London street musicians enjoy music to the core. “It would be interesting if Samurai were here.”
–How did the writing progress?
Miyata:I thought I couldn't write about it without experiencing it, so I arranged my schedule and went to London. It was a bullet plan of 4 days and 2 nights, but we went to various places, saw various scenery, closed our eyes, listened to sounds, felt smells, and imagined what kind of sounds it would be wonderful to hear here. I think this is a book that I would not have been able to write if I hadn't actually been there.
Actually, if I went to London and nothing was born in me, I was thinking of refusing to write, saying, “I can't do it.'' This was my first time on a reporting trip, and even if I did, I might not be able to find any inspiration. When we arrived in London, there were so many street musicians…some with as many as 50 or 60 people in the audience, some singing with a single microphone while playing music on a radio cassette player, and some playing keyboards so loud you couldn't hear the signal (lol).
I was impressed by the fact that not only were there people motivated by wanting to sell or using this as a springboard to make their debut, but there were also a lot of people who were like, “I sing because I love singing,'' and I thought it was a wonderful culture that was unique to the area.
Everyone was enjoying the music freely, and I thought, “Ah, it would be great if Samurai were here.'' It doesn't matter if there's someone like Samurai who is determined to become number one here, or it doesn't matter who you are. When I thought about this, I got really inspired and started writing it down at the hotel and on the plane home.
–The scene on the bridge where the Samurai and the young man who looks like Kai (a new character appearing in Volume 2) meet is very impressive, but are there any other places that inspire you or influence you?
Miyata:The bridge where I met the young man happened to be a bridge I passed by. I definitely wanted to visit Piccadilly Circus, where street musicians and performers gather, and the famous Abbey Road. On Denmark Street, where many musical instrument stores are located, there were many Japanese-made musical instruments lined up, and there were many things that you wouldn't understand unless you actually went there, which was very inspiring.
I took photos of the places I visited and made notes, but more than that, I wrote down what I remembered again when I returned home. I feel that what is important is what remains in my memory and the places that left a deep impression on me.
–The three samurai who visit London, Takeshi, Makoto, and Minoru, were not portrayed in such depth in the first volume. When creating a story centered around them, were there any aspects you dug deeper into or added settings?
Miyata:I had an idea in my mind. I love Yoshihiro Togashi's works (lol), so I followed his method of creating character settings in advance, and I was thinking about the Samurai characters when I was working on the previous work.
――So, how would you describe the three people based on your concept at that time?
Miyata:That's the basic idea, but there were some things that I wanted to change a little bit…I wanted to make Minoru a heavy drinking character (lol). I thought it would be cute if he was drinking orange juice, and there was a depiction of him like that in the first volume, but I wanted him to be the character with the strongest tolerance for alcohol, so I made him a heavy drinker (lol).
–What do you think of the new character, a young man?
Miyata:What will happen if the Samurai encounters someone who looks just like Kai on his journey? That idea was the core of the writing of this work. I remember talking about this to the editor in a taxi while I was touring the venue for the handover event (for Volume 1).
Mr. Miyata's experiences are projected onto the characters, creating realistic worries and growth.
–How do you feel about looking back on the writing of Volume 2?
Miyata:In the first volume, Kai (who was supposed to be dead) appears in front of Kyosuke, which depicts a dramatic and major change. What I depicted in Volume 2 is different in kind from the conflicts in Volume 1, and I gradually share with the characters the feelings and worries that I have experienced. It's like they're saying something that I haven't put into words in any interview.
In the early days of my idol career, I wasn't able to wear the glamorous costumes I had imagined, so when there were overpowering stars around me, I sometimes thought, “I'll look like a support member, and I don't like that.''
The Samurai members felt the same way about Takeshi's charisma, and although they hadn't said it in words until then, the young man's point made them realize, “Ah…” I thought it would be nice to be able to depict something that seems like such a small thing, but for the person in question, it meant a big change.
Also, Minoru, who has been able to accomplish everything he has ever wanted to do, has never struggled because he can do anything, and I think he worries that he lacks individuality. Idols are able to sing, dance, and do variety shows, which is inherently amazing, but there are people around me who are worried that they can't relate to their individuality because everyone else around them can do the same. I'm sure that people who appear publicly, including entertainers, definitely have this problem.
It's a real thing that when you debut, the people you fight against change.You work really hard and say, “I'll do whatever it takes to debut,'' but when you finally make your debut and step out into the world, you find yourself in a world full of stars. Their careers are completely different in order to compete, and there is a moment when you think, “I can't do this anymore,'' and from that point on, you start to explore your own style instead of standing on the same playing field.
I felt that that was what it meant to make a debut, and I think Samuraior feels the same way.
–Mr. Miyata found the answer to get out of that situation.
Miyata:You have to do everything, and then you have to find your own individuality. I think people now have the impression that “Miyata = Anime lover'', but it took about 10 years for that to happen. I've been telling people that I love anime ever since I was in high school, but it took me about 10 years until I was in my mid-20s for people to tell me that I was an anime geek.
I didn't think it would take this long, and I thought that many people would get to know me sooner, but that didn't happen at all. That's why I think Samuraier will still be struggling in the next 10 years.
–Has the way you view and enjoy entertainment works changed as you continue your creative activities? I feel like I can't help but look at it from the creator's perspective.
Miyata:Fortunately, it's not the same as before. I'm just enjoying the entertainment. As a normal otaku, I get inspired by watching voice actors' live shows and watching anime. Even if you don't pass the audition, once it's aired, you'll be able to watch it and think, “This is interesting!'' (laughs)
— Will Miyata-san also be auditioning?
Miyata:I've gone through so many auditions, and so many times I've failed. But when I watched the broadcast of the work that I didn't audition for, I thought to myself, “This is interesting…that's the work I auditioned for and failed.'' (laughs)
–I often hear people say that you can't watch a work that you don't pass the audition for…
Miyata:That's what everyone says. We had a similar conversation the other day, but I was like, “I'm going to enjoy it at all'' (lol). However, I might be able to see it from a creator's perspective more during a live show. I've been doing this for a long time, so I'm like, “If I took another half step forward, the lighting would be better.''
