Shuichi Shigeno special talk (Part 1)
Translation by migit00 (Twitter) or ceruszkin (Discord)
Other translations:
Russian (русский)
Belarusian (беларуская)
Second Part
Third Part
A preface from the translator
A quick explanation. So, this is a special talk from the 拓海伝説 special (Takumi Densetsu, "Legends of Takumi"), which came out in November 1998. This is what it looks like:
I was lucky enough to get my hands on the original, and so I'm glad to share with you what I can translate and what might be interesting to others in the Initial D fandom.
Speaking of translation... I'd like to warn you right away that my Japanese level is barely N4, so some parts may be translated a bit oddly or not very reliably, for which I apologize in advance. But still, I'll do my best to avoid that.
If you notice any mistakes or think that something else needs to be clarified in the notes, please feel free to contact me.
Stories are born in improvisation, but their universe remains unchanged
In the first part of Shuichi Shigeno special talk we discussed «Initial D» characters and the process of creating a plot. Shigeno-sensei¹ comes across as a rather laid-back person. Is he really the spitting image of Takumi?!
My ultimate dream is to create a pleasant, fairy tale-like world
Shuichi Shigeno
Originally from Niigata Prefecture, he debuted as a manga artist in 1981 with «Oretachi Zekkouchou!»².
His manga «Bari Bari Densetsu»³, released in 1983, was a huge success.
Another of his works, «Initial D» also caused a stir.
Soichi Shimizu
Started out as an editor at a weekly magazine, then became a freelance writer. In addition to car essays like «Gimme that Ferrari!», he also works on manga. He serves as a judge for the Japan Car of the Year award.
A special interview where Soichi Shimizu, who read «Bari Bari Densetsu» as it was first released, presses manga artist Shuichi Shigeno with sharp questions. The meeting takes place at Ikaho Onsen in Gunma Prefecture, the setting of «Initial D». We talked about his childhood, hidden secrets in «Bari Bari Densetsu», and discusses the future direction of «Initial D».
I go with my intuition, so I don’t even know where the story will lead
— The secret story about how Shigeno-sensei bought himself an Eight-Six Toyota Trueno on his first fee from «Bari Bari Densetsu» and drove it through the serpentine roads isn’t so secret anymore, is it?
— I'm pretty sure that your experience of hitting guardrails made its way into «Initial D», but today I'd like to ask you about the more fundamental aspects of creating a manga. To be honest, it seems you start drawing without thinking about the ending.
Shigeno: That's true. I rarely think about how everything will end.
— So, are you working without a plan at all?
Shigeno: Not exactly. I have some vague ideas. But it's only the vague ideas. They serve as a kind of support to move the plot forward. And I, not having the slightest idea of what will happen next, sometimes wonder: «How did everything turn out so well?». Especially in case with the serialized stories I'm working on now. I don't think about the details and just develop the plot. And suddenly I notice that everything somehow fits together on its own.
— Hmm... I would say you have a talent. The way you are drawn into the process can be called «ofudesaki»⁴, a state where it’s not the person guiding the pen, but something above.
Shigeno: No, not at all, there's nothing divine about this. (laughs) Since the chapters are released weekly, the mood keeps changing, and I often have to improvise a lot. Actually, everything happens spontaneously. I just bring to life the ideas that come to mind, and I’ve always felt it’s better for both me and the readers not to know what happens next.
For a long time I couldn't understand how everything ended up fitting together. But perhaps it's because I have a certain attitude towards the universes of my stories. «Characters grow when they face difficulties» and «Drama drives progress». Those are the principles I’ve been trying to stick to lately. Also, both «Bari Bari Densetsu» and «Initial D» have one thing in common: I want to depict a world that I genuinely admire. And I realized that as long as I don't betray these principles, everything will turn out as it should.
— Did you only realize that recently? (laughs)
Shigeno: Yes, about two years ago, when I started working on «Initial D». It was something like, «Oh, so that’s how I’ve been drawing».
— Speaking of the future of «Initial D»... Judging by the way you ended «Bari Bari Densetsu», we still have a very long way to go.
Shigeno: I can't really say anything yet. Sure, there's a long way, but, knowing myself, I might just start doing something else.
— I think all the fans are wondering, «Which path will Takumi choose?» and imagining all sorts of different possible scenarios.
Shigeno: I guess that's true. I haven't decided anything yet, so it's all still just a fantasy. But as long as I enjoy drawing, I don't really care what form my art takes.
— Have you thought about Takumi going into motosports?
Shigeno: I would've come to this sooner or later anyway. Without it, the story would’ve ended, wouldn't it? As the plot develops, we’ll eventually reach that point. When exactly? I can't say yet. But I've already started thinking about it a bit.
— Indeed. You can't reach the Senna's state and «see God»⁵ without a real track, can you?
Shigeno: Actually, it's more important to avoid stagnation. When it seems to me, like, «drawing street racing has become uninteresting, it's all the same», then maybe I'll consider about moving on.
— And it turns out that everything is decided by your biological clock.
I'd like to describe Natsuki and Takumi's relationship in more detail someday
— By the way, Natsuki-chan is really popular. Many people, including Tsuchiya Keiichi-san, are her fans.
Shigeno: Wow, really? I think it's kinda weird.
— Tsuchiya-san and I aren't exactly the target audience, so we can't say what teenagers think about it. But she's incredibly popular among older men.
Shigeno: Oh, I see. In that case, I'm not so far from you.
— Ai-chan, the heroine of «Bari Bari Densetsu», is the picture of innocence, while Natsuki-chan goes on compensated dates. It's a refreshing move. And honestly, it feels more realistic.
Shigeno: The story is mainly about Takumi, so I thought it would be not a bad idea to add the heroine with such a «flawed» background. It will help to show the growth of the main character in the future.
— It's not so much Natsuki herself that fascinates me, but the fact that pure and innocent Takumi is confronted with someone like her, experienced and worldly. There's something intriguing about that.
Shigeno: Takumi and Natsuki are complete opposites, ypu could say. Natsuki has been through a lot, their paths in life are completely different. But from the very beginning, I had the thought that deep down, they are both pure and innocent. And maybe that’s why they’re drawn to each other. Of course, if Natsuki had behaved like a «typical manga heroine», it would've made things much easier to work on with her later. But nowadays, girls like her may have become commonplace.⁶ So, I think innocent girls are more of an illusion than a reality.
There's a turning point in the story when Takumi finally finds out that Natsuki is going on compensated dates. At the same time, Natsuki has just broken up with «Papa» and started to think about a serious relationship with Takumi, and then this happens, their relationship falls apart. But it's at that very moment that they finally become equals. And the fact that Hachiroku's engine breaks down right after that is also a symbol of the beginning of something new.
— That's interesting. Did you get any negative reactions to Natsuki in fan letters?
Shigeno: There wasn’t much of a negative or positive response from readers. Some young girls wrote things like, «I don't like Natsuki», but a reaction like that is expected, that’s what I was going for. That was the whole idea behind Natsuki: to make her a character people might dislike. But at the same time, I also got letters like, «Yes, the situation is unpleasant, but I hope that Natsuki and Takumi can work things out».
— At first, I thought Natsuki would start appearing more and more often, but to my surprise that didn't happen. I actually feel kind of lonely without her.
Shigeno: Hearing that really gets to me. (laughs) Got it. I'll try to live up to expectations. Anyway, I've always wanted to tell Natsuki's story properly, from the very beginning.
— You know, it feels like Natsuki is the one who really brings out Takumi’s charm.
Shigeno: Hmm, I'm not really sure... But without Natsuki, Takumi would have nowhere to express himself. Except, perhaps, driving. That's why Natsuki was so important early on. Takumi’s personality really comes out when he’s behind the wheel. But in other situations, like, when he's talking with Itsuki or working at the gas station, Takumi's more of a listener, a bit absent-minded. And when he shows some initiative or talks about himself, it almost always happens next to Natsuki, where she becomes the listener.
— That's true. But lately, only Iketani-senpai and Itsuki seem to be having fun. (laughs) Well… «having fun» might not be the best way to put it, though.
Shigeno: Right. Both Iketani and Itsuki already had their own love stories⁷, so now it's time for...
— We are looking forward to it!
Takumi is my ideal. Maybe he's even more relatable to me than Gun⁸
— There are still many mysteries surrounding «Initial D». Especially Takumi's mother. She never shows up.
Shigeno: Speaking of this... She either died or left home, leaving Bunta and Takumi, something like that. (laughs)
— Really?! Isn’t that kind of irresponsible for an author to say?
Shigeno: I guess I should think about this thoroughly before the next one-shot.
— Will that be in a special volume, or somewhere else?
Shigeno: I’m planning to take a break from the main story sometime around the end of January. During that time, I was thinking of publishing a few chapters about the past in «Young Magazine»⁹. Maybe I’ll draw something from when Takumi was still in middle school and just started to drive. Or maybe go even further back, to when his father was still racing and Takumi was just a baby. That'd be weird, but fun. But I haven't narrowed down the list of ideas yet.
— You once said, «Takumi is my ideal, and I'd like to be like him». Is that true?
Shigeno: In terms of personality, yes.
— But at one moment it was Gun, and then it was Takashi from «DO-P-KAN»¹⁰.
Shigeno: Right. But now it's Takumi. And he's very different from Gun. Takumi is more natural, calmer. I wanted him to be a simple guy.
— Come to think of it, he does kind of resemble you. In the sense that he is a bit absent-minded.
Shigeno: Takumi turned out to be less expressive than Gun. Maybe that's because I made him closer to myself. You could say, I made him more realistic. I was able to make the readers feel closer to the character. But unlike Gun, he doesn't have much charisma.
— But he is quite charismatic when he's driving though.
Shigeno: That's how it meant to be. Even if Takumi isn't usually like that, the contrast of his personality is what makes him interesting. And characters like Gun actually work surprisingly well in supporting roles. Seeing them, longtime fans of «Bari Bari Densetsu» may feel nostalgic.
— You mean the Takahashi brothers, right?
Shigeno: Exactly. If you add them and Takumi, and then divide by two, you'll get something like Gun.
To be continued...
Second Part
Third Part
Notes:
Shigeno-sensei¹ — for some reason it seemed that questions might arise regarding «sensei». Just in case, I'll explain. In addition to teachers and doctors, «sensei» is also an honorific used for manga artists in Japanese.
«Oretachi Zekkouchou!»² is the work Shigeno-sensei debuted with in «Monthly Shonen Magazine». I couldn't find much info on it aside the publication year and the magazine name.
«Bari Bari Densetsu»³ is one of Shigeno-sensei's earliest works.
«Ofudesaki»⁴, or お筆先, was originally a religious scripture written by Nao Deguchi in a state of obsession. As I understand it, this is where the metaphor comes from — describing a state where the hand «writes or draws on its own». Literally, it can be translated as «Sacred Brush Tip» or something like that.
«I saw God» by Ayrton Senna⁵, or as it was in the text, セナの「神が見えた」, is a quote from Ayrton Senna in one of his interviews after his first victory in Formula 1.
«Girls like Natsuki»⁶ — I thought this might require some explanation as well. I think most fans know that «Initial D» takes place in the 90s. And that’s exactly when the term 援助交際 «enjokousai» or «compensated dating», started to appear. More specifically, the term describes the dates between older men and younger girls (often underage), sometimes including sexual services (but not always), in exchange for money. It was a pretty widespread thing in Japan during the ’90s. And this is what Shigeno-sensei means when he says that such girls have probably become commonplace. And honestly, it was very much part of the reality back then. And, as far as I know, to some extent it still is.
Iketani, Itsuki and their crushes⁷ — maybe this is unnecessary, but here I'd like to clarify the timeline a bit. The special was released on November 24, 1998. At that point, 24 out of 26 episodes of First Stage had already aired. So everything with Iketani and Mako was clear, there was even a TV adaptation already. As for the manga, then the 13th volume was the last one at that time. And the final chapter of the 13th volume is exactly at the moment where Takumi was racing with Wataru, and Itsuki was left to wait for him with Kazumi. So yeah… Itsuki is not doing well there at all.
Gun⁸ is the main character of «Bari Bari Densetsu».
«Young Magazine»⁹ is the magazine where «Initial D» were published.
«DO-P-KAN»¹⁰ is the another one Shigeno-sensei's work, and Takashi is the main character of this manga.