Waseda Weekly is accepting submissions for "Everyone's Favorite Manga" from Waseda students in November 2023. This time, 10 works have been carefully selected from the approximately 100 submissions received, based on the content of their reviews. In addition, a survey was also conducted among Faculty, and 10 works were selected. A total of 20 works will be introduced, along with compelling reviews. What works were selected?
Additionally, a special conversation will be held between Ayano Hagiwara, editor-in-chief of Shogakukan's Ciao magazine, and Yoshimasa Takemoto, deputy editor-in-chief of Kodansha's Morning magazine, both Waseda University alumni! We asked them about their favorite manga, the appeal of being a manga editor, their review of this issue of "Everyone's Favorite Manga," and much more.
We carefully selected 10 works from about 100 applications! Who influenced you as a Waseda University student?
Ichikei's crow
Author: Rito Asami
Publisher: Kodansha
A work that depicts the human drama of judges and clerks, which was made into a drama in 2021. It realistically depicts what it's like to work as a judge, a person we don't often have the opportunity to interact with on a daily basis, such as the conflicts that arise when making decisions. As someone who studies law, it was a good opportunity to learn about what a judge's job is like. It is also a very interesting work where you can learn about the structure of society, including why criminal trials have a 99% conviction rate and the jury system. (Hibiki Ishida, 4th year, School of Law)
©︎Buichi Terasawa/
KADOKAWA
COBRA
Author: Buichi Terasawa
Publisher: KADOKAWA
This is a story about Cobra, a space pirate equipped with a deadly weapon called the Psychogun on his left arm, who adventures through various planets with his partner Armoroid Lady and other friends he meets. The most appealing thing is definitely the way Cobra's lines are phrased. It's stylish and looks like a Western movie. Despite being published between 1978 and 1984, the worldview, battle scenes, and dialogue don't feel outdated at all. I learned what I think is ``cool as a man'' from his way of life, famous quotes, and muscles. It's the bible of life. (Jo Gillian, 4th year School of Education)
golden kamuy
Author: Satoru Noda
Publisher: Shueisha
An adventure manga filled with laughter, battles, and historical elements about the immortal Sugimoto, who returns from the Russo-Japanese War and travels through Hokkaido in search of Ainu treasure. All of the characters are strong in body and mind, and the battle scenes that make your blood boil and the psychological warfare that unfolds based on your terrible beliefs roused my spirit, which was about to get overwhelmed with schoolwork and job hunting. This ensemble drama of men so passionate that they blow away the bitter cold of Hokkaido is sure to shake your soul. (Haru Tokashiki, 1st year master's program, Graduate Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering)
scorching kabaddi
Author: Hajime Musashino
Publisher: Shogakukan
The main character, Tatsuya Yogoshi, achieved great results in soccer during his junior high school days, but quit playing sports after entering high school. The story is about starting a minor sport called ``Kabaddi'' with a club member's invitation, and aiming to win the national championship with his friends. Anyway, the point is that it's hot, and there are many attractive characters. This is a work where you can learn about Kabaddi along with the main character, who has no prior knowledge. Before you know it, you'll find yourself hooked on kabaddi. I started playing kabaddi after reading this book. Please read this and have a hot winter. (Shogo, 1st year School of Fundamental Science and Engineering)
Chihayafuru
Author: Yuki Suetsugu
Publisher: Kodansha
Chihaya Ayase is an elementary school student who doesn't have any dreams yet. The world of competitive karuta that a transfer student shows her brings her new encounters and experiences. This is a fun girls' manga with a love story between two childhood friends. However, I was influenced by the way Chihaya and her rival, Shinobu Wakamiya, are working hard to establish themselves as professional karuta players. Seeing him struggle to make karuta a career so that he can continue doing what he loves has given me strength as I want to someday liven up Japan through e-sports. This is a work that can be enjoyed as a work manga. (Yutomo Suzuki, 4th year School of Law)
©︎ Norifusa Mita / Cork
dragon cherry blossoms
Author: Norifusa Mita
Publisher: Kodansha
This work is a story about the rebuilding of a failed high school, with lawyer Kenji Sakuragi as the main character. At Ryuzan High School, where the story takes place, there were only students with academic ability at the elementary school level, but Sakuragi set a surprising goal and declared that he would lead the students to the University of Tokyo. The most efficient study method that Sakuragi introduced had a great impact on my university entrance exams. Even now that I am a university student, I still reread this work from time to time because it shows an approach that overturns conventional wisdom not only in study methods but also in thinking, and it gives me courage. (Erika Shimada, 3rd year, School of Commerce)
©Bird Studio/Shueisha
DRAGON BALL
Author: Akira Toriyama
Publisher: Shueisha
An adventure story in which Son Goku and his friends search for the "Dragon Balls", which can make any wish come true if you collect seven of them. What particularly influenced me was the charm of the villain. Sometimes with absolute fighting power, sometimes with unique special abilities, and sometimes with desperate transformations... They toy with the protagonists in a variety of fighting styles. No matter how much your fighting style or appearance changes, your "self" will never waver. They all pride themselves on being strong. Even at the moment when the reader and the protagonist are convinced of victory, the villains do not doubt their own victory and continue to struggle and challenge the protagonist with all their might until the very end. I saw them as very cool and looked up to them as objects of admiration. (Allen, 4th year School of Law)
Fruit basket
Author: Natsuki Takaya
Publisher: Hakusensha
The story begins when Toru Honda, a first-year high school student who has lost both his parents and home, is taken care of by the Soma family, who have a curse that causes them to transform into any of the zodiac animals if they are hugged by a member of the opposite sex. Although it is based on romantic elements, it also delicately depicts heavy themes such as discrimination and jealousy. For me, the main character, Tooru, is like a psychological counselor who gently lends a helping hand to the unanswered worries that adolescents tend to have. I think this is a work that helps people overcome their worries ``together''. After reading this book, you should be able to be a little kinder to others! (Nagisa Nishimura, 1st year School of Culture, Media and Society)
@Kappy・nifuni/
Shueisha
Left-handed Ellen
Original: Kappy
Manga: nifuni
Publisher: Shueisha
Koichi Asakura, who dreams of becoming a star designer but suffers from the limits of his talent after getting a job, and Eren Yamagishi, who is blessed with artistic talent but suffers from the suffering and loneliness that comes with being a genius. A manga depicting "talent" centered around them. Seeing Koichi struggling desperately as an ``ordinary person'' despite being aware of his lack of talent gave me, also an ``ordinary person,'' the courage to move on. At the same time, the work of an advertising agency, which was realistically depicted based on the author's experience, gave me an opportunity to think about the kind of work I wanted to do in the future. (Sora, 1st year School of International Liberal Studies)
baby steps
Author: Hikaru Katsuki
Publisher: Kodansha
The story is about the main character, A-chan, the most talented student in her class, who starts playing tennis when she enters high school, and uses her hard work and analytical skills to close the overwhelming gap with those around her and aim to become a professional. As the title suggests, ``Baby's Steps,'' I have come this far by thinking and embodying ``what A-chan would do'' influenced by the way A-chan puts in her efforts, starting from the smallest things. This is truly a work that changed my life. By the way, the heroine Nacchan, who has the opposite personality to Ei-chan, is my first love. (Curry noodles for a 4th year student School of Sport Sciences)
*Poster names are written using their real names or nicknames.
We picked 10 works based on the questionnaire! Which work has changed Faculty 's outlook on life?
Animage Comics wide format
"Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" all 7 volumes
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Author: Hayao Miyazaki
Publisher: Tokuma Shoten
When I first started graduate school, I was researching support for children and Guardian in difficult environments. While pursuing his research with self-discipline, he struggled with the contradiction between the severity of the task he had set for himself and the weaknesses and imperfections of the children and Guardian he was supporting. At that time, I was drawn in by the seven volumes of the manga, which ran through to the shocking conclusion with overwhelming drawing power. The film version of this work, which is often summarized as ``depicting the coexistence of humans and nature,'' is actually just the beginning of a grand story. Through an unusual encounter and separation, the main character, Nausicaa, is confused but learns what life is.This book explores how to face the weaknesses and imperfections that human society faces. This should give you some hints as to whether it's a good idea. (Takahiro Fujimoto, Assistant Professor Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences)
Stork
Author: Yu Suzunoki
Publisher: Kodansha
This is a work that carefully depicts the conflicts and themes faced by patients, doctors, and midwives in modern Japanese obstetrics and gynecology, without exaggeration or excessive direction, but in a way that is close to those involved. Coinciding with my own experiences with high-risk pregnancies and caesarean section deliveries, I was deeply impressed by the fact that a safe birth is a miracle, the depiction of expectant mothers and their families facing difficulties in the story, and the attitude of medical professionals who face life. remains. When considering research themes, I was influenced by this work's idea of valuing the perspectives of people from various positions. (Kana Harada, Lecturer Faculty of Law)
March Comes in Like a Lion
Author: Chika Umino
Publisher: Hakusensha
As a first-generation university student, I have devoted my heart and soul to my studies, from university entrance exams to obtaining my doctoral degree. I was satisfied with the results I achieved, but on the other hand, I feel like I gave up the time and space to think about what makes me happy and why I live my life. I saw an overlap between myself and Rei Kiriyama, the main character of this work. After losing his family in a traffic accident, Kiriyama was taken in by his father's friend, a professional shogi player, and was living a rough life as a professional shogi player. However, through his interactions with the people around him, his closed world was loosened. (I recommend the "rice ball" scene in volume 15). This is a work you should read when you are tired of trying your best. (Takahiro Fujimoto, Assistant Professor Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences)
©Tetsuya Chiba
Shiden Kai no Taka
Author: Tetsuya Chiba
Publisher: Kodansha
I read it in the early grades of elementary school (around 1964), when I was somehow able to read hiragana freely. At that time, there were a lot of ``war stories'' shown in movies and on TV, and when I read this work, I had a vague feeling that ``war is something we shouldn't do.'' The oily ink smell of the manga magazines of the time may have been a good fit for this ``mechanical'' work, which features fighter planes. What would you think if people today read it? I'd like to hear it. (Akira Morita Professor Faculty of Commerce)
The life of the genius Professor Yanagisawa
Author: Kazumi Yamashita
Publisher: Kodansha
Professor Yoshinori Yanagisawa, the main character of this work, is one of my ideal university Professor. This is the type of scholar and teacher I wish I could be. I read it for the first time when I was still a fledgling university Faculty, and I have all the volumes. At first, Professor Yanagisawa seemed to be just an eccentric academic, but he taught us what university is, what academics are, what education is, what life is, what people should do to grow, what human freedom and dignity are, etc. , taught me so many things and made me think. There are many stories about students and universities, so please read them. (Professor Mikio Wakabayashi Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences)
©︎Tezuka Productions
black Jack
Author: Osamu Tezuka
Publisher: Akita Shoten
This work deals with medicine and life, as well as the future of medical technology and life-sustaining treatments, through the lives of various patients and the people around them. What if every episode was about me? It made me think deeply. I remember that this work was not something you could casually read while having tea at a coffee shop when you were a student. However, at the time, I was immersed in learning about computer-based education in School of Education, thinking that anything could be done with the help of technology, and this work suddenly gave me an opportunity to stop. You can think about what people are like as humans. (Professor Tadao Mio Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences)
(C) Naoki Urasawa/Katsushika Hokusei/Takashi Nagasaki Shogakukan
MASTER Keaton
Naoki Urasawa
Screenplay: Hokusei Katsushika / Takashi Nagasaki / Naoki Urasawa
Publisher: Shogakukan
The main character has two roles: a university archeology lecturer and an insurance union researcher. Even though he has a weak relationship with his ex-wife and a timid side where he can't refuse a request, the way he uses his tact to resolve various crisis situations is fascinating. I read it for the first time when I was in middle school, and it made me want to be like this as an adult. The reason I am now a university Faculty is largely because his enthusiasm for archeology made me realize how wonderful learning is. This is my starting point. (Koichiro Onishi Professor Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences)
infinite inhabitants
Author: Hiroaki Samura
Publisher: Kodansha
In the late 1990s, the translation of Japanese manga into Western languages was still lagging far behind the serialization of the original work overseas, and ``Infinite Residents'' was unusually being translated at the same time as being serialized in Japan. This work is extremely well-received and well-known, especially in Spanish-speaking countries. The author, who graduated from an art university, also demonstrated his drawing skills, and the fact that it was full of expressive and beautiful panels was quite appealing. Another highlight is the growth of the main character, who dares to question the promise of violence and the justice of revenge. In addition, various types of Japanese (historical gag, honorific, kenjogo, Chinese and waka) and multiple regional dialects also appeared, which made it difficult for me, who was still learning Japanese, to express Japanese. It taught me the breadth of the world. (Manuel Azuaje-Alamo Associate Professor Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences)
(c)Kazuki Takahashi 2007/SHUEISHA
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Author: Kazuki Takahashi
Publisher: Shueisha
Kaiba-kun, the main character's rival, has always been my admiration and goal. He sometimes acts extremely cruelly towards others and greedily seeks victory. However, he never compromises on the goals and dreams he has set for himself, and uses even defeat as fuel to keep walking with his eyes fixed on his ideal future, even though he has vague concerns about the future. , it was very dazzling to me when I was in middle school and high school, when I was living a casual and fluffy life. I feel like you can especially see Kaiba-kun's personality in the fight against Ishizu. By the way, his dream is to create amusement parks around the world where orphans can play for free. (Ikumi Yoshioka, Lecturer Faculty of Social Sciences)
©︎Jun Sakura/Shogakukan
Yugami-kun has no friends.
Author: Jun Sakura
Publisher: Shogakukan
This manga provided emotional support to me when I was the only one going to graduate school and writing Master's Thesis while all my friends were getting jobs. The main character, Yugami-kun, is a high school student who is the ace of the baseball team and has excellent grades, but he doesn't make friends and stands out in class. However, he has many hobbies and enjoys his alone time. His classmates are gradually inspired by his honest way of living his sensibilities and beliefs. It's a work that makes me think that the loneliness of people who have their own axis is really cool. (Takumi Toshima, Lecturer Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences)
This time, we also interviewed Waseda University alumni Ayano Hagiwara of Shogakukan and Yoshimasa Takemoto of Kodansha! We asked the two manga editors about the appeal of manga, their work, and their thoughts on the newly released works and reviews.
Ayano Hagiwara
Shogakukan Co., Ltd.
Ciao Chief Editor
Born in 1971. After graduating from School of Letters, Arts and Sciences I, he joined Shogakukan Co., Ltd. in 1994 and was assigned to the editorial department of "Sho-Comi". Since then, she has worked in the editorial departments of "Ciao,'' "Betsukomi,'' and ``Cheese!'' before becoming the editor-in-chief of "Ciao'' in October 2022. Since joining the company, she has devoted herself to girls' manga.
Born in 1971. After graduating from School of Letters, Arts and Sciences I, he joined Shogakukan Co., Ltd. in 1994 and was assigned to the editorial department of "Sho-Comi". Since then, she has worked in the editorial departments of "Ciao,'' "Betsukomi,'' and ``Cheese!'' before becoming the editor-in-chief of "Ciao'' in October 2022. Since joining the company, she has devoted herself to girls' manga.
Yoshimasa Takemoto
Kodansha Co., Ltd.
Morning Editorial Department
Deputy editor
Born in 1981. After graduating School of Social Sciences, he joined Kodansha Co., Ltd. as a new graduate. He was assigned to a sales position, but in 2007 he transferred to the editorial department of Morning magazine and began his career as an editor. Since June 2022, he has also been the business manager of the manga app/web service "Comic DAYS.''
Born in 1981. After graduating School of Social Sciences, he joined Kodansha Co., Ltd. as a new graduate. He was assigned to a sales position, but in 2007 he transferred to the editorial department of Morning magazine and began his career as an editor. Since June 2022, he has also been the business manager of the manga app/web service "Comic DAYS.''
I've loved manga so much that since I was a child, I read four girls' manga magazines without fail: Ciao, Ribon, Nakayoshi, and Hitomi. In fact, "Ciao'' back then was surprisingly not selling well (lol). Now, being the editor-in-chief of Ciao, and having the experience of selling 1 million copies while I was in the editorial department, feels like a dream come true.
In particular, "Tsuruhime! '', "Tokimeki Tonight'', and "Ginyou no Otogibanashi'', and there are countless works that I loved. Gradually, I started reading not only girls' manga but also boys' magazines and youth magazines such as Weekly Shonen Jump, Weekly Shonen Magazine, Weekly Shonen Sunday, Morning, and Weekly Big Comic Spirits.
I have also loved manga since I was a child. The first book I read was Mitsuteru Yokoyama's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms''. My grandmother encouraged me to read it when I was in kindergarten, and I think she was telling me to read it and learn a little bit.
That's how I got hooked on manga, and like Mr. Hagiwara, I started reading Jump, Magazine, and Sunday. Influenced by my older sister, I wrote "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon'' and "Kingyo Warning!'' I also remember reading girls' manga such as "Hana Yori Dango'' and "Boys Over Flowers.''
I totally understand that you can learn by reading manga! I also learned about French history from "The Rose of Versailles",and Chinese history from "Kingdom.'' I can't remember it at all from a textbook, but it's easy to get into it when I read a manga. I really learned a lot from manga.
My favorite is Captain Tsubasa. It was a work that was extremely popular when I was in junior high school, and the soccer club at the small junior high school I attended at the time suddenly had 60 members (lol). So I got interested and started reading it, and it was indeed very interesting, and I was hooked. Also, "Captain Tsubasa'' is a popular topic no matter where you go around the world. I think the only works like that are "Captain Tsubasa'' and "Doraemon.''
It was also the work that inspired me to dream of becoming a manga editor. I wanted to help create works like this that excite people and change their lives.
©︎ Yoichi Takahashi/Shueisha
Captain Tsubasa
Author: Yoichi Takahashi
Publisher: Shueisha
This is an ultra-orthodox boys' manga that depicts the story of Tsubasa Ozora, a young soccer prodigy, who reaches the top of the national tournament. I started reading it when I was in middle school, and I've loved it so much that I'm still reading the sequel. This work gave me "moe" for the first time. Objectively speaking, the characters are just that attractive, and this work can be said to be the origin of modern fan art, giving rise to secondary creations. The fact that Tsubasa-kun is an overwhelming genius was also a new setting. I went to meet the editor in charge of this work after I got hired. This is a work that I can honestly say I like. (Hagiwara)
“Captain Tsubasa” belongs to my generation as well. I've been playing sports ever since I was a child, so I love sports manga that show the bonds between teams. To be honest, I was really hesitant about choosing "SLAM DUNK'' as my favorite manga. However, this time I would like to recommend Kaiji Kawaguchi's "The Fleet of Silence''.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force appears in this work, and in the past it attracted so much attention that a project analyzing "The Silent Fleet'' was serialized in the Self-Defense Force's public relations magazine. Actually, after I became an editor, I was able to work on Kawaguchi-sensei's "Zipangu,'' and I was very grateful for his help.
Moreover, it just so happens that Professor Kawaguchi and I are actually from the same hometown, Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture. He is a very caring person and has even invited me to his home to have a barbecue with him.
fleet of silence
Author: Kaiji Kawaguchi
Publisher: Kodansha
A full-length work that revolves around Kaieda, who has stolen a nuclear submarine and declared the establishment of an independent nation, and Fukamachi, who pursues him, on a grand scale that involves the nation. It deals with a wide range of themes such as nuclear weapons, combat, politics, and human drama, and was made into a live-action film in 2023. In the middle of the story, there is an episode in which "certain things'' are insured, and the excitement that I felt when I read it, "manga can expand your ideas to this extent, and sometimes surpasses reality,'' never faded. . Although it has been 35 years since it was first serialized in Morning, it is a work that highly stimulates intellectual curiosity and a sense of adventure, so it is a book that I would recommend even today's university students to read. (Takemoto)
That's right. To begin with, when I was looking for a job, I didn't have any intention of becoming a manga editor, but I joined Kodansha because I wanted to work in sales. A few years after I started working in sales, the company asked me to transfer to the morning editorial department. I didn't want to go there at all, and even after I was transferred, I was always scolded by my seniors, so I lived in tears for about two years (lol).
However, in the process of creating the work, I was inspired by seeing my seniors working closely on how to make a setting that does not exist in this world feel realistic while making it work as fiction. As I have been involved with various manga artists, I have come to enjoy the flexibility of creating works that go beyond just looking for logic or the right answer. That's when I realized how interesting this work is, and now I'm really enjoying it.
It's was so. I've been an editor for girls' manga ever since I joined Shogakukan, so I've been thinking about "first love" for 30 years now (lol). Even after 30 years, the feeling of falling in love with someone hasn't changed; it's a universal theme. I think what a wonderful job it is to be able to convey such joy of love to readers. I can't help but feel cute about my readers.
I thought it was a very interesting result. I feel that works that are considered masterpieces have been passed down from generation to generation. "Fruits Basket'' and "DRAGON BALL'' are quite old manga.
Also, I'm really happy that "Yugami-kun has no friends'' was selected. I know the editor in charge of this work, and I am grateful that he wrote such a memorable review.
My impression is that there is a wide range of genres. I think there is a good balance of genres and target age groups, such as boys', girls', and youth manga.
And everyone's reviews are great too. When I realized that manga can have such an impact on the lives of so many people, I once again felt the significance of my work. My favorite review is the part in "Baby Steps" that says, "The heroine, Nacchan, is my first love." I think the relationship between the manga and the reader is really great, where you can say that the characters in the story are your "first love''.
Manga is an extremely easy-to-read format. However, it is packed with all kinds of elements and you can learn a lot. I often talk to editors-in-chief of other magazines, saying, "Reading manga makes you smarter.'' You can gain knowledge that you didn't know before, and be exposed to many ways of life through the characters. That's the beauty of manga I think.
Both popular and not-so-popular manga have their merits, and there's bound to be a work somewhere that really resonates with you. I believe that manga plays a variety of roles, such as influencing your life or giving you energy during difficult times. Manga is such a rich thing.
I love Waseda University and have many fond memories. I had a lot of experience, and I've been able to use that experience even after I started working. All students are welcome to have a variety of experiences. Also, if you like manga and other books, I would definitely like you to join a publishing company (lol).
I came from a rural area and entered Waseda University, and during my university life I was involved in club activities, which allowed me to experience things I had never known before and meet many people I had never met before. What I cultivated there has passed over time and has led to what I do today. To all the students, please cherish this time, study hard, and have fun!
*Thank you very much for applying and responding to many reviews for this project!
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