To all of you who came out in the heat
to Summer Comiket, thank you very much.
My day there inspired me, thanks to
everyone's energy, to do even better.
If I could just resolve this power to
all of you who encourage me, it'd be
a most wonderful thing...
I don't know for myself if I have that
power but so that my works make you excited
and happy, even if just a little, I've decided
I'm going to work even harder. And in that sense,
my participation at Comiket proved to be
a most worthwhile experience.
Except that I cannot express enough regret
that I had no new items to show... Next time,
I'll do better.
Should you catch site of me at some other event
or anything, please feel free to call out to me.
I don't bite.

Big Brother Marron,
who'd been staying at my parents' house
in Takarazuka, ended up staying with me
for almost two months, the way things
turned out.
He's a mischievous and sweet boy but
I guess I shouldn't be surprised that
he was able to keep up a miraculous
communication from afar with his little brother.
It's quite healing.

Sorry for the late update.
Since I had some free time
after the crunch finally let up,
and though I could say I've been
just chilling all this while,
I luckily established contact with
some friends of mine who hadn't had
time to hang out in a while, and pretty
much spent the whole time meeting and
hanging with them...
It was very worthwhile.
This really is the primary reason why
I feel I'm really glad I decided
to move to Tokyo.

Since I had no plans for today,
I devoted myself to cleaning my house.
Dog hair really boggles my mind.

Since my mom's leaving on a trip next week,
I agreed to take care of her dog for her.
But it's amazing how just one more dog
can add to the dog hair I already have...

Now, this is happening next month but
Libre Publishers will be releasing the
Gakuen Heaven Kazuki Endo edition.
Best of regards.
Also, NIGHT HEAD GENESIS, being released by
Kodansha, is on sale so if you are interested in it
by all means pick up a copy. It'd make me so happy...

Right now, my old works like "Seimaden" and others
are available on cellphone and seem to be very well received.
Thank you to all you out there downloading it.
Those works hold quite a special place in my heart
so just hearing that there are others kind enough to read them
fills me with such gratitude.
While questioning myself as to if I'm really grappling
with my works so as not to forget the passion I had
when I was making them...I'm still very far from the ideal
that I want to be but I just hope I've advanced forward
at least one step, if anything.

It was only for a short trip but
I full enjoyed Spain.
I got home a while ago but
what with running around here and there,
I was late in writing about it in my blog.
Even since before leaving, I was afraid of how
my stomach had been feeling bad and thought
it might act up. But when I got there
the food was so good I couldn't help gourging
myself on it and I ended up giving myself enteritis.
While walking around town, the walls that were
supposed to be white, looked yellow...and I realized
the pain was making me faint so I hurried back to the hotel
and had the doctor pay a visit.
Sure enough it was nothing serious but he ordered
that I not eat for one day so for getting to go
all the way to Spain, I ended up only eating yogurt
for a while after that. Boo hoo...
Jamón ibérico...I wanted to eat it so badly...
When I got back to Japan, I went to the doctor
just to be safe but he also told me to go without meat
for a while and eat things like yogurt...but please...
I've had enough yogurt, thank you.

In my last blog entry, I wrote how
the peach blossoms are beautiful.
But an old woman in my neighborhood
confirmed for me that they're actually
double cherry blossoms... I'm such a dunce.
And after I went on and on about them...
As a sign of my apologies, I'm marking the
correction to that entry. Ahem.

I've suddenly made up my mind about
getting to Spain.
Taking into account what would be most
convenient, I'll only be taking one week
to go and I think I'll hit up, Granada,
Cordoba, Sevilla and other locations in
Andalucia... At least, that's the plan.
Oh, how I've missed Europe!

This is my first time going to Spain alone.
I've heard the public order's not doing so well
so I'm a little nervous but once I'm safely back
in Japan, I'll report in again.

Even though the cherry blossom season's over
there are a ton of peach blossoms now...
It feels like it's been a strange season.
The peach trees in my neighborhood are blossoming fully.
So after the storm of cherry blossoms we've got a storm of
peach blossoms to enjoy.
On another note, it's been so cold, wouldn't you say?
It feels like that's how it's been for months now.
With yet another onslaught of work over with, I feel like
getting refreshed so I made the last-minute decision to
take a trip to Spain.
I suddenly felt like seeing the light and shadows of Andalucia...
It could serve as reference material for my work...again, I think
I have a real problem.

But really, I figured if I went to Europe I could revive myself
before coming home, so I think I'll devote myself to replenishing
my strength through it.
It'd be easiest to join a tour group or something but sometimes
I don't do well in groups so I think I'll just go on my own.
I still haven't decided on a hotel so I'm a little nervous but...
I'll figure something out.

But since I still have work to complete before I leave,
I can't occupy myself with travel plans alone...
Gotta work hard!

After close to one month straight of work,
I was close to blowing a fuse.
But I've gotten a little time to myself finally
so I am updating my blog.

This month, I drew about 180 pages worth for work.
That's quite an accomplishment for even me.
But honestly, it is all thanks to my
hard-working assistants and editors.

It seems finally here in April I'll
be able to go back to a more human
lifestyle and there are so many things
I'm thinking I'd like to do.
But what with how absorbed I've been with work,
I've practically forgotten how to have a good time...
While I stay here wondering what it is I should do,
time is slowly slipping by...though that's
how it always is with me.

Today I went to a friend's flamenco recital.
They were all so impressive, I even let out a sigh of regret.
I really look up to those who participate in such things
but when I think about how lacking I am in physical ability,
I get so so down.

I wonder what I should decide on the belly-dance invitation
I was given...Could I at least be able to do that much?

...I have several deadlines
coming up at one time so
I don't see any quiet time
for a while.
I'm also sorry for the delayed
responses on the BBS and stuff too.
Once April rolls around I think
I should be able to have a little more
free time so just be patient...
Today I drew Ludwig and Hornig
for the first time in forever.
Or maybe it's that I had a lot of fun
for the first time in forever.
If only my deadlines were a little
easier on me, I'd be happier.
Oh well, maybe it's a case of
you reap what you sow...?

Starting this month and on into the next
and up until the middle of the one after that,
I will be absolutely swamped with work.
Just when I thought the strain was finally lifting,
I have all these deadlines for illustrations...
Only now has it subsided for a moment.
So I really have been unable to write for quite a while.
Since it feels that the latter half of this year
will involve work besides just manga, I have to
adjust my schedule accordingly.

I really think it's a luxury of mine to get to
make a living off work that I love to do.
However, I reprimand myself for getting caught up
in the intertia and knowingly drowining myself in it all.
Though I think it's natural for a professional
to think in terms of supplying the demand,
there are also times when the alarm bells inside me
warning me of a possible break-down of my identity
jar me back to reality saying "don't end it there!"
Is this dlimma a matter of conceit as a creator?
...Such are the silly things I choose to focus on
or ignore.

Sorry if this didn't make any sense.

But as long as there are people out there cheering me on,
I'll work my best to not do anything that would betray
your expectations.
Thank you very much from here on in too.

When I was making miso soup
for dinner, I wanted to taste
how it was doing and ended up
burning the inside of my mouth...
Ow, it huuurts!
It even seems the thin skin of it
is peeling back a little.

I can't go into details yet but
it seems that two older titles
of mine that had gone out of print
are going to be republished by a
new company.
Since they're so so old, now I'm
having to check their manuscripts
and the whole mess is quite painful
for me.
Cuz I used color tones on them...
...and on top of that the pictures
are a little, well...
Let's just say I feel the history in them.

In Kodansha's Magazine Z,
where NIGHT HEAD GENESIS
is now running, DJ TARO
graced us with his presence
once more with a wonderful
recitation of this month's
contents.

Please listen to it by
clicking on the link below.

And if you like, pick up
the magazine too.

Reader
http://www.yomishi.jp/main.html

Today Mi-chan and I
took Wisley out
for about an hour
for a walk around
the neightborhood.

It's a little far but
there's a liquor shop
that does free delivery
in the city area so
we bought some from them
without delay.
Since the liquor shop by
my home back in Takarazuka
is a mere 2-minute walk away,
it's a little inconvenient
with this new living arrangement.

The fourth color proof for the
NIGHTHEAD DVD packaging
came in today.
The design, as always, looks
great.

I was thinking I'd like to use
airbrushes for the first time
in a while for the fifth
illustration but...
I soon discovered that I'd
forgotten the one I'd just bought
back in Takarazuka. Since I had
on me the one I used to use long
ago, I used that one fuming all the while...
But since I was at least able
to use something I was grateful
for a little while.
Once finished, I was trying to unfasten
the hose when all the air in the
cartridge escaped!
I couldn't stop it. And this was
the first time such a thing had happened.

With no other choice, I just left it
for a night with the hose attached
only to find that it'd stopped working
entirely.
...Maybe it had something to do
with the air pressure or lack thereof?
What could it be...?

With a pause in the onslaught of deadlines,
I take a moment to look around my room
and what do I see but white dog hair everywhere...
I whipped out the vacuum cleaner and went at it
but in seconds there was more white hair on
a guest that'd come over today...
I've got to buy a lint roller.

Happy New Year.
...though it's already been the new year for a while now...
To all of you who check this blog regularly, sorry for not
posting in so long.
I know it's a little late but also a great and many
thanks to those who came to Comiket.
Having been able to talk to so many fans,
I was so happy I got to see all of you.
I also commend you for putting up with the cold.

As for my life, I've grown accustomed to my
life here in Tokyo.
Since this morning, it's been raining and raining
here. I'm freezing...
I also finally brought over my pet dog Wisley from
Takarazuka.
The truth is I'd have liked Marron to also join us
but the situations been complicated so for now,
only his little brother has come so far.
After taking a plane, a bus, and a taxi, the whole
ordeal took a little less than four hours.
I was worried for a while how he would take it but
things went surprisingly without a hitch.
Right now, he's at my feet whining and just mesmorized
by the ball he's playing with.
Since this little fellow's arrived, my workplace has become
absolutely filled with toys.

...update my blog.
I really let this thing go for a while.
Though the truth is that what with moving,
I already had my hands quite full.
Though when I saw "move" my parent's home is still in
Takarazuka, it's just my work place has been
relocated to Tokyo.
Now, at last, things have settled down.
Since moving here, two books' deadlines have come
one after another so that by the time I realized it,
one month had already passed since coming here.
My how time flies.
Just when I start thinking "now to enjoy my new Tokyo life!"
the next work assigment comes up...
There are plenty of places I've already gone to visit but
it's like I'm experiencing an overload of information and
getting dizzy from it all.
But all I can do is get used to it a little at a time...
Now just about everything is fresh and new to me still.

My work pertaining to illustration
commissions doesn't end...
And I don't know if it's because of
the seasons changing or what but,
my health hasn't been so good either.
Trying to manage my health in the midst
of work is, well...
But since I've got one more task to
hold out again, I'm going to try my
hardest.

This really is my first
blog update in a long while.
I've been up to my neck in work
and so didn't have any mental capacity
left to update, hence why I neglected it
for so long.

Now that I think about it, there are already
many signs that we are deep into autumn now.
In the shopping district of Takarazuka, even
Santa Claus has made an appearance.
People sure are jumping the gun on the season...
But in all the bustle, Christmas songs echo
throughout the market.

As for my manga work, I've cleared most of my tasks
but there still my deadlines for illustration commissions...
It feels like there's always work to be done.
Since I've put more details as to my latest endeavors on the
"Works" page, please check it out there if you have the time.

Oh...I'm a little late in mentioning this but
to those who so kindly celebrated my birthday,
thank you very much.
I'm glad I safely made it to my 17th birthday this
year as well...or so I try to keep telling myself.
I'm the one making myself so sad over this...I gotta snap outta it.

...I drew some illustrations pertaining to Night Head.
Long time no hand-color. I actually had to draw while
adding water to the color inks because they were running dry.
I wonder if it's because I'm missing something for these Luma Colors.
Hmm...

Lately I haven't been creating any original stories of my own so
it's getting tough to keep having to supress all the many things
I want to write about myself.
I've been recording things down in my idea book but I don't even have
the kind of time I'd need to properly study up on them.
...and so I'm just trying my best and persevering.

Compared to how things were before, the opportunities I've had to
see things from another persepective have grown.
It's difficult but still I think that to be blessed by such opportunities is,
for me as both a person and as someone who draws, something to be happy about.
It makes me feel as though my sensitivity levels are working at maximum level.
Higuri at age 17. As yet at the height of youth...
...What ho! (as always the eyes of society are cold...)

...it's really started to feel like Autumn, hasn't it.
Today the wind in the Kansai area was cool and refreshing
and overall quite pleasant.

Pardon my very long lapse in writing.
The latest crunch at work is finally over with,
and the next big deadline is not for another month but
even besides that, I've still got lots of small jobs to take care of and...
...oh well, I guess all I can do is deal with it one segment at a time.

I like working. Though it could just be that I'm imprisoned by the
obsession that my work's the only merit to my existence that I have.
But, no matter. I still think that I should be plenty happy for it.
And I don't think this is some kind of self-torture for me or anything at all.

To all the people who came to both Summer Comiket and
my autograph session in Akihabara and braved the awful weather
and thunderstorm and whatnot, thank you very much.
I was so happy to meet you all and your warm words
have acted as further encouragement for me. Just getting
to see your faces in person motivated me greatly too.
Such events as these always serve as moments that rejuvinate
my resolve to put forth even more effort so that I can keep
having everyone enjoy my works.

The profession of being a mangaka always has the image of
not involving a lot of face time with the fans nor public
but lately I've been having quite a bit of face time!
Recently, I've been more defiant is how if feels.
Like deciding to myself that I won't run away or hide anymore.
So if you ever chance to see me, please give me a smile.

Now this is in answer to Akiko-san's riddle but
I know that if you soak jagarico in boiling water,
and then knead it, it'll come out looking just like
potato salad.
If you're interested in this, try it yourself!