Manga Artist Behind Viral Mysterious Mother Story Steps Into Gravure Spotlight

“List of things I want to do before I die”

Appearing in the currently on sale issue of FRIDAY, Honami Ami showcases a fresh and vibrant gravure photo spread. Her titles are gravure idol, cosplayer, and — unusually — active manga artist.

From December 2025, under the pen name “Hominami A,” she will begin serialization of “Gibo no Ai wa Mama Naranai!” in Ultra Jump. We caught up with her, who is now extremely busy just before a deadline, to hear about the behind-the-scenes reality of her unusual dual career.

Honami reveals, “Actually, I never originally wanted to become a manga artist.” Although she had drawn self-published doujinshi as a hobby since high school, even during university this remained just a personal pastime, and after graduation she worked as a company employee.

Her turning point came during a job change period. Thinking, “If I’m quitting my job anyway, I should be able to do anything,” she created a list of things I want to do before I die. On it were clearly defined goals such as draw illustrations and exhibit at Comiket and try cosplay.

“Earlier I mainly drew illustrations for female audiences, but I started drawing for male audiences as well. What surprised me was how straightforward the reactions to male-oriented illustrations were. If I posted something like, ‘I drew a sexy illustration,’ I would get direct responses like, ‘This is great!’ Compared to female-oriented works, which emphasize context and character relationships, male-oriented works had a much more open atmosphere. That comfort became the turning point that led me to develop a professional mindset about earning money through my art.”

Her latest work as a professional manga artist is striking in concept: the premise is that all the heroines are mothers-in-law (mama).

Making girls look as cute as possible

“At first, I was just coming up with ideas in my head like a comedy skit. I submitted this one thinking, ‘There’s no way this will pass,’ but the editor immediately said, ‘This is great!’ and that’s how it started. To make sure the story doesn’t lose out to the impact of the premise, I focus on blending battle elements and romantic comedy while making each episode entertaining on its own.”

What she values most as a manga artist is one thing: how to make girls look as cute as possible. She says this skill as a manga creator also helps her in gravure work.

“During photo shoots, it feels like I’m recreating poses and images I’ve already drawn. I know as a creator how to make body lines look beautiful and how to make someone appear cute on camera, so that’s probably a big advantage.”

On the other hand, gravure work also serves as her best form of relaxation. While manga work involves sitting alone at a desk, battling deadlines and anxiety in isolation, gravure shoots place her in a lively environment surrounded by staff who greet her warmly with, “Sensei!”

“I often feel that manga editors are very ‘otaku’-like, which is reassuring, but gravure staff tend to be more outgoing and energetic (laughs). Being exposed to such different atmospheres is stimulating for my creativity. And having a job where I appear in front of people helps me stay motivated to maintain my health and physique even with an irregular lifestyle. The staff I meet in gravure are also very unique, and I sometimes use them as inspiration for my manga.”

Looking ahead, she is aiming for new creative ground.

“In the future, I’d like to draw a workplace story based on my experience as a former office worker. In terms of work themes, I might even include characters like gravure idols or cosplayers. I think there are works only someone doing this dual career like me can create.”

Honami Ami — T160 B85 W60 H92
Born in Tokyo. Currently serializing “Gibo no Ai wa Mama Naranai!” in Ultra Jump (Shueisha), while active as a gravure idol and cosplayer. Latest updates available on official X (@nam_man3) and Instagram (@honamiami).

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