“What a mess”: Chainsaw Man Creator Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Rigorous Research When Drawing a Manga Failed Him Even Before He Started Out
The mangaka of Chainsaw Men, Tatsuki Fujimoto, faced lots of struggles during the beginning of his career. In an interview with Shonen Jump, Fujimoto revealed how starting a manga career can be thrilling yet challenging at the beginning.
Fujimoto openly shared the difficulties he encountered when using the internet for important information. His messages warn new artists about the dangers of false information they find online. According to him, the Internet can sometimes be useful and sometimes not, and the chances of getting accurate information are the same as getting false information.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Worst Experience With the Internet
In an interview with Shonen Jump, Tatsuki Fujimoto was asked what knowledge would have been helpful for him at the beginning of his career. Fujimoto responded that he was working on a digital project at the start of his career and wished he had known the correct size for the draft.
He searched online for information and relied on details from Shueisha’s official website, only to find out later that the information was incorrect. It confused him a lot as he believed the information on Shueisha couldn’t be wrong. This might have wasted a lot of time on his first draft.
“What knowledge would have benefited you when starting your manga career?
I was working digitally, so I wish I’d known exactly how big a draft is supposed to be. I did my research on the internet and even trusted the info on Shueisha’s official site, but that info turned out to be wrong! What a mess!” – From a Magazine, The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga
Fujimoto’s message shows a problem that many manga artists may face when trusting information on the Internet. In a field like manga, it’s important to have reliable sources. He thought he could trust the information on Shueisha’s official website. However, it turned out to be incorrect.
This is not the first time Fujimoto has been frustrated with the internet. In one of his old interviews, he shared his take of how meaningless is the internet’s recommendation feature.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Thoughts on Revisiting His Own Drafts
When Fujimoto faces a problem in the plot, he either makes changes to the main character or removes that part of the plot completely. He understands why many mangakas get so attached to their work, but thinks that constantly focusing on their stories can make them lose objectivity. According to him, it’s important not to become too attached to anything you create, as it kills your own work.
“What are you mindful of when revising your own storyboards (either when self-editing or taking advice from editorial)?
When I hit a stumbling block in the plot, I either alter the main character or scrap that bit of the plot entirely. I understand why people get attached to their work, but if you spend all day every day staring at your own story, you’re bound to lose that essential objectivity. Don’t fall too in love with anything you do. Kill your darlings” – From a Magazine, The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga
This may be why Fujimoto has created such a great manga like Chainsaw Man. He keeps the story pace in check and avoids creating plot holes in the story. The Control Devil arc is the perfect example of it.
You can read Chainsaw Man on the Mangaplus platform.
