Free Talks --------------------------------- COVER FLAP: Watsuki: Well, no matter what they say, a manga artist has quite a lot of freedom.... Megumi: You say that, but inside you're thinking "now if only there were no time limits to deliver my work...." (don't you realize that a manga artist without time limits is an unemployed manga artist?) A FREE WAY OF LIVING Recently I saw a stray dog that lurked near the place where I used to work. It was cute and sort of fluffy, because I think someone took care of the dog, but I don't know what happened in two years that made the dog pitifully awful. I don't know which one is happier, a cur or a pet dog, but I realized painfully that freedom is a way of living that is "high risk, high return". --------------------------------- FREE TALK - Hi, it's Watsuki, it's been a long time. The air condicioning system is broken down, so I have to rely on stoves. In fact, I prefer kotatsu (a fireplace with a coverlet), but that is a forbidden treasure for a manga artist who continuously fight against Morpheus, the god of sleep. So I haven't used the kotatsu since the Ruroken series began. Oh kotatsu, kotatsu, why are you a kotatsu? - Well, now for the usual subjects. First, the figure talks. I think there are many people who read the previous Free Talk and thought "man, Watsuki has finally gone to another dimension", but that's just the beginiing. Looking at the figure shelves, they're full with American super heroes and monsters. One that i like is the Maleborgia from Spawn the movie. It's got a talking gimmick inside, so it's a nice crazy guy who laughs, "Fwa, fwa, fwa, fwa" and while we work here, its laughter is frowned by my assistants. - Second, the game talks. I finally played "Last Blade'. But as I'm very busy, I don't have enough time to master it. Anyway, I intend to play with Washizuka, who's got strength, and with Moriya, who's got skills. As I didn't play it much, all I can say is "it looks like enjoyable", but the technique "Saishuu - Rouga" ("the Last - Fang of the Wolf") from Washizuka is really cool, so it's a must for the Shinsengumi fans. And it was just once, but I've finally played the location test version from the another game from SNK, "Samurai Spirits". The playability is quite different from the 2D version, so I think it'll take time to get used, but it really looks like fun. The world of games is the hottest genre nowadays, so it deserves a lot of attention from now on. Go, manga! Go, anime! (I'm talking like it was someone else's busines...) - Lately, I've got plenty of opportunities to talk to other manga artists. Or to state it better, I'm working towards it. Just looking at the paths walked by other manga artists is highly useful and I learn a lot with them. From the veteran artists, I see the experience and the lessons from people who passed through harsh times; from the new artists, I see the explosive energy to open new ways and the feeling to make that happen. In the beginning, I was filled with doubt, but now I'm "enjoying a green old age" (hm, maybe it isn't the correct expression...). One day, and not so far away, there will be a major turning point in the path that Watsuki is walking. I don't know if I'll go right or left, if I'll go straight on or I'll rest a while, but I intend to always strive for perfection to stand the fierce competition with both the veteran and the rookie artists. So, see you again in the next volume.