 |  |  |  |  |
|
|
Max Lovely's Airi Tokieda is a Houyuu Gakuen Junior High student and
|
|
|
Taki Sahara a top student at Houyuu Junior High. Airi is a very popular,
|
|
|
fun loving girl and the series is about her, Taki and their friends and life.
|
|
|
Max Lovely! is written and drawn by Erika Kurahashi.
|
To know when this domain is updated with summaries, more info and images, and to discuss Max Lovely with other fans
join the Max Lovely Mailing List!
Click to return to MaxLovely.com for Images and more!
|
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 3 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 3 of MAX LOVELY
Page 9:
Hi, this is Erika Kurahashi.
How are you? It is March when I am writing this and in 10 days, it will be April!
Soon cherry blossoms will be blooming and new school year will begin. In Max, everyone will
still be third year student for a while longer, though.
I am a little busy and may not be able to draw much (in this corner), but I would appreciate
if you would at least read my writing. I will try not to use too many kanji so please read.
It is Volume 3! Airi and other regular characters have become individuals who act on their
own much like any live person to me and I feel very strange. It was like this in the previous
series, too… To me, this is what makes me most joyful to be mangaka.
In Volume 3, it is all summer time stories from the beginning to the end. One-shot story also
takes place in summer and it is full of summer events.
Page 13:
"Pool"
Chapter 11 was about the pool. This is because I wanted to draw "Airi in the bathing suit"
so badly!! It is a fashionable enjoyable swimming class. Don't you think? I almost want to
interrupt by saying, "No way." As far as swimming is concerned, my best is 20m. I have not
swum for 3 years now. I hated swimming. When I was in third year of junior high school, I
did not attend the class even once (cut classes) so obviously my grade was "2".
{Note from translator: must mean a poor grade.} That's because I wanted to avoid something
I did not want to do… (Am I a child?) Relay race is awful, you know… Oh, that goes for
running, too!! It is good for those who do well in them, but it is sad for those who are not
(like me).
As far as Gym is concerned, I do not like it to the point that I do not want to talk about it.
However, well, you could grow up to be a strong person (( I cry right away, though.) who
would not give up over little things when you try doing things you do not like while you are
young. Probably…
I have never missed a day when I was in junior high school and high school!!
On top of that, I was never late nor did I leave early from school… That is amazing for me…
Page 29:
"Pool" continued
However, humans would float in the water so there should not be a person who cannot swim.
Right? If someone is forced to swim, then maybe that person would hate it even more. Would
not it be better for that person to practice at his/her pace when he/she goes to the pool for
fun?
I did not like English class much, but I really enjoyed independently listening to English
news for hearing skills. Well, students have to take tests so they cannot really study at
their own pace, though.
Oh, I am so sleepy now that I am beginning to not able to sum up the story too well.
(Is this a diary??)
See you in the next free talk corner. Dying words…
Page 43:
"Obscene stories"
What kind of free talk corner with such a title!?
In my school, boys and girls did not talk to each other much so I do not know whether boys
talked about obscene stories. However, girls were real bad from first year in junior high
school. There was a leader-type girl, who would be at head in telling us such stories,
and we did things like sharing reading manga that was a bit hentai. But, we did not do it
at all in second or third year of junior high school. Maybe the classmates I had in first
year were all different.
In all-girls high school, there are no boys so it was pretty bad. A girl in my class shouted,
"I did it! It was good. I got my period!" when I was in first year of high school.
(It means she was glad she was not pregnant.) I did think it was vulgar for a girl.
It is one thing if she talks to a small group of friends.
Page 47:
By the way, I notice there are a lot of sexual harassment crimes with teachers from
watching the news so I tried to write one. Ones I hear on the news are even more awful
that I cannot write in manga.
I have never experienced sexual harassment or molestation. Could it be because I have never
worked as Office Lady nor do I ride on a full train often? Molestation is an action that can
be clearly identified by touch, but sexual harassment is a delicate issue. Is it not?
While I was in college, I had a part-time job doing Office Lady type thing and an employee
taught me the computer in posture like this.
( He was not in the 30's yet.
Employee: Click right here.
Kurahashi: Okay!
Kasha kasha (typing)
I did not believe it would be considered sexual harassment, but my friend says it was.
I was not sure so it was difficult to write this story.
Page 59:
"Friends"
I really do often get friends to cheer me up. Recently, my friend in London
(Japanese and same age as me) found out she is moving to a country I have never heard of
called, Republic of Malta, due to her boyfriend's transfer. But, people like I who has had
ordinary life in a small country like Japan has a tendency to believe we can do such things
while we are young.
However, from discussing many things with her through email, I started to think openly on
issues like it really is okay to have a fresh start on life at any age. I have a different
opinion everyday to begin with and I would think, "I thought of writing it this way yesterday,
but I'll do it this way after all." So I would often write Max based on how I feel that day.
For now, I am having the most enjoyable time drawing manga (since my debut) so I intend to
draw to my heart's content. Wish me luck.
Page 79:
I would say I am staying in Japan to draw manga for now. If I stop drawing manga,
I do not have anything I would like to do so I would probably travel overseas.
(I am making a declaration to my parents!! (laughs)) So please stay healthy for a while,
Mom and Dad. If I am told it is necessary to know English, I will learn it naturally!
(Am I being too optimistic?)
However, no one knows about the future. It is very possible I could think of something
completely different like getting married within a year. Even Kyoko Fukada said she
wanted to get married at age 20, but she has absolutely no intention of it now and wants
to become a major actress (laughs). I don't care anymore.
Page 81:
"Recent Status"
Well, there is nothing special that has changed in me and I have been spending time drawing
manga, every month. Lately, I am into female vocals in music. When LUNA SEA was around,
all I listened to was visual type pop groups like Glay and L'Arc-en-Ciel. However, I
joined a fan club for BoA. The fan clubs I belong to now are SUGI20, Mai Kuraki, Mika
Nakajima and BoA. It is easier to get a ticket to a live concert and I would like to
read the newsletter, so I end up joining immediately. I pretty much like to essays and
visual books on celebrities. I loved reading books since I was a child that I would go
to town library and school library whenever I had a chance.
I do not have much time to read now so I end up getting into essay type stuff that are easy
to read. Since I was a literature major in school, I did quite a lot of readings like
Complete Works of Japanese Literature and World Literature. I had free time, too. I feel
there is some effect or influence on my manga.
Page 93:
In the bottom right frame, I am afraid people will complain that Airi did not see Taki as a
boy all this time so let me explain! She was thinking of him as a dependable male friend,
but he was not someone she would feel something by touching her head. I think you would have
your heart flutter from such little manners only on someone you like. But I wonder if there
was at a certain that you would get nervous from holding holds… Like upper grades in
elementary school?
With Nako, she is likely to get blushed just by being with a boy. When I am with someone I
like, my voice would tremble (( become high-pitched?) and behave oddly… Oh, come to think of
it, I might have behaved like Airi did in the top right frame to someone I liked when I was a
junior high school student.
Page 105:
"Airi, Nako and Michiru"
They are 3 types of female main characters and Airi is the most popular since she is the
heroine. She is at the top without a doubt. However, what was unexpected was about Nako.
There are quite a few people saying they like Nako the best and I was surprised. I feel Nako
would be the most well liked girl among boys, but what do you think?
Often times while drawing manga, I would get asked which character I resemble the most and I
may be the type to show my personality in male characters. (Well, Taki is not like me, though.)
Otherwise, there might be little parts of me you see in every character.
The one who loves to talk about boyfriends with girls would probably be Michiru, I think
(laughs). I get the feeling my trait of being hooked into relationship might be reflecting in
all of the heroines I have drawn in the past… Love conquers all. What in the world is that?
Page 107:
I have not gotten into much of, rather yet, never a messy relationship. I do not fall for
someone who has a girlfriend and never got into love triangle with another person (maybe
when I was in elementary school). Maybe I am the kind of person who chooses for a pretty
secure relationship… It's a pain in the neck. Don't you think? However, I would hear
love stories that are like soap opera from my friends so I would be impressed that they are
such challengers. Another thing is I would have trouble answering when a guy asks me what
is my type of man. (Oh, I still cannot respond even when I am asked from a woman, but usually
it is the guy who asks me.) Among celebrities, I like the looks of Kouichi Doumoto of Kinki
Kids and Haruhiko Katou, but it depends on the personality! It really does!!
Page 117:
"Fancy Goods"
When I was a college student, I got influenced by the atmosphere in school and found interest
only in brand name products. Lately, I find myself attracted to "The Little Prince" goods
right after the Disney Princess merchandise… You do not believe it is that big a deal?
It's so pretty!!
"Perfume"
I have always loved perfume. It is great to decide what is "your scent" and wear it
wherever you go, or even pick aroma to get into different mood each day, too.
My favorite scents are:
Baby doll (Eves St. Lawrent)
Allure (Chanel)
ONE (Calvin Klein)
Although I would get intoxicated from the scent, I do not wear it while I am working.
Perfume bottles would become interior decorating items so I display it in my room.
Since there are some men who do not like perfumes, do not try to wear too much of it.
Okay? (laughs)
Page 147:
*Omitted*
Page 153:
By the way, it is men who are better at cooking around me these days. There are a lot of
women who live alone and do not cook, but men seem to fix something for themselves pretty
often. My father is in the 50's and he says he found interest in cooking recently, too
(laughs).
I like cooking and I can usually do typical home cooking like Braised Beef and Potatoes
(like "Yellow Tail Teriyaki"). Since I find it too bothersome to cook for myself, maybe I do
not like it as much to consider it a hobby. If I know I have to cook for someone, I will make
anything. I hardly ever made cookies before. I do not like sweets…
Page 161:
Oh, I really did end up writing nothing but words in these free talks. I'm sorry.
I would like to give my gratitude to: all the assistants who always help me, my manager,
and my younger sister and parents who buy me meals and take care of things around me.
Lately, I am fully realizing that being mangaka is not a job it can be done alone.
Please continue to support me. It really would be the best if I can do everything by myself,
though…
Spring 2003
Erika K.
----------
Go to Erika Kurahashi's MAX LOVELY Free Talks Volume 4
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
|
|