Overcoming Insecurities with Plus-Sized Misadventures in Love Manga Creator mamakari

After digesting so many comedy that can reduce people’s weight, it’s a refreshing rhythm change when a story like this one A big adventure in love! Come flip the script and use the obesity jokes in it in a healthy, positive way. With the animation adaptation coming soon, we’ve interviewed Increase the sizeMamakari Discuss her thoughts on the comics and their subjects.

What was your inspiration when you created this comic?

Mamakari: During a consultation I attended before, I learned about “cognitive distortion”, which aroused my interest. The way we think and feel influences the way we look at things… Since then, I have tried to incorporate this idea into my comics. I also want to combine this idea with popular comic genres, which my editor suggested I do.

What makes you want to use a comic to express your body’s positivity?

Mamakari: I was not originally going to focus on “body positivity.” At first, I just vaguely thought, “I want to draw a cheerful, happy girl.”

However, as I mentioned earlier, in order to effectively shape a character that changes mindset and perspective, I need to make the protagonist a person who is originally introverted and insecure. Insecurity can be anything like a flat nose or very shy, but since this is a comic, I chose to focus on her body so it’s easier to understand.

Are you personally relevant to any aspect of the body positive subject?

Mamakari: I’m not happy with many aspects of my appearance, but I think they are part of me. I take the time, sometimes, sometimes without them. It took me a long time to feel this way. I have struggled with it, especially when I was young. So I believe I can understand why people pay so much attention to their appearance.

American society has made progress in being more positive about the body, and although maintaining a slim body still faces considerable pressure. Have you found that the same situation in Japan? What do Japanese people think about beauty and physical positivity?

Mamakari: In Japanese society, many people still have an obsession with thinness. In my opinion, this obsession seems to have the greatest impact on young people. I believe the recent spread of social media and anxiety-spreading ads is partly why. Especially on social platforms, you often see information about appetite suppressant drugs, and it is worrying how easy they are to be available. It is very difficult to get rid of the narrow idea that “thin is beauty”, but I find hope in the fact that so many people like characters like Mengzi.

Given the theme of the comic and how it is performed, what do you want readers to get from it all?

Mamakari: I would be happy if people like to read my comics, but I would be happy if any reader finds a better way to deal with their inferiority complex.

The main plot is essentially a microcosm of how a woman becomes a physical positivity, but I noticed that there is also a murder mystery there. When did you decide to add the murder suspense element to it?

Mamakari: It’s pretty early. I did not intend to focus on physical positivity; instead, I intended to write this story mainly with elements such as infidelity, amnesia and misfortune.

The amnesia part in the story is good because it adds another layer of mystery to the story while making Mengzi forget all the self-loathing she has caused to herself. This dynamic is interesting, but what exactly makes you decide that Mengzi must be an amnesia patient?

Mamakari: At the beginning, I tried to describe whether changing a person’s mindset or perspective affects the way they view the world. However, I found it neither easy nor easy. This takes a lot of time and effort. So I thought, “What if one day her heart suddenly changes, and it seems like she becomes a completely different person?” And because it’s a comic, I don’t want it to give a self-help book feel, so I decided to set her amnesia – let her personality change with her memory.

Your previous works are also mainly romantic. What else sets this romantic comedy besides the theme of body positivity? A big adventure in love! Apart from your other job?

Mamakari: Perhaps the biggest difference is that the protagonist is involved in a criminal case. In my previous works, the main story focuses on small mysteries related to romance, daily life or relationships. However, in this work, I introduce a detective case—the classic suspense detective style. This is the first time I have accepted such a challenge.

While this work may seem completely different at first glance, I believe that the underlying desire to express and support a strong, determined woman has quietly been integrated into every work.

Many of them are related to office life. To what extent has your own work and life influenced the description of your 9-to-5 life in the comics?

Mamakari: When I was an office worker, I worked primarily as an operator in data processing. I haven’t experienced any other work except the comic assistant, so in this sense my experience is of little use.

What challenges and/or opportunities arise when adapting a manga into animated one?

Mamakari: For me personally, there is no particular difficulty, but animators may have had difficulties in expressing Mengzi – after all, we don’t often see big-sized heroines in animations. I was also able to participate in character design and production at critical moments, and I am very grateful to everyone for their respect for me as the original author. I even had the chance to observe the recording process of the voice actor twice. Life is so full of surprises to have such a precious experience!

As for new opportunities, several publishers who have read this book have contacted me to provide new works. I regret to say that I am so busy right now that I have to turn down most of the invitations, but I am really honored to have received such invitations many times.

I know Koga Ichiko He directed the animation after the director See you in the food court tomorrow Earlier this year, that meant he had produced two food-focused animations this year. Have you ever had a discussion with him and the staff about food?

Mamakari: Unfortunately, I can’t talk about this, but since I love eating, I’ll definitely watch this series!

At the beginning, Mengzi made potato chips with marble soda flavor. Do you want to give it a try?

Mamakari: I don’t want to try it. I’m not a real culinary adventurer. The only chip flavors I’ve loved since a long time ago are seaweed and salt.

this A big adventure in love! Comics are available for digital reading Comic Plaza And printed by HarperAlley. The animation adaptation will be Crispy rolls October 6.