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Max Lovely's Airi Tokieda is a Houyuu Gakuen Junior High student and
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Taki Sahara a top student at Houyuu Junior High. Airi is a very popular,
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fun loving girl and the series is about her, Taki and their friends and life.
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Max Lovely! is written and drawn by Erika Kurahashi.
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Welcome to MaxLovely.com's Erika Kurahashi FREE TALKS!!
*IMPORTANT* FREE TALK TRANSLATION BELONGS TO MAXLOVELY.COM! NO PART OF THIS TRANSLATION MAY BE USED OR DISTRIBUTED WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION OF OWNER
OF MAXLOVELY.COM - email her, Nishi, at be83398@yahoo.com
This is Erika Kurahashi's Free Talk from VOLUME 2 of Max Lovely manga at the beginning and end of the volume.
[V.1]
[V.2]
[V.3]
[V.4]
[V.5]
ERIKA KURAHASHI FREE TALK: VOLUME 2 of MAX LOVELY
Page 9:
Hi, this is Erika Kurahashi.
By the time this tankoubon is released, town would probably be in Christmas mood. It is
autumn now. I can enjoy spending time at home or outside, and it's awesome.
One year has passed since this series had begun. It is because of everyone's support that a
series would last long!! Please continue to give your support.
By the way, if I was to make a list of things I am currently hooked on that I can think of
now…
Watch WOWOW* and DVDs!! (movies, old anime, foreign TV dramas, etc.)
Programs on dogs
I'd like to get a dog, but it'll be difficult to care for it when my work is busy. Since I
live alone, I'm concerned what to do when I go away on vacation so I can't have it… Whenever
I watch programs on dogs, I want one so badly. I'd like a long-haired Chihuahua…
With celebrities: Brad Pitt, Ayumi Hamasaki, Rei Kikukawa, Sarah Michelle Geller, BoA
(love her), Miho Kanno, and Arashi (Sakurai-kun).
I seem to have more interest in girls, you know… That's because I'd like to look at their
clothes, hairdos and stuff. I like BoA for her music!! I really love it. I also like
Backstreet Boys and Ayu, too. I haven't been to a karaoke for a long time. I want to go…
Extra: I like "Gundam Seed"…
Page 21:
I seem to talk about nothing but about celebrities and TV, but I'm not a kind of person who
likes to spend time indoors. I'm talking about during work only. Since I can't leave the
house while I'm working and always end up watching TV, I do go out on my day off!! I'd really
like to take a walk! I'd like to get dressed up and have a conversation with other people!
Therefore, I never play videogames and such. I don't have time for it… Although I have a
computer, I still haven't signed up with an Internet provider. I have my younger sister visit
the Ribon website for me. I also had her download my wallpaper, too.
I shop at department stores for my clothes. Since they carry many designer brands, it's easier
to look around. I've looked into type of shops you'll find at 109 Building*, but it seems it's
a little off from my taste… Currently, the brand I most often buy is "Strawberry Fields"
because it's not too plain or gaudy, and it's more of my liking. Most of the jeans I own are
"Cimarron".
The most important thing is I don't look fat when I put something on instead of sticking to a
brand name! And clothes that won't make my legs seem short, either. Since I don't have the
height, I would look overweight when I try to wear something in size too big for me. Also a
long top would make my legs look short… It's hard to shop for clothes. I envy people who can
look good on anything they wear!
Page 27:
About fashion (Continuing):
When I buy white shirts or blouses, the sleeves are usually too long for me!! I have no
problem with ¾ sleeves on sweaters, though. Even when I find nice clothes I really love, 70%
of them don't fit me well when I try them on that I'd get upset!! It's fun to go clothes
shopping, but I'd come home exhausted after looking all over… Same thing with shoes, too.
My shoe size is 22cm so I can't find any!! By putting inner soles, I force myself to wear
size 22.5… (sad)
What's left is my upper arm! I'd like to lose weight… so I can wear no-sleeve shirts nicely.
I've been trying easy things such as massaging during bath, though… I don't there are too
many people who naturally look beautiful without putting any effort… At least, that's what
I'd like to believe. I wonder how Airi is. Could she be really working hard for it?
There are some even in the real world… about one person in each class and one in each grade.
I've seen them in my junior high school, high school and college, but many of them were easy
to talk to with no pretence in the air and they were good-looking.
Page 43:
They looked good wearing simple attire like a T-shirt and jeans. Real beauty appear
beautiful even in out of fashion style… I admire people like that. When I see a good-looking
person with no interest in fashion, I think what a shame. I'd wear many things if I were that
person (laughs).
I'm surprised to see so many readers with interest in fashion. I may have not cared for it
when I was in grade school… I didn't have any interest in make-up until I was in junior high
school!
By the way, many of clothes I draw for Airi in this series like the one on inner cover art
are what I saw in the magazines and on celebrities that I rearranged. If I don't change the
color and pattern of clothing, or height of skirt for Airi, they often wouldn't look right…
From the next ¼ corner, No.5, I'd like to discuss about the contents of story. Character
introduction will on "F" and Michiru.
I'm sorry it's all wordy up to here.
Page 45:
#5: "Character File"
Gorou Iseya (F)
Looks handsome, but he may be the most mysterious person.
He is the first character from "F" side to appear in this series. A talented individual who devotes (?) on study (laughs). Gorou-kun was very popular from the point he made his first appearance in Vol.1. His betraying mannerism while being on enemy's side is my prospect. I think it will become the main trait we will see from Vol.3 and on.
I was a student who was never interested in being on the top with the grade. I love Fine Arts, Math, Japanese History, and Language Arts, and I go crazy studying for favorite subjects. However, I refused to do anything for the ones I disliked! So there was a huge gap on my grades between good and bad subjects. Especially, Home Economics, Science and Physical Education were the worst and I would often get fail grades on them.
I feel Gorou and Taki would come to have a relationship as good rivals. What would happen when Airi and Taki find out he is part of "F" group? Hope you will take pleasure reading that part, too.
Page 53:
"Cheerleading Club"
It was my selfish half-hearted idea to create "Cheerleading Club" just for the reason of wanting to put a cheerleading outfit on Airi.
I loved "Beverly Hills 90210" when I was a student and was really attracted to exchange student program. I seriously collected brochures on American colleges and universities!
American high school students are so cool. (Excuse me. I am sure you have noticed by now that I am a follower of each new fad!!) So then I found out the most admired after-school activity of American high school was cheerleading. However, cheerleaders do not just hold pompons and dance. They do things like form into a pyramid and jump from the top so it is a very tough sport!! Because of that, they probably have tough practice all the time and I do not believe it is a major sporting event in Japan yet. (Especially in junior high schools…) So I made it into just a cheering group instead.
Page 73:
"Houyuu Junior High Cheerleading Club Uniform Variation"
New:
(from right to left)
Only for official match. In other words, for actual games only.
They wear loose socks more often at actual games.
Old:
Usually wear white loose socks.
Wear it for both practice and actual games.
( They wear black spats that come above knee height for practice.
Page 77:
"Character File"
Michiru Kanzaki
Michiru: I'd hate to gain 0.1kg or get any acne!!
Michiru is my personal favorite female character. She has a clear objective for her life. Her emotions are obvious so she is very easy to draw.
She is cute and is a bit short (about 157cm?), but she has large breasts!! (laughs) That's how her character appearance is set-up. She may be attractive to boys, but she may have many female rivals. She seems to be flirtatious, however, she is really a one-boy only girl! She is the type of person I would like to make her into a main character next time.
With Gorou, she had a friendship like Airi's and Taki's in elementary school. Although Michiru professed her love to Gorou at the graduation ceremony, it seems he could not see her as any more than a friend.
Well, what would happen to these two? Would Gorou profess his love to Airi? Michiru does not know Gorou is part of "F" group. Since she had not had a conversation with him after he rejected her… It was about half a year ago that she was going out with Yokozawa.
Page 81:
"Body Measurement"
I like this story, too. I did dislike having my body measurement taken, but I enjoyed taking hearing and vision tests (laughs). Eyesight in my one eye is extremely bad. About 0.06? And my left eye is about 0.7. Anyway, I am not wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. I am at least able to see things…
I thought they really weigh you with just a pair of underwear on in many schools (Maybe they leave bras on in junior high school?), but, well, I figured this takes place in manga, you know (laughs). I hated getting shots. …I do not think there is anyone who likes it, right? However, I liked to donate blood. I went to donate often when I was in college (laughs). I am not sure if it is because blood circulation improves when I have blood drawn out, but I lose weight! So I was donating blood in place of diet. (Just for that reason!? (hits))
"Cleanse your body while doing it for good cause!" Anyone who is at allowable age and has physical strength, please go donate blood!!
Why am I promoting blood donation?
Page 107:
"Character Profile"
Fujiko Karasawa
(on the book) "Teacher's mark book"
Ms. Fujiko's image completely came from Language Arts teacher I had when I was in Second Year in high school. I have copied her appearance and speech (laughs). That's because I loved this teacher.
Back then, she was 29-years old and her height was 165cm. She was a beautiful woman, but talked manly. She wore different suits every day and even though she was a teacher, she died her hair brown with a reddish tint. She was a really cool teacher.
Just to have her praise my grades, I worked very hard in Japanese. Thanks to that, I think I was getting good grades like in the 90's for Language Arts in Second Year in high school.
She had brought company such as her boyfriend to Cultural Festival, and I really loved the coolness she had that was not like a teacher.
That is the kind of teacher Fujiko is. She would not get if you do not talk to her in honorifics. I believe she is easy to become close to her with her friend-like quality. Does she have any connection to "F" group?
Page 117:
"Slowly~"
Lately, something is wrong with me…
What did you think I was going to talk about all of a sudden? Well, you see. I have been noticing more how my personality has abruptly changed, recently.
I have also written in "Manga Info" in Ribon December Issue, but I became "carefree". I do not believe it came about from writing "Max", though. For example, even when I was going out, I used to be a type of person to get things done promptly by putting a make-up on quickly in 15 minutes and leaving the house. I would even arrive 10 minutes early at a place to meet someone, avoid anything that is troublesome, and dislike things that would annoy me. Now instead, I would have a train of thought when I am getting ready to go out and just make it on time. With work, I used to be weak at efficiently drawing details in color manuscripts, but now I do not get bored drawing even after many hours… I would talk faster when I am upset, but I am being told it has gotten slower, once in a while… Why?
Page 125:
My younger sister says even my eating has gotten slower, too. My friend told me I have come to believe things will work out somehow. I wonder a little if people change when they come to a certain time. And I think about a tomboyish girl who would become feminine when she falls in love. What would happen to Airi-san when she falls in love? I think we might be able to see some of those changes in Airi-san in about Volume 3. Of course, her fundamental personality would change, though.
With me, there was a very impatient trait so let's just say it got as good as ordinary people (laughs). Wait, does this mean I was not calm? However, I still have the vitality. I work hard on my manga. I would like to fall in love and go on exchange program to study foreign language. I wish to be a person who could always enjoy her life. I believe I could do anything as long as I have something I want to do. As Princess Masako (( I think… Am I wrong?) said, it would be nice if I could feel I had a good life when I die.
Page 135:
"Collection"
Things I collect.
Latest No.1 collection: Disney Princess goods
When I was little, I favored Snoopy over Disney. Although I still love Snoopy, I found out how cute the Princess illustrations and stationary goods that came out after they began releasing the DVD's!! I like Aurora from "Sleeping Beauty" and Jasmin from "Aladdin". Though she is not a princess, I like Alice, too. I still only have "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast" in DVD's, but I would like to collection all of them one of these days.
Page 143:
What I am also interested in recently is a lingerie shop called, "Peach John". You might wonder why am I suddenly talking about lingerie, but their selection is so amazing!! They have many sizes. I can mail order them and it is a lot of fun just looking at their catalog.
Do you about gel bras? It has gel instead of sponge and to say it frankly, it has a wonderful texture (laughs). I do not have a pair yet, but I would like to buy a pair. Well, there was not a time I cared about the shape of undergarments though (But I do care about the designs.). You cannot let the influence of the lingerie fool you. There do really seem to serve its purpose like make my figure appear nice. However, women with large breasts are unhappy with them and those with small breasts wish they would be bigger. I wonder what they think of lingerie. Nice lingerie is not inexpensive… Bras and panties set cost about 4500 yen. But, I want to collect them…
It does not seem like I talked much about the contents of story in this volume… Since Airi's issues have been resolved, you would feel the story is moving in full force now. I guess what you would think about is romantic end of it. Airi was busy dealing with family problems all this time, so she did not seem to have time to think about boyfriends (laughs).
Page 151:
Actually, there is a period of time a person would avoid having a relationship when he/she has a huge worry or something that has his/her mind wrapped up in. I think there are some people who can handle both of them, but I was so happy from the feeling of my world opening up when I debuted as a mangaka that I did not have the luxury to think about a relationship! It was when I was in the second year of high school so I did not have a boyfriend in second or third year of high school. (What am I doing confessing now?) Not only that, I was in all-girls high school so I did not have much opportunity to meet boys…
So we are planned to start get into real issues like "F" group and relationship in "Max Lovely!", but I am thinking the series will be at least 4 volumes long at the moment.
So let's see you in Vol.3 again!! I will do my best.
Erika Kurahashi, October 2002
Come to think of it, this is my 20th tankoubon!! Wow, I cannot believe I have written this much…
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Go to Erika Kurahashi's Free Talks from Volume 3 of Max Lovely!
Hope ya guys enjoyed the free talk! Stay tuned to this domain or join the mailing list to receive
updates when the next free-talk and next volume's acts summaries are up! :) - Nishi
Return to: MaxLovely.com
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