Interview with Nakanojin: Fascinated by the mecca of subculture, "Ribon" manga artist Shoyo Tamura

Hello, I'm Chitan, a Nakano Tourism Reporter. Chibi Nakano is here with us. "Question for Chibi Nakano. What do you imagine when you hear Nakano? Is it a mecca for subculture?"

There is an image that Nakano is home to many creators. This time, we will be talking to Shoyo Tamura, a manga artist who has lived in Nakano for over 20 years and has had a four-panel manga serialized in the girls' manga magazine Ribbon.

Here we go! To tell you the truth, Shoyo Tamura is Chiitan, a Nakano tourism reporter! From here on, I'll be presenting a staged interview.

The History of Tamura Shoyo

I made my debut in 1994 with "Maka Fushigi" (Ribon Original, October 1994 issue) when I was a first-year high school student at a girls' high school in Tochigi Prefecture. A work I submitted in junior high school won an honorable mention at the Ribon Manga School. My signature work is the four-panel manga "Sensei Ano ne." I want to give a hug to everyone who remembers me.

Encounter with Nakano Ward

From the April 1995 issue, her manga was serialized in Ribon, the magazine known for Chibi Maruko-chan, before moving on to university (Faculty of Literature) in Saitama Prefecture. "During university, all I did was draw manga and do acting. It was the middle of the recession, and even though I got a teaching license, I couldn't find a job. It was difficult to make a living from manga alone, so I started living in Nakano, sharing a room with my younger sister, who was attending a vocational school in the ward. I felt that here, I could be inspired by the town and focus on drawing my own manga. After seven years of publication, I was able to publish a book in 2001. Recently, it has become a premium item, and it seems to be being sold for 80 times its original price on a certain flea market app."

The Vanished Manga Artist Shoyo Tamura

She started working part-time at a bar in Nakano, and moved into the home of a young man with whom she hit it off, and they ended up getting married. In addition to serializing her manga, she also worked hard as an assistant to other manga artists. "I did a lot of work, regardless of genre or age, but I was especially grateful to Morimoto Takashi, winner of the New Generation Award at the 8th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. Even after my child was born, he would call me over to be his assistant, bringing his child with him."

It became difficult to balance work with raising children after she gave birth to her second child, and the magazine's editor-in-chief changed, which led to the serialization being discontinued. She raised her three children while leaving them at Higashinaka Kindergarten in Nakano City. By the way, the kindergarten song was written by Rieko Nakagawa, the author of "Guri to Gura."

"At Higashinaka Kindergarten, I learned the importance of 'free childcare', which fosters independence and creativity. Nakano has many wonderful childcare facilities. I hope that we can continue to create an environment that suits a variety of families and children, with the goal of becoming a 'leading district for childcare.'"

Raising three children was tough, but the fortunate encounters she had helped her through. "I was really sad when the U18 Plaza (children's center) that we relied on closed, but I didn't want to move outside of Nakano. Nakano is not only easily accessible, but the people are warm and welcoming. My children were raised in the community."

Experience being a Nakano Tourism Reporter

Now that her three children are grown, she will be working as a "Nakano Tourism Reporter" from 2023. "I think this is an interesting initiative that is typical of Nakano ward. Wherever I go for interviews, people are kind enough to teach me many things, so I feel like my ignorance is actually a weapon. The town of Nakano is generous enough to accept me even though I'm a bit of an oddball." She has written 14 articles so far, so please take a look.

What's next for Shoyo Tamura, also known as Chiitan?

"Through my work as a Nakano Tourism Reporter, the joy of having people read my work has been revived, and it has made me want to draw manga again. Although the times are moving towards digital art, I would like to continue drawing analogue. I love the smell of ink and toning. Recently, my child has started drawing manga, and we are competing with each other. I would like to one day open a manga class and give back from a place close to me."

In order to increase the number of Nakano fans, as a Nakano Tourism Reporter, I will continue to promote the charms of Nakano through the Nakano Ward official tourism site "Marutto Nakano". Thank you for your continued support, Chibi Nakano-san. What? You say there's no punch line?