にできました。ありたがいことです。
――１１年ぶりに出ますね。『FAIRY TAIL』の載ってないマガジンが。 真島：そういえばそうですね。休載してないから、当たり前っちゃ当たり前なのか。
――５００冊ぶりくらいです。 真島：そう言われると多い（笑）。編集部に入った時は連載してました？
――僕の入社が９年前なんで、連載してました。「楽園の塔」編でしたね。僕の下に２０人以上の部員いますから、マガジン部員のほとんどが連載開始後の入社ですよ。 真島：信じられない。マガジン編集部、若すぎません？（笑）
――連載開始時と今とで、変化はありますか？ 真島：体は相変わらず丈夫なんですけど、さすがに体力は落ちましたね。どんだけ徹夜しても平気だった頃とは、もうちょっと違う。でも気力は衰えませんね。むしろさらに湧いてきている。
――体力の違いは、ネーム中よりは原稿中に感じますか？ 真島：僕の場合、ネームは体力というより気力の産物なんで、関係ないですね。いつだって気力MAXで描けてます。それに、ネームについては、培った細かいテクニックとか長年の勘みたいなものに助けられますし。
――原稿は？ 真島：純粋に体力的な問題だけじゃなくて、絵の密度が年々上がっているので、時間がかかるようになってきました。原稿の質は一度上げると下げられないから、どんどん画面に凝っていっちゃうんですよね。
――毎回ベストを尽くすがゆえの悩みですね。
――最後まで、作者の年齢の上がり方を感じさせませんでした。王道の少年漫画だった。 真島：僕がいつまでも少年漫画にしがみついていたいと思ってるからかも（笑）
――ナツの存在は大きかったんじゃないですか。 真島：あれだけシンプルで真っすぐな主人公だと大人っぽい漫画にはなりようがないですよね。ナツは最初から最後までナツだったし。
――でも成長はしましたよね。 真島：もちろん。でもナツっぽさみたいなものは揺るがなかった。僕の中では。それがひょっとしたらそれが「少年漫画らしさ」と直結してたのかもしれない。
――１話目から印象的ですよね。実はルーシィを助けようとして戦ったわけじゃない。 真島：ナツは「妖精の尻尾（フェアリーテイル）」を騙られたことに対して怒ってたんです。結果的にはちゃんと助けているんだけど。
――なんとなく、困っている人を助けるっていう主人公じゃないんですよね。主人公にとって何が大切なのかがこれでもかってくらい描いてある。 真島：１話目はそれしか描いてないから（笑）
――ナツについて、他に語るべきことは？ 真島：細かくはあるんだけど……ナツはモノローグも持たないし、考えていることが全部行動に出る奴だから、あんまり僕が語るべきものは残ってないかな。
――キャラクター、多かったですよね。 真島：何かの企画で名前のあるキャラクターを数えてもらったんですよね。そしたら３００人以上いて。
――最終回の２年か３年くらい前の企画だから、最終的には４００人越えてそうですよね。全員覚えてます？ 真島：いや無理（笑）。最終回の１回前で、いろんなキャラが総出演するんですけど、まったく造形を覚えてなくて。
――（笑） 真島：「まー描けるだろう、自分のキャラだし！」と思って描くんだけど、後で見返したら全然違う（笑）
――漫画の性質上、どうしても増えますよね。ギルドひとつ出したら１０人くらいキャラ増えるわけだから。 真島：そもそもたくさんのキャラクターが描きたくてはじめたから、連載当初は「いくらでも描くぜ！」って思ってました。けど、最後の方は集合絵のカラーとか描くたびに「なんでこんなにキャラクター多いんだろう？」って首をひねってましたね。自業自得だし、描くのはいつになっても楽しいんだけど。純粋に不思議（笑）
――もともと「ギルド」が描きたかったんですか？ 真島：群衆、っていうかチームですね。人の集まり、コミュニティみたいなものを描きたかったんです。いろんな人がいる、ということの楽しさっていうのかな。そういうものを伝えたかった。
――楽しそうですもんね、ギルドのメンバーたち。 真島：うん。言葉では言いにくいけど、絆とか友情とか、僕はそういうものをずっと漫画で描いてきて、その点については『RAVE』よりも『FAIRY TAIL』の方が深く描けたかなって思っています。
――今でこそ王道って印象ですけど、実は初期は変わったファンタジーバトルものですよね。 真島：最初から仲間がいっぱいいましたからね。
――普通は敵と闘ったり、イベントで出会ったりして仲間を増やしていくものじゃないですか。 真島：挑戦ではありました。でもそういう世界を見せたかった。
――実はほとんど防衛戦しかしないんですよね。そこか革命的だなって思って。 真島：そう？
――普通、主人公ってなりたいものとか欲しいものがあって、そのために戦うじゃないですか。なのにナツはもう全部持ってるんですよ。仲間も家も楽しい毎日も。 真島：だから、守るためにしか戦えないんです。守るときに全力を出すんです。ナツがはじめから持っているものこそが、本当に何よりもかけがえのないものだから。
――最終シリーズも、アルバレスに行ったと思ったら、結局ギルドに帰って来て、また防衛戦になった。 真島：最終戦はギルドの中で描きたかったんです。それは結構前から決めてましたね。
――どんどん敵は大きくなるけど、最後までスタンスは変わりませんでしたね。 真島：仲間を守るっていうね。そこは変えようがなかったから（笑）
――主人公が満たされている漫画、本当だったら描きにくいと思います。 真島：モチベーションの持たせ方がちょっと独特になりますね。
――物語が回しづらいですよね？ なんであんなに上手くいったんですか？ 真島：不思議ですよね。
――他人事みたい（笑） 真島：そういえば最初の頃のネームには苦労してました。元からいる仲間たちの絆ってこんなに面白くていいものなんだぜっていう見せ方をしたかったんだけど、そのためには構造的な仕掛けが必要だったから。
――具体的には？ 真島：わかりやすいのは２話目ですね。１話目は「妖精の尻尾（フェアリーテイル）の魔道士ってどういう奴か」を描く話で、２話目は「妖精の尻尾（フェアリーテイル）ってどういうギルドか」を描く話でした。
――なるほど。 真島：ギルドそのものにキャラクター性を宿さなきゃいけなかったから、２話目にしてたくさんのキャラクターが出て来なきゃいけなかった。そうすると読者は混乱してしまう。でもそこが描けないとギルドも仲間も絆も描きようがなかった。だから、みんなが喧嘩を始めそうになったときに、マカロフが「マスター」として出てきます。ある意味でギルドを象徴する存在として。全員が全員めちゃくちゃな奴らだけど、ちゃんと全員の目線が合っているところもある、というような印象をそこで描ける。でも、それだけだと読者がついてこれなくなっちゃうから、ルーシィの出番。
――ルーシィ？ 真島：ルーシィが読者と同じ立場で、はじめてギルドに触れた人としてのリアクションを取ってくれると、読者が入り込みやすくなるから。「妖精の尻尾（フェアリーテイル）のメンバーたち」に加えて、「まとめ役としてのマカロフ」と「それに対する俯瞰の視点としてのルーシィ」を配置することで、なんとか読みやすくまとめられたのかなって。
――なるほど、としか言いようがない話ですね。 真島：ルーシィがいないと「FT」は全部成り立たない話ですから。
――章の頭には必ずルーシィのモノローグがありますね。 真島：「FT」はもともとルーシィが主体の話でもあります。どんなにぶっ飛んだ奴ら、複雑な世界観があっても、ルーシィが読者のとなりにいて、わからないことをわからないと言ってくれるから成立してたんじゃないかなあ。
――主人公がその役割を担う漫画も多いですけど……。 真島：ナツには無理だから（笑）。ナツはモノローグさえ持たないキャラクターなんで、共感を得る説明なんてできるはずがない。
――ルーシィはたしかに、一歩引いて見ている感じがありますよね。 真島：序盤の時点では、一番後からギルドに入ったキャラクターですから、ちょっとした部外者感はありましたね。それが最後までキャラクターの役割として定着していったというか。 担当：最終回で「ナツとハッピーに出会ってなければ、今のあたしはいなかった」っていう意味の台詞をルーシィが言うのね。それがそのまま、読者の感想になってくれてればいいなあって思う。やっぱりルーシィは読者の代弁者だと思ってたから。 真島：最後の最後、ずっと四角い枠線でくくってたルーシィのモノローグが、はじめてメタになるんです。すごく小さなことだけど、それは最終回でちょっとやりたかったことですね。
――グレイについても聞いていいですか？ 真島：いろんなところで言ってるけど、思ったより人気が出て驚いたキャラですね。カッコイイっていう印象のキャラにする気はなくて、３枚目のお調子者になるはずだった。それがだんだんああなっていって。もともとレギュラーメンバーでは数少ない男性陣で、ナツの反対側に位置するキャラクターとして造形しました。
――グレイって、人間的な悩みを突きつけられることが特に多かった気がします。 真島：そうですか？ あんまり意識はしてなかったけど。ただ、ＥＮＤ絡みのエピソードはナツとグレイの関係性じゃないと意味がなかったですね。
――印象に残っているグレイのシーンは？ 真島：シルバーとの戦いですね。あそこは自分でも気に入って描けました。
――思いだした。あの頃、僕がまだ担当してて、あの日いきなり真島さんがネーム３話分くらい持ってきたんですよ。あと原稿２話分。 真島：え、そうでしたっけ？ 覚えてない。 ――前回と前々回のネームから大きく変更したくなったから、ネームも原稿も一気に描き直しましたって。そんで僕にネームを渡す時に珍しく「今週は自信作です」って言ったんです。真島さん、そういうこと滅多に言わないのに。 真島：えー、まいったな。本当に覚えてない（笑）
――なんで忘れられるんですか（笑）。すごい印象的だった。 真島：うん、でも、あの回に手ごたえがあった記憶はあるから、きっとそういうことなんでしょう、まったく覚えてないけど（笑）
――嘘でしょ……。 次は「ページ2」へ！
© 講談社
――ボツにはされなかった？ 真島：なんとか（笑） 担当：一発オッケーでしたよ！
――ひとまずネームですが、描き終えて、感想は？ 真島：読者の感想を聞くまではわかんないですけど、僕としては満足の最終回が描けました。感動的とか文学的っていう方向性じゃなくて、「FTらしさ」「FTっぽさ」を最大限に出したので、ここまで読んでくれた人たちには満足してもらえる終わりかなと。
――真島さんの思う「FTらしさ」を優先した？ 真島：そう。ファンそれぞれの中に、ファンそれぞれの「FTらしさ」は持ってもらっていると思う。だけど最後ばかりは、僕の思う「FTらしさ」を全開にさせてもらいました。
――２００６年３５号で連載開始。２０１７年３４号で完結。ぴったり１１年ですね。 真島：こんなに長く続けるつもりじゃなかったんだけどな。
――２９歳で連載をはじめて、いま４０歳。３０代をすべてFTに捧げましたね。 真島：いちばん脂の乗ってる時期をね。でも、それだけの物語が描けたと思ってます。大満足です。
――描き残したことはありますか？ 真島：まったくないなあ。描こうと思ってたこと、描きたかったこと、全部ちゃんと原稿にできました。ありたがいことです。
――１１年ぶりに出ますね。『FAIRY TAIL』の載ってないマガジンが。 真島：そういえばそうですね。休載してないから、当たり前っちゃ当たり前なのか。
――５００冊ぶりくらいです。 真島：そう言われると多い（笑）。編集部に入った時は連載してました？
――僕の入社が９年前なんで、連載してました。「楽園の塔」編でしたね。僕の下に２０人以上の部員いますから、マガジン部員のほとんどが連載開始後の入社ですよ。 真島：信じられない。マガジン編集部、若すぎません？（笑）
――連載開始時と今とで、変化はありますか？ 真島：体は相変わらず丈夫なんですけど、さすがに体力は落ちましたね。どんだけ徹夜しても平気だった頃とは、もうちょっと違う。でも気力は衰えませんね。むしろさらに湧いてきている。
――体力の違いは、ネーム中よりは原稿中に感じますか？ 真島：僕の場合、ネームは体力というより気力の産物なんで、関係ないですね。いつだって気力MAXで描けてます。それに、ネームについては、培った細かいテクニックとか長年の勘みたいなものに助けられますし。
――原稿は？ 真島：純粋に体力的な問題だけじゃなくて、絵の密度が年々上がっているので、時間がかかるようになってきました。原稿の質は一度上げると下げられないから、どんどん画面に凝っていっちゃうんですよね。
――毎回ベストを尽くすがゆえの悩みですね。
――最後まで、作者の年齢の上がり方を感じさせませんでした。王道の少年漫画だった。 真島：僕がいつまでも少年漫画にしがみついていたいと思ってるからかも（笑）
――ナツの存在は大きかったんじゃないですか。 真島：あれだけシンプルで真っすぐな主人公だと大人っぽい漫画にはなりようがないですよね。ナツは最初から最後までナツだったし。
――でも成長はしましたよね。 真島：もちろん。でもナツっぽさみたいなものは揺るがなかった。僕の中では。それがひょっとしたらそれが「少年漫画らしさ」と直結してたのかもしれない。
――１話目から印象的ですよね。実はルーシィを助けようとして戦ったわけじゃない。 真島：ナツは「妖精の尻尾（フェアリーテイル）」を騙られたことに対して怒ってたんです。結果的にはちゃんと助けているんだけど。
――なんとなく、困っている人を助けるっていう主人公じゃないんですよね。主人公にとって何が大切なのかがこれでもかってくらい描いてある。 真島：１話目はそれしか描いてないから（笑）
――ナツについて、他に語るべきことは？ 真島：細かくはあるんだけど……ナツはモノローグも持たないし、考えていることが全部行動に出る奴だから、あんまり僕が語るべきものは残ってないかな。
――キャラクター、多かったですよね。 真島：何かの企画で名前のあるキャラクターを数えてもらったんですよね。そしたら３００人以上いて。
――最終回の２年か３年くらい前の企画だから、最終的には４００人越えてそうですよね。全員覚えてます？ 真島：いや無理（笑）。最終回の１回前で、いろんなキャラが総出演するんですけど、まったく造形を覚えてなくて。
――（笑） 真島：「まー描けるだろう、自分のキャラだし！」と思って描くんだけど、後で見返したら全然違う（笑）
――漫画の性質上、どうしても増えますよね。ギルドひとつ出したら１０人くらいキャラ増えるわけだから。 真島：そもそもたくさんのキャラクターが描きたくてはじめたから、連載当初は「いくらでも描くぜ！」って思ってました。けど、最後の方は集合絵のカラーとか描くたびに「なんでこんなにキャラクター多いんだろう？」って首をひねってましたね。自業自得だし、描くのはいつになっても楽しいんだけど。純粋に不思議（笑）
――もともと「ギルド」が描きたかったんですか？ 真島：群衆、っていうかチームですね。人の集まり、コミュニティみたいなものを描きたかったんです。いろんな人がいる、ということの楽しさっていうのかな。そういうものを伝えたかった。
――楽しそうですもんね、ギルドのメンバーたち。 真島：うん。言葉では言いにくいけど、絆とか友情とか、僕はそういうものをずっと漫画で描いてきて、その点については『RAVE』よりも『FAIRY TAIL』の方が深く描けたかなって思っています。
――今でこそ王道って印象ですけど、実は初期は変わったファンタジーバトルものですよね。 真島：最初から仲間がいっぱいいましたからね。
――普通は敵と闘ったり、イベントで出会ったりして仲間を増やしていくものじゃないですか。 真島：挑戦ではありました。でもそういう世界を見せたかった。
――実はほとんど防衛戦しかしないんですよね。そこか革命的だなって思って。 真島：そう？
――普通、主人公ってなりたいものとか欲しいものがあって、そのために戦うじゃないですか。なのにナツはもう全部持ってるんですよ。仲間も家も楽しい毎日も。 真島：だから、守るためにしか戦えないんです。守るときに全力を出すんです。ナツがはじめから持っているものこそが、本当に何よりもかけがえのないものだから。
――最終シリーズも、アルバレスに行ったと思ったら、結局ギルドに帰って来て、また防衛戦になった。 真島：最終戦はギルドの中で描きたかったんです。それは結構前から決めてましたね。
――どんどん敵は大きくなるけど、最後までスタンスは変わりませんでしたね。 真島：仲間を守るっていうね。そこは変えようがなかったから（笑）
――主人公が満たされている漫画、本当だったら描きにくいと思います。 真島：モチベーションの持たせ方がちょっと独特になりますね。
――物語が回しづらいですよね？ なんであんなに上手くいったんですか？ 真島：不思議ですよね。
――他人事みたい（笑） 真島：そういえば最初の頃のネームには苦労してました。元からいる仲間たちの絆ってこんなに面白くていいものなんだぜっていう見せ方をしたかったんだけど、そのためには構造的な仕掛けが必要だったから。
――具体的には？ 真島：わかりやすいのは２話目ですね。１話目は「妖精の尻尾（フェアリーテイル）の魔道士ってどういう奴か」を描く話で、２話目は「妖精の尻尾（フェアリーテイル）ってどういうギルドか」を描く話でした。
――なるほど。 真島：ギルドそのものにキャラクター性を宿さなきゃいけなかったから、２話目にしてたくさんのキャラクターが出て来なきゃいけなかった。そうすると読者は混乱してしまう。でもそこが描けないとギルドも仲間も絆も描きようがなかった。だから、みんなが喧嘩を始めそうになったときに、マカロフが「マスター」として出てきます。ある意味でギルドを象徴する存在として。全員が全員めちゃくちゃな奴らだけど、ちゃんと全員の目線が合っているところもある、というような印象をそこで描ける。でも、それだけだと読者がついてこれなくなっちゃうから、ルーシィの出番。
――ルーシィ？ 真島：ルーシィが読者と同じ立場で、はじめてギルドに触れた人としてのリアクションを取ってくれると、読者が入り込みやすくなるから。「妖精の尻尾（フェアリーテイル）のメンバーたち」に加えて、「まとめ役としてのマカロフ」と「それに対する俯瞰の視点としてのルーシィ」を配置することで、なんとか読みやすくまとめられたのかなって。
――なるほど、としか言いようがない話ですね。 真島：ルーシィがいないと「FT」は全部成り立たない話ですから。
――章の頭には必ずルーシィのモノローグがありますね。 真島：「FT」はもともとルーシィが主体の話でもあります。どんなにぶっ飛んだ奴ら、複雑な世界観があっても、ルーシィが読者のとなりにいて、わからないことをわからないと言ってくれるから成立してたんじゃないかなあ。
――主人公がその役割を担う漫画も多いですけど……。 真島：ナツには無理だから（笑）。ナツはモノローグさえ持たないキャラクターなんで、共感を得る説明なんてできるはずがない。
――ルーシィはたしかに、一歩引いて見ている感じがありますよね。 真島：序盤の時点では、一番後からギルドに入ったキャラクターですから、ちょっとした部外者感はありましたね。それが最後までキャラクターの役割として定着していったというか。 担当：最終回で「ナツとハッピーに出会ってなければ、今のあたしはいなかった」っていう意味の台詞をルーシィが言うのね。それがそのまま、読者の感想になってくれてればいいなあって思う。やっぱりルーシィは読者の代弁者だと思ってたから。 真島：最後の最後、ずっと四角い枠線でくくってたルーシィのモノローグが、はじめてメタになるんです。すごく小さなことだけど、それは最終回でちょっとやりたかったことですね。
――グレイについても聞いていいですか？ 真島：いろんなところで言ってるけど、思ったより人気が出て驚いたキャラですね。カッコイイっていう印象のキャラにする気はなくて、３枚目のお調子者になるはずだった。それがだんだんああなっていって。もともとレギュラーメンバーでは数少ない男性陣で、ナツの反対側に位置するキャラクターとして造形しました。
――グレイって、人間的な悩みを突きつけられることが特に多かった気がします。 真島：そうですか？ あんまり意識はしてなかったけど。ただ、ＥＮＤ絡みのエピソードはナツとグレイの関係性じゃないと意味がなかったですね。
――印象に残っているグレイのシーンは？ 真島：シルバーとの戦いですね。あそこは自分でも気に入って描けました。
――思いだした。あの頃、僕がまだ担当してて、あの日いきなり真島さんがネーム３話分くらい持ってきたんですよ。あと原稿２話分。 真島：え、そうでしたっけ？ 覚えてない。 ――前回と前々回のネームから大きく変更したくなったから、ネームも原稿も一気に描き直しましたって。そんで僕にネームを渡す時に珍しく「今週は自信作です」って言ったんです。真島さん、そういうこと滅多に言わないのに。 真島：えー、まいったな。本当に覚えてない（笑）
――なんで忘れられるんですか（笑）。すごい印象的だった。 真島：うん、でも、あの回に手ごたえがあった記憶はあるから、きっとそういうことなんでしょう、まったく覚えてないけど（笑）
――嘘でしょ……。 次は「ページ2」へ！
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