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August 4
I’ve only watched the FGO [Fate/Grand Order] anime. To be honest, I don’t play any games at all, so I can’t play shogi or cards, let alone social games. That’s what happens when you’re a loner from a young age.
August 9
[My doujinshi] is at Toranoana here. The book is A4 size, 34 pages in full color. It’s got a lot going on, lol.
August 9
Pre-orders for the new issue for Summer Comiket have begun at Melon Books and Toranoana. The title of the magazine is YAMATO KIYOSIDE – Michio Murakawa KIYO CLUB Art Book.
KIYO has kindly compiled a collection of my Yamato illustrations, including those I’ve contributed to KIYO CLUB so far, as well as anime parody drawings that collaborate Space Battleship Yamato with other anime works, that weren’t included in the artbook released in March of this year. So, it will be published by KIYO’s circle.
It’s like a “secret Yamato artbook.” Purchasers will receive a bonus clear card, just like at Comiket.
August 14
Comiket tomorrow! (I have a ton of work to do, though.) Here’s the KIYO CLUB menu, exactly as it appears.
My new book will be available on the first day at KIYO CLUB (East E-41ab) and on the second day at Michio Murakawa Michio Party (South S-32a). Since we haven’t printed many copies, numbers are limited. It seems each person will be limited to two copies of my artbook.
Looking at this menu, I can almost hear the champagne calls at President Dessler’s table.
August 15
It’s starting.
August 16
After Comiket, I went home for dinner. I reserved an entire cardboard box of KIYO CLUB’s new yellow issue for sale tomorrow, and it’s almost all sold out. So, there are about 120 copies left from that box. They’ll probably sell out tomorrow. I’ll probably only have a few left. Doujinshi are a passing fad, so I don’t plan on reprinting them unless there’s a strong demand.
On the second day of Summer Comiket, the Michio Murakawa Party space will be in South Hall S-32A. Each person will be limited to two copies. Thank you.
The new yellow illustration collection has sold out. Thank you.
It didn’t look like the character design, lol.
August 24
I had given up hope of ever holding the “Yuki Hijiri Discusses the Space Battleship Yamato Comic Version” class at the SF convention in Kamata, Tokyo. I’m not the initiator or anything, but I ended up helping out at the last minute. The speakers I invited kindly rearranged their schedules, saying, “If it’s for Hijiri’s Yamato,” and we’ve secured a session starting at 2 PM on August 30th.
The speakers will be Yutaka Izubuchi, Masato Hayase (Ishimori Productions), Tsuji (ATAC), and myself, with Osamu Kobayashi as MC. We’ll be talking about the process leading up to the comic’s release, the retouching process from the uncollected manuscript printouts, the appeal of Hijiri’s comic adaptation, and more. Since it’s so close, we haven’t been able to announce it yet, but if you’re coming to the SF convention, please come along.
August 24
My work has been delayed since my right hand injury in June, and I’ve been working on various things at the same time, causing trouble everywhere, but I’ve finished the storyboard for the Yamato 2199 manga serialization and sent it to the editorial department. The next episode will have a different story progression and content from the anime. I’m still busy.
Sigh. Drawing Yamato is a real pain. As I draw, I forcefully overcome imperfections in perspective and positioning, making it look legible, but even when I look at it later and want to fix it, there’s nothing I can do!
This chapter’s cover illustration. It doesn’t bother me in my daily life, but when I draw, the nerves in my injured right hand tingle and it bothers me. But I can draw!
September 10
I’m drawing a picture of Cosmo Zero flying against the backdrop of Yamato‘s bridge and superstructure, but I’m struggling with my snail’s pace. My brush is so slow!
I always say I’m not good at mecha, but Rainbow Star Cluster features mecha in a major role, making a manga artist like me cry. Even so, I need to keep drawing, even if it’s just a little at a time, to finish it. Manga is like a long-distance race. I aim for the finish line, thinking, just one more step, to that telephone pole.
September 11
Somehow, both of them ended up being released on the same day!
I drew a picture for the Yamato 50th anniversary x Girls und Panzer theatrical release 10th anniversary merchandise that will be released in late fall. I’m the only manga artist working on both Yamato and Girls und Panzer, lol.
And the visual for the theme song for REBEL 3199 Chapter 4, which is less than a month away from release. It’s embarrassing that the illustration is a direct copy of the song title, Wave of Light. But Megumi Han’s song is absolutely beautiful.
I did both while working on the Yamato 2199 manga serialization, so it was a challenge!
September 17
Bandai Namco asked me to comment on the collaborative illustration for the recently released Space Battleship Yamato 50th anniversary x Girls und Panzer theatrical release 10th anniversary, so I sent it to them, and it was posted on their official X account.
Some people say that the Oarai ferry pier isn’t big enough or deep enough for Yamato, but in the Girls und Panzer world, a school ship nearly 8km long can be submitted, so it shouldn’t be a problem. The bigger problem is Yamato‘s tail fin lol.
September 29
The battle continues.