Intervista a Kubo in occasione del 13esimo anniversario del manga

Will of fire

Posted on 10/9/2015, 09:12

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Recap 13 years of serialization

-- From the beginning of Bleach serialization, what will be your impression after 13 years?
Kubo: I thought I would be planning for 2 more series after Bleach. The editor once told me that they have a goal to produce 30 volumes at Jump, but 30 volumes require almost 6 years. The editor said I will get bored easily so it looks like there's no hope to serialize for 6 years, even 3 years seems impossible. In the beginning of Bleach serialization, I thought I will get bored after 3 years, it is true indeed with my personality. With this in my mind, I began to serialize. Hence, even though Bleach has synopsis, I drew it with a feeling to finish in 3 years. There are breaks between chapters, but as I keep drawing, I feel more enjoyable, then I wanted to draw the other sections, so that's how I've been drawn up to now.

-- "Wanted to continue to draw", when does this happen in your mind?
Kubo: When Aizen fake his death I think.

-- Looking back 13 years, are there any happy and difficult moments?
Kubo: There are a lot of happy moments. My happy moments is where it got animated in TV and turns into rock musical dance. The actors that they chosed from the rock musical dance were very similar to the characters, it certainly makes the fans happy. The difficult moments would be the way I take care of my body. At one point I keep getting sick. So if you want to make a serialization up to 10 years you need to take care of your body. (laughs)

Gotei 13, about Shinigami

-- What makes you decide to draw shinigami in this manga?
Kubo: Because I drew Rukia. When I completed Rukia's design, I look at her and think: "oh, this should be a shinigami", and so I decide to draw a story about shinigami.

-- At the time did you design Rukia with shihakusho and zanpakuto?
Kubo: nope, at the time she wears a school uniform and weilds a scythe. She's also wearing a skirt, above is a school uniform, and below is a skirt, and black socks. This is how Rukia looks like in the beginning of drawing,then I thought that this character should be a shinigami, from there on I thought about the story of shinigami.

--At what point it became the current design?
Kubo: Initially I considered a western outfit for shinigami, for guys it will be a black western outfit , and for girls, a catholic style school outfit. But there are movies already showing a shinigami wearing black western outfit. During the ancient times, a death god (shinigami) will always wear a black cape, looking skeleton-ish, and the concept of shinigami wearing a black western outfit has already been used. So what kind of look for shinigami that hasn't been shown yet. So I thought of black kimono.

-- Their weapon are not scythe, but zanpakuto, is this to match with kimono?
Kubo: Yeah, for my original black western suit design, their weapons are pistols. At the time pistols are selected to match with western outfits. So there must be a weapon to match with kimono, hence I chosed blades.

Gotei 13 character design

-- Which character design comes first and in what order?
Kubo: Initially I designed Rukia, then Renji and Byakuya, then based on the character's debut in an order,then from there I decided on the Gotei 13 captains.

-- How did you design each of the Gotei 13 characters?
Kubo: I have a lot of characters' appearance in my mind. Between them, I pick those by trying to imagine which characters will group well together. Hence in regards to Gotei 13,appearance is the first. In short I drew all the members' look first then thinking "Oh, so that's how this character is", and that's how I design them. Therefore, I've already decided on the characters' look even before they made their debut. Before the characters' debut I thought about what kind of personality should I give to the person, I've created the character before I named them. Characters who are not design in that way and were added intentionally are Aizen and Hitsugaya. In the beggining, Aizen is not included in the Gotei, I designed him because I wanted to draw (characters) that contradict to Gotei 13, but at the time, the 5th division members are not full yet so I just let him become the captain. As for Hitsugaya, I wanted to draw a child character, these 2 were designed to be included in the Gotei 13.

-- For 13 years, do you have changes in awareness of characters design?
Kubo: Name and look etc, in the real world arc I'm still restrain it deliberately, but after the appearance of shinigami I became more flexible. In the arrancar arc, the design of characters' hairstyle has become more fancy.

-- Are there any characters that were included for additional role?
Kubo: I drew without realizing it, once I put the characters together, I thought : will this character and this character have relationship? *didn't understand the next line* Hisagi and Kensei were created this way.

-- After Yamajii dies, Shunsui became the captain commander.
Kubo: I still quite like Yamamoto's character. Up until now his presence is still absolute. His influence is very significant, if he's gone, I wonder what will happen, I wanted to draw this feeling. That's why I decided to let him live before the final arc and let him die in the final arc. But at the same time it's hard to pick who will be the next captain.
I decided to pick Shunsui as the next captain commander, because he is the only one that has tolerance like Genryuusai. Even though Ukitake is quite similar, his body is weak, furthermore I've already decided to let him fall on other place.

In regards to Shinigami

-- Do you have particular feelings on any characters?
Kubo: who would that be, I love all of them. Hitsugaya has a strong linked towards Aizen, at the time I just think it'll be good if he's quite popular. He's not on Ichigo's side but as part of the Gotei 13 he plays the central role to find the culprit, so I'm pretty happy when he's quite popular (laugh)

-- Which character you find easiest to draw and easiest to control?
Kubo: Mayuri. Mayuri and when Kenpachi appears, the story goes smoothly. I also enjoy thinking about techniques that Mayuri is using in the battle. He's the kind of character that I can draw where his performance is different to others, and without the use of swords to battle. Kenpachi is the opposite, it's good to draw a battle which only depends on sword.

-- The battle between Kenpachi and Unohana gives us great impression
Kubo: Unohana and her current character has vast difference, so I'm a bit worried that when I draw the readers will not accept it. From the beginning, I've already decided to draw Unohana this way. In the Soul Society arc, the name Yachiru was meant for Unohana. Hence, Unohana never show her chest in the all girls in bikini color page. But when she's with Isane, who knew her real identity,she laid down her hair.

-- Soi fon and Yoruichi, it seems like a lot of readers love these two.
Kubo: I wanted to draw Yoruichi's subordinates so I created Soi fon. It seems like JUMP never illustrates a female teacher student or trust relationship, so I decided to plan Soi fon and Yoruichi's relationship carefully.

-- Do you have any stories or characters you find it hard to draw?
Kubo: Not that I know of.Komamura is pretty modest compare to others, so It's hard to describe his good side.The others have quite distinctive personalities (laugh). Therefore I'm pretty happy to learn that some readers do understand Komamura's merit.

--Komamura goes humanoid
Kubo: Originally I designed him to transform from a human to a beast, so I thought of drawing another form at some point. The design is western knight. Initially I wanted to draw him in all armor suit, hence I thought of hiding his face. When I decided Komamura's name, his face beneath his hat is formed. Komamura's personality is also similar to some part of the knight.

-- It looks like Gin betrays, but in reality that's the story. When did you decided to plan this?
Kubo: I've been thinking for quite a while when 2 kinds of development happened. Is he going to remain as an enemy, or for the sake of Rangiku. I draw while I was still thinking, till the end I've taken to the point where I can still continue the story in either of the development.
(*basically Kubo says he plans a story that can go either way, whether Gin will remain as an enemy or turn against an enemy)

-- When did you decide the way?
Kubo: I forgot (Laugh) But I adhere the storyline that could go either way with no problem. Although, in my heart I was hoping he will betray Aizen, hence this slowly happens in the story. But Gin's villain face better reflects his characteristics, so I was also hoping that he will always carry his bad guy expression. (laugh)

-- In the soul society arc, Gin makes a lot of suspecious move. Many readers think Aizen is the good guy and Gin is the bad guy.
Kubo: to be honest, this makes me happy. Cause it's what I wanted Gin to act like the bad guy before revealing Aizen's motif.

-- Within the Gotei 13 team, Mayuri has quite a unique personality.
Kubo: It's rare to see someone who change his face with just a make up. In the TBTP arc, Mayuri was thrown into the maggot nest, but this makes his fans more happy (laugh)

-- What about the Royal Guards?
Kubo: It's better if the royal guards are bunch of weirdos, that's what I was thinking when I draw. Their appearance look like they have been there quite some time, that kind of feeling. The royal guards have quite a feature. (laugh)

About the future development

-- We've come into the final arc, how will the story go?
Kubo: I'm thinking "there are quite a few character's battle that I haven't illustrate, it'll be good if I can draw them". The final arc has recover some of the moments that have been foreshadowed up until now, it also has a festival kind of feel, perhaps I will make everyone appear.
(*don't really quite understand Kubo's answer*)

--Thank you so much for today! Looking forward to the 14th year of Bleach.

Extras:
Q:"Thinking about continue to draw this character!" What's the thought?
Kubo:Thinking about drawing a story of a certain character's bankai, actually the final form hasn't been drawn yet, but I wanted to draw that form!
Q: Are there any Zanpakuto you enjoy drawing?
Kubo: Drawing Byakuya's Senbonzakura is interesting. To draw the way the blade disappears,it is meaningful, as the blade shank becomes invisible, it focuses on Byakuya. This leaves him an impression.