Hikago Sketchbook character notes II
Back with my translations for the rest of the Sketchbook character notes at the end of Hikago's Perfect Edition manga. This covers volumes 10-20 (but note that vol. 15, 16, and 20 lack the Sketchbook and notes features).
For Sketchbook character notes to vol. 1-9, click here.
10) Saeki Koji
Despite having few appearances, Saeki has many fans.
In the second Pikaichi Character Contest, he came in boldly at tenth. (He hadn't appeared in time for the first contest.)
Saeki is one of Morishita 9-dan's students, but speaking of Morishita's study group, its rival (?) is the Touya study group.
[T/N: Question mark is in the original.]
If we look at the results of matchups between the Morishita group and the Touya group from this second Pikaichi Character Contest...
Morishita 9-dan, 39th -- Touya Meijin, 13th
Shirakawa Michio, 19th -- Ogata Seiji, 9th
Saeki Koji, 10th -- Ashiwara Hiroyuki, 33rd
Waya Yoshitaka, 3rd -- Touya Akira, 4th
Ooh! 2 wins, 2 losses! Great fight, Morishita's group!
We wish they could do this well against Touya's group in go too.
11) Ashiwara Hiroyuki, Kurata Atsushi
Ashiwara thinks of himself as Akira's quasi-guardian, but Akira treats him like a "friend."
Atsushi went out of his way to give his autograph to Hikaru, but was told, "I don't want it."
One common point between these two is that they are "underestimated by those younger than them."
Another common point is, "they don't particularly mind."
Oh? Do these two resemble one another?
12) Toya Koyo
Popular among readers was the sai vs toya koyo game, a match that the Internet made possible.
However, during serialization, computers were not as widespread as they are now. It was an era where Hikaru neither had a computer nor knew much about the Internet.
Today, computers have become part of the average home, and lots of people, from children to adults, use the Internet.
Even for pro tournaments, "Internet tournaments" have been born.
What if: "elementary student Hikaru in today's world" were possessed by Sai? I wonder what kind of story that would have become.
13) Shindo Hikaru
The day Sai disappeared was May 5th, Children's Day.
That day, from the window of Hikaru's room, you could see carp streamers swimming energetically.
The carp streamers are a symbol of a child's growth. If you think about it, Hikaru has also grown quite a lot.
Sai disappears.
The day that was meant to come came.
Perhaps that's all it was.
Every year on the fifth of May, particularly when it's a clear day with impatient winds, I look up at the sky.
Hikaru surely does this too.
14) Yang Hai, Chao Shi, Le Ping
I like gathering data. I am rich in experience. (laugh)
The way I do it is, I write down every little bit of the private talk and idle chatter of people in a place.
I quickly make memos of the conversations I hear here and there. Having done so, I notice various things and can see various things.
B-U-T!
In China, I had no idea what they were saying! In the cafeteria or the practice rooms or the hallways!
That being the case, I decided, "I'll speak to those involved." In China, it ended up that I could only rely on what I saw to gather data. Even so, thanks to player Kong Lingwen, I was somehow able to satisfactorily gather data.
Yang Hai, Chao Shi, Le Ping.
When I look at them, I nostalgically recall the Chinese Go Institute.
15) N/A
16) N/A
17) Yashiro Kiyoharu
Yashiro Kiyoharu. I was greatly troubled in creating his character.
I planned to wrap up the Hokuto Cup in about 40 chapters, so I wanted to avoid any complicated setups...but at the same time, I didn't just want to make just any old extra character.
The environment he grew up in...his hometown...his career...Bit by bit, I worked out the details, but I didn't decide his fundamental character until the end. In the chapter he makes his first appearance, I played down his lines and movements as I drew him.
However, when I saw Obata-sensei's completed drawings, in an instant, I resolved, "Ah! If it's this face, then his personality is decided!"
After that, Yashiro moved very naturally for me.
18) Ko Yeong Ha
The current (2010) go world is the Korea-China era, but during serialization (around 2000), Korea boasted an overwhelming strength that others could not even come near.
When I first began drawing Ko Yeong Ha in the names (storyboards), my editor Takahashi-san made the astonishing proposal, "How about making him visually resemble Sai?" I rejected that outright (laughs), so [Takahashi-san] only requested, "Draw him so that it has the feeling that the strongest Korea has appeared."
That is this Yeong Ha. He's charming.
In addition, he has a haughty and proud personality.
The Hokuto Cup story wouldn't have worked out without him.
For me, he is a deeply profound character.
19) Fujiwarano Sai
Always, always, he was itching to play go.
Like a child.
Like a fierce god.
Sketchbook.
The last is of Sai with this smile [referring to sketchbook image].
20) N/A
My thoughts: It's interesting that Hotta-sensei pits Waya against Akira instead of Hikaru against Akira in the Morishita vs. Touya popularity analysis. Probably because Waya is more Morishita's student than Hikaru is. Not that it matters because it was a win for the Morishita group either way, I believe. Also, can you imagine how much more conflicted Hikaru would have been if Yeongha had ended up resembling Sai? *snicker*
For Sketchbook character notes to vol. 1-9, click here.
10) Saeki Koji
Despite having few appearances, Saeki has many fans.
In the second Pikaichi Character Contest, he came in boldly at tenth. (He hadn't appeared in time for the first contest.)
Saeki is one of Morishita 9-dan's students, but speaking of Morishita's study group, its rival (?) is the Touya study group.
[T/N: Question mark is in the original.]
If we look at the results of matchups between the Morishita group and the Touya group from this second Pikaichi Character Contest...
Morishita 9-dan, 39th -- Touya Meijin, 13th
Shirakawa Michio, 19th -- Ogata Seiji, 9th
Saeki Koji, 10th -- Ashiwara Hiroyuki, 33rd
Waya Yoshitaka, 3rd -- Touya Akira, 4th
Ooh! 2 wins, 2 losses! Great fight, Morishita's group!
We wish they could do this well against Touya's group in go too.
11) Ashiwara Hiroyuki, Kurata Atsushi
Ashiwara thinks of himself as Akira's quasi-guardian, but Akira treats him like a "friend."
Atsushi went out of his way to give his autograph to Hikaru, but was told, "I don't want it."
One common point between these two is that they are "underestimated by those younger than them."
Another common point is, "they don't particularly mind."
Oh? Do these two resemble one another?
12) Toya Koyo
Popular among readers was the sai vs toya koyo game, a match that the Internet made possible.
However, during serialization, computers were not as widespread as they are now. It was an era where Hikaru neither had a computer nor knew much about the Internet.
Today, computers have become part of the average home, and lots of people, from children to adults, use the Internet.
Even for pro tournaments, "Internet tournaments" have been born.
What if: "elementary student Hikaru in today's world" were possessed by Sai? I wonder what kind of story that would have become.
13) Shindo Hikaru
The day Sai disappeared was May 5th, Children's Day.
That day, from the window of Hikaru's room, you could see carp streamers swimming energetically.
The carp streamers are a symbol of a child's growth. If you think about it, Hikaru has also grown quite a lot.
Sai disappears.
The day that was meant to come came.
Perhaps that's all it was.
Every year on the fifth of May, particularly when it's a clear day with impatient winds, I look up at the sky.
Hikaru surely does this too.
14) Yang Hai, Chao Shi, Le Ping
I like gathering data. I am rich in experience. (laugh)
The way I do it is, I write down every little bit of the private talk and idle chatter of people in a place.
I quickly make memos of the conversations I hear here and there. Having done so, I notice various things and can see various things.
B-U-T!
In China, I had no idea what they were saying! In the cafeteria or the practice rooms or the hallways!
That being the case, I decided, "I'll speak to those involved." In China, it ended up that I could only rely on what I saw to gather data. Even so, thanks to player Kong Lingwen, I was somehow able to satisfactorily gather data.
Yang Hai, Chao Shi, Le Ping.
When I look at them, I nostalgically recall the Chinese Go Institute.
15) N/A
16) N/A
17) Yashiro Kiyoharu
Yashiro Kiyoharu. I was greatly troubled in creating his character.
I planned to wrap up the Hokuto Cup in about 40 chapters, so I wanted to avoid any complicated setups...but at the same time, I didn't just want to make just any old extra character.
The environment he grew up in...his hometown...his career...Bit by bit, I worked out the details, but I didn't decide his fundamental character until the end. In the chapter he makes his first appearance, I played down his lines and movements as I drew him.
However, when I saw Obata-sensei's completed drawings, in an instant, I resolved, "Ah! If it's this face, then his personality is decided!"
After that, Yashiro moved very naturally for me.
18) Ko Yeong Ha
The current (2010) go world is the Korea-China era, but during serialization (around 2000), Korea boasted an overwhelming strength that others could not even come near.
When I first began drawing Ko Yeong Ha in the names (storyboards), my editor Takahashi-san made the astonishing proposal, "How about making him visually resemble Sai?" I rejected that outright (laughs), so [Takahashi-san] only requested, "Draw him so that it has the feeling that the strongest Korea has appeared."
That is this Yeong Ha. He's charming.
In addition, he has a haughty and proud personality.
The Hokuto Cup story wouldn't have worked out without him.
For me, he is a deeply profound character.
19) Fujiwarano Sai
Always, always, he was itching to play go.
Like a child.
Like a fierce god.
Sketchbook.
The last is of Sai with this smile [referring to sketchbook image].
20) N/A
My thoughts: It's interesting that Hotta-sensei pits Waya against Akira instead of Hikaru against Akira in the Morishita vs. Touya popularity analysis. Probably because Waya is more Morishita's student than Hikaru is. Not that it matters because it was a win for the Morishita group either way, I believe. Also, can you imagine how much more conflicted Hikaru would have been if Yeongha had ended up resembling Sai? *snicker*