[Part2] My Hero Academia and Kagurabachi Authors Discuss: Hands Are Essential for Expressing Emotion in Manga and What Hokazono Learned from Horikoshi’s Approach

Horikoshi on Kagurabachi: “A Pursuit of Coolness That Comes Through the Page”

――What was your impression when you read the first chapter of Kagurabachi?

Horikoshi
I felt that it expressed the coolness you personally hold inside, and that you delivered it directly onto the page. Usually, for a first serialization, creators prioritize passing the serialization meeting and end up compromising their original cool ideas. But Kagurabachi did not compromise. There is a panel where Chihiro stands on the table and slashes down, shown from directly above. You do not need that panel to tell the story. But you kept it because you wanted to show readers, This is what is cool. That made me think, This creator really has a strong sense of self. I could never do that.

――Kagurabachi is known for its striking compositions. How do you come up with them?

Hokazono
I do not think about composition logically, so it is hard to explain. But first I decide the location of the scene, then I think about how to make it visually interesting. I draw several rough versions until something clicks. I love movies, so I think film composition naturally influences me.

Horikoshi
You are a genius. Do you ever think, This is something no other manga is doing?

Hokazono
I do. Sometimes I take visual ideas from movies and adapt them into manga in ways I have never seen before.

Horikoshi’s View of Kagurabachi’s Strengths and Weaknesses

――What do you think makes Kagurabachi appealing?

Horikoshi
The directing of its spotlight moments and the situations. For example, chapter 86 was a calm episode, but then suddenly you showed a double-page spread of the Zaiting War. It showed your determination not to make any chapter feel too quiet.

Hokazono
If there is no big moment, I start worrying, Is this okay? Kagurabachi’s story moves quickly, so I am afraid a quiet chapter might bring the momentum down. I think readers expect intense moments, so I always want to insert something impactful.

Horikoshi
I think this is both Kagurabachi’s strength and weakness. Each week you build your setups and payoffs very neatly. It is extremely readable, but sometimes the big cliffhanger on one week gets reset by the setup at the beginning of the next week. I feel like it might be okay to ignore structure sometimes and carry the momentum straight into the next chapter.

Hokazono
I know exactly what you mean. But because it is a serialized manga, I want readers to enjoy each chapter no matter where they start. So I make sure each chapter has a clearly enjoyable part. But yes, reading it as a volume sometimes feels slower.

Horikoshi
Once readers’ emotions hit a peak, they want to stay there. Following the readers’ emotions and drawing huge scenes in succession might be interesting. But I cannot make such perfect names every week, so that structure is one of Kagurabachi’s strengths. It gives each chapter a strong sense of satisfaction.

Source : ORICON NEWS