Free Talks --------------------------------- COVER FLAP: Watsuki (carrying some belongings): But, although we're the same age, there's quite a big difference between us, isn't there? Kenshin (smiling): No, that's because I was intended to look like somebody between 15 to 25 years old, so... (and why are you prepared to travel?) ALMOST. To tell the truth, before the series had begun, Kenshin was intended to be in his mid-thirties. But my supervisor ("Tantou") pointed that "Isn't it a bit strange to have so old a man as the protagonist of a story in a magazine for young boys?", so I tried to reduce his age as old as possible, taking care not to twist too much the historical background, and thus Kenshin became this "almost thirty" person. And I realized recently that he and I are the same age. This "almost thirty" is an age where you don't look too old as you are and you aren't as old as you look. Probably I would get very old if I clinged too much to that idea... So, let's go for another "challenge" then. --------------------------------- FREE TALK - Hi, it's been a long time. A former assistant of mine who read the previous volume's free talk said that "Watsuki is over". Also some friends of mine said "hm..." - So, without giving in to those rains of gloom that fall in my life, let's talk, as usual, about figures and games. About the figures, I haven't bought any American toy for three months. I myself am asking, "hey, what happened to you, Watsuki?" Now, as I said in the author's comments in the Shonen Jump magazine, I'm waiting for the "Complete Transforming Getter Robot" (Studio Hi-Fi) that I've preordered. I wrote once that "I don't like spending 200 or 300 bucks for just one figure", but this one is special, as I celebrate the fifth year of the Ruroken series. And as it can transform into Getter 1, Getter 2 and Getter 3, in the end it does cost less than 100 bucks per robot, so... (my, what a ridiculous argument) About the Gashapon, as there's always something new that I want, I'm doing quite fine about it. About the games, still hooked on "Rising Zan" (Wepp system) and "To Heart" (Acquaplus). As I'm more involved in manga drawing than never, I've stopped playing them while I was about in the middle of the game. But, as I wrote in the beginning of this free talk, there are many voices against such likes of mine. So you don't think that "To Heart" is good for me? Wait, thinking again, it'd be weird if it were, wouldn't it? ... ok! I will accept the "Watsuki is over"! I will accept "hm..."! But please don't spread false rumors. I don't play any other gal games like "To Heart", nor I am a compulsive buyer of goods. I am originally a man who's got a "burning soul > mushy heart" (or else I would have written a "Romance of Meiji Love Affairs", instead of "Romance of Meiji Swordsman"), so I'm not that doomed yet. - Lately I've been feeling the ultimate lack of time. People say that "Time is Money", but this is wrong. Time is far more precious than money. What I crave most now is some time to put my head to rest, when I could press the "reset" of my brain. The aspects where my thoughts have changed through this five years are still a mess, needing to be organized, and so I think that I need to organize them as soon as possible. So, my goal for the second half of this year (1999) is "organize your time!" - About the manga, I will not comment about it this time. If possible, read the Shonen Jump magazine. So, let's meet again in the next volume.