Manga are often divided into "shoujo" and "shounen", which translates as "girl" and "boy". When we talk about shoujo manga, we are generally referring to manga stories that are primarily aimed at girls. Not exclusively, of course, as women, boys and men can also enjoy shoujo manga. While the Japanese classification of demographics is often not so easy in this country, in Japan there is a clearer division according to the magazines in which the chapters are published. For example, the Bessatsu Friend magazine from Japanese publisher Kodansha is primarily aimed at teenage girls. It is known for titles such as Lightning and Romance, You're My Cutie!, A Kiss with a Cat, Abe-kun's Got Me Now!, Ran the Peerless Beauty and Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight.
At the end of 2023, we were able to talk to an editor from Bessatsu Friend magazine, Nakamura-san, about the wonderful world of shoujo manga and find out what she thinks makes the segment so appealing and why love plays such an important role in it. Nakamura-san is currently in charge of works such as Abe-kun's Got Me Now! and A Girl & Her Guard Dog. In the past, she has worked as an editor on works such as Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, A Kiss with a Cat and Cutie and the Beast. During her previous employment in sales, she was also in charge of the books and promotion of the famous Nakayoshi magazine, from which Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, among others, originated. The full interview can be found at the end of the article.
The job of an editor is difficult to grasp for many fans – Nakamura-san herself felt the same way. So we asked her a little more about it and found out that her daily routine is very varied and depends heavily on the mangaka she is responsible for. Nakamura-san's working hours depend on when the mangaka work. In long telephone conversations – which can last up to three or four hours – she discusses the course of the story with the artists, gives feedback on the manuscript and ensures that the new chapters are available by the time the magazine issue goes to press.
But she doesn't just talk to the mangaka about the further course of a story; for some artists, Nakamusa-san is also an important person to talk to about everyday matters. Each mangaka has their own personality, which, according to the editor, also has a strong influence on the shoujo works. Shoujo is about emotions and the inner life of a character, so feelings have to be portrayed carefully. This is exactly where the mangaka's own personality inevitably comes to the fore. This is what makes shoujo manga so special.
Another important element of shoujo, or so it seems, is romance. Nakamura-san notes that since the 2010s there has been a concentration of love stories with beautiful and pampered characters, presumably triggered by the severe earthquake disaster in March 2011 in eastern Japan. As a result, young women apparently wanted to read more gentle love stories instead of battles against cruel fate, and this trend continues to this day. The editor herself would like to see more variety, as the shoujo section is currently "too unbalanced".
However, she does not have much leeway, because if a work does not sell within the first two volumes in Japan, it unfortunately has to be discontinued. Exceptions prove the rule, and sometimes Nakamura-san as an editor still wants to continue special works. In terms of figures, Japanese sales seem to play a major role: what doesn't sell in Japan is difficult to sell abroad. Nakamura-san is not so aware of the foreign market when developing a shoujo manga. Nevertheless, positive feedback and fan letters from foreign fans are balm for the mangaka's soul – because mangaka are also humans with feelings and are sensitive.
The fact that Nakamura-san herself is also attached to the works is proven by her experiences during the live-action film adaptation of Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, which is unfortunately not yet available in Germany. She is pleased about the numerous responses to the film and yet she would prefer everyone to read the manga and talk about it.
Speaking of real-life film adaptations, these are widespread in the shoujo sector. According to the editor, this is mainly due to the Japanese media industry. Filmmakers like to draw on shoujo manga content because Japanese women like to watch romantic movies on dates and young actors need cool leading roles to become famous. It is therefore not uncommon for male idols or band members to play such roles.
Unfortunately, there is often not enough budget for an anime, as the industry as a whole is (still) too male-dominated. Nakamura-san would like to have a little more influence in the decision-making process. The editor also hopes that the exchange with foreign countries will become more active in the future. She has reason to hope, as the manga app K MANGA is already available in the US with chapters in English. Perhaps German fans will also soon be able to enjoy a timely release.
We would like to thank Kodansha for organizing the interview and Nakamura-san herself for her time. We would also like to thank all the Kodansha staff involved in making this interview possible. The following interview, translation and transcription are by Manga Passion. We abbreviate to MP.
MP: Hello Nakamura-san and thank you for taking the time to talk to us about your work. Can you start by briefly introducing yourself to our readers? How long have you been with Kodansha and in what position? Which works have you supervised, among others?
Nakamura-san: I've been with Kodansha since 2013, so exactly ten years. I joined Kodansha as a newcomer right after university ten years ago. For the first four years, I worked in manga distribution and was responsible for bookstores. One of my tasks was to ensure that everything got into circulation without any problems. Since the fifth year, I've been on the Bessatsu Friend editorial team, where I work on the Bessatsu Friend magazine. The manga chapters are published in the magazine every month. And I support the mangaka printed in it ... or look after the mangaka when a new volume is in the works. Also when something about it appears in the press or media. In addition, I not only work with already known mangaka, but also look for new talents, i.e. aspiring artists who want to become professional mangaka. From the very beginning, I have primarily been responsible for works such as Abe-kun's Got Me Now!, which is also published in Germany, and A Girl & Her Guard Dog. The latter is not published in German, but there is an anime that can be seen on the Crunchyroll platform. In the past, I have also supervised Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Cutie and the Beast and A Kiss with a Cat.
MP: During your time at Kodansha, you not only worked in the editorial department, but were also previously in sales. What experiences did you have there? And what motivated you to switch to the editorial department?
Nakamura-san: You make sure that the books get into circulation safely or carry out marketing campaigns with the booksellers. At the time, I was responsible for the magazine Nakayoshi, which was celebrating its 60th anniversary. The world's oldest comic magazines are probably from America, Marvel Comics and so on, but among Japanese manga magazines, Nakayoshi magazine is the oldest. To push the brand, there have been exhibitions of old issues of the magazine in large bookstores, new editions of old masterpieces, signing sessions with mangaka who are still active and so on. That's probably the most pompous thing I've done in sales. I've loved manga since I was at school, so back then I thought "the main thing is to do something with manga" and just wanted to work in a publishing house. I couldn't imagine working as an editor back then. It was easier to understand the work in sales or bookstores: delivering or promoting a finished book. So I applied for a job in sales and was accepted. During my four years in sales, I gained a lot of experience and realized that I would like to try my hand at editorial work. In my fifth year, the opportunity arose to switch to the editorial department.
MP: What is your day-to-day work like?
Nakamura-san: It's quite difficult to describe because there isn't really a set routine. (laughs) As the magazine is published once a month, the tasks are set at the beginning, middle and end of the month. In the first ten days, I discuss with the mangaka what should happen in the next chapter. From about the tenth to the twentieth day, I give the mangaka feedback on the completed manuscript, then I receive the revised scripts back, give feedback again and so on. I also commission the work on the opening page from a designer and push ahead with the work, which I can do independently of the mangaka. At the end of the month, I do one last proofreading and check that all the texts in the print data are correct. This is the final stage, so to speak. My work is divided into phases. So it's not the case that I do the same thing every day.
MP: That sounds very interesting.
Nakamura-san: Yes. If a mangaka I supervise is an early riser, I also work early in the morning. If a mangaka I look after doesn't get up until the afternoon, I work in the evening. (laughs) I adapt my work accordingly.
MP: How can fans imagine your appointments with mangaka? For example, do you meet regularly to discuss a manuscript?
Nakamura-san: As for the mangaka at Bessatsu Friend, most of them live far away, so not all of them live here in Tokyo. That's why we mainly hold meetings by phone. We don't meet, but I contact them regularly. There are certain deadlines, especially for monthly series in the magazine. That's why we definitely talk on the phone every month and discuss what's going to happen next in the manga. Before the start of a new series, we sometimes talk on the phone every day to discuss the plot. That's about the regularity. But it also varies from person to person, after all it's a one-on-one conversation. Some mangaka are rather taciturn and don't like to talk, whereas others are very eloquent and have lots of interesting things to say. Sometimes we talk for hours on the phone, slowly, in long, rambling conversations about trivial topics. (laughs) They are all different. We often decide what the mangaka will do before the next meeting and then we keep talking until we find something. In the beginning, it's a trial-and-error thing: "What if we do it like this?" Then, if we both say "I like it!", the mangaka develops the story to a certain extent and starts sketching characters. They also send me a summary. And then we realize: "Somehow it's not that interesting." If we talk every day, they submit something every day. Sometimes the mangaka wants a little more time to think, and then we arrange to meet again in a week's time, for example. It varies a lot. There are also cases where we talk for three or four hours (laughs) and don't find anything they want to draw, in which case we'd better hang up and talk again the next day, for example. It's actually sometimes difficult for the mangaka to think about something themselves. They need someone to discuss the ideas they have come up with. They can't concentrate on their own, lose focus and get distracted. A fixed telephone appointment, on the other hand, creates a need to prepare and sort out thoughts. That's what editors are there for.
MP: What do you personally like about working with shoujo manga? What would you say is their appeal?
Nakamura-san: In my opinion, what distinguishes shoujo manga from shounen and seinen manga is that they approach and portray a person's inner self. For example, the social environment after birth and growing up, family problems, etc. are drawn as if you were putting yourself in the person's shoes. I think readers see people in this way and therefore find it interesting. Therefore, I also think that shoujo is a segment where the personality of each mangaka comes out strongly and the emotions of the characters are carefully portrayed. I am happy when the mangaka's worldviews take shape and I can reflect the artists' worldview in a form that appeals to readers of the same modern era. That's why I think the appeal of shoujo manga lies in the close collaboration with the mangaka. It's difficult to explain.
MP: With your work at Bessatsu Friend magazine, you are responsible for quite a few shoujo titles. How do you assess the current shoujo market in Japan?
Nakamura-san: All works that appeal to female readers in particular are considered shoujo manga, so there is no restriction. I've noticed that there have been a lot of works recently that focus on romance. A lot of TV dramas also focus only on romance and love. That's interesting in every way, but I don't think that's all there can be. If it's all about that, it will inevitably be labeled as shoujo manga by readers, and young people who want to become mangaka will see it as a compulsion to draw romance in shoujo manga, like an obligation. I don't think that's the case. It's difficult because it's absolutely true that women are looking for entertainment romance. But that doesn't mean you have to draw it. I feel like it's too unbalanced at the moment. Maybe it's a generational thing. The media and publishing houses have grown and become more fragmented. In the 1950s, there were only shounen and shoujo magazines. Back then, men who wanted to draw something cute published their work in shoujo magazines. Like Osamu Tezuka with Ribbon no Kishi. (laughs) That used to be the case. But in order to meet different needs, the manga genres have become increasingly split and segmented. Actually, it could be anything as long as it's suitable for teenage girls. But I have the feeling that teenage girls increasingly want to see beautiful and romantic things. That's not a circumstance that any one person can resolve, but I don't think it's good or desirable to have only that image. As a result, teenage girls who like it a little more harsh will read Weekly Shounen Jump or something. The works are further segmented that way. I heard, that since the earthquake disaster in eastern Japan, people no longer want to see painful things and prefer to read soft and happy stories full of love instead of the hard struggle against cruel fate. This is probably why the number of romantic stories has gradually increased. Before that, there were also tougher stories, such as the fight against bullying. But then that gave way to mollycoddling and coddling. This has been the case for around ten to fifteen years and the trend continues, with romances still dominating the market. At the same time, love documentaries on television, such as Terrace House*, have also emerged. In general, light romance has become popular since the 2010s through a variety of influences. I wish there were more works that broadened the horizon.
*Editor's note: A Japanese reality TV program.
MP: In general, the trend in Japan is towards digital magazines. However, shoujo magazines are (to our knowledge) still very much in print form. Can you tell us what you think about this topic?
Nakamura-san: I think it depends on the target group. Even though the age of shoujo manga readers is actually very broad and ranges up to the sixties, teenagers are the main target group. Teenagers usually don't have credit cards and can't pay for anything digitally, which is why many magazines are published in print, I think. But teenagers are also no longer used to buying magazines. That's why our publishing house has developed an app to encourage them to read without having to pay for it. In Japan, smartphones are not yet so widespread among young people. (laughs) There are certainly big differences and not all young people own a smartphone, whether due to guidelines or the fact that parents simply don't want to give their children one ... That's why I want to continue publishing magazines in print for as long as possible, even if they are in the red and it's challenging.
MP: Can you tell us how the length of a series is determined? How crucial are sales figures for the continuation of a title?
Nakamura-san: Sales figures are quite crucial. We look at the domestic sales figures of the print and digital editions and check whether they meet the specified criteria. But judging and ending a series after one volume is actually rather difficult, so we agree to publish two volumes and see if the numbers meet the criteria by the second volume. If this is not the case, the series will be concluded with that volume as agreed. So it very much depends on the numbers. But with some works, the editor would like to continue the series even though the numbers are rather poor because it is special. Numbers aren't everything, but they basically determine the length.
MP: You are in charge of Cutie and the Beast, for example. Many fans in Germany are currently waiting for the long-awaited conclusion to the series. Can you perhaps say something about that?
Nakamura-san: I can hardly say anything about that, because it concerns the privacy of the mangaka. I was in charge of the series as editor until the first chapter of the fourth volume. The series was supposed to end with the fourth chapter in volume 04. Unfortunately, I can't give any more information at this point, sorry. I think many readers are already eagerly awaiting the sequel and I myself am also keen to find out what happens next.
Editor's note: At the time of the interview at the end of 2023, there was no information about the fourth volume, but it is now scheduled for 2024.
MP: With Abe-kun's Got Me Now!, you have supervised another manga that takes up the theme of sport. Can you perhaps say something about the extent to which you support your mangaka in researching such topics?
Nakamura-san: We visit places together for research purposes. The type of research depends on the course of the story. For the karate tournament, for example, we went to an actual tournament together. For the current story section, which is about a karate club at the university, I made an appointment with a real university karate club, which we then visited together for research. I also exchange ideas with the people from the university and have them proofread the drawings and check whether everything is represented correctly and so on. We do the research on site if it's easier to draw it afterwards.
MP: Shoujo manga are also popular in Germany. As an editor, to what extent are you aware of the foreign (or German) market?
Nakamura-san: When a new story is being developed, i.e. during the planning phase, I already have the marketing ideas in my head to a certain extent. However, the basic premise is to let the artists draw what they can or want to draw. So I'm thinking about how we can combine the two well, but that's not the highest priority. I think we need to keep an eye on the foreign market, because the company is very keen on that. But at the moment I'm not so aware of the foreign market. If something doesn't sell in Japan, it will be difficult for us to sell it abroad. There is also the criterion of sales figures, as mentioned earlier. If they are bad, it won't go any further. That's why I think it's important that a series sells well in Japan. Will a work sell well in Germany if it's set in Germany? (laughs) But then it might not sell well in Japan and wouldn't be able to prove its strengths. So the foreign market doesn't play such a conscious role.
MP: That would certainly make an interesting shoujo manga.
MP: Some fans like to discuss on social media how important feedback from abroad can be for works. Can you perhaps say something about the extent to which foreign feedback plays a role in the further development of shoujo manga?
Nakamura-san: I think it's rather rare for it to be incorporated into the process. But it makes the artists very happy when fans want to know how things are going and give positive feedback. There are quite a few mangaka who are very sensitive. They are so happy to receive fan letters, it's like giving them life. We can't respond to people who ask us to change certain storylines. Even if I hear such views, I don't heed them. I can only react to what the artists want to draw or what they think is right. I can't take ideas from social networks because I can get into trouble if something goes wrong. That's why I'm very happy to receive positive feedback. But I don't look at feedback that is too specific or negative. Of course, everyone is still free to post such feedback.
MP: That is understandable. But we think there is also a lot of positive feedback from abroad.
Nakamura-san: Yes, we also get fan letters from abroad. From Germany, America and so on. There is a lot of it.
MP: You are in charge of some manga with a Japanese school setting, which may not be directly understood abroad. On the other hand, fantasy settings, for example, have it a little easier because they are set in a foreign world. What do you think about this? And how does the decision-making process for a setting work?
Nakamura-san: The decision-making process for a setting takes place during our meetings. The mangaka expresses what they want to draw, and then I make suggestions about what else could be included. In the end, the mangaka then decide what they want to draw. For example, I initially asked the mangaka of A Girl & Her Guard Dog if she wanted to draw a fantasy story. But the artist didn't really want to do that. She likes reading fantasy, but creating a world from scratch and defining its rules wasn't the right thing in the end. So it became a story set in our modern world. As far as the Japanese school setting is concerned, I have a personal anecdote: during my high school years, there were four exchange students from France in my class for one or two months who were learning Japanese as a foreign language. At that time, the live-action series of the shoujo manga For You In Full Blossom was very popular in Japan. The exchange students in question also watched this series and together we raved about Hiro Mizushima*. Of course, they were already interested in Japan, but I had the feeling that this infatuation and coolness are equally popular all over the world. So I have little fear that a Japanese school setting elsewhere might lead to the interestingness of a story not being understood. Something cool will certainly be understood in the same way. At the moment, BTS is also landing hits all over the world, so I see my feeling confirmed. In my opinion, manga drawings make it even easier to transcend national or international borders. Maybe the foreign readers are also fascinated because it's a bit like a fantasy world when the characters wear school uniforms and go to school. Reading shoujo manga as an adult also feels a bit like fantasy because you don't wear a school uniform anymore. Even as a Japanese person, it feels like fantasy. I'm hardly worried about people not understanding the stories, so I wouldn't choose more fantasy settings.
*Editor's note: Hiro Mizushima is a Japanese actor who was particularly active in the 2000s.
MP: You have also previously supervised live-action adaptations of shoujo manga such as L-DK and Kinkyori Renai. Can you tell us a bit about your experience working on these live-action adaptations? What particularly impressed you? Was there anything that surprised you?
Nakamura-san: I don't really have any special memories from my previous work in the sales department. But during my time in the editorial department, the collaboration on the film adaptation of Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight has left a big impression on me so far. On the one hand, I was happy that a work I was involved in became famous, but on the other hand, I was also a little sad. When I was researching on social media beforehand, there was a lot of feedback about the manga, but then it was gradually overlaid with feedback about the movie, such as that the movie is great and so on. I was a bit sad about that. I'm still happiest when I see feedback on the manga – it's the same for the author. If the movie is a hit, that makes me happy too, of course. And I'm very happy if the work is well realized. But at the end of the day, I would actually like everyone to read the manga.
MP: It seems, shoujo manga are more likely to be realized as live-action and less as anime. As a rule, live-action series are not available abroad, and the lack of internationalization is only slowly changing, unlike anime, which is already widely distributed globally. Can you tell us your thoughts on why shoujo manga tend to be adapted as live-action series?
Nakamura-san: It's purely a business thing. I think it depends on the needs of the domestic media industry. It's not that shoujo manga are not suitable for anime, but there is more demand for shoujo manga in live-action series and movies. This is because Japanese movies mainly target young women, and the purpose is to watch the movies on a date. In the movie industry, therefore, there is a need to produce a certain number of romance movies per year, and shoujo manga provide attractive material because they offer a lot of romance patterns. Also, the industry needs young, cool male actors to play leading roles in romance movies to make them famous. In that sense, I think shoujo manga and live-action adaptations go well together. Not that they aren't also suitable for anime, but both the anime and film industries in Japan are still dominated by men, for example as producers or directors. They tend to be men. This means that although many people enjoy shoujo manga, the filmmakers are often male. Because anime also have higher budgets, shounen manga tend to be adapted more often. However, this is an unfortunate situation. Perhaps there are still not enough people in the anime industry who have a direct influence on the budget.
MP: In your opinion, what skills do you need as an editor?
Nakamura-san: A love for manga. But not only that, but also a passion for wanting to read interesting manga. With that comes the ability to keep in mind the perspective of readers who want to read more and more interesting manga. The job is to give feedback on what the artists have submitted and say, "This could be so and so better." So it's important not to settle for half measures and retain a feeling of "This could be more interesting!". As an editor, this is important. If you become too much of a creator, you end up with the feeling that everything is interesting. I think the result is better and you do a better job if you take a step back and pay attention to whether you would find it great as a reader if you saw it in a bookstore.
MP: There are also many readers in Germany who like to draw. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?
Nakamura-san: I think you should try to draw manga, even if it's only short. And don't settle for an illustration, but draw something with a story and panel layout. A yonkoma manga* is also okay, the main thing is to try to draw a manga. In my opinion, you can only improve by drawing a lot. Because just by drawing illustrations, you don't become a mangaka. If you want to become a mangaka, you should try to draw manga – even with a pencil.
*Editor's note: A yonkoma manga is a story or plot that is completed in a 4-panel comic strip and is often humorous. The format is very common in Japan.
MP: Do you have any advice regarding the plot?
Nakamura-san: When it comes to shoujo manga ... Previously, I did take a stand on the topic of love relationships, but it can serve as a kind of door opener. I think it would be good to draw a character who, for example, embodies exactly the kind of man you want to fall in love with and who combines all your ideals. This would also increase your own motivation to draw this character, and the attention to detail would show in the dialogs of the story. So you should try to imagine an ideal man or woman that you have never seen before and that you can only understand yourself, and develop the story from there.
MP: Do you personally read manga in your free time?
Nakamura-san: Yes, I like manga! I actually read everything. I tend to read shoujo manga from a work-like perspective, unfortunately, but I read a lot of works in magazines every month. I also read BL or shounen manga. Everything, actually. But actually more the well-known works, less the lesser-known ones. One Piece, Kingdom, Golden Kamuy ... I read everything that's currently on in Japan and cry and laugh like a normal reader. (laughs)
MP: Finally, do you have a few words you would like to share with our readers?
Nakamura-san: I'm very happy to hear that shoujo manga are popular in Germany. I've never been to Germany, but I'm very happy that shoujo manga are reaching Germany. I would like to hear more from the fans there, and it would be nice if the works could be published there more promptly. The company is probably working on that too. (laughs) I hope we can exchange ideas more actively in the future.
MP: Thank you very much for your time, Nakamura-san.
Nakamura-san: Thank you too.
