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[WIND BREAKER] Season 2 Special Interview with Satoru Nii – Part 2

Interviews #Satoru Nii #WIND BREAKER

This article was originally published on November 25, 2024.

Let’s jump back in where we left off! If you missed part 1, you can catch up here!

――Next, we’d like to ask about what a regular schedule looks like for you. What does a week in the life of a serialized manga artist look like?

Satoru Nii:
It starts on Monday, where I have a meeting with my editor, and then I work on the storyboards until Wednesday. On Thursday, my assistant joins in and we switch to drawing up the finals, which goes on until around Sunday. Sometimes, though, the storyboards aren’t finished and we end up working on those and the final images at the same time.
…Honestly, that is mostly how it ends up happening [laughs].

――Oh… no chance for a break, huh?

Satoru Nii:
There’s also the anime which needs my attention, merch that needs checking, the upcoming game, the print volumes, bonus material, all sorts of other stuff [laughs]. It might look like my schedule is too packed to take time off, but my time is being managed quite well and I do get actual breaks and am getting enough sleep. I’m the type of person who can’t work if they don’t sleep, so I probably sleep more than most [laughs].

――We’re glad to hear that…! Alright, next, do you have a favorite part of your weekly workflow?

Satoru Nii:
Definitely when I’m inking the outlines for the characters. When I’m drawing the panels, I first sketch out the image, but the lines are obviously not very tidy. After that, I clean them up a little and ink the final image.
You can see it taking shape right before your eyes [laughs].

① The initial sketch

② The inked outline

――WIND BREAKER is also very popular overseas! How do you feel about the fan reaction?

Satoru Nii:
I am so grateful. I’m honestly really happy. At the same time, it’s a really bizarre feeling that the art that I draw at my tiny table is being seen by people all over the world.

But when overseas fans attend signing events and so on, seeing them actually there in person makes me feel very thankful. I really am nothing but grateful for all the fans. Thank you so much for supporting me.

――And finally, can you tell us a little of what we can expect from Sakura and Bofurin in the future?

Satoru Nii:
We have a finish line already decided for the manga, but there’s a lot of scenarios and character development I want to draw before then. I think it will give all the fans a deeper understanding of them. I hope you are looking forward to it!

Thank you so much for reading!

Read WIND BREAKER on K MANGA here!

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