Inoue News Archive

[SpaceyLauss]

It is slated to return on the 29th of January.

This is awesome news! Thanks Mangetsu!

 

[IncantatioN]

There's a new feature on Inoue-Gaudi in an upcoming Brutus magazine and comes with a special appendix - creative notes & illustrations sheet. Info below -

http://magazineworld.jp/books/paper/5001/

 

[IncantatioN]

Inoue drew the character Naruto for a Naruto Premium Fan Book (source JUMP) -

 

[Walter]

Looks... kinda... generic?

 

[IncantatioN]

Slam Dunk vibe and I agree. Here are the other drawings -

http://i.imgur.com/cSULXNP.jpg - Rock Lee by Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball)
http://i.imgur.com/x1uVkl7.jpg - Rock Lee by Eiichiro Oda (One Piece)
http://i.imgur.com/uGPmwAQ.jpg - Jiraiya by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro (Toriko)
http://i.imgur.com/caiVjk2.jpg - Naruto by Haruichi Furudate (Haikyuu)
http://i.imgur.com/Nimk3tR.jpg - Gaara y Dosu Kinuta by Kouhei Horikoshi (Boku no Hero Academia)
http://i.imgur.com/qoqiR0w.jpg - Sasuke by Hiroyuki Asada (Tegami Bachi)

I like Oda's the best.

 

[TheWillOfT]

Inoue's tribute for Dragonball's 30th anniversary!

 

[Rodrigo]

Inoue's tribute for Dragonball's 30th anniversary!

That's awesome!!
I really dig Takehiko Inoue's less cartoonish and more realistic interpretation of Goku. I wonder how other DB/DBZ characters would have come out looking like if they were drawn by Inoue.

 

[IncantatioN]

Vagabond's being re-released by Panini and it's different than their earlier (and cancelled) run ... I like the spine. There's some vague info about a signed copy or signed copies that might go on sale. As I get some clarity on it, I'll update this post.

Available for pre-order (some sources listed below), releases end of February.

Amazon: http://goo.gl/pUrkjg
Fnac: http://goo.gl/H5VKSS
Jworld: http://goo.gl/P62gOf
Universo Lumina: http://goo.gl/A04Wql
Livraria Travessa: http://goo.gl/VGMXb6
Saraiva: http://goo.gl/k6Q7g0
Livraria Cia dos livros: http://goo.gl/BAqIBY
Livraria Cultura: http://goo.gl/jqBEzw
LigaHq: http://goo.gl/AGSOim

 

[Hitoshura]

I saw this new Vagabond illustration at Viz Media's booth at Anime Expo. It's a tribute to Viz Media's 30th anniversary as a company.

 

[IncantatioN]

^ that's gorgeous.

Below is a recent drawing by Inoue for the Kumamoto International Manga Festival.

 

[Johnstantine]

^ that's gorgeous.

Below is a recent drawing by Inoue for the Kumamoto International Manga Festival.

Not a fan myself, but that's absolutely fantastic.

 

[Walter]

This is just a mean tease. No sign of Vagabond for what, more than 2 years?

 

[Griffith]

So, it's been two years since any new Vagabond was released, almost as long since Real volume 14 came out, and aside from the illustration above as far as I can tell from researching the status of both series (zilcho), Inoue himself (little, except that he did Slam Dunk), and finally his twitter, Inoue has basically become an ambassador/promoter/illustrator-at-large to Japanese basketball clubs. See for yourself:

https://twitter.com/inouetake?lang=en

Maybe we should organize Musashi and Kojiro Basketball clubs in Japan and solicit Inoue to draw illustrations of what the mascots of these two teams dueling might look like to promote the big game!

 

[IncantatioN]

Maybe we should organize Musashi and Kojiro Basketball clubs in Japan and solicit Inoue to draw illustrations of what the mascots of these two teams dueling might look like to promote the big game!

aye aye! He was briefly in the US for a Lakers game couple of months ago ^_^. Ohhh yeah, he was also the brand ambassador to the Gaudi exhibition and took trips to visit Gaudi's works a few years ago before releasing the Pepita art book and two companion, smaller sized books.

 

[Eluvei]

The other day I was watching a Japanese reality show about young people asking each other out on dates (don't ask), and a member of the typical panel of commentators that these shows usually have compared a guy who plays baseball to Hisashi Mitsui, and the entire panel seemed to know exactly who he was talking about. It surprised me, even though I knew Slam Dunk was very popular in Japan.

 

[Griffith]

aye aye! He was briefly in the US for a Lakers game couple of months ago ^_^. Ohhh yeah, he was also the brand ambassador to the Gaudi exhibition and took trips to visit Gaudi's works a few years ago before releasing the Pepita art book and two companion, smaller sized books.

The Lakers this year? Oh, poor Inoue; he'll never feel better now. But yeah, it's strange that he's almost more like some presenter at this point.

The other day I was watching a Japanese reality show about young people asking each other out on dates (don't ask), and a member of the typical panel of commentators that these shows usually have compared a guy who plays baseball to Hisashi Mitsui, and the entire panel seemed to know exactly who he was talking about. It surprised me, even though I knew Slam Dunk was very popular in Japan.

Oh yeah, it's wild to me how that's the enduring basis of his celebrity; Vagabond has sold over 80 million volumes, twice as many as Berserk, and it's like nobody gives a shit about it anymore. He's defaulted back to being the famous basketball manga guy. I mean, it's understable given Slam Dunk's popularity, but it's still weird how transcendent it is, like beyond being a highly successful and, until recently, working mangaka. It's also kind of disheartening as a Vagabond fan since it's like his legacy has already comfortably solidified to pre-Vagabond status, like it's become a footnote.

 

[Johnstantine]

Oh yeah, it's wild to me how that's the enduring basis of his celebrity; Vagabond has sold over 80 million volumes, twice as many as Berserk, and it's like nobody gives a shit about it anymore. He's defaulted back to being the famous basketball manga guy. I mean, it's understable given Slam Dunk's popularity, but it's still weird how transcendent it is, like beyond being a highly successful and, until recently, working mangaka. It's also kind of disheartening as a Vagabond fan since it's like his legacy has already comfortably solidified to pre-Vagabond status, like it's become a footnote.

That would be like people recognizing Miura for Japan over Berserk

 

[RaffoBaffo]

Well, Slam Dunk has sold over 121 Million [data from 2014].

 

[Johnstantine]

Well, Slam Dunk has sold over 121 Million [data from 2014].

I understand, but I've heard more of Vagabond than I have Slam Dunk.

 

[Walter]

The other day I was watching a Japanese reality show about young people asking each other out on dates (don't ask), and a member of the typical panel of commentators that these shows usually have compared a guy who plays baseball to Hisashi Mitsui, and the entire panel seemed to know exactly who he was talking about. It surprised me, even though I knew Slam Dunk was very popular in Japan.

You're talking about Terrace House on Netflix, aren't you and yeah I thought that was a cool, funny little reference, too. Slam Dunk is mentioned a few times on that show, including by a model who apparently reads it in her spare time.

So, it's been two years since any new Vagabond was released, almost as long since Real volume 14 came out, and aside from the illustration above as far as I can tell from researching the status of both series (zilcho), Inoue himself (little, except that he did Slam Dunk), and finally his twitter, Inoue has basically become an ambassador/promoter/illustrator-at-large to Japanese basketball clubs. See for yourself:

https://twitter.com/inouetake?lang=en

Pictures of his cats and promotional art for basketball events? Sounds about right. It seems to me that his priorities in life changed. He's getting older, and I can understand him not wanting to be chained to these series forever. But my god, why not finish the story before going into the great post-manga hereafter? Vagabond is/was close to a potential conclusion when we last left it. I figured it was maybe 2-3 years off from a finale, but that was 2-3 years ago.

It's also kind of disheartening as a Vagabond fan since it's like his legacy has already comfortably solidified to pre-Vagabond status, like it's become a footnote.

It makes sense though. Slam Dunk is incredibly popular, even today. Consider that it was a basketball manga serialized during the time of the fucking Dream Team -- probably the biggest international milestone for basketball in living memory. Anecdotally, I think its success is due in large part to bringing in a lot of non-traditional readers to manga. Even those who maybe didn't stick with it remember it from when they were young. Also it had an incredible ending, and didn't peter out like many serialized series do.

 

[IncantatioN]

Well, Slam Dunk has sold over 121 Million [data from 2014].

157 million copies as of January 2017 per an article I'd read earlier this year ^_^.

The other day I was watching a Japanese reality show about young people asking each other out on dates (don't ask), and a member of the typical panel of commentators that these shows usually have compared a guy who plays baseball to Hisashi Mitsui, and the entire panel seemed to know exactly who he was talking about. It surprised me, even though I knew Slam Dunk was very popular in Japan.

You'll hear a second reference on that show's Aloha version/ season, giving nod to another character from Slam Dunk . It took me by surprise as well when it happened in a "Whoa, COOL!" way.

Oh yeah, it's wild to me how that's the enduring basis of his celebrity; Vagabond has sold over 80 million volumes, twice as many as Berserk, and it's like nobody gives a shit about it anymore. He's defaulted back to being the famous basketball manga guy. I mean, it's understable given Slam Dunk's popularity, but it's still weird how transcendent it is, like beyond being a highly successful and, until recently, working mangaka. It's also kind of disheartening as a Vagabond fan since it's like his legacy has already comfortably solidified to pre-Vagabond status, like it's become a footnote.

You articulated what I've been feeling so well. Anyone new I meet who talks anime or manga with me don't really know of Vagabond, even if they've been watching anime or reading for the last 7-8 years ... or in the last decade to play it safe. Sometimes they look at my phone sticker or wallpaper and ask where I got it from, you know. It's unfortunate and it almost makes me want to wish I was carrying a volume or two on me so I could put to paper what I was describing to them. It's also a little disheartening to see some of his art in the last 2 volumes drop (while other details are still great like backgrounds or the plot which I know is slow and has been met with criticism but I still enjoy the melancholy and the struggle of Musashi at this point in the story), and can't help but compare it with how Miura's art is not on still on point but gets better or might I add, pushes the envelope with every volume. I'd love for Inoue to get back to focusing on REAL or Vagabond on a daily so ideas/ art/ everything else comes back to him seamlessly without much of a struggle or writer's block.

EDIT

You're talking about Terrace House on Netflix, aren't you and yeah I thought that was a cool, funny little reference, too. Slam Dunk is mentioned a few times on that show, including by a model who apparently reads it in her spare time.

Goddamnit Walter, you beat me to it and I was keeping it a bit of a secret for his sake. But we're all in on it!!

 

[Eluvei]

But we're all in on it!!

Honestly, this is more surprising than the Terrace House people being into Slam Dunk.

 

[Griffith]

That would be like people recognizing Miura for Japan over Berserk

Well, Slam Dunk has sold over 121 Million [data from 2014].

I understand, but I've heard more of Vagabond than I have Slam Dunk.

It would be more like if Miura had done Fist of the North Star before Berserk. =)

Pictures of his cats and promotional art for basketball events? Sounds about right. It seems to me that his priorities in life changed. He's getting older, and I can understand him not wanting to be chained to these series forever. But my god, why not finish the story before going into the great post-manga hereafter? Vagabond is/was close to a potential conclusion when we last left it. I figured it was maybe 2-3 years off from a finale, but that was 2-3 years ago.

Yeah, it's a catch 22, he's had numerous chances to just wrap it up, moments where he's shown the fucking island of the duel, Kojiro's arrival in Kokura, Musashi being recruited to go, AND... 4 volumes of farming malaise! But, at the same time, if he's just going to do a shit job because his heart is not into it, and he cares enough not to end it that way and THAT'S why he *Jerry Seinfeld voice* REFUSES TO DRAW, then I can live with that because I don't want it to end that way either. He's talked pretty frankly about his physical/mental/creative struggles:

Inoue: Well, speaking in terms of what I want to do: As I said before, I really don’t at all have the urge to work on it right now, but I do know that if I don’t work on it, I’ll be in trouble down the road, and that’s basically what was keeping me going up until I went on hiatus. I don’t think that’s a good way of going about it. My hope is to stay away from Vagabond until all those unnecessary worries and emotions are gone and I’m ready to draw it because I want to draw it. I’m not sure if I’ll be allowed to wait that long, though.

I see this hiatus as sort of a death for myself as an artist, which sounds like a pretty dramatic way to put it, I realize, but there’s so much baggage that I’ve been dragging along for so long, and I know I’ll become a much better artist if I shed all of that. After I return to that state of innocence, the manga I make will be several times better than what I’m capable of now, I’m sure of it. If I prematurely go back to working on it before that, I’ll just end up going through this all over again. I mean, I’d manage to churn out something decent, I suppose, sheerly out of a sense of professional duty– but it probably wouldn’t be anything outstanding. Although, really, the fact that I’m still talking about making it something “outstanding” is itself a sign that I’m still carrying that baggage around. Anyway, I’m not touching Vagabond for now, because I think that’s what I need to be able to eventually produce something that feels right to me.

Yeeesh... but I'd rather he leave it at that and unfinished than do a completely uninspired, perfunctory ending where even HE doesn't understand what he's trying to say about Musashi. At least the potential is still there, and there's hope in some of his previous hiatuses:

Inoue: There was a period after the Kojiro arc, between volumes 20 and 21, that was a really rough time for me, so I set the series aside for about a year. The urge really built up inside me during that time, so I remember really enjoying the work when I started doing volume 21. It even came through in the art: the characters’ faces changed a lot, because all that pent-up urge to draw made me extra attentive to every little detail when I got back to work. It really does show on the page when you come back to a manga after a break, so in that sense I don’t think going on hiatus is all bad.

In my opinion this was the total peak or apex of the series, the culmination of Musashi's journey in volume 12/13 was great, the Kojiro arc was even better, but that was when it all came together... but it also exposed the flaw in the series. Musashi's overarching series rivalry with the Yoshioka basically supplanted Kojiro as his main rival(s), and Inoue tried to correct this with the Kojiro arc, but obviously ran out of gas before he could complete the much bigger and more ambitious story that signaled, so I feel like he kind of blew his wad bringing Musashi's arc with the Yoshioka to completion because that's what he setup for payoff from the beginning, not Kojiro. Maybe if Musashi had met Kojiro earlier, had he taken the place of Koun for instance, a Musashi analog in many ways, perhaps it would have dovetailed into a more natural conclusion.

It makes sense though. Slam Dunk is incredibly popular, even today. Consider that it was a basketball manga serialized during the time of the fucking Dream Team -- probably the biggest international milestone for basketball in living memory. Anecdotally, I think its success is due in large part to bringing in a lot of non-traditional readers to manga. Even those who maybe didn't stick with it remember it from when they were young. Also it had an incredible ending, and didn't peter out like many serialized series do.

I get it, it's a cultural phenomenon that transcends the medium, while Vagabond, with all it's pedigree and success, simply isn't. I still need to check out Slam Dunk. >_<

You articulated what I've been feeling so well. Anyone new I meet who talks anime or manga with me don't really know of Vagabond, even if they've been watching anime or reading for the last 7-8 years ... or in the last decade to play it safe. Sometimes they look at my phone sticker or wallpaper and ask where I got it from, you know. It's unfortunate and it almost makes me want to wish I was carrying a volume or two on me so I could put to paper what I was describing to them. It's also a little disheartening to see some of his art in the last 2 volumes drop (while other details are still great like backgrounds or the plot which I know is slow and has been met with criticism but I still enjoy the melancholy and the struggle of Musashi at this point in the story), and can't help but compare it with how Miura's art is not on still on point but gets better or might I add, pushes the envelope with every volume. I'd love for Inoue to get back to focusing on REAL or Vagabond on a daily so ideas/ art/ everything else comes back to him seamlessly without much of a struggle or writer's block.

Yeah, it's a bit sad, though fascinating, how rudderless the series, Musashi, and Inoue has become; Musashi's struggles mirroring Inoue's own. He's either going to have some synapses explode into a brilliant epiphany or we've already seen the end of the slog, where the spiral of death and killing leads, and Inoue has found nothing there worthy of exclamation.

 

[Walter]

" I do know that if I don’t work on it, I’ll be in trouble down the road, and that’s basically what was keeping me going up until I went on hiatus."

Ouch! That is incredibly damning of his passion for the story. I'm trying to imagine Miura saying something similar about Berserk. It'd be heartbreaking.

Yeeesh... but I'd rather he leave it at that and unfinished than do a completely uninspired, perfunctory ending where even HE doesn't understand what he's trying to say about Musashi. At least the potential is still there, and there's hope in some of his previous hiatuses:

Yeah, I agree. Better nothing and our imaginations of where the story is headed than a definitive wet fart of an ending.

"There was a period after the Kojiro arc, between volumes 20 and 21, that was a really rough time for me, so I set the series aside for about a year. The urge really built up inside me during that time, so I remember really enjoying the work when I started doing volume 21. It even came through in the art"

It came through in everything. When he came back from hiatus, it was inspiring. He was on fire. I remember it when it was being serialized...

Musashi's overarching series rivalry with the Yoshioka basically supplanted Kojiro as his main rival(s), and Inoue tried to correct this with the Kojiro arc, but obviously ran out of gas before he could complete the much bigger and more ambitious story that signaled, so I feel like he kind of blew his wad bringing Musashi's arc with the Yoshioka to completion because that's what he setup for payoff from the beginning, not Kojiro.

I'm interested in hearing more, but I don't agree with this. The Yoshioka were always a stepping stone for Musashi. From his perspective his rivalry with them was symbolic, not personal. It became personal after he swept through them like a storm. But with Kojiro, even from the beginning there was more to their relationship than with any of the Yoshioka.

Fun to have an active Vagabond thread, even if it's for a somber occasion...

 

[Hitoshura]

This is a belated post, but there was a collaboration between Inoue and his mentor, Hojo Tsukasa, in an issue of Grand Jump & Monthly Comic Zenon few months ago.

English summary of their conversation in Monthly Comic Zenon.
http://www.manga-audition.com/takehiko-inoue-hojo-tsukasa-manga-master-and-apprentice-exclusive-report/

And here's a REAL illustration at Jump Festa 2017.