Interview with Usagi Tsuchiya, the unique 26-year-old manga artist who won the “Konomisu” Grand Prize

I entered the “KONOMISU” Grand Prize in an attempt to take a cue from my mentor.

The story is very fast-paced, and all the characters are unique, attractive, and lively. Once you open the page, you are drawn into the story and finish it in a flash. However, when he wrote the story, he was not so sure about it.

I wanted to win the Grand Prize! I was very anxious as much as I wanted to win the Grand Prize. On the contrary, I was very confident the first time I entered a manga award, but I failed three times in a row (laughs). But I was unsuccessful in three consecutive entries (laughs). (Laughs.) I was more anxious about winning the prize for my novel than for my manga, but I won. I think that’s how much I put my heart and soul into my work.

As mentioned earlier, Usagi Tsuchiya’s original title was manga artist and assistant. In 2011, his debut was a runner-up in the Shueisha Akatsuka Award, and he was also selected as an honorable mention in the Shogakukan “Sousaku Yuri” Manga Award. In 24, a young lady’s rap comedy called “ORB” was published in “JUMP SQ.RISE 2024 SPRING. With a good start as a manga artist, why did you decide to enter a novel for the “Kono Miss” Grand Prize?

My manga mentor, Mr. Oginuma X, also writes novels. He also submitted a novel to the “Kono Miss” Grand Prize and won the “Hidden Gem” (Editor’s Choice Award). When I saw that, I thought that being a manga artist was a full-time job, but I realized that I could do whatever I wanted!　I thought.

I was also aware that Mr. Oginuma had made it to the final round but had missed out on the Grand Prize, so I thought, “Let’s catch up to him! I was also thinking, “Let’s take the lead! He told me, ‘Thank you, I’m happy too.

He expressed his enthusiasm for his dual career as a manga artist and a novelist.

I have to give it my all so that no one will say that I am doing both as an escape route. …… I feel that pressure, but when I was writing “Mysterious Fragrance from the Bakery,” I enjoyed the stimulation of doing something different from manga.

Of course, making time is hard. When I was aiming for the “Kono Miss” Grand Prize, I had to cut down on eating time and didn’t sleep much. I cut my hair and reduced the amount of time I spent in the shower in order to make as much time as possible. But I am doing this for my own sake, so I don’t feel that it is hard at all. I’ve been given this opportunity, so I’d like to do my best at both.