This month’s special guest is doujin author extraordinaire, Gai Mizuki (aka Rycanthropy)! Like Dainyu-sensei, who I interviewed last month, Mizuki and I exchanged messages via Twitter DMs. Over two days, we talked about his artwork, hobbies, and he sent a few exclusive photos from his personal life just for this article! The original conversation was in Japanese, but below you can get all the details, fully translated.
Walker: Hello there, Mizuki-sensei! Thank you for agreeing to this interview. I’m happy to feature you this month! よろしくお願いいたします。
水樹先生: Nice to meet you. Thank you for your message. I’m happy to be here, but I can only speak Japanese. よろしくお願いいたします。
Walker: Not a problem! Now, I have a few questions about you and your work, and then some just for fun and games. Sound good?
水樹先生: Alright. I’ll answer anything I can, depending on the question.
Walker: Thank you so much. Shall we get started?
水樹先生: Yes! Anytime.
Walker: Right! Now, you draw a lot of doujinshi. What was your motivation to become a doujin artist?
水樹先生: I have been drawing manga ever since I was a student. However, I didn’t draw very often because I was also studying music. Then, when I was a company worker, I was a web developer. After that, I began to draw pictures gradually and started making doujinshi. Over time, I was invited by a publisher to produce manga.
Walker: Did you have any particular manga or anime you wanted to draw work of?
水樹先生: I’ve already drawn it once, but I want to draw a little more of Voltron. I haven’t been able to check out new works recently, so I don’t really know what to draw, but I’m curious about Netflix’s new Seis Manos series.
Walker: Interesting! Now, you said you studied music. Did you always want to be a musician? Did you have any other dreams when you were a kid?
水樹先生: I’ve loved the piano since I was a kid, and dreamed of becoming a music teacher in the future. Thanks to my family I was able to learn piano with an Electone (Do you know about them?). But, in the end, I learned I couldn’t become a teacher unless I went to a specialized school. But, because of the hobby, I made friends and was in a rock band. I’ve always liked music and painting, but I didn’t expect to be a manga artist. Also, when I was a student I was into athletics and was a hurdles athlete. So I had a dream of competing in the Olympics. However, I gave that up due to an injury.
Walker: Do you regret having given up all your other dreams to become a manga artist?
水樹先生: It’s disappointing, but I don’t regret anything. Doing music and athletics were all things that shaped me. I also think that I’ve been able to use my experiences in my work. So, all the happy and sad events of my life are important to me.
Walker: Do you think you can give an example? How has music and athletics helped you?
水樹先生: In the past, I’ve drawn several manga involving athletes. Also, I made BGM for doujin games that I put out. I think other artists are doing the same, but I think they are using their own experiences and feelings in their work. I also listen to music and watch movies while I draw, and hope their influence enhances the takeaway for others.
Walker: Oh, wow! That was a lot I didn’t know. What were the games you made?
水樹先生: G-Case, Jalpon, ハニかむBINGO, and Howling Wolf.
Walker: Did you ever consider becoming a Vocaloid producer? To continue music, that is…
水樹先生: I think Vocaloid is an interesting tool, but I don’t use it because I thought it wasn’t a good fit for me.
Walker: Ah, I see. Now, I notice you draw a lot of yakuza and gang members. Is that from experience? A fantasy?
水樹先生: The yakuza stories are complete fantasy. Yakuza are just easy to draw because it is a world of only men, and bromance (is that the word?). I want to draw characters with good chemistry. The main reason is that it’s easy to draw yakuza as cool-looking middle-aged men.
Walker: Do you have any manga by other artists that you enjoy?
水樹先生: As far as art styles go, I enjoy Jun Mizushiro. I haven’t drawn much as of late but Mizushiro is the base of a lot of my own designs. My favorite manga are Saint Seiya, The Drifting Classroom by Kazuo Umezu, <Nineteen> by Sho Kitagawa, and, Banana Fish by Akimi Yoshida.
Walker: What are your future expectations or hopes?
水樹先生: I want to start drawing again and release more manga. I also want to make a large-scale game, and animation.
Walker: More games and anime about yakuza? Something different, maybe?
水樹先生: I want to make yakuza, yes. But I also want to work on fantasy and other genres.
Walker: All your answers were very detailed. Thank you very much, Mizuki-sensei. This concludes the work portion. The next few questions are just fun and easy. Are you ready?
水樹先生: Yes. Whenever you’re ready.
Walker: Okay. So! If all Pokémon were suddenly real then which six would you have on your team?
水樹先生: I really love Rowlet. So six Rowlets, please.
Walker: HAHAHA! That’s funny. Why do you like Rowlet so much, Mizuki-sensei?
水樹先生: I like its round shape. It’s probably because I used to keep birds as pets when I was a child.
Walker: How cute. Do you still have pets?
水樹先生: I don’t have any birds that I kept as a kid, but now I have three cats.
Walker: Oh? What are your cat’s names?
水樹先生: “Rubi,” “Tabi,” and “Nos,” in order of age.
Walker: Thank you. Do you have any photos?
水樹先生: Yes. give me just a moment and I’ll get a few for you…. Here you are. “Nos” is white, “Tabi” is black, and “Rubi” is slightly golden.
Walker: Dawww! They are so cute! Thank you so much! We’ll be sure to include these!
Walker: Now, this next question is always my favorite to ask. In the US, friends and family can make records using their ashes after they are cremated. The record can have any song on it. SO! What song would you like if you were made into a record after you died?
水樹先生: That’s a little worrisome, but I’d have to pick Unbearable but Sweet Season by Iwata Lab.
Walker: Now, I know you love Fate. So, who is your favorite Fate/Grand Order, and why?
水樹先生: Iskandar! But I would also love to say Beowulf. There is also Kairi Shishigou, who appears in the picture of the dress. However, Shishigou is only in Fate/Apocrypha.
Walker: Well they are all really cool characters. I read your doujin about Iskandar. It was really sexy.
水樹先生: Thank you very much.
Walker: What do you think of that comic now?
水樹先生: At that time, I had just watched Fate/Zero, and drew it with a lot of excitement. Now that I’m pretty calm, I might be able to draw with different ideas in mind.
Walker: The new Fate/Grand Order anime has just started. Are you maybe thinking about drawing a new Fate comic?
水樹先生: I’m definitely going to watch Babylonia, but I already know the story since I’ve finished that chapter in the game. I don’t really want to draw anything from it because there isn’t anyone that interests me.
Walker: Is that so? Well, there is always Beowulf and Shishigou!
水樹先生: I would like to draw them both in the same manga together.
Walker: We’ll be looking forward to it, Mizuki-sensei!
水樹先生: Until then, please pray that Beowulf and Shishigou appear together in the Fate series.
Walker: Hehehe. OK! Next question…. Do you like any other games, anime, or movies?
水樹先生: A recent game on smartphones I’ve been playing is Megido 72. For paid games, I want to get the new Nioh, but I still have no time to play it. For movies, I actually just saw Joker yesterday.
Walker: Joker?! You’re a fan of western comics?
水樹先生: When I was a student I liked American comics and collected Marvel and DC. I haven’t read much recently. Usually, I watch a lot of science fiction and horror films.
Walker: Oh ahhh, me too! Since it’s almost Halloween can you give us some recommendations? Many J-LIST readers may have never seen Japanese horror movies.
水樹先生: Usually I watch a lot of western horror, but good Japanese ones are The Ring, The Grudge, and Noroi.
Walker: Oh, is that so? Hollywood made an American version of The Ring and The Grudge, but I actually didn’t know the origin of the stories at all! Thank you.
Walker: Now, you said you wanted to make an animation. So, I’m curious. Which studio would you want to work in? Aniplex? Kyoto? ufotable?
水樹先生: I can make anime anywhere, really. But if I got to pick then I’d have to say ufotable, Madhouse, or Kyoto.
Walker: Alright, last question. Do you have a final comment or anything you’d like to say to J-LIST readers?
水樹先生: Thank you for reading. My work is always exhibited at events such as comic markets. Digital versions are available on Digicket, DLsite, fanza, booth, etc. Next year I’ll be starting a Pixiv Fan Box. Please continue to support me.
Walker: Markets? Do you mean like Comiket?
水樹先生: I only go to Comiket and Bakuro. In the future, I would like to participate in J-Garden and other events. However, right now it’s only these two.
Walker: Oh, I see. Thank you very much for your time, Mizuki-sensei. お疲れ様でした。
水樹先生: Thank you very much. I was happy to answer your questions. お疲れ様でした。
If you’d like to keep up with Mizuki-sensei, go ahead and follow him on his blog, on Twitter, and Pixiv.
