Year 2 Artbook Interview

Editor: First off, I'd like to hear more in detail about the new characters from the second-year arc. It was revealed that among them, an assassin targeting Ayanokōji emerged, introducing six new first-year students. Starting with the first one, who appeared on the cover of the first volume of the second-year arc alongside Ayanokōji, is the blonde beauty with long hair, Nanase Tsubasa. How was Nanase's design decided?

Tomose: I went through quite a bit of rejection from Kinugasa-sensei (laughs).

Kinugasa: Did I reject it? Well, I think I did (laughs).

Tomose: I think Kinugasa-sensei was really into the second-year arc's new characters. I drew about five designs for each character.

Kinugasa: Really?

Tomose: It seems like you don't remember anything (laughs).

Editor: What was Nanase's initial design, and how did it settle into the final version?

Tomose: I was drawing Nanase as a typical beauty, but I kept being told her eyes looked different from the rest of the girls, and eventually, her eyes became round and big.

Editor: The finished illustration gives off the impression of a character with puppy-like, round eyes.

Tomose: I think her eyes turned out to be quite large, with a bit more white showing. What was your initial image of her, Kinugasa-sensei?

Kinugasa: I can't remember at all! (laughs)

Editor: Story-wise, Nanase appeared with an air of "mystery" from the beginning. She seemed active and straightforward, but there was a sense of mystery in her words and actions.

Tomose: "Mysterious" is the feeling, I guess. I wanted to create a character like that. Since she first appears in the second-year arc, her true identity is unknown. So, I drew the first six characters thinking that they all seemed to have something going on.

Kinugasa: No good, I still can't remember.

Editor: That's too bad (laughs). Hopefully, as the interview goes on, your memory will come back. The second character is Ichika Amasawa, right? She's a completely different type from Nanase, but where did the idea for her come from?

Tomose: I wanted to create a character with a slightly suspicious aura. I thought it would be nice to have a bewitching character. There are about three female characters, right? I thought it would be good to have one in a bewitching role.

Editor: Indeed, among the kōhai, she feels a bit more cheeky than Nanase and the others.

Tomose: That's right. There are various ways to be mysterious, aren't there? Like being hard to read or having a sexy atmosphere. I wanted to create a contrast with Nanase.

Editor: Was there a reason for her hairstyle?

Tomose: Yes, I wanted to give off a gyaru vibe. I liked the idea of a sexy gal.

(TL Note: Gyaru (ギャル) refers to a Japanese fashion subculture characterized by dyed hair, tanned skin, and highly decorated nails, emphasizing a glamorous and rebellious look.)

Editor: I'm starting to see the trend from back then. Moving from Amasawa to the third character, Tsubaki Sakurako, she's also mysterious but in a cool or quirky way. What do you think, Kinugasa-san?

Kinugasa: I was just listening from a fan's perspective. Oh, is that so?

Tomose: No, no (laughs). I'm just following Kinugasa-san's directions.

Kinugasa: (Looking at Tomose-san's old illustrations) You're showing a design, aren't you? But looking at it doesn't bring back any memories (laughs).

Tomose: That's terrible (laughs). I presented about seven designs for Tsubaki, and they kept getting rejected.

Editor: So it was like Nanase 5, Amasawa 5, Tsubaki 7? I don't think we've had patterns for the girls before, so that's a good story.

Kinugasa: I usually say OK right away. But I must have been anxious, surely. Because we were resetting the title.

Editor: Resetting the title is a bit scary, isn't it? Moreover, it wasn't like we had been doing it for a long time. To stop while still in the first-year arc, that's a story you don't hear often.

Tomose: Even in a series, changing the title can sometimes lead to a drop in popularity.

Kinugasa: There are bad patterns, aren't there?

Editor: Now we talk about the second-year arc as if it's normal, but at the time it was terrifying. We were publishing art books and holding events, doing everything we could to hype it up. So I understand the feeling of presenting five designs, five designs, seven designs.

Tomose: When the second-year characters lined up, I was concerned about whether they would look good… I was quite mindful of the visuals.

Kinugasa: Even when I look at the rejected illustrations of Tsubaki now, I still think they're not right. Looking at the final design, I feel that characters like Amasawa and Tsubaki are not something you'd see in Tomose-san's previous works.

Tomose: That's right. In the end, the design turned out to be quite different from what I usually draw. Both Nanase and Tsubaki turned out better after being rejected. So I am thankful.

Kinugasa: The past me was indeed amazing (laughs).

Tomose: Exactly. I often think that the first drafts wouldn't have worked. They were too much of a habit (laughs).

Editor: The key visuals for the first-year arc and the second-year arc also feel completely different.

Tomose: That's right. The way of thinking changes, too, after 7 or 8 years.

Editor: Let's move on to the new first-year boys. Please tell us about Hōsen, who made a big impact right from volume one! It felt like a real delinquent had arrived.

Tomose: It's easier to draw characters who are angry; I can draw them freely. I wanted to create a dangerous guy (laughs). I did consider the existing characters while drawing him. Like a tough guy (laughs).

Editor: The illustrations were also powerful from the start, with a knife stabbing scene. Kinugasa-san, what did you think of Hōsen?

Kinugasa: Well, it was just like that… (laughs). There was nothing to complain about, it was just as I imagined (laughs).

Editor: Next up is Utomiya. Even now, in the sophomore arc, it's hard to tell what kind of character Utomiya is. What do you think about the design, Tomose-san?

Tomose: I came up with about four patterns, changing the hair from long to short, but I thought this character would be really cool and active (laughs). Surprisingly, they didn't play as big a role (laughs). I wanted to draw a super handsome guy, what's going on, Kinugasa-sensei (laughs)?

Kinugasa: They will play an active role from now on (laughs). The real star will appear later on.

Tomose: I was hoping to draw lots of handsome guys, so I'm looking forward to it (laughs).

Editor: The sophomore arc will continue to progress. It will be fun to see just how much of an enigma Utomiya is, including what comes after. The third one is Yagami.

Tomose: Yagami was totally different from what Kinugasa-sensei initially imagined, right? It was supposed to be a cooler, more dashing character. As we received feedback and made progress, it became cuter.

Kinugasa: At first, it felt different. What I vaguely remember is that when we lined up these six characters, it didn't quite fit. Since all the guys were turning out to be cool types, I thought maybe we could balance it out with a more youthful-looking face.

Tomose: I see. So Kinugasa-sensei also thinks about the visual balance when they're lined up (laughs).

Kinugasa: I do think about it (laughs). But that reminded me. While keeping the sophomore arc's key visual in mind, I repeated the process of lining them up and adjusting the characters.

Tomose: You're surprisingly serious (laughs). As an artist, it's easier to draw when there's a variety of characters. It's hard to draw when similar-looking girls are lined up, so I'm grateful that you're conscious of that. In the end, Yagami also became a bit of a klutz, didn't they?

Editor: It ended up with them saying something like, "I'm the real genius," right?

Tomose: They left saying things that such a character would say (laughs).

Kinugasa: That's where the illustration made fine adjustments to the personality. If the face was different, I think the development would have been different too.

Editor: So it was already decided that Yagami was the culprit.

Kinugasa: That's right.

Editor: Next, there's one more freshman, Ishigami.

Tomose: Kinugasa-sensei was quite particular about Ishigami-kun, right? I presented several versions, but you kept saying no, not quite. He's like the final boss, isn't he?

Kinugasa: Unlike the other characters, his name was revealed early on, and there were lines over the phone, so readers had already formed a vague image of him. It's difficult to create a character that satisfies that image. I felt like the bar was set high unintentionally.

Tomose: Ishigami-kun's bar was set high. It's been like that for a while (laughs).

Kinugasa: When I saw the initial design, I thought, no, this is a bit weak… not that it was bad (laughs).

Tomose: I thought he was getting stronger and stronger.

Kinugasa: That's right. But he's not physically strong like Hōsen, who obviously looks like a tough character, but I wanted someone who you could tell was strong just by the drawing.

Tomose: That's a really high bar (laughs).

Kinugasa: It's easy for the one making the request (laughs).

Editor: His hair is also tied back, giving him a unique atmosphere, right?

Kinugasa: Was it like that from the beginning?

Tomose: It was tied up at first, but the way it was tied and the look in the eyes have changed a lot. Honestly, I don't even know what this character would look like from the front (laughs). Can I draw them from various angles? (laughs).

Editor: What about the only new third-year student, Kiryūin Fūka?

Tomose: Kiryūin is still the most challenging character to draw for me. The first time I drew Kiryūin sitting down was for the Volume 2 illustration of the second-year arc, and I personally think it's the best and coolest depiction. There are times when it's frustrating because I can't quite capture the essence I achieved in that rough sketch. Kiryūin also went through quite a bit of criticism.

Kinugasa: I think I did criticize.

Tomose: For some reason, Kinugasa-sensei became more strict in the second-year students' edition (laughs).

Kinugasa: Well, the important parts, right? (laughs)

Tomose: That's right (laughs). But in the end, I'm glad I was criticized.

Editor: Does Kinugasa-san have something against Kiryūin?

Kinugasa: There are settings that only I hold internally, not shown outwardly. For example, the White Room, or timelines that haven't been depicted, or the past. There are several important characters in the background, and Kiryūin is one of them. Although not shown in the main story, I have prepared this character and personally really like them. However, they have the sad fate of not being able to be shown in the main student edition.

Editor: The person themselves wanted to repeat a year but couldn't.

Tomose: Didn't you say we might meet Kiryūin after graduation?

Kinugasa: Right, that setting exists in my mind.

Tomose: It feels like there's quite an epic story to follow.

Kinugasa: Because that setting exists, I want to bring it out. It's a character with a strong will for the future.

Editor: Characters with three-character kanji names have a suspicious aura, don't they?

Kinugasa: Indeed (laughs).

Editor: Moving on, a lot of new characters appeared in the second-year students' edition, but can we start with Himeno Yuki from Class B? She's a completely different type of girl from before. It felt like a modern girl had arrived.

Tomose: When you think by yourself, things start to become similar, so I've started to seek advice from others (laughs).

Kinugasa: It's a bit hard to understand women's fashion, isn't it?

Tomose: Exactly. I'm not sure what's trendy, and my sense is starting to drift (laughs). I definitely want to ask people who are up-to-date. I watch VTubers and think that style might be good too. Two-tone colors are in fashion, and so is the landmine-like look.

Editor: The hair colors are quite varied and cute.

Kinugasa: We haven't had that before.

Editor: It's like a Korean style, adding just a bit of vivid color.

Tomose: I've been trying to brighten around the eyes a little, incorporating

Korean-style makeup. I look at actual idols while doing it. Women definitely have a superior sense of the times.

Editor: Next is Amikura Mako. Was she designed for the anime?

Tomose: I also designed Amikura. There are quite a few characters like that. Like the girl who bullied Karuizawa (※Editor's note: Manabe Shiho).

Editor: In that sense, Amikura is quite an old character design-wise. She has a ponytail, but it feels different from Karuizawa, more put-together.

Tomose: I thought it would be bad if they overlapped, so I made her ponytail neat (laughs).

Editor: Next is Watanabe Kinji-kun. He's been getting more screen time recently.

Kinugasa: He's personally one of my favorites.

Tomose: He's a really good guy, isn't he? The most normal one.

Editor: It feels like a character from a different world has entered.

Kinugasa: Not at all (laughs).

Tomose: No, no, there aren't many like him (laughs). But Watanabe-kun was difficult. It's really hard when you're told to make someone "normal." Drawing a character with an average five-minute haircut feels somewhat off. Everyone's image of Watanabe-kun in their heads is definitely different, right? What do you think? Is the original image of Watanabe-kun different from Kinugasa-sensei's?

Kinugasa: Even looking at the painting, it just comes naturally.

Editor: I felt the same way. Originally, the character didn't have much personality, but this illustration made me realize he's a guy who cares about his appearance but lacks confidence (laughs).

Tomose: Right. He's a bit shy, just enough not to overdo it with his hair.

Editor: Next is Nishino Takeko. I never thought she would be on the cover.

Tomose: I really like Nishino. Characters like her are easy to draw, right (laughs)? You know what I mean? I don't think anyone would complain about her looks. I thought she wouldn't be too picky, so I gave her sanpaku eyes and plump lips, fully indulging my tastes.

Kinugasa: Isn't it difficult to make a girl look "normal"? Every girl that appears in the work ends up cute. It's hard to find or create a girl with a normal face level.

Tomose: Actually, I prefer to draw them less perfect (laughs). If they're all cute, they all end up looking the same. As an artist, I want to draw girls who aren't cute. That sounds a bit harsh though (laughs).

Kinugasa: A "normal" balance… it's difficult, isn't it? Some people might find them cute, but I wonder.

Tomose: I like girls with unique cuteness. I really want to draw them, but to make a girl universally cute, you have to fine-tune a lot.

Kinugasa: If you're aiming for universal appeal, that's true.

Tomose: Then I start thinking this might not work and such. In that sense, a character like Nishino allows me to do whatever I want (laughs).

Kinugasa: But her appearance level is high, isn't it? She becomes a bit of a beauty.

Tomose: I made her a bit cuter considering her coupling with Ishizaki-kun (laughs).

Kinugasa: I would have dared to make her just normal though (laughs).

Editor: If everyone is cute, it becomes an unbelievable school, right? The reality becomes dubious (laughs). But then again, we don't really want to see what's truly normal, so it's difficult.

Kinugasa: That's true (laughs).

Editor: In a group of normal girls, she would be an extraordinary beauty, but among perfect beauties, she's a girl with quirks, not quite there. That's probably the type of girl everyone wants, so in that sense, it might be the right answer.

Kinugasa: Ideally, yes. I understand making her a bit of a beauty, but as a creator, I'd be happiest if I could produce a truly normal girl.

Tomose: Then the term "beauty" would carry more weight.

Kinugasa: Exactly. The main heroine is super cute, isn't she?

Tomose: When watching anime, if everyone is cute but someone is treated as a beauty, I wonder if they're really that beautiful. They're all cute (laughs).

Kinugasa: Right! I hate it when they say she's just normal, but she's actually really cute.

Tomose: I don't want to make everyone cute; I want to draw various faces.

Kinugasa: I strongly agree.

Tomose: It's fun to have round-faced girls and long-faced girls.

Kinugasa: Exactly! I want to create more characters like that, but I guess that's not possible (laughs).

Tomose: Still, with non-main characters, I like that I can try different things. Where Kinugasa-sensei doesn't seem too particular, I insert my preferred types of girls (laughs).

Kinugasa: That's a good thing.

Editor: Next is Onodera Kayano. Onodera has probably been around since the first volume of the freshman arc…

Kinugasa: By name, yes.

Tomose: I really like her (laughs). I think Onodera is in a similar position to Nishino.

Editor: She's a sporty girl who speaks her mind, but she turned out cuter than I imagined (laughs).

Tomose: That's the thing. When you draw for the cover, they end up cute (laughs). They get a bit beautified.

Kinugasa: It's fate, isn't it? (laughs)

Editor: When you get to someone like Onodera, it's a bit dubious whether they're a sub-character or not.

Tomose: I really wanted to give her double teeth.

Kinugasa: I have an image of you liking that sort of thing.

Tomose: Right? I like '90s anime and stuff (laughs). But I was really troubled whether it would resonate today, so I stopped.

Editor: Next up is Yamamura Miki. She was on the cover of the second-year edition, Volume 10. She's been appearing more lately…

Tomose: At first, I thought she was a character who wouldn't appear much, so I drew her small, but then I realized she plays a significant role.

Editor: She appeared quite early when you think about it. Her first appearance was in the second-year edition, the frontispiece of a volume.

Kinugasa: I don't want to put this in the interview article, but Yamamura is also one of my personal favorite characters, so I can't help but bring her out (laughs).

Editor: Isn't that the same as with Ibuki? No one believes that (laughs). They say something will happen because Kinugasa-san is biased.

Kinugasa: It's not like the characters I like are protected, so that's fine.

Editor: It's a mystery that you have to hide your love for Yamamura while openly loving Ibuki (laughs).

Tomose: Well, maybe you really do like her (laughs).

Editor: But her increased appearances are recent, right?

Tomose: Yes, since the school trip.

Kinugasa: I think that's when the character started to feel right to me.

Tomose: In my mind, she's become like a vending machine character, is that okay?

Kinugasa: That's right (laughs). She's even on the cover (laughs).

Tomose: I ended up drawing her with a vending machine on the cover.

Kinugasa: She's always around a vending machine, so it fits.

Tomose: She's like a fairy character that pops up out of nowhere.

Editor: Lastly, Morishita Ai. She's only appeared in illustrations in the art book so far.

Kinugasa: She's the newest character, right?

Editor: Yes. A mysterious character who appeared during the winter break…

Tomose: I remember (laughs).

Kinugasa: She hasn't settled in your mind yet, has she, Tomose-san? (laughs)

Editor: She was on the cover of Comic Alive (December 2023 issue), but she's not in this art book yet.

Tomose: Her name isn't equated yet (laughs). She's an oddball, isn't she? (laughs)

(TL Note: Tomose is indicating that he hasn't fully connected the character's name with her personality or appearance yet)

Kinugasa: She's a character with a personality I'm not good at. A character that doesn't sit well with me.

Tomose: Won't she move for you? (laughs)

Kinugasa: I won't say she won't move, but she doesn't move (laughs).

Tomose: I did try to draw her as a mysterious girl in terms of looks.

Kinugasa: That's correct.

Tomose: I also like front twin tails. Two braids hanging in the front. But this character is for the future.

Kinugasa: Right, right. For the future, for the future. She's a newcomer.

Tomose: Will this girl fall for Ayanokōji too…

Kinugasa: I don't think she will (laughs).

Tomose: Doesn't seem like she will (laughs).

Editor: We've talked about the new characters, but I believe you've drawn many illustrations for the second-year edition. Do you have any favorite illustrations from the light novel?

Tomose: My favorite is the illustration from volume 1, where Hōsen and Ayanokōji are fighting each other. It's rare to get a chance to draw a fight scene. I was really glad to be able to do such a cool finishing scene. Right, Kinugasa-san? I want more scenes like that (laughs).

Kinugasa: Yeah, I like them (laughs).

Editor: There was also an illustration where Ryuuen is beating up Hōsen.

Kinugasa: On the deserted island.

Tomose: Yes, he was on top of him.

Kinugasa: It's something you can't easily do at school.

Tomose: Because there are cameras (laughs). Will there be fewer fight scenes from now on?

Kinugasa: I'd like to do them. I love them.

Tomose: I want to draw Ayanokōji doing a dropkick.

Kinugasa: Dropkick (laughs). But if that's the case, it'll turn out similar. Not just in volume 1, but also, I love the scenes like when Amasawa is running on the deserted island, or chasing… I love those scenes. And the one where he's grabbing Tsubaki by the hair. Those are the moments where I'm really doing what I want to do.

Editor: Those scenes are intense, aren't they?

Tomose: That's right. I do want to draw scenes where characters have emotionally moved on. It seems like there will be a lot of scenes with Tan-chan and Amasawa-chan (laughs).

Editor: Tan is really good at facial expressions, after all.

Tomose: Exactly. Speaking of Tan, it's the one from volume 8 (frontispiece) of the second-year edition, where he's at the hot spring inn feeling nervous. That one is really special to me. I think I did a great job with that angle (laughs). I'm quite proud of how it turned out.

Kinugasa: It's great because you can understand the conflict in just one illustration.

Tomose: I really like it as a picture. I always want to draw from unusual angles. It's hard to come up with ideas sometimes, so I end up drawing from the side, but being able to draw from below was fun. I was very satisfied with it.

Editor: It's an illustration with a composition that's not often drawn. The way you put the shadows must have been incredibly difficult.

Tomose: It's hard to draw, too (laughs). There's not much in the way of reference material (laughs). It was tough because I had to rely on my imagination.

Editor: Speaking of compositions, the recent illustrations related to Ichinose are amazing.

Tomose: I was about to say that myself, but my favorite is the umbrella picture (frontispiece of the second-year edition volume 9) (laughs). I also want to draw pictures where the face isn't shown.

Kinugasa: Right, right. It's nice not to show the face sometimes.

Tomose: Like telling a story with just the mouth. I'm happy to be able to draw a full-color single illustration like this.

Editor: Recently, there are more frontispiece illustrations that are too amazing to put any text on. Frontispieces usually have dialogue with the design, but when you first open the page, it would spoil the story… There are scenes that are too impactful and great, but we can't write anything at all.

Tomose: It makes you guess a lot of things.

Editor: It's the same with other illustrations. For example, the illustration of Sakayanagi's confession scene (frontispiece of the second-year edition volume) can't have any dialogue.

Tomose: If we wrote it, it would spoil the best part, like finding out the most delicious part from the frontispiece.

Editor: Ichinose has changed since the first-year edition, and we've started to see more incredible illustrations. On the other hand, there are more and more cute pictures of Sakayanagi.

Tomose: Sakayanagi-chan is the cutest when I draw her. She's a great character, and she really looks good in pictures. Her hair color is close to silver.

Editor: The cover of the second-year edition volume is amazing, too.

Tomose: I've been wanting to say this, but someday I want to say thank you to the background people (laughs). I don't often get the chance to say it.

Editor: It would be good to pass that message on to Kinugasa-san (laughs).

Kinugasa: Okay.

Editor: Are there any scenes from the second-year edition that left an impression on you?

Tomose: Ichinose changing drastically is amazing. From the tearful scenes to gradually becoming a stronger character (laughs).

Editor: The illustrations are amazing, too. Ichinose is really something.

Tomose: It's fun to draw her. I can draw so many different expressions.

Editor: It's the opposite in the first-year edition, with characters like Sakayanagi creating tension, and Ichinose being like a hotspot, always a save point where you can relax. But in the second-year edition, it's all about Ichinose (laughs).

Tomose: It's true. I used to think of Ichinose as a healing character during the first-year edition, but she's not very soothing lately.

Kinugasa: It's the opposite for me. Ichinose in the first-year edition was tough for me.

Tomose: Kinugasa-sensei always has that kind of perspective.

Kinugasa: (laughs).

Tomose: They say good kids are hard to handle.

Kinugasa: Good kids are hard to handle, yeah. I think there are plenty of people who are good at it, but I'm not one of them.

The child felt awkward, but now that he could finally handle Ichinose, it felt the most natural.

Tomose: That's right (laughs). It's fun drawing such a tumultuous story.

Editor: For me, the hotspot is Sakayanagi. Right now, Sakayanagi has taken over Ichinose's spot (laughs).

Tomose: Sakayanagi-chan feels a bit ominous, doesn't she? (laughs).

Kinugasa: By making it ominous, there might be an unexpected happy turn waiting ahead, you know?

Tomose: Eh? Did you say something?

Kinugasa: No (laughs).

Editor: Related to the earlier appearance spot, according to the reader survey for the second-year volume, Sakayanagi finally took first place, with Karuizawa in second. These two are at the top now.

Tomose: I haven't drawn many frontispieces for Karuizawa-chan recently (laughs).

Kinugasa: Does that mean their character spotlights are over? Right now, it's Ichinose and Sakayanagi's spotlight turn.

Editor: Lately, it's been Sakayanagi and Ichinose, right?

Kinugasa: Exactly. It will be like this until the end of the school year.

Tomose: I'm happy I can draw a lot of Ichinose. I'm rooting for Ichinose.

Editor: You always talk about Ichinose in the art collections. Speaking of popularity polls, Shiina is also quite popular.

Tomose: Shiina is popular despite only appearing now and then.

Editor: Actually, there are very few illustrations of Shiina. This is only the fourth color illustration in the paperback, for the frontispiece of the volume.

Kinugasa: She's difficult to handle.

Tomose: After Kinugasa-san's reaction earlier, it seems like Shiina is also tough to handle (laughs).

Kinugasa: I don't dislike her. I don't dislike her, but she's difficult to handle.

Tomose: Shiina seems like she's hiding something. She has an atmosphere like she's about to cause trouble.

Editor: In the second-year arc, there's also a focus on Horikita's growth.

Tomose: Her character is becoming more and more attractive. She's gaining more humanity.

Kinugasa: At first, I couldn't fully utilize her, but now I feel like I'm getting the hang of controlling her.

Tomose: At first, she was a bit stubborn, but gradually she started to listen to others (laughs). Sudō too (laughs). Sudō's growth is incredibly amazing (laughs).

Kinugasa: There are actually people like that in real life. Those who change dramatically. Most don't change, but some do, and some should.

Editor: Speaking of illustrations, the hair has been gradually growing, and that's being depicted little by little, isn't it?

Kinugasa: That's what I requested.

Tomose: How far will it go? Will it return to the original length?

Kinugasa: It will grow until the chronological end. If there's no event to cut the hair in the main story, it will just keep growing. It's rare in works to show hair growing over time. I thought it would be interesting to do so.

Tomose: It's interesting, but by the end of the third-year arc, it won't have grown down to the feet, right?

Kinugasa: It won't grow that much in a year, will it?

Tomose: I see. That's okay then.

Kinugasa: If it's long again, we'll cut it.

Editor: I was wondering how many centimeters hair grows in a year… It seems it won't reach the feet by graduation.

Tomose: That's good. Although it might still be interesting.

Editor: Otherwise, it would seem like they used some hair growth product (laughs).

Kinugasa: That would be ridiculous (laughs).

Editor: Next, I'd like to ask about illustrations other than the paperbacks. You've also drawn various covers for Comic Alive.

Editor: At first, you were just drawing the characters normally, but then you started changing their outfits, and everyone started looking forward to the covers of Alive. It was a chance to see something you don't normally see.

Tomose: Some people might prefer uniforms, but ALIVE is often said to be about freedom, so it seems like we went with complete freedom this time.

Editor: For the linked campaign, if you buy the ALIVE issue of the month and the latest volume at Toranoana, you often get a clear file as a bonus, but they sell out quickly.

Kinugasa: Doesn't it come with a clear stand?

Editor: That was a bonus included before. It featured Nanase and Karuizawa in yukata illustrations. That issue sold really well.

(Note: September 2023 issue)

Tomose: I was curious, but did the issue with Ayanokōji-kun and Ryūen-kun (December 2022 issue) sell well? (laughs)

Editor: It was fine.

Tomose: It was fine? (laughs) There wasn't a sudden drop in sales?

Editor: It was fine.

Tomose: That's good. I was worried about that (laughs). I mean, there aren't any covers with just boys, right? Doing something we haven't done before is good. I thought Kinugasa-sensei would be pleased.

Kinugasa: I am pleased.

Tomose: Also, I secretly drew a cat as a symbol of freedom. I really want to own one.

Kinugasa: Why don't you get one in real life? (laughs)

Tomose: I can't have pets, so I have no choice but to draw them in ALIVE… Also, I've been meaning to thank you. The person who designs the covers for ALIVE always leaves space for the cat.

Kinugasa: (laughs)

Editor: Despite the magazine cover being filled with text (laughs).

Tomose: Right. They always make sure the cat stands out, and I'm always thankful for that. When the cat was getting cut off, they even moved it up for me. I noticed it was higher up.

Kinugasa: A big thank you to the person in charge of the cover background and the ALIVE covers.

Tomose: Really, I appreciate it.

Editor: The clear stand also featured just the cat, right?

Tomose: Yes, that's right. I have it on display, just the cat.

Editor: So, we can expect various cats to appear in the future (laughs). In the main story, there are illustrations where even the eyes aren't drawn, so these costume changes and cute illustrations are like the only source of healing.

Tomose: That's right. Personally, I can draw them really relaxed (laughs). I shouldn't get too relaxed, but it's fun to draw. It's the only place I can draw cats.

Editor: On the contrary, we're grateful. Even if people want to see Karuizawa and Nanase in yukata, it wouldn't turn into such a wonderful story, so it's better to get that element here.

Tomose: That's true. Even if they wear yukata in the main story, it's likely to be a grim development (laughs). I want to show their brighter sides on the ALIVE covers.

Editor: This time, the character appeared on the ALIVE cover in a color illustration first. (Note: Morishita Ai's color illustration debuted on the December 2023 cover)

Tomose: Is that okay? That's quite a promotion (laughs).

Tomose: I see… (laughs). That's great. Is "this Ranobe" not going to come out anymore starting this year?

Editor: That's right. It's been inducted into the hall of fame.

Kinugasa: The protagonist has won four times in a row, so I think that's enough. I don't have any regrets.

Tomose: So it's a win and run, huh?

Editor: It feels like they stirred things up until the very end. Also, what I found interesting about this illustration is the height difference between Karuizawa and Ayanokōji.

Tomose: I drew that ad-lib, so is there really such a height difference…

Kinugasa: It was ad-lib? (laughs) You didn't calculate it? (laughs) I guess I'll have to be careful from now on (laughs).

Editor: But I thought it looked really good, you know.

Tomose: I had a similar image in mind, too, but I think Ayanokōji-kun has grown taller as well.

Editor: Ayanokōji has really grown taller, hasn't he? But when you think about it calmly, there are kids who grow a lot taller when they go from first to second year of high school.

Tomose: That's right. I've personally started to draw him with a more solid build, like broader shoulders.

Kinugasa: It's because we're going for realism.

Editor: We should probably set the heights at the end of the second year arc, right?

Tomose: I don't know anymore. Even with Sakayanagi-chan being small, I'm just guessing how small she is when I draw her.

Editor: I thought Hiyori was really tiny in the anime, and when I checked the height settings, she was shorter than I imagined. There's an image, isn't there?

Tomose: Really? (laughs) Like the walking together part in the last art book, is that accurate? (laughs)

Kinugasa: That's just for fun, right? (laughs)

Tomose: It's all just for fun, kind of like "this is probably how it is" (laughs).

Editor: It's okay to say that some high school students grow taller and some don't, right?

Tomose: We might have to correct it later (laughs).

Editor: An unexpected fact has come to light, but the cover illustration of the art book was also a wonderful illustration centered around the leaders of each class. Was there anything you were conscious of when drawing it?

Tomose: Really, the patterns for group pictures are running out (laughs). I'm wondering what to do… There are also BD packages, right? Those are tough (laughs).

Editor: There's also the BD storage BOX. But the moe-moe feeling has been disappearing, and it's finally gone to zero. In the first art book, Ayanokōji wasn't even there.

Tomose: I started drawing with a bit of a gal game mindset, but it's gradually getting darker (laughs).

(TL Note: "Gal game" refers to a genre for romance games (Dating sims))

Kinugasa: Finally, my true nature is starting to show.

Editor: This time, the men are drawn in full, but the women are only drawn from the upper body. That's the kind of cover we have.

Tomose: I have to make sure not to deviate from everyone's requests (laughs). I can't just go with my own tastes (laughs).

Editor: No, no (laughs). But the nature of the work is that way, so you're gradually deceiving the readers and making corrections, right? As if everything before was a lie (laughs).

Kinugasa: Exactly.

Tomose: I guess I have no choice but to drag them into the darker side (laughs).

Kinugasa: What is demanded and what one wants to do are often different.

Editor: Rather, listening to you, I think it's better to plant the seeds properly considering the future. If we keep the image from the first year, we'll get in serious trouble. We have to go dark, dark, dark (laughs).

Tomose: We might receive some scary messages (laughs).

Kinugasa: (laughs).

Editor: In this art book, illustrations that Tomose-sensei drew on Twitter (now X) were included. What prompted you to draw them?

Tomose: It's the need for approval, the need for approval (laughs). Simply put, I had some free time because of the coronavirus. So I thought, what should I do? And decided to draw. Lately, everyone's drawing on Twitter and getting praised, and I'm jealous, so I thought it'd be nice if I became popular too (laughs).

Kinugasa: It's the need for approval, isn't it? (laughs).

Editor: There are three types of illustrations for Yō Jitsu, starting with the main light novel illustrations, then the freely created Alive covers, and finally the completely free Twitter illustrations. It feels like there are three stages.

Kinugasa: Purely speaking, it's gratitude to the fans. We have to thank them for their support and occasionally provide a service.

Editor: I hope everyone will have the chance to witness more of this when they have time. I never imagined it would ultimately be included in an art collection (laughs).

Tomose: Yes, it's been used for merchandise and such.

Editor: We just couldn't leave such cute illustrations alone.

Tomose: I didn't draw them with any expectations, but I'm grateful (laughs).

Editor: The Angel Sakayanagi is also incredibly cute, isn't it?

Editor: Aside from the characters we've talked about so far, there's a theory that Chabashira has been getting cuter lately. What do you two think?

Kinugasa: I feel it too.

Tomose: She's getting cuter in the story, right? She's completely opened up her heart, hasn't she?

Kinugasa: Right. I even think an ending where Chabashira gets together with someone would be fine.

Tomose: That wouldn't be bad.

Kinugasa: I think she's a heroine with more potential than some of the less skilled ones.

Tomose: I like that idea (laughs). I think it would be nice to have an ecchi manga about it, but I don't know if everyone would agree (laughs).

Kinugasa: No, that's a good idea. I might even go down that route.

Tomose: The difficult part is whether it will develop into a romance.

Editor: Ayanokōji is quite mature mentally, so in that sense, a somewhat childish

Chabashira might be just the right match (laughs).

Kinugasa: It's a good balance.

Tomose: Hearing that makes her seem even cuter.

Editor: Since this illustration (※Editor's note: Volume 7 of the second year edition) came out, she's just become a cute girl, and we even got a bunny illustration (※Editor's note: Drawn for MF Bunko J Summer School Festival 2023).

Tomose: Right. Why did you choose a bunny? (laughs).

Editor: The bunny itself was the theme for this year's Summer School Festival illustrations. When we requested a bunny illustration, we asked which character should it be.

Tomose: It was surprising that Chabashira-sensei came up there (laughs).

Editor: Chabashira hasn't appeared on the cover of Alive, has she? Surely not.

Kinugasa: Then let's do it next time. The moment it was decided is right here.

Editor: She's 29 years old, right?

Kinugasa: But she'll be 30 next year.

Tomose: Then there's quite an age difference. Almost double, isn't it? (laughs).

Editor: 30 and 18, 17, so it's just right, isn't it?

Tomose: What kind of standard is that? (laughs).

Kinugasa: It's just right (laughs). Let's go! Let's go, let's go!

Tomose: (laughs). Do we have to do it? Make it adult (laughs).

Kinugasa: Maybe Ayanokōji is the other one? Like this is a hidden message to the fans.

Editor: Like hinting at a coupling (laughs).

Tomose: Like collecting on a foreshadowing.

Kinugasa: I heard a good story!

Tomose: Please stop (laughs).

Kinugasa: Why? It's a good thing (laughs).

Tomose: There are others like Sakayanagi-chan (laughs).

Editor: Let's look forward to what comes next (laughs).

Editor: Finally, I'd like to ask about the two of you. Have there been any changes in your recent situation? The pandemic was a big deal, wasn't it?

Tomose: Because of the coronavirus, I stopped going to events, and my work suddenly disappeared (laughs). I stopped receiving messages out of the blue, so I ended up with a lot of free time. With that time, I was able to relax and draw more, and I started posting my drawings on Twitter. I also paid more attention to my health, got into cleaning, and developed more hobbies than before. I started walking more and became healthier. It's quite the opposite of what happened to Kinugasa-san (laughs)… So, my mental state has actually improved. I used to draw in difficult times.

Kinugasa: You seemed to be having a hard time while making games.

Tomose: It was crazy. I think I was drawing two to three times more than now. As I've gotten older, I can't draw as much. In a sense, the pandemic changed my way of thinking for the better, and I've started to save my work efforts.

Editor: How about you, Kinugasa-san? How have you been recently?

Kinugasa: My child has grown up, and with the pandemic, people have stopped crowding… Thanks to that, I've been going out more. I've done things I never would have done in my life, like going to amusement parks, climbing hills, and visiting farms. I feel like my lifestyle has changed drastically in the last one or two years.

Tomose: That's nice. Having a child takes you to various places.

Kinugasa: I would never have gone before, but I went to a farm just last week.

Tomose: Are farms that nice?

Kinugasa: Well, it's more like a children's park, but you can experience milking cows.

Tomose: It's nice to have new experiences.

Kinugasa: Exactly. I'm doing things I've never done before.

Tomose: I've also started visiting shops I never went to before. I walk a lot more and try out new eateries.

Kinugasa: I've been doing more of that too.

Editor: So there's been a change, huh? Last time we talked about how much had changed since you started this work, like getting married and having children. It's like a continuation of that.

Kinugasa: It's like a sequel (laughs).

Tomose: It has become a series (laughs).

Editor: We were talking about both Kinugasa-san and Tomose-san.

Kinugasa: It's because of the work.

Tomose: Lately, I feel like I've regained my humanity with the increase in leisure time (laughs). I wasn't living a human life 10 or 5 years ago.

Editor: Even you, Tomose-san?

Tomose: It was terrible. I would wake up, draw until I was tired, and then sleep. I'd only go to the convenience store. But now I cook too. I've realized humans do all sorts of things (laughs).

Kinugasa: I was going to say, I cook a lot too.

Tomose: It's fun, isn't it?

Kinugasa: It's fun. Today I'm excited about making hotpot, I went to the supermarket to buy ingredients for tonight.

Tomose: That's nice. Before the pandemic, I only cut my hair about three times a year, but now I do it monthly (laughs). I also didn't buy clothes much, but now I do.

Kinugasa: Do you go shopping for clothes on your own initiative?

Tomose: Yes. I research myself and look up recommended clothes on YouTube, like "recommended for men in their 40s" (laughs).

Kinugasa: Wow, that's amazing. I leave it all to my wife. She tells me what to wear, what to buy, and I just say yes, yes.

Tomose: When you start researching fashion, it becomes easier to draw.

Kinugasa: It can be applied to work.

Tomose: Exactly. You understand how clothes work. And when you start cooking, it becomes easier to draw cooking scenes.

Kinugasa: It's reflected quite a bit in the story.

Editor: Indeed, without going into details, there are many parts that make sense (laughs).

Tomose: Indeed, that's true. Such things really do show up in the work, don't they?

Kinugasa: Yes. It's important to gain knowledge from daily experiences. And that definitely gets utilized in our work, doesn't it?

Tomose: It does, it does. I really should have had a lot more varied experiences.

Editor: That's something we both did later on. Since we were working on 14 volumes during the first-year arc, I think we had used quite a bit of what we had in terms of resources.

Tomose: I was running on empty, you know (laughs).

Editor: We've moved on to a good topic from recent updates.

Kinugasa: Except for health (laughs).

Tomose: I've even started exercising (laughs).

Editor: Lastly, the second-year arc's third term is ongoing, and the third season of the TV anime is currently airing. Could you say a few words to the fans?

Tomose: You've already mentioned everything (laughs). I think the story is going to get really intense from the latter half of the second-year arc. As a reader, I'm looking forward to it. It's scary, but I think it's going to be something amazing, wondering which class will win. Also, I think the series has gotten long for the readers. I'm grateful that they've continued to follow us this far. I've been drawing for about 10 years, so I'm thankful. And I'm happy about the third season of the TV anime; I've been thinking lately that everyone involved is really working hard.

Kinugasa: That's very true.

Tomose: They're even doing events for us, right? When you look closely, they talk

about the work in detail.

Editor: Of course (laughs).

Tomose: It makes me happy to think that they read and understand it, and talk so much about it. I'm grateful for them setting up events and for creating this art book.

Kinugasa: You can feel the effort. It's like we're not alone.

Tomose: It's really appreciated. Chiba-san, who plays Ayanokōji, really loves the work (laughs). I'm happy to feel the seriousness in his storytelling.

Kinugasa: We might lose some precious characters in the future (laughs), so it's a bit strange to say I'm looking forward to it, but I'm determined to keep going without faltering so that people will say it was interesting. Let's keep up the good work (laughs). Also, I think it's about time we had an Ayanokōji-kun figure. I've been wondering why there isn't one.

Tomose: It's because there are no buyers.

Kinugasa: I want to believe that's not the case (laughs). Well, maybe for men…

Tomose: Maybe it would sell.

Kinugasa: (laughs).

■■■

Translated by RoyalMTLs

COTE YEAR 2 VOLUME 11 ANNOUNCEMENT:

The Release of Y2V11 got extended the Digital Version of the Volume will be going to release on 4 March (THAT'S MEAN TRANSLATION PROCESS WILL BE BEGIN ON 4 MARCH).

<Y2V11 LEAK ILLUSTRATIONS *SPOILER ALERT*>