Rumiko Takahashi Long Interview

Translated by: Harley Acres

Rumiko Takahashi is a beloved manga artist with over 200 million copies of her manga published worldwide. Ranma 1/2, which began serialization in Weekly Shonen Sunday in 1987, is a signature work that solidified her status as a popular author. In this two-part email interview, she spoke about her thoughts on this batle romantic-comedy that has been loved by people of all generations.

Questions created by: Mio Matsui. ^[1] Ranma (乱馬) when transformed into a girl is written as "Ranma" (らんま). *Please refer to the Shonen Sunday Comics Special edition for the volume and chapter number of the manga referenced here.

Romantic comedies are like matchmaking, exploring compatibility

Q. The new TV anime adaptation of Ranma 1/2 will start on October 5th. How did you feel when you heard about the new adaptation?

A. Simply put, I wanted to see it.

Q. In this all new TV anime, many of the main cast members, including Kappei Yamaguchi as Ranma Saotome (乱馬), Megumi Hayashibara as Ranma (らんま), and Noriko Hidaka as Akane Tendo, are reprising their roles from the original TV anime that began airing in 1989. Is there anything you're looking forward to in that regard?

A. First of all, I was pleasantly surprised to see that almost the entire cast was reprising their roles. Everyone seemed to be really enjoying their parts. I've only seen the first episode (as of early September), but the first words of each character were very moving. I hope I can share this feeling with all the fans.

Q. After the conclusion of Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2 was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday from issue 36 in 1987 to issue 12 in 1996, and became a huge hit with a total circulation of over 55 million copies. What role does Ranma 1/2 play in your career, Takahashi-san?

A. I wanted to draw a fun, silly story with a strong school theme but with a different angle from Urusei Yatsura, and I think I was successful in that respect. The idea that the trigger for switching genders is water was the best idea I could come up with. Visually, I was able to pack in all my favorite elements, such as China, various animals, and long fighting scenes, so it was really fun.

Q. I think the two main elements of Ranma 1/2 are "fighting" and "romantic comedy." What do you find interesting about drawing a romantic comedy, Takahashi-san?

A. It's interesting matchmaking the characters while exploring their compatibility.

Q. "Matchmaking" is a very unique idea, and it's unique to you, Takahashi-san. When you draw it in a manga, what kind of stories do you seek to use? Are there any characters whose matchmaking session ended up taking an unexpected path?

A. The basic idea is to have them meet and talk. I tried to explore the possibility of a relationship between Tatewaki Kuno and Nabiki Tendo, but love never blossomed. Instead, they became a couple connected by money, which I think was good in itself.

Q. Prior to Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku was serialized in the seinen magazine Big Comic Spirits in parallel with Urusei Yatsura. It's one of your signature works featuring adult romance. Did drawing this help with the romance elements in Ranma 1/2?

A. The world and characters are different, so I separated Ranma from Maison. However, it seems that many of my characters are basically people who can't say "I love you". ^[2] However, there are as many ways to express inability as there are characters, so I thought it would be good if I could play with that.

Q. Ranma and Akane are two people who are truly incapable of expressing themselves. Is there a reason why you choose to write these characters this way?

A. Those who can't express themselves have more worries, and I think readers, as well as myself, can easily empathize with them. Also, I think it's interesting because it varies depending on the character, such as the pattern of Ranma and Akane, who both can't be honest with each other, compared to Ryoga, who can't confess because he lacks confidence.

Q. What do you like about Ranma and Akane?

A. Ranma hates to lose. ^[3] I like that he loses his composure a lot of time when he is about to lose, but that he doesn't stop until he wins, and that he's not ashamed of his cowardice. I like that Akane is honest and nice to everyone except Ranma, and that she's a bit of a crybaby.

Q. Both Ranma and Akane have unexpected faults and less positive traits. As you said, Ranma hates to lose. He's a bit of a narcissist. Akane is clumsy and not good at cooking or sewing. But those contrasts make them even more lovable. Are there any tips for creating characters that readers will love, or elements that should be included to make them lovable?

A. To be loved, first of all, good looks are an absolute prerequisite. And the flaws and cracks in the character are what add to the cuteness. Those flaws can reveal past drama, so for me, they're a necessary element. Also, it's essential that the character has at least a minimum sense of morality.

It seems that many of my characters are basically people who can't say "I love you".

Q. "Flaws that reveal past drama" is a very valuable insight, as it gives us a glimpse into your creative process. Are there any characters in Ranma who have unexpectedly expanded through their flaws?

A. For example, in the "Herb Arc" (Volume 13, Part 246-258, Ranma is unable to change back into a man after being splashed with water from the Pail of Preservation by Herb, a descendant of the Musk Dynasty, which freezes his appearance), Herb seems to harbor hatred for Ranma from the very beginning, and while I was drawing it, I wondered why. Then, while thinking about the cause, I came up with the sequence about the monkey woman, and it made sense to me. ^[4]

Q. When I was reading the serialization of Ranma 1/2 at the time, I admired Akane as a strong, cool, and kind person, though not an alien like Lum-chan, she was a more familiar character. How did you come up with her character design?

A. Akane was the character I had the most difficulty with. I hadn't thought of a reason why she didn't want to lose to a boy, so I wanted a chapter that would help me understand Akane's feelings, and I depicted her haircut and her unrequited love for Dr. Tofu, and then I finally felt like I understood the kind of girl Akane was. ^[5]

Q. Volume 1, part 14: "Who Says You're Cute", is a very important story in which Ranma becomes truly aware of Akane for the first time. Subsequently, has there been a chapter that you felt brought the two of them closer together?

A. The direction for the two of them was decided in that chapter, "Who Says You're Cute". I love Akane's crying face at the end of "Weak for Life?!" (Volume 7, Part 127, Ranma becomes weak from Happosai's moxibustion) and the last panel on page 15 of "I'm Sorry, Akane" (Volume 9, Part 177 Akane gives up on being engaged to Ranma after an argument with her sister, Nabiki), starting with "I'm so happy," and the rest of the series of Akane's lines. ^[6]

I think they couldn't put up with each other, but in the end, they were able to reach a point where they thought they liked one another.

Q. In a 2013 magazine interview, you said that while Lum and Ataru are in a game of tag, Ranma and Akane are fighting face-to-face. This made a strong impression on me. Why did you want to portray the relationship between Ranma and Akane like this? Was there anything you kept in mind when portraying their relationship?

A. I think it was inevitable that the relationship between the two characters would be one in which they couldn't be honest with each other, as it was a fighting romantic comedy. Ranma is a pretty bad guy, so Akane ends up getting hurt more often than not. I think they couldn't put up with each other, but in the end, they were able to reach a point where they thought they liked one another.

Q. I was thrilled by the gradual process in which Akane and Ranma became aware of each other and grew closer through the stages of the story. How did you portray the exquisite distance between the two of them during the serialization?

A. I was creating stories each week, so I had to balance that development with the stories I was drawing. I didn't pay any special attention to it.

Since it's a fighting manga, love is also a "battle" making it possible to unify the various themes into a single theme, which was convenient.

Q. Ranma and Akane care about each other but can't be honest about it, but I was also very excited by the fact that they sometimes show their true feelings. Not only in Ranma 1/2, but in all of your works, Takahashi-san, the depiction of "someone thinking about someone else" is pure and straightforward, and always captures my heart. Is there anything you do to help devise these scenes as you're drawing?

A. When you have a monologue with real feelings, you can lighten the background and give more weight to the words.

Q. Was there any relationship or romantic development with Akane that you were able to depict because of Ranma's gender swapping?

A. As a romantic comedy, I think it was good that the number of romantic rivals doubled because of it.

Q. Ranma 1/2 has a great balance of fighting scenes and romantic comedy. Were there any romantic elements that you were able to depict because it was a battle romantic comedy?

A. Since it's a battle manga, love is also a "battle" making it possible to unify the various themes into a single theme, which was convenient.

Q. "Love is also a battle" is a poignant phrase. Was that something you thought of before you started drawing Ranma 1/2?

A. It's a concept specific to Ranma. However, in Ranma, it's not necessarily a game of love, it's just a contest of wills.

Q. Takahashi-san, what do you find appealing about the romance between Ranma and Akane, and what did you enjoy about depicting their romance?

A. The dialogue between the two with the not-so-honest lines was very creative.

Q. By the way, have you always liked the romantic comedy genre? Are there any works that influenced you?

A. Before my debut, I only read shonen manga that weren't romantic comedies, things like Ashita no Joe (あしたのジョー), Yakyuu kyo no Uta (野球狂の詩), Cyborg 009, and Devilman (デビルマン). ^[7]

Q. Have you seen any romantic comedies recently that you found interesting?

A. I like Skip and Loafer. ^[8] Although it has comedy parts, the portrayal of each character is very careful and delicate, and I think it's a really good manga.

I like the "Herb Arc" where Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse fight together.

Q. In addition to Ranma and Akane, there are countless other fascinating characters in Ranma 1/2. Among them, is Ranma's rival Ryoga Hibiki. What do you like about Ryoga, Takahashi-san?

A. I like that he is more serious than Ranma and always so earnest. I also enjoyed thinking about how he would appear and what prefecture he was wandering in.

Q. Please tell us what you found interesting about the relationship between Ranma, Akane, and Ryoga, what was fun about drawing it?

A. It was fun to maintain Ryoga's secret while backing him into a corner at times.

Q. Shampoo, who is courting Ranma, is Akane's rival. Please tell us how Shampoo's character was created, what makes her so appealing, and what interested you about the relationship between Ranma, Akane, and Shampoo.

A. She was created because I wanted to include a Chinese girl. I particularly like the name Shampoo. I wanted to give her a name that wasn't a repetitive one like Linlin or Ranran. I was glad to bring Shampoo back into the story after she'd been absent for a time. I did that through a chapter about Ranma's fear of cats. Thanks to her cat transformation, Ranma wasn't overwhelmed by Shampoo's aggressive behavior. Between Akane and Shampoo, Akane is at a disadvantage.

Q. You feature the love stories of many characters, not only Ryoga and Shampoo, but also Ukyo Kuonji, Mousse, and Tatewaki Kuno. Although they're rivals in love, they don't hate each other, and they're like a community that lives happily together. How did you develop their relationships during the serialization?

A. I think I tried not to let them take it easy on each other. I think that by creating stories in which they were forced to work together, they may have been able to get along a little better.

Q. "Not letting them take it easy on each other." Perhaps it's because of this that your characters are so naturally close to one another, and that readers can see that they are confronting each other without words. Are there any "stories where they were forced to work together" that left a strong impression on you?

A. I really like the "Herb Arc" where they all work together with a common goal in mind. The trip seemed fun too.

I really didn't want Ranma to disappear.

Q. Ranma 1/2 has elements familiar from your other works that are depicted in a very fun way. First of all, the elderly characters, such as Happosai and Cologne, are the strongest. Please tell us why you draw such elderly characters.

A. If you're going to have old people in the world of Ranma, they need to be strong to be interesting. Also, I thought having people of different ages would add depth. ^[9]

Q. Ryoga's pet dog Shirokuro, panda Genma, Ryoga as P-chan, Mousse as a duck... interesting animal characters are unique to your manga, Takahashi-san. Is there anything special you do when drawing animals? Also, do you have a favorite animal character?

A. The main transforming animals are especially cute. I like them all, but I especially like old man panda and P-chan.

Q. In your works, there are many scenes in which mob characters, such as high school students and local townspeople, make tongue-in-cheek-like reactions to the words and actions of the main characters. Reading these makes me laugh even more, and it makes me feel happy that even mob characters are living happily in Takahashi-san's world. I feel like I don't see this kind of depiction of mob characters in other works...?

A. I've loved drawing crowded mobs of people since the days of Urusei Yatsura. I draw them while thinking that each character has their own life. A world, or a neighborhood, can't be created with just the main characters.

Q. The final chapter was a happy one, with Akane wearing a wedding dress. Meanwhile, the people who came to the wedding ceremony were as lively as ever. The final scene made us feel that the couple's daily lives would continue on forever. Was that ending something you had been thinking about for a long time?

A. I'd decided that Akane and Ranma would find happiness in the end, but I was worried about whether to turn Ranma back into a man. However, I really didn't want female Ranma to disappear, so the final chapter turned out as it did.

Q. Looking back now, Takahashi-san, please tell us what the appeal of Ranma 1/2 is for you, and what was fun about drawing it.

A. It's almost the same as my answer about the influence of Ranma on my career. Also, the characters in Urusei tend to have small pupils, so it was fun to draw characters with bigger pupils in Ranma. ^[10]

Q. Currently, MAO is being serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday, and the 21st volume of the manga was just released on August 22nd. In April of this year, "Rumiko Takahashi Masterpiece Collection" The Power of Money was published, which is a collection of works that were published annually in Big Comic Original. Can you tell us as much as possible about your future plans?

A. I plan to continue drawing annually for Big Comic Original.

Q. Lastly, do you have a message for our readers?

A. Ranma 1/2 has an overwhelming number of female readers, so some of DaVinci's readers may have read it as children. A new anime series will start this fall, so be sure to check it out.

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Rumiko Takahashi was born in Niigata Prefecture. She debuted in 1978. In 2018, she was inducted into the Comics Hall of Fame at the Will Eisner comics industry awards in the US. In 2018, she won the Grand Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in France, and in 2020, she was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon. In 2021, she was awarded the Cheverier medal from the French Order of Arts and Letters. Her works include Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Inuyasha, and Kyokai no RINNE.

MAO (volumes 1-21)
Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Shonen Sunday Comics
550-594 yen (tax included)

When she was in the first grade of elementary school, Nanoka was involved in a sinkhole accident. When she passed the scene of the accident as a third-year junior high school student, she was sent back to the Taisho era. There, she met a young onmyoji named Mao...

Rumiko Takahashi Masterpiece Collection: The Power of Money
Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Big Comic Special
1,595 yen (tax included)

After retiring, Nakahira has been taking care of his beloved dog. One day, at the dog park, he meets the husband of an actress he was once a fan of. In addition to the title story, this book contains six other stories, including Room for Two and You Are No. 1.

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Footnotes

• [1] Mio Matsui (松井美緒) also wrote the 2012 interview for DaVinci conducted between Rumiko Takahashi and Mitsuru Adachi which you can read here.
• [2] Takahashi has mentioned before when discussing the protagonist of Urusei Yatsura, Ataru Moroboshi, that she would never have allowed him to say "I love you".
• [3] When asked which of her protagonists would win in a fight, Takahashi suggested Ranma would never stop fighting until he won, though she declined to give a definitive answer.
• [4] This explanatory footnote was included at this point in the original article. "Herb was knocked into the Spring of Drowned Girl by a monkey who he had turned into a woman by throwing it into the Spring of Drowned Girl himself. Herb was then doused in water from Pail of Preservation and was stuck in his female form. What's more, the monkey woman's face was the spitting image of Ranma."
• [5] Takahashi has mentioned in previous interviews that she had a difficult time figuring out what kind of character Akane was initially, but that cutting her hair resolved that confusion for her as an author.
• [6] For clarity's sake in the English translation from Viz the line is "Oh Ranma!" but the original Japanese line is "嬉しい。" (Ureshii.), "I'm so happy."
• [7] Of the artists she has named Takahashi has frequently cited Tetsuya Chiba's (ちばてつや) Ashita no Joe (あしたのジョー) as one of her all time favorite series. Yakyuu kyo no Uta (野球狂の詩) is a baseball manga by one of Takahashi's other oft-cited favorites, Shinji Mizushima (水島新司). Cyborg 009 by Shotaro Ishinomori (石ノ森章太郎) is an iconic manga about a group of cyborgs battling against the Black Ghost organization. Go Nagai (永井潔) is the very versatile mangaka known for Devilman (デビルマン) which Takahashi has often mentioned as a favorite series.
• [8] Skip and Loafer (スキップとローファー) by Misaki Takamatsu (高松美咲) follows the adventures of Mitsumi Iwakura, a student from a rural area who has moved to Tokyo and is adjusting to life in the big city.
• [9] Takahashi discusses her enjoyment of elderly characters in her interview with novelist Natsuhiko Kyogoku.
• [10] Characters with smaller pupils are often seen as villainous or adverserial. In Ranma 1/2 one could compare Tatewaki Kuno, Kodachi Kuno as characters with smaller pupils.

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