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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 4 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 4 of MAX LOVELY
Page 41:
Hi! It's Volume No.4.
Autumn is coming! It is autumn!! Autumn!!! I'm so happy!!
I don't like summer. My physical strength deteriorates easily and I don't like
air-conditioning, either. I love spring, fall and around December when it's not too cold.
Though I have trouble picking what to wear in fall with the fluctuation in temperature.
This fall I would first like to go to Shiki Theatre Group's "Beauty and the Beast" and I
also have a desire is to see concerts and maple foliage!! I always miss out on maple trees
and cherry blossoms… I want to go to Kyoto…
I got a perm…
If you're asking what it looks like, it's similar to Kyoko Hasegawa in Monday night drama,
"Boku dakeno Madonna". But, I think the ends are looser than that.
Anyway, how many years has it been since I changed my hair do?
I got it layered all over with a weak perm that is very popular now. But, I kind of have a
feeling there are still many celebrities with straight hair…
Page 45:
"2003 Ribon Summer Vacation Exciting Party"
For as long as I could remember, this was my 6th or 7th appearance to make in an event.
Every year, they hold an event in different manner and I get real nervous wondering what if
I make a mistake, but I'm very happy to see the readers in person!! I went to Osaka and
Hiroshima. In the talk show, there were moments I became silent from being nervous.
However, this year, maybe because there were less people or it was second year with
Max Lovely, I didn't get nervous most of the time in chatting. With signing, I made
several mistakes at the Osaka site. Forgive me!
Contents of event were…
1. After greeting everyone, we had a slide show and a speech about it.
"I talked about Disney Princess goods I'm collecting; 'I only look forward to having
a cup of coffee in my favorite mug during work… (cries)'; what I eat (having a bowl of
rice with pasta sauce poured on top (cries!)); or all the goods I collected for English
conversation that I'm not studying at all now… Those were all the pictures I showed.
'Cause I really don't have time…"
Page 53:
"Event" continued
2. Then after the talk show, a video on Prince Giovanna guiding through the Editorial
Department and introducing each editor was shown. At the Osaka site, the prince
himself was there! (I was looking forward to seeing his costume again this year, but he
was in casual attire. (laughs))
3. After that, we made rounds to each table and held a signing event. Oh, I forgot to
mention in the beginning, but it was set-up as a tea party with about 50 guests this time.
Page 83:
4. Then there was Ribon Cult Trivia Tournament!! There were difficult questions even for me,
who's been reading Ribon for over 10 years, to answer. It really had me seriously thinking
and that was pretty funny (laughs)).
5. Special Photo Session
A photo was taken with everyone. But there were many girls taller than little me, so I
should have worn shoes with higher heels… That's okay. Ayu says she's about same height
as me, too. (Thanks, Ayu!!) But, I wish I could be 5cm taller… No, 8cm!!
So this is what the event was like!! I had a good time! Nevertheless, I didn't feel much
of age difference talking to 6th and 7th Graders. ( Was it because of my height?
There were so kids who talked in firmer tone.
Page 101:
Question that was often asked at the table was, "What if you didn't become a mangaka?"
First thing I wanted to become was a J-pop singer. That was when I was in kindergarten.
Something like that is really like a "dream" and I became realistic when I entered junior
high school. I was thinking of working overseas or doing something to do with children,
so I thought it might be good to do "English Conversation Class for Children" or a job
that has to do with English and children. That's what I thought of recently (laughs).
Like Nova Kids… I know someone who does a job like that.
Comparatively to my career as shoujo mangaka, I think realistically when it comes to my life.
That's why I would believe in the chance of winning an audition is one in ten thousands of
people like in lottery and simply gave up on a J-pop singer. But for those who are trying,
I wish you best of luck!! If you become a celebrity, please send me an autograph (laughs).
Page 105:
Speaking of careers, flight attendant is Airi's dream but it was absolutely impossible for
me to become. The reason is I'm not tall enough (mad)!! On top of that, I get airsick, too.
I think there is a required minimum height, you know. Not that I thought anything of it when
I was a student, but I do believe it is a cool job. It seems to be a pretty tough job,
though. Good luck, Airi. There was a moment I aspired to female police officer, but this
requires height, too.
School may be tough, but there would be a time you would definitely regret as an adult
that you should have studied hard in order to get the career you wanted (some require
higher education). So for those who have a dream, start working hard now to keep it
from dying. I really wish I had started studying English conversation as a teenager.
Not that I would use it at work, but it would have been best to learn to become fluent
while my mind was fresh… I have a feeling there's no age limit to become a mangaka though…
Page 111:
Well, now onto the discussion of the series, School Cultural Festival is the main topic
of this Vol.4! Subject of the exam became pretty serious, but I had a good time thinking
what the Houyuu School Cultural Festival should be like! Although Romeo and Juliet was a
piece of work I randomly picked out, I had a problem with not much of resource to rely on.
This is why part of the story has been changed. The work in general is correct, though.
The topic of Nako becoming blonde came from… I remembered long time ago on TV, Carl Smokey
Ishii (formerly Ishii Tatsuya-san of Kome Kome Club) appearing in blonde hair saying, "While
I was bleaching my hair I fell asleep and when I woke up, it was like this," and I wrote the
story (laughs). My hair is tough to bleach!! I want to lighten it up more!!
Page 137:
"Cheerleading Club Dim Sum"
Yamucha (Dim Sum) is a type of Chinese restaurant that serves light meals such as steamed
buns and shumai (steamed dumplings). I wanted to see Airi wear a China dress and I thought
it might be easy even for junior high school students to stock steamed buns and such
(realistic 'sweatdrops').
I have just one China dress that is white or more like yellowish white. I've only worn
it once. It's pretty noticeable when you wear it on a train in Chinatown. I bought it
in Yokohama (5 years ago… 'sweatdrops'), but I think it was 5,900 yen because it has a
mini-skirt. Long skirts are little more expensive. I felt it was much more expensive,
though… Not that it matters, but I'd like to live in Yokohama.
"Premenstrual Pain" ( It's a story from my own experience. Those who don't get it severely
(during period) may not understand it, but there was a time it would be so bad that I could be
in a room writhing in pain. I couldn't walk, sleep even when I was still, and it would make
me feel sick. I would feel nausea, headache and dizziness, too. It has gotten much better
now, but it is irritating!! Well, you can ease the pain with medication, but it's still hard
to take…
Page 141:
Jo Mitsuhashi (Yui Mitsuhashi - stage name Jo-kun) is a boy with a feminine facial feature, and I tried drawing Senri-kun from previous
work, "Kimi no Hitomi wa Miracle", in short black hair. Personality is different though.
I would often be told __-chan looks like xx-chan from previous work called, "xxx", but I
wonder a same author writing many works would end up drawing similar characters. Even though
you think it might be a same character, he/she becomes a different person as you read
further into the story.
I thought Shota from "Love Love Shock!" and Hikaru are so alike, but I think Hikaru is Hikaru.
Even with the hair do, Sakura and Arika, Ai and Airi (You're a Kurahashi-mania if
you know which manga they're main characters of.), (continued on pg. 145)
Page 145:
are the same, but I feel they're different protagonists. Although Airi was based on Nagi
of "Seikimatsu…", she now has completely dissimilar image…
I got sidetracked from the character introduction on Yui. Relationship between Yui
and Hatori-san is I would say it's like a friend of a friend. I didn't intend to make
Yui a villain, so I made him into someone kind of bad but you can't hate. I'm not sure
if that has any effect, but his popularity was pretty good among readers. Although I wanted
to bring him out more, he goes to different school and I guess there is not much chance to do
so. I believe he had more presence than Yokosawa did (laughs). I liked Yokosawa's silliness,
though.
Page 171:
Things I'm hooked on
"Emily, The Strange"
It's a foreign children's picture book that became a bestseller due to translation
done by that Hikaru Utada. It is just Emily and 4 black cats and only red, black and
white colors are used in this picture book. Contents are suitable for women and in
that category it has much pros and cons. Apart from the contents, the goods are adorable!!
Or rather yet it makes my room look stylish. Because it is a foreign product, it is difficult
to buy it right now and I guess I could only get it through the Internet. Supposedly it
is sold in many places in other countries. Due difficulty in getting it compare to Disney
goods, I get exhilarated when I find it!!! Of course, you would get more enthusiastic than
something that is easy to get because it's hard to find. Right? Even though I say that,
I've been so busy that I haven't gotten connected to the Internet yet… I'll do it next year…
but I wonder if I'd feel necessity for it?
Page 173:
Well, "Max Lovely!" is at its climax now, but the interesting part would mostly be in
Vol.5 so I hope you would be looking forward to it.
Lately, I've been kind of stagnant with my work and I'd seem always seem to get started
when my assistants arrive that I would almost get into trouble. However, in August
(currently), I became extremely busy between the event scheduling, comics and many other
projects, and even got sick with a cold. Somehow I revived as if my blood circulation
had improved.
Long time ago, a mangaka from other magazine I know was saying, "The busier your work gets
you'd become that much more enthusiastic and put effort into the drawing!!" I wasn't sure
at that time, but now I finally understand. The more I get anxious I won't get sleepy from
nervousness and I don't even feel tiredness. My body is becoming weird. Really. I may
not last long by next month… (sweatdrops)
Page 177:
It's the last corner.
By the time this book comes out, I guess Year 2003 is almost over. My next year's resolution
would be to move my workspace, but where I live now is convenient, quiet and has easy
garbage disposal service so I haven't decided. I would like to redecorate it though.
Right now I have a pink curtain hanging and it looks like a study room for high school
student (have stuffed animals decorated, too), but idealistically I'd like it to be a cool
office-like atmosphere. I really should unify it in monotone color, but I can't exactly
replace all the furniture so I'm thinking of different ideas.
Well, this story is approaching the part where I have it interesting, so I intend to put
all my effort until the end. To my manager, assistants, food deliverer (I don't see who
they are), package deliverer, and family and friends, I would give my special thanks to you.
See you in next volume.
August 2003, Erika K.
Go to Erika Kurahashi's MAX LOVELY Free Talks Volume 5
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