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Waseda Festival memories and life in the Manga Research Society

Waseda alumnus and manga artist Mitsuru Yaku talks about his path to success and shares memories from the annual Waseda Festival.

From Manga Research Society to the manga industry

A 1981 graduate of the School of Commerce, Yaku has gone on to become a manga artist, essayist, and commentator for TV, radio, and other media platforms.

While studying at Waseda, I spent almost all my time with the Manga Research Society (MRS). I grew interested in MRS after seeing them on TV doing group reviews of manga when I was a high school student. I thought, “I want to go to Waseda so I can join MRS.” After enrolling,  I went straight to the MRS clubroom. At that time they were in the old Student Union Building and I found the chaotic atmosphere exciting.

The MRS held seminars and I participated in  one on single-panel manga. I actually had not read many shounen style manga, but joined because I wanted to be in an atmosphere with lively discussions.  I was not able to immediately draw manga with a deep story so I worked on single-panel manga instead.

The manga that I drew appeared in a magazine that was published by the MRS for the annual Waseda Festival. On the day of the festival I did nothing but draw sketches of visitors so I did not see any other projects. I had a long queue of people wanting to be drawn so I could hardly get away! I was so engrossed in my own project, but looking back I think I should have had a look at some of the other projects.

Turning an extracurricular activity into a living

After graduating from Waseda I was wearing two hats: one as an employee at a publisher and the other as a manga artist. Because I had trouble getting an informal job offer while at Waseda, I decided to repeat a year and continue job hunting the following year. In order to pay for tuition, I accepted an offer to draw a serialized manga but later finally received and informal job offer at the end of the year.  In the morning I would draw manga until I had to go to work by taxi. Now that I think about it, I was an unusual hire to say the least.

Yaku during his Waseda days

In my fourth year after joining the publisher, I received an offer to draw the cover and opening manga for a certain  manga magazine. Around the same time I was transferred to another division within the publisher so I thought this was a perfect time to quit. From that point on I furiously drew manga and the number of episodes in the serial grew to nearly 40. I began appearing on TV and other media long after this time period. I hadn’t join the MRS to make manga my lifelong career. It is incredible that I have been able to make a living through an extracurricular club activity!

“Be yourself” – The Waseda principle 

Waseda’s students are characteristically unaffected, sincere and posses fortitude and vigor. These principles form the core of who we are. This truth has remained unchanged all these years and I would like today’s students to hold this dear to their hearts. However, no need to overdo it. Just be yourself.

*Original article from Waseda Weekly