Volume 1, Free Talk
Translations by: Cai

*The words in parenthesis are from Yoko Kamio 1. - I received many letters talking about the violence in the schools. I was surprised to see that there are so many kids in Japan who had been bothered with this issue. Cheer up!! Overcome it!! Even though I just can say this, I think that people who had experiences with violence must be kind to others. In that side comment, there is a Tsukushi's image telling people to have courage and to fight with her, and that the brilliant future is waiting for them. 2. - Hi everybody!! I am Yoko Kamio. Thanks for buying Hana Yori Dango. 3. - Becoming a Mangaka Part 1 About my childhood dream... I wanted to be an waitress... Maybe I was crazy:) When I was in high school, I wanted to be nothing, 'cause I considered myself as a fool and I only wanted to play. When I was in college, I wanted to be a secretary because I that's what I studied to be. I never thought that I would become a manga drawer, life is incredible, indeed. 4. - Becoming a Mangaka Part 2 Although I've liked to draw for a long time, being a professional mangaka is very different from drawing at random (off course). Because I became a professional mangaka with little knowledge about the techniques employed in the drawing, it was very difficult for me then (and it is still difficult for me, because of my lack of talent). [note from Cai: Yoko Kamio is very modest, she draws well!]. I even did not know what a Maru-pen was (it is a pointed pen used to draw thin lines). I received a lot of help from the person in charge, I could not even raise my head.... A picture appears with the person in charge asking what kind of pen Yoko Kamio used, because it did not have contrast. He also asked why a person appeared in a place in the manga because for him it was strange. Yoko Kamio was there bowing and with her head down. 5. - "I like wrestling." When I say so, everybody just gets astonished. Sometimes I can find people with whom I can talk about this sport. But that does not mean that I like muscular men, it is just that I like those amazing performances. I think the power that human beings release when they are close to the their limits is phenomenal! Near this side comment is an image of a man with lots of muscles and a friend of Kamio-sensei tells her that over there is her ideal man. Kamio-sensei responds that that is not true, she likes handsome guys. 6. - Becoming a Mangaka Part 3 Having become a professional mangaka under this situation is OK, but the problem I faced was that I could not make a big progress in the drawings and the story. I have considered when to abandon this. When I draw a romantic scene, I feel kind of strange, especially when I draw the scene where two are together kissing... There is picture of Kamio holding one of her drawings in which apparently it was Tsukushi and Domyoji kissing. Kamio said: very good, people cannot see from this angle (referring to the lips). 7. - About the BGM of the work [Cai: what is that?] (Rita's note: BGM = Background Music) From the letters that you have sent me, I can know what kind of music young people prefer (I am old). By the way, I want to explain that I seldom hear patriotic music, I only hear occidental music, because when I hear the patriotic music, it kind of bothers me. The type of music that I listen to more frequently are: black, contemporary, bossa nova and jazz. (Rita's comment: eh? I never knew that "black" was a music genre·hmm·.please forgive Kamio-sensei for any connotations there ^^;; Cripes! We have the same taste in music. Bossa nova's good'cha cha cha!) But when my assistants are working with me, I don't listen to it, because the music makes them want to fall asleep. 8. - I don't know if I have tremendous eyes or if I go out frequently, but I have such a good luck to encounter famous actors and singers on the street. They look better than when they are in the TV shows. It seems like because they are entertainment people, even the light surrounding them is different. 9. - In the beginning, when I wanted to draw Domyoji, I took as the model Christian Slater? [ Cai: sorry, I do not know who she is talking about, the name is translated in Chinese and that is not a famous actor name, but I guess maybe the model is the one who acted in Broken Arrow with John Travolta] (Rita's comment: She means Christian Slater, big 80's actor me thinks, wasn't he in Bed of Roses?) I like him and I like to draw his evil face.... But didn't know when, the guy I drew did not seem like Christian Slater ( I think maybe it is not didn't know when, it was from the beginning that they two did not look alike at all, because I am pretty bad at drawing a character based on a real life person. So, as the result, the guy I drew looked like Prince, how sad!! (For those Prince fans, sorry!! I like Prince music and I have gone to his concerts twice).