Chainsaw Man strikes a fun balance between its art and story according to creator Tatsuki Fujimoto, but Aka Akasaka’s decision to retire from the art altogether is what he jokingly wished he could emulate in front of his editor.
Translated via @lightning446 on X, Fujimoto was asked in light of Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki’s numerous “retirements” — again declaring one after The Boy and The Heron — whether there is truly a time that a creator stops working. “Hmm. I’m not sure about that,” Fujimoto replied. “But Oshi no Ko’s writer, Aka Akasaka did declare, ‘I won’t draw anymore.’ I thought to myself, ‘That must be so nice… I want to do that too!'”
Akasaka penned and illustrated the popular rom-com manga Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, which was collected into 28 volumes and has over 20 million copies in circulation. His next work, Oshi no Ko, whose well-received anime adaptation earned the highest rating of any episode ever on MyAnimeList, and whose manga draws widespread attention for its subversive elements and likable characters, is not drawn by Akasaka. Formally retiring from drawing in 2022, Mengo Yokoyari handles the art for Oshi no Ko while 5mm Nishizawa draws Akasaka’s latest manga, Love Agency.
Where Does Fujimoto Stand on Retirement?
In the same vein, Fujimoto was asked if he’d ever considered retirement, and after replying in the definite, outlined that he would lack the same enjoyment that solely plotting or balancing the art and plot brings, and described an art-only endeavor in a pessimistic manner.
While the tough work schedules in the manga industry may be a factor, the reason Fujimoto provided was that he would only be able to “deliver a narrow-minded impression to the reader” through just art. This clashed with what some Chainsaw Man fans felt. Fujimoto’s “simplistic” style has been hailed for its creative paneling, as well as art that matches the often gory and absurd nature of Chainsaw Man and its creator. One-shots like Goodbye Eri showcase Fujimoto’s level of storytelling outside of weekly serialization, leaving fans to muse over the possibilities.
As the manga continues, fans also muse over possible directions of a Chainsaw Man season 2.
Source: Shueisha, via lightning446