ab: Are there any tricks or fun elements that you include in your work that readers might not have noticed, unless they really carefully go through all of it?

Kubonouchi: Definitely! Especially when I am drawing manga. I usually draw trees with a brush pen (fude-pen). Way back, when I was adding in the shade from the leaves, I once drew silhouettes of human faces between the trees . I have actually received two letters saying "those faces over there... They are pretty scary..." That was at a time when emails were not so common. Maybe they thought that image had been created by some sort of psychic or spiritual phenomenon. But that was kind of my intent (lol)!

Ueyama: Wow, people "really" read through manga thoroughly!

ab: You mentioned about receiving letters, but generally speaking, how do you feel when you get a reaction from fans?

Kubonouchi: I've realized how much attention people pay to the content of a story! Sometimes we play these kinds of little tricks, then have a little chuckle together with the assistants. It is really nice to see readers carefully paying attention to every aspect of a story and picture! I think all manga artists incorporate these sort of things in their work!

Rikudou: Sometimes, it can be kind of scary if the audience recognize different aspects of your work. Even after drawing just a rough sketch of a view from my office some people have thought they recognize the location... The drawing and artwork doesn't even need to be that realistic!

Seguchi: Oh, that's scary, really scary!

Ueyama: On the topic of people closely reading stories and manga... Some fans have taken photographs at locations featured in the scene from "Cooking Papa"'s frontispiece.

ab: Thanks for sharing these unique stories with us! Finally, do you have a message or any advice for any readers out there who want to become manga artists or illustrators? Or how about any tips to help aspiring artists improve?

Seguchi: I think that you naturally start to realize various things as you continue and move forward with your work. So it is important to keep going.

Rikudou: In terms of the world of manga, I guess in the future the industry will not be quite as tempting as it used to be. I think it is a massive advantage if you absolutely love manga. In any case, I think you need to be careful not to fall out of love with drawing.

Mikimoto: I still enjoy drawing now. It can depend on the time... Sometimes there are things that I really get into... At other times there are things I can't stand. There's often times that I feel tired or a bit frazzled, but ultimately I find joy in drawing. I think it is a lot of fun! For example, if there's a girl's expression I've never depicted before or I am trying to use a new technique, I always try my best to find some kind of motivation so that I can enjoy what I draw. Because it is not always possible, so I do have a lot of regrets (lol)!

Ueyama: As everybody has said... Don't give up, continue creating art! And this also applies to me, but make sure you enjoy drawing. I still get great joy from drawing, even though it can sometimes be tough. When I am able to draw things that I do not really know much about, it fills me with the belief that I can still create artwork. When you draw manga, I think it is important to have fun!

Kubonouchi: I've always felt that technique is something that will come with time. But even more than that, initially its important to think about how much entertainment and joy you can give to people through your work. I think its about cultivating a generous, hospitable spirit. People who are missing this quality, won't be able to move to the next stage, regardless of their skill or technical ability. Even if an image or drawing is simple or a little rough, it can still give people joy and entertainment if the artist has a passion to entertain people. It's not only about improving your skill-set with a pen or on a computer, you also need to think about how to entertain a reader. I hope that artists grapple with this question and are aware of the importance of creating entertaining content when they produce their work.